Customer Reviews

Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Truly an excellent book. And I must disagree with the earlier reviewer who felt that Crowley had somehow been "dumbed down" or sanitized. Nothing could be further from the truth. Duquette spends a significant amount of space and time (nearly 100 pages) on explaining such things as the Holy Guardian Angel, the new Aeon of Horus, the Tree of Life, the significance of the Book of the Law as it relates to Crowley's tarot, etc. The bulk of the book is filled with detailed descriptions of each card, and their significance in the Tarot as a spiritual journey...rather than dwelling on divinatory meanings. There is a section at the back that gives brief divination meanings for readings, but clearly he (and Crowley too), thought that divination was a side effect produced by the Tarot...useful certainly, but not the main significance.

My only complaint really, and it is a very minor complaint, is that Duquette keeps apologizing for having to spend so much time on the background stuff. One apology would have been enough...anyone completely unfamilar with Qabala et al should know what they are getting into, and EXPECT some time spent explaining it. Continually apologizing for it was not necessary.

I particulary liked the inclusion of bits of correspondence between Harris and Crowley, while the paintings were still being done.

Duquette suggests that Crowley's original Book of Thoth (book) would be required reading alongside this book, and I must agree. It doesn't replace the original, it just makes jumping into it a lot less painful. I wish this book had been available years ago when I first read the Crowley book!

When it comes to the subject of Tarot cards, many people have become jaded, due to the proliferation of
decks like the "Tarot of the Cat People" or the "Baseball Tarot". It is nearly impossible to find any depth
to the divinatory meanings of such decks.

Best, by far, to look for the richness of tradition, which is where Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot
can be found. Unfortunately, the book Crowley wrote to elucidate the meaning of the cards so brilliantly
painted by Lady Freida Harris - The Book of Thoth - requires a patience and supplemental knowledge
quite a few readers do not possess.

That is where Lon Milo DuQuette's latest comes in. He looks at the history of not only Crowley,
but of Harris, the historical situation surrounding the Thoth deck's creation, and the myriad magickal
components inherent to the deck. And he does it in plain English, with touches of his delightful humor,
so the door can be thrown wide open for more Tarot enthusiasts to come to an understanding of what
Tarot is really about, especially the Thoth deck.

The extensive research which went into this volume, as well as DuQuette's own considerable
experience on the subject, make this a text to be valued and read time and again - just as DuQuette
himself recommends reading The Book of Thoth on a regular basis. But now, because of DuQuette's
incredible efforts, the latter will be better understood by a broader audience, and the Thoth Tarot more
comprehensively used for spiritually enlightening purposes, as it was meant to be.

Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot is one of the most popular and best selling Tarot deck in the world. It is, however, more than deck of fortune-telling cards. For those with an advanced understanding of esoteric matters, it is one of western civilization's most important spiritual object d'art.

Designed by Crowley and painted by the surrealist genius Lady Frieda Harris, it distills in breathtaking and terrifying beauty the essence of the Hermetic mysteries; the quest for the Holy Grail; kabbalah; astrology; alchemy, and magick (even sex magick!).

To accompany the cards and explain their symbolic imagery Crowley wrote his magnificent magnum opus, The Book of Thoth. Penned in his last years, he literally raced death to desperately pour the totality of his vast knowledge and wisdom into a few hundred pages of complex concentrated esotericism. For the most part he succeeded, but unless the reader is already an advanced student of the mysteries the text is all but incomprehensible.

This irony has for nearly 40 years frustrated the tens of thousands of owners and users of the Thoth Tarot (myself being the most notable) who sincerely would like to know more about the cards but find we simply cannot wade through Crowley's highly stylized and post-graduate text. It took a genius to create the Thoth Tarot and the write The Book of Thoth, and fifty-five years after Crowley's death it took another genius to create the Rosetta Stone that unlocks the mysteries of these magical masterpieces.

In his 1993 Magick of Thelema (now renamed Magick of Aleister Crowley) Lon Milo DuQuette did what many very knowledgeable people thought was impossible. With casual ease and a large dash of humor he made Crowley's classic text book, Magick in Theory and Practice, actually understandable to readers even as dense as I. With Dr. Christopher Hyatt he did the same with Crowley's Enochian and Goetic magick works. Later he actually made the Hebrew Kabbalah hilariously understandable with a book with the self-effacing title "The Chicken Qabalah". I could only pray that someday he would turn his zapper on the Thoth Tarot and The Book of Thoth.

That day has come - and it has been worth the wait.

