Crowley Tarot Pocket AGM

Crowley Tarot Pocket AGM - revised pocket edition of a landmark deck

Few tarot decks are so inseparable from their own origin story. The Thoth Tarot was not made by one person but by two, with entirely different backgrounds: a controversial occultist with an encyclopaedic command of symbolism, and an artist who knew nothing about tarot when she began.

Aleister Crowley provided Lady Frieda Harris with the brief and the symbolic framework. She translated it into paint. Numerous cards were produced in multiple versions before Crowley approved them. The result has been recognised ever since as one of the defining achievements of twentieth-century esoteric art. This pocket edition from AGM was published in December 2023 and includes corrected image data adjusted as closely as possible to Harris's original paintings.

What you see on the cards

The imagery is layered and symbolically dense. Harris worked with projective geometry as a structural principle, giving the compositions a geometric tension rarely found in other tarot decks. The colours are vivid, and the figures carry meaning on multiple levels. This is not a deck where the image tells a story you can read at a glance.

Who this deck is for

This is not a beginner's deck. The Thoth Tarot has its own symbolic system, rooted in Thelema, Kabbalah and Crowley's specific framework, which takes time and study to engage with properly. The guidebook of approximately 96 pages contains Crowley's original interpretive texts, revised and expanded for this edition. Those with some experience in tarot or esotericism will find a deck that rewards sustained attention.

The pocket format of 84 x 57 mm keeps the deck practical without compromising the image quality, which has been recalibrated for this edition against the original paintings.

About the creators

Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) was a British occultist, writer and mountaineer. He founded the religious philosophy Thelema and wrote extensively on magic and mysticism. His reputation remains contested; his influence on modern esotericism does not.

Lady Frieda Harris (1877-1962) was a British artist who spent five years on the cards. She had no prior experience with tarot or occultism but studied the symbolism in thorough detail and produced multiple versions of each card. Her work is widely regarded as one of the high points of esoteric art in the twentieth century.

Specifications

• Authors: Aleister Crowley, Frieda Harris
• Publisher: AGM
• Edition: Pocket edition, revised (December 2023)
• Number of cards: 78
• Guidebook: approximately 96 pages, English
• Card dimensions: 84 x 57 mm

Questions we often get

Is this deck suitable as a first introduction to tarot?
The Thoth Tarot has its own symbolic system, which differs significantly from the widely used Waite tradition. The guidebook contains Crowley's own texts, which assume a willingness to engage with the underlying framework. Those prepared to study it will find a fully developed system; those looking for a more approachable starting point may prefer a deck closer to the RWS tradition first.

What has changed compared to earlier editions?
For this edition, the image data has been recalibrated to bring it as close as possible to Harris's original paintings. The guidebook has also been revised and expanded, and a number of card names have been corrected.