Pagan Otherworlds Tarot: A Review

This is the deck. As in, “the” deck – the one that hits all the right places, the one I can’t put down, the one with all the right feels, overflowing with soul.

My ideal deck would have:

• reversible backs
• little-to-no text on the card fronts
• not a single card I don’t really like
• been produced by an independent publisher
• the feel of a very useable work of art
• quality artwork
• an essence of timelessness 
• excellent card stock
• card images that are complete and balanced, but not overfull 
• at least slightly illustrated minors (enough for the intuition to dig into)
• art that clearly highlights traditional card meanings 
• that special “something” 

So, that said, the Pagan Otherworlds Tarot fulfills each and every item on this list. It’s a tall order, I know. But like I said, this is the one!

The down and dirty:

• 78 cards 
• 1 additional Major (the Seeker)
• 5 “Luna” cards (representing the moon cycle)
• Strength VIII, Justice XI
• Page, Knight, Queen, King
• reversible backs with a beautiful floral image
• high quality tuck box
• mainly RWS styling with some influence from Marseilles
• excellent stock with a linen finish
• company: Uusi
• creators: Linnea Gits and Peter Dunham

This deck arrived to my home wrapped in a foam sheath upon which a small sprig of cedar was attached. A cloth card bag featuring the company’s name (Uusi) was included along with the shipping invoice. Each deck features a different herb or plant – some people received their decks along with lavender, or sage, for example. It’s a beautiful touch.

The box itself features the same design as the card backs, and feels like it was produced by someone who really knows, and loves, cards. This is the case, of course. Aside from this deck, Uusi has created a number of playing card decks, a Tarot deck called the BRuT Tarot, and they are currently working on a third Tarot deck called Eros: The Garden of Love. (They do make a few other things, such as advent calendars and wooden knife racks!)

Small details like a custom paper stamp that seals the tuck box and small printed messages in the fold of the box top add to the exquisite experience of handling this creation for the first time.

When I pulled the cards out of their box I noticed immediately that they move effortlessly over one another – no stickiness, no slight catching that sometimes occurs with matte finishes. These cards were meant to be shuffled, and I even think that the process of shuffling was intended to be a part of the overall enormous pleasure of preparing to read with this deck. If you have it, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

I have heard some people express concern that the numbered Minor Arcana may be “pips” however this is not really the case. Yes, each card shows the correct number of elemental items for the suit, and no, there are no people (for the most part). But if you look at each card you will find an abundance of scenic imagery that connect with traditional RWS meaning.

Take for instance the 4 of Swords. With three swords upright (blades downward) and a single sword perpendicular to them on the ground, it mirrors the RWS version which shows three swords hanging on a wall over a stone knight, with one sword horizontal along the tomb.

The 7 of Wands shows one upright rod with six others crossed in front of it. It certainly gives the impression of advocacy, standing for what you believe in, rising to meet a challenge.

The 4 of Wands shares an unmistakable connection to the traditional RWS version, with four rods standing upright and decorated with celebratory garlands.

Even the 3 of Wands features an ocean in the background with ships either coming or going.

The tree in the 8 of Pentacles exudes the idea of growth and development. In the 5 of Cups you’ll notice that the three central cups are upside down, while the two on either side are upright. The skull below calls to mind past regrets, and mourning.

All of the Court cards are stunning. I particularly love the Queens and the Knights. There is such elegant movement in the shape of the horses that the Knights ride. Here we also see the 6 of Swords showing a boat riding through water!

Just look at this Queen of Pentacles...

The Majors are sedately spectacular as well. The Hierophant is dressed in animal skins, and holds a stang in his right hand. He is the keeper of tradition, the village vitki.

The Chariot shows a warrior in a cart pulled by two energetic rams, one black, one white.

The Sun depicts a quite traditional child riding a white horse, a kindly celestial orb floating above.

This morning I pulled a card asking, “What energy should I honor today?” I pulled the Ace of Pentacles, inviting me to count the many blessings in my life.

