Keywords for the Crowley Tarot [Paperback]

Hajo Banzhaf (Author), Brigitte Theler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2001

This easy-to-use reference provides a handy dictionary and overview so you can readily check card meanings and interpret the symbols for different occasions. Included are the number, glyph, astrological attribute, general meaning, what the card encourages what it warns against, and how you can use it if you draw it as your card for the day or card for the year. sure to become a classic in every tarot library! Bibliography. Index. Illustrated.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Weiser Books (July 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578631734
• ISBN-13: 978-1578631735
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #532,807 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Many thanks to the authors, May 17, 2003

By 

Eirian Eira (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Keywords for the Crowley Tarot (Paperback)

I have been using the Crowley deck for years-it was my first deck. I never had a "starter" deck like the Waite, and when I try to use other decks now my results aren't nearly as good. (Guess I'm spoiled.) Unfortunately, this means that I have had to pave my own way with the cards, because virtually all of the existing Tarot guides are for the standard types of decks. Thus, while they may be fine books, they miss the mark for the Crowley deck. While learning the cards for yourself does help you to interpret and bond with them better, it can be very difficult for someone who has had no prior Tarot experience. The small booklet included with the deck isn't nearly comprehensive enough, and Crowley's own book on the cards is far too dense for a beginner. That's where this book comes in.

The title is started with "Keywords," but this is a much more valuable tool than that word implies. It start with a simple history of the Tarot, and then discusses several basic questions about Tarot-reading that most beginners want to know but are too shy to ask. One word of warning here though-the authors make some of the answers sound too concrete. While most of them are, things like whether or not to focus on your question while shuffling are very much debatable. It has been my experience that each reader needs to find out what works best for them. Just keep an open mind while reading this section.

I was very pleased with the spreads offered by the book. They are easy to understand and logical in their arrangements, and I have had great success with them. (They also include one of the best interpretations of the Celtic Cross that I have ever seen.) The book is also very helpful in that it includes a nice section on the quintessence, which is (again) easy to understand. The book doesn't look down on its readers, but it doesn't bog you down with information that really isn't necessary to have a working knowledge of the deck.

The largest section of the book is dedicated to the individual interpretations of the cards. This book does this the best of any Tarot book I have seen-including those for other decks. Instead of just listing a whole bunch of words, it breaks them up based on what area of life they pertain to, the more "positive" and "negative" sides of the cards, etc. And while the book does provide a little more information on the major arcana, I was thrilled to find out how much detail was still given to the minor as well-an area that is sorely lacking in many books.

But there is one thing that really sets this book above and beyond all others to me, and that is the explanations of the imagery on the cards. The Crowley deck includes symbolism from many different areas. While this makes it accessible to a wide range of students, it also means that people may miss out on certain areas that they aren't as familiar with. For example, I know plenty about the numbers, elements and astrological symbols seen on the cards, but I am still learning about the Kabbalah. "Keywords . . ." fills in this hole for me. And I cannot imagine trying to use the cards without at least a basic working knowledge of the astrological symbols seen on the cards-for people who do not study astrology, this book is invaluable.

In addition, it picks out the most prominent general images from the cards and provides interpretations for them. Even if you think that you know the cards inside and out, this book might surprise you by pointing out an aspect that you've missed. I find that learning the meaning of the more important images on the cards has greatly increased my ability to remember the lesser-known aspects of each card during readings-allowing me to see meanings and interpretations that I before would not have considered.

This book does not pretend to be a treatise on the magickal theory behind the cards, as the title clearly states. If that it what you want, you should read Crowley's works. But it is an excellent tool for working with the cards on a daily basis, and for learning ever more about them. And for once, the quote on the back is true: ". . . for students of the Tarot, from absolute beginner to advanced practitioner." I wish it had been around when I started with the deck.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A new perspective on the Tarot, June 28, 2001

By 

"quillmistress" (NA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Keywords for the Crowley Tarot (Paperback)

Any person who has studied the Tarot in depth will appreciate this book and the methods revealed between within. I have been reading the Tarot for over thirty years. My library of tarot references is vast, yet I gleaned much from reading Keywords for the Crowley Tarot. Don't be fooled by the name. The authors concentrate their descriptions and methods on the Crowley Tarot, but offer reams of information totally pertinent to any deck.

Anzhaf and Theler begin with a detailed introduction and history of the Tarot, discussing two approaches to the cards and the theories of coincidence and a random oracle. Between games and seers. They go deeply into the different versions of the Tarot, showing comparisons and contrast to the Crowley deck. Crowley's art is rich with symbolism and throughout the book, the authors use this symbolism to enhance the reader's understanding of the meanings Crowley developed through his deck art. Further into the book after detailed descriptions of layouts and reader/seeker relationships and questions, we are presented with a section describing each card and its symbols. Each card has the aspects of "general, profession, consciousness, partnership, encourages and warns against" laid out for the reader to develop meanings. "Card for the Day" is a chosen card meant to show you what may be in store for that day, what you might watch for and your energy focus.

The authors very obviously know their subject and Crowley, his methods, secrets and philosophy are further revealed. A difficult figure in esoteric history, Crowley left the world with two minds. Either one appreciates the genius in the eccentricity, or cannot see beyond the eccentricity. It is my understanding that the Tarot he designed held keys to his magic and methods. This book reveals much of what Mr. Crowley tried to impart to the world of mystical study.

Definitely not a book for the beginner, Keywords for the Crowley Tarot is must-have for the intermediate or advanced Tarot practitioner. Once the connection of unique symbolism and card placement/ position is made, the reader begins to understand the intricacies of this deck. The authors' easy manner and well-designed presentation of information makes that connection easy and painless for any reader of the Tarot. Armed with new insight, anyone reading this book would find the style and methods of interacting with the cards greatly enhanced. A highly recommended reference volume.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In comparison to other books, February 11, 2006

By 

Nikke (Finland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Keywords for the Crowley Tarot (Paperback)

The first interpretation book of Crowley's Thoth Tarot that I read was written by Gerd Ziegler. I soon found what was wrong with it. Ziegler allways tried to find a positive aspect of every card, thus spoiling the deeper message of the card. The second that I read was Crowley's The Book of Thoth. It is quite difficult read. For a beginner finding an interpretation is usually difficult. What I especially like in this Keywords book written by Banzhaf & Theler is the straightforward method for interpretating card-layings, which you probably won't find elsewhere. At least I haven't. The method in Keywords is clear and the reader finds answers.