I simply meant that, when reading the RWS, I largely ignore the traditional RWS meanings and substitute those of the Thoth, which I find much more reliable for most situations. I don't buy into the RWS model to the exclusion of all others; in fact, I hardly buy into it at all, beyond taking some inspiration from the postures, gestures and "facing" of the figures, and perhaps a tiny amount from the narrative thrust of the scenes, which often come across as interpretive "training wheels." No offense meant there either, its just my personal objection to them. Also, except for the Major Arcana, I've found that much of the apparent disagreement between them is largely superficial; Waite just had a less unequivocal way of wording his opinions. So by all means, bring in Thoth meanings where they seem to make more sense than the more elusive (and sometimes sketchy) RWS ones. I don't think you'll regret it.
ETA: Regarding reversals and dignities, I use both with either deck, since I see them as two different tools with parallel but not identical objectives: dignities strengthen or weaken, reversals merely redirect in a variety of subtle ways.
That was not the answer I was expecting.
So, when you read with RWS decks, you strictly use Thoth meanings and don't really use Waite's at all? Hymn, interesting.
I am glad that you said that, because I always search the forum as well as the internet, when I have a question that I am sure is a popular one and I did find a thread here from a month ago. It wasn't the same, but similar.
A reader was going the other way. She learned and read Thoth but wanted to learn RWS and many members told her to 'forget' the Thoth meanings when reading Waite and I didn't buy into that. That is why I started this thread to get more opinions. So thank you.
By the way, I just got Arrien's book and haven't even gotten a chance to look at it. It's so highly recommended? So thank you for the head's up.
I do have DuQuette's Understanding...Crowley, Thoth Companion by Snuffin, and of course The Book of Thoth. I have a Scribd account and was considering renting Banzhaf's Keywords and now I probably will next month.
It's obvious you are not a fan of Waite.
I've read so many things about all the elders, as I call them. All the mysteries of who did what; Mathers, Crowley, Waite, Regardie, etc and I wish I knew what everyone was talking about. It sounds like there's a lot of history there besides the Tarot history. I've even heard things like 'Mather's lied" and I've read that Crowley inherited or was manipulative in getting some of his texts. Things like that.
And some readers seem to have very strong opinions about both Crowley and Waite. I have read that both are geniuses and I have reiterated that about Waite, without really knowing if it's even true, so I don't offend anyone. I am annoyed that all he really left us was the Pictorial Key. Really? That's all you got? But...then I read and have been told, that he kept the GD secrets unlike Crowley.
Could you recommend some reading so I may catch up on what seems to be a sort of soap opera of the Golden Dawn and Tarot of the 19th and 20th century?
Again, thank you for the advice. Now that I feel comfortable with the cards and I have obtained my own meanings without having to look them up, I really feel the need to add more, go deeper.
Astrology seems complicated, at least right now, and I don't even want to go near Kaballah because it is a mystical religion and I wouldn't want to treat as anything less. Although, I do feel that the Sephiroth spheres match the pip cards much more than the Pythagorian based numerology. In fact, I seem to remember you mentioning numerology in that other thread I asked about the Courts.
Is it just me?
I feel like numerological meanings don't fit/match all of the pips in all of the suits. In so many beginner books, they'll say to simply learn the meanings of 1-9 or 10, learn the suits, and voila, you'll have acquire the meanings of 1/2 the deck. I ignored this because I felt like some were being forced and I knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about and need to learn more about it.
The only way I analyze the numbers in the cards, is as a stage
Am I wrong about this? About numerology?
I have been dying to ask someone about this and I guess 'you're it'. I hope you don't mind me bothering you about numerology now.
It seems to be a popular method and it makes me think that I must be wrong and I want to know what I'm missing.
Once again, thank you.
Freyja