Thoth Fortune Tarot Card Tutorial
My new YouTube channel is : Thoth Tarot Videos. The major arcana videos are yet to be remade.
(ii) Thoth Fortune Tarot Card
The Thoth Fortune tarot card is a glyph for the mechanism of how the Universe works expressed as the 3 alchemical principles spinning on the wheel on life.
The wheel has 10 spokes and spins counter clockwise drawing 10 plumes of energy like a whirlpool.
(iii) Rider Waite Wheel of Fortune Tarot Card
This is one of the few cards in the Waite Deck to contain a lot of esoteric symbolism.
(iv) Thoth Fortune Tarot Card and The Tree of Life
Connects Chesed to Netzach. So we have the connection between the ideas of mercy/benevolence, with the emotions and what makes the individual happy or pleasure.
This card solely exists on the pillar of mercy on the tree of life and opposite is the Hanged Man.
Chesed = 4 = structure, the number of the Tetragrammaton and materialism.
10 spokes of wheel = Malkuth = Physical World/ Manifestation.
(v) Thoth Fortune Tarot Card Hebrew and Astrological Attribution
Kaph = palm of the hand = turns wheel and therefore we create our own destiny. The palm of the hand also contains our destiny as told in palmistry and is said to be an imprint of the life path of the Soul :
Jupiter = associated with the Thoth Fortune tarot card. Jupiter relates to growth, expansion and good luck. It is known as the ‘Greater Benefic’ in Astrology.
(vi) Thoth Fortune Tarot Card Alchemy and Symbology
Firmament (expanse)of stars at top = Goddess Nuit. The cosmic clock,
5 pointed stars = pentagram and man. “Every man and woman is a star” was a famous quote from the Book of the Law. The stars are distorted to show our uniqueness. Some stars are dark, others bright representing differing fortunes but there is a balance to them implying a harmony in the universe.
10 pointed star in centre of upper wheel = also reflected in 10 pointed star in lower wheel. “As above, so below”, “Microcosm is a reflection of the macrocosm”
10 = associated with a sense of completion and fulfilment. In the esoteric number system the last number of major importance is the number 10
This sense of completion ties in with the card being seen as the image of the manifested universe in its completion.
3 symbols on wheel = 3 alchemical substances or 3 gunas of Hindu philosophy.
Sphinx = at top. Carries a sword which is symbol of the mind and willpower and yet the sphinx represents the power of sulphur not Mercury which is usually associated with the mind. Sulphur is associated with heat and explosiveness as represented by the Emperor
Typhon = on right. Associated with SALT, death or stagnation which is also associated with the Empress. The symbol for salt appears on his head behind his eye. He has the Inverted Ankh. The Ankh represents life, motion, the universe and so the fact that it is inverted implies that he contradicts the principle of life, moving forward etc. He is serpentine and so is also associated with hell.
Hermanubis = on left and is a variation of the God Anubis. It is a monkey and is meant to be the Greek version of Anubis, a combination of Hermes (Mercury) + Anubis. These 2 Gods are associated with the function of being a psychopump. This is something that acts as a mediator between the living and the dead or as a guide for the souls of the dead through the underworld as we saw in the Thoth Hermit Tarot Card. Associated with Air due to his links with Mercury and the Magus
Anubis = the Egyptian God of mummification & the weighing of the heart ritual in which he is the bridge between man and the gods Osiris and his consort Isis.
In the Book of the Dead, Thoth is present at this scene also.
All of the characters in the card are Greek in origin and so this card is more Greek than Egyptian despite the presence of the Sphinx.
Zeus (Jupiter) is also associated with this card and indeed this card is ruled by Jupiter, furthermore Jupiter rules Chesed
Jupiter (Zeus) is also associated with the Demiurge.
Demiurge = a God of the material universe who believes that he is the highest God of all. He is too self indulgent to realise that he had to be created by something higher than himself (supernal triangle). He is incapable of realising Kether or pure spirit. Chesed is the last sephiroth ascending the tree of life before the abyss is crossed and supernal triangle are reached and so he does not want to dissolve his identity into the formlessness of these higher sephira, and so holds on to the last vestiges of form or matter.
So Zeus, although known as the father of the Gods is also known as meddling in human affairs, in the same way that the Wheel of Fortune or Karma meddles in the lives of men. Fortune in some ways is blind and the wheel spins and stops in random ways which can mess up our lives.
Lightning Bolts = Jupiter (Zeus) and are striking Typhon
Triangle Within Wheel = represents the 3 gunas on the wheel and the stabilisation of them. Within the centre of the triangle is the Axle of the wheel similar to the masonic symbol below on the back of the dollar bill :
This represents the idea of ENLIGHTENMENT understanding, clarity.
