View Full Version : There's more to it
MystiqueMoonlight
24-02-2003, 02:30
I've noted there are quite a few ppl reading each thread for the cards I am posting here, but alas no-one seems to be adding their thoughts, comments, questions.
It is a study group and it would do you all a great service to post these thoughts about each card if you have them.
So go ahead.... don't be shy :)
cheekyminx
24-02-2003, 02:34
MystiqueMoonlight I would post replies as I've always got something to say & I aint shy (typical gemini) but I don't own the Thoth Tarot. So I can't comment!
C'mon I'm sure there are people out there who own the thoth tarot ;)
MystiqueMoonlight
24-02-2003, 03:54
Yeah come on I'm sure there are too :)
I'm one of the 'silent readers'. There's a number of reasons why I don't contribute - lack of knowledge being the main one. I'm also not sure of the 'rules' of the study group.
I tend to jump around the cards - following a theme rather than a specific progression - so I've often got questions but not related to the card currently being studied. The archives of course are wonderful - and to have everything in one place is so helpful.
The other thing I'm wondering about - best described as comparative study. My main interest in Thoth is to aid understanding of Thoth-based decks - specifically Haindl and Atavist. Are those sort of questions or comments best adressed to other forums?
Eve
firemaiden
24-02-2003, 06:34
I own the Thoth Deck, the first deck I owned. Would love to join the study group. Was quite involved in some other study groups but they seemed to have fallen over dead. The only problem I have with studying the Thoth, and what has been stopping me from contributintg here, is that I feel that Mr. Crowley didn't leave me anything to say or discover, being as he went overboard in delium himself over each card in his book. Then the book on Thoth by Hajo Banzhoff, just warms it all over, again quite exhaustively, though honestly, I don't see that he adds anything.
Well, so that's what's been stopping me. But I love the Thoth Deck, and the Book of Thoth...
So where are we now, what card is on the fire?
ok, ok, ok...
*whipping out her Thoth*
gimme a few hours and i'll come up with something to say:)
by the way, i don't know if this is the right place, but i wanted to tell you about a yahoo group that sometimes posts exercises with the thoth tarot:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thoth_tarot/
mainly comparising cards and short meditations, ideas for things to work with and journal about.
right now the topic is the 9:s
Macavity
25-02-2003, 08:55
I think for a deck with so many (self imposed?) limitations, it's doing rather WELL under the circumstances! :D I think THAT alone must be testament to it's virtues. I guess I went through the initial "eeek" at the images - And still don't like the "Fool" overmuch. Something vaguely disturbing... must be the yellow "wellies" (boots)? But having got over that, I am becoming much more of a convert these days!
As a "pip" deck (AND beginner) I found (genuine) obstacles. For me this was resolved through Clive Barrett's "Egyptian Tarot" which is a "Thoth-alike" with illustrated minors that correspond WELL with Crowley's keywords (Plus understandable book!) As a bonus CB resolves some (to me) Thoth "irritations" too - Nuff said? Heheh ;) I suspect the Haindle (thanks Aoife) and even uhm... "Cosmic Tribe" might be helpful too? I'd certainly be interested in any ideas regarding these potential Thoth-alikes too...
On the documentation, certainly the Book of Thoth is comprehensive - but (initially) somewhat inpenetrable? It's that Mr. C again? Hey, I'm much MORE of a fan these days - Not as baaaaad as Waite or old "Mather(ism)s" - I guess! :D I found introductory texts helpful. Yes FireMaiden: Banzhaf (in association with...) gets variable reviews? I really LIKE his "keyword book" as both quick and concise. Nice to see translations: In the original German, I would really struggle, even with a dictionary! Tarot nuances are difficult enough...
And... Paul Hughes-Barlow's "supertarot" site. I think his "Dignities" treatment with colo(u)rs is brilliant. I'd love to hear more of other experiences with these and also card "counting". He'd be an author I'd buy... if he produced a book. I suspect he'd benefit from an editor too - Such can be said of many (of us) amateur website authors too })
Finally "Old Thoth" would benefit from a complete rescan? ;) On website: http://777lleeheflin.org/thoth/ the author claims part responsibility for the original work and remarks (and shows?) just how vivid Frieda Harris's original paintings were. There are some amazing fractal images too. For fun: if anyone has a graphics program and a scanner, scan in a card and click on a(ny) facility to "automatically" adjust the colors/contrast. Prepare to be amazed! With some judicious twiddling you can come up with something really quite startling... :D
Macavity
firemaiden
25-02-2003, 09:34
These are amazing!!! I want to get a giant deck and scan them in all now! I made the mistake of buying the tiny pocket deck, because it was bound with the Hajo Banzaf/Akron book (yup, Akron is that other name)..don't get me wrong, it's not a bad book, but I just don't see the point. They're just banking on everyone being too scared to read Crowley himself, so you'll read his words regurgitated by someone else instead .. (what IS that all about??) (is it like that Monty Python sketch, where each person, after reading a few words aloud gets afflicted with a terrible stuttering problem? does he bewitch the mind so that it believe it can't comprehend scholarly english????)
