Tarot of Ceremonial Magic by DuQuette

Zephyros

While some may read well with this deck there is no doubt about its main purpose, to be used in ritual. However, getting past all that it is basically the Thoth with ugly pictures.
 

ravenest

While some may read well with this deck there is no doubt about its main purpose, to be used in ritual. However, getting past all that it is basically the Thoth with ugly pictures.

Agreed ! Ugh ! I gave mine away .
 

Barleywine

While some may read well with this deck there is no doubt about its main purpose, to be used in ritual. However, getting past all that it is basically the Thoth with ugly pictures.

In trying to use other decks that attempt to draw from the same Golden Dawn well as the Thoth, I find that all they succeed in doing is pointing out - often painfully - how wide a gulf exists between them and the Crowley/Harris masterpiece. DuQuette, the Ciceros and Robert Wang could all have benefitted greatly from such an inspired collaboration. Anthony Clark and Tony Willis (The Magickal Tarot) fare slightly better, but not much. I can't comment on the Golden Dawn Temple Tarot, but I may someday find out. About the only one I get any satisfaction out of is Liber T: Tarot of Stars Eternal, but that's basically just a reimagined Thoth. None of them are essential beyond their original ritualistic intent; such artistic mediocrity should simply be kept for private use.
 

Zephyros

Yes it is rare that such a perfect union of form and function come together. In the Thoth the esoteric and exoteric and united and are brought forth beautifully. In fact, that may be by design, the exotericism of Nuit and the esotericism of Hadit forming the impression on the user, Ra-Hoor-Kuit.

But there is ultimately a certain charm about the DuQuette deck. He is a funny, affable man and his little doodles are cute. Not enough for me to buy, but it doesn't seem like a deck that takes itself too seriously. DuQuette saw a need, ritual flash cards, and he filled it. It is charming how unambitious it is, and how straightforward.
 

smw

If anyone is using this deck, would be nice to exchange information about it , and I would ask if a study group could be set up.

I'll be watching with interest if one is set up. :)

I am tempted though at the moment I already have a backlog of things to read and I'm struggling with reading about Enochian magic It is very mathsy for me... all those letters and combinations and sub angles etc.
 

foolMoon

In the past, I never thought I would get this deck, because the art is too simple, and having more symbols on each cards might clutter the readings rather than helping. So, I used to think this deck is only good for flash cards studying the correspondences.

But when I saw the cards in flesh and held them in my hands, there were instant and powerful positive connection between the cards and me.

I liked the colouring, images and all the symbols on the cards. I also liked the back of the cards, which is designed with the Enochian Alpabets and tables. I could see tremendous efforts and time must have gone into designing the deck.

And perhaps this instant connecting feeling of me and the deck was due to the fact that I have several books by Lon, and read them all in the past, and there is some kinda spiritual connection between me and him, I don't know. :D

But the simplicity of this deck's art was not regarded as drawbacks at all anymore. Sometimes simplicity in the card images could be help in focusing the actual readings with more concentration on the symbols and colours. Many times in life, the less is more, and it is the case in here.

I made an offer for the deck, and thankfully my friend, who was the previous and first owner of the deck, accepted the offer, and the deck became mine. I had the accompanying book for the deck by Lon already, so empty space was filled, I felt, and it was a kinda fate that the deck was meant to come to me.

The deck reads very well, and I like the refreshingly bright water colourings on most cards, and even the negative cards like The Death, Devil, Tower, ... they are not dark and scary, but funny, positive and even cute.

It is an easy feel deck for daily use, and readings for anyone and occasion. Especially The Death card is depicting a skeleton cutting grass with a hand push mower, which is kinda funny. And more funnily enough, the hand push mower in the card looks exactly same as my own lawn mower, which made me shout, "omg that's my bloody lawn mower."

Anyhow, this deck would not replace the Thoth deck, or any other deck, as they are all unique, and has different feels, uses and purposes in their own ways. I agree that the art of this deck is no where in the same plane as Thoth deck, but it is not too bad either. I have seen worse in the Tarot arts.

In a way, it gives very friendly feel when looking into each card, and soft water colouring makes the deck look green and organic.

I did some readings with the deck, and it read very well, and it would be great for further studying Tarot with the traditional correspondences i.e. Astrology, Qabala, Enochian Angels and Goetia, and even I Ching.

Crowley talks about I Ching or Yi King in Book of Thoth despite briefly and sprodically, and this deck has the I Ching symbols on all the Court cards, which is interesting and unique. The only other tarot deck I have seen with I Ching symbols was the Handl deck, which didn't quite connect with me, hence departed from my collection very quickly.

This deck would be very good for people who find, like me in the beginning, while it is beyond doubt that Thoth deck is highly artistic having been drawn by a highly talented artist LFH, some of Thoth deck cards image too dark and depressing, like The Death, The Hanged Man, The Moon and Tower, even the 7 of Disks and some Swords cards. I got used to them now, but it took me almost 10 years to feel ok with them.

This deck will enable those readers get friendly very fast with Thoth system, Thelema and all its correspondences both in readings and studies.
 

foolMoon

I'll be watching with interest if one is set up. :)

I am tempted though at the moment I already have a backlog of things to read and I'm struggling with reading about Enochian magic It is very mathsy for me... all those letters and combinations and sub angles etc.

I would welcome the study group set up for this deck. It has a lot to offer to both readers and students of tarot. :)
 

Grizabella

I forgot I'd made this thread and I never do anything in this sub-forum so I'm sorry I didn't join this discussion sooner. I don't "do" Thoth, so this sub-forum never appealed to me but maybe this deck is enough incentive to get me thinking along the lines of some of the elements of Thoth.