Book: Aleister Crowley Thoth Tarot by Aleister Crowley
This is the Thoth deck printed in Switzerland. This is the one you want to own. The colors of the cards printed in Switzerland are the most true to the original art of Lady Frieda Harris.I fell in love with the Thoth Tarot after receiving a reading from a friend. The colors in her cards were beautiful and vibrant, and I was mesmerized by the quality of the art work. I immediately ordered a Thoth deck from Amazon.
When it arrived, I was stunned to discover that the cards were not as beautiful as I remembered. The cards had a murky green tinge to them. When I compared them to my friend's deck, I discovered that they were *not* the same. Although the art was exactly the same, the simple difference of the green tint gave my cards a totally different appearance and feeling - ominous and foreboding. Upon further examination, we discovered that her deck was printed in Switzerland and mine was printed in Belgium.
I had to search the Internet for months before I found someone who had a copy of the large deck printed in Switzerland. At that time Amazon did not have the Swiss version, however, they now have it and here it is. It is about $4.00 higher than the deck printed in Belgium, but more than worth it.
The Thoth deck printed in Switzerland is stunningly beautiful and powerful. I have always given extraodinary readings with the Thoth deck, even as a novice. It continues to be my favorite deck to read with.
As with all things in life, it is best to investigate many different branches of this field of study, but I know that Most of the Tarot Readers I have met use The Thoth Deck more than any other deck in their collection. The Wonderful Artwork and Fascinating Symbolism give the Reader a vast-array of information to draw-from. My Wife is a locally renowned Tarot Reader and she swears by this deck, for accuracy....and, ALL of her friends swear by her Accuracy!
The Thoth Deck has some Great Companion Books, such as: "The Tarot Handbook : Practical Applications of Ancient Visual Symbols" -- by Angeles Arrien <&, of course, "The Book of Thoth" by Aleister Crowley, Frieda Harris (Illustrator). I suggest buying the hand-sized Deck, because Large Decks are usually very cumbersome and it is hard to get a good psychokenetic feel for the cards. It is always best to have a deck that can be easily manipulated in the hands, for better accuracy in readings.
In my opinion, this deck is one of Crowley's greatest Contributions to those involved with The Mysteries. I also strongly suggest studying Jungian Psychology, in conjunction with Tarot studies. Thousands of people believe this is the best deck on the market.
I highly recommend "The Crowley Tarot: The Handbook to the Cards" by Hajo Banzhaf as a companion book for the Thoth deck, no matter what your level of experience, and "Tarot As Your Companion: A Practical Guide to the Rider-Waite and Crowley Thoth Tarot" Decks" by Hajo Banzhaf as an Introduction for beginners.
Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):
Michael Osiris Snuffin - Aleister Crowley And The Legend Of PasiphaeAleister Crowley - The Works Of Aleister Crowley Vol I Part 3
Kenneth Grant - Aleister Crowley And The Hidden God