Letters From the Thoth Tarot

Prince of Swords
Air and of air, this Prince has a lot of swift energy but it seems to be on the verge of going everywhere if he isn't careful about direction. The wee fairy people are reined but seem to be doing their own thing, so making the Prince's chariot go in a firm direction is either an accident or concentrated will.  Kind of like our own minds when we have thoughts running all over the place, yes? 

The Prince has a sword in one hand, creating ideas, and a sickle in the other, for cutting those ideas right down. Much like we do all the time with our own creative processes. If we have a outlet for these ideas, we can work such genius magic, otherwise, as Crowley puts it, "He is full of ideas and designs which tumble over each other... a mass of fine ideal unrelated to practical effort."

You are the ruler of your choices and it is necessary to hold all those lines of thought carefully - to take them in hand and understand them. You need to process everything until you can see things clearly. This way you can communicate your ideas to others and yourself, effectively.  Inside you are great passions and visions and you are capable of organizing your life even with the difficult decision making.    The key is to rein in all those ideas and focus them with clarity and organization - don't let your mind wander.

Letters From the Thoth Tarot

Two of Wands
Mars in Aries (totally my card) and Mars is totally happy to be sitting in Aries and Aries loves hosting Mars. This card sits in Chokmah (where things first manifest) and that makes this Two "fire in its best and highest form and is Will in its most exalted form." (BOT)  The wands are demon-headed Dorjes - and much like Zeus's thunderbolts, the Dorje represents directed power of the Gods that first destruct before create.  Or as Crowley says, "The virgin ovum must be broken in order to fertilize it."

This card just looks like a fiery, confetti party and it is full of the energy you will need to get things done.  Small steps to the big goals - set your sights on something, get all the information you need on it and then GO!  Channel your will with balance and strength and get your desires out there! Be bold and have courage - this is your life you are creating! 

Letters From the Thoth Tarot

Queen of Swords
 According to the Book of Thoth, "The person symbolized by this card should be intensely perceptive, a keen observer, a subtle interpreter, and intense individualist, swift and accurate at recording ideas; in action confident, in spirit gracious and just."

This card actually represent Crowley's sun sign so of course it looks scary intimidating. Water of air, this Queen means business.  The clouds could give life giving water - or threaten a tornado.  She also has a severed head in one hand and the sword she used to create the severed head, in the other.

As severe as that sounds, it is symbolic in a Qabalistic nature. Swords = Yetzirah, the formative world.  The counterpart in the human soul is Ruach, the intellect - centered in the human head! The Queen used her sword to sever the higher faculties of intellect from the lower nature influences - literally, liberated the Mind. 

This energy is intensely perceptive with keen observation as well as quick and confident.
This is a strong personality with keen sense of justice - clarity with consistency.  This is a time to be fully present and engaged with people and situations even if you feel fear or worry. You know you can trust your own judgement. Be careful in your evaluations and loving in your judgements - we are all living this Human Experience together!  Work to liberate your Mind and help others do the same.

Letters From the Thoth Tarot

Five of Disks
I like the behind the scenes correspondences of this card - Mercury in Taurus - which in a horoscope sense is characterized as practical, patient and conservative - but! This card sits in Geburah and that adds a stressful side to that stability, which gives you Worry - as in, "What am I getting into that I may not be able to get out of?"

Kind of looks like a set of gears working together to create a bigger whole. Even if we can't see the bigger bits which fall off the card. the five hubs form an averse pentagram and that bottom one is the black egg of spirit which points this card to the darker side of things - the triumph of matter over spirit.

What that all adds up to is too much worry over the material that causes us severe stress and anxiety.  Instead of letting that freeze us up, we need to work with it and realize that we can deal with it and we are in control!   Break down the obstacles, organize things with lists to see what you can do and find workable solutions for them. 

Letters From the Thoth Tarot

Three of Swords
I put the RWS 3 of swords for a comparison.  I think this card tends to get a very visceral reaction of GOD NO THE STABBY HEART CARD - and in the RWS tradition, it tends to be a sad card. But if we look at it another way, it is perhaps, not so stabby and something we can work with in a productive manner.  First the Thoth 3 looks different, not softer but less harsh?  It also reminds me of the brain, the folds in the satiny looking background make me think of the human brain and that is where thoughts come from, stabby or not.

