THOTH TAROT

      Over the years I have acquired many Tarot decks, all of them lovely and unique in their own way. They have been a great source of pleasure for me, a constant learning experience. My first encounter with the Thoth deck was about 5 years ago via the Internet. As I viewed the surrealistic images, I knew intuitively that each beautiful card held something much more significant, symbology which taunted, "Seek what is arcane in me". Thus, my journey began. The path has taken me into unexpected areas such as Egyptology, Hinduism, alchemy, astrology and the Kabbalah. The Kabbalah is a Jewish mystical teaching which explains how the Universe functions with precision according to divine intervention. It details creation from the nothingness of pre-creation, down to the material plane of earth. It is often referred to as the Tree of Life, with cards corresponding to a specific level signifying spiritual progression, also known as "The Great Work". The Great Work is the concept of our "becoming" which is the actualization of attaining our highest spiritual potential.

     The highly controversial Aleister Crowley created the Thoth deck. His association with "black magic" has created the infamous, insiduous character renown in the realm of magick. He flaunted his hedonistic lifestyle, his self-proclaimed drug addiction and vehemently rejected traditional morality. In spite of this, he was an accomplished poet, author, magician, yogi, philosopher, and mountain-climber. Today he still generates a large number of multifarious followers who respect him as a genius and visionary in the world of the occult. Artist Freida Harris, under the direction of Aleister Crowley, created the hauntingly beautiful illustrations on the cards. The deck's beauty and symbolism are unsurpassed in my opinion. Although I do believe every card can have a shadow or light aspect, I don't believe they have the power to operate autonomously in a good or evil capacity. Only people have the ability and will to cause positive or negative change.

Personally, I am not here to judge Aleister Crowley, I will leave that to the higher power. It is difficult for me to understand how someone with such a supposedly pernicious character would be able to create a deck which has enabled many readers, myself included, to gain positive and productive insight into the hearts and lives of so many people. I continue to use the Thoth deck exclusively for all my readings. His deck still remains one of the best selling in the world.

 jasmine