The Thoth Tarot deck, conceived by Aleister Crowley and illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris, stands as one of the most complex and symbolically rich tarot decks ever created. It merges deep esoteric traditions with striking visual artistry, drawing from Kabbalah, astrology, alchemy, Hermeticism, and Egyptian mythology. Since its release in 1969—posthumously for both creators—it has become a staple among tarot practitioners, occultists, and students of mysticism. The Thoth deck is currently garnering a lot of interest and has just been the focus of a major exhibition at the Warburg Institute in Central London.
Origins and collaboration
Aleister Crowley (1875–1947), a controversial and influential occultist, mystic, and ceremonial magician, was a prolific writer and the founder of Thelema, a spiritual philosophy centered on “Do what thou wilt.” In the late 1930s, he began developing a tarot system aligned with Thelemic principles.
To bring his vision to life, he partnered with Lady Frieda Harris, an artist and fellow initiate of the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.). Although initially unfamiliar with tarot or esoteric studies, Harris immersed herself in Crowley’s ideas and spent over five years (1938–1943) painting the 78 cards under his guidance. Their collaboration resulted in a deck of stunning beauty and profound symbolic depth.
Structures of the deck
Like traditional tarot decks, the Thoth Tarot consists of 78 cards:
- 22 Major Arcana (Trumps) – Representing spiritual and psychological archetypes.
- 56 Minor Arcana – Divided into four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Disks (often referred to as Pentacles in other decks).
Each suit has:
- 10 numbered cards (Ace to Ten)
- 4 Court Cards: Knight, Queen, Prince, Princess (as opposed to King, Queen, Knight, Page in the Rider-Waite-Smith system)
Major Arcana: Archetypes and Evolution
The Major Arcana in the Thoth deck closely mirrors traditional archetypes especially the Rider Waite deck but with nuanced adjustments in name and interpretation. For example:
- Strength becomes Lust – emphasising passionate power rather than restraint.
- Judgment becomes The Aeon – reflecting Crowley’s Thelemic belief in a new spiritual era led by the god Horus.
- The Universe remains as the culmination card, integrating cosmic wholeness.
Each card incorporates astrological and Hebrew letter correspondences, aligning the deck with Hermetic Qabalah’s Tree of Life. This connection deepens the cards’ interpretive layers and spiritual applications.
Minor Arcana: Decans and Energetic Flow
The Minor Arcana cards reflect astrological decans (10-degree divisions of the zodiac), which govern each numbered card from 2 to 10. For instance, the 2 of Wands is associated with Mars in Aries, emphasising bold initiation. Each card in the Minor Arcana thus combines the suit’s elemental energy (e.g., Wands = Fire) with a planetary/zodiac dynamic, resulting in specific emotional or situational tones.
Crowley assigned evocative titles to the Minor Arcana, such as:
- 3 of Swords – Sorrow
- 6 of Cups – Pleasure
- 9 of Wands – Strength
- 10 of Swords – Ruin
These keywords offer guidance but are meant to spark deeper meditation rather than limit meaning.
Court Cards: Personalities and Planets
In Crowley’s system:
- Knight = mature active male energy (akin to King)
- Queen = mature receptive female energy
- Prince = youthful, directed energy
- Princess = potential, grounding force
The Court Cards also correspond to combinations of elemental energies. For instance:
- The Prince of Swords combines Air (Swords) with the active, intellectual nature of the Prince, embodying abstract thinking and mental agility—sometimes at the cost of emotional depth.
Symbolism and Imagery
Lady Harris’s artwork in the Thoth deck is both ethereal and densely symbolic. Her use of sacred geometry, colour theory, and occult symbolism makes each card visually and energetically potent. Unlike the straightforward, narrative scenes of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, Thoth cards often depict abstract representations of spiritual forces and archetypes.
Crowley also emphasised Egyptian gods and mythic themes, aligning the deck with his belief in the Thelemic Aeon of Horus. For example:
- The Magus card portrays Mercury with multiple arms, suggesting mastery of communication and illusion.
- The Aeon depicts Horus and the end of the old Aeon of Osiris, marking a new spiritual age of self-realisation.
Court Cards: Personalities and Planets
In Crowley’s system:
- Knight = mature active male energy (akin to King)
- Queen = mature receptive female energy
- Prince = youthful, directed energy
- Princess = potential, grounding force
The Court Cards also correspond to combinations of elemental energies. For instance:
- The Prince of Swords combines Air (Swords) with the active, intellectual nature of the Prince, embodying abstract thinking and mental agility—sometimes at the cost of emotional depth.
Symbolism and Imagery
Lady Harris’s artwork in the Thoth deck is both ethereal and densely symbolic. Her use of sacred geometry, colour theory, and occult symbolism makes each card visually and energetically potent. Unlike the straightforward, narrative scenes of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, Thoth cards often depict abstract representations of spiritual forces and archetypes.
Crowley also emphasised Egyptian gods and mythic themes, aligning the deck with his belief in the Thelemic Aeon of Horus. For example:
- The Magus card portrays Mercury with multiple arms, suggesting mastery of communication and illusion.
- The Aeon depicts Horus and the end of the old Aeon of Osiris, marking a new spiritual age of self-realisation.
Astrology, Qabalah, and Esotericism
The Thoth deck is inseparable from the Hermetic Qabalah. Each Major Arcana card corresponds to a path on the Tree of Life, linking sephiroth (spheres) and representing spiritual development stages.
Crowley also embedded deep astrological correspondences:
- Every card (including Minors) includes planetary and zodiacal associations.
- Court Cards align with fixed astrological quadrants, offering character insight in readings.
These layers make the deck a powerful tool not just for divination, but for meditation, ritual, and initiatory work.
Using the Thoth Tarot
Reading with the Thoth Tarot requires patience and study, as the deck assumes familiarity with occult systems. While beginners can still use it with intuition, serious students often explore supporting texts, especially Crowley’s “The Book of Thoth”, to decode the full depth.
Spreads commonly used include:
- Celtic Cross
- Tree of Life layout
- Three-card draws for clarity or daily meditation.
Book a Thoth reading with Kate and Sabrina who have recently completed a six month in depth study of this special deck.