Even if you have only the most causal interest in the Thoth Tarot, I urge you to read UNDERSTANDING ALEISTER CROWLEY'S THOTH TAROT. Like the Thoth Tarot it is a masterpiece. It is nothing less than the Rosetta Stone to one of the most important spiritual documents of all time.

I really enjoyed Duquette's book and devoured it when I got it. He does an admirable job teaching people who do not have the background in kabbalah, tarot, or many occult subjects to give an introduction and insight into the Thoth tarot and into Aleister Crowley. That is his stated goal. Individuals without a great knowledge of the occult, Crowley, and the tarot are his intended target, and he beautifully introduces both tarot and Crowley to a wider audience.
If you have read extensively on Crowley, have great knowledge of the occult and understand Crowley then this book is not for you. You are not the intended audience. So don't bitch because you bought the wrong book. That's not DuQuette's fault.
For those of you who bicker about the black and white illustrations just get out your tarot deck and look at the card when you read the text. That's what I did. We'd all like to see color instead of black and white illustrations but I'm sure it would add greatly to the cost of the book and these books are already expensive enough. I don't want to pay an additional 15 or 20 dollars for color and better paper.
For those of you wanting a text with which to do a reading, this is not the book for you. You will not be able to give a reading with much understanding or synthesis based on this book and according to other reviews there are other books out there that better suited to this objective.
I picked this book out after reading many negative reviews of this book and others about the thoth tarot on the amazon site. I was not disappointed in this book and recommend it enthusiastically. Having been guided by another to look into kabbalah and having found Isreal Regardie and the Golden Dawn, I wanted to use tarot cards to help me understand and integrate knowledge of the kabbalah, tarot, and astrology. I didn't have a background in tarot and the occult. I've avoided occult orders because they seem to attract Luciferian characters. I've assiduously avoided Aleister Crowley because I've read the author's work directly and intensely disliked him. I think it is a tribute to DuQuette that he could improve my opinion of a man I detested. I learned that Crowley was a great patriot for England and an accomplished intellect. To the person who criticized the lack of a link with astrology, in his notes DuQuette explains that Crowley was the ghost writer for texts on astrology published under Evangeline Adams name.
One of the critics of DuQuette stated that Crowley told Harris to illustrate Crowley's tarot. Crowley did supervise Harris. Quoting from Greer's column on Crowley, "Crowley made clear that his student and artist, Frieda Harris, at no time contributed "a single idea of any kind to any card, and she is in fact almost as ignorant of the Tarot and its true meaning and use as when she began." That's the kind of misogynist arrogant remark I remembered typical of Crowley. I find it much more likely that Harris approached Crowley about producing a tarot deck than Crowley recruiting her for the project. Why would Crowley pick a woman artist whom he would consider inferior to and incapable of understanding his intellect? On the other hand, I doubt Crowley could have found a male artist willing to put up with all of Crowley's arrogance without abandoning the project and telling Crowley where to stick it (deservedly so). Crowley, while a great intellect, was an unbearable prick.
I learned from Duquette that the Rider Waite deck which I had been introduced to as an easy way to learn tarot was not the definitive tarot but merely an introduction. I'd always suspected as much but Duquette confirmed it. I wanted tarot cards from the Golden Dawn but when I looked at what was available, the art was so disappointing, I knew I would never use them. Since Crowley based his tarot on the Golden dawn's tarot and I liked Harris's art, I bought the cards even if they were directed by the Beast himself. There is a huge sexual overtone to the Thoth cards that isn't in the Rider Waite deck. DuQuette tells us that Crowley and the thoth tarot are based on sexual magic so don't be surprised to find that bias in this deck. Tantra is one of the paths to enlightenment. For some of you this may make the Thoth tarot even more attractive while deterring others. DuQuette doesn't dwell excessively on the sexual content; he doesn't have to, it's all in the images.
For those of you who want an introduction to the tarot, a brief overview of the various occult societies who contributed to the development of Crowley's Thoth tarot, this book delivers and it's an enjoyable read. I disagree with the person who found it useful only for the Thoth tarot. It deepened my understanding of the Rider Waite tarot as well as the Thoth tarot. So what if DuQuette apologizes and tells us little ditties about his wife's sign. I wasn't offended. Compared to what DuQuette brings to the table, these criticisms of his books are just so petty. I want to address the negative criticisms so others may find this book more attractive because it deserves your attention. Many of these occult texts are so densely packed with knowledge and so drily written, that I enjoyed a little levity for a change. I'm not affiliated with DuQuette or the OTO. Duquette delivers information and he makes learning fun, not a chore. I'd enjoy reading more from this author.

