Invocation...

I bought my Thoth deck... and it came with the usual.. small little white book with explanations and spreads and all that lovely stuff... well... how many of you use the invocation before you start a reading?

I don't, but give it a try if you like. You will know if it works for you or not

I done a reading without and the reading came out fine...

I've never actually had more than a passing glance at the LWB but I wouldn't use an invocation before I start to read, I have my own little rituals which I use with all my decks and not just the Thoth..... (off now to look at the invocation that I missed (out of curiosity)

I did the invocation once when I first broke the deck in with a readong, but it felt kinda weird, me saying things that I didn't really feel inside me. They were just words, and I'm sure it reflected in it.
I've had perfectly good readings without it though.

I don't do that particular invocation

but I do hold the deck in my hand, breathing on each card individually with my eyes closed, seeing images of what I need to ask about (as I usually do the reading for myself) and then I'd just shuffle the cards until a card jumps out one by one for as many cards as required by the spread, just thinking of one particular image.

When I do a reading for another person, I usually let that person handle my tarot deck, telling them to breathe on it and hold, letting the them touch the cards individually as to remove my aura off the deck, and letting theirs touch the card and they'd shuffle until the cards jump out one by one. Sometimes prior to seeing the image they want to ask about, I'd ask them to imagine something greater than themselves and to let them see that as their guidance pouring into their hands as I usually do that myself. I guess you could say it as a "visual invocation" instead of saying the words.

The readings always come out "deadly" accurate each single time.

The invocation refers to the Thelemic concept of the Holy Guardian Angel? My own impression is that it takes (even) adepts years(?) to get to a state where they could hold regular "conversations" with this... "higher self". Once at that stage, then I would imagine the HGA would be available more or less "on demand", as implied here. Whether such is available for the majority of us must be less clear. In the interim: "Do what thou wilt" might apply?

Macavity

If the invocation is not too long, would someone please post it here. I'm curious (and I'm in need of a little laugh today).

Thank you.

Diana,

From the Book of Thoth and indeed elsewhere...

The Golden Dawn invocation used by Crowley is as follows.

Take the cards in your left hand. With your right hand, hold the wand over them (or simply the right hand over them) and say:

I invoke Thee IAO, that thou wilt send HRU, the great angel that is set over the operations of this secret Wisdom, to lay his hand invisibly on these consecrated cards of art, that thereby we may obtain true knowledge of the hidden things to the glory of thine ineffable Name. Amen.

Alternatively, one can imagine a sphere of brilliant white light immediately above the head pouring forth and bathing one in its radiance, purifying and exhalting conciousness.

Click to expand...

Have Fun

Macavity

Oh Macavity! Thank you. This has cheered me up immensely.

*Diana goes off chuckling to prepare the fillets of sole for lunch. Yes, I said sole, not soul.*