The Golden Dawn or Thoth Method

Difficulty: Complicated

Note: Tarot decks that use reversed cards such as the Rider-Waite do not work well with this spread, which was designed to be read using elemental dignity.

The Golden Dawn spread is best suited for use with the bifrost Tarot and especially the Book of Thoth, as these decks are meant to be read a certain way with the court cards. Princes and queens represent actual men and women connected with the matter, while princesses generally represent ideas; thoughts or opinions, and knights represent arrival or departure of a matter depending on the direction faced.

In this tarot spread, particular attention should be paid to a card's exact position in relation to its neighbours. Whether the neighbour cards bear the same energy (suit) determines whether a card is considered well-dignified or ill-dignified. Opposite suits ill-dignify each other, while other suits are considered friendly. Tarot cards of the same suit or element strengthen each other.

As with other tarot spreads, it is important to count the cards' tendencies, such as whether there is a lot of one particular suit or number pattern. The patterns reveal special messages. Having several majors present indicates higher forces at work, several cups suggest strong emotions, etc.

Card #1 represents the reader and the nature of the topic at hand.

Cards #2 & #3 are read in extension of #1 to further comprehend the nature of the topic.

The two sets of three tarot cards at the top of the spread represent chronological sets of events. The current path as it would unfold naturally is represented by cards #4, #8, & #12. The alternate path that could be taken is represented by cards #13, #9, & #5. However, if the reader gets the feeling these cards are telling them they go together, then the alternate path is to be considered an extension of the current path, and to be read chronologically in this order: #4, #8, #12, #13, #9, #5. Just keep in mind: this is only if the two paths seem particularly similar.

Cards #14, #10, & #6 shed light upon the psychological undertones of the current issue.

Cards #7, #11, & #15 represent the influences of karma and destiny beyond the reader's control. These cards suggest adapting to this, as fate.

Your Golden Dawn Reading

The Alternate Path (or Extension of Current Path)				Your Current Path
Princess of Wands	Princess of Swords	Ace of Cups		The Sun	The Aeon	The Lovers
		The Querent
		Princess of Disks	Queen of Wands	6 of Swords – Science
The Psychological Basis				Karma
Queen of Swords	4 of Disks – Power	The Hermit		Knight of Disks	6 of Wands – Victory	9 of Wands – Great Strength

The Querent

cards represent the querent and the nature of the topic at hand. The first card (in the center of the spread) represents the very core of the matter, and the other two cards around it are added to it in order to further comprehend the nature of the topic.

11:00 – 1:00 Female
Aries

The Queen of Wands sits on a throne of flames. She holds a torch in her left hand and grasps the horn of a white ram in her right hand. The ram's eyes glare forward, but her eyes are closed, with a look of contentment on her face. She represents a strong figure of feminine authority with a laid-back attitude.

Meaning:
A calm attractive woman. Strength relaxed. Persistent, adaptive, but intolerant of opposition.
When ill-dignified: a vengeful, domineering woman with an itchy trigger finger.

A voluptuous young woman stands in an Autumn forest, plunging her sceptre into the earth, symbolising the union of masculine and feminine energy. Underground, her sceptre evolves into a diamond. She wears the skull of a ram and a coat of wool. Her disk is the yin-yang inside of a rose with golden petals. Represented here is the eternally pregnant spirit of the earth.

Meaning:
A generous, kind, caring young woman.
When ill-dignified: a wasteful young woman out of touch with reality, at war with herself.

Mercury in Aquarius

Six swords in the form of a hexagram converge in the centre of the rose cross. There is wisdom in the symbolism of this card, a multifaceted intellect that goes straight to the heart.

Meaning:
A goal realised.
When ill-dignified: selfishness, conceit, intellectual pride.

Your Current Path

The Sun

The Sun says that in order to be successful one must become success. The enlightened aura boldly enlightens the darkness, shedding warmth and light on all who see it. Abraxas represents both darkness and light, unified and transcended. His sign is the swastika which represents the sun, the number 6, the four seasons, and the totality of time. The twins dance under the sun signifying good times. Like Abraxas they represent the unity of opposites.

Meaning:
Manifestation, shamelessness, truth, glory, gain, triumph, satisfaction.
When ill-dignified: arrogance, vanity, counter-productive pride. An excess of brilliance burns.

