Lost & Confused Newbie

Aeon418

I'm not sure what the letters on the small barbs mean. If I recall, DuQuette doesn't say, and then I neglected to come back to it, I forgot.

I'm fairly sure that DuQuette does mention the letters.

They are LVX and IAO. There's an extra I because of the double I in INRI.
 

Zephyros

I'm fairly sure that DuQuette does mention the letters.

They are LVX and IAO. There's an extra I because of the double I in INRI.

Right, I forgot that, thanks. Looks like I've got some backtracking to do.
 

treedog

And I'll be a nag again... Qabalah isn't difficult, and will open up the deck in ways you would never imagine...

I so agree with closrapexa. Although I too am a new to this, the structure and essence of the Qabalah are, in a short time, becoming a working part of the mind. For me, it's essential. A life-time study, but already so practical!

There are some great minds on this forum, and most importantly, folks here love to be helpful. Thanks for all your questions--they help me too.
 

Lil Red

It is certainly worthwhile to learn about the symbolism of the Hermetic Rose Cross. It is a sublimely beautiful thing. There is a wealth of Qabalistic information packed into it. Depending on where you are in your esoteric studies, The Chicken Qabalah might be a good book to start you on the adventure.

I have done some research of the Hermetic Rose Cross and it did helped me cause I got a grasp to it as well I love how DuQuette broke it down. I'm already becoming one of his fans of his work.

I'm also going to do myself a favor and get the Chicken Qabalah to understand it a bit better so thank you for the recommendation.
 

Lil Red

It truly is a beautiful symbol, one can ponder it for hours. I'm not sure what the letters on the small barbs mean. If I recall, DuQuette doesn't say, and then I neglected to come back to it, I forgot.

If you're studying his Understanding I found it useful to draw it out in stages like he does, it makes things clearer. You can also arrange the cards in the form of the petals, a fascinating exercise. In any case, there is a reason it's right at the beginning of the book, as in many ways it sets the stage for what comes after, and is important for how many cards play off the others. Understanding is a book that should give you a good base with which to continue, and it doesn't have a whole lot of Qabalah in it, but it is tier-structured so I don't recommend you skip that chapter.

And I'll be a nag again... Qabalah isn't difficult, and will open up the deck in ways you would never imagine. Try :) All you need is a few basics, and then study of the Thoth becomes study of Qabalah, since it is built by it.

Hi Closrapexa,
I did the excerise of rearranging the trump cards like the petals and it did helped me a lot looking at the cards arrangement I notice that it looked a bit like the three of life diagram which I found fascinated. It made me more interested on reading DuQuette Understanding.


Also I am going to get some books on the Qabalah to help me further in my studies. I'm planning in getting Chicken Qabalah and Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune soon.
 

Lil Red

I just wanted to update you guys that I'm in part 2 of the Understanding and found a book on the Qabalah it is called Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune though I'm still trying to look for Chicken Qabalah at the library and so far found none. I'm just going to order it though first I'm going to read the other 2 books on Thoth before I read something else so I'm not in a hurry to get it.

Also just reading through part 1 I learned a lot and DuQuette sure knows how to make the readers understand the material better. I'm already looking forward to reading more on his works. It may be the reason why I'm taking my time digesting his information as well taking each card and examing it when he mentions a particular card. I find that helps me a lot more.
 

Richard

The Dion Fortune book is excellent.
 

Zephyros

I looooooooove Dion Fortune's book! I read it after Chicken Qabalah, though, so I don't know how much I would have learned from it without DuQuette's introduction. I have read reviews of it recommending it for beginners though. She writes very nicely and clearly, minus the racist parts. :)
 

treedog

I looooooooove Dion Fortune's book!

I, too, got a lot out of Fortune's book, The Mystical Qabablah. And at the further suggestion of folks on this forum I just started William G. Gray's, Ladder of Lights. I really like his directness. And similar to the way Robert Wang proceeds when going through the paths (Majors), Gray begins with Malkuth and works his way up (or in).

The progression for me has been Duquette, Wang, Gray. I wonder if it would have seemed as perfect in some other order. Something other/larger than my personality seems to be ordering all this investigation. Perhaps it wants me as much, if not more, than I want it.
 

treedog

And while on the subject of books on the Tree of Life, I recently read Rachelle Pollack's Kabbalah Tree. Hmm.... it has definitely added some interesting biblical and historic references to my budding investigation. My reason for reading this was my interest in the Haindl Tarot, and she keeps up a gentle challenge with her somewhat feminist views on the cultural perspectives during the Tree's evolution (which of course continues with our involvement). Mention of it in a Thoth sub-forum, however, seems a bit of an aside.

Also, I began with Chicken Qabalah but went straightaway to Duquette's, Understanding Alister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, THEN the Dion Fortune. I would recommend fitting that in if your quest be Qabalah through Thoth, or visa versa.