Thoth Tarot Beginner Book Question.

[Siochanai]

Hello Everyone,

I am a super tarot beginner a few weeks ago I got my first tarot deck and I chose the Thoth because everything about it really resonated with me. When I first held the cards I was just able to feel the energy just flow from the deck through me and back to the deck.

At first I felt really intuitively connected to meanings but now I am not quite so sure.
This is because of what I got for my first self reading.

The first step to learn I did was I associated all of the card pictures with the name of the card so I know exactly what card it is immediately.

When I did my first reading I asked for a simple outlook of my day and tried to intuitively read it. I used 3 sequential cards not associated to any specific thing and I received the following cards. Princess of Swords, 5 of Swords, Ace of Cups.

The outlook of the cards can be found here http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=179997

What I ultimately gathered was the reflection of the cards making my day about learning the specific message that I am not ultimately prepared to get the full insight from what the cards are trying to say.

So this is what lead me to ask about this particular book.
When I bought my cards they came in a gift set with the book Tarot - Mirror of the Soul by Gerd B. Ziegler and I was wonder if anyone here has experience with the book and if it will "prepare" me to better understand the messages I am being given?

I also own the book of thoth but this book I know I am not quite ready for because I don't understand the strong occult/astrological background the book gives right now. I am more looking for that stepping stone to get a good benefit from the cards to start my deep life time journey.

 

[Eeviee]

I do not own, nor have the desire to to own, Tarot - Mirror of the Soul due to the mixed reviews on Amazon US and the majority of views about the book I've found here, on Aeclectic. From what others are saying, the book stems from the author's perspective, with little knowledge or acknowledgement of Crowley's perspective on his own creation. That is alarming and unsettling for me. For you, it may not phase or bother.

The best recommendation I can make for you is to start with DuQuette's Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot. I own and have read it and found it very helpful. It is the second option that comes up when you search Amazon US for "Thoth Tarot" (which to me means it's the most relevant/purchased/popular book). Not to mention it is the most highly recommended book here on Aeclectic for study of the Thoth Tarot; perhaps equal to Aleister Crowley's Book of Thoth itself. I would recommend the latter once you get through DuQuette's Understanding..., or in addition to if your monetary situation and drive/time allow. =]

I also own Hajo Banzhaf and Brigitte Theler's Keywords for the Crowley Tarot which I would recommend solely for it's brief format (useful mostly only for divinitory purposes). Their The Crowley Tarot: Handbook to the Cards is also highly recommended here on Aeclectic and Amazon US, and should be arriving via post for me tomorrow!

The Thoth Companion: The Key to the True Symbolic Meaning of the Thoth Tarot by Snuffin is also on it's way for me. I find some mixed reviews, mostly concerned with typos/misinformation, but it is moderately recommended (and so I bought it) and certainly ranked above your Mirror.

Another book I chose to steer clear of was The Tarot Handbook: Practical Applications of Ancient Visual Symbols by Arrien; which like your Mirror has many negative reviews both here and on Amazon.

 

[Siochanai]

@Eeviee

Thank you for your input. Like I said the book came with my cards and was just wondering.
I already have a copy of the Book of Thoth so I will take a look into getting DuQuette's book as well. Again thanks a bunch.

 

[Eeviee]

@Eeviee

Thank you for your input. Like I said the book came with my cards and was just wondering.
I already have a copy of the Book of Thoth so I will take a look into getting DuQuette's book as well. Again thanks a bunch.

No problem! Glad I could help! x]
I'm pretty new to Thoth Tarot too, and just went through the whole "What book do I read/study with!?" I did A LOT of research, and I'm happy with what I have (and hope to be happy with what I have coming!).

Definitely did not mean to seem 'hoity toity' about the Mirror book, but I didn't know how else to phrase things without muddling up what I wanted to say. lol.

Best of luck with your studies!

 

[Eeviee]

Just finished Crowley's Book of Thoth and recieved Banzhaf's Handbook and Snuffin's book in the mail a couple of days ago... I'm still standing by Understanding by DuQuette and Crowley's Book of Thoth as the best resources.

The Banzhaf book has some background information on Crowley, Harris, The Golden Dawn, the Cabala, and Tarot in General, but I find that some of his Crowley history is debated. All of the above mentioned topics are very brief overviews. And the Snuffin book appears to have even less. At most a section or two on very basic Crowley info and Tarot.

What I never mentioned earlier, and anyone else failed to chime in on, are two very attainable internet references. Google "Liber T"; you can download the Golden Dawn's book on Tarot straight from their website. Also, try for "Book T" (again, a DL-able PDF). Liber T (118 pgs) is quite a bit more vast than Book T(27 pgs) but I have them both for comparison. Only just skimmed through them. I called my local office store, and I'm going to have them printed and bound (less than $30 for both). But if you don't mind reading off the computer, you could obviously read it there. ;]

 

[Cerulean]

I like this book if you are also interested in Crowley history

http://www.amazon.com/Weiser-Concise-Guide-Aleister-Crowley/dp/1578634563

James Wasserman wrote the foreward to "Concise Guide to Aleister Crowley". Wasserman's notes appear in a U.S. Games/AG Mueller release of the Thoth deck and the author Richard Kascynski wrote another longer Crowley biography called Perdurabo.

I had forgotton about this reference, which I had used earlier this year. Now I am glad your question reminded me this was a good reference to have handly to look at items or concepts when working with the Crowley Tarot or my favorite workalike, the "Via, Path of Life Tarot".

Cerulean