Silverlotus
25-02-2003, 10:03
I've been reading the occasional post in this study group, and I am more and more tempted by buy a Thoth deck. The posts have been very interesting, and are really peaking my interest in this deck. But if I do buy it, I'd like the one that has the multiple Magus(?) cards. Could someone tell me which edition that is?
Macavity
25-02-2003, 15:21
In his "keywords book" Hajo Banzhaf implies that the smaller version (A. G. Muller?) was initially distributed with additional versions of the Magus, but that is NOW no longer true. (My AGM didn't heve 'em anyway :)) Apparently the other versions were Crowley "rejects" - so I guess this was indeed justified. So, unless someone knows differently, you may be out of luck with a new purchase?
Macavity
Strange2
26-02-2003, 06:06
Originally posted by Silverlotus
But if I do buy it, I'd like the one that has the multiple Magus(?) cards. Could someone tell me which edition that is?
The small version of the Crowley/Harris Thoth deck published by U.S. Games (ISBN # 0-88079-308-2) comes with the 3 Magus cards. Here's a link with images of the 3 Magus cards:
http://www.astroamerica.com/t-3mage.html
Silverlotus
26-02-2003, 08:14
Thanks, Strange2. Now I must fight the urge to call my local book store... *reaching for phone* :)
Well, you talked me into it...I've been reading the posts here with great interest (since the Thoth deck was my second deck and currently the ONLY one I'm using), so I joined <I>specifically</I> because of this forum. Hi everybody! *waves*
OK, on to business...
coldsuns
02-03-2003, 05:15
With me around, you guys will have a great time solving them! Coz i always have weird and funny questions to ask. Im totally new to Tarot Cards. I never observe as what you guys did. I just read from the Tarot Book. So hope you guys can solve my questions!! ^_^
Little Baron
10-08-2003, 20:33
Macavity, that link you posted earlier is brilliant. Really nice changes. There was another thread about putting tarot images on the wall in your home as art work; these would be great for such a thing.
I also read these threads but due to my lack of knowledge, I am affraid to put my hand up and ask a question at the moment.
Yaboot
MystiqueMoonlight
10-08-2003, 22:37
Originally posted by Yaboot001
I also read these threads but due to my lack of knowledge, I am affraid to put my hand up and ask a question at the moment.
Yaboot
Don't ever be afraid to ask questions. If people didn't ask questions nothing would ever be discovered :)
draconiius
07-10-2003, 01:33
I got my first deck 15 years ago and it was the large size version of Thoth, and I got the book to accompany it...I can't remember the author but the cover of the book has the same look as the back of the Thoth cards . . . anyway, I worked by reading each card as it turned up individually, and was having difficulty making each card connect with each other. I am still having trouble with that, finding connections between cards in a single spread, but I notice that if I ignore the specific description of each card, and just go by its general meaning, I'm able to find connections between each card in a single spread. Does that happen to you guys? My question concerns a past life connection. I used Thoth small size cards as I left my other cards behind in the storage as they all ended up missing a few cards (how that ever happened is a mystery as I moved all over the country) . . . and I'm having difficulty trying to see my past lives with Thoth deck. Is there a way you could break down the Thoth deck to use with that particular spread?
Originally posted by draconiius
I got my first deck 15 years ago and it was the large size version of Thoth, and I got the book to accompany it...I can't remember the author but the cover of the book has the same look as the back of the Thoth cards
Tarot; Mirror of the Soul by Gerd Ziegler?
bagheera444
08-10-2003, 08:40
Hi there or should i say G'Day mate,
i havn't been around long but i have scrolled thru some of the card postings and i noticed a theme .Good academic(book) learning, lots of (showy) knowledge
THat is ,i think too much gets written about a card initially ...preventing those with their own ideas to contribute ,
THe proffessor giving the lecture is not interested in the plebian in the back row; is the feeling generated.
What about "dangling the carrot " An open question a few key phrases -and see how the subject develops.If I have all the information at hand why should i look any further?.
so in this case "Less is more " at least to start
tip toeing around edge
Bagheera444
draconiius
18-10-2003, 00:57
Yes, that's the author and the title of the book . . .