"Thoth-y" decks

[Melisandre]

I've come to tarot very recently (bought my first deck about 6 months ago, and only starting seriously trying to read about 4 months ago). I'm hooked And I love decks - I love the art and the way each take on a particular card helps me gain more insight. As a result, I've accumulated a small collection, and have yet to read with more than a few of them (hence my recent deck-of-the-week project).

Anyway, I've stuck strictly to reading with RWS and RWS-inspired decks....but two of the decks are Thoth-inspired (Silicon Dawn and Sun & Moon). I don't currently own the Thoth.

Now my question is whether I should attempt to read with those two decks without having previously worked with the Thoth? Or should I (presumably after completing my deck of the week project with all my other decks), buy a Thoth and then work with that for awhile, and then follow it up with Silicon Dawn and Sun & Moon? How important is it to know the Thoth before using a Thoth-inspired deck? I'd really love to delve into these decks but I'm feeling a bit intimidated.

Thanks for your input!


ETA: Moderators, I realized after I posted this that this thread may belong in the Talking Tarot forum. Apologies if I posted this one in the wrong forum.

 

[Cassandra022]

for those two, the thoth influence is pretty light...i'd say they def still have more RWS than Thoth in em, especially the Sun and Moon. You'll be fine.

Now, if you were going to work with Liber T, Via, PetraK, Sephiroth, Mary-El, etc... those I think more thoth would be quite helpful

 

[Zephyros]

It all depends what you want to get out of it. Like Cassandra022 said, the Thoth influence on these decks is pretty light, and if you read intuitively, then there is no reason why you shouldn't with these decks, either.

About the Thoth itself, I would never tell anyone not to use it without a lot of book-learning. The Thoth is a joy to use even without knowing anything about it, the images are clear and the deck really speaks for itself, and to my mind, it is a far "meatier" deck for reading intuitively with that the RWS.

Contrary to what is commonly thought, the RWS and the Thoth share many similarities, as do all decks with a Golden Dawn base. The advantage it has over some of the "purer" Golden Dawn decks like the Hermetic, Sephiroth or others, is that is far prettier, and is made to be used in conjunction with images. However, the more you give it, the more it will give in return.

So just go ahead, what's the worst that could happen?

 

[Myrrha]

I'm not familiar with the two decks you mention so I don't know if this applies to them.

The Six of Cups and the Six of Swords are the two Minor Arcana cards that are most different in meaning in Thoth decks (besides the whole issue of how abstract or non-abstract the image may be.) If those cards or any others seem confusing in your new decks you could go over to the Thoth forum and see what people have to say about them.

The Court cards in Thoth are different in a way that can be confusing. If your decks follow the Thoth in this you don't have to worry to much about why the changes were made (unless it interests you of course) but just start from where you are and use the imagery and LWBs to figure out the courts.

 

[Emily]

I don't think that you need to have read with the Thoth to read Thoth inspired decks either.

I went round it the other way, my main reading deck is the Liber T. I've also used other Thoth clones like the Deva and the Via tarots, but I wasn't able to really get into the Thoth until I'd read with these clone decks. Still prefer my Liber T though.

 

[Melisandre]

Thank you all so much for your thoughts! I think based on all of your advice I'll definitely dive right into those decks, at least to use intuitively. If I start feeling that I need more guidance, then I'll buy a few books. I do want to try Thoth sooner or later, but at least now I don't feel like I need to study it before trying out my Thoth-inspired decks!

 

[Wee_Gypsy]

I am not familiar with the exact decks you mention enough to tell you about those decks inparticular but-
It depends on if you would want to just learn The Thoth system itself, or want a deck that works both ways, I am newer to Thoth, but these are two of my personal recomendations, I hope this helps....


I would recomend The Rosetta Tarot
the AT link-
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/rosetta/

From my personal experience it is not as "intimidating" so to say as Crowleys Thoth, but still sticks to the Thoth system and for me bridged the tarot basics of a RWS to Crowelys Thoth and nicely works either way (as an esoteric deck) or a deck that is comfortable to someone who first learned on the RWS and has and/or has an interest in the Thoth system, and also a great learning tool for someone interested in esoteric symbolism and teachings

Another deck I find personally user friendly for someone just learning the Thoth system, and not as intimidating as Thoth itself (but this maybe because it doesn't bear Crowleys name) is The Ciceros Magical Golden Dawn Tarot, which is more of a purest Thoth deck, than a "Thothy" deck in my opinion...

The AT link-
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/golden-dawn-magical/

If you are interested in going in the (just) the Thoth direction with a deck for sure The Magical Golden Dawn Tarot is the way go
whereas if you want a more flexable deckThe Rosetta is the way to go but still sticks pretty true to Thoth---- because many of the decks labeled "Thothy" really arent Thoth at all, but The Rosetta deffinitly is--

They were both very beneficail to me, being newer to tarot, (only been studying and collecting it for 3 years or so)

I hope that helps you
Wee_Gypsy

 

[Mojo Twin 2]

For what it's worth - get a Thoth. It's an absolutely gorgeous deck and one of the best use of colors and geometric shapes I've ever seen. Even if you don't read with it I think it's worth having in your collection.

 

[fallingstarheart]

If you're ok with non-scenic minors, then by all means get the Thoth (tarot of the spirit looks pretty good too), the Liber T is a good deck despite it not being so popular, it is very Thothy with scenic pips, even though the use of colors in the pips are lacking comparing it to the thoth.

The Thoth is very deep and rich.

 

[Melisandre]

For what it's worth - get a Thoth. It's an absolutely gorgeous deck and one of the best use of colors and geometric shapes I've ever seen. Even if you don't read with it I think it's worth having in your collection.

If you're ok with non-scenic minors, then by all means get the Thoth (tarot of the spirit looks pretty good too), the Liber T is a good deck despite it not being so popular, it is very Thothy with scenic pips, even though the use of colors in the pips are lacking comparing it to the thoth.

The Thoth is very deep and rich.

These are both very good points. I'm not sure I'm ready to (or even capable) of reading with non-scenic minors, but I DO want to at least attempt a Thoth eventually. Maybe a combination of the Thoth and Liber T would be a good place to start for learning purposes. Although I must say it's the Rosetta I've been lusting after