Lesson 1 - Assignment

[Amethyst Rose]

All students must complete this assignment before moving on to Lesson 2. No students will be allowed to read tarot cards with their partners if the lessons have not been read, or assignments not been completed. Tarot isn't something you can just read about to learn, you have to immerse yourself in it. :)

That said, you have two options for your first assignment.

Option 1: Research your own tarot deck. Tell me how you feel it relates to the first tarot decks used for games. How has history contributed to it? Find out if it is based on the Waite or Crowley deck, and explain to me why you feel it to be so. Show me your sources.

Option 2: Draw up a plan to create your own tarot deck. Explain to me it's influences, (history and occult), it's images (reasoning behind them) and what model it's based on, Waite or Crowley.
At this point it doesn't have to be extremely detailed, because we haven't started on card meanings yet, I'm more interested in how the history of tarot influences your design.
If you do this option, you have the option of creating your own tarot deck for a final project.

Post your answers in this thread, and make sure you tell me which option you've chosen.

This assignment is due January 2nd.

[Valkie]

Do partners have to do the same option?

[Bix]

Pack information: 78 cards, along with mini booklet
Card dimensions: 70 x 120 mms
Authors: Created and Illustrated by Peter Pracownik under the guidance of Terry Donaldson

They say: A spectacular 78?card deck capturing the perceptive powers of the legendary dragon. The dragon is the ultimate symbol of knowledge and power; thus, this tarot deck is the fulfilment of all the work the tarot carried out in previous times, leading to the present day. In Dragonland, you can almost reach out and touch the scaly skin of these wondrous creatures, to pull yourself up on their backs and ride off with them into a fantastic world of imagination, myth and magic.

We say: This is a deck that I know many people love. It is one personally that I found hard to get into, but that may be mostly because I do not have a strong affinity with dragons. But for those that do fall into that camp, and you crave a deck that represents the real you, this may be the one.

The artist is Peter Pracownik, a leading fantasy artist, well known throughout the world for his art, album covers and even t-shirts. The designer is Terry Donaldson, author of Step by Step Tarot and other books. Terry and Peter were also the joint creators of the Lord of the Rings Tarot.

This is certainly not your run of the mill Rider Waite clone! On the face of it all the cards appear similar, as they all feature a dragon / dragons in some manner. But as you spend a bit more time with the deck you realise that there are many subtleties and I think that if you chose this deck then over time you would become in tune with its many moods.
I found this from http://www.holisticshop.co.uk/itemdetl.php?itemprcd=DITCDRAG

It seems the deck is based on the Rider-Waite Tarot...but the images were open to the artist's creativity. The artist also did the Lord of the Rings Tarot and was commissed by those that made the game Wyvern to do the art for their card game as well.

That's basically all I could really find about this deck.

[halfwaynowhere]

okay, i prefer option 2, but for fear that i will be too busy to get that done, here is option 1. i may still post the other though, if it gets done on time...
The phantasmagoric theater tarot is based on the waite deck in that each card tells its own little story. The principle behind this deck is that the world is a stage, we are all actors preparing for our final performance, which would be death. Each card has a different character or scene, which reflects the meaning of the card. The LWB tells the story behind each card. These stories can easily be applied to similar situations in our lives, when it comes to dealing with other people, or looking inside of ourselves. The Waite deck, based on the golden dawn, shows stories through cards as well, which at least helps me when I try to interpret the cards because I can pick up on what the card is showing, making me rely less on the LWB or any other book, and more on the cards themselves.

http://www.learntarot.com/phdesc.htm
http://www.intuitivetarot.com/minorarcana.html
http://www.angelpaths.com/tarotl.html

[Amethyst Rose]

Do partners have to do the same option?

No, partners are just for practicing readings.

[Amethyst Rose]

I found this from http://www.holisticshop.co.uk/itemdetl.php?itemprcd=DITCDRAG

It seems the deck is based on the Rider-Waite Tarot...but the images were open to the artist's creativity. The artist also did the Lord of the Rings Tarot and was commissed by those that made the game Wyvern to do the art for their card game as well.

That's basically all I could really find about this deck.


Besides being told on that site that the deck is based on the Waite tarot, do you see when you look at the images on the cards that it is based on it? Would you have known without being told? Do the pictures tell a story when you look at them? What about history and the development of tarot? Do you see other occult images in this deck? (kabalah, astrology, numerology, etc?)

[Amethyst Rose]

The phantasmagoric theater tarot is based on the waite deck in that each card tells its own little story. The principle behind this deck is that the world is a stage, we are all actors preparing for our final performance, which would be death. Each card has a different character or scene, which reflects the meaning of the card.


That's great! Good analysis of the images on the cards. Do you see any other occult influences in your cards?

[Anubis RainHawk]

Option 2: Draw up a plan to create your own tarot deck. Explain to me it's influences, (history and occult), it's images (reasoning behind them) and what model it's based on, Waite or Crowley.
At this point it doesn't have to be extremely detailed, because we haven't started on card meanings yet, I'm more interested in how the history of tarot influences your design.
If you do this option, you have the option of creating your own tarot deck for a final project.



I know these are options, but this one seems so overwhelming. I can't imagine how I could even begin to go about doing this, especially since we haven't covered a lot of info. Maybe I'm misinterpting this. If so, please explain differently.

Anubis RainHawk

[Amethyst Rose]

Yeah, Goddess Rhiannon asked me to explain further.

Try not to get overwhelmed with it. What I'm asking for is basically an outline of how you would create your own tarot deck, with explinations of why you chose to do it that way. Choose a style (Waite or Crowley) and explain why you choose that style, explain how the images you would use would support that style. Choose if you'll include other occult symbols like kabalah, numerology or astrology and explain why you would include it.

There are no wrong answers for this assignment...it's totally personal, and up to you and what your idea deck would be like.

[Goddess Rhiannon]

I am working on my own design right now.

[halfwaynowhere]

as far as occult stuff, i really can't find much... i thought there was some type of astrology in there, but lookign at the cards again, and looking through the LWB, i really can't find any. the major arcana have puzzle pieces on them to represent whether the card is masculine or feminine or neutral, which i think is pretty cool... i don't think this has anything to do with anything occult though, but i thought it was worth adding...

[Amethyst Rose]

Interesting, thanks. :)

[Goddess Rhiannon]

Ok....here is my plan for my tarot cards.

Name: Mystic Wicks Tarot
Style: Waite
represented by 78 separate interpretations of random board members.
Occult symbolism: Unity within the divine.
why?...because each member brings a separate gift to the board...creating a bounty of wealth.
Colors: Shades of purple of course
Images: Would depict either the members avatar or banner in their signature.
why? because that is part of them and they chose it or created it....to represent themselves.

I hope I covered it all...if not, I will add more.

[Goddess Rhiannon]

I will use you as an example....teach.

On the card would be an image of an amethyst rose. The card would represent a strong mother instinct....the ability to calm the nervous....and cleanse the soul

[Bix]

I haven't gotten a chance to look at my cards, yet. They're in the mail and should be delivered sometime tomorrow. I'll answer these questions once the deck comes in. :hahugh:

Besides being told on that site that the deck is based on the Waite tarot, do you see when you look at the images on the cards that it is based on it? Would you have known without being told? Do the pictures tell a story when you look at them? What about history and the development of tarot? Do you see other occult images in this deck? (kabalah, astrology, numerology, etc?)

[halfwaynowhere]

okay, here is my option 2.... (i stayed up longer than i originally planned tonight, so i thought up my answer already)
I have been planning on making my own deck for awhile now... It will be waite-style because those are easier for me to read. the images would be surreal and cartoonish, as thats what i like to draw, and thats what i like to look at. since i am into numerology, i would like to possibly incorporate that into the cards, although at this time i'm not entirely sure how. and i think astrology can play an important role in tarot, so i would also like to throw that in, but since i know very little about astrology, i probably won't worry about that yet... if i can figure it out before i get my sketches done, then i will do that, but that will be a ways off, anyways.

[ragnarok0mega]

well i dont know too very much about my cards or any history behind them to be honest but ill put what i know
The Celtic Dragon Tarot deck ias baed off the Waite deck, in that every card olds its own story. enough so that no two people have simmilar interpretations of that card. Its true history behind the imagery drawn on it is from that of Dragons and Dragon magick, having been partially designed by D.J. Conway (the writer of dancing with dragons) so all of the cards depict dragons and humans interacting together in varius scenes that easily describe every day experinces we ourselves face. thats about all i can really truly say or understand

[Brielle LaLune]

I have the Legend Athurian Tarot deck. This set is clearly based on the Waite style of Tarot. Each card represents a character or story from the legend. What I like best about this deck, is that being a lover of any and all Arthurian stories and legend, it is quite easy to interpret the cards based on this association. I feel that the creator (Anne Marie Ferguson) did an excellent job relating each of the cards to stories and characters. However, all of the Page cards are represented by animals, which kind of threw me off when I first got it...they're a little out of place with the rest of the cards, and more difficult to interpret.

A lot of the information I got was from the accomanying book, "A Keeper of Words", and the following website: http://www.tarotpassages.com/arthurianlegendlb.htm I had researched a few other pages as well, but forgot to mark them down! :)

[Wolfscout1]

ok , I'll take a stab at it right or wrong...

I have a Robin Woods Tarot & Book incoming probably first of the week so i can add to what is felt by the cards when they come.

Robin Woods is a fantasy and Pagan artist so there is a certain amount of fantasy but i think it pertains to each card individually. The examples of cards i've seen none seem to go together exactly. I'll know more when the deck arrives.
The net sources of information on this deck say she uses complex modern images, Pagan symbolism, and it's based on Rider-Waite-Smith orientation to create her deck. she took some of the more traditional cards and 'toned' them down so that others wouldn't be thrown off by appearances and make them uncomfortable regardless of their path. She took symbolism to protray things that toned down the cards. It also seems she used both the portayal of nature and manmade objects in her artistry of the deck. a combinatin of these may represent something to do with the occult, i'm unsure. There are numbers at the bottom of each card on the scroll-appearing banner. not sure of the meaning of this.