Spirit

In a place beyond the Universe there exists a single solitary spirit. This is the perfection that we all strive for.

Meaning:
Dawn of a new era. Perfect self-knowledge. Wisdom. Union with god. The force of nature, raw spirit, barbelo, centre of the universe, perfection, message from heaven, sign from above, god.

Gemini

Lovers are eternally bound in Soul. A nude family holding hands in the form of a lemniscate represents natural purity.

Meaning:
Attraction, childishness, openness to inspiration, love, beauty.
When ill-dignified: shallow, superficial union. Instability, insecurity, indecision.

The Alternate Path

A robust young woman stands on the mountain firing arrows. Her arrows represent the other Wands courts, Sagittarius, Aries, and Leo. She is a passionate, brilliant, and independent young woman. The tiger is a symbol of the lower animal nature that grounds her.

Meaning:
An individualistic energetic glowing young woman, impulsive in matters of love.
When ill-dignified: superficial, shallow, gossiping, unreliable, cruel, domineering.

A young slender female has come down the mountain. The air symbols of Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius are all there in this card. The clouds indicate a storm front. Of the three men symbolising her thoughts, she has already killed one. She holds the middle one at bay as the other begs for his life. She may be wise in the ways of evil, but to do good she has no knowledge.

Meaning:
An aggressive, vengeful young lady of destructive logic, subtle, wise, and dexterous in practical affairs. This card also represents ruling out bad ideas.

The Root of Water

The cup of Kether is the holy grail. Ten rays beam from the single source of light emanating from the cup. The cup is a vessel for the light. The beginning of a new way of feeling.

Meaning:
Joy, contentment, love, fruitfulness, beauty.

The Psychological Basis

2:00 – 4:00 Female
Libra

The Queen of Swords sits on the throne of heaven. The moon has eclipsed the sun, making for a strange overcast. The eclipse is a symbol of two that are one, a reference to the dual nature of Libra. The eclipse also represents her as a dominant female, overshadowing the male, and this is also apparent in her left hand. She represents clear perception and the pinnacle of thought. However, superficial attractiveness coupled with a lack of empathy makes her the most dangerous female in the deck.

Meaning:
A confident, gracious, just, perceptive, graceful, elegant woman.
When ill-dignified: A cruel, sly, deceitful, unreliable woman who uses charm as a weapon.

Sun in Capricorn

The disks have become square. At this phase revolution of the disks is undesirable. The fortress shows law and order. Earthly power and authority have been established.

Meaning:
Earthly power, dominion, law and order, material success, skill in confrontation. Also, fortress, shelter, defence, home.
When ill-dignified: Prejudice, envy, suspicion.

Virgo

Solitary time. Father Time retreats from society to be alone. The mirror represents reflection and inner self-discovery. Cerberus follows the lantern as the Hermit enlightens his dark side. Turned sideways, the hourglass represents a moment of timelessness, and at this juncture the Hermit realises the nature of eternity.

Meaning:
Divine inspiration, wisdom, finding one's guiding light, a period of time being out of touch with society, circumspection, self-knowledge.
When ill-dignified: loneliness, despair, loss of sanity, paranoia.

Karma

Virgo

The Knight of Disks rides the pale horse. His horse is in fact a unicorn, a symbol of Virgo. Bearing the sickle, he has come to reap the harvest. The shield radiates waves of energy that symbolise his connection with the sphere of earth. He is concerned primarily with material values.

Meaning:
Agricultural proficiency, skills regarding material concerns, perhaps preoccupied with material concerns and therefore dull.
When ill-dignified: a petty, jealous, small-minded man.

Jupiter in Leo

This card represents energy in its most balanced and powerful state. Six snake-rods are crossed with nine flames burning at the joints. This represents the male energy being reflected by the female in a state of perfect harmony and balance.

Meaning:
Triumph after strife. Success and gain, good news, expectations fulfilled.
When ill-dignified: excessive pride and insolence.

Moon in Sagittarius

Great Strength. Eight arrows have been collected and are now under the authority of a headmaster arrow. They have been completed by this arrangement and the addition of the moon-heads. The driving force that empowers them is the sun.

Meaning:
Great strength, tremendous force, power, competition, warrior spirit, focused rage. Change is stability.