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Reviews Christiana Gaudet Reviews Christiana Gaudet

Vanessa Tarot Review

Christiana reviews the Vanessa Tarot by Lynyrd Narciso

Vanessa Tarot by Lynyrd Narciso
ISBN-13 978-57281-574-2
Published by U.S. Games, Inc copyright 2006
Review by Christiana Gaudet

I have to admit that I was somewhat reluctant when asked by Lynyrd Narciso to review his new Tarot deck, Vanessa Tarot. I had noticed it in the U.S. Games catalog and already written it off as yet other fluff deck. Certainly it was cute and kitschy, but not the kind of deck I would think would be worth studying or using for actual readings. Yes, I am most definitely a Tarot snob. But, at the same time, I am never one to turn down a free Tarot deck.

When the Vanessa Tarot arrived in the mail, the first thing I noticed was that I really liked its tin box. What a good idea it is to package a Tarot deck in a box that can actually be used to carry your cards in your purse! And that is when I started to understand Vanessa Tarot’s real deal. Yes, this is exactly the deck to carry in your purse. And, if you are like the characters of this Tarot, your purse may be a Coach, a Louis Vuitton , or a khaki backpack or leather briefcase.

I am in no way a designer girl. In fact, what I am is a crusty old Gloria Steinem-type feminist from the Seventies. But, as I looked through Vanessa Tarot that first time, I had to admit that this is really a special deck.

Vanessa Tarot is smaller than most, measuring only about 2” by 3,” according to my thumb. The card backs are reversible, and done in a nice purple pinstripe with lavender stars. The cardstock has a matte finish, and is of the good quality that we have come to expect from U.S. Games. Overall, it is a nice deck to look at and to hold in your hands. For all of its great quality and special packaging, Vanessa Tarot retails at only $15. That, girls, will leave you some money left over to spend at the mall!

Vanessa Tarot comes with a standard-sized LWB (Little White Book) that gives quick descriptions of the Major Arcana card images, and upright and reversed meanings for all the cards. The Minor Arcana is sorted by numbers rather than suits, and there is a paragraph about each number preceding the interpretations for the four cards of each number set. There seems to be no mention of the four elements, but from the pictures I assume the standard associations of Swords-Air and Wands-Fire could apply. The card names are standard, with a court of Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings. Strength is card Eight and Justice is Eleven.

Each Vanessa Tarot card is illustrated with cartoon-like drawings of women and girls. There are some male figures in the deck, but they are supporting characters. Vanessa Tarot pays tribute to the girls and women of pop culture from today and yesteryear. Television and movie stars make an appearance, as do many “types” of modern women. There are business women, glamour girls and daredevils. They are all either pretty or cute, and all skinny. They are dressed in styles from many periods of fashion.

The Minor Arcana cards are as detailed as the Majors, which is a feature I appreciate.

The deck truly won my heart when I saw that my favorite TV character from childhood, Samantha Stevens (Bewitched, played by Elizabeth Montgomery) appears in her classic pose, sitting on her broomstick, as the Eight of Wands.

The thing that truly bothers me is that the LWB doesn’t tell us which cards are which characters. I am pretty much a pop-culture drop-out, and haven’t watched TV in more than ten years. When I showed the deck to my twenty-two year old daughter, she recognized many more of the characters than I did.

She felt that the Three of Cups may be the cast from “Charmed,” for instance. But nowhere in the booklet could I confirm that, or discover which other pop culture heroines had found their way into this cute-but-powerful little deck.

I passed the deck around to many of my students. Overall, the reaction was positive. Many felt that this would be a particularly good “first deck” for our daughters. Even some of the more mature students liked it, especially those with an eye for glamour and fashion. One older student, whose favorite expression is “It’s all about the outfit!” was particularly taken with it.

Another great thing about Vanessa Tarot is that none of the images are particularly dark or scary. This would be a great deck for some of the professional bookings that I often get, in nightclubs, at college parties and all-night high school graduation parties.

And what about my crusty feminist self? Well, bear in mind that the second deck I ever owned was the Motherpeace, and I have a particular penchant for Goddess Tarot decks, such as the beautiful one by Kris Waldherr. But Vanessa Tarot, with all of its cuteness and glamour and designer-type fashion, is the only one I have seen that had the ovaries to make all four Kings female! Yes, all of the main characters are female. And they all seem pretty happy doing what they’re doing, whether it’s being dressed to the nines, keeping house or jumping out or an airplane. And if that’s not female empowerment, I don’t know what is!

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The Nigel Jackson Tarot

Christiana reviews The Nigel Jackson Tarot.

Lewellyn Publications first published the Nigel Jackson Tarot in 2000. It was repackaged as Medieval Enchantment: The Nigel Jackson Tarot in the fall of 2004. It received an enthusiastic response from the tarot community because of its striking colors and evocative images. The Medieval images of the Nigel Jackson Tarot are a perfect blend with the Greco-Roman philosophy that influences the deck.

