Richard
What do you think is ugly about it? I think the Rose Cross is nice, but I don't like the background.Ambience said:
I was so dissapointed with this deck- was anyone else?
Moonbow
Crowley's deck is remarkable, intellectually and intuitively, the artwork is way ahead of its time, its depth is unfathomable. How many times can you pick up the same book and the story is different, even the page is different? To me, this is the test of a great deck. One which can be chosen for studying the system and also to use as a 'show and tell', a deck with staying power which has the depth to go further and deeper than that which is obvious, otherwise boredom can seep in.
I would also recommend holding on to the classics because time changes us, our opinions and tastes change, our free-time changes as life changes, then you can dig into those decks and Tarot becomes new again.
I would also recommend holding on to the classics because time changes us, our opinions and tastes change, our free-time changes as life changes, then you can dig into those decks and Tarot becomes new again.
Aeon418
Maybe if you learn what the design represents you might appreciate it more.Ambience said:
Annabelle
I'll tell you what made the art of the Thoth really "click" for me . . . getting the large-sized deck. That's when it honestly took my breath away. Before that, with a smaller version (U.S. Games purple box), I was just so-so about it.
Annabelle
Evie said:
I totally agree with this . . . this has been my experience with the Thoth over time -- I'm constantly seeing something new and surprising.
Laura Borealis
Annabelle said:
I agree too. The large size deck has an impact that the smaller does not, for me, and the details are much easier to make out. For even more detail, I look to the large scans thoughtfully provided by WolfyJames. (Thank you WolfyJames!)
Saker
I have had several decks, and the Thoth is by far the best one I've ever used. It just "feels" right to me, and it did from the very beginning. The energy of it is so smooth and fits me very well. I believe I am somewhat intuitive but also quite logical, and the Thoth appeals to both of those qualities. I have had some of the most insightful readings from it, that just blew me away. So much more "sensible," if you will, than other decks. The cards all seem to be working with each other and dovetailing in the readings.
I did a past life reading for myself with the Thoth and it was almost too much. I most certainly lived a past life with some sort of serious mental or emotional illness that colored that entire life, and the suggestion was that I probably committed suicide. A very dark reading, but it sparked something in me, maybe a long buried memory?
Knowing the Kabbalah is very important, but Crowley also makes references to Hindu and Chinese symbolism, geomancy, astrology, etc. I love how it all comes together in one card. I've done a few readings just looking at the cards and not referring to any sort of interpretive text. Wow. I just really click with this deck, and I love it.
I did a past life reading for myself with the Thoth and it was almost too much. I most certainly lived a past life with some sort of serious mental or emotional illness that colored that entire life, and the suggestion was that I probably committed suicide. A very dark reading, but it sparked something in me, maybe a long buried memory?
Knowing the Kabbalah is very important, but Crowley also makes references to Hindu and Chinese symbolism, geomancy, astrology, etc. I love how it all comes together in one card. I've done a few readings just looking at the cards and not referring to any sort of interpretive text. Wow. I just really click with this deck, and I love it.
Zephyros
Although the Thoth is a complex deck, in which the more you learn the more you get out of it, but it would be cheating the deck of its charm and beauty saying that it is not intuitive. If by not intuitive you mean "not simple" then yes, I would have to agree.
Myself, I adore it. You can use it in any way you like, the images are in a language quite apart from the visual language of the RWS, and to me at least, highly intuitive.
Plus, it has loads of personality, something like an old spinster aunt who pulls no punches and tells you what you need to hear, even beating you over the head with it.
Myself, I adore it. You can use it in any way you like, the images are in a language quite apart from the visual language of the RWS, and to me at least, highly intuitive.
Plus, it has loads of personality, something like an old spinster aunt who pulls no punches and tells you what you need to hear, even beating you over the head with it.
Emily
Ambience said:That will explain it then- I'm useless with anything that isn't fluid and nature- no man made architecture and shapes for me. I'm definately not a thinking- logic person- I'm pure emotion, random, intuative and chaos
It took me a while to warm to the Thoth too - I used to draw a complete blank when I looked at the cards, so I started with the Liber T instead, I really disliked the Liber T at first but as I started to use it, I realised what kind of deck it really was and fell for it hard. LOL
I do like the Thoth now but I still struggle a bit when I use it, the deck makes me work. Maybe the artwork will grow on you.
afrosaxon
Reluctant convert!
Almost from the beginning of my tenure here in AT, I was adamant in my anti-Thoth stance.
"I dislike the Thoth!"
"I refuse to get that deck."
"Something about this deck just doesn't sit right with me."
Then, one day, for some odd reason, I felt a calling from the Thoth.
(reminds me of how I had my New Orleans Voodoo Tarot for years until I was finally ready to read with it. But I digress. ).
I got a large version in the reading exchange, from a guy who is no longer here on the board.
I was hooked.
The artwork...I like the abstractness of it, and the coloring.
Mind you, having learned on a RWS-based system, it's hard sometimes to not read according to RWS archetypes.
However, I agree with Emily. This deck will stretch you. The readings I get from it are like little rabbit punches to the throat...or sucker punches to the gut...but only if I'm not opening myself up to what the deck has to say.
I would suggest putting the deck away until you are, or are not, ready to work with it. Say, a month or three. The deck may call you when you are ready to work with it. And if it doesn't, then no harm no foul. It's not going out of print anytime soon, so you can always get another copy if you want.
Just my $.02.
T.
Almost from the beginning of my tenure here in AT, I was adamant in my anti-Thoth stance.
"I dislike the Thoth!"
"I refuse to get that deck."
"Something about this deck just doesn't sit right with me."
Then, one day, for some odd reason, I felt a calling from the Thoth.
(reminds me of how I had my New Orleans Voodoo Tarot for years until I was finally ready to read with it. But I digress.
).I got a large version in the reading exchange, from a guy who is no longer here on the board.
I was hooked.
The artwork...I like the abstractness of it, and the coloring.
Mind you, having learned on a RWS-based system, it's hard sometimes to not read according to RWS archetypes.
However, I agree with Emily. This deck will stretch you. The readings I get from it are like little rabbit punches to the throat...or sucker punches to the gut...but only if I'm not opening myself up to what the deck has to say.
I would suggest putting the deck away until you are, or are not, ready to work with it. Say, a month or three. The deck may call you when you are ready to work with it. And if it doesn't, then no harm no foul. It's not going out of print anytime soon, so you can always get another copy if you want.
Just my $.02.
T.
