✦Introduction

Alongside the well-known Waite (Rider-Waite) and Marseille decks, there is another major tarot tradition: the Thoth Tarot.

What all tarot decks share is a structure of 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana cards, with the Major Arcana featuring allegorical images that draw on legend, mythology, philosophy, religion, and magic.

An "allegorical image" is a picture that conveys a meaning indirectly — through suggestion or by standing in for something else — rather than depicting it literally.

The Thoth Tarot is widely considered one of the masterpiece decks of the 20th century, standing alongside the Waite tarot.

This article explains the meaning, features, and ways of using the Thoth Tarot.

☾What Is the Thoth Tarot?

The Thoth Tarot was designed by Aleister Crowley — often called the greatest magician of the 20th century — and painted by Lady Frieda Harris.

The name "Thoth" comes from Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom.

The deck was created based on the teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the secret society to which Crowley belonged.

Crowley was born in England in 1875. Brilliant from childhood, he studied at Cambridge University and later traveled the world writing prolifically, leaving behind an enormous body of work. He is also said to have practiced divination daily to sharpen his intuition.

The Thoth Tarot is often described as a more intuitive deck than other tarot decks — likely because it incorporates so many mystical symbols drawn from Kabbalah, Western astrology, Hebrew letters, and alchemy.

✧Features of the Thoth Tarot

One of the Thoth Tarot's most distinctive features is that its 22 Major Arcana cards are called "Atu" rather than the usual names.

In occult terms, "Atu" means "key." These keys are seen as guides for action, offering a kind of map to the heavens.

Each Atu is packed with symbolic imagery and is considered to carry more power than the Minor Arcana.

Several Atu also carry different names from their Waite-deck counterparts. Here is a comparison:

	Thoth Tarot	Waite Tarot
VIII / 8	Adjustment	Strength
X / 10	Fortune	Wheel of Fortune
XI / 11	Lust	Justice
XIV / 14	Art	Temperance
XX / 20	The Aeon	Judgement
XXI / 21	The Universe	The World

These six cards were renamed to reflect Crowley's Thelemic philosophy.

The 56 Minor Arcana cards are divided into four suits and 16 Court Cards; the remaining 40 numbered cards (excluding the Court Cards) are called Small Cards.

The four suits are Wands, Cups, Swords, and Disks. Notably, what is usually called Pentacles or Coins in standard tarot decks is called Disks here — another distinctive feature.

Crowley reportedly chose the Disk (a spinning symbol) instead of a coin or pentacle in order to soften the suit's material, worldly associations.

The Court Cards for each suit are Knight, Queen, Prince, and Princess — quite different from a standard tarot deck.

Thoth Tarot	Waite Tarot
Knight	King
Queen	Queen
Prince	Knight
Princess	Page

Another key feature is that every single card corresponds to an element of Western astrology.

Each Atu is associated with one of the 12 zodiac signs, the 7 classical planets, or the 3 elements, and every Small Card except the Aces displays a planet-and-sign combination from Western astrology.

Each Atu is also inscribed with a Hebrew letter and placed along a path of the Tree of Life.

In this way, the Thoth Tarot packs an extraordinary amount of symbolism into every single card.

☀The Meaning of the Thoth Tarot

Covering the meaning of every card in this deck isn't practical here, so instead we'll look at one card each from the Atu, the Court Cards, and the Small Cards.

Atu XXI — The Universe

Completion, satisfaction, fulfillment, perfection, achievement, happiness

• Keyword: Completion
• Theme: Seeing something through to the end while keeping sight of the whole

The woman depicted at the center is dancing with a serpent — the serpent from the story of Adam and Eve. The dance is said to represent her overcoming the conflict between herself and the serpent.

The four corners of the card show the four sacred beasts from the Book of Revelation, representing the completed universe. Water pouring from their mouths symbolizes vigorous, ongoing creation.

The Universe card corresponds to Saturn in astrology, the Hebrew letter Tau (a cross shape), and Yesod-Malkuth on the Tree of Life.

In divination, this card is interpreted as a state of satisfaction, filled with a sense of happiness.

However, that satisfaction is said not to come from human effort or skill, but to arise naturally from the workings of universal law.

It can also carry the meaning of unshakeable resolve in the face of hardship, or, on a more negative note, stubbornness, resistance, or self-absorption.

Court Card — Knight of Swords

Attack, intellect, proactive, strategic, action-oriented

Swords correspond to Air, and Knights correspond to Fire, so the Knight of Swords symbolizes a powerful force like a fierce wind or storm — evoking a proactive attitude and vigorous energy.

• Keyword: Will, thought, aggression
• Theme: Using ideas to charge toward a goal

The Knight holds a sword in his right hand and a dagger in his left, wearing a helmet with four transparent wings. These represent his objective thinking ability alongside his flexible yet decisive drive to act.

In divination, the Knight of Swords can mean placing weight on thought and intellect, making up one's mind and charging ahead without hesitation, single-minded forward momentum, and intense focus.

On the negative side, it can also suggest tunnel vision, excessive aggression, or stubbornly clinging to one's own ideas.

Small Card — Four of Cups

Luxury, security, comfort, happiness, inertia, wishful thinking

Cups govern water and represent love, emotion, feeling, and richness of sensitivity, while the number 4 represents a state of stability.

• Keyword: Luxury
• Theme: The seed of decline hidden within luxury and pleasure

The card depicts water pouring from a red lotus flower into a cup. The full cup represents stable emotion and a sense of richness, but the dark sky and choppy sea hint at unconscious anxiety or instability.

The Four of Cups corresponds to the Moon in Cancer in astrology.