One of those happens to be the Pagan Otherworlds Tarot, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Edward Gorey's Fantod Pack: A Review

About six months ago, give or take, I first heard of Edward Gorey's Fantod Pack - a set of cards illustrated by this relatively well-known artist-of-scary-and-unusual-things. I was happily intrigued. As a child one of my favorite authors was John Bellairs, who wrote a series of frightening novels for kids, often illustrated by Edward Gorey. I always found the artwork to sharply enhance the spookiness of the story I was reading, and it became something of a trademark of those books; anytime I see a Gorey illustration I am immediately transported back to the thrilling fright of reading the Bellairs tales.

So I was interested in acquiring the deck, though slightly less-so once I realized that while many people referred to it as a "Tarot," in fact it is an oracle with just 20 cards. But in truth I really enjoy oracle decks - more and more with time - and there was something particularly amusing about this deck: it was originally meant as a very grim parody of divination. The symbols featured on each card are quite funny when understood in this light: the Blue Dog, the Limb, the Effigy, the Insects, the Yellow Bird, to name a few. The card descriptions are all rather miserable; there's not a hint of positivity in this deck, but some of the language is so unusual or unpleasant that it's hilarious (which is the point, really). The first night I had this deck I was laying next to my young son as he was going to bed, and was slowly reading through the deck's booklet. I read the description for the Waltzing Mouse:

"May, vertigo, loss of jewelry, a bêtise, morbid cravings, disorders of the large intestine, corruption, equivocal symptoms, a hazardous project, brawls, suicide, involuntary seclusion, shriveling." 

At that last word I just couldn't stop laughing, and began shaking the bed so badly with my silent fits that I was afraid I'd wake Gabriel up. Shriveling? Seriously? But it's so very Gorey.

A selection of cards from Edward Gorey's Fantod Pack

This deck was originally published in the December 1966 edition of Esquire magazine, and was meant to be cut out and glued to one's own blank cards. Later it was published as a proper deck, but eventually went out of print once or twice. Then in 2007 Pomegranate Communications issued a reprint, which is the one you can most commonly (and inexpensively) find on the market at the moment (the original decks are much pricier). It comes in a sturdy box with a nice little booklet, and the cards themselves are of good stock and highly glossy. No aspect of this box/deck is shrink-wrapped, so don't be surprised when you open it up and the cards and booklet are simply laid within!

I decided to finally purchase the Fantod Pack because I'm getting into the Halloween spirit and this deck is quite fitting for the holiday. I also wanted to avoid the disappointment that would surely come if I put off buying it for so long that eventually it went out of print, yet again! Now, the given card meanings are rather ghastly, it's true, and great for a good, morbid laugh. But I actually do plan to use these cards, and so I've gone through each one very carefully and attributed my own meanings to them. There are only 20 cards in the deck so it's hard to cover every circumstance or emotion in the global human experience, but they do alright! So I decided to pull a card regarding some major changes in my work environment, and drew:

The Burning Head

Edward Gorey's Fantod Pack

The updated definition that I've given this card is: creative energy; aggression; passion; desire; competition. And you know what? It's spot on for my question. I had a lot of fun making this deck "mine" via re-envisioned meanings, and look forward to experimenting with it in the future. It's clearly a great Halloween/Samhain deck, but we mustn't limit ourselves! If you decide to purchase this deck, feel free to give the booklet an appreciative pat-on-the-head and then proceed to do what you will - and have fun with it!

Deck Review (and a reading): The Stone Tarot

I recently acquired the Stone Tarot, and I am so pleased! I'd been admiring the images for a few months, and finally decided to take the plunge. This deck was self-published in 2000 by Alison Stone, a writer, poet, and psychotherapist who lives and works in New York. The Stone Tarot is a series of 78 oil paintings that she created over a period of many years. She has used bright, rich colors and visible influences derive most noticeably from Rider-Waite-Smith, with touches from Marseilles and Thoth.

