Observations about the Thoth Tarot
-
@KRVB MMShCh said
"I have recently noticed that the word 'ABRACADABRA' is written in the stitching atop the Chariot in Atu VII...I wonder why that specific spelling of the word was employed rather than the more fitting 'ABRAHADABRA'.
616"
Just giving a quick study without booting up, the 'writing' has the characteristic that it is not 'written on the card', but is manifesting from the chaos. This is a property of how sigils are manifested throughout the cards, which means that this is not writing to be 'read'. More likely is that there are multiple sigils which manifest from the 'words' which have a magical meaning related to the card.
-
I'm with KRVB. Don't you think A.C. would've made sure that everything was done according to his standards? - especially a card as signifigant as The Chariot?
R.E.D.
-
@Edward Mason said
"93,
Exterior or conscious promptings like "I need cash" are one way of bringing about greater consequences than the financially needy can contemplate. I find the Book of Thoth uneven, but it has many gems in it. I agree with others that it's not yet been surpassed.
93 93/93,
EM"
Hi Ed! Hope you are doing well.
IMO, these cards will never be surpassed unless there is another Beast on the way. It is impossible (and I don't use that word often
). All other decks are likely flawed and pale reflections. -
@KRVB MMShCh said
"...if it's a typo, then wouldn't that imply that the deck wasn't "properly constructed"?"
No. "Proper construction" of a Tarot deck refers to the symbols on it, not the words. Anything your conscious mind can read is pretty insignificant. (And yes, that includes the titles of the cards.)
-
@Jim Eshelman said
"
@KRVB MMShCh said
"...if it's a typo, then wouldn't that imply that the deck wasn't "properly constructed"?"No. "Proper construction" of a Tarot deck refers to the symbols on it, not the words. Anything your conscious mind can read is pretty insignificant. (And yes, that includes the titles of the cards.)"
...so, are you of the opinion that ABRACADABRA is a typo?
616
-
@Red Eagle of Death said
"I'm with KRVB. Don't you think A.C. would've made sure that everything was done according to his standards? - especially a card as signifigant as The Chariot?"
I sure think he'd have tried. But there are many documented instances of his missing things. (As a proofreader, he was only human! <g>)
-
@KRVB MMShCh said
"...so, are you of the opinion that ABRACADABRA is a typo?"
I haven't given an opinion on that here. I'm only commenting on the principles being discussed.
-
@Jim Eshelman said
"I haven't given an opinion on that here."
It is evident that you haven't...are you avoiding the inquiry for a reason?
R.E.D.
-
@Red Eagle of Death said
"I'm with KRVB. Don't you think A.C. would've made sure that everything was done according to his standards? - especially a card as signifigant as The Chariot?"
What do you make of the white light coming down from the top-right of Atu IV? Hint: It's another error, if AC's commentary in The Book of Thoth is accurate as to what it's supposed to be.
-
@Jim Eshelman said
""Proper construction" of a Tarot deck refers to the symbols on it, not the words. Anything your conscious mind can read is pretty insignificant. (And yes, that includes the titles of the cards.)"
This is a logical inconsistency. Everything is a symbol that communicates something or another to the subconscious mind - & for a Qabalist, this is especially true of letters.
L.Lazuli
-
@zeph said
"
@Red Eagle of Death said
"I'm with KRVB. Don't you think A.C. would've made sure that everything was done according to his standards? - especially a card as signifigant as The Chariot?"What do you make of the white light coming down from the top-right of Atu IV? Hint: It's another error, if AC's commentary in The Book of Thoth is accurate as to what it's supposed to be."
If it's a pictoral error, then(unless that light is made of letters), according to Jim's definition of 'properly constructed', it is an improperly constructed deck...so which is it?
R.E.D.
-
@zeph said
"Fortunately, dear Eagle, the world is not cleanly subdivided into This or That, so I'm quite comfortable saying that it's a properly constructed Tarot deck with the occasional error."
...proper but with errors...if that isn't an oxymoron
~dear Eagle
-
The assumption I operate under is that the cards were received, not engineered by A.C. If there is conflict with the book, the card wins. I stopped refering to the book altogether. Even is his brilliance, trying to describe infinite chaos and forces of the universe manifested in the cards is an infinite road to nowhere. I suppose it is possible he purposely introduced misleading notions in the book (but NOT the cards).
-
Perhaps, Student, but what I know of the method by which these cards were created, they were not divinely received, but carefully constructed by Harris in consultation with Crowley. Divinely received texts do not require rewrite after rewrite.
Eagle, you'll find many oxymorons as you study the occult.
-
@student2012 said
"The assumption I operate under is that the cards were received, not engineered by A.C. If there is conflict with the book, the card wins. I stopped refering to the book altogether. Even is his brilliance, trying to describe infinite chaos and forces of the universe manifested in the cards is an infinite road to nowhere. I suppose it is possible he purposely introduced misleading notions in the book (but NOT the cards)."
...but the card Zeph is referencing does contain an inconsistency. The bright light is supposed to be the Light of Chokmah shining down into Tiphareth - but since Tzaddi is not the Star, but the Emperor(Atu IV), that Light should be in the upper right-hand corner of Atu XVII.
616
-
@miss ruby said
"i think the very famous red unicursal hexagram that comes with the cards is supposed to have the pentagram/rose facing upright.... i think...
"...you think right miss ruby
616
-
@zeph said
"Perhaps, Student, but what I know of the method by which these cards were created, they were not divinely received, but carefully constructed by Harris in consultation with Crowley. Divinely received texts do not require rewrite after rewrite."
I am not aware of the method of their construction, but the things I have seen there make me think it is unlikely these were created by careful planning and rational thought. Channeled if not divine perhaps, but I doubt the hand that created the cards was guided purely by the will of AC or Harris. I wish I could explain more why I have this impression but I think it might be irresponsible to do so on this forum.