periwinkling
I recently changed to the Thoth, and I'm completely in love! But while I could play around with other decks for a few years, I really see I won't get too far with this without some knowledge of kabbalah and astrology, which I lack very much.
It's funny, when I was in a store 3 years ago, picking my first deck, I bought the RWS, even though I remember thinking the art was primitive and boring. The Thoth was there too, and I found the images to be very mystical and incomprehensible. I remember a woman there, talking about how she finally took the leap and changed to the Thoth, and it had a great impact on her.
I look at the images today, flipping through my whole deck, and I cannot see a single image that is disturbing, inaccessible or dark. They're beautiful, colorful, engaging, rich and above all truthful. For example Cruelty is just that, neither too sweet nor too pessimistic. I look at it now, and can't understand how it could be disturbing. Also, the devil card. It is actually quite pleasant, and that's a very sweet looking devil. Is it the big penis that scares people?
I'll never be a satanist nor do I intent to go that road, but I suddenly realize the pull towards provoking people (like Crowley himself) with what may be called sin - because it cannot possibly be as terrible as the means used by the church to suppress it. (I'm talking about earlier Christianity, I'm aware it is completely different now). Coming from a buddhist background, the idea of reconciling the contradictory parts of myself appears a lot healthier than dividing myself.
Another reason why I could never fear the deck, is when I asked it who it serves it answered Art - it's purpose is exactly this unification of being I mentioned. For me, at least. I know it cannot show me anything that isn't a part of myself already. And I am not afraid of anything I could find.
I also wondered if anyone could help we with picking books to study first? I see there are a lot of different camps that heartily disagree and even dislike each other - what are the points on which the main Crowley authors disagree? I'm considering Duquette, Hughes-Barlow, and Snuffin at the moment.
I'd especially love to read something that explains astrology and/or kabbalah in connection to the Thoth, rather than presupposes knowledge of these things. Which would be the easiest for a Thoth noobie?
It's funny, when I was in a store 3 years ago, picking my first deck, I bought the RWS, even though I remember thinking the art was primitive and boring. The Thoth was there too, and I found the images to be very mystical and incomprehensible. I remember a woman there, talking about how she finally took the leap and changed to the Thoth, and it had a great impact on her.
I look at the images today, flipping through my whole deck, and I cannot see a single image that is disturbing, inaccessible or dark. They're beautiful, colorful, engaging, rich and above all truthful. For example Cruelty is just that, neither too sweet nor too pessimistic. I look at it now, and can't understand how it could be disturbing. Also, the devil card. It is actually quite pleasant, and that's a very sweet looking devil. Is it the big penis that scares people?
I'll never be a satanist nor do I intent to go that road, but I suddenly realize the pull towards provoking people (like Crowley himself) with what may be called sin - because it cannot possibly be as terrible as the means used by the church to suppress it. (I'm talking about earlier Christianity, I'm aware it is completely different now). Coming from a buddhist background, the idea of reconciling the contradictory parts of myself appears a lot healthier than dividing myself.
Another reason why I could never fear the deck, is when I asked it who it serves it answered Art - it's purpose is exactly this unification of being I mentioned. For me, at least. I know it cannot show me anything that isn't a part of myself already. And I am not afraid of anything I could find.
I also wondered if anyone could help we with picking books to study first? I see there are a lot of different camps that heartily disagree and even dislike each other - what are the points on which the main Crowley authors disagree? I'm considering Duquette, Hughes-Barlow, and Snuffin at the moment.
I'd especially love to read something that explains astrology and/or kabbalah in connection to the Thoth, rather than presupposes knowledge of these things. Which would be the easiest for a Thoth noobie?