The Nigel Jackson Tarot bears similarity to the world’s most popular deck, the Rider-Waite-Smith, in that each card is illustrated with simple but understandable pictures. It bears similarity to the ancient Tarot De Marseilles in the structure of the Major Arcana, and in that each Minor Arcana card has a clear depiction of the correct number of icons for its rank. It bears similarity to many modern Pagan decks in that Swords represent the element of Fire and Staves represent the element of Air.

Nigel Jackson associates the Pythagorean numerology system to both the Major and Minor Arcana, which adds to the understanding of each card. The Nigel Jackson Tarot book also offers a special tarot reading method based on the Pythagorean system.

The four suits of the Nigel Jackson Tarot Minor Arcana are Cups (Water), Coins (Earth), Swords (Fire) and Staves (Air). Staves are pictured as arrows, just are they are in ancient tarot decks.

The Major Arcana of the Nigel Jackson Tarot uses some older Tarot traditions for naming and ordering the cards. Major Arcana 1is called the Juggler. Major Arcana 2 is the Popess, and Major Arcana 5 is the Pope. The Strength card is given the ancient name of Fortitude, and is ordered as Major Arcana 11, while Justice is Major Arcana 8.

The recent thinking of the Tarot community is that there is no proof that occult knowledge was intentionally included in Tarot design in the Fifteenth Century. In his book, Nigel Jackson draws a convincing argument that the occult knowledge is clearly present, and that the Tarot is strong tool for magick, ritual, mediation and spiritual growth as well as divination.

The divinatory meanings listed in the book are extremely traditional. As he discusses the spiritual meanings, however, he does so from a Gnostic perspective. This helps to explain the concept of Gnosticism, and gives a clear and spiritual explanation of the Path of the Tarot.

The Nigel Jackson Tarot, now known as Medieval Enchantment, is an all-around terrific deck. While the artwork is neither detailed nor striking, the colors and images work perfectly to present the meaning of each card.

This is a must-have for any student of numerology, Tarot history, or medieval occult thought. It is also a great deck for Tarot enthusiasts at any level of study, from beginner to professional.

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Shadowscapes Tarot Sneak Peek Preview of a Deck Now Published

Christiana reviews Shadowscapes Tarot by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law.

Shadowscapes Tarot by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
Submitted to Tarot World Magazine by Christiana Gaudet

Shadowscapes Tarot Deck (Shadowscapes Tarot, 2)
By Law, Stephanie Pui-Mun, Moore, Barbara
Buy on Amazon

My recent telephone conversation with artist Stephanie Pui-Mun Law left me with an understanding of her forthcoming Shadowscapes Tarot, and an appreciation of what it is to be an artist.

I have a fascination with Tarot artists. I wonder about the drive and commitment it takes to complete a 78-piece body of work. I think about the research needed to honor the ancient traditions, especially for an artist who has no real background in Tarot. I admire the imagination and spirituality it takes to add something new to the world of Tarot.

Stephanie Pui-Mun Law has all of that and more. She approaches her soon-to-be-completed Tarot project with the systematic precision that made her a successful computer programmer in the past, and that gave her the courage to leave that behind and become what she was always destined to be; a full-time artist. As she said to me in our conversation and states on her website, “there is the part of me that just loves to draw and paint for its own sake. Forget meanings and high-minded interpretations...when it comes down to it, I just have a need to draw and create.”

Pui-Mun Law defines herself as a fantasy artist. Like many modern Tarot artists she has a successful enterprise illustrating collectable cards games (CCG) and role playing games (RPG). Her credits include Warlord and Legend of Five Rings. She also designs jewelry and greeting cards, which are available for purchase on her website, Shadowscapes.com.

Shadowscapes is the name of her website, and also the name of her Tarot deck. She defines Shadowscapes as something different from the fantasy work that she is commissioned to design. For her, Shadowscapes represent “a way of viewing something with a different mindset. Shadows of reality that are almost grasped, but at the same time dancing in a dream-world made of light and absence of light.”

The Shadowscapes Tarot, which is now very close to completion, has in it many elements that are common to her fantasy work. Dragons, foxes, Celtic knotwork, mystical creatures and mythical beings are all a part of this Tarot.

Painted in watercolor, this deck is ethereal, and not at all as dark as its name might imply.

The images are somewhat non-traditional, but certainly easy to understand. The Fool is a beautiful woman accompanied by a fox, standing on the very edge of a pillar. Birds fly around her, holding in their mouths the ribbons of her gown. She is about to take the leap that begins her journey. The Wheel of Fortune is illuminated by beams of light, and is a colorful Celtic knot. Death is a flaming phoenix.