Deck Basics

Card count: 78
Card backs: Star/moon design, non-reversible
Card stock: Sturdy, matte, easy to shuffle
Majors: Traditional titles (Hanged One, Universe) Justice XI, Strength VIII
Minors: Illustrative pips
Courts: King, Queen, Knight/Amazon, Page
Suits: Wands, Swords, Pentacles, Cups

Stone Tarot by Alison Stone

The card backs are technically not reversible, however as you can see, they are painted in rich blues and purples in a star and moon design. Due to the texture, reversed cards would be noticeable, but would not stand out significantly. I love this color scheme, and in fact Alison Stone's use of color throughout the entire deck is breathtaking.

The Majors are traditional, with the Hanged Man appearing as the "Hanged One," and the World appearing as the alternate "Universe." The silver crescent moons in the High Priestess card seem to glow over the purple and blue backdrop, and the reddish staff held by the Hermit took on an almost 3-D effect as I was examining it, which was very cool. This is the result of the color and textural combinations that Stone has employed.

Stone Tarot - A. Stone

This is perhaps one of my favorite Tower depictions ever. A jagged lightning bolt descending from the sun pierces the tower and sets it alight with fire as two figures fall towards the earth. The image is very traditional, but the rich hues, and the combination of primary colors softened by the white plumes of smoke and orange glow of the flames, are captivating.

Stone Tarot - A. Stone

The Hanged One shines brightly in front of what appears to be a deep, blue cave. The light surrounding his head brings to mind the enlightenment possible through sacrifice. Justice glows in bright red, off-set by green detailing, her scales balanced, and sword upright and ready for action.

Stone Tarot - A. Stone

The Minor Arcana do not feature full scenes with people, but they are not truly "pips." Alison Stone has done a wonderful job of highlighting the core energy of each card via the positioning of the suit elements and the use of color and texture (as goes with the theme!). You can see that here in the 6 of Wands, where all are aligned and upright, basking in the glow of the sun, or in the 5 of Wands where strife is cleverly conveyed over an orange background.

Stone Tarot - A. Stone

I particularly love the Court cards in the Stone Tarot. Here, the Knight of Wands rides forth with purpose and smoldering energy, under a lion-faced sun. The Queen of Wands is lit by fiery heat, but the blue background reminds us that she is "water of fire."

Stone Tarot - A. Stone

In the suit of Cups here are two examples of the unpeopled-yet-clear card meanings. The 5 of Cups obviously draws from the RWS system, conveying the sense of loss in the 3 spilt cups, while the two remaining cups stand in the shadow - healing that is available yet at the moment forgotten. The 2 of Cups draws on the joy of the sun, and the unity between the two forces - one gold cup, one silver - is shown in the water leaping from one into the other.

Stone Tarot - A. Stone

In the Stone Tarot, Alison Stone has added some gender-balance by having Knights in two suits (Wands and Swords) and Amazons in the remaining two (Cups and Pentacles). Both Knights and Amazons are portrayed astride horses per the traditional depictions, and they carry traditional meanings despite the slight variation. While the background in these cards carries the same color scheme (blues, greens, purples), the use of texture sets a rich scene that looks rather like the Louisiana bayou.

Stone Tarot - A. Stone

From the suit of Swords, it's clear that even without human figures, no meaning is lost or muddied. The 10 of Swords shows ten swords protruding from a stone that appears to bleed into the surrounding water. In the 3 of Swords we see a very traditional and jarring image of three swords piercing a realistic-looking heart. In the background the sky is stormy grey, with a bloody rain falling.

Stone Tarot - A. Stone

The Knight and Page of Swords show every evidence of their suit, as they're surrounded in pale clouds, each bearing an upturned blade. The Knight rides a swift pegasus while the Page card features a flying hawk.

Stone Tarot - A. Stone

The 7 of Pentacles is exquisitely painted, with green leaves, and bright flowers in red, blue and purple, with golden pentacles in their centers. The connection to the RWS farmer reviewing his harvest can be seen here. In the 5 of Pentacles, five coins are stacked in a dreary-looking room that looks rather like a prison. The red-streaked wall calls forth feelings of discomfort, which is appropriate for this card!

