Aleister Crowley (Thoth deck)

[Lillie]

I never said it was different just because it's crowley it's just an example...

Well, OK.

But I thought it was implied.

Unless you intend to be as interested in the creators of any other deck you may own.

But my comment wasn't directed particularly at you, but at anyone who has ever said 'But Crowley was a ....'

I just like the deck, and I like Crowley (as a character)
Sometimes I think he gets picked on just cos he was interesting/weird/psycho whatever.
Not that he really needs a poor fool like me to defend him, but still, it gives me something to do.

I got some smelly stuff for christmas, from my mother in law.
Either she doesn't know I never wash, or she does know and is dropping a big hint...

There are plenty secondhand decks on ebay.
Some quite cheap.
So, if you got cash for either your birthday or Christmas, maybe you could treat yourself?

 

[gregory]

Lillie has a point. There are so many threads on here with people saying they couldn't have anything to do with the deck because of Crowley. We all tend to react to what we expect to hear (a counsellor once told me !!!) and that is sort of what we have come to expect here. Another case of - we should have remembered you were quite new ! NOT your fault; I sort of heard that from you too - and you're right of course; you never said it or even implied it !

Your local remaindered bookstore probably has some deck or other ridiculously cheap (I just got one here in Bruges for 8 euros !) Anything is a start.

 

[ShekinahMoon]

In my experiance, my Thoth deck has been one of the most accurate decks that I own.

I agree it is a very accurate deck. I created a spread the other day (first one I ever created) and I created it for the Thoth deck. It is a seven card spread I call Chakra. After I work with it more I'll share the spread.

Personally, I think the Thoth deck is the most magickal deck I have used. I do use different decks for different purposes though. I use the Archeon deck for archetype readings for example.

 

[Nevada]

I think people worry more about who Crowley was because he happens to have been a more public and more vocal figure than other deck creators. I think that gives some people a skewed impression of the deck, especially those who become acquainted with his biography before they know the deck.

I knew nothing of Crowley before I owned the deck, so I came to it much the way I came to every deck I've owned. To me the deck itself has value, above and beyond who Crowley was during his life.

But---if you can't ignore who he was, and if that bothers you, then it may not be the deck for you.

Nevada

 

[locsgirl]

I have met two people in my life who actually knew Crowley when they were young men. They described him as a genius and a hedonist, but evil? No definitely not.

So I had no pre-conceived negative ideas when I acquired my Thoth deck about fifteen years ago. Prior to that I was a Rider Waite girl. For some reason I just began reading the Thoth cards without having read the book at all. They spoke to me like no cards before or since ever had. I did hundreds of readings with them.

I cant remember now why I took a break from them, but I did for a good few years. Now we;re back together and I adore them. Its usually believed that a simple pictorial deck, ie Rider Waite/ Hanson Roberts/ Robin Wood will be the easiest to read, but I found the Thoth Tarot speaks clearly and directly to the reader. I;ve met lots of other readers who have found the same thing.

So I urge anyone who may be put off by the hype on Crowley, or the intensity of the cards to give them a try. To my mind they are the most amazing deck that has ever been created. I appreciate the beauty of some modern decks. I;m fond of the Gilded Tarot, and I adore the images on the Druidcraft....but Nothing comes close to the Thoth deck for me so far.

 

[weaver]

The Thoth deck is a quite new addition to my small collection. I am just loving working with, and getting better acquainted with it. In my instance, this deck came along at the perfect time. In other words, I was ready for it.

I think, initially, I was reluctant to move toward Thoth because of the differences between it and the Rider Waite clones. I was afraid that it would prove to be too confusing to try to bridge the two similar but sometimes different approaches to Tarot.

I am glad I didn't rush introducing myself to this one. That said, I am looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the Thoth deck.

weaver

 

[PAVaughn]

Thoth Deck Vs. Rider Waite

Hello all, I just joined this group and thought I'd add something to this Thoth thread. I hear some people (not just on this forum) talk about how "powerful" a deck is. I tend to disagree. The deck is only as powerful as the subconscious synthesis you have built around it.

If your belief system is firmly rooted in Christian Mysticism, then it might be difficult for you to use a deck that does not embrace these beliefs if not actually celebrate them. I believe it is your subconscious belief system that directs the cards, and if there are conflicts at this basic level, then the cards, no matter how "powerful" won't "work" for you. Probably along the same theory that you actually need to know what the cards mean before your subconscious can direct the shuffling.

It isn't whether Crowley was "evil" (whatever that really means), it's whether or not you accept the ideology behind the deck.

 

[gregory]

Hello all, I just joined this group and thought I'd add something to this Thoth thread. I hear some people (not just on this forum) talk about how "powerful" a deck is. I tend to disagree. The deck is only as powerful as the subconscious synthesis you have built around it.

If your belief system is firmly rooted in Christian Mysticism, then it might be difficult for you to use a deck that does not embrace these beliefs if not actually celebrate them. I believe it is your subconscious belief system that directs the cards, and if there are conflicts at this basic level, then the cards, no matter how "powerful" won't "work" for you. Probably along the same theory that you actually need to know what the cards mean before your subconscious can direct the shuffling.

It isn't whether Crowley was "evil" (whatever that really means), it's whether or not you accept the ideology behind the deck.

I can't actually agree there. I don't "accept" the ideology - it interests me, but I use the deck for what it is and for what it offers when I use it.

Same things with purportedly Christian decks - I actually REJECT that ideology, but I still use the decks.

 

[PAVaughn]

Hello Gregory,
Forgive the lack of quote I'm still learning how to use the forum and have only posted once. I think what I'm saying is that (for me) it's much easier to get the meanings of the card into my head and accept them if I accept the basic ideology of what the cards represent. I think a Christian Mystic (again) might have a difficult time with a purely Satanic deck, even if the meanings of the cards were similar. I think that acceptance is 50% of the equation, but, again, I'm speaking for myself.

 

[gregory]

Well, welcome then !! Basic guide to quote - click the "quote" button under the post you want to quote !! For other useful things, click the vB button at the bottom of the page and you will see all sorts of exciting stuff.

I didn't mean to come over as argumentative. Just that I do feel that the deck can be used like any other, if that is what one chooses to do. As one who doesn't memorise meanings, or get them into her head - that's how it works for me. And man, it's powerful - however it does that !