Some of the cards on the website are accompanied by text that tells the story of the Tarot characters in language that is both fanciful and meaningful. When it is published, the accompanying book will surely be as much of a treasure as the deck itself.

The Major Arcana follows traditional naming conventions, Strength is card 8 and Justice is 11. The Minor Arcana is also quite traditional in its format, though not in its artwork. Pui-Mun Law, in her systematic way, began by designing the Aces, and has worked her way through the Minor Arcana in numerical order. The only cards left to be designed are a few of the Court cards, which are traditionally named as Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings.

Not all the Minor Arcana cards show the specific number of suit icons as more traditional decks do, but each card is identifiable as a member of its suit. Some Minor Arcana cards feature people, some feature only animals, and some include both people and animals.

The suit of Wands has an almost desert-like quality, reminding me of a fanciful version of the African savannah. It is colored in reds and browns. Lions and foxes are prominent throughout the suit.

The suit of Pentacles is colored in greens, blues and gold, and features dragons and lizards on some of the cards. It is perhaps not as grounded or earthy as I expect Pentacles to be, but I love that some of the Pentacle icons are drawn in Pui-Mun Law’s signature Celtic style.

Cups, of course, are watery, and lend themselves beautifully to the expressive style of the deck. Icons are shown as bejeweled chalices or crystal clear fishbowls. Graceful fish swim their way through the blue, white and lavender cards.

A wonderful thing about this deck is there are few truly disturbing images. The traditionally dark suit of Swords is illustrated in a contrast of rich and pale colors. Birds of all types grace this suit. While the Three of Swords does show a wounded Swan, the typically devastating Ten of Swords is an image of a woman falling through the air. The meaning is the same, but the image would be much more palatable for a timid client.

And there I’ve said it. While Shadowscapes Tarot is definitely an art deck that collectors will swoon over, it will also be a serviceable reading deck for anyone who enjoys fantasy images and beautiful colors. It is a deck that will attract new students and seduce the clients of professional readers.

To order art prints of the finished cards, and to order the Shadowscapes Tarot as soon as it becomes available, visit the website at http://www.shadowscapes.com.

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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!

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Introducing the Animals Divine Tarot

Christiana reviews the Animals Divine Tarot by List Hunt

The Animals Divine Tarot, by Lisa Hunt, was published by Llewellyn Worldwide in 2005. It is Lisa Hunt’s third Tarot deck, and the first that she has done as a solo project. It has already received awards and acclaim in both the art world and the Tarot world.

Animals Divine proposes some specific and spiritual ideas. One is simply that all animals are our teachers. That by watching the traits and behaviors of animals we can find the easiest and best ways to deal with our own challenges. As we consider this concept we can easily take it a step further, to the concept that we all have instinctive and intuitive natural behaviors. If we can, like animals, access those core traits and behaviors, we will be living more in synch with our own nature, and with the natural world.

That leads us to the second concept; that all life is part of a web, and interconnected. Each card in the Animals Divine Tarot somehow reminds us of the cycles and rhythms of life. The third concept is that all life is sacred, and that all life has a purpose. No life form should be considered inherently irritating or dangerous. Instead, we must respect and honor all creatures of the earth. As we approach Animals Divine, then, we must do it with a sense of reverence for all life, and a willingness to learn from even the lowliest creature, and to see that we are connected to all the creatures of the planet.

The Animals Divine Tarot falls into three different Tarot categories. One is the category of Animal-themed Tarot decks, of which there are a countless number. Some animal Tarot decks focus on a specific animal, such as the Medieval Cat Tarot or Tarot of the White Cats. Others focus on mythical animals, such as the many dragon Tarots or the Unicorn Tarot. There are also decks that feature animals from a specific region or culture, such as the Australian Animal Tarot.

Animals Divine Tarot distinguishes itself in three ways. First, it focuses on animals and animal myths and deities throughout the world. These images are universal, rather than limited to a specific species or region. Second, all the animal images are surrounded by symbols from their natural world. You will not find a leopard carrying a pocketbook, or a seal wearing clothing. You will find that each card is rife with symbolism that is well explained in the companion book. The symbolism is part of the natural landscape of each card, making each card a celebration of the natural world.

The second category is one that I am calling “archetypal assignment” Tarot. In this type of Tarot deck, Tarot designers find elements within a particular group of characters and assign one to each Tarot card. They find a connection between that particular character and the standard archetype associated with the particular card. Characters that have been previously used include deities, mythical characters from a variety of cultures and even rock musicians. Tarot artists such as Kris Waldherr and Julie Cuccia-Watts join Lisa Hunt in making this type of Tarot a modern standard. It means that artists no longer need to rework the standard and familiar Tarot images, and are free to express those archetypes with other kinds of images. For instance, in Animals Divine, Major Arcana 12 is not an image of a figure hanging by one foot. Instead, it is the Hanged Woman who is the Spider Woman of Native American culture. She is shown weaving her web, rather than hanging upside down. This type of Tarot deck also reminds us that each Tarot image is an archetype, and that each archetype is present in every culture.