This book would better be entitled "An Accurate and Complete Book on the Thoth Tarot Deck" or "A Method of Spiritual Attainment Using the Thoth Tarot" because this is precisely what Lon DuQuette has done in this offering.

Rarely since either Papus' or Mouni Sadhu's works on tarot have I seen a book that is this much in depth in knowledge and scope as what DuQuette has presented in this book. Also knowing the complexity of the Thelemic system and the resulting madness which is rightfully Aleister Crowley's, the Thoth deck is not something to which many are capable of grasping more than straws.

I have owned a Thoth deck from the first year I got involved in the Occult and that's been 17 years as of this writing and still there is so much offered in the Thoth deck that I find something new about it each time I unwrap my cards and gaze at them! How many other Tarot decks can make this simple claim?

Originally I bought Crowley's accompanying book on the Thoth deck & after my first reading, I was more perplexed than before I started! Thus I did not use the deck for little more than contemplation and as a method to help induce altered states and astral travel experiences. Lon has offered me much more now that I've read his book and have a deeper understanding of the complexities of the Thoth deck and to that I am grateful.

Chapters Zero and One should be read a few times prior to reading the rest of the book so you are prepped for what is to come and why it's coming. Take my advice and do not overlook this step. You'll glean a LOT more from doing this simple thing than reading the rest of the book more than once.

Chapters Two thru Seven are the obligatory history of Uncle Al and why he was who he was. Frankly this material is not necessary in my opinion as there are plenty of other sources Lon could have referenced just as easily instead of adding this filler to the book. But there are some who have this attitude that if you like their book they have to include as much history or ethical platitudes as possible to make it a "complete" work.

Chapter Eight is very helpful if you happen to be into the Rosicrucian oriented framework as it covers the all important Rosy Cross. Now even if you're NOT into this aspect, it helps to further understand the Qabalistic designs of Uncle Al's Thoth deck. Why? Because this aspect of Thelema is patterened after the Golden Dawn's Rose Cross symbol and is central to Thelema as well.

I could go on and on touching on each chapter and would end up spoiling the fun of working thru this manual before you read it. So I won't however I will say you should have your Thoth deck out and at hand as you read thru each subsequent chapter on the various cards. Take your time and read each section carefully then let that information flow thru your mind and let it drift away THEN gaze and contemplate the card in your hand. If you don't gain some sort of insights by the time you're done contemplating the card, then go back and re-read that section on that card. You'll gain SOMETHING worthwhile!

I rate this book five stars for the breadth of the subject matter. The book is complete and tight in its offering. There are some useful insights offered by DuQuette as you work your way thru the book and he even offers some quips and personal anecdotes as well. I recommend this book to those who have a strong desire to master the Thoth deck. This is not to say that by reading this book you'll have mastered the deck itself but rather will gain a useful starting point from which to begin and material to help fill in the gaps of understanding which are most surely to plague you when trying to use this deck for more than mere divination.

If you have ever tried understanding the Book OF Thoth and like me became frustrated, this book is for you. This book explains in plain language the meaning behind the sometimes veiled unintelligible writings of Aleister Crowley. Unless you are well versed in the language of the Kabbalah, Geometra. Egyptian magick to the extream this book is a God send. You won't be disappointed. Some Knowledge of Crowleyanity I would say is necessary for full enjoyment. Recommended.

This beautifully designed book works well at communicating and serving as a gateway to the tarot cards designed by Aleister Crowley and executed by Lady Freida Harris. Called the Thoth tarot after the Egyptian god of magic, language and communication, these cards and its companion piece, "The Book of Thoth", by Crowley, is perhaps the most sophisticated presentation of tarot one will currently find. It is, indeed, a complete representation of the magickal Universe. However, at first sight, it appears recondite, arcane and difficult to follow. Enter Lon Milo Duquette with this invaluable book.

Part of the difficulty in grasping Crowley's tarot is that it is thoroughly infused with the cosmology he spent his life expounding to the world, called Thelema. Also, The Book of Thoth reads, as Duquette said in a recent interview, "like a post-graduate treatise... it is way over the head of even very knowledgeable students."

The wealth of information to be found in "Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot" (UACTT) includes extensive background material on Crowley and the Golden Dawn - the magical order whose system of tarot was the foundation for the Thoth tarot. There are also clear, concise primers on Thelema and Qabalah - the system of correspondences that is the basis of both the Golden Dawn and Thoth tarot.

One of the many mysteries that Duquette clears up is how each of the small cards receives its attribution. For example, the Nine of Wands has the word "Strength" printed on its lower border. He gives a formula based on qabalistic and astrological considerations for determining the attribution. The formula is easy to understand and makes perfect sense.