The art work of this deck is what caught and drew me. Felt more natural than some of the other more fantasy or artsy appearances. and less, um, gaudy looking than others. again, just my opinions from what i've been able to find out on the net about this deck.

I will probably need to add more when the set comes in.

[Amethyst Rose]

Thanks everyone, you're doing great. If you choose option #1 and you don't have your cards yet, be sure to examin your cards when you do get them and see if you have more to say about them.
Also, I've noticed that no one has made mention of any occult influences in their cards. Even if there is none, say there is none. So, are there any occult influences in your cards?

[Brielle LaLune]

Thanks everyone, you're doing great. If you choose option #1 and you don't have your cards yet, be sure to examin your cards when you do get them and see if you have more to say about them.
Also, I've noticed that no one has made mention of any occult influences in their cards. Even if there is none, say there is none. So, are there any occult influences in your cards?


So far as I can tell, the occult influences in these cards are very Avalonian-based....for example Cernnunos is the devil card (or as it is called in this deck, "The Horned One.") For the most part, though, the cards stick to the story more so than the spiritual.

[Amethyst Rose]

Just curious...do you have the Aurthurian Tarot or the Legend: Aurthurian Tarot ?

[Brielle LaLune]

Just curious...do you have the Aurthurian Tarot or the Legend: Aurthurian Tarot ?

Legend :)

[Amethyst Rose]

Ah, thanks :) I was looking up the images on Aeclectic.net...there really nice. What are the little boxes on some of the cards? Like in these images http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/legend-arthurian/

[CanisFirebrand]

I'll take a stab at the lesson.. :)

For this class, I am using the Gothic Tarot (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/gothic-vargo/) by Joseph Vargo.

The deck is a standard tarot deck in that it has 78 cards broken up into Major and Minor Arcana.
The deck conveys a dark gothic mood with images of vampires, gargoyles, ghosts, demons and angels.

The creator used previous artwork as well as newly created artwork to complete the deck.

I believe that the deck is based on the Waite deck. The images all seem to flow(mostly in the Major Arcana) from card to card as if to reveal a story. The expected images from a Waite deck can be seen in the artwork chosen to represent each card. The Minor Arcana also contain the expected images and specific number of swords, cups, pentacles, wands.

[Brielle LaLune]

Ah, thanks :) I was looking up the images on Aeclectic.net...there really nice. What are the little boxes on some of the cards? Like in these images http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/legend-arthurian/

They certainly are beautiful cards, :D The boxes are on each of the Minor Arcana. Inside the box is the suit and its quantity (for example the Two of Cups is represented by a painting of the Tristram and Isolt, and in the little box are two chalices representing the cups.)

[Amethyst Rose]

They certainly are beautiful cards, :D The boxes are on each of the Minor Arcana. Inside the box is the suit and its quantity (for example the Two of Cups is represented by a painting of the Tristram and Isolt, and in the little box are two chalices representing the cups.)

Oh, I see, thanks! The images on aeclectic.net just weren't clear enough.

[Amethyst Rose]

A big thanks to everyone who's gotten their assignments done so quickly. Everyone is doing a wonderful job. :)

[Rua]

Option 1: Research your own tarot deck. Tell me how you feel it relates to the first tarot decks used for games. How has history contributed to it? Find out if it is based on the Waite or Crowley deck, and explain to me why you feel it to be so. Show me your sources.



I am using the Univeral Waite deck. www.tarotuniverse.com says this about my deck, "The serene Universal Waite Tarot Deck is perfect for meditation and readings. The 78-card deck is a soothing, eye-appealing complement to the traditional Rider-Waite deck. Based on drawings by Pamela Colman Smith, the detailed design and coloring of the deck is by Mary Hanson-Roberts." The Universal Waite deck started being published in 1990 so it is relatively new but the scenes depicted are in the traditional Waite style. Each card tells a story. Im not sure about the occult symbolizm.

[Aidron]

My own deck, The Celtic Dragon Tarot, is most definitely based upon the principal of the Rider-Waite Tarot in that each card seems to tell a story, or to be more precise, shows a facet of the character's within the story at a given point in their journey. In researching my own deck since I first obtained it, I've grown increasingly disillusioned by the concept of "Each card telling a story" and more inclined to refer to each card as representing a part of a story, without necessarily picking up where its predecessor left off or continuing on with its successor, in chronological order of course.

There are a few changes to this deck from the traditional Rider-Waite as with all decks based on it I feel, most notably those being that The Devil card has been replaced with the Chains card. A subtle yet important distinction, as I do not incooperate Judeo-Christian philosophies into my own spirituality and I do not want them in my deck. Likewise the Hierophant has been replaced by the High Priest, which further reinforces Pagan concepts as opposed to Christian ones. In turn, the Death card is unlike any I have ever seen. Instead of showing familiar images of death (skeletons, graves, and the like) this card attacks the symbology head on, showcasing a white crystalline dragon shedding its ebony skin in glistening sunlight, demonstrating both death (of the old skin) and rebirth (the new skin being revealed) to represent significant change that death merely is and must come before rebirth can manifest.

Wands and swords have also been reversed in term of their elemental association, which was the most important factor in selecting a tarot deck for myself. To quote "Way of the Four" by Debb Lipp, "Someone wielding a sword means business, while someone wielding a wand may be merely thinking it over." These associations, while subtle at first glance, are critical in how my psyche interprets the cards, and therefore more sensible given traditional and personal card meanings, such as the Three of Swords representing discord, a trait I would personify as too much fire influence.

There is also a change in terms of gender balance within the deck, with the Pages of Wands and Cups being female and the Pages of Swords and Pentacles being male. This in turn is balanced out further with the Knights of Wands and Cups being male and the Knights of Swords and Pentacles being female, creating a more balanced deck in my view.

The most defining difference between the Rider-Waite and the Celtic Dragon deck would of course be the major players that are present in every card throughout the deck: dragons as opposed to people. Granted, most of the cards do incooperate people into them, but there are a few (The Lovers, The Chariot, and each of the Aces) that focus solely on dragons. While it may take a discerning eye to find the dragons in some cards as they are quite small and/or easily overlooked (Knight of Cups, Seven of Swords, Four of Cups) they are consistently present regardless. Naturally this deck would most appeal to those with an affinity for dragons, but unlike them I never had such an affinity and merely discovered the great value and wisdom dragons possess through the deck. This key factor in the deck is often shown as the dragons representing astral guides or guardians, aiding mankind along its journey. Sometimes stern and sometimes caring, and can reinforce the concept that they are always there and willing to help if you simply ask and are ready to help yourself as well.

Similarities the Rider-Waite and the Celtic Dragon tarot share are of course the intricate detail, which while often may be not compared is still present. They both are immersed in minute symbolism and grand symbolism that can be easily overlooked, from the faces of the rocks in many cards (Two of Pentacles, the Hermit, Four of Wands) reinforcing both the presence of dragons and if carefully examined, the general message the card conveys by noting the expression of the faces. Likewise, the endless amount of spirals (both in a deosil and widdershins manner) can convey many facets of the card, from beginnings and endings to the influence of the card being brought in or pushed away from the querent, which as with all symbolism creates a type of intricate puzzle that when put together produces a stronger overall picture. There are endless amounts of what one might call primitive celtic imagery, but no blatant occult imagery, beyond such things as The Fool holding a wand (as well as a rolled up parchment, but that's more general symbolism) which the book states as signifying willpower (while I associate it with a new dawn, the time of air, and willpower being the realm of fire meaning he would have held a sword in that case).

The Strength card in both decks is listed as the eighth card, with Justice being the eleventh. A minor issue, often overlooked I feel, but an important one for if you look at The Fool as taking a journey through the major arcana Strength must come before Justice in my opinion. Without the former the latter cannot be effectively utilized or endured.

As for the history of the deck, celtic history is not exactly my specialty nor an interest of mine (funny how I wound up with both a celtic and dragon deck when I was never drawn to either), so historical accuracy I cannot claim or disclaim. However, as D.J. Conway states within the companion book to the deck, the history of dragons and their importance in many societies is the key to the deck. She defines dragons as being a whole species, with many sub-species (fire, air, water, earth, ice, smoke, cloud, weather, light, chaos, etc.) that vary from culture to culture in both appearance and personality. There are six types described within the book and throughout the known world from various cultures. The first being the dragons of Europe, mostly found in northern Germany, Scandinavia, and the islands of the North Atlantic. They frequently had thick bodies and large wings. Some accounts mention four legs, others none at all. Secondly there are the dragons that lived in France, Italy, and Spain. These dragons were smaller than those of the North and according to most accounts were no larger than a horse, tending to avoid humans. Third the dragons of Ireland, the British Isles and the surrounding areas, often classified as having four legs, two legs (Wyverns), and no legs (Worms). Fourth the dragons of Greece, Asia Minor, southern Russia, and northern Africa. Dragons with many heads are common in these areas (the Hydra from Greek myth slayed by Heracles for example), as well as many sea dragons. Fifth, the dragons of the Americas and Australia, often depicted as possessing feathers, no wings, and flying by aligning themselves with the magnetic field of the Earth. The sixth and final family of dragons lived in China, Asia, and Indonesia. Wingless but capable of flight, these were and are typically seen as the most benevolent of all dragons, where as the other five tended to most often be met with fear.

The Celtic Dragon deck itself tends to include a wide array of dragons, though types from the Americas, the Orient, and Greece are most often left out with obvious reasons that they are not celtic in nature.


Lengthy, but there you have it. ;)

Sources: "A Guide to the Celtic Dragon Tarot" by D.J. Conway, Celtic Dragon Tarot (http://www.learntarot.com/cddesc.htm), Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot (http://www.learntarot.com/rddesc.htm), Aeclectic Tarot: Rider-Waite (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/riderwaite/), Aeclectic Tarot: Celtic Dragon (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/celtic-dragon/), Lisa Hunt's Website; Illustrator of the Celtic Dragon Tarot (http://members.aol.com/LisaHunt67/tarot.html), Wicce's Tarot Collection: Celtic Dragon (http://www.wicce.com/celticdragon.html)

[Amethyst Rose]

Im not sure about the occult symbolizm.