Stone Tarot - A. Stone

I think the Court cards from the suit of Pentacles are my favorite. You'll notice that all of the people in this deck look rather serious, however I don't see this as "dour," rather it reminds me of medieval portraits or religions icons, which I like. I adore the deep greens and purples here. I love the bright red flowers hanging in the Queen's tree, and the lush fields of violets in both cards.

Stone Tarot - A. Stone

I am very pleased to have this deck in my collection, not least because it's self-published rather than being mass-produced. The card stock feels....self-published! I don't know how else to describe it. It's sturdy and high-quality, but the cards have a certain matte-feel that is unlike typical mass-produced decks, and adds an extra layer of uniqueness to the deck.

If you like what you see, you can purchase this deck directly from the artist (click here for her website) or through Goddess Ink for an extremely reasonable price. Alison Stone also offers a book of Tarot poetry for those interested.

A Reading with the Stone Tarot

Now, a review wouldn't be complete without at least a short reading! I decided to pull a card asking "What will help me get through the next week?" I'm balancing two intensive classes, double lectures (which means teaching non-stop from 9am-5pm), and to top it off I'm feeling a bit under the weather!

As I was shuffling I was thinking: "It'll probably tell me that 'it's all in how you look at things'." And then I flipped over the Hanged One. Sigh. Gotta love it!

My Uncle Joe always said, "Attitude is everything." And he was right: attitude is quite a powerful thing. For some reason, seeing this card reminded me of the laughing therapy of the curanderos: laughing releases endorphins which make you feel good, heal faster, and overall make you more resilient. You just...start laughing...deep belly laughs, at first manufactured but eventually they become sincere because, you know, it's kinda funny listening to yourself laugh heartily!

So the key to changing my outlook about work is to find the humor in my situation - or just in general to be open to laughing a bit, and see how it lightens my load.

For curiosity's sake, I decided to ask the cards: "How would you describe the impact of laughter therapy?" I pulled the King of Cups!

Stone Tarot - A. Stone

Healing force (the counselor), emotional balance and health, reclaiming power. Hm, yeah. And this king is the court that most often represents me, so I'll take it as a doubly positive sign that laughter is indeed my best medicine this week. (Fortunately I have a really good sense of humor!)

Wine On a Saturday Evening: An Oracle Review

I've been reading the House of Night book series (by P.C. and Kristin Cast) over the past month or so. I originally bought the first four books for my teenage daughter for Christmas last year, thinking that if she got into them and really enjoyed them, I'd get her the Wisdom of the House of Night oracle deck (by P.C. Cast and Colette Baron-Reed), which seemed like a pretty cool way to expand on a story. In the end she never read the books, but I decided to read the first one this summer for vacation entertainment, and was hooked enough to keep right on reading. Now I've got the final few books on hold at the library, and in the meantime I picked up the oracle deck from a local bookstore. I like it quite a bit!

The illustrations are digital, but they remind me of art from the Halloween Oracle which is one of my favorites. I don't feel like I'm looking at a computerized image, and the use of color is very inviting. This deck has 50 glossy cards and covers all the expected and necessary elements of life, such as love, discovery, mystery, healing, education, success, hope, and change. The card stock is durable yet flexible, and I think my only real surprise was that the card edges are not rounded. In fact I've poked myself a few times while shuffling! I can't figure out why a publisher would produce a deck of cards without rounded edges, unless it was to cut corners (pun sort of intended!) on cost. But in the end it's not a major bother.

The guidebook is a nice size at 127 pages, and discusses the intention for the deck, spread options, and sample readings in addition to a full list of card meanings. Of course the writing style is done in such a way that it reflects the book series' theme, so each card description sounds like the goddess Nyx (a loving, compassionate moon goddess from the series, based on the Greek night goddess of the same name) is bestowing her wisdom personally unto the reader. The tone of the writing can be slightly annoying since of course this series is aimed at teens and young adults (roughly the same audience that Twilight was meant to appeal to). But the meanings are clear and the substance of the deck itself is vibrant and applicable to all. While the cards are a great way to connect with the series, they're a good, all-around oracle and reading the books is not a prerequisite to working with them.