This is a time to really dig deep and understand what is going on around you using your unique insight and knowledge to see with clarity. I like this description of the card from Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, "The Three of Swords represents the wondrous trance of sorrow that first enlightened the Buddha." 

We will be hurt and it will suck. But instead of drowning in hurt, guilt, anger or sorrow - if you have to be in that place, work with it. Learn from it and don't be afraid of it. Pushing it away will only make it worse but if we take the time to really learn from that hurt we can can some amazing insights into how it all happened and that makes it less likely to happen again. To me, that is amazing magic and not to be shied away from.

Letters From the Thoth Tarot

The Emperor
This would be my other personal favorite card - and it represents Aries (me), where Mars rules and Sol is exalted.  As Crowley says, "The sign is thus a combination of energy in its most material form with the idea of authority.... the male fiery energy of the Universe. This is the swift creative energy, the initiative of all Being." 

This is the third of the alchemical trumps and represents sulfur. (his arms form the triangle and his legs for the cross of the glyph for sulfur.)  He is the Empress's other half and is full of confidence, charm and charisma. A dynamic energy as well as being sensitive and thoughtful.

We all have the Emperor power inside us. We are responsible for our actions - if we focus our energy and will - we can move mountains.  "In each of us there is a king. Talk to him, and he will come forth." (Scandinavian proverb)   Use this energy and strength to tackle opportunities you may not feel you are up to trying.  You have the power, trust yourself to use it!

Letters From the Thoth Tarot

The Magus
This is the first of the alchemical trumps and represents Mercury, which as Crowley explains, "represents action in all forms and phases. His is the fluidic basis of all transmission of activity and on the dynamic theory of the Universe, he is himself the substance thereof." Also, "With the Wand createth He, with the Coin redeemeth He."

You are equipped with the universal gifts and the possibility of creating the "impossible."   Don't worry about someone taking your opportunities, because they are YOURS alone.  You are unique and only you can do something in your particular, inventive way.  So take your time and focus. This is a powerful magic we have access to and when we channel it, we can create our world with our focus and will. Aim carefully - be careful what you wish for - because you will get exactly what you send out to manifest.

Letters From the Thoth Tarot

Queen of Wands
 Yes! When my card makes an appearance I always perk up. Strong and fiery with so much energy it flames off the card. There is an almost endless power here - assertive and vibrant - so get in touch with your creative and sensual sides.  You know what you want and you know how to get it. This is not a wishy washy energy here - this is someone that will tell you exactly what needs to happen and won't pull any punches - but they are also compassionate and understanding.  A perfect balance!

​She knows what she's got and she knows how to use it. 

Letters From the Thoth Tarot

Princess of Cups
From The Book of Thoth, "The character of the Princess is infinitely gracious. All sweetness, all voluptuousness, gentleness, kindness, and  tenderness are in her character. She lives in the world of Romance, in the perpetual dream of rapture." And that is a good summary of this card.

While she is dreamy, she isn't JUST dreams - Earth of Water, this Princess grounds vaporous ideas and can manifest them with her fertile mix of water nourished life.  This energy is light hearted, understanding, uplifting and serious - regarding emotions and the unconscious thoughtfully as well as playfully.  Imaginative,  dreamy, courageous and  kind. Trust your intuition and let your emotions flow with grace.

Letters From the Thoth Tarot

Seven of Cups
Too much of a good thing... or a bad thing... is going to look like this card.  Book of Thoth: "This is one of the worst ideas that one can have; its mode is poison, its goal madness. ...it represents sinking into the mire of false pleasure."

We need to filter out which dreams and fears, pleasures and temptations, are important and which are not.  Let the unimportant ones, the ones that we might be addicted to, drain away otherwise your cups get too full and overflow, wasting emotions and energy.  We can end up surrounded by so much "stuff," that we often can't figure out what we want so we need to figure out what works and what doesn't while walking a firm ethical path.