Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Love-Hate Relationships (with decks!)

Last night I participated in a Tarot Circle led by the lovely Christiana Gaudet from Tarot Trends. During introductions everyone has the opportunity to ask a "burning question" or to make any comment they feel compelled to share. I had my Deviant Moon deck with me (by Patrick Valenza) and when it was my turn to speak I found myself talking about how the the Deviant Moon has become my main working deck, even though it's not my favorite deck.  Christiana asked me why I thought that was, and I honestly wasn't entirely sure. The angles, the colors, the shapes, draw me in and engage my intuition in a way that make my readings tend to flow….even though there are things I really don't like about it.

For instance, the Hermit card in any deck is one of those cards I'm particular about - it's one of my favorites.  And yet the Deviant Moon Hermit is entirely unappealing to me, and even a bit creepy. I prefer the images of the Hermit as a hooded, solitary figure, and I really resonate with that energy. But a Gollum-looking creature in a cave sitting next to a fish skeleton? Meh. I get the idea behind the image, I just don't really like it.

Deviant Moon Tarot - Patrick Valenza
US Games

I also don't like men with jutting chins and lipstick, and I have to say that the clown-like Magician took some getting used to.

Deviant Moon Tarot - Patrick Valenza
US Games

On the other hand, this deck has some cards that have come to be some of my very favorite of all time, such as the 4 of Swords and the Ace of Wands.

Deviant Moon Tarot - Patrick Valenza
US Games
Deviant Moon Tarot - Patrick Valenza
US Games

So given all these conflicting feelings about the deck, why do I like it so much? Why has it elbowed its way into being the deck I tend to choose most often for doing readings?

I was pondering this last night, following the Tarot Circle, and it finally popped into my mind like an almost-visible "ah hah" moment…...

I love this deck because it looks like it was co-created by Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso, two of my important artistic influences growing up. Picasso was an inspiration to me, and along with Diego Rivera, had a large impact on my developing style when I was an adolescent. I always found Dalí's surrealism and use of color and shape fascinating. So while there are aspects of the art style that I don't love, and while there are some cards I really don't care for, the deck still speaks to me in a way that calls me back to my creative origins, and somehow links an important part of my past to my present (think 6 of Cups). This is especially important to me because in recent years I've almost entirely stopped producing art work, and on some level I really miss it, and sometimes think I need it.

So I still find myself appreciating the entire package, because like anything familiar and dear to a person, there are things you love - the important things that keep you present and engaged - and there are things you don't love - the things you accept and work with because that's what you do when you love something (or someone)… and sometimes, like an ugly dog, you end up finding those imperfections endearing rather than off-putting.

So that's me and the Deviant Moon.

4 comments:

  1. Perhaps when you're in love with the entire deck reading becomes to easy and perhaps to shallow. With decks like this you have to make an effort; dive deeper. I have the same issue with some of my decks. Hanson Roberts has some real crooked faces in her cards, The Crystal Visions Tarot has cards which are far too sweet; just a few examples but I am sure there is more.:)

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    1. I like that point, Ellen! So many card readers talk about finding "the perfect deck" and I've found decks that deeply resonate with me, and that I love (one of the most important of those being the Wildwood), but are any really "perfect"? I don't like the keywords on the Wildwood, and I really don't like the 6 Stones "exploitation" (though in one reading it actually did have an element of exploitation in the upright position!). And yet it's dear to me. So yes. The Deviant Moon has its challenges, and perhaps you're right - it forces us to go deeper, and that's never a bad thing. Since realizing the Picasso-Dalí connection, it's given even another nice layer to my feelings about it :)

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  2. This is definitely a challenging deck - I have one friend who is creeped out just knowing it's in the room. Isn't it wonderful, though, when you figure out why something appeals to you. What this also made me think is, perhaps it's also saying it's time for you to get back into doing some art for yourself... :)

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    1. Hey Chloe! You know, yes, i do feel like I need to make art again. I've been feeling that way particularly lately.... Yikes! So your friend doesn't like to be in the room with it! :-) I can understand that, in fact it took me months of being sure I didn't like it before I suddenly had the urge to try it out. But yeah, I find I really love it now!

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