One card that I particularly like is called "Fragment," which shows a spirit hovering in a shadowed meadow full of flowers. The sun reflects slightly against the highest tree branches but doesn't quite reach down far enough to illuminate the grove. It highlights the experience of being torn in so many different directions that one no longer feels whole. It also covers the concept of the shattered soul, where grief cuts so deeply into a person's psyche that they experience long-lasting effects of loss that impact many areas of life over a long period of time. That is really interesting, and has the potential to be very eye-opening. It's not a topic I've seen explicitly covered in a deck before, which is why it intrigues me so much!

This morning I decided to pull a daily card from this deck, and chose "Fulfillment." The image shows a pomegranate full of luscious seeds, and a glass of red wine. As one might expect, it's about enjoying life and experiencing satisfaction with one's achievements. It was a perfect card for today, for a couple of reasons: on one hand we've been working on reorganizing the bedroom that our two littlest ones share, and made a trip to Ikea to find some finishing details which they had fun putting together; and two, yesterday we picked up a bottle of red wine at the grocery store, which is something we rarely do, and I'm prepared to thoroughly enjoy a rich glass of it as soon as I finish typing this post! A lasagna is in the oven, a gentle rain is falling outside. Yes, I'd say I'm feeling pretty fulfilled this evening.....!

Deck Review: The Baseball Tarot

As I sat at my dining room table today, munching on a "party cake" flavored Peep (yes, it's pretty much as disgusting as it sounds), and sipping on a steaming mug of oolong tea, my eye wandered over to my divination shelf. I'm not sure why the Baseball Tarot called my name today (maybe because baseball fans are gearing up for the season?), but I decided to go with it!

This is a deck I never use, but I like it. It cost me less than a dollar online about a year ago, and at the time I figured that I couldn't go wrong at that price, so I pulled out my wallet and sent an e-penny through cyberspace. A couple of weeks later (it got lost in the mail) it finally arrived on my doorstep, the cards still wrapped in their cellophane from 1999.

The Baseball Tarot: Workman Publishing, 1999

The Baseball Tarot, by Mark Lerner and Laura Philips, would obviously be an excellent fit for a baseball fan - not even just a passing admirer of the sport, but someone who truly adores the game, and perhaps also happens to enjoy Tarot. Like most decks that feature a theme, most of the cards depict images or code words (like "Pick Off" or "Take") that the lay-person may not understand, or immediately associate with Tarot archetypes. Nevertheless, if you already understand the structure of a Tarot deck, you won't have any major issues. It would be a fun deck for a Tarot enthusiast who wants to learn more about baseball, and if you "get" the deck as a reader, it could also be fun to use to read for baseball fans.

Five of Bats (Wands) "Rhubarb"
Five of Balls (Swords) "Curve Ball"

Or, if you're like me, you might just never use the deck, but keep it anyway because it's awesome.

A couple of miscellaneous-yet-important notes about the cards to get out of the way first: the suits are designated in a non-traditional way, naturally: Bats = Wands, Balls = Swords, Mitts = Cups, Bases = Pentacles; and the backs are not entirely reversible, but designed in such a way that it's not too distracting.

Courts: Eleven of Mitts (Page of Cups)
MVP of Balls (King of Swords)
Coach of Bats (Queen of Wands)

It's worth mentioning that the Court cards have been treated in an interesting manner: Pages and Knights have been replaced with cards Eleven and Twelve of each suit (though the energy of each is in line with the traditional meaning). Queens are now Coaches, and Kings are MVPs (Most Valuable Players), but gender is interchanged here, so there are both men and women occupying these roles.