Centre of Wheel = Kether, Hadit, the point. The spokes and the 3 gunas are just emanations from this point. In the centre is the symbol of the Sun. I have spoken many times about Christ being the Sun God. Kether is associated with the Will of God and therefore all other aspects of the card are just extensions of this will. This essentially means that everything that happens to us is Gods Will and cannot be anything other.
Fist at bottom = has 6 rays emanating from it. The letter for fortune is KAPH which means fist or closed hand. Here we have again the idea of the wheel being turned by the hand of God. The 6 rays represent the number of the sun, the Sephiroth Tiphareth and the Christ Consciousness, or single eye :
In our daily lives we can say that our actions are constantly turning the Wheel of Fortune and creating karma, good or bad. Some things that happen to us appear obscure and we cannot determine why they may have happened but it may be something that we have set up from many lifetimes ago. Further insight into the soul can be found in an article on the meditation website : The Life of A Soul.
Summary of the Gunas: The Universe seems to be constantly oppressing us and we feel powerless oftentimes (Typhon) and we are therefore goaded into action to change things by the power of will (Hermanubis, Mercury , The Magus) and move to the top of the wheel whereby we take on the Sulphur properties of the Sphinx and resolve to turn the situation into something more harmonious (Adjustment Card) and attain a sense of Victory (Netzach). This whole process on the wheel can represent the cycles of one lifetime or the many and so this happens on a number of different levels at once.
(viii) The Hermit to The Fortune Transition
The Hermit relates to being at the centre and strong within ourselves in order to follow our true calling and what is most important to us. This centredness allows us to stay at the centre of the Wheel of Fortune and remain strong within when life going through its endless cycles of change/difficulties and distractions. Both cards are closely related and my mastering the Hermit within we are better able to survive the Karmic Wheel of Life.
(ix) Thoth Fortune Tarot Card Divinatory Meanings
In Crowley’s deck he means Fortune to represent ‘Good Fortune’. The Fortune card shares the Fools spontaneity and randomness as the wheel spins, but it has a little more organisation to it than the Fool. Crowley tells us that this card represents the unpredictable in life quite like the wild cards as described in my article on The Life of a Soul.
Represents an unexpected change in one’s life which will be favourable but may not necessarily seem that way at first. Perhaps we can draw another card to see what the unexpected change is going to entail.
Thoth Fortune Upright
Be ready to act on any unexpected opportunities at the moment.
Reminds you to go with the flow of life and let good fortune come your way. Dont try to hang on to the status quo but let change bring about new things.
When times are good, enjoy them but do not become complacent because things can change. When times are challenging, do not be discouraged because even when things seem their worst it simply suggests that things can only get better!
Keep optimistic and have faith in the Universe that it will take care of the situation in the best way possible.
Change is about to happen and soon. You may also need to alter your present course, move things in a different direction or turn things around to ensure that you are creating the right outcomes in your life.
If we struggle against the flow of life, we become those struggling to ascend the Wheel, or even one of those crushed beneath it. Despite the ebb and flow of the wheel, the centre is never going to move or be shaken and so despite what difficulties are around us, if we can stay centred to our truth then we will get through any hardships.
Thoth Fortune Reversed
Not going with the flow of life or events.
Luck is not on your side at the moment. There has been a turn of events that are not in your favour sending you into a tail spin and changing your world significantly, seemingly for the worst.
Circumstances arising that are outside of your control, leaving you feeling helpless and powerless.
The run of difficult circumstances that you are experiencing may also be as a result of poor decisions you have made in the past. Think about what actions you have taken recently and whether these may have contributed to your present circumstances.
The appearance of this card reversed may indicate that change has become a source of significant stress for you and you may be trying to consciously or subconsciously stop events from running their course.
This is also not a time to be taking risks but for being cautious.
(x) Thoth Fortune Tarot Card in the Celtic Cross Spread
1: Heart of the Situation = life is changing and we must be ready to act on any favourable opportunities
2: Possible obstacle = taking too many risks, a time to be cautious about making decisions.
3: Unconscious Influences = scared of change, going with the flow.
4: Recent Past = recent change of fortune which has brought about new opportunities for you. Have you made the most of them ?
5: Hopes and goals = not getting caught up with the trials of life, going with the flow. Freedom.
6: Short Term Future = change and some good luck coming your way and an opportunity for growth.
7: Our Self Image in this situation = being centered even though life is throwing up lots of change.
8: Environment = one of change and opportunities we must grasp with both hands
9: Guidance & Warning = don’t get caught up in the wheel of life too often. To master this card we need to remain at the centre of the wheel when life throws up its challenges
10: Overall Outcome = there will be an excellent opportunity to change your life for the better. Jupiter bestows good fortune with an opportunity for growth. We will then need to go with the flow whilst remaining centred and focussed on what is most important to us.
(xii) Thoth Fortune Tarot Card Links.
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Thank you so much for all this information. It helps me out tremendously. K
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Hermanubis in the figure on the right, Typhon is on the left.