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The William Blake Tarot of the Creative Imagination
The William Blake Tarot of the Creative Imagination. What a great title. Albeit from now on I am just going to refer to it as The William Blake Tarot because, well, it is quicker and easier for everyone. According to its creator, Ed Buryn, it is ‘a reimagining of William Blake’s art and ideas for modern Tarot.’ Apart from reading The Tyger at university I am not overly familiar with his ideas but I feel that is about to change. Buryn claims, ‘this 79-card deck presents William Blake’s central thesis that human creative imagination is the divine aspect of mankind,’ so I look forward to discovering his philosophy through the…
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Chrysalis Tarot
Chrysalis Tarot is a storyteller’s deck that took three and a half years to create. The time and effort taken to create it shows. Others agree. In 2014 it was awarded the Tarosophist Award for Best New Deck. I’m not sure how they decide the winner, but I didn’t read that this deck had won and think, “really??” because Chrysalis Tarot has a lot to offer. Covering a range of mythologies and focused on ‘alignment, mindfulness and attunement to the vibrations of life itself’ Chrysalis Tarot is a powerful self-reflective tool. And, I’m sure the stunning artwork and the well-researched and well-thought out book will appeal to many. The Chrysalis…
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Radiant Wisdom Tarot
The Radiant Wisdom Tarot was my first foray into indie decks and it holds a special place in my heart because my children bought it for me. In the “About the Author” section it says ‘She enjoys transforming the mysterious into the obvious and Tarot is one of her favourite tools for doing this.’ Therefore it came as no surprise to me that I was drawn to this deck. We share the same intention and the Radiant Wisdom Tarot serves this purpose well. It’s a clear and uplifting deck that presents simple, accessible imagery that feels user-friendly and non-threatening without compromising the power or scope of the messages available. The…
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Guardian Tarot
This deck, wow, I don’t know where, or how, to begin. I first saw the Guardian Tarot on You Tube and I thought hmmm creepy. But, I couldn’t stop looking at it. I found it hauntingly beautiful yet I couldn’t imagine how I could work with it. Yet, try as I might, I couldn’t turn away. So, before long it ended up doing the shopping cart dance – I put it in, I took it out, I put it in, I took it out, then finally I put it in and clicked place order. And that brings me back to wow. The Guardian Tarot speaks to me in a way…
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Transparent Tarot
The Transparent Tarot (not to be confused with Universal Transparent Tarot) is remarkable. This complete re-imagining of the tarot encourages users to actually layer the cards. For example, the featured image above combines two Major Arcana cards – 14 Temperance and 20 Judgement. The depths of the insights brought to the fore are incredible. If you’re looking for a deck to inspire, spark, or assist you with your creative endeavours and take them to an entirely new level, I would say you’ve found it. As the book says, “The Transparent Tarot offers a completely fresh perspective and ways of using the cards that have never before been possible.” The Deck…
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Haindl Tarot
This evocative deck combines many different elements into a cohesive whole. Abounding in symbolism and drawing on different esoteric and religious traditions, the Haindl Tarot offers so much. I thought I’d like it; I didn’t expect to love it. It’s completely different to anything else I’ve worked with. It’s not a Rider Waite Smith or a Thoth clone, but from what I see I would say it’s definitely Thoth inspired. I’d add that it’s mythologically inspired too since that’s what drew me to it in the first place. The Haindl Tarot Deck Hmmm, where to begin? In a deck that incorporates so many aspects what do you give priority too?…
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Dreams of Gaia Tarot
Ravynne Phelan has moved away from the typical tarot structure. Dreams of Gaia Tarot is a non-traditional elemental-based tarot deck that includes some additional Major Arcana cards and a different approach to the Tarot court. The changes may initially feel challenging but it’s an easy deck to work with once you connect with the creator’s approach and the thinking behind it. Then, you can immerse yourself in the incredible images and uncover some powerful new insights. This is a very healing deck, which makes sense since the aim of these cards is to help people “to seek, to feel, to grow, to heal.” The Dreams of Gaia Tarot Deck The…
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The Wild Unknown Archetypes
To be honest I really don’t know where to begin with these cards because they are so different to anything else I have worked with. What I can say is that I have experienced some profound personal revelations whilst working with these cards. They strike deep into the essence of what is known and yet often hidden which is incredibly powerful. The information I uncovered when using The Wild Unknown Archetypes felt like I had always known it yet never given it the attention it needed and deserved. If pushed I would say this is an all encompassing deck that is beyond simple definition. The Wild Unknown Archetypes Deck As…
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The Wildwood Tarot
I had moved The Wildwood Tarot in and out of my ‘shopping cart’ for months before I decided to purchase it on a whim. I’m glad I did. Although, straight up I will admit that, after looking at only a couple of cards, I reached for the scissors and removed the white border. If you read with reversals, trimming the deck may be problematic because retaining the card name means the backs are unbalanced. This is not an issue for me, but I thought I would put it out there. After I trimmed the cards, I was hooked. The more I looked, the more I saw. For example, when I…
