Starting with the Thoth Tarot

Lillie said:

It would be hard with the CC.

In your LWB do you have the fifteen card spread?

That has 5 sets of three cards and is good for ED's.

Oh yeah, Hello from Wales!!!

Click to expand...

Hehe, it took me a while to realise that you were referring to the little white book Still getting used to the abbreviations on internet tarot talk.
Yeah Ive got that and I try to use it now and then although Im not sure how it's meant to be read. The middle three cards represent the significator in the centre and the cards either side relate to that card. That's fine. But for the other four sets of three, it does not say how they are meant to be read. I understand what they represent just not how to interpret them. As in, is the central card there more significant? Do you read them from left to right or vice versa? Or is it simply a matter of assessing how the three cards work together and then making a judgement on what it is saying? And then it says that in a certain circumstance the three cards on the top left are meant to be read as a continuation of the story told on the top right but gives no indication of how exactly that is done.

It's usually things like that which trouble me with the tarot. Ive got so many books on the tarot and no one book explains everything Id like to know. Together, they come close but sometimes they have totally different philosophies. For example, one book might say that you should NEVER think of the question while choosing the cards. Another book might say you should only ever think of the question. Ultimately I tend to go with doing what I feel comfortable with if there seems to be no clear answer.

And hello!

Well, I have to say I am not much of a user of ED's myself, however, I believe you would read the central card of the three and it's meaning would be modified by the ones on either side, particularly their elemental associations.

The Wang book has a number of examples, and that is how it appears to work.

The continuation of the previous three thing.

If the two potential futures are radically different then they do not continue. it's either or.
If however they seem to harmonise with each other, then they should be read that way. as a continuation, or as a single future.
And in that case it means that whatever you do the future is likely to turn out that way. No choice....
This is a place where you trust your intuition.
Do the two sets of cards feel like they are seperate, or do they feel like they follow on?

I am not an intuitive reader.
I will rarely deviate from the 'proper' meanings.
However there are so many potential meanings contained within the book meaning that intuition has to be used to make sense of it.
This also applies to using spreads.
You get a feel for it, when it does and when it doesn't mean whatever, or continue on etc.

Which is exactly what you are already doing, by doing what feels comfortable to you.

reading tarot cards is different for everyone.
Every books is just one persons opinion of how it should be done.
You don't have to stick to what the books say.
It is your choice when to go along with them and when to do your own thing.

the only time I would say you have to accept what the book says would be a case of where crowley (for instance) says that a particular symbol means a particular thing.
You have to accept that for him it did, even if you think it should mean something else.
Other than that you are free to do as you please.

I have my own way of laying out the cards, of thinking of the question...
It's just my way, the way I am happy with.
You just need to find the right way for you, and to use it even if the books say different.

And have confidence in yourself.
You know what is right for you.

I think the Book of Thoth presents itself in such a way that makes a lot of people think twice about using the deck. It seems complicated but in my personal experience, I find the Thoth more intuitive than RW. I highly recommend a book written by Mangala Billson titled "Intuitive tarot". You should be able to get a better idea on how to use the cards and ways to help you with readings by reading her book. To me tarot is a tool to help us tap into our higher awareness and intuition and the Thoth is a really useful took in achieving that. Another book by Lon Milo DuQuette is also quite good if you wanted to learn more about the background of the deck, how it's created etc. It's more academic than the first book I recommended on the above.

caridwen said:

My apologies I can't seem to find where he explains - would you be so kind as to direct me to the passage where he outlines what he specifically devised the Thoth for?

Click to expand...

Hi C. Sorry it took so long to respond (i'm working 2 jobs now, not much time for internet cafes)

It's a little hard to give exact refs as I am in town at internet caf and books are at home. The first ref would be about how the tarot is a tool to contact the Angel Hru who resides over the Tarot (my words), AC gives instructions on how to do this somewhere (in the back? In the front? - sorry). Then there is the layout instructions, there he gives clear indications on HOW to use the tarot. The intro talks about some reasons why he made this tarot the way it is (a sythesis of knowledge - agian my words). Etc etc. generally I meant that the whole book and all the way throughout the book one can come to, what I feel are pretty obvious conclusions about AC's intentions for making and using this tarot. But then again I am very familiar with the book, been reading it for years, etc.