Okay, so folks have been asking how I got into understanding Thoth Tarot card meanings. It wasn’t exactly a walk in the park, lemme tell ya. It all started when I first got my hands on a Thoth deck. The artwork just blew me away, completely different from other decks I’d seen. So, I thought, “Alright, let’s learn these.”
Getting Started – The Big “Uh Oh”
First thing I did, like most people, was crack open that little white book that came with it. Yeah, that was helpful for about five minutes. It gave me keywords, sure, but the Thoth deck is so much more than a few keywords. I quickly realized this was a whole different beast. The symbols, the astrology, the Kabbalah stuff – my head was already starting to spin.
So, I decided to get serious. I went out and bought a couple of recommended books. You know the ones, the big, chunky ones that look like textbooks. I started with the Fool, card zero. I’d stare at the card, then read the chapter, then look back at the card. It felt like I was trying to decipher an ancient code, and honestly, sometimes I was!
The Slow Grind
My process was pretty straightforward, if a bit slow. I worked my way through the Major Arcana first. For each card, I’d:
- Look at the card for a good few minutes. Just absorb the colors, the figures, the weird squiggles.
- Read up on its general meaning from a couple of sources.
- Then, and this was the tricky part, I’d try to connect what I read to the actual symbols on the card. Why is that pelican there? What’s with all the geometric shapes?
- I kept a notebook. Oh yeah, a big ol’ notebook. I jotted down keywords, symbols I noticed, questions I had, and any little insights that popped into my head. Sometimes it was just gibberish.
The Minors were another level. Trying to remember all the astrological decans and the Tree of Life placements for each one… man, that was tough. I focused on the general vibe of the suit and the number first, then tried to layer in the other associations. The Court Cards? Don’t even get me started. They felt so abstract at first. I really had to work to see them as energies or approaches rather than literal people.
Making it Stick (Sort Of)
What really helped me, I think, was daily practice. I started doing a one-card draw every morning. No big questions, just “What’s the energy for today?” Then I’d spend some time with that card, revisiting my notes, thinking about how it might show up. This wasn’t about prediction; it was about familiarity. Like getting to know a new friend, one conversation at a time.
There were definitely times I felt like giving up. Some cards just wouldn’t click. I’d read the explanations, and they’d make sense intellectually, but I couldn’t feel it, you know? The “Universe” card, for example, took me ages. So much going on! But I just kept at it. Little by little.
One thing I learned pretty quickly was not to rely on just one source. Different authors have different takes, and sometimes hearing something explained a slightly different way would make it ‘click’. So I gathered a few perspectives.
Where I’m At Now
Am I an expert? Heck no. Not even close. I still refer to my notes and books all the time. But I feel like I have a decent working relationship with the cards now. I can look at a card and get a general feel for its message without immediately panicking and reaching for a book. The symbols are starting to speak to me a bit more directly.
It’s an ongoing process, this Thoth stuff. You don’t just “learn” it and then you’re done. It’s more like you keep peeling back layers. So yeah, that’s pretty much how I’ve been tackling the Thoth Tarot meanings. Lots of staring, lots of reading, lots of scribbling, and a fair bit of head-scratching. But totally worth it, in my book.