From the images I can see on the aeclectic.net, there aren't any symbols on the cards, so my guess (based on the little I can see) would be that no occult influences are used.

[Amethyst Rose]

I will use you as an example....teach.

On the card would be an image of an amethyst rose. The card would represent a strong mother instinct....the ability to calm the nervous....and cleanse the soul

I just went back and re-read your answer, and I just had to say that I'm flattered by your image of me. :)

[Goddess Rhiannon]

Just wait till you see my completed deck......lol

I don't know who the fool will be....any ideas????????

[Aidron]

I doubt I will make my own deck any time soon, as it would require immense effort being that I am such a perfectionist. However, I do have a general concept of how I would go about it.

For starters, supplies that would be needed would include index card (as a last resort, I would prefer blank flash cards), double-sided poster tape (glue would only serve to create lousy cards and ruin the imagery), a pair of scissors and as many magazines as I could find. ;)

I'd base it as much as I could on traditional Greek imagery and myth, since I have strong hellenistic reconstrunctionist tendencies, including pictures such as Athene for Judgment, Aphrodite and Eros for The Lovers, Artemis for Strength, Hera for the Empress, Zeus for the Emperor, Hades for the Chains/Devil card, and so forth.

They would in a sense, be collage cards, based on the Aleister Crowley approach of sheer symbolism. I imagine it would be far too difficult to create a picture into an ongoing story for each card, so I would instead create each card as its own stand alone collage, including imagery relevant to card. Judgment for example would include Athene, owls, piercing grey-blue eyes, and scales. Strength would include Artemis, bears as opposed to lions, lush green forests with gigantic trees, and stoney rocks. The Lovers would include ocean scenes symbolic of elemental water (the element I associate with love) and the origins of Aphrodite, with Eros near her, along with doves, roses (pink and red combining the soothing romance of pink and the fiery lust of red). The Sun card, as another example, would obviously correlate to Amaterasu, the Japanese Shinto sun goddess, while the Moon card representing Tsuki-Yumi, Amaterasu's brother and the Japanese Shinto moon god. Images of Amaterasu are easy to come across, but Tsuki-Yumi I would have to rely on creative imagery of japanese men, pictures of the moon, and dark coloring.

The minor arcana would be just as symbolic and intricate, with the Three of Swords (discord, turmoil, upheavel, violence) including images I find to be both disturbing and horrific. Scenes or murders, hate speech, and so forth. While the Two of Cups might include imagery of handfastings, wedding rings, and a home symbolizing the stability and commitment of the card.

I would most likely draw or use a stencil to produce the wands, cups, swords and pentacles, but only one, and the Roman numeral or the number spelled out in the Greek alphabet for each card. While images of the four tools are important, I feel they should not be the focus so much as a representation of the card's influence. When used as the focus it is too bland, vague, and uninspiring. I would include a variety of occult symbolism to reflect my own eclectic nature. Shintoism and Greek already being quite eclectic, things such as alchemical symbols on the minor arcana, perhaps even instead of the actual tools (wands, swords, cups, and pentacles). I would stay clear of astrological symbols, feeling they are too confined to spread across an entire deck easily enough. The Quabbalah I would not even consider as I dislike the entire system, Buddhism may be touched upon, and no doubt I would simply have to include the triquetra in every minor arcana card for three.

All in all, I would tend to deviate strongly away from traditional tarot decks. I find a great deal to be hindering within them and overall plain boring. If I'm going to create my own deck for me to utilize I will tailor it to me, not some traditional idea of what works.

Edit: Oh and P.S. I know they are both options but being the over achiever that I am I had to do both.

[Amethyst Rose]

Wow! Excellent answer!! You even took it farther than I asked for with descriptions of how your images would fit the cards (I didn't ask for it, cuz we havent' discussed card meanings yet), but that was great. A++! :)

I totally think you should make this deck at some point, I'd love to see it. :)

[Amethyst Rose]

Im not sure about the occult symbolizm.

Upon further examination, I have a question. Are there symbols in the right-hand corner of the cards? I think I'm seeing something here, but the images just aren't clear enough.

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/universal-waite/

[Aidron]

Wow! Excellent answer!! You even took it farther than I asked for with descriptions of how your images would fit the cards (I didn't ask for it, cuz we havent' discussed card meanings yet), but that was great. A++! :)

I totally think you should make this deck at some point, I'd love to see it. :)


I'm an extra credit whore. I can't help it. :smile:

[Amethyst Rose]

Raidon, I totally missed your previous answer, too. You're on a roll! Are you trying out for the Mr. Teacher's Pet award this year? No? You should! :lol: Just kidding. :D

[Aidron]

Raidon, I totally missed your previous answer, too. You're on a roll! Are you trying out for the Mr. Teacher's Pet award this year? No? You should! :lol: Just kidding. :D


That's what Flaire just said in jest, that I am teacher's pet. Lies, lies and slander! I'm just an over achieving geek, I swear! I never even liked most of my teachers in school...

I like you, but that's totally beside the point. Totally. :tongueout

[Rain Gnosis]

The Quest Tarot is rich with symbolism and spirituality, created artistically through computer-generated graphics and surreal scenes. The deck has elements both of Rider-Waite tarot, and of the Thoth tarot, while still presenting some new ideas brought forth by Joseph Ernest Martin himself.

While the minor arcana are ordered as per Rider-Waite’s format, many of the keywords match those used by Crowley’s Thoth deck. Meanwhile, the court cards are ordered entirely differently from either system, with Mother, Father, Daughter, and Son cards, to replace King/Knight, Queen, Knight/Prince, and Page/Princess. Finally, a blank card has been added to the deck, so one can add their own musings or ideas by adding their own card into the tarot.

In the major arcana, Martin’s card 8 is Strength, and card 11 is Justice, as in the Rider-Waite format. However, his card 14 is neither Art nor Temperance, but instead he calls it Alchemy, suggesting the interplay of opposites through experimentation to reach balance. Then, his card 20 is Aeon, and his card 21 is the Universe, as in Crowley’s Thoth tarot. Finally, he adds a 23rd card to the Major arcana, known as The Multiverse, which suggests the idea that there are an infinite number of universes and possibilities which we can access.

While the human figures in this deck are recognizable, their images are in metallic, translucent hues and tones. Their genders are often clear, however they are not given typical skin colours etc. as the deck is meant to transcend race and colour. While each card is very detailed, with a multitude of symbols and systems used, the images of people are somewhat more abstract, and the images come across as mythic and surreal.

The accompanying book for this deck is called The Compass, and shares several party games one can play with the cards. This seems to be a nod to the earliest use of the tarot as a tool for card games.

This deck incorporates many occult systems including the Kaballah, Eastern mysticism, and symbols from other divination systems. The pip cards of the minor arcana, and the major arcana, each have gemstones near the top of each card. In the major arcana, Hebrew letters are depicted near the top right of each card. In the minor arcana, and only from card two to ten in each suit, I Ching hexagrams are depicted at the top right corner. The major arcana also have rune symbols at the top right, and at the top left a planet related to the meaning of the card. Finally, the minor arcana show an astrological sign and planet at top left, indicating a planet in a sign, where energies relate to the card. The occult has been expressed in diverse ways in this tarot deck, which is a pleasure to work with.

Sources –
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/quest/review.shtml
http://64.176.11.226/tarot/tarot073.html
The Compass Guide to the Quest Tarot

[Shana-chan]

Whoo-hoo! :D I'm so glad you put that second option there! _travolta_

Anyhow, a lot of things will be influencing my deck. The majority of it is coming from the Rider-Waite deck (minus whatever religion might be there), but the other 20% to 80% will be completely dependant on my own thoughts on the meanings of the cards.

For example, my 'Death' card will contain a hooded figure with long blonde hair holding a happy baby. ^_^ That way it contributes to the idea of reincarnation rather than simply death.

It'll contain a lot of different ideas, from everything that has influenced me personally - egyptians, gothicness, furries (it's a drawing style), paganism, no wiccan-ness though :tongueout , and anything else that I can think of. Even Cardcaptor Sakura will somehow be represented in my cards. :D Basically, it's going to be really traditional (in the symbolism sense), but will have my own personal touch, too.

I hope this is good enough for the assignment. ;.; If not, I'll write some more. :D

EDIT: Oh! I forgot to say, the deck will mainly be faeries. <.< My brain got preoccupied there. Despite having everything I listed above, it will mainly be a deck of the fae. (Sort of like the Fey Tarot deck, but, hopefully, prettier and with better pictures on some of the cards.)

[Rua]

Upon further examination, I have a question. Are there symbols in the right-hand corner of the cards? I think I'm seeing something here, but the images just aren't clear enough.

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/universal-waite/

I think that is a signature of sorts. Its the same on all the cards. It looks kinda like a squiggly tree.

[Anubis RainHawk]

Ok....here is my plan for my tarot cards.

Name: Mystic Wicks Tarot
Style: Waite
represented by 78 separate interpretations of random board members.
Occult symbolism: Unity within the divine.
why?...because each member brings a separate gift to the board...creating a bounty of wealth.
Colors: Shades of purple of course
Images: Would depict either the members avatar or banner in their signature.
why? because that is part of them and they chose it or created it....to represent themselves.

I hope I covered it all...if not, I will add more.

That sounds like a really cool idea. I'm curios to see what the cards would look like.

[badkitty]

Ok, let me start by saying I haven't read the thread as I didn't want to be influenced by others thoughts. That also means that I haven't seen any additional clarification on the assignment if that was given.

I would make a deck that goes through tells a story, Waite style. Mine would be based on a LARP, Live action role playing fantasy game that I am involved with.