The problem comes in when an artist assigns a particular character to a particular card in a way with which a particular tarot student may not agree. Students need to see their disagreement with an assignment as a valuable teaching tool. With assignments that you don’t like or don’t understand, spend some time puzzling it out. The artist’s assignment may give you a new way of understanding the particular card. The time you spend thinking and meditating on it may increase your own understanding of the card.

Archetypal assignment Tarot decks are particularly good decks to help us increase our understanding of Tarot as a whole. Some Tarot students feel that they offer more spiritually-based readings, rather than readings that predict specific events and discuss mundane issues. Overall within the Tarot community there is a move away from the “fortune-telling” aspect of Tarot and a move toward a more meditative and spiritual use of the cards. Archetypal assignment decks are part of that trend.

Thirdly, Animals Divine Tarot is most definitely a Pagan Tarot. There are many Pagan, Shamanic and Wiccan decks on the market. What separates Animals Divine from the pack is that you don’t need to be Pagan to use it. Yes, it offers a world view that honors all life. Yes, it suggests that nature is sacred and is our sacred teacher. It even honors the Pagan deities of many cultures. It admonishes us to be better stewards of our planet. But it does not preach a particular religious structure or practice beyond that.

Animals Divine is a valuable study tool for the serious Tarot student, a wonderful tool of spiritual discovery for anyone who honors nature, and a solid deck of divination for those seeking answers to life’s many questions.

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Introducing The Tarot of Transformation

Christiana reviews The Tarot of Transformation book and deck set by Willow Arlenea and Jasmin Lee Cori.

Many Tarot decks are designed with a specific purpose. Some are meant to honor a particular art form, or are centered around a particular design theme. Some use the traditional archetypes of the Tarot to express a particular spiritual practice or tradition.

The Tarot of Transformation is based on the idea of personal transformation, as well as the transformation of our global community.

Each card helps us, as members of a global community, to focus on achieving a better ecological balance for our world, and a healthier mindset for our society.

As individuals dedicated to personal growth, the cards serve as a guide toward personal transformation.

In most cases, the authors of the deck do stay within the archetypal idea of the traditional Tarot, even if the images and key phrases are very different. Students of the traditional Tarot will enjoy using this deck to help them expand their understanding of the ancient archetypes.

If the Tarot of Transformation is your first introduction to the Tarot, it is best to understand that this modern deck is a very special evolution of a time-honored tradition. In its early roots, the Tarot was, admittedly, sexist, classist and hierarchical, reflecting its medieval origins.

Many traditions of Tarot reading have been removed from the Tarot of Transformation. For instance, the authors have chosen not to interpret reversed cards. Instead, we are invited to see both an up and a down side of each card, and intellectually or intuitively decide which energy best suits our present circumstances.

Likewise, large spreads using many cards are discouraged. Each card bears such an important message that it needs to be digested and understood without the clutter of too many other cards around it.

The artwork of the Tarot of Transformation invites meditation. Each picture can draw you in until you become a part of the image, and allow the image to speak to you directly.

The Tarot of Transformation book is well–written. Unlike many tarot books, it does not put a greater importance on Major Arcana cards than Minor Arcana cards. Each card is given a long description. Many card interpretations suggest personal exercises or meditations to help in your journey toward transformation.

The book also suggests that being cognitively drawn to a card is as important as pulling a card at random. However a card comes to you, it is important to understand its message to you, and how it can help you transform your life, your community and your planet.

The Tarot of Transformation is a personal tool for meditation, healing and growth. It is also a tool to be shared with friends, family, and community. It is not intended to predict the future or answer mundane questions. Instead it is a spiritual and psychological tool. The Tarot of Transformation is uniquely designed to give you insight and to help you connect with your highest source of personal power.

The artwork of the Tarot of Transformation is very abstract, and its color theme is purple. The cards are larger than average, but that seems necessary to give room to the complex detail of each image. My only complaint about this deck is that the cards seem cheaply made and are printed on thin stock. However, when I got my review deck I did stress-test a few cards and they held up just fine.

This is a great deck for people who enjoy card oracles but are not huge Tarot enthusiasts, because each card can read like an oracle card. It is also great for people who enjoy abstract meditative artwork, students of transpersonal psychology, and people who want to explore the Tarot as a tool of spiritual and psychological transformation.

