Druid Craft Tarot
The Druid Craft Tarot deck is one of my go to decks because I love the rich imagery. Each card invites you to enter the scene. The authors were inspired by the tales of the bards and this deck definitely invites you to tune into your own story-telling potentials.
The Druid Craft Tarot Cards
I love the Druid Craft Tarot. It pretty much lives on my desk in its wooden box. It shuffles easily now that I have trimmed the cards. But I also trimmed it because personally I prefer borderless decks. For comparison, the original deck measured just over 14cm x 9cm – with the borders trimmed it’s now approximately 12½ cm x 7½ cm. Yes the borders were huge.
But back to Will Worthington’s artwork. It’s stunning. The fact I have two other decks that he has illustrated, The Wildwood Tarot and the Druid Animal Oracle suggests just how much I love his paintings. And, for good reason. As I have already said, the pictures invite you to create a story. By simply answering the question “What do I see?” when looking at the card, interpretation comes easily. These cards are wonderful for intuitive readers.
When using these cards for clients I am always quick to warn them that the cards display nudity and I’d suggest that anyone not comfortable with nudity may not be a fan of this deck.
The authors have made some name changes. The Empress is The Lady, The Emperor is The Lord, The Hierophant is The High Priest, Temperance is The Fferyllt, The Devil is Cernunnos, and Judgement is Rebirth. Apart from struggling to get my tongue around how to pronounce The Fferyllt I am comfortable with the name changes. Strength is VIII and Justice is XI. The court consists of Princesses, Princes, Queens and Kings and the suits are Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles.
The authors have also reinterpreted some of the cards. For example, Cernunnos, more traditionally known as XV The Devil is given the keywords “Potential for abundance and liberation”, and “Mastery of life force”, in addition to the usual “obsession and materialism”. Also, the 7 of swords keywords Insights, “Strategy and Research” align better with the imagery than the more recognisable suggestion of deceit and/or trickery.
These changes point towards the fact that this deck tends towards the positive, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t tell a powerful story and deliver strong insights.
The Druid Craft Tarot Book
The book is better described as a booklet, although it’s more substantial that a LWB. I love the opening paragraph of the introduction:
Human memory creates tradition just as cellular memory creates the new leaves on trees and the colour of our eyes. Imagine a tradition of almost eighty pictures, fertile with symbolism, calling to you from a world just beyond the everyday – reminding you of who you are, and of who you might become. This is the tarot.
The authors also share their inspiration for the Druid Craft Tarot Deck as well as a brief background on Earth-based religion, numerology, and the life of Merlin. They then introduce you to the court cards in a way that makes them feel much more accessible than many other accompanying books do.
The card interpretations are ordered differently to the way many books present them. They begin with the Princesses, then move through the court onto the pip cards ace through ten before finishing with the Major Arcana. They explain that they have presented the Minor Arcana first so that it is given the attention it deserves. Each card is pictured with the text. Keywords and both upright and reversed meanings are given. The Major Arcana text includes a message and keywords for the reversals are provided as well.
Spreads
There is only one spread in the book which is presented with a sample reading.
- The Hexagram Spread (6 cards)
I tried this spread and I found it user friendly and the reading insightful so I have added it to my Tarot Journal.
Publishing Details
Creators:
Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm
Illustrator:
Will Worthington
First published:
2009
Pictured version:
Published 2018 by Eddison Books Limited
