Tarot of the Old Path
Introduction
The Tarot of the Old Path is a Wiccan-inspired deck that incorporates floriography and animal symbolism. I found these elements added depth to the interpretations and I am enjoying learning more about the meanings attributed to the plants and flowers. Some of the associations and meanings surprised me since I am more familiar with the healing and/or what I’d call “flower-shop-meanings”. For example, the yellow lily appears on XII The Lone (Hanged) Man. It represents falsehood. Not quite the way I have pictured it up until now. I like decks that challenge my thinking and teach me new areas of study, so I’ve grown to appreciate this one.
The Deck
The Tarot of the Old Path features expressive artwork that even without an understanding of the individual elements is fairly easy to interpret. However, I believe it is worth taking the time to learn about the inclusions in the deck. As the guy on the Seven of Pentacles suggests, it may be a bit of an effort, but for me the effort is justified. Nevertheless, like when this card appears in a spread, only you can decide if the effort required is worthwhile for you. Looking at these two cards side by side many things come to mind but there are so many cards I want to discuss I won’t or this is going to get really long, really, really quickly.
Discussions on some individual cards
Knight of Cauldrons & Eight of Cauldrons
I really like both of these cards. As you can see the Knight is not riding a horse. None of the Knights are. They are all shown in close up. This way you really focus in on them rather than the actions of the horse. For example, I do wonder about the chains on this Knight. What do they represent? Being chained to your vision at the expense of everything else? Or perhaps the need to secure your vision? Or is he representing a possessive lover? As always the question and the surrounding cards would narrow down the applicable definitions.
Even though the energy and presentation of this deck couldn’t be more different, the Eight of Cauldrons, reminds me of the Fyodor Pavlov Tarot. Both decks take a similar approach to this card. In the Tarot of the Old Path, he is leaving behind three cups, (the people and places that once brought him joy), but he can’t let go of everything that has propelled him to that point. Maybe, hopefully, as he goes in search of the contentment suggested in the Nine of Cups, he won’t feel the need to hold onto the things that cause him pain. Yet, while he may set these things down along the way, they will always be a part of him. The things that hurt us may lose their grip over us, and hopefully we find forgiveness, but they will never be forgotten. I like that this card represents that.
Five of Swords & Six of Swords
I like the way this deck progresses through the suits. The cards pictured above provide a great example. Personally, On the Five of Swords I see a person being urged to keep fighting. Looking at the swords he’s holding you can see blood has already been shed. If this card appears in a reading the first thing I would ask myself is, “Who am I giving power to? Who or what is urging me to fight? And/or, when is enough enough?” Unlike most representations of this card, the fight is not over.
The Six of Swords suggests it’s time to move away. The hands in the water holding their swords aloft indicate other people’s notions of the truth. But now, he is rising above the turbulent emotions and deciding to find his own truth. He had a choice to make and he has made it. Yet he still holds two swords. There will be more decisions to be made along the way but for now he has decided to move to calmer shores.
Six of Cauldrons & Four of Rods
The Six of Cauldrons is another card that presents a different approach too many but it is still in keeping with a known meaning of the card. In this version I see someone who is unwilling to be drawn back into something from her past. Her body language very much suggests moving away. When I focused in on the flower in the cauldron I heard, “No more milk and honey. I don’t want to be soothed. I want to grow.” She is moving away from the nostalgic feelings that were stopping her from moving forward.
On the Four of Rods the feature that stands out to me the most is the two wands shaped into a V. The instant I saw that I thought of V The Hierophant and finding the place that aligns with your core beliefs and values. That is where you belong. It is the place where your growth, (look at the sprouts on those two wands), is assured. I like these two cards together.
0 The Fool and IV The Emperor
The last two cards I’ll talk about are 0 The Fool and IV The Emperor. I drew these two cards in my morning bridging exercise. Together they set the tone for my approach to the Tarot of the Old Path and fostered my appreciation for the deck. There is so much to unpack in each so I will just focus on the things that really stood out to me. This is a wonderful Fool card. Its power is in its originality. Yes, we see The Fool heading off on his journey, but there’s a story behind it. We see a worried mother who has sought to keep her child protected from danger. Ultimately though, we all need to learn for ourselves. We might get ‘burnt’ along the way but we have to find, and follow, our own path.