In professional readings, I use it as an adjunct to a more traditional deck. When I am stumped on a particular issue, or when a problem needs greater clarification, I bring out the Tarot of Transformation, fan it across the table, and ask the client to pick a couple of cards. I jokingly call this process “Bringing out the Big Guns.” It really does seem to work to bring a sense of clarity and understanding to a particularly complex reading. It is nice, too, that none of the images or card names are threatening or negative. Even if the message is severe or intense, it is given in a kind and loving way.

The Tarot of Transformation is a great tool for a daily one-card reading, dream interpretation, Tarot magick, meditation, and for developing a deeper understanding of the Tarot as a whole.

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The Mary-El Tarot Sneak Peek Preview of a Deck Now Published

Christiana reviews The Mary-El Tarot by Marie White.

The Mary-El Tarot
Marie White, Artist
Sneak Peek
Tarot World Magazine
Christiana Gaudet

Artists have a variety of reasons for choosing to create a Tarot deck. Some do it as an interesting challenge. Others see it as a logical progression from designing collectible card games. Some have a particular vision of the Tarot archetypes that they would like to document and share. Then there are those artists who have a real passion and love for Tarot. Marie White, creator of the Mary-el Tarot, is one of those.

White, a full-time mom and self-taught artist, has been working on the Mary-El Tarot since 1997. Designing a full Tarot deck was not what she had in mind when she painted a picture of The Emperor just after her first child was born. She found the process inspiring, and went on to complete a few other Major Arcana cards. Before long, she was no longer focusing on individual cards, but on a vision for a full deck. She created more cards; both Major and Minor Arcana, working on the ones that captured her most. Eventually, she became more disciplined about the process and began creating them in order.

When it became clear that she was creating a deck that eventually would be published, White began sharing her images and promoting her deck on-line. Her terrific website, Mary-el.com, and her other on-line efforts, made sure that this deck developed a strong fan base. When White self-published the Major Arcana in 2003 it didn’t take long for them to sell out completely.

In my telephone conversation with White, I learned that, unlike many Tarot artists, she is a reader herself, although not yet a professional. She hopes to become a professional reader when her full deck is published, so she can offer readings with it. She says that reading for people with her Majors-only deck is a completely different experience than reading with a standard commercially published deck.

White told me that she enjoys a number of Tarot decks, including the RWS, the Halloween Tarot, the William Blake Tarot, and the Crowley Harris Thoth Tarot. Mary-el Tarot is clearly inspired by the Crowley Harris Thoth, although its images are unique unto themselves. Justice is numbered as Key 8 and the suits are Wands, Cups, Swords and Discs. The Court follows the RWS standard, with Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings. Not all Court cards picture an individual human, and the pip cards do not include suit icons.

The artwork of the Mary-el Tarot is both bold and delicate. The images are so very detailed that I was amazed to learn that each original piece measures only 7 inches by 11 ½ inches! The process that White uses to create each card is just as detailed as the finished images themselves. She told me that each card can take several months to research, a month to sketch, and a few days to paint. It is no wonder, then, that the deck has been in progress for more than a decade! White provides a window in to her artistic process on her website, where she actually shows the stage-by-stage creation of a few cards.

Marie White has always had a fascination with mythology and theology along with art, and is thrilled that these interests combine so perfectly in Tarot. I asked her if there was a theme or goal for the Mary-el Tarot. She said that the main goal was to create a deck that told universal truths and balanced masculine and feminine strengths.

She writes essays for each of her cards that are very different than most standard LBW interpretations. These essays, according to her website, highlight “pertinent information about the card such as: what inspired it, what it symbolizes, or what was experienced during its creation”. Clearly, White’s spiritual and creative process for this Tarot is very organic and very personal. She told me that she is really enjoying the journey of creating this deck, and feels a strong sense of destiny; that she is meant to be doing this at this time in her life.

The traditional archetypal images that we associate with Tarot are not present in the Mary-el Tarot. It would be difficult to figure out which card was which without seeing its name. Some of the images will be controversial in the Tarot community, and some might be considered inappropriate for certain audiences. For this White is unapologetic. She is firm in her conviction to paint what she sees for each card; to “tell the truth” with each card.

One card that has already caused some controversy is the Hierophant. Ironically, it is one of White’s favorite cards and one that she had some trouble creating. It shows a woman nursing two children, one at each breast. Certainly not a standard Hierophant image, but a striking one!

I can’t quite find the words to describe the look and feel of this unique deck. The art is superb, the images are intense, and completely unlike any Tarot deck I have ever seen before. This will not be a deck for the beginning reader, or for the nervous querent. It certainly will be a deck for the Tarot scholar, for the seeker of spiritual mysteries, and for the collector of fine art. White’s focus on personal integrity in creating this deck suggests to me that, in divination, this deck will tell the plain truth whether or not we want to hear it!

White does not know when her deck will be completed, or who will publish it. She will not be rushed and she will not have her deck “watered-down”. The completed Mary-el Tarot will be exactly the Tarot of Marie White’s vision. In the meantime she begs us to be patient with her process. I am sure it will be worth the wait.

