I just unearthed another random gem from Barbara Walker's book, The Secrets of the Tarot: Origins, History and Symbolism. One meaning she offers for the 4 of Swords is "insight generated by seclusion" and, judging from the obvious opportunity for introspection shown in the RWS version, I can see where she's coming from. The Thoth … Continue reading Isolation and Insight: The “Essence of Nine”
Thoth Material
Where Is Harmony? – A Tarot-Cartography View
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is one of my "bonus" posts that I will occasionally double-up on in my daily output. UPDATE: During an online conversation about this reading, someone observed that the 4 of Wands clearly means she is deceased. I responded by saying that I'm not so sure. Aleister Crowley's idea behind the title for … Continue reading Where Is Harmony? – A Tarot-Cartography View
Patience Is Not A Virtue (When Persistence Won’t Do)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: At the risk of "beating a dead horse," I'm going to present a few more thoughts on my uneasy, rather tepid rapport with the (Rider) Waite-Smith (RWS) Tarot and my much more robust appreciation of Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot. I come down somewhere in the middle on "pip" decks like the Tarot de … Continue reading Patience Is Not A Virtue (When Persistence Won’t Do)
A “Mercury Reversed” Example Reading
As luck (or Fate) would have it, Mercury went retrograde on the 14th of January, 2022, giving me a perfect opportunity to test this spread. During much of the period, Venus is also retrograde but there were no Venus decan cards in the draw. It might be worthwhile to set up the "Archetypal Pattern" for … Continue reading A “Mercury Reversed” Example Reading
“Inner Navigation” with the Thoth Tarot
The purpose of this essay is to inquire "At what point does (or should) a serious tarot scholar become a diviner?" The best answer to that comes from Aleister Crowley's Book of Thoth, at the beginning of Appendix A, "The Behaviour of the Tarot: Its Use in the Art of Divination," which I will quote … Continue reading “Inner Navigation” with the Thoth Tarot
Sneaking Up on the Book of Thoth
In response to those tarot journeymen who are struggling mightily (and often unsuccessfully) with Aleister Crowley's daunting Book of Thoth (BoT) and complaining almost as fiercely, I'll stick my oar in the water here. As always, I do this at the risk of repeating myself, not for the first time nor the last. (I could, … Continue reading Sneaking Up on the Book of Thoth
The Thoth Minor Arcana: “Back Door” to Cartomancy?
I've long wanted to practice playing-card cartomancy, and have studied it just a little. But learning a new system and figuring out how to effectively work with it is a time-consuming proposition, so I haven't made much headway beyond buying a few decks of playing cards and a book or two. However, during online discussions … Continue reading The Thoth Minor Arcana: “Back Door” to Cartomancy?
A Twist on Elemental Dignities
As a continuation of my work in blending the influence of the astrological modalities into the sign-and-planet meanings of the 36 minor, or "decan" cards of the tarot, I thought it would be interesting and possibly revealing to bring this idea into the use of Elemental Dignities (EDs). Melding the various elements and modalities of … Continue reading A Twist on Elemental Dignities
Tarot 101 “Whys and Wherefores”
I've noticed a considerable increase in traffic on this blog lately, much of it coming from those new to tarot who are seeking beginner material. They are immediately confronted with a puzzle: why do I call my newbie stuff "Tarot 101, My Way" when what I've done is round up and judiciously condense the keywords … Continue reading Tarot 101 “Whys and Wherefores”
2022 and the Nature of “Six-ness” – “Pleasure with Pain for Leaven”
Author's Note: Here is a meditation on the nature of "Six-ness" as it applies to the year ahead. (Please forgive the cynic in me, it's irrepressible.) This is the time of year when everyone and their psychic brother (or, more plausibly, sister, daughter, mother, aunt or grandmother) will be doing an annual forecast for 2022. … Continue reading 2022 and the Nature of “Six-ness” – “Pleasure with Pain for Leaven”
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 