Would anyone be interested in a Book of Thoth study group?

Zephyros

We can't quote the entire Book of Thoth both for practical reasons as well as copyright reasons, that's what the links are for. As for time, the post was up almost week and nobody commented, and time is in any case not an issue, as I don't post new threads until the last dies down. In addition, I always post the next section so that people can prepare. Not only is preparation for this kind of thing imperative (in essence, people really do need to read the material) but also anyone can go back to the material and discuss it. So can you.

I just work here... my summary is my own as a regular participant, I'm not really not rushing anything. If you want to discuss any part of anything, feel free to go ahead; participation is what keeps this thing alive. What I can say is that the next sections are infinitely more complex, and will indeed have to be dealt with in smaller bites.
 

Aeon418

However, that's more of a case of making assumptions about my audience, AT is a rather informed crowd, especially the contributors to this forum.
There are some very informed posters in the Thoth forum. And those same people probably won't have a big problem getting the general gist of stuff like this:
Aleister Crowley said:
One important interpretation of Tarot is that it is a Notariqon of the Hebrew Torah, the Law; also of ThROA, the Gate. Now, by the Yetziratic attributions—see table at end—this word may be read The Universe—the new-born Sun—Zero. This is the true Magical Doctrine of Thelema: Zero equals Two. Also, by Gematria, the numerical value of ThROA is 671 = 61 x 11. Now 61 is AIN, Nothing or Zero; and 11 is the number of Magical Expansion; in this way also, therefore, ThROA announces that same dogma, the only satisfactory philosophical explanation of the Cosmos, its origin, mode, and object.
But I'm sure there are other people who's eyes will glaze over at this point. :bugeyed: It was technical passages like this that I had to pass over in silence when I first tackled the book. For me, at that time, it was part of the book's mystique. But as I've found out over the years, what I once found intriguing and enchanting is sometimes a source of frustration for others.

Passages like this assume the reader is already familiar with Hebrew gematria, the Yetziratic attributions, the significance of the number 671, the 0 = 2 formula, etc. After a while this sort of stuff becomes so self evident that it doesn't need explaining. (I note that Lon conveniently dodged it.) But until then it can read like gobbledygook.
 

Zephyros

But I'm sure there are other people who's eyes will glaze over at this point. :bugeyed: It was technical passages like this that I had to pass over in silence when I first tackled the book. For me, at that time, it was part of the book's mystique. But as I've found out over the years, what I once found intriguing and enchanting is sometimes a source of frustration for others.

Passages like this assume the reader is already familiar with Hebrew gematria, the Yetziratic attributions, the significance of the number 671, the 0 = 2 formula, etc. After a while this sort of stuff becomes so self evident that it doesn't need explaining. (I note that Lon conveniently dodged it.) But until then it can read like gobbledygook.

I guess you're right, but can we teach Qabalah from scratch within the purview of this study group? I know I can't, but maybe others can shed more light, or new students can ask questions? I suppose issues like this were likely to arise at some point. But that's the point of a "book club" as I see it, students read the material and ask questions.

I mean, if even Duquette couldn't make the BoT simple, I certainly can't, and really can't presume to include everything there is to know in my own posts. We study together, all of us. I'm basically saying that both people with experience as well as those without do need to read the material and participate, even if only to ask questions. I'm not the schoolmarm here.
 

Math D

Me,Im new to The BoT but I started read it yesterday on paper.I will join for sure but hard to full understand it.
 

pacificwaters

I have been a passive reader of this thread, and the other thread that dealt with the theories of Thoth. Agreed they are a bit tough to understand and there are many issues I failed to understand, but I believe that is how Thoth was and is. Go into the details and keep revisiting what you read in the past to get an idea what exactly Crowley meant!!
 

Zephyros

I have been a passive reader of this thread, and the other thread that dealt with the theories of Thoth. Agreed they are a bit tough to understand and there are many issues I failed to understand, but I believe that is how Thoth was and is. Go into the details and keep revisiting what you read in the past to get an idea what exactly Crowley meant!!

A solution was finally hammered out. })

Very small sections will be chosen, about the length of the present section being discussed. Feel free to join in and ask questions. In fact, the more the thread goes on the more I realize how dense the book is.
 

pacificwaters

A solution was finally hammered out. })

That's good to hear. This study group is but a very good initiative for folks like me, for whom Thoth is akin to an Everest, the magnanimity of which in itself scares us :)

In fact, the more the thread goes on the more I realize how dense the book is.

Dense is an understatement probably for the Book of Thoth :D :D
 

Deoiridh

I'm in. I'm very new to the Thoth. In fact, I haven't been able to connect very well to the deck itself. But I have the new Tabula Mundi Nox et Lux edition and so find myself sliding into Thoth from this other angle (and loving it, btw). I've just barely started dipping my toes into Kabbalah. I know I need to read Book T and probably a bunch of others, too. I don't know how much I'll comment, but I'll try to follow along and ask questions when I understand enough to know what to ask.


How does one eat an elephant?
;)

ETA: Oh, and I did note the study group link posted earlier. :D
 

elektrius

hi all! im new to the aeclectic forum and would love to join and study along as thoth is my deck of choice. ive read duquette and osiris snuffins books on the deck but im new to the BoT and am excited to dive in! cheers
 

Michael Sternbach

Welcome, new faces! :)

The more interested Aeclectics are participating in these threads, the more multi-facetted and vivid they are going to be. Especially newbies with their fresh and unbiased perspective. So don't hesitate to comment and ask questions. :)

AC's Tarot deck and book are full of riddles. I remember how I felt both excited and puzzled when I was a newbie. After nearly 30 years of acquaintance with Thoth, I have found some answers that I love to share, but I surely still have questions too!

May this study group be an exciting exploration for all of us.