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Paulina Tarot Sneak Peek Preview of a Deck Now Published

Christiana reviews the Paulina Tarot by Paulina Cassidy.

Tarot World Magazine
Sneak Peek
Paulina Tarot
U. S. Games System Inc.
Christiana Gaudet

Artist Paulina Cassidy has made it easy for us to get a sneak peak at her forthcoming Tarot Deck, Paulina Tarot. Her website, Restless Moon Gallery, has digital images of all 78 cards. Her darkly whimsical drawings made me curious about this soon-to-be-published Tarot, and so I had a conversation with Paulina Cassidy on the phone from her home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We talked about Tarot, art, and this exciting new deck.

Paulina Cassidy can’t remember a time when she wasn’t an artist. From the time she was a toddler, she had only one choice for a profession. As a young adult working under her maiden name, Paulina Stuckey, she began writing, illustrating and self-publishing storybooks and creating art prints that feature fanciful characters. With the launch of her website in 1999, she developed a world wide clientele.

When Cassidy speaks of the creation of Paulina Tarot, it feels like a truly magickal experience. Cassidy says that she had no real theme in mind when she began designing the deck. In fact, the deck began as a study tool. While she had been interested in the Tarot for many years, she began the fifteen-month project with only a rudimentary knowledge of the cards. "The process of me learning the Tarot was for me to actually create each card." She told me. “I’d focus on one card at a time, and interestingly enough, when I’d choose a card (I didn’t actually do them in sequence) it felt like it corresponded with an important event or turning point in my life, and then that card became a guiding point.”

Cassidy told me that as she let her subconscious mind guide the design of the cards, the images that resulted were closer to the traditional images and meanings than she had realized or planned. One of the cards Cassidy struggled with was the Five of Wands. “I think I created four or five different images for that one.” It’s no surprise that a card that speaks of conflict might create conflict in its creation!

Cassidy’s primary medium is watercolor and ink. Her work is reminiscent of Tim Burton, Dr. Seuss, and Edward Gorey, three artists that she counts amongst her influences. “But it’s not just art that influences me,” she says. “It’s music, it’s places, it’s a combination of so many elements that affect us and create the style that we have.”

One of the places that clearly shows its influence in Paulina Tarot is New Orleans. Paulina and her husband lived there until 2007, and it was there that work on Paulina Tarot was begun. Many of the characters in the deck are dressed for masquerade, and there is a “Mardi Gras feel” to some of the cards. Harlequins and ballerinas dance their way through the deck. Sweet-faced girls wear magnificent ball gowns with intricate patterns. There are people with wings, and people riding on large birds. There are mythical creatures such as unicorns and mermaids. There are animals such as the world has never seen, like a flying lion, and a cat with the tongue of a snake. When I asked Cassidy who these creatures were and what they meant, she said, “I really don’t know- I wish they’d introduce themselves to me.” Cassidy says that her creatures do talk, “according to people who can hear them.” She says that she can only sense them. “I’ll be sitting there and suddenly something’s hilarious, and I don’t know what it is but I have to run to the drawing board and draw it.” Cassidy says her Tarot is peopled with creatures from her own subconscious, who “found out I was working on this Tarot deck and said ‘Hey, I want to be a part of this!’”

But lest you decide that this deck lacks true symbolism, or is simply an “Art Tarot,” take a deeper look at the cards. You’ll see the Devil, who has enslaved himself. Look at the Queen of Cups, whose gown is the ocean. While each element of each image does not always have a symbolic meaning, each card as a whole does speak its traditional meaning quite clearly.

Many of the characters are in poses similar to their Rider Waite Smith counterparts. Like many of us, the trusty deck in the yellow box was Cassidy’s first. As visually different as Paulina Tarot is, it still sticks to the basic RWS conventions. There are some obvious breaks from the familiar, but none that are out of the ordinary for a modern deck. The Magician and the Hermit are both female, for instance, but their poses and interpretations remain traditional.

As we closed our conversation, I asked Paulina Cassidy to speak directly to the many Tarot readers who will be purchasing her deck. “Just have fun with it,” she said. “Let yourself be amused and entertained and moved by what you see. That means the world to me.”

Paulina Tarot will be released by U.S. Games sometime this year. It will be a standard size, and packaged with an LWB written by Paulina Cassidy. Until the deck is available, we can admire it at Restless Moon Gallery, http://www.paulina.ws.

Please visit Paulina Fae’s website for more information!

(Note 9/7/24: The link to Restless Moon Gallery wasn’t working. The link to Paulina Fae website was added.)

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Medieval Cat Tarot Review

Christiana reviews The Medieval Cat Tarot by Lawrence Teng.

