As you explore the Tarot and meditate on its symbolisms, you will find many wonderful uses with various decks. One of the most stunning Tarot visually is the Crowley "Book of Thoth" Tarot. In an article on the Internet called "Projective Synthetic Geometry in Lady Frieda Harris’ Tarot Paintings and in Aleister Crowley’s Book of the Law," I found what I consider to be a possible visually exciting key to enhancing our understanding of the symbols of the Tarot cards. How Harris painted the cards in the "Book of Thoth" Tarot for Crowley was using a mathematical technique called Projective Synthetic Geometry. This allowed a ceratin type of connection between cards, a larger dimensional projection of space from an infinite starting point. If you cut off the edges of the deck and then combine them in various ways, you realize that the cards, are indeed, ONE. There are no borders, only morphing of shapes as you bring into manifestation new images, new symbols, and new meanings.
The permutations, projections, combinations and parallels are quite stunning as you explore various ways of putting the cards together to form ever larger and more encompassing symbologies within the realm of the mythological, symbolical, spiritual understandings of the cards. The combinations are literally infinite, because the art itself begins with the idea of the infinity in the center as well as the infinity in the periphery. This infinity can stretch as far as you want to make the combinations. This infinite can whorl, spiral, dance, extend, and shrink as you move cards over top of each other and stop at whatever areas on the other card you wish in order to bring yet more symbolisms into manifestation. It is one of the most stunning things about the Crowley deck I have ever learned about. I suspect there are untold riches in symbolism here as you begin putting various cards with certain related meanings together in order to manifest yet further hidden ideas and synthesis of doctrines together in higher and more exalted groupings of meanings. The cards can be put together in such ways that new symbols are literally brought into manifestation by your own will as you play around with these and combine them into yet more encompassing symbolisms. For instance, try experimenting with combining the "Hanged Man" with the "Star," the "Sun," and the "Moon" cards. Perhaps there are further revelation as you actually literally combine the Emperor and Emperess cards into the Hieros Gamos (the sacred marriage of combination literally!) with each other in order to manifest yet more profound and deeper meanings. What would you find were you to use only those cards with the red color of alchemical sulphur for instance? Is there far richer more diverse and profound symbols awaiting discovery? Did Crowley deliberately hide these for us to find, or is our own very creation of new symbols through our own synthesis, indeed, part of the process of learning, creating and enjoying the Tarot, since we are all on our own path in this life anyway? I find if for no other reason, a deeper far more appreciative aspect of the Tarot for meditation and self discovery than I had ever hoped for. Here are three samples, all linear, that is up and down combinations. Some cards overlap just barely. Others are covered by half, still others are almost completely covered, leaving only one of the symbols on the card showing. The combinations of color, symbol, discreet overlap, or no overlap, just geometric continuance is indeed an exercise of great interest.The combinations one can bring into manifestation can go sideways, kitty corner, end on end, etc. To enhance imagination… is that not life itself? The Tarot is a most magnificent tool. For instance, the ability to put just the scarabus beetle with the sun by the Hanged Man's head is of great significance as to bringing out more of the meaning of the Hanged Man than simply having the hanged man by himself, phenomenal though the symbol is! THE key to the Hanged Man in the Crowley deck is that Ankh sign with the serpent wrapped around entering, as it were, the infinite eternities as it circles away off into space. I deliberately chose the Sagitarrius type cherubim who is shooting the arrow to be above the Ankh sign as that is another important symbol for understanding the Tarot's astronomical orientation. Remember, the serpent is the symbol of borders. The crossed legs of the Hanged Man is a symbol in Mithraism of the Equinoxes. The cross itself of which the Hanged Man's body is composed of with his head being the top is symbolic of the Galactic center crossing with the celestial equator. The sphere of the Hanged Man's head with a cross on it is the ancient symbol for divine kingship as well. There is an astonishing tremendous amout of power to be able to allow however much of the Tarot card you wish to in order to bring out even more emphasis in one area than another. The first column I emphasized some ancient Egyptian symbols, the Ankh, the scarabus beetle (incidentally in the MOON Tarot card which wavy lines Harris indicated gravity and the tides), the rainbow, etc. But enough hints for now. As you work with these precepts, keep in mind the infinities of which the Tarot is pointing or minds to, and the scales drop from your eyes in mysterious and quite wonderful ways. I will be exploring far more of this as time permits. It is one of the most exciting things I have ever learned about the Tarot of the Crowley deck. It is quite magical, which is why I included this discovery in the Magician. He transforms our consciousness as well as our unconsciousness (GRIN!). The universe, I suspect, will be unfolded as we ponder and create it with the cards and keep notes what we are discovering.... about others, ourselves, and our God.