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A Review of The Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set
Christiana reviews the Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set.
A Review of the Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set
Featuring the Smith Waite Tarot Centennial Edition Deck
Published by US Games
ISBN 978-1-57281-639-8
There are more tarot decks based on A.E. Waite’s designs (and Pamela Colman Smith’s artwork) than any other tarot model.
There is the Rider Waite, the Golden Rider, the Universal Waite, the Albano Waite, The Original Rider Waite, The Radiant Rider Waite, and so on.
When we look at the Smith Waite Tarot Centennial Edition Deck, the first question we need to ask is this. Did the world really need yet another version of this deck?
To me, the answer is clear. The world desperately needs this deck, and any reader who values Pixie’s humongous contribution needs it too.
US Games released this set to celebrate the one hundred year anniversary of the publication of the Waite designed images. That they took this as an opportunity to honor Pamela “Pixie” Colman Smith is brilliant, and long overdue.
Whether you are a new tarot student or an experienced reader, you may wonder why you should pay $35 for yet another Waite deck.
First, the deck is only a small part of what is included in this special set. The set comes in an attractive box that opens up to reveal compartments on each side. One compartment holds the tarot deck. The other holds a wealth of amazing stuff, included a new edition of the Pictorial Key to the Tarot, and a wonderful book by Stuart R. Kaplan.
Kaplan’s book is “The Artwork and Times of Pamela Colman Smith.” It is one hundred pages of color illustrations and stories about Pixie. We can see her handwriting, read her poetry, and learn more about the woman who influenced tarot so greatly. Pixie finally becomes a real person, rather than simply the talented puppet who rendered drawings for Waite. The book includes primary source material. It is graphically beautiful, and a pleasure to read.
That same compartment holds other treats, including postcards of Pixie’s non-tarot artwork, and a tarot spreadsheet. This truly is an epic collector’s edition.
The tarot deck itself is a masterpiece. Of course, we are familiar with the images, and with the structure of the tarot itself. A few things make this edition special, and make it my very favorite edition of this deck for professional readings.
The cards are printed on very heavy stock. It is noticeably heavier than an average deck. It’s perfect for a collector’s edition! The deck stands taller than average decks when side-by-side. The weight of the stock does make the deck harder to shuffle. In all my years of professional reading, I have rarely developed calluses on my hands from sweating over the hot tarot cards. After using this deck as my primary reading deck for only a month, my hands had developed definite ridges. For me, this was kind of a cool badge of honor, although I understand that not every reader might appreciate it that way.
The card backs are a light antique-looking blue with a white border. The white flower from Death’s flag is in the center. Pixie’s familiar initial logo is large and black in alternate corners. The logo does cause clients to ask, “What does that symbol mean?” A quick opportunity to educate an interested client about tarot is never a bad thing.
The card images are re-colored in muted tones. There is a subtle texture, as well. Together, the tones and texture make the cards look antique, as if they had actually been made during Pixie’s time.
In a way, I regret reading with my deck at all, since keeping this collector’s set in mint condition might have been wise. But these cards are just too tempting to keep on the shelf.
My solution is to buy two sets. That way, you can send the postcards to your friends, or incorporate them in art or décor projects. You can read with the deck, use the books as reference, and still have a perfect set in your collection.
That’s right, I am recommending this tarot set so highly, I think some folks will need not only one but two!
Introducing the Lover's Path Tarot
Christiana reviews The Lover's Path Tarot by Kris Waldherr.
“Tell me about my love life!” I think most tarot readers hear this request more often than any other question. Perhaps this is because love, romance and procreation are emotional and biological prime directives for us all. Perhaps it is because love between humans is one of the ways that divine power shows itself on earth. Perhaps it is because love and passion are the causes of great human suffering throughout history and all over the world.
From Kris Waldherr, author and artist of the Goddess Tarot, comes the Lover’s Path Tarot. This tarot set is specifically designed to address the question of love in our lives.
Its packaging is luxurious and romantic; reminding us that romance is an energy we create around ourselves. Its stories remind us of the eternal joys and struggles of love. As it tells stories of lovers through time and mythology, it tells our own stories as well.
A Storytelling Tarot
All tarot decks tell a story. Typically, it is the story of the Fool, an Everyman sort of character, who experiences each tarot card as a lesson along the path of life. Recently man tarot artists and authors have used the storytelling nature of the tarot to depict stories from many cultures and times.
The Ancestral Path Tarot uses each Minor Arcana suit to tell a story from a specific race of the human family. The Whimsical Tarot uses each card to depict a fairy tale or nursery rhyme. The Goddess Tarot assigns a particular Goddess and her mythology to each Major Arcana card, and to each suit of the Minor Arcana. The Lover’s Path Tarot is an ambitious story telling project. Each Major Arcana card is represented by a love story, as is each suit of the Minor Arcana.
As tarot readers, we must all be storytellers. We must look at the cards as they are laid out and put the images together to tell the story of the querent’s life, or situation.
A Teaching Tarot
The point that Kris Waldherr stresses is that all our relationships mirror our relationship with ourselves. If we are out of balance, our relationships will be out of balance. If we treat ourselves badly, we will be in relationships with those who treat us badly, or with those we treat badly.
In studying the Lover’s Path Tarot we have the opportunity to learn about the tarot, to learn about love stories throughout the ages, to learn about the nature of love, and, maybe most importantly, to learn about ourselves.
The best way to use the Lover’s Path Tarot to help improve our relationship with self is to dialogue with the cards. Use the cards as a method of communicating with your higher consciousness, and let one answer lead to the next question. These methods are described in detail starting on page 124 of the Lover’s Path Tarot Book.
The Lover’s Path Tarot Book
The Lover’s Path Tarot Book is a wonderful resource. It contains details stories of the featured lovers, upright and reversed meanings for each card, techniques for reading, spreads and quick reference charts. It is a wonderful springboard as you begin a new relationship-your relationship with the Lover’s Path Tarot!