I love that this card presents multiple paths. Just because we take off on one path doesn’t mean we can’t branch out in a new direction. It also serves as a reminder that there are so many paths we can take. We all start off on a journey of self discovery but what that looks like is different for all of us. There is no one right way. For me, the inclusion of the butterfly, freshly emerged from its chrysalis, says so much and it draws everything together.
IV The Emperor presents a softer, more approachable figure than many versions of this card. Yet the inclusions ensure his power, knowledge and insight are readily apparent. The children in the background also allude to the fact he can represent a father figure. The book mentions this meaning under the “Representation” heading. But the children themselves are said to “represent the happiness of human life for which the Emperor is responsible.” I don’t see that unless the Emperor is representing ourselves and the need to take control of our lives because ultimately, we are responsible for our own happiness. I see this Emperor as someone who has it all but sits lightly with their success and power. That makes him the epitome of good leadership.
General information about the cards
Now back to the cards in general. Let’s start with the name changes. Nine of the the Major Arcana have been renamed. To make it easier to read I’ll list them with their more common titles in brackets:
- V The High Priest (The Hierophant)
- VII Mastery (The Chariot)
- IX Wise One (The Hermit)
- XII The Lone Man (The Hanged Man)
- XIII The Close (Death)
- XIV The Guide (Temperance)
- XV Temptation (The Devil)
- XVIII Illusion (The Moon)
- XX Karma (Judgement)
I don’t relate to the idea of The Guide for Temperance. I question the need for the change since the opening sentence for what the card represents reads, “The guide symbolizes moderation and control.” To me that is the definition of the word temperance.
Two of the suit names have also been changed. The suits are Cauldrons (Cups), Rods (Wands), Swords and Pentacles. The colour-coded borders on the Minor Arcana cards differentiate the suits. To a certain extent, this flows on to the overall colourings of the cards. Swords are yellow, Pentacles are green, Rods are red and Cauldrons are blue.
The cards themselves have a plastic-y texture which didn’t feel right to me initially. For me this didn’t seem congruent with the idea of a Tarot of the Old Path. However, having worked with the cards I appreciate how robust they are. They definitely stand up to some pretty rough shuffling and they are oh so easy to shuffle in any form. So, I got over myself and my expectations.
The card backs are not reversible due to slight details in the imagery and the presence of the copyright in the lower left corner. Also, something I’ve noticed is that, when I divide my deck into three piles and then regather them I struggle to pick up the bottom cards with my left hand. My nails on that hand are short because I play guitar. So, unfortunately what is normally a smooth process, is a bit clunky with this deck. Dividing and regathering with my left hand is part of my shuffling ritual every time I work with cards so this is very noticeable for me and not something I find with other decks. If you have short nails I’m curious as to whether you have the same problem.
The Tarot of the Old Path Guidebook
The Tarot of the Old Path comes with a 159-paged, full-colour guidebook that can connect you with the cards on a deeper level. Here the elements in the cards come to life.
Preamble
The Foreword shares the story of how this deck to came to be. Then, after the Introduction is a brief bio for each of the consultants, (Margot Adler, Lois Bourne, Patricia Crowther, Janet and Stewart Farrar, Aislinn Lester, Pauline Newbery, and Kim Tracey), that shared their knowledge of Wicca with the creators. Here they share which cards each consultant contributed to also.
Next comes a “Tarot of the Old Path Blessing Ritual” written by Pauline Newbery that links to the Tree of Life. Here you’ll also find a Tree of Life diagram that shows the Major Arcana positions on the twenty-two paths.
The Major Arcana
The Major Arcana information is laid out over two pages. You’ll find their title, the consultants name, the planetary association and element, followed by a description of the image, what it represents, and divinatory meanings for both upright and reversed presentations given in keyword/key phrase form. There is also a full colour image of the card. It is well-written and easy to understand, making it great for beginners.
Examples
XVI The Tower
The entry for XVI The Tower pictured above, opens, “The tower has been built to resemble a person … so this particular structure represents self.” The falling figures “now know that the mental structure on which they relied was illusory.” I like this Tower card because you can’t hide from its meaning.
Plus I like the addition of the toad. Howard Rodway writes, “In the foreground a toad looms, a symbol of negative forces, but the negative can contain the seed of new progress, for as Shakespeare put it: ‘Sweet are the uses of adversity, / Which like the toad, ugly and venomous, / Wears yet a precious jewel in its head.’ This is so appropriate. In Forest of Enchantment Tarot, a toad represents the Ace of Boons (Pentacles). Ultimately the tower moment proves to be a gift even if, at the time, it doesn’t feel that way.
