Symbolism in the Thoth tarot of Aleister Crowley

[Aleister]

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law!

Hello everybody,

At the moment I'm studying the symbolism in the tarot. I'm working my way up the tree and started with the tens. I now reached the eights and sevens and several parts of the symbolism puzzle me. Maybe we can discuss the deeper meaning of the symbolism of the Thoth tarot in this place?

Love is the Law, love under will

Walter

[Aleister]

Hello everybody,

Sol in Virgo suggests birth in the prudence card (8 of disks). Why is that?

Thanks,

Walter

[0=2]

Wrong place, buddy. These people ain't hip to that.

Many of the meanings are geometric related, as all numerology is naturally. Or rather with application. Their placement within the tree of life has something to do with astrological intersections with the 7 sephinroth. I do not remember if he used the Liber system, Goetic, or what have you. Haven't really broken into The Golden Time for some time.

I pretty much primarily use the Thoth Deck for it's aesthetic tastes. I acknowledge Crowley and Harris' colaborative genius. An understanding can be found in the book Crowley wrote ot accompany the Thoth deck. I'd recommend it, I belive it is called Thoth Tarot or some other equally guessable name.

I remember the reason given being something about Mercuries ruling of Virgo and it's application to Assiah. Double Earth, and wisdom through/over it.

(If you're interested in some sites where this is discussed, pm me.)

[JBI]

I like Eliot's criticism of the whole tradition the best:

From The Waste Land

Madame Sosostris, famous clairvoyante,
Had a bad cold, nevertheless
Is known to be the wisest woman in Europe,
With a wicked pack of cards. Here, said she,
Is your card, the drowned Phoenician Sailor,
(Those are pearls that were his eyes. Look!)
Here is Belladonna, the Lady of the Rocks,
The lady of situations.
Here is the man with three staves, and here the Wheel,
And here is the one-eyed merchant, and this card,
Which is blank, is something he carries on his back,
Which I am forbidden to see. I do not find
The Hanged Man. Fear death by water.
I see crowds of people, walking round in a ring.
Thank you. If you see dear Mrs. Equitone,
Tell her I bring the horoscope myself:
One must be so careful these days.


and later in The Dry Salvages

To communicate with Mars, converse with spirits,
To report the behaviour of the sea monster,
Describe the horoscope, haruspicate or scry,
Observe disease in signatures, evoke
Biography from the wrinkles of the palm
And tragedy from fingers; release omens
By sortilege, or tea leaves, riddle the inevitable
With playing cards, fiddle with pentagrams
Or barbituric acids, or dissect
The recurrent image into pre-conscious terrors—
To explore the womb, or tomb, or dreams; all these are usual
Pastimes and drugs, and features of the press:
And always will be, some of them especially
When there is distress of nations and perplexity
Whether on the shores of Asia, or in the Edgware Road.
Men's curiosity searches past and future
And clings to that dimension.

[weltanschauung]

Wrong place, buddy. These people ain't hip to that.

Many of the meanings are geometric related, as all numerology is naturally. Or rather with application. Their placement within the tree of life has something to do with astrological intersections with the 7 sephinroth. I do not remember if he used the Liber system, Goetic, or what have you. Haven't really broken into The Golden Time for some time.

I pretty much primarily use the Thoth Deck for it's aesthetic tastes. I acknowledge Crowley and Harris' colaborative genius. An understanding can be found in the book Crowley wrote ot accompany the Thoth deck. I'd recommend it, I belive it is called Thoth Tarot or some other equally guessable name.

I remember the reason given being something about Mercuries ruling of Virgo and it's application to Assiah. Double Earth, and wisdom through/over it.

(If you're interested in some sites where this is discussed, pm me.)

hah, no.

however:

[blp]

T.S. Eliot wins on style. And not for the first time.

[genoveva]

Recommended books on the Crowley-Harris Tarot:

The Book of Thoth (Egyptian Tarot) by The master Therion (Aleister Crowley)
*meant to be purchased with the deck; not very reader accessible for interpreting the deck for a lay player. Better for a Crowley-ite due to its cryptic content that perhaps only a Thelemite would get

Tarot Mirror of the Soul: Handbook for the Aleister Crowley Tarot by Gerd Ziegler
*small, easy to use with good interpretation, etc.

The Crowley Tarot: The Handbook to the Cards by Akron Hajo Banzhaf
*this is a good one too

The Tarot Handbook: Practical Applications of Ancient Visual Symbols by Angeles Arrien
*I like this book for its universal interpretations although it has received lots of negative reviews from Crowley-ites because the author did not like Crowley's interpretations in his Thoth book.