I would use candles for rods, Cups for cups, Bones for earth, and Swords for Swords because those are items with personal significance to me for each of the elements and fit into the game world. Although my minor arcana cards would have the correct number of each object on them, many would be hidden or in borders, etc. each would have scenes that hinted to the meaning of the cards.

My major Arcana would be related to specific game characters, NPC's (non player characters= bad guys) and event plots.

The back of the cards would have an artistic drawing combining the four suit items. Bones in a pentacle, flanked by swords (one pointing up one down), ringed by candles with cups on the outer corners.

This deck would be very specific to me and a small group of people.

[Anubis RainHawk]

Wow! Excellent answer!! You even took it farther than I asked for with descriptions of how your images would fit the cards (I didn't ask for it, cuz we havent' discussed card meanings yet), but that was great. A++! :)

I totally think you should make this deck at some point, I'd love to see it. :)

Both of his answers have been great! I can only imagine how much we'll learn with students like this.

Anubis RainHawk

[Amethyst Rose]

The Quest Tarot is rich with symbolism and spirituality, created artistically through computer-generated graphics and surreal scenes. The deck has elements both of Rider-Waite tarot, and of the Thoth tarot, while still presenting some new ideas brought forth by Joseph Ernest Martin himself.


Excellent post, Rain! And what a wonderful deck to work with, it's absolutely packed with symbols! I might have to take a look at it someday, myself. Thanks! :)

[Amethyst Rose]

I think that is a signature of sorts. Its the same on all the cards. It looks kinda like a squiggly tree.

Ah, okay, thanks :)

[Amethyst Rose]

Ok, let me start by saying I haven't read the thread as I didn't want to be influenced by others thoughts. That also means that I haven't seen any additional clarification on the assignment if that was given.


No problem, you did fine. :) Would you incorporate any other occult influences into you cards?

[piglet]

This tuned out to be part history and part opinion peice.

--

The Mythic Tarot is co-authored by Juliet Sharman-Burke and Liz Greene and is illustrated by Tricia Newell. Both Juliet and Liz have extensive training and expertise in Tarot, Astrology and Psychology.

The Mythic Tarot (published in 1986) takes the traditional R.W. deck and presents it using images from ancient Greek mythology. Most of the characters in the Major Arcana consist of members of the Olympian pantheon – for example Demeter is the Empress, Justice is Athena, Death is Hades.

According to the authors, the choice to use Greek Gods as subjects in this deck appealed to them and worked for a number of different reasons: these deities are not exclusive “property” (for lack of a better word) to any one group of people, they are amoral (not immoral!! LOL), but tell moral stories, and they represent fundamental images in the human psyche.

The Minor Arcana suits each tell the story of a different myth. The suit of cups tells the love story of Eros and Psyche; Wands, Jason and the golden fleece; Swords, The myth of Orestes; and Pentacles, the story of Daedalus. Each myth used in this deck relates to the element that the suit represents. The author’s roots in the study of psychology (especially Jungian) have had a major effect on this Tarot deck, especially in their decision to relay these mythic tales. According to the authors myths describe “essential human experiences and essential human patterns of development.” They are archetypal and universal.

Personal response: The Cards are very beautiful and well-thought out. I have yet to find images online that do them justice. About half of the Major Arcana images tell a story (The Lovers shows Paris holding the golden apple and trying to decide who he should give it to – Athena, Hera, or Aphrodite) but the other half simply show one of the mythological figures. I find it hard to get a meaning from one of the more simple cards because as Greek mythology is so rich and the stories of the gods portray them as such well-developed characters it becomes difficult to refine them into a workable meaning when doing a reading. I love the way that each Minor Arcana Suit tells a story, it makes it much easier to remember the meaning of a card when it comes up. I could go on for a lot longer but I think it’s best if I stop here :)


Sources: “The Mythic Tarot” by Juliet Sharman-Burke and Liz Greene,
Biographical info: http://www.astrologer.com/cpa/faculty.html

[Raven Reed]

The Goddess Tarot

This is a beautiful deck full of imagery. Even the borders have images relating to the card. Each suit and each goddess have their own border. I love the look and feel of these cards and the way the deck speaks to me in a compassionate, warm voice.

By the author's admittance, this deck is based on Rider-Waite. However, many major arcana are named by a trait, rather than traditional names, making it association with the appropriate goddess easier. (It does make it a little hard to remember the traditional names of the cards sometimes, one reason I would like to work with another deck.) I find the changes make it much easier for me to work with than the Rider-Waite deck with its Judeo-Christian feel to it. Strangely, Strength and Justice, have been switched, following the tradition of the pre-Golden Dawn format, rather than Rider-Waite.

0 - Beginnings, Tara
1 - Magic, Isis
2 - Wisdom, Sarasvati
3 - Fertility, Estanatlehi
4 - Power, Frejya
5 - Tradition, Juno
6 - Love, Venus
7 - Movement, Rhiannon
8 - Justice, Athena
9 - Contemplation, Chang O
10 - Fortune, Lakshmi
11 - Strength, Oya
12 - Sacrifice, Kuan Yin
13 - Transformation, Ukemochi
14 - Balance, Yemana
15 - Temptation, Nyai Loro Kidul
16 - Oppression, The Wawalak
17 - The Star, Inanna
18 - The Moon, Diana
19 - The Sun, The Zorya
20 - Judgement, Gwnhwyfar
21 - The World, Gaia

The minor arcana are each related to one of four goddesses and further delve into her mysteries. "The Goddess Tarot Workbook" says that, " Each numbered card in the minor arcana depicts a woman as she undergoes the journey offered by each suit. She is meant to represent "everywoman" as an aspect of the goddess... Each number offers a different stage of growth in the development of the suit-- beginning with one, the purist expression and cumulation in ten, the highest manifestation."

Cups - Venus (Love)
Staves - Frejya (Strength)
Swords - Isis (Magic)
Pentacle - Lakshmi (Fortune)

The other major change to the deck, in keeping with its feminine viewpoint is that the court cards are ordered Queen, King, Princess, Prince. Princess seems to be equivalent to Knight and Prince to Page, with Queen and King remaining the same as Rider-Waite.

I see no occult or numerology influence in this deck, other than what is inherent to the Rider - Waite format's history. If I didn't know a little about the history of Tarot, I would have never seen the relationship between playing cards and my deck. A quote from the author's web site is, "While I worked on the deck, I felt strongly that I wanted to emphasize the values of creative agency and psychological understanding--in other words, personal empowerment--over any divinatory qualities usually associated with the tarot."

Sources:
"The Goddess Tarot Workbook" by Kris Waldherr
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/goddess/
http://www.artandwords.com/goddesstarot/bookintro.html
http://www.tarotforum.net/archive/index.php/t-1419.html

[badkitty]

The system I learned to read by years ago was very heavy into the numerology of minor cards. Those are the meanings that work for me, so I am sure I would have an emphasis on that, but it wouldn't be a visible part of the images, just something that I kept in mind while designing.

[Shatril]

I am using the RWS deck, so it relates to the RWS deck rather well :woah: As for the history, when I look at that deck it appears that some of the cards, like the first few Major Arcana match well, but them it goes off in entirely different directions. The interpretations seem to historically be the same, but if you look at the symbolism on the deck it adds a whole new level for understanding.

Most of the reference books that I have found, don't really use the symbolism, but use the traditional interpretations. This is how I use them currently as I haven't completed my study of the symbolism, however, for those that I have finished it has greatly influenced how I can interpret them. It adds levels of understanding that aren't there in the conventional interpretations.

I do need to say something here about interpretations that may sound a little strange, but is true for me. I believe that the cards come out of the deck in just the way that they are needed for the type of interpretation that the reader will give. I don't believe that ONE interpretation will fit all. I know that I might get a different card than someone else to interpret new beginnings based on my current understanding of the cards. That is why the greater your understanding of the cards, the more indepth the reading can be. However, that does not mean that only very experienced readers get good readings; nothing is farther from the truth. Anyone open to the energy can do good readings. The cards will accommodate your level of ability, and the cards will be draw for you to give a good interpretation based on your current level of ability. (I guess you folks will think this strange, but it is what I believe.)

As for a tarot deck design. I have been thinking of creating a deck that is based on the psychological archetypes. I would be using people and events that most closely associate with the archetype and to graphically represent the tarot, based on interpretations given in several books that I have studied for learning tarot. I have been collecting pictures of these achetypes for some time now, but haven't gotten them all together as yet. The images that I can find aren't always the ones that I'm happy with, but I'm still working on them.

Shatril.

[Amethyst Rose]

piglet, Raven Reed and Shatri, you all had great answers! Thanks. :)

[Aleigh]

I just wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten...I decided I should actually read the book that came with my deck to learn more about it before I answer. :)

[Willow Rosette]

Untill starting this assignment I hadnt realized the extent of the story that goes along with my cards.Which probably explains why I have a hard time reading the symbols in my deck with out using my lwb. I have difficulties actually seeing the symbols in the pictures on my cards. So in figuring that out I have decided that it would be better to create my own deck, that way I create a deck that has symbols that have meaning to me. I think it will have a theme ( like my People of the Cat deck) . But I have no idea what it would be yet and it wont have a story to go along with it. I think for me the story is distracting to the meaning of the cards. So I guess the influence would have to be more Crowley. I think as we work through the meaning of the cards I will create mine as we go. Im not sure if i will add any occult images into them yet because I think I will make them as I am led. But I do know I would want there to be bright and stimulating colors.

I think that about covers it all, if I forgot something or if I was a little vague let me know and i will try to clear it up.

[Amethyst Rose]

I just wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten...I decided I should actually read the book that came with my deck to learn more about it before I answer. :)

No problem! I made the deadline for the assignment January 2nd for a reason. -- to give people the time to really put some thought and time into it. :)

[Ivy Artemisia]

I'm using the Gilded Tarot deck. I love the imagery, its so beautiful.