In divination, it can mean a comfortable, secure state that nonetheless carries signs of instability or decline, an attachment to comfort, or avoiding change in favor of playing it safe.

Each Small Card also has its theme printed in English on the card itself, which can make the imagery easier to grasp.

⚖How to Use the Thoth Tarot

The Thoth Tarot does not distinguish between upright and reversed positions.

This is reportedly because the Thoth Tarot treats the act of drawing a card itself as the point of the reading. Reversed meanings were not originally part of tarot practice at all.

Each card also carries a nuance similar to advice already built into its meaning, which may be another reason reversed readings aren't needed.

The Thoth Tarot is considered especially strong at reading through problems and challenges related to your own plans and goals.

✦Ways to Read with the Thoth Tarot

Here are some ways of reading with the Thoth Tarot.

The reading process is the same as with a standard tarot deck.

1. Decide what you want to ask about
2. Choose a spread that fits your question
3. Shuffle and cut the cards
4. Lay out the cards and interpret them

A "spread" is a specific way of laying out the cards, and the right spread depends on the nature of your question.

"Shuffling" means mixing the cards — either by mixing them clockwise on the table or by cutting them like a deck of playing cards.

"Cutting" means dividing the gathered deck into several piles and then reassembling them into one — often splitting into three piles and stacking them back together in a different order than before.

When laying out cards, use the 7th card from the top of the stacked deck. Cards 1 through 6 should be placed at the bottom of the deck or set aside.

That covers the general procedure for a reading.

Here we'll introduce two spreads: the One Oracle and the Three Minds.

Reading with the One Oracle Spread

This is the classic single-card draw.

It's used for things like your fortune for the day, a message for today, or a simple yes-or-no style question. It's also well suited to practicing with the Thoth Tarot.

How to Read the One Oracle Spread

1. Shuffle and cut the cards
2. Lay the cards face down in a single horizontal row
3. While thinking of your question, draw the one card that catches your attention

Example reading: drawing the Three of Disks for a One Oracle reading

The keyword for the Three of Disks is "Works," with a theme of putting in effort to gain or build something up over time.

Disks represent something material and visible, while the number 3 represents stability.

If the Three of Disks comes up for a question about today's fortune, it might suggest that keeping your eyes on your goal and working steadily will pay off, or that taking real action is the path to success.

For a love question, it might suggest gradually closing the distance with the other person while paying attention to how they feel, or that some ingenuity is needed for the relationship's future.

For a work question, it might suggest that steady, diligent work matters, or that solidifying your skills and knowledge is the key.

Reading with the Three Minds Spread

This spread is used when you want to know how someone you're romantically interested in feels, or when you're curious about the feelings of someone around you.

How to Read the Three Minds Spread

1. Shuffle and cut the cards
2. Place the 7th card from the top of the stacked deck at position ①
3. Likewise, place the next 7th-from-top card at position ②
4. Likewise, place the next 7th-from-top card at position ③

Position ① represents the surface-level awareness the other person (in a romantic context) holds toward the querent; position ③ represents that person's subconscious feelings toward the querent; and position ② represents the "in-between" awareness that sits between ① and ③.

Example reading: using the Three Minds spread for a romantic partner's feelings

The Five of Wands appeared at position ①. Its keyword is "Strife," representing a clash of forces, with a theme of finding the best resolution through discussion.

Since the question is about love, this could suggest the querent's partner is currently in the middle of an argument, feeling hostility, or holding back frustration.

The Ace of Swords appeared at position ②, representing the pure energy of the Air element, with keywords of decision and will. Its theme involves a major decision or resolve made through intellect, or achieving victory over something.

This can be read as the partner trying to make a rational decision about the relationship between the two of them.

The Lovers card appeared at position ③, with keywords of harmony and love, and a theme of mutual support.

This suggests that, deep down, the partner hopes to build a warm relationship as a couple.

Taken together, the three cards suggest that while the current situation between the two isn't ideal, the partner does want to stay together as a couple and deepen the relationship — and may be trying to approach things calmly in order to build something better.

The card at position ③, representing the subconscious, is the most important in this spread. Especially for love-related questions, position ③ reveals the true romantic feelings involved, so it's best to build your reading around that card.

♡Recommended Thoth Tarot Decks

The Thoth Tarot is sold in three sizes: Small, Regular, and Large.

The Small size measures 56mm × 89mm, making it convenient for carrying around or keeping in a bag at all times.

Thoth Tarot Pocket Deck

A compact, portable edition of the Thoth Tarot.

The Regular size measures 70mm × 110mm — a standard size that many readers find easy to work with.

Thoth Tarot Standard Size

The classic full-size Thoth Tarot deck.

The Large size measures 95mm × 140mm and has real visual impact. Individual cards are easier to see in spreads with few cards, but the larger footprint can be harder to manage when laying out many cards at once.

Thoth Tarot Big Size

An oversized edition of the Thoth Tarot for maximum visual detail.

There is also a beautifully original deck based on the Thoth Tarot's artwork.

Some decks marketed as including a divination guidebook actually include a guidebook for the Waite deck rather than the Thoth deck, so be careful when purchasing.

For a companion guidebook, we found the following full-color edition to be clear and easy to follow.

The Thoth Tarot (Companion Guidebook)

A fully illustrated, full-color guide to the Thoth Tarot's symbolism and meanings.

✧Summary

We've covered the origins, meaning, and ways of using and reading with the Thoth Tarot — how did it strike you?

Compared to the Waite deck, the Thoth Tarot feels packed with layers of symbolism. That density may be exactly what allows so much inspiration and intuition to come through during a reading.

We hope this article has helped you discover the appeal of the Thoth Tarot.