The Tarot is an ancient divinatory system consisting typically of 78 cards. These cards, split into the Major and Minor Arcana, portray imagery, symbols and numbers that contain sacred meaning and energy. The Court Cards depict personality traits. There are many ways of using and interpreting the cards, usually within a ‘spread’: the cards are laid out in a pattern and then read to gain messages and guidance for the client.

I use the powerful Thoth Tarot deck which was designed by Aleister Crowley, an influential and controversial occultist of the early 20th century. Lady Frieda Harris created this deck to illustrate Crowley’s The Book of Thoth. Each of the twenty-two Major Arcana cards of the tarot are assigned by tradition, a Hebrew letter, and a path on the Tree of Life (Kabbalah), as well as an astrological sign, element, and planet. The deck also reflects Crowley’s interest in Egyptian symbolism and alchemy. The Crowley Thoth Tarot has attracted a worldwide following, both for its striking beauty and for its complex depiction of occult knowledge which makes it especially difficult to learn and experienced readers highly sought-after.