The Gilded deck is like a Waite deck, in the way that it tells a story. Ciro Marchetti created this deck, which is heavily influenced by his love for fantasy and astrology. The deck is "digitally painted" for the most part. He created this deck after reading many interpretations of each card, but he stayed away from looking at many of the the images, in order to stay uninfluenced by other artists.

There are symbols in some of the cards, but nothing like the occult decks that others are talking about. I would use them more as art, than games. I want another copy of the deck just to frame and put on my wall. :)

The companion book that goes along with the Gilded deck was written by Barbara Moore, and was based off of Marchetti's notes and images.

Ciro Marchetti has a new project, called the Tarot of Dreams that he is working on. It's of the same style as the Gilded deck, but there are big differences. This deck will come with a CD, with extra cards and goodies, and more... you can check out the new project at http://www.aeclectic.net/cgi/buyframe.cgi?type=deck&id=1345. I want it.

[Amethyst Rose]

There are symbols in some of the cards, but nothing like the occult decks that others are talking about.


What symbols are used in your cards, then?

[Ivy Artemisia]

What symbols are used in your cards, then?

Astrological, for the most part, but they are used within the illustration.

[Bix]

Besides being told on that site that the deck is based on the Waite tarot, do you see when you look at the images on the cards that it is based on it? Would you have known without being told? Do the pictures tell a story when you look at them? What about history and the development of tarot? Do you see other occult images in this deck? (kabalah, astrology, numerology, etc?)

I don't know enough about Tarot to know whether or not it is based on the Waite tarot. I can't really see a story with the pictures. In the deck, I see lots of astrology symbols, yin-yangs, pentagrams, the alchemic symbols of the elements, and other occult symbols.

[Raven Reed]

Ciro Marchetti has a new project, called the Tarot of Dreams that he is working on. It's of the same style as the Gilded deck, but there are big differences. This deck will come with a CD, with extra cards and goodies, and more... you can check out the new project at http://www.aeclectic.net/cgi/buyframe.cgi?type=deck&id=1345. I want it.

I HAVE to have this deck! I like it even more than the Guilded Tarot, which I was thinking of getting. But $50.00. Ouch!

[Amethyst Rose]

Astrological, for the most part, but they are used within the illustration.

Thanks :)

[Amethyst Rose]

I don't know enough about Tarot to know whether or not it is based on the Waite tarot. I can't really see a story with the pictures. In the deck, I see lots of astrology symbols, yin-yangs, pentagrams, the alchemic symbols of the elements, and other occult symbols.

Great, thanks :)

[Raven Heart]

Well I always been drawn to the rider-waite style cause I really enjoyed using them over the years and I love the pictures as court cards. So this is what I would do. Make it in modern terms, with a really dark gothic artist doing the art. I would try to make the images and symbols very blunt. Nothing really hidden. It would be in your face well sticking to the pattern the rider waite deck layed out. Some ideas for the court cards would be like for the fool have some one in a black business suit with a bright red power tie walking staring up into the stark sky as he walks off a skyscraper holding a brown brief case. Than I think just a large wolf hound nipping at him trying to stop him. The Magician being called the programmer instead and have four monitors showing the four suits of the tarot. Love showing the classic image of the church wedding and a heavenly host watching over them. The Hermit would be the homeless and would look like the deranged bum we all see on the streets, but his face would be as full as wisdom as the aryan Christ we all know. Temperance would become the chemist, a scientist mixing two vials into one. Death riding his black horse through the crumbling ruins of a city with a priest, mayor, prostate and drug addict dropping to there knees. The devil laughing would be above a t.v. with two images playing. One of a man shooting up with heroine and a women drunk and passed out. Both of these images would be surrounded by smoke like demons. These demons would be playing out of one DvD player at the bottom. The tower being sudden unexpected change i think an image of 9-1-1 would get the point across. What in modern times would represent it more. Judgment would be what we as a modern world have to fear. It would be a barren wasteland with smoky images of modern horrors floating above it, nuclear blasts, dieses, starvation, genocide, war and terroism. On the barren wasteland would be a family of pale naked humans looking up, hoping for a new world, a better world. These our just some images I can think of. They would be the bases and set the mood for the deck. It ideas of would carried through with court cards.
If you have any questions what other images i would decide on for any card feel free to ask.
Deep Peace
Raven Heart

[Amethyst Rose]

Would you use any occult influences in your deck?

[Raven Heart]

Would you use any occult influences in your deck?

I was trying to decide than i chose not too. Occult means hidden. The tarot was thought to hide images and that only by learning the systems behind the symbols could you really fully understand it. I think that there is no reason to hide anything. If you have a great artist in the art it self would express everything that is needed. The lessons of the tarot, the power of what the tarot can express dose not need to be hidden at all. So i would not incorporate astrology, hebrew, or numerology(well i would have to include that cause of the importance of the numbering of the cards.)
Also as a afterthought no matter how you made the tarot it style would be influenced in someway by the occult, since it root is in the occult tradition of the west. So by basing it on other tarot deck it would be influenced by the occult. So in that since of the word, yes
I talked in circles i must be tired.
Raven Heart

[Amethyst Rose]

So by basing it on other tarot deck it would be influenced by the occult. So in that since of the word, yes



Well, I meant astrology and such. :) Thanks :)

[Raven Heart]

my pleasure. This made me think. That is never too good.

[goldcat79]

this will the best way for me to help me understand myself and tarot i want to do a native american deck so i will go deeper into the meaning on the cards as i learn how i was wondeing if i could my deck in both styles with symbolism and a storyline and i am not sure of the occult because my deck is influesed by native american history and the images that will be apond my cards they will be a native style talk to guys later

[Anubis RainHawk]

Robin Wood Tarot
created by Robin Wood
Llewellyn Worldwide, 1991

The Robin Wood tarot is a RW style pack that combines both traditional and modern symbolism with nature imagery. It's composed of the traditional suits: pentacles, wands, cups, and swords, along with the traditonal major arcana names.

However, The Robin Wood Tarot contains a heavy pagan infulence. The Magician wears stag horns like that of a Shamanic priest. In the Devil card the Baphamet image of traditional decks is replaced with a man and woman traped in their greed. However, Robin Wood forms the metal chains in the shape of the inverted pentagram, so the traditional devil image is still visible. Instead of angels, Robin shows a nude woman in a fiery cauldron for Judgement.

This deck also shows Robin Wood bias against Christianity, like in the Heirophant card. Instead of spiritual wisdome, Wood's card represnt's conformity, tradition, and captivity.

All the characters are in medieval dress and the pages were created as female which balances out the male powere in the tarot court.

As for occult symbolism, all I can recognize in numerology, but that's used in every deck I know of. There is some astrological symbolism in some cards also.

Anubis RainHawk

[Shatril]

My original post about the RWS deck was lousy. I did some more research and came up with this.

RWS Tarot Deck

It wasn't until the late 1800's that A.E. Waite realized that the cards could be used to predict possible future events. Waite created the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) deck based on the works of Eliphas Levi, and published the cards somewhere between 1896-1910, authorities vary on the date. The RWS Tarot deck is the most widely used version currently in existence.

The RWS Tarot deck was designed by Arthur. E. Waite and illustrated by Pamela Coleman Smith and published by Rider. Both Waite and Smith were members of an English Rosicrucian society founded in 1888 called the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which follows the symbolic system of the Golden Dawn rather than the earlier French occult traditions.

A. E. Waite, a famous occultist found many relationships between the Tarot and the ancient Jewish mystical tradition called the Cabala. He related the 22 Trump Cards (which he called Major Arcana) to the 22 paths along the Tree of Life. In order to make his theory "fit," he changed the accepted order of some of the cards. Since the Trumps did not have numbers or any recorded order for the first hundred years of their existence, his ordering method is as viable as any other. Today, Waite's ordering of the Major Arcana (Trumps) has become the standard for most decks.

Waite made the Suits of Cards relate to the Magical tools used by his Order. The most significant change the deck has experienced is Smith's treatment of the Minor Arcana. Hers are the first "pip" cards to contain images depicting the meaning of the cards. These graphics allow readers to explain the significance of each cards nuance to querents who, in most cases, have never encountered the cards before. RWS was the first deck to have full illustrations for all the suit cards and has since become the basis for a wide variety of divination-based decks, all using similar symbolism.

[MBeeHny]

The Unicorn Tarot is based on the Rider Waite deck. Unicorns are an important part of the deck as they are drawn into every card. They represent something like guardian angels for humankind. Unicorns come across as spiritual, wise, and strong with magical powers. The artist used color to distinguish each suit. Rods (wands) are an orange background, Swords have a lavender background, cups are blue and pentacles are earth tones. In the little booklet that comes with the deck, Swords are assigned to Air and Rods to Fire. The backs of the cards show 2 unicorns in a golden circle on a light purple background in a narrow gold colored frame. The mystical unicorn is able to guide you to the right path with this deck, and do so clearly and with compassion. The Unicorn Tarot is recemmendable to those who are beginners as it's easy to read, and to those who love unicorns.

[Clockwork_Eros]

The deck that I wish to make will be Crowely style.

As far as occult influences, I would incorporate runes, and most likely astrology.
A heavy cardstock should work for the cards, most likely having a screen printed back and a laser print front, as the images will be actual paintings.

Down to the gritty:

The back will be a lotus/geometical design, symbolizing enlightenment, purity, karma, and the intrinsic order underlying the chaos of nature.

All people in the deck will be faceless, unless otherwise noted, an attempt to symbolize the sameness between everyone, and simply as a style element.

0 The Fool: Silhoutte atop a perpectively intense staircase- symbolizes the journeys we all take, spiritual, physical, and emotional. Since the Fool is the beginning of this journey, it also shows the descent that is often recquired to reach new heights.

2 The Priestess: A small girl, in a field, with a very unervingly simplistic face. Really, not much more than a traditional smiley face, just slightly more detailed, and fitting to the shape of her head. This is to symbolize both innocence and the limitations of innocence.

3 The Empress: Geometric design as graffitti, with a streetlight illuminating a prostitute. Only makeup is apparent on her face. Symbolizing all aspects of love and femininity.

