The Book of Thoth (Crowley)
Encyclopedia
The Book of Thoth : A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians is the title of The Equinox
, volume III, number 5, by English author and occultist Aleister Crowley
. The book is recorded in the vernal equinox
of 1944 (an Ixviii Sol in 0° 0' 0" Aries, March 21, 1944 e. v. 5:29 p.m.) and was originally published in an edition limited to 200 numbered and signed copies.
This book describes the philosophy
and the use of Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, a deck of Tarot
cards designed by Crowley and co-designed and painted by Lady Frieda Harris. The Thoth Tarot has become one of the best-selling and most popular Tarot Decks in the world.
The original 200-volume edition was bound in Morocco leather and printed on pre-wartime paper. Crowley sold ₤1,500 worth of the edition in less than three months.
Part One is further divided into three chapters; Part Two into two chapters and an appendix; Part Three into one chapter; and Part Four into one chapter. The book includes a list of plates depicting the Tarot cards as seen by Crowley and Harris.
There is an Appendix A: the use of the Tarot in the Art of Divination; and an Appendix B which includes the obiter dictum: "the 'correspondences' are not arbitrary". Appendix B also includes the Key Scale of the Tree of Life
with the conic section
s of mathematics
and a diagram attributing the trigrams of the I Ching
to the ten Sephirot.
The Equinox
The Equinox is a series of publications in book form that serves as the official organ of the A.'.A.'., a magical order founded by Aleister Crowley...
, volume III, number 5, by English author and occultist Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
. The book is recorded in the vernal equinox
Equinox
An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator...
of 1944 (an Ixviii Sol in 0° 0' 0" Aries, March 21, 1944 e. v. 5:29 p.m.) and was originally published in an edition limited to 200 numbered and signed copies.
This book describes the philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and the use of Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, a deck of Tarot
Tarot
The tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
cards designed by Crowley and co-designed and painted by Lady Frieda Harris. The Thoth Tarot has become one of the best-selling and most popular Tarot Decks in the world.
The original 200-volume edition was bound in Morocco leather and printed on pre-wartime paper. Crowley sold ₤1,500 worth of the edition in less than three months.
Contents
The book is divided into four major parts:- Part One: The Theory Of The TarotTarotThe tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
. - Part Two: The Atu (Keys or Trumps)Major ArcanaThe Major Arcana or trumps are a suit of twenty-two cards in the tarot deck. They serve as a permanent trump suit in games played with the tarot deck, and are distinguished from the four standard suits collectively known as the Minor Arcana...
. - Part Three: The Court Cards.
- Part Four: The Small Cards.
Part One is further divided into three chapters; Part Two into two chapters and an appendix; Part Three into one chapter; and Part Four into one chapter. The book includes a list of plates depicting the Tarot cards as seen by Crowley and Harris.
There is an Appendix A: the use of the Tarot in the Art of Divination; and an Appendix B which includes the obiter dictum: "the 'correspondences' are not arbitrary". Appendix B also includes the Key Scale of the Tree of Life
Tree of life (Kabbalah)
The Tree of Life, or Etz haChayim in Hebrew, is a mystical symbol used in the Kabbalah of esoteric Judaism to describe the path to God and the manner in which he created the world ex nihilo...
with the conic section
Conic section
In mathematics, a conic section is a curve obtained by intersecting a cone with a plane. In analytic geometry, a conic may be defined as a plane algebraic curve of degree 2...
s of mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and a diagram attributing the trigrams of the I Ching
I Ching
The I Ching or "Yì Jīng" , also known as the Classic of Changes, Book of Changes and Zhouyi, is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts...
to the ten Sephirot.
Editions
- U.S. Games Systems, Inc.U.S. Games Systems, Inc.U.S. Games Systems, Inc. was founded by Stuart R. Kaplan in 1968. This U.S. company publishes a variety of books, tarot cards, oracle card decks, and playing cards. Some of their best known products include the Rider-Waite Tarot, the multi-volume Encyclopedia of Tarot, Wyvern Collectable Card Game,...
, October 1977. ISBN 0-913866-12-1 - Weiser Books, June 1981. ISBN 0-87728-268-4
See also
- The Book of ThothThe Book of ThothThe Book of Thoth is a book containing magical spells that appears in an ancient Egyptian story from the Ptolemaic period. The book is said to have been written by Thoth, the god of writing and knowledge...
of Egyptian mythologyEgyptian mythologyAncient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature... - Magick
- ThelemaThelemaThelema is a religious philosophy that was established, defined and developed by the early 20th century British writer and ceremonial magician, Aleister Crowley. He believed himself to be the prophet of a new age, the Æon of Horus, based upon a religious experience that he had in Egypt in 1904...
- Works of Aleister CrowleyWorks of Aleister CrowleyAleister Crowley —mystic, occultist, and mountaineer—was a highly prolific writer, not only on the topic of Thelema and magick, but on philosophy, politics, and culture. He was also a published poet and playwright and left behind a large number of personal letters and daily journal entries...
Further reading
- The Crowley Tarot: The Handbook to the Cards, by Akron & Hajo Banzhaf. U.S. Games Systems, Inc.U.S. Games Systems, Inc.U.S. Games Systems, Inc. was founded by Stuart R. Kaplan in 1968. This U.S. company publishes a variety of books, tarot cards, oracle card decks, and playing cards. Some of their best known products include the Rider-Waite Tarot, the multi-volume Encyclopedia of Tarot, Wyvern Collectable Card Game,...
August 1995. ISBN 0-88079-715-0 - Keywords for the Crowley Tarot, by Hajo Banzhaf & Brigitte Theler. Weiser Books, July 2001. ISBN 1-57863-173-4
- Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, by Lon Milo DuquetteLon Milo DuquetteLon Milo DuQuette, AKA Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford, is an American writer, lecturer, and occultist, best known as an author who applies humor in the field of Western Hermeticism.-Early life:...
. Weiser Books, November 2003. ISBN 1-57863-276-5