Tarot World Magazine
Tarot Deck Review
January 2008 Edition
Medieval Cat Tarot
By Lawrence Teng
Review by Christiana Gaudet
Copyright © 2007

Unlike many of my Tarot friends, I don’t go to renaissance faires and I don’t have cats. And so I might have entirely missed the Tarot gem that is Medieval Cat Tarot if it weren’t for two things.   First, a Tarot student told me that her readings improved after she started working with this deck. Then, I discovered that the Little White Book is co-authored by Gina M. Pace, author of the Pagan Tarot. I couldn’t imagine that either my student or Gina Pace would embrace a trite deck. And, as it turns out, they didn’t! Medieval Cat Tarot has enough beauty, mysticism, humor and all-over-good-Tarot-vibes to excite me, even though I usually shy away from cute decks that show animals in costume.

Medieval Cat Tarot is published by U.S. Games, and was released in 2004. At 4 ½” by 2 1/2” the cards are noticeably more narrow than most. Somehow, this adds to the medieval feel of the deck. The coloring, too, is a huge part of the deck’s personality. Both back and front of the cards are covered with flourishes in shades of brown, gold and yellow. Rather than looking dull or dark, it looks royal and antique.

The quality of the deck is standard for U.S. Games, the card finish is glossy and the deck comes in the old packaging format with just the Little White Book. Gina M. Pace, along with Tarot artist Lawrence Teng, has written an LWB worth reading. It’s a lot of good information in a small space, and certainly suitable for a beginner.

One of the most interesting aspects of this deck, other than its peculiar subject matter, is that the pips are designed in the Marseilles style, where each card shows simply the appropriate number of suit icons. But in the center of each card is an oval, with a picture of a cat in action. Thus, the Medieval Cat Tarot has achieved something that many other decks have tried to do less successfully. It has combined the meditative and intuitive grace of the Marseilles style with the artistry and vision of the Waite style.

These little cat pictures remind me of windows into another world; a world where cats walk upright and wear elaborate medieval garb. The pictures are simple, but with interesting detail and symbolism. Once again, the use of color is stunning. Spots of blue, red and yellow simply shine against the dark background.

Many of the cats are shown in basic Waite-style poses. Some of them, however, portray the Waite ideas but make specific reference to cat life. For instance, the Five of Coins shows a sad kitty stuck in a tree in the rain. The Seven of Swords shows the cat who (you guessed it!) ate the canary. 

The Court ranks are traditionally named. Of the Court cards, the Kings are my favorite. The King of Swords sits in front of a windmill. The King of Cups sits in front of a water wheel. Beginners will find these kinds of elemental clues helpful, and experienced readers will be charmed by them.

The Major Arcana is also reminiscent of the Marseilles Tarot, except, of course, that all the characters are cats! There are a few other notable breaks from tradition. The Hanged Man, for instance, is hanging from an arm and a leg, instead of just the leg.

Death is one of my favorite cards in this particular deck. The image shows a skeletal cat as the hooded reaper with his scythe. But the scythe curves over the horizon to become a crescent archway. Under the archway, surrounding the death figure, fly dozens of butterflies.

The only cards in the deck that don’t captivate me are the Aces. Each Ace shows its suit icon and an animal related to its element, but no cats! The animals that are shown are not clothed as the cats. Instead, they are realistic wild animals. The Wand has a lizard, the Sword has two birds, the Cup has two fish and the Pentacle has mice. The LWB describes the animals and what they symbolize, but there is no mention of why the Aces are the only cards to break away from the theme of the deck. I can’t help but think that the kitties would want to catch and eat all the Aces!

The cats that grace the other seventy-four cards have sweet and simple faces that are filled with expression. With just a few lines Lawrence Teng can show palpable emotion. The costumes on the cats don’t seem out of place at all, and are lovely to look at. I can’t help thinking that Mr. Teng’s cats would have gotten along well with Beatrix Potter’s animal friends.

Medieval Cat Tarot is a fun and easy deck for beginners. It is also a fine deck for professional readers, especially when reading at a public event or for a jittery client. None of the images are disturbing in any way, and the deck is both pretty and unusual enough to be a conversation piece. 

As a whole, Tarot often asks us to step outside of our mental boxes and look at things in a different way. We are asked to stretch our faith, our vision and our understanding. Medieval Cat Tarot helped me to stretch into an imaginary realm in which I thought I would have no interest. But, as is often true with Tarot, if we stretch, we find parts of ourselves we didn’t know we had. Maybe I’ll see you next year at the Renaissance Faire!

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Legacy of the Divine Tarot- Sneak Peek Preview of a Deck Now Published

Christiana reviews the Legacy of the Divine Tarot by Ciro Marchetti.

