Such an interesting discussion on a remarkable tarot deck!
Crowley certainly didn’t suffer fools gladly, expecting everyone to be educated to his level, and he gave the opinion that if you weren’t you had no business practicing or studying magick!
I think it is wise to approach his work including the Thoth deck with some caution as Crowley filled his work, rituals etc. with many occult blinds to trip up those who were, in his mind, unworthy.
The Thoth does as Scion rightly says, ‘stuff your head with starlight’......I love that!
It can also blow circuits, especially when used in meditation; some minds are just not ready for it.
Years ago when I was studying with the Servants of the Light (S.O.L) a British mystery school founded by Dion Fortune her self a member of the Golden Dawn, I asked a stupid question about the Thoth deck.
I asked if it could be used for foreseeing the future.
Some of the teachers were old fashioned serious British occultist, many were very out of step with the world that had emerged after WW2 and Tarot decks were little known outside the secret schools of esoteric learning.
I had only seen 2 in my life, now they are so popular they can be bought in almost any bookshop.
So looking back I can excuse my stupidity, but unfortunately they didn’t!
I was told “Why used a hammer to crack a nut?” and then I was promptly ignored!
Afterward, a kindly elderly gent took me aside and explained that the Thoth deck was like a complete universe in poise, powerful and demanding, so perhaps I should start with the RW deck in stead?
If I seem to be rambling on a bit here it’s just my way of expressing a point.
That today magick, the tarot, meditation and so on is commonplace, and has, some would say been trivialised.
So many decks are lightweights in comparison to Crowleys deck.
So when we come across something like the Thoth deck, I think it is wise to be cautious, and yes read/study the symbolism if you wish, it won’t hurt to put some ground work in, but it won’t necessarily help you understand it any better either.
As Scion said not only is it not supposed to come easy, for some it won’t come at all.
And I would add, for some it isn’t supposed to come at all, even with years of study about symbolism, that’s how Crowley built his deck.
I may impress others with what you can relate re-symbolism but all that says is that you hold facts in your head rather well, it won’t guarantee that the deck will open up to you.
Put down the book as someone else here said?? and meditate on the cards that is the way Crowley intended them to be used.