6 The Lovers: This has two images floating in my mind, and I am uncertain as to which I want. The first is inspired by a movie, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, with three large beings present, one that looks like two men attached back to back, one that looks like two women, and one that looks like a man and a woman. The second image is wo selectively crossgendered people, One with male top and female bottom, and one with female top and male bottom. Both of these symbolize loe, unity, the completion of two halves into a whole, and homosexual/heterosexual relations.

7 The Chariot: A crowd of people, most likely a scene of a new york street, though slightly generalized. This is to show both the triumph of humans as a species, and the rampant uncontrolled growth that is running away with us. It is meant to be both congratulatory and satirical in the same breath.

8 Adjustment/Justice: a firstperson view of Feet on a scale, which reads the weight as "the entire world" This is an attempt at showing that our actions affect larger scales, and that we need to be aware of the reprecussions.

15 The Devil/Chains: A CEO/big-buisness exec. sitting at his desk. Self explanatory?

20 The Aeon: A fetus inside the Earth.

21 The Universe: I cannot remember the name of this image, but there is a spiral like image that when magnified, will show itself again. There are 'holes' in the spiral, starting points or ending points, and when magnified to exceptionally large scales, you see what is inside the 'hole'- a replica of the original image. This continues on forever. I will try to find a website that actually shows you what it is, but it is symbolizing eternity and it's finality, as well as the interconnectedness of all things.

Those are all the cards I have ideas for right now. I actually need to go start on the Fool card's painting. I think I will use this as my concentration for the AP Studio Art class I have.

The paintings will probably all be in gouache and then sketched overtop with india ink. If you would like, I can try and see about posting images of them as I finish.

~CE

Edit: Nothing like trying to explain yourself has quite this ability to make you feel inarticulate.

[halfwaynowhere]

21 The Universe: I cannot remember the name of this image, but there is a spiral like image that when magnified, will show itself again. There are 'holes' in the spiral, starting points or ending points, and when magnified to exceptionally large scales, you see what is inside the 'hole'- a replica of the original image. This continues on forever. I will try to find a website that actually shows you what it is, but it is symbolizing eternity and it's finality, as well as the interconnectedness of all things.

i know what you are talking about, but i can't remember the name either.... its really cool though, i love that type of thing... it just goes on and on and on......thats such a great idea! there are computer programs that do simulations of those, if i can remember what it is called, i will let you know...

[Clockwork_Eros]

i know what you are talking about, but i can't remember the name either.... its really cool though, i love that type of thing... it just goes on and on and on......thats such a great idea! there are computer programs that do simulations of those, if i can remember what it is called, i will let you know...

I can find out either monday or tuesday from my math teacher. I'm in a discrete math class and that is one of the things we will be studying sooner or later.

[Amethyst Rose]

My original post about the RWS deck was lousy. I did some more research and came up with this.



An excellent job, Shatril! Thanks for the extra work done on it. :) And for the record, I thought your first post was good, too. :)

[Amethyst Rose]

I love the sound of your deck Clockwork Eros! It's very unique and original. I hope you do manage to make it, I'd love to see some of the images. Good job. :)

[Amethyst Rose]

this will the best way for me to help me understand myself and tarot i want to do a native american deck so i will go deeper into the meaning on the cards as i learn how i was wondeing if i could my deck in both styles with symbolism and a storyline and i am not sure of the occult because my deck is influesed by native american history and the images that will be apond my cards they will be a native style talk to guys later


I'd really like you to expand on your idea, goldcat. It's great that you have the idea, but for the assignment I want more work done on it.... I want an outline of what the idea is.

I know your deck theme, now I want you to answer these questions for me:

What is your deck style? Waite or Crowley?
what type of symbolism would you like?
what occult influences, if any, would you use?
what is the history (personal or otherwise) behind your deck?

[Dashifen]

Firstly, let me say that I haven't really read all of the responses from the rest of you. Read a few of them, and then I decided to stop and wait until the weekend when I could do my own assignment and then back track to read the others. I've chosen to write up option one and describe my deck’s background and history, though I hold in reserve the right to consider my own deck in the future nonetheless!

First, Ill tell you all a little history on the Vertigo deck. The Vertigo deck began its journey towards creation in 1985 when Neil Gaiman interviewed Rachel Pollack. Pollack had written a book called Salvador Dali’s Tarot and became an authority on tarot that Gaiman would return to as he wrote his novels. Then, in 1986 he met Dave McKean, an illustrator who later works frequently with Gaiman in his novels, graphic and otherwise. In that same year Rachel pops back onto the scene hoping to design her own tarot deck and helping Gaiman to choose his first. The concept and the story wait until 1993 when Sharon Kattuah in charge of DC Comics merchandising department is presented with the idea of tarot deck. Little did Gaiman know that Kattuah was a tarot enthusiast and the idea of a tarot deck built from the concepts within the DC Vertigo line took deep root in her consciousness and with her help, the deck was born. The cast of characters was set: Dave McKean to illustrate, Rachel Pollack to write the accompanying book, and Gaiman (along with other Vertigo authors) to provide characters as inspiration.

On to the assignment: the Vertigo deck is, I feel, unmistakable as a Crowley deck when you consider it carefully. Yes, the major arcana tell the story of the fool and the fool's travels, but each card of the major arcana depict a different character from the DC Vertigo line. As such, one card does not lead into the next, nor are they symbolically connected, disregarding the overlying story of the fool.

Each of the cards, excepting the Hierophant and the Devil, are attributed with an astrological planet or constellation as depicted in the table attached below. Unfortunately, my rudimentary knowledge of astrology is, at this moment, little good in understanding what these connections are, but I hope to learn more of these correspondences and enhance my understanding of the cards through this class. These correspondences are different from the traditional ones ascribed by the Order of the Golden Dawn, but that doesn't really bother me, especially considering that I don't truly understand what these correspondences mean!

The minor arcana and the court cards are not given an astrological correspondence, nor are they connected by any story; thus, my categorical identification of the deck as a Crowley-style deck. Each of these cards depicts, in some fashion, the suit and number of the cards. Also, there are often cases where a human face, often indistinct or disconnected, accompanies the suit and number. Because the deck relies primarily on the symbolism in the arrangement of the items on the card and their placement around the face to provide meaning and inspiration to the reader, the cards are somewhat hard to read. In learning the deck I spent a lot of time memorizing meanings or taking notice of my own impressions of the cards in an effort to learn what each means in a general sense and then I try to attribute a specific meaning based on the placement in a given spread and as concerns the details provided to me by the person for whom I'm reading.

This deck attributes the four suits to the following elements: Pentacles = Earth Swords = Air Wands = Fire Cups = Water

Within these general correspondences for the suits, the number on the suit is given specific connections between them. For example, all of the twos or all of the eights are connected. These connections are built primarily through numerology and the numerological meaning behind the number but also in the image on the card decks. For instance, all of the 10’s show the same human face and the 8’s all show some form of motion.

When asked about his intentions within the minor arcana, illustrator Dave McKean commented thusly: the four suits represent aspects of creativity. Fire gives us the spark and the drive to work on a work of art. Water allows our imagination to come in, providing both the fantasy and the feeling necessary. Air provides the intellectual structure that gives the work a wider meaning than the artist's personal experience. And Earth gives us the determination to work at it until we produce a finished object which we can introduce to the world. I often consider this progression when working with the cards, especially when I'm at a loss to the meaning of a card in a specific location. I can fall back on the numerological meaning of the card along with its place in the above metaphor to interpret the cards on the spot.

The Court is slightly different, however. The same image is depicted on each of the cards (i.e. a woman's torso is placed on all four of the Pages) along with accompanying symbols which help to determine the meaning of the cards. This makes them even more difficult than the minor arcana to decipher. In the Vertigo tarot, the Pages represent children or those unused to responsibility, the Knights are young adults, and the Queens and Kings represent adults, just different types of adults. Along with these general correspondences, the connection to the metaphor in the previous paragraph also aids me in my understanding of the cards. For example, the Page of Pentacles would connect the drive and determination to complete a task with the Page's childlike naïveté. Therefore, in the Vertigo deck, the Page of Pentacles represents a youthful exuberance or enthusiasm towards the task at hand.

The deck does ascribe a reversed meaning to each of the cards. Most of the time, these reversed meanings are connected in some way to the upright reading, but not always. Many times, the easiest way for me to read the reversed meanings is to twist the elemental metaphor: if Earth provides us with determination to reach our goals, then reversed Earth means we are easily distracted or confused during our work. Therefore, the Page of Pentacles, whose upright meaning is above, when reversed represents someone whimsical or easily distracted from necessary work or tasks.

All in all, the Vertigo deck is a lot of fun. I myself feel that I'm a bit of a mesh of the old and the new. As a computer programmer and web designer, my feet are planted firmly in the modern, digital world. But, as a Witch and an occultist, my arms reach toward the mysteries of the heavens. So, the mixing of the traditional tarot meanings and symbolism with digital art and comic book characters speaks to me in a way that many other decks do not. There were 5,000 copies printed in 1995 and another 5,000 printed in 2000 (if I remember correctly). The second printing had cards that were slightly smaller than the original 1995 edition. My set is one of the original 5,000.

If you're ever looking for the deck, I suggest eBay. It's where I found my deck, but be ready to pay a pretty penny for them. Not many are in circulation as they have found their way into the hands of collectors and the hearts of readers.

Blessings,
~D~

Sources: Myself! The book accompanying the deck written by Rachel Pollack with an introduction by Neil Gaiman Aeclectic.net ( http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/vertigo/review.shtml) A Review by Mark Filipas ( http://www.spiritone.com/~filipas/Masquerade/Reviews/vertigo.html) Tanais and the Vertigo tarot deck ( http://www.dancingfox.com/tarot/tarot.html)

Edit: Wow, I'm long winded. Hope you all don't mind reading my ramblings. :thumbsup:
Edit2: Also never noticed how much I sound like the Architecht from Matrix Reloaded when I write. http://www.soundtrack-board.de/board/images/smilies/matrix_emoticon_ii.gif

[Dashifen]

i know what you are talking about, but i can't remember the name either.... its really cool though, i love that type of thing... it just goes on and on and on......thats such a great idea! there are computer programs that do simulations of those, if i can remember what it is called, i will let you know...

