Secrets of the Thoth Tarot VOL I: A Magical Atlas of the Universe

341 Pages·2018·2.35 MB·English

by  Marcus Katz

THE SECRETS OF THE THOTH TAROT
VOL I: A MAGICAL ATLAS OF THE UNIVERSE
THELEMA, THE AEONS & THE MAJORS
Marcus Katz
Forge Press: Keswick, 2018.
Copyright © 2018 by Marcus Katz
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed,
or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording,
or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission
of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical
reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For
permission requests, contact the author c/o P.A.
Forge Press
Website: www.marcuskatz.com
Email: [email protected]
Permissions
Although I have received, over several years, courteous replies from the O.T.O.,
owners of the Thoth Tarot copyright, I have been unable to receive permission to
use the Thoth Tarot images in this work.
It is impractical to use a clone version of the deck, given the detail I have
provided in the text for specific symbols within every individual card. I trust
readers will have their own Thoth Tarot deck to hand as they reference this book
or use any of the innumerable images of the deck online.
I have also provided a mailing list for distribution of supporting images and
graphics for the book.
DEDICATION
To Daleth.
And as ever, and above all, this book is spiritually dedicated to
Antistita Astri Argentei
The Priestess of the Silver Star
She whose light leads the way to the Arcanum Arcanorum , the Secret of Secrets
Vos Vos Vos Vos Vos
V.V.V.V.V.
Discover the Western Esoteric Initiatory System®
www.westernesotericism.com
Acknowledgements
I am indebted to first readers of the manuscript for this book, Soror C.L. and
Soror R., and to the following who kindly provided invaluable response to an
early chapter draft: Camille Chan
David Gemmell
Evalyne Hall (www.evalynesgardengate.com )
Jade Moore (www.neter.co.uk )
John J Oliver (www.johnjoliver.com )
Katie Thompson
Miranda Parke (runicashes.weebly.com )
Paula Malone
Sarah Perks
Scott Kellogg (www.scottkellogg.com )
Steph Engert (www.starlight-dragon-press.eu )
Troy MacKellar
A note on Abbreviations
Throughout this book and the following two volumes, I have referenced a large
collection of books written by Crowley. In order to simplify repeated references,
I have abbreviated selected titles, such as BOT for Book of Thoth. The
corresponding title and edition can be found in the bibliography.
FREE THOTH TAROT MATERIALS
If you would like to receive additional graphics and free insights into the Thoth
Tarot - and be the first to be notified upon the availability of the second and third
books of this trilogy, please join our Arch of Bou-Saada mailing list:
Arch of Bou-Saada Mailing List
The Tarot is an Atlas of, and Guide Book to, the Universe. It
has been my daily study since Feb. '99, and my researches
have cost me several thousand pounds.
I have long determined to construct a pack embodying all the
new knowledge gained from Anthropology, Comparative
Religion, & so forth.
Lady Harris offered to execute the cards from my designs. It
was agreed that I should have a 2/3 share in the venture.
From my rough sketches & descriptions, under my continual
inspection, subject to my constant correction - I made her do
some cards over again 5, 6 even 8 times in one case - she
made the set now on show at the Berkeley Galleries. (There is
one exception: the card numbered I was not shown to, or
authorized by, me. I suspect a trick in this.) She has damaged
the property by offering it for sale at cost price, thus
alienating the libraries & booksellers, and reducing my 2/3
interest to nil.
I value the copyright at something like £20000. (A crude,
vilely drawn & coloured, ignorant, inferior pack, published in
1902 or thereabouts, has sold over 1000 copies every year
since then at 15/- a copy. I am quite sure that these admirable
cards, with my book on the subject, which was to go with them
in an ornamental box, would bring in far more annual
receipts. I have a large following in U.S.A.–they send me £50
a month or more - which is growing rapidly. [1]
Extract of letter from Aleister Crowley to his solicitor, Isidore Kerman, July 9,
1942.
Introduction
I invoke thee, I A O, that thou wilt send H R U, the great
Angel that is set over the operations of this Secret Wisdom, to
lay his hand invisibly upon these consecrated cards of art, that
thereby we may obtain true knowledge of hidden things, to
the glory of thine ineffable Name. Amen. [2]
The Thoth Tarot is a complex deck designed by a complex man and illustrated in
a complex style by a complex woman over a period of five years during which
raged a second world war. It illustrates a complex philosophy, a unique political
and psychological perspective, a new religion, wide-ranging mysticism and
decades of magical practice. It was created towards the end of the complex life
lived during a complex time and written about by the author, Aleister Crowley,
in a complex manner.
The Thoth Tarot is a complex tarot.
In this book, I aim to distil that complexity in the clearest way possible from a
study of the deck and its use over thirty-five years. I have also drawn upon my
own experience where it parallels Crowley’s life and magick, such as travelling
in Egypt or performing the Sacred Magick of Abramelin the Mage.
Where applicable, I have used personal studies of Crowley’s original
manuscripts, diaries and journals held in archives around the world. These reveal
a wealth of additional sources through unpublished writings such as the
Invocation of Hoor (1904) and unmentioned side-notes or annotation. Together,
these materials place his life and work into a fuller context.
There are already several significant biographies of Crowley, which I will
reference and suggest in order of personal preference. There are several
academic works on his place in society and his politics, which I will also
reference. I do not present in this book a fully detailed account of his life, in
favour of these existing biographies, but rather highlight aspects of his life and
work which are most significant to his Tarot.
I feel it is important to attempt a basic understanding of Crowley’s Thelemic
philosophy, and apply this whilst interpreting the deck, rather than remove him
from the very deck he designed. To that end, we will look at Thelema, the
Aeons, and ancient Egyptian myth as we unpack the deck. We may also find
ourselves in the upper echelons of eschatology and mathematics, as much as we