Debra
What about the Etteillas? They pre-date the Rider deck.
Actually there were several experienced occultists back in the 40's proff, some of whom influenced Crowley . But they didn't create tarot decks.Professor X: Back in the 1940's there were not that many occultists who had the experience and depth of knowledge that he had. So not that many people could even attempt to make something like the Thoth.
The Occult Achievement of the 20th Century-The Thoth
Rosanne said:This small world of Tarot.
I think the actual Occult Achievement of the 20th Century is a book. A book called The Secret Teachings of All Ages: An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy, published in 1928 by Manly P Hall when he was 27 years old.
Although some parts are outdated and controversial now, it has never been out of print, it has been bought and read by more people and influenced more people than the Book of Thoth or the Thoth deck has ever achieved. It is considered a classic and a standard in Occult and esoteric considerations. The Author gave more 8000 lectures attended by many hundreds of people and a conservative estimate is that over 1.5 million copies have been sold pre the 2003 Readers Edition or free downloads. It has more hits on the web than either Crowley or The Book of Thoth.
Now I have said that...back to the beautiful Thoth Tarot deck.
~Rosanne
Professor X said:I did not mean to imply that the Thoth was the only achievement in the occult world that was significant.
The Thoth tarot is one of a kind achievement that the world will never likely see again. It just does not get any more mystical or initiatory that the Thoth.
It is like having the great mystery schools of the world brought into the grasp of your fingertips. Thier is a saying in the christian religion that a christian preacher gives his most sincere sermon right before his death. Whether the preacher knew his death was coming was not important. It was the coming in of the event that somehow on a psychic level influenced him to give his most magnificient sermon ever. To me the Thoth deck has that same kind of aura. The greatest occultist of the past 100 years(maybe ever) giving a final virtuoso performance before leaving this life for a higher one.
(my emphasis)If someone is on the level of understanding what the Tarot is all about and the occult influences behind it then the Thoth would be more likely to be appreciated by that type of person.
Does it ever occur to you that one reason is this constantly reinforced view that somehow most people are way to uninformed to wield this mighty tool and that it takes too much work and that is handed down by the Gods to a chosen few? To Ra I pray "Give me Strength" (unnecessary crap from me removed here) The deck is great, but, the art may or may not appeal to you- that is the only reason to choose or not choose the deck along with whether it works for you as a tool. It is not and has never been the Emerald Tablet of the Occult of the 20th Century. It is Tarot.Like I mentioned in my post the deck is not for everyone,not even for most people who use the Tarot because most tend to stay away from the Thoth.
Rosanne said:Oh yes you did.
This is your part opening post.
(my emphasis) Wow! Even bigger statement! Nah I will just leave this alone.....No I won't! Poppycock!
Does it ever occur to you that one reason is this constantly reinforced view that somehow most people are way to uninformed to wield this mighty tool and that it takes too much work and that is handed down by the Gods to a chosen few? To Ra I pray "Give me Strength" (in an expletive way) The deck is great, but, the art may or may not appeal to you- that is the only reason to choose or not choose the deck along with whether it works for you as a tool. It is not and has never been the Emerald Tablet of the Occult of the 20th Century. It is Tarot.
~Rosanne
Professor X said:What I posted was just my opinion I never said it was the ultimate truth.
Where did that statistic come from? At a wild guess I would say 60% use the RWS, 25% use the Thoth and 15% "other". That's me guessing totally, utterly wildly. I certainly wouldn't have thought that 25% of tarot users are using the Liber T! That strikes me as a bit wide of the mark.Kenshin Gordon said:Thoth is the deck 50% of the Tarot readers use, with Liber T being the other 25%.