I think that you're both talking about fractals. The most famous fractals are the Mandelbrot Set and the Julia Set, but there are a lot of them. I'd try and find more information for you, but that would defeat the purpose of looking for your own understanding, wouldn't it. But, if you google for fractal or mandelbrot you'll get a host of ideas. But, so that others can potentially see what you're thinking of, assuming that I understand you correctly:

http://www.icd.com/tsd/fractals/beginner/dust.gif
http://www.pha.jhu.edu/~ldb/seminar/images/mandelbrot.gif

Not sure what the top one is, but the bottom one is the most famous representation of the Mandelbrot set.

[Amethyst Rose]

Firstly, let me say that I haven't really read all of the responses from the rest of you. Read a few of them, and then I decided to stop and wait until the weekend when I could do my own assignment and then back track to read the others. I've chosen to write up option one and describe my deck’s background and history, though I hold in reserve the right to consider my own deck in the future nonetheless!



Excellent!! An absolutely excellent answer! Thanks!

[Raven Heart]

wow, very thought out
Raven Heart

[CanisFirebrand]

Incorporating my original post and some new information was I was able to search for.

For this class, I am using the Gothic Tarot (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/gothic-vargo/) by Joseph Vargo.

The creater was intent on creating a deck and was looking for pictures for his cards. He was constatnly told by others that his artwork would be suitable for a tarot deck.

To make sure that his artwork was accurately reflected in the cards, he had to add things to his artwork to ensure that the resulting picture captured the essense of what that card should represent. I found one such example that was admitted to. The Tower card, a thunderstorm was added to the picture.

He also took the changes further with his artwork. He changed backgrounds and color combinations. This also ensured that his cards would have a "dark" feel to them and that they would still retain the necessary information to be a usable deck.

Before the creater set out to make this deck, he knew that the vampire would play a major role in the deck. In addition to the vampire, the deck includes demons, gargoyles, and other creatures associated with "dark" images.

The deck is a standard tarot deck in that it has 78 cards broken up into Major and Minor Arcana.

The deck uses but a few colors in each card. Most cards are simply black and blue images/backgrounds. A few cards have a touch of red in them. And still a few other cards have the color green added.


To me, the deck feels to be based on the Waite deck. The images all seem to flow(mostly in the Major Arcana) from card to card as if to reveal a story. The typical journey of The Fool through the major arcana has been changed a bit to represent the trasition from the land of the living to the underworld. It is a subtle change, but it certainly fits the theme of this deck.

The expected images/symbology from a Waite deck can be seen in the artwork chosen to represent each card. The Minor Arcana also contain the expected images and specific number of swords, cups, pentacles, wands.

[Amethyst Rose]

Thanks CanisFirebrand! Good job. :)

[Anubis RainHawk]

Robin Wood Tarot
created by Robin Wood
Llewellyn Worldwide, 1991

The Robin Wood tarot is a Rider-Waite style pack that combines both traditional and modern symbolism with nature imagery. It's composed of the traditional suits: pentacles, wands, cups, and swords, along with the traditonal major arcana names.

Unlike the Rider-Waite deck, each card of the Robin Wood deck is colorful, vibrant, and full of life. Like the Rider-Waite, each card in the pack seems to tell a story. It is my observation that in addition to a story, each card seems to have it's own world within it. I belive this is due to the artwork. One reviewer said it's "magickal and down to earth", which is why it's such a great deck.

The Robin Wood Tarot contains a heavy pagan infulence. The Magician wears stag horns like that of a Shamanic priest. In the Devil card the Baphamet image of traditional decks is replaced with a man and woman traped in their greed. However, Robin Wood forms the metal chains in the shape of the inverted pentagram, so the traditional devil image is still visible. Instead of angels, Robin shows a nude woman in a fiery cauldron for Judgement.

Almost all Judeo-Christian symbolism has been removed. The only Judeo-Christian symbol remaining would be the angelic figure in Temperance and the Pope figure in The Heirophant. The Heirophant shows Robin Wood bias against Christianity, instead of spiritual wisdome, Wood's card represnt's conformity, tradition, and captivity. The Wheel of Fortune was also changed to remove the Hebrew leters.

Like the Rider-Waite deck, each page in the Robin Wood tarot holds a symbol of the suit. Unlike the Rider-Waite, each page also has an item hanging on her belt to show what she represents. For example, the Page of Cups holds a cup and has a paint palette, symbolizing artistry. Again unlike the Rider-Waite pack, the four pages of the Robin Wood deck are female, balancing the gender of the tarot court.

The Aces of the Robin Wood tarot are also similar to the Rider-Waite deck, but significantly differnet. Unlike the Rider-Waite, a hand is not holding the tool. Instead, each tool seems to floating in air. Each of the Aces be in their own world, making it easier for the reader to understand the card. The Ace of Pentacles, for example is showing within a lively flower garden, floating in a withing thick greenery. Instead of the Ucharist above the Rider-Waite Ace of Cups, the Robin Wood deck shows a large cup completely overflowing with water.

Many of the cards of the Rider-Waite are almost exactly the same with minor changes. I don't know why Robin Wood chose to create a deck in this style, but it's most likely because it's the most known and widely availible. The Celtic knotwork was probably added by Llewellyn or possibly from Robin's Pagan path, honoring Celtic deities.

As for occult symbolism, all I can recognize in numerology, but that's used in every deck I know of. There is some astrological symbolism in some cards also. There is a lot of color symbolism, but most of the symbolism comes from the images themselves.

Sources: www.aeclectictarot.net, www.wicce.com, http://hom.att.net/~jwricklef/Mini_Deck_Revs.html

Anubis RainHawk

[Amethyst Rose]

Good answer, Anubis! Thanks! :)

[Dashifen]

Like the Rider-Waite deck, each page in the Robin Wood tarot holds a symbol of the suit. Unlike the Rider-Waite, each page also has an item hanging on her belt to show what she represents. For example, the Page of Cups holds a cup and has a paint palette, symbolizing artistry.

Never knew that about this deck. Might have to go out and take a peak at it.....

Thanks!
~D~

[Clockwork_Eros]

YES! The Mandelbrot fractal. That is the base for the design of my Universe card. I think there will most likely be a pair of eyes that are closed/open. (Their state is indiscernable, based off of a painting by Alex Grey. The eyelids seem transparent. It's is beautifully creepy)

Mucho gracias Dashifen!!

[halfwaynowhere]

Option 2 (REDO)

I have been planning on making my own deck for a while now... It will be waite-style because those are easier for me to read. The images would be surreal and cartoon-ish, as that’s what I like to draw, and that’s what I like to look at. Since I am into numerology, I would like to possibly incorporate that into the cards, although at this time I’m not entirely sure how. And I think astrology can play an important role in tarot, so I would also like to throw that in, but since I know very little about astrology, I probably won't worry about that yet... if I can figure it out before I get my sketches done, then I will do that, but that will be a ways off, anyways. The colors would be very vibrant, very colorful, and the images wouldn’t be very detailed, because the cards won’t tell you details, just an overall image, so that’s what I’d like to portray. I’m not sure what the back would show; it would probably just be a basic pattern involving spirals or planets or something, probably with red and/or deep purple because those colors seem mystical to me… The deck is really meant to appeal mainly to myself, and its supposed to be symbolic to myself, so I don’t suppose it will matter much what other people think about it. I will be drawing the images by hand, then scanning them and digitally retouching them and printing them out on special paper (not entirely sure which type is best, I will have to look into it more).

[Dashifen]

Mucho gracias Dashifen!!


:thumbsup:

[Anubis RainHawk]

I don't know how far this idea would good, but thought I would brainstorm anyway. It would be a Rider-Waite deck, with possible Crowely influence. If I were creating I deck, all the characters would be deities (or at least the major arcana). Since I don't have ideas for all 22, I post the ideas for the ones I do have:

Major Arcana
TheMagician: Thoth holding the wand like in the Rider-Waite deck, standing behind an altar displaying the four magickal weapons

TheHighPriestess: Isis, either holding 2 birds or candles or standing between 2 pillars, 1 white and 1 black, with the full moon above her

Empress: Gaia, this would probably be a photo of the Millenial Gaia statue with plants surrounding Her in a circle. I would also and cirlce showing the 12 astrological signs

Emperor: Zeus or Cernunnos seated on a throne, either holding the world or at his feet

Heirophant: The Buddha or Shiva, possibly with two people like in the Robin Wood deck

Lovers: possibly Eros and Psyche, with the ying-yan somewhere

Wheel of Fortune: Don't know how to show this as a deity, but I was thinking of having an astrological wheel or a wheel showing the 8 Sabbats

Justic:Ma'at holding scales

HangedMan: I was thinking Odin so that it would be entirely pagan, but I think the image of Christ would be better because everyone knows about his story.

TheMoon: Hecate, staring into a cauldron fill with water showing the moon's reflection. A dog could be on the side of the cauldron.

The Sun: Appollo

Minor Arcana
For the Aces, I would want to have a patron of the element holding the elemental tool.

Earth: Cernunnos-holding a pentacle in the forest

Water: Neptune-holding a chalice underwater

Air:Isis-flying in the clouds holding a sword

Fire:Pele-coming out as lava of a volcano holding a wand

For the cards 2-10 I think I would have regular people or other non-gods from world mythology.

occult symbolism: astrology-planetary and astrological symbols within cards, numerology, pagan symbols: Celtic, Egyptian, Greek, Norse, Eastern Symbolism: Hinduism, Buddhism, color symbolism, possibly Qabalah symbolism

[Dashifen]

HangedMan: I was thinking Odin so that it would be entirely pagan, but I think the image of Christ would be better because everyone knows about his story.