V The High Priest
For V The High Priest pictured above, the opening paragraph of the “Description” reads, “The High Priest is the guardian of the spiritual threshold. He holds the key to the Mysteries, for he is the possessor of occult knowledge.” The plant he holds is vervain – a protective herb. The other plant featured on The High Priest are pine trees. There to symbolise immortality, they are shown rising from the mists there to mask the rituals and rites The High Priest is privy to.
Some of the keywords listed, are “revelation, teaching knowledgeable and informed” which I like because some of the Pagan inspired decks, such as the Robin Wood Tarot hold a largely negative attitude towards The Hierophant. The Tarot of the Old Path is balanced. In the representation it also includes, “not good at adapting, traditional, conventional and someone with a sense of history.”
It’s good that the book explains what all the plants and animals represent. Sometimes, often times even, things are not what you may imagine. For example, the lavender on the Queen of Swords signifies distrust. I had to Google that because I have always associated lavender with peace, relaxation, healing and pain relief. Now, while that still holds true, it isn’t the case in the Language of Flowers. It is a language of its own and knowing that the deck uses that approach is important. If you remember in the introduction I mentioned XII The Lone Man’s (Hanged Man) has the yellow lily. It could be a bit confusing trying to work out how notions of joy and friendship, the flower-shop symbolism, relate to the image.
The Major Arcana section wraps up with “A Quick Reference Guide to the Major Arcana Correspondences” presented over three pages. The three tables show the septenary breakdown of the Major Arcana: First Septenary – Forces of Dynamic Psyche; Second Septenary – Spiritual Influence; and Third Septenary – Pure Forces of Existence.
The Minor Arcana
The Minor Arcana are arranged by suit. Since the images are less busy, the descriptions are shorter. There is no “Representation” section or planetary and astrological associations provided for the Minor Arcana. Instead, just the description and the divinatory meanings follow the title. There is definitely enough information to give you a good understanding of the card’s meaning and the artist’s intentions though.
Wrapping it all up
When I first flicked through this deck I wasn’t as taken with it as I expected to be and it sat on my shelf for months. I realise now I just wasn’t ready for it. On a whim, or so I thought, I grabbed it to do my morning bridging exercise and everything changed. Before I knew it the Tarot of the Old Path had led me to my new path – one I look forward to sharing soon. For me, this deck is a reminder that, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”
My new path is linked to an old path of my own that is not associated in any way with the theme of the Tarot of the Old Path. I mention that because I really want to emphasise that you don’t need to be Wiccan to gain a lot from this deck. If you have read many of my posts you would know that I don’t identify in that way.
Nevertheless, I appreciate that the book coupled with the artistic portrayals make this a very easy deck to get to know. Facial expressions, combined with the postures, the clothing, and the scenery provide a wealth of information even before delving into the plants and animals. All this combined with the fact it can still easily be read through an RWS lens make it a very beginner friendly deck. I’m so glad I reached for it when I did.
Summaries
The Tarot of the Old Path Cards
| Artist | Sylvia Gainsford |
| Card Size | 7cm x 12 cm |
| Card Stock | Satin finish, plastic-y feel |
| Shuffle | Wonderful to shuffle, robust |
| Fan & Flip Through | Easy to fan, flip through, and handle |
| Suits | Cauldrons, Rods, Swords and Pentacles |
| Court | Page, Knight, Queen and King |
| Strength / Justice | Strength is VIII & Justice is XI |
| Miscellaneous | Two part box, Sleeve over inner open at the bottom. I had to stick the inner flaps down because the insert kept getting caught when I tried to slide it out. |
The Tarot of the Old Path Guidebook
| Written by | Howard Rodway |
| Pages | 159 pages |
| Appearance | Perfect bound, full-colour |
| Contents | – The Tarot (A poem by Patricia Crowther) – Foreword to the new edition 2022 – Introduction – A Coven of Eight Consultants – Tarot of the Old Path Blessing Ritual – The Major Arcana – A Quick Reference Guide to the Major Arcana Correspondences – The Minor Arcana – Card Spreads and Interpretations – Bibliography – About the Author |
| Spreads | Celtic Cross (10 cards) The Witches’ Circle Astrology Spread (24 cards) Howard’s Six Card Spread (6 cards) |
Publishing Details
Deck Creator:
Howard Rodway (Author) and Sylvia Gainsford (Artist)
Pictured Version:
Revised printing published by AGM Urania in 2022