Other notable explanations include, the relationship between the court cards and the small cards, the unique qualities of the aces, the zodiac and planetary correspondences of the Minor Arcana and a very detailed examination of the Rose Cross found on the back of every card.

One chapter covers the mystical visions Crowley wrote of in his work "Liber 418: The Vision and the Voice" and how these provided inspiration to the imagry found in some of the Major Arcana cards. Another chapter looks at the qabalistic significance of color and its effect upon these cards.

One of the most fascinating aspects of UACTT is the biographical sketch of Lady Freida Harris and her relationship with Crowley. Duquette describes background details on her artistic approach and style that greatly influenced the paintings of the Thoth tarot. These cards have an energetic vitality to them that one could call psychedelic. They are alive.

Duquette also had access to correspondence between Crowley and Harris that he peppers liberally throughout the book. They reveal the painstaking effort and attention to detail that went into the creation of these unique cards. It also gives the reader an inside, behind the scenes view of the process.

UACTT is written in two parts. Part One has the background information while Part Two is a comprehensive description of each of the cards. There are some suggested methods of divination from The Book of Thoth, very thorough footnotes, and an excellent glossary of Thelemic, Qabalistic and Tarot terms.

The book is direct and at times humorous in its writing style. It is very accessible to anyone unfamiliar with Crowley's work though it would prove more difficult as an introduction to tarot cards. It is also a great aid and highly beneficial to the long time student and practitioner of Magick. I recommend it highly.

By no means does UACTT cover everything there is to understand regarding the Thoth tarot. It acts as a doorway. The most profound insight will be from personal experience personally experienced. Duquette put it best on page 275 when he said,
" Any adept of tarot cards will tell you that if you wish to use the tarot as a divinatory tool, it is best to choose a spread and to develop a personal glossary of meanings based upon your own familiarity with the qualities and characteristics of each card and the knowledge and experience you gather in actually working with the cards." This is the most important sentence in the book in this reviewer's view. One could add that the use of the tarot may extend to spiritual diagnostics, and bardo navigation and course correction. It may also act as a communication device with unseen guides.

Duquette begins UACTT with a classic invocation of Thoth. With the manifestation of this book, the invocation proves extremely successful.

This is the first book of DuQuette's I have read, and I have to say I am very impressed. (So much so that I've read three more of his books in the months since reading this one). He has a very down-to-earth way of discussing somewhat abstract occult topics. The first 94 pages of the book are dedicated to examining some background topics such as Crowley himself, the Rose Cross, the Tree of Life, the Holy Guardian Angel, etc.

This is the best book on the subject I could ever recommend to a beginner. Of course nothing is better than the Book of Thoth itself, but that's hardly a book for a novice. After reading this book, I almost consider the time I spent with other texts concerning the subject to be a waste. That said, if you are interested in using the Thoth Tarot simply for "fortune telling," this is not the book you want. The focus of this text is on using the tarot for it's primary purpose: a study guide for spiritual growth and understanding.

But as much as I love this book, it seems that there are times when DuQuette withholds some of his knowledge; times when it seems like a symbol or concept should really be discussed, but isn't. In fact, I get that feeling from all of his books. I suppose this may serve to give the reader the incentive to research and learn more on their own.

I bought this book after reading Aleister Crowley's "Book of Thoth." I needed a crash course in tarot for some writing I was doing. DuQuette's "Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot" is well titled. He actually makes Crowley accessible. I had a much better understanding of the Thoth deck, its history, derivation, and meaning after reading DuQuette. He also goes into great detail on how the Thoth deck is integrated with the Qabalah and the Tree of Life. I followed another reviewer's suggestion and purchased "Keywords for the Crowley Tarot," by Banzhaf and Theler, and found it an excellent companion to the DuQuette book for layouts, methods, and interpretations. If you really want to learn what the Thoth deck is all about, get this book.

I first bought this book because I wanted to know more about the Tarot, but soon found that it was much more than only a book on Tarot. The book is firstly about magick, the book is magick! There is a lot of interesting facts about Aleister Crowley and Lady Frieda Harris as a start, but it went on to give some very pertinent insight into the Qabalah, Goetia, Hermeticism, and Western esoterica in general. The book is a treasure trove on the occult and esoteric symbolism. I particularly enjoyed the discussion on the Hermetic Rose Cross and the significance of all its symbolism. This is a book that anybody interested in esoterica in general and Western esoterica in particular will always want to have on hand! Furthermore, it is always a delight to read anything by Lon Milo DuQuette.