Christiana Gaudet
July 2008
Sneak Peek
Legacy of the Divine Tarot
Ciro Marchetti

The soon-to-be-completed third Tarot from artist Ciro Marchetti is sure to be the most meaningful Tarot of his career. It is also, according to him, likely to be his last. He met with me in his home in Boynton Beach, Florida one Tuesday afternoon to discuss his new project, entitled Legacy of the Divine Tarot.

Marchetti has always collected and admired Tarot art, but has never been a Tarot reader. He’ll be the first to tell you that when he designed Gilded Tarot he knew next to nothing about Tarot symbolism. As he showed me some images from Legacy of the Divine Tarot it was clear that Ciro Marchetti has grown significantly in his understanding of Tarot symbolism and spiritual imagery.

Legacy of the Divine Tarot is being worked completely on a Mac Digital Tablet. When I look at the facial expressions of the Tarot characters, the details in the images and the very realistic flora and fauna, I am shocked that this is done in pixels rather than in paint. Marchetti explained to me that it is not only his own evolution that will make his third deck his very best, it is also evolution in technology that allows him the finer control of a digital pen, rather than a mouse.

Being in the Marchetti residence is rather like being a character in one of his Tarot decks. Everything is beautiful, and carefully placed to create a sense of both expansive space and cozy comfort. There are mechanisms, hot-air balloons, masks, water fountains and lush plants, just like in all three of his decks. I could see that Ciro Marchetti is the best kind of artist, one who real puts the essence of his own identity into his work.

Ciro Marchetti’s second Tarot work, Tarot of Dreams, is revolutionary for a couple of reasons. First of all, for a self-published deck, it is selling incredibly well. Secondly, and more importantly, Tarot of Dreams is sold with a CD in which the Tarot absolutely comes alive. In Tarot of Dreams, Marchetti combined the ancient Tarot with modern technology to create a perfect blend.

Legacy of the Divine Tarot will also be revolutionary. After spending considerable time researching Tarot history and symbolism, Marchetti, although never before a writer, was inspired to write the accompanying book rather than relying on a Tarot author as he had in the past. Furthermore, he made up a “back-story” for his new Tarot. He even created a dynamic video to introduce the Tarot and tell the story. The video is available for viewing on Vimeo at http://vimeo.com/1076456. The link is also on his website, http://www.ciromarchetti.com.

The story of Legacy of the Divine Tarot is similar to the legend of Atlantis. A race of people, foreseeing their demise, left this Tarot for us as evidence of their culture and spiritual knowledge. This Tarot, then, is the legacy of their divine knowledge.

There have been many Tarot decks that tell the story of a race or culture, or that use mythical icons to represent the archetypes of the Tarot. I’m thinking about Ancestral Path Tarot, Lover’s Path Tarot and Mythic Tarot, to name a few. There are far fewer decks that use a made-up mythology as a theme. In fact, modern Tarot historians have spent a great deal of time and energy to dispel myths about the history of the Tarot. I am sure that some of them will not be pleased with this newly invented Tarot myth. There will be others who will think that it is brilliant.

The TarotL History Information Sheet speaks positively about new Tarot mythology; as long as we are do not confuse our myths with historical reality. To me, it seems that myths regarding the end of civilizations are themselves archetypal. People tell stories, too, about how their own civilizations may eventually end. Something deep within us is concerned about our own legacy, and about the legacy of those who have come before us. It makes sense, then, that a story-telling tool of archetypes such as the Tarot might inspire such an imaginative story about its own origins.

Aesthetically and functionally, the mythology of Legacy of the Divine Tarot will not likely intrude on the beauty or readability of this deck. Much more than his earlier Tarot works, this new deck uses symbolism that is easy to read and understand. Many of the cards are reminiscent of the Rider Waite Smith images, though none of them are a direct copy.

The Major Arcana cards are traditionally named and numbered. The images are meaningful, and instantly recognizable. There is a great deal of creativity in this deck, even beyond the beautiful artwork. The Empress is young and pregnant, surrounded by animals and plants. The Fool is distributing Tarot cards throughout the universe, in keeping with the legend that Marchetti created for the deck.

The Minor Arcana cards promise to be just as rich, and just as easy to identify, as the Major Arcana. The Court characters that Marchetti showed me are particularly engaging, as are the other images of people throughout the deck. All of the faces in this deck show perceptible feeling. All of the landscapes are detailed and three-dimensional. All the colors are striking.

Ciro Marchetti plans to finish Legacy of the Divine Tarot by the end of this year. He will self-publish a special limited-edition version of the deck that will be available on his website. A regular edition will follow, although Marchetti is not yet sure who the publisher will be.

As he talks about this Tarot project, Marchetti is clearly excited. Over the years, he has developed an appreciation for Tarot readers, and for what Tarot reading is all about. One of his hopes for this deck is that people will get really good readings with it. As I look at the images of the deck in progress on Marchetti’s computer, I believe we will.

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