mercury8 said:
I own several Tarot decks, among them Aleister Crowley's Thoth Deck and am curious what the forum thinks regarding the energy surrounding the deck. I like using the Deck, but am a little put off by what may seem to be negative energy possibly associated with the deck with regards to Crowley. I would like to use this deck, but am not sure if it is infused with negative energy because of Crowley, and would like to hear what others have to say.
Just as an anecdote, I once did a reading with the Thoth deck for a pregnant woman and the death card came up. I felt awful because I was not sure if that particular card was somehow influencing the woman to get an abortion! And since then I have been a little wary of using this deck.
Joe D.
Well, lets see. I have to admit when I first came across a Thoth deck I was also hesitant. I thought that it would have a huge amount of power that I could not control-but that was very early in my Tarot experience. Some of that was based on things I'd read about Crowley, some was based on my initial feeling that the cards themselves(any tarot cards) might be magickal. Combine all that with fear from my teenage years and the experiences with a certain spirit which left me feeling out of control and responsible for the well-being of said spirit and you get one confused person who has placed limitations and/or expectations on something where I don't think they should be. Later, of course, I learned if there is any magick to be had it comes from within. So there I went on my journey to see what it was I was afraid of. It seems it was my own "power" that was scaring me. What if I really am a medium, what if I really can read cards, what if I really am connected to the Universe or something bigger than myself and what if I learn to control it to some extent?- all of that caused me to have fear. Once I came to the conclusion that the cards are just ink and paper, the fear was gone. The only power in them is the power I gave them in my own mind.
I have to admit though, the Thoth is a bit intimidating to me still with all of it's layers of symbolism that I think would take me a lifetime or two to learn. I rarely study it, and I've never read with it, but I did at least buy it, and I can look at it without fear. It seems to be overwhelmingly complicated, but I haven't really given it a chance.
As far as your idea about the death card influencing the querant to have an abortion... well, to me, that seems as though you (or she) is giving the card power. I don't think the cards can influence us in that way unless we allow it.
Just my 2 cents...
Disa