The Book of Thoth: A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians is the title of The Equinox, volume III, number 5, by English occult writer Aleister Crowley. The publication date is recorded as the vernal equinox of 1944 (an Ixviii Sol in 0° 0' 0" Aries, March 21, 1944 e. v. 5:29 p.m.) and was originally published in an edition limited to 200 numbered and signed copies.
 | |
| Author | Aleister Crowley |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | The Equinox |
Release number | III (5) |
| Publisher | Ordo Templi Orientis |
Publication date | March 21, 1944 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 288 |
| ISBN | 978-0-87728-950-0 |
| Preceded by | Eight Lectures on Yoga |
| Followed by | The Book of Wisdom or Folly |
Overview
editThe Book of Thoth explores the symbolism, philosophy, and practical use of the Thoth Tarot, a deck conceived by occultist Aleister Crowley and painted by Lady Frieda Harris between 1938 and 1943. The deck draws upon a wide range of esoteric systems, including ceremonial magic, astrology, alchemy, the Book of Thoth in Egyptian mythology, and the religious philosophy of Thelema, which Crowley founded. Known for its rich symbolic complexity and integration of Hermetic Qabalah, the Thoth Tarot has become a cornerstone in the study of Western esotericism and is especially valued among practitioners of the occult and ceremonial traditions.[1]
The original signed limited edition was bound in Moroccan leather and printed on pre-wartime paper. Crowley sold £1,500 worth of the edition (equal to £57,540 in 2013) in less than three months.[2]
Content
editThe book is divided into four major parts:
- Part One: The Theory of the Tarot.
- Part Two: The Atu (Keys or Trumps).
- Part Three: The Court Cards.
- Part Four: The Small Cards.
Part One is further divided into three chapters; Part Two into two chapters and an appendix; Part Three into one chapter; and Part Four into one chapter. The book includes a list of plates depicting the Tarot cards as seen by Crowley and Harris.
There is an Appendix A: the use of the Tarot in the Art of Divination; and an Appendix B which includes the obiter dictum: "the 'correspondences' are not arbitrary". Appendix B also includes the Key Scale of the Tree of Life with the conic sections of mathematics and a diagram attributing the trigrams of the I Ching to the ten Sephirot.
Notable editions
edit- "The Book of Thoth". The Equinox. III (5). London: Ordo Templi Orientis. 1944.
- The Book of Thoth: A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians. New York: Samuel Weiser. 1969.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ DuQuette (2003).
- ^ Sutin (2002), pp. 400–401.
Works cited
edit- DuQuette, Lon Milo (2003). Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot. Weiser Books. ISBN 1-57863-276-5.
- Sutin, Lawrence (2002). Do What Thou Wilt: A Life of Aleister Crowley. New York: St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0-312-25243-9. OCLC 48140552.
Further reading
edit- Akron; Banzhaf, Hajo (1995). The Crowley Tarot: The Handbook to the Cards. U.S. Games Systems. ISBN 0-88079-715-0.
- Banzhaf, Hajo; Theler, Brigitte (2001). Keywords for the Crowley Tarot. Weiser Books. ISBN 1-57863-173-4.
- Snuffin, Michael Osiris (2007). The Thoth Companion. Llewellyn Worldwide. ISBN 978-0-7387-1192-8.
External links
edit- The Book of Thoth: A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians. Weiser Books. 1991.