Extra Magus?

Ani

Does anybody use the three magus cards? I know Crowley didn't
like these other two but I can't help but wonder why we have these extra cards now. The majors are a map of the ever evolving
universe and we have been discovering new planets and using their energies in horoscope, are these cards saying something? I personally like the images and get quite different energies from them. Maybe they could be used as a triple aspect of the Magus,
3 Magi, Holy Trinity, triple aspect of Brahman creator/preserver/ destroyer, Thrice Greatest Hermes? any Ideas?
 

Zephyros

I don't know if it is for us to judge what Crowley thought of them. The fact remains, they are there. This in turn opens up so many options and ways to read every one of them. I wouldn't say I would reccomend using all three, but studying all three and finding out which one works for you. On the other hand, if you are into observing yourself, I'd reccomend finding out why you don't connect to the other ones.
Like I said, a wealth of learnig possiblities.
 

Emily

I leave all three Magus cards in when I use my standard Thoth, its the 8 armed one that is my favourite, I think the colouring and artwork of this card are very beautiful - but its the Mercury Magus, with larger wings on his feet and a paler gold colour, that is the standard one (think thats what he's called lol )

edited to say:-

Hi Ani and Closrapexa,

Somewhere on here is a link to a site where you can see alot of the other cards painted by Lady Frieda Harris. She sometimes used to paint versions of the cards over and over until she and Crowley were satisfied. The two extra Magus cards were put in by one of the printers of the Thoth deck, they were never supposed to be used. I'll see if I can find the link, its an interesting site.
 

crystal cove

Actually, I just read about this very subject in DuQuette's book, Understanding the Thoth Tarot...".

When the cards were set up for printing, there were two places left on the sheet and they filled up the spaces with two previously rejected samples of the Magus card. Crowley did not intend for there to be three in the deck.

I'm glad it worked out that way though because I only use one of the "rejected" ones. :D
 

Rusty Neon

Ani said:
I personally like the images and get quite different energies from them. Maybe they could be used as a triple aspect of the Magus,
3 Magi, Holy Trinity, triple aspect of Brahman creator/preserver/ destroyer, Thrice Greatest Hermes? any Ideas?

Hello Ani ... I wouldn't attach too much esoteric significance to the publisher having decided to include two Crowley-rejected versions of the Magus in with the Crowley-accepted 78 cards of the deck. The publisher could have just as well included photos of Crowley-rejected versions of cards other than the Magus. The fact is that Harris painted more than one version of quite of few of the cards, but only one version of each card was in the end accepted by Crowley for inclusion in the deck.

For images of paintings or pencil drawings of other Crowley-rejected cards, try this link:

http://www.occultartgallery.com/occultartgallery/harris/harris.html

Some of the images at that link are in colour, others in black and white.
 

Ani

Yeah I read that in DuQuettes book, but it is only his opinion that the extra cards should not be used. If we have the option why shouldn't we decide. I realize it is breaking the Tarot standard by using 3 magician cards but this has seemed to work out quite well for me. A magician is capable of so much that I think this energy can be divided into three different aspects of the magician, the more I think about it the more ideas I have for this. anyway thanks for everyones input.

Thanks for the link Emily, really cool.
 

Ani

Well I don't beleive coincidences are just random in nature, and I also believe the spirit of Crowley still makes his presence here sometimes, so the question remains, why the magus?
 

Centaur

Ani said:
Yeah I read that in DuQuettes book, but it is only his opinion that the extra cards should not be used. If we have the option why shouldn't we decide. I realize it is breaking the Tarot standard by using 3 magician cards but this has seemed to work out quite well for me.

Ani, I think that if it works well for you, then you should stick with it. After all, it isn't Crowley using the cards: its YOU!

C ;)
 

paradoxx

a new planetoid has been found with a pluto-like orbit. I can see one of the magus cards representing this amazing find. Pluto is also a very recent find, being identified in the 1930's

Info link http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~chad/2004dw/