Thoth Tarot vs. Rider Waite: Which Deck is Right for Your Practice?

Introduction: Two Iconic Decks, Two Different Energies

If you’re diving into tarot, chances are you’ve come across two names over and over: the Rider Waite Tarot and the Thoth Tarot. They’re both legendary, both deeply rooted in Western esotericism, yet they carry wildly different energies, philosophies, and visual languages.

Choosing between them isn’t just about picking your favorite art style — it’s about connecting to a current of magic, symbolism, and spiritual worldview that resonates with where you are right now in your practice.

Let’s break it down.

The Rider Waite Tarot: Storytelling & Accessible Mysticism

Who made it?

• Arthur Edward Waite, a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, designed the deck’s esoteric structure.
• Pamela Colman Smith, a brilliant artist and feminist visionary, brought it to life in 1909 with illustrations rich in subtle narrative and emotional nuance.
• It was published by the Rider Company, hence the name.

The vibe

• Often seen as the “classic tarot,” these cards are instantly readable. The images tell clear human stories — lovers embrace, a figure grieves under five cups, a knight charges forward.
• It’s ideal for intuitive reads, daily pulls, and diving straight into the personal journey of the querent.

What it’s great for

• Beginners & pros alike love it because the scenes give direct cues.
• Emotional healing, self-reflection, and straightforward questions.
• Journaling or creative exploration — Smith’s art holds so many layers, with feminist undercurrents that elevate everyday figures into quietly powerful icons.

The Thoth Tarot: The New Aeon & Radical Mysticism

Who made it?

• Aleister Crowley, infamous occultist, visionary of Thelema, and a radical thinker who proclaimed we were entering a new Aeon — the Aeon of Horus, an age of individual divine sovereignty and liberation.
• Lady Frieda Harris, an accomplished artist and occult student, painted these intensely symbolic, almost psychedelic images in the late 1930s and early ’40s.

The new Aeon perspective

• Crowley believed humanity was moving beyond the old Aeon of Osiris (marked by sacrifice and guilt) into the Aeon of Horus, ruled by personal will and ecstatic self-realization.
• The deck reinterprets several traditional cards to align with this. For example:
• Lust replaces Strength, showing Babalon, the sacred whore, joyfully riding the Beast. It’s a celebration of divine feminine power, desire, and fearless union with True Will — a stark contrast to more chaste, restrained images in older decks.
• The Aeon replaces Judgment, representing a cosmic awakening, not a somber day of reckoning.

The vibe

• The Thoth deck is intense, layered with Qabalah, astrology, alchemy, and Crowley’s own unique magickal symbolism.
• Its images vibrate with raw life force, often challenging, sometimes unsettling — perfect for shadow work or deep metaphysical exploration.

What it’s great for

• Ritual work, spellcasting, or when you’re ready to dive into advanced occult correspondences.
• Exploring big archetypal forces — not just what’s happening to you, but what’s moving through you and around you on a cosmic scale.

Which Deck is Best for the Modern Witch?

If you’re a modern witch deciding between the Rider Waite and Thoth decks, here’s the essence: the Rider Waite Tarot offers narrative scenes you can step into—ideal for personal growth, love readings, and everyday clarity. Illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, a visionary feminist artist, its imagery is rich with human emotion and easy to connect with intuitively. The Thoth Tarot, by contrast, channels Aleister Crowley’s bold vision of a new aeon. Its abstract, layered symbols demand more study but open doors to shadow work, ritual, and profound magickal transformation. Lust replaces Strength here, celebrating sacred desire and the divine feminine as the ecstatic holy whore—a radical archetype of power reclaimed. In short: the Rider Waite is perfect for accessible, heartfelt readings, while the Thoth is best for witches ready to dive deep into the mysteries. Which calls to you?

Final Thoughts: Two Keys to the Same Mystery

Both decks are doorways into profound spiritual landscapes.

• If you’re craving clear stories, human emotion, and a gentle yet wise guide through your day-to-day experiences, start with the Rider Waite.
• If you feel the call of the abyss — the desire to transform utterly, to work with the fierce power of Babalon and step fully into your own new Aeon — the Thoth will meet you there.

Either way, the tarot is ultimately a mirror. Whether you’re reading with Smith’s compassionate figures or Harris’s blazing archetypes, the cards will reflect exactly what your soul is ready to see.