I like that the focus in the imagery is not only based on Major League baseball; community and Little League baseball is also represented, so there is a holistic feel. And not only are women and girls represented in the deck, but players of various ethnic backgrounds are featured as well; I appreciate the inclusiveness that the deck creators made a point to embrace - after all, baseball is for everyone! And hey, when I was 11 years old I was the only girl on an otherwise all-boys baseball team! (I was number 8, which thereafter became my lucky number) ;-).

V. The Manager (Hierophant) and IX. Reflection (Hermit)

Cards aside, the 324-page book is one of the best accompanying manuals I've ever read because not only is it well written, it's very thorough. The authors start off by welcoming both new and experienced readers, and discussing the endless ways that the cards can be used. They feature a variety of spreads, including a 12-card layout called "The Diamond," fashioned after a baseball field. There is also a long list of spread positions provided, and readers are encouraged to create their own custom spreads to suit their own purposes, which I think is wonderful.

The authors go on to explore each and every card in this 78-card deck, starting with the Majors and finishing with the Minors. For the Major Arcana, there are keywords as well as detailed narrative that make the connections between the baseball symbol and the Tarot archetype very clear. For the Minors they break down each card into a general meaning, and seven interpretations depending on how it manifests in your spread: "Ahead of the Count" (upright); "Behind in the Count" (reversed); "Player" (a person); "Signal" (advice); "Play" (actions); "Stuff" (feelings or mindsets); and "In the Ballpark" (questions that the reader might ask herself to explore the card's deeper relationship to a particular situation).

XVI. Whole New Ball Game (Tower)

Despite the abundance of "people in baseball uniforms," the deck is perfectly readable, and while I don't use it with any frequency, I value it highly for all of the reasons mentioned in this post. The book alone is a goldmine that is worth owning for any Tarot reader, no matter what their deck of choice. And hey, if you happen to love baseball, it's just a plus!

Deck Review: Silver Witchcraft Tarot

I'm admittedly a bit slow in the trends department. It's been quite a while since I acquired a new Tarot deck, and now while everyone is oohing and ahhing over the Cook's Tarot, here I am taking it back to 2014 with the Silver Witchcraft! This is a deck I'd admired for a long time, from when I first saw sample images prior to printing. I liked the simplicity of the art, the lack of card borders, and the warm, vibrant colors. A few days ago I decided to take the plunge, and this morning as I was outside mowing the lawn the delivery man pulled over and handed me a box - way faster than I'd anticipated! So let's jump in:

My overall feeling about this deck is very positive, and I will enjoy the process of getting to know it better over time. Naturally there are things I really like about it from the start, and others that aren't my favorite, though the pros definitely outweigh the cons. I'll discuss both:

What I Like

-The box is well done and very sturdy. It flips open to reveal the book and cards within, and the cards can easily be lifted from their recess with a white ribbon.

-The color scheme and art simplicity (by artist Franco Rivolli) are as nice as I'd hoped, and the lack of borders allows the images to "pop" when laid out on a reading cloth.

-Shuffling is a breeze; the cards have a smooth finish and are a nice size at roughly 2.5x4.5."

-The silver gilt edges on the cards are a nice touch, and don't "catch" (which has been a downside to some other gilt-edged decks I've worked with in the past).

-The accompanying book, written by Barbara Moore, is well thought out (of course it is!), providing insights into the inspiration for the deck design as well as multiple approaches to considering card meanings. Card images are in full color, which is a plus, and in the back of the book there is a selection of spreads to choose from.

-The deck follows RWS in many ways, and yet very much has its own voice. Each number series across the Minor suits follows a particular pagan holiday, from Yule to Samhain, and includes the Self (Aces) and the Universe (10s). I thoroughly enjoy decks that bring something new to the plate, so I appreciate this feature.

A peek inside the Silver Witchcraft book

I want to show some of the cards that I like the most from both the Major and Minor Arcana:

Here we have a selection of Major cards that are particularly lovely. The Fool shows an eclipse over a tree in a country field, and you can just make out the tiny figure of someone walking off on a new adventure. The Strength card features the traditional lion standing serenely next to a robed figure wearing a Green Man mask. I like how the sense of embracing and directing the energy of our primal nature is depicted so simply and clearly. Justice is pretty awesome: a pregnant woman blows a handful of multicolored butterflies over the image of a black tree - black and white symbolizing two natural poles that are kept in balance. The Devil features a mirror reflecting the image of a dead tree branch, reminiscent of confronting our shadow selves. The elderly Hermit bears a glowing lantern in one hand, and a caduceus staff in the other - a symbol of the healing power of learning about ourselves and about life.

In this photo are a selection of Minor cards that I love. The 9 of Chalices (Cups) shows a woman communing with nature - not a typical depiction, but one that speaks to me, as it brings to mind just how many times I've sat alone in the woods, in bliss. The 8 of Chalices shows a woman settling her child in for the night, warmth provided by a glowing campfire. Again, another non-traditional portrayal, but what I see here is a woman on a journey. She's separated herself from the "fray" so that she can reflect on her feelings, what satisfies her, and what needs to be released. The Ace of Wands conveys the feeling of pure creative fire, and the 10 of Wands (showing a figure working to bolster a weak fire) expresses the difficult necessity of bearing out our responsibilities. I really like the image of a woman concluding a ritual in the 5 of Chalices, extinguishing candles as the moon shines above. The book explains that she must decide which candles to blow out, and which to leave burning, symbolic of having to let go. However what I see is a woman concluding a ceremony of remembrance, and I find that to be very appropriate, and even touching.

What I Don't Like

-The card stock is a bit cardboardy; this is good in that it's on the thick-side, but it still feels more like cardboard, and lacks the strong-yet-supple quality of stock that I prefer.

-While there is diversity in the kinds of people represented in this deck, it doesn't feel consistent or balanced.

-Some of the card images feel a bit awkward:

Here are a few of the Majors that are not my favorite. Maybe I'm being a little nit-picky, but there's a lot of smiling going on in this deck, and most of the smiling feels a bit out of context. This Wheel shows three very happy looking women - Maiden, Mother, Crone - touching an ethereal wagon wheel. Their expressions look joyous, which is not necessarily an emotion I tend to associate with this card. Temperance shows a grinning young lady rather stiffly holding two cups - one pouring its contents down over a flower, and the other providing sustenance for a bird. Why is she so...happy?? Serene, I could understand, but what's with the toothy grin? And the Hanged Man is not hanging at all, but is in a headstand yoga pose (looking rather like he's sunning his nether regions). Well, I get that, and I appreciate that the focus on the willingness to change perspective is very evident, but I just don't really like it that much. Maybe it's the striped pants.

There is a similar element in this selection of Minors that I feel rather "meh" about, in that these 5s (which are meant to reflect conflict/challenge/energetic instability) show rather...happy....looking people. The 5 of Wands crew appears to be having a pleasant talking circle, while the cats battle it out at their feet. The man and woman in the 5 of Swords are playing some sort of game in the sand, and from the looks on their faces it's apparent that they're both enjoying it quite a bit. I understand that the focus here is on how we can turn conflict into compromise, we can hear each other out, we can choose to support each other rather than becoming wrapped up in winning or losing. But I think there is value in showing challenge, and I would prefer to see that. Then we have the 9 of Pentacles.  I like the idea of honoring silence, of enjoying the peaceful liminal space between the rich harvest and the coming of winter. But this card left me feeling a bit confused... a well-manicured blonde woman is shushing me, while a random pentacle floats behind her, stuck to her robe with strands from a spider's web. At any rate, I can work with it!

A Reading

I decided to draw a card, asking "What do I need to know about working with this deck?" As I started to shuffle, the Queen of Chalices jumped out at me, assuring me that my intuition will get along just fine with this set of cards:

When I finished shuffling, I drew the 6 of Swords, inverted. This deck will take me on a valuable journey, but I must be willing to suspend my rational mind and allow the cards to tell me their own story. Alright, I'm game!

All in all I am happy to have this deck in my collection, and I look forward to exploring its depths, and learning what unique wisdom it has to share.