I'd go with Odin for the Hanged Man since Odin was hanged on the tree for self-enlightenment while Chirst was crucified for the enlightenment of others. Therefore, I've often attributed Christ with the Star and not the Hanged Man, though I see both sides of the arguement.

Blessings,
~D~

P.S. Amethyst: do you mind other students commenting on the assignments? I don't want to step on toes :)

[Shana-chan]

A planned version of my tarot deck that I will create.

My tarot deck will be based a lot on the stories the cards tell, while also showing the symbollism of the cards in the artwork.

The actual visuals on the cards will consist of a very 'magical' or 'mystical' tone. The major arcana will be mainly faerie/elven characters as the main focal point, along with some sort of visual that shows the symbollysm of the card. The major arcana will also have the female/male/female/male representation for the royal part of the cards. I haven't decided on whether it will be a page or not, but the rest will definately be knight/queen/king.

The minor arcana will have a far more 'personal' touch to me. As the cards will still have a very mystical or occult feel to them, but will contain some personifications of my friends. They will also contain the symbolism of the cards, though, and the other cards will have definate pagan 'touches' to them, although altered to better fit 'my' faith.

Some examples: The first two changes will be that the Magician card will become the Druid card, and that the Death card will also be a Life card. To procide an example of the personifications of my friends, I will be drawing my two friends as the Druid card and the High Priestess card. The Druid card of my strong, courageous, light-haired friend who likes to make the move to assist in her life changes, and the Priestess card of my dark-haired, often unwilling to make the move friend. Not only do they personify what the cards mean (to a lesser extent, perhaps), but they will also add that loving touch to my cards. ^_^

Like I said, this will definately be a Pagan deck, with my own form of Paganism within it. It will probably also have a lot of Arthurian visuals in it, along with a lot of visuals that people probably think of as 'mythical.'

I'd give more examples for my cards, but I don't know the meanings well enough yet, unfortunately. That's why I'm taking this class. ^_^

(I hope this version is easier to understand. :( )

[Clockwork_Eros]

Question, Amethyst.

How true to the original Wands/Swords/Pentacles/Cups images should we be? I plan on using them, especially for the aces, but should we have them in all the minor cards? Would an abstraction of the ideal behind the card work, and then incorporating the basic shapes into said abstraction, (ie straight lines for wands, sharp points for swords, circles for coins/pentacles, and flowing spirals/hourglass shapes/etc for cups?) or should I keep with the pre-cursor surrealist ideals exemplified by the Thoth deck?

[Willow Rosette]

I didnt have alot of info on the deck I want to build because I figured I would build it as we went through the class i would work on it. So my redo will be option 1. Im basically going to tell you what I found in my lwb because cougar is my r/m and if he redoes his I will leave his research for online. My deck is the Tarot of the Cat People and it is based on the wait style of story telling in a deck.

The woman who created my deck is Karen Kuykendall. She is known as the cat woman and has based her art work in a large part on her friendly felines as well as anthropology, architecture, art history, costume in history, as well as traveling in Mexico, Europe, and the United States. She currently lives in the deserts of Arizona.

Ms. Kuykendall was born in 1928 and grew up in San Diego Ca. receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree from San Jose state in 1950. From 1950 to 1953 she went to the Art Center and Chinouard Art Institute in Los Angeles studing motion picture design and illustration. She received theMaster of Art History award from the University of Arizona in 1960.

Im not going to list them all here but her accomplishments range from developing a line of mid evil furniture in the 1950's for the Jamestown Lounge Furniture Companyof New York that is still illustrated in their catalog. All the way to the present where she is currently painting as well ascreating a line of paper mache jewelry like what is seen on the people in this deck. She is known to show up at science fiction events dressed in clothes like that of the people in the deck such as rich flowing cotumes and elegant jewelry. Her favorite things to paint are: costumed people, fantasy, and science fiction, horses and of course cats like the ten that live with her.

It took her more than two years to create the origional art work for Tarot of the Cat People and each card was origionally painted on an acrylic board 9 1/2 inches by 15 1/2inches. The beautiful people and cats are are set in the Outer Regions which is published by U.S. Games Systems. The best way to describe this deck is said in the little white book its self "successfully blends the symbolism of the tarot with the fascinating imagery of science fiction and fantasy".

[Raven Heart]

Question, Amethyst.

How true to the original Wands/Swords/Pentacles/Cups images should we be? I plan on using them, especially for the aces, but should we have them in all the minor cards? Would an abstraction of the ideal behind the card work, and then incorporating the basic shapes into said abstraction, (ie straight lines for wands, sharp points for swords, circles for coins/pentacles, and flowing spirals/hourglass shapes/etc for cups?) or should I keep with the pre-cursor surrealist ideals exemplified by the Thoth deck?

Wow, I read all your ideas for your deck and each one seems to be getting better. If you ever make that deck post some of those images online for all of us to see.
Raven Heart

[Amethyst Rose]

Thanks halfwaynowhere and Shana-chan for the redo! Good job. :) If this keeps up I'll be giving away a lot of tarot decks. :)

Visha'sMommy, can you please expand on what the deck is like? What are the images like? What pictures are used? Can you see the story in the images? Can you tell the meaning of the card just by looking at the images? What occult symbols are used, and how? You told me a lot about the author, but nothing about the cards and that's what I want to know about.

[Amethyst Rose]

Question, Amethyst.

How true to the original Wands/Swords/Pentacles/Cups images should we be? I plan on using them, especially for the aces, but should we have them in all the minor cards? Would an abstraction of the ideal behind the card work, and then incorporating the basic shapes into said abstraction, (ie straight lines for wands, sharp points for swords, circles for coins/pentacles, and flowing spirals/hourglass shapes/etc for cups?) or should I keep with the pre-cursor surrealist ideals exemplified by the Thoth deck?

Seeing as how a tarot deck is a totally personal thing, I think you can make the images in any style that you wish. It would be prudent, however, to write an explination for those who may use your deck(if you were to publish it, for example) so they know what your motivation is.

[Anubis RainHawk]

Never knew that about this deck. Might have to go out and take a peak at it.....

Thanks!
~D~

It's really a cool deck. You should take a look at it. It's my favorite ( and only) deck I use.

Anubis RainHawk

[Eternal Seeker]

Option 1: Research your own tarot deck.

The deck I'm using is the Universal Waite. This deck utilizes the line drawings of the original Rider-Waite deck, but has been recolored with more vibrant colors by Mary Hanson-Roberts. The original Rider Waite deck was published in 1910. A. E. Waite directed the work of the artist, Pamela Colman Smith, and wrote a book to accompany the deck, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot. The deck and book combined to make tarot divination available to the masses. It was also, as far as I can tell, the first deck to have a picture for each of the minor arcana.

Both Waite and Smith were members of the Golden Dawn, Waite having joined 1891, Smith in 1903. The Golden Dawn had its own tarot system. Members drew their own decks, based on written descriptions of the images. I had, at first, assumed that the Rider-Waite occult symbolism was based on the Golden Dawn deck, and although some minor points might be inherited from it, I now know that the Rider-Waite imagery was based on an older source: the writings of Eliphas Levi. Much of the Golden Dawn deck's imagery and symbolism is based on Levi's work as well, however, the Golden Dawn overhauled the Hebrew letter attributions. They also reordered the Trumps slightly. The Golden Dawn places The Fool first, whereas Levi places it before The World (Waite follows Levi here). Levi lists Justice as eight, and Strength as eleven. The Golden Dawn deck reverses the order for these two cards, and Waite follows suit.

Here are the descriptions of Levi's cards:


The Fool: (Shin) The sensitive principle, the flesh, eternal life.
Hieroglyph, the FOOL. A man in the garb of a fool, wandering without aim, burdened with a wallet, which is doubtless full of his follies and vices; his disordered clothes discover his shame; he is being bitten by a tiger and does not know how to escape or defend himself.


The Magician: (Aleph) Being, mind, man or God; the comprehensible object; unity mother of numbers, the first substance.
All these ideas are expressed hieroglyphically by the figure of the JUGGLER. His body and arms constitute the letter ALEPH; round his head there is a nimbus in the form of (infinity symbol), emblem of life and the universal spirit; in front of him are swords, cups and pantacles; he uplifts the miraculous rod towards heaven. He has a youthful figure and curly hair, like Apollo or Mercury; the smile of confidence is on his lips and the look of intelligence in his eyes.


The Lovers: (Vau) Sequence, interlacement, lingam, entanglement, union, embrace, strife, antagonism, combination, equilibrium.
Hieroglyph, man between VICE and VIRTUE. Above him shines the Sun of Truth, and in this Sun is Love, bending his bow and threatening Vice with his shaft. In the order of the ten SEPHIROTH, this symbol corresponds to TIPHERETH that is, to idealism and beauty. The number six represents the antagonism of the two triads, that is, absolute negation and absolute affirmation. It is therefore the number of toil and liberty, and for this reason it connects also with moral beauty and glory.


Golden Dawn descriptions:


The Foolish Man: (Aleph)
This card as usually presented shows a man in motley striding along, heedless of the dog which tears his garments and threatens to attack him. In this is seen only the lower aspect of the card, giving no hint to the Divine Folly of which St. Paul speaks. But in the Order pack, an effort is made to reveal the deeper meaning. A naked child stands beneath a rose-tree bearing yellow roses - the golden Rose of Joy as well as the Rose of Silence. While reaching up to the Roses, he yet holds in leash a grey wolf, worldly wisdom held in check by perfect innocence.


The Lovers: (Zain)
The impact of inspiration on intuition, resulting in illumination and liberation - the sword striking off the fetters of habit and materialism, Perseus rescuing Andromeda from the Dragon of fear and the waters of Stagnation. (Note: Incidentally note that this is the design of the Order card. Andromeda is shown manacled to a rock, the dragon rising from the waters at her feet. Perseus is depicted flying through the air to her assistance, with unsheathed sword. The design is wholly different from that of the Waite pack. -- I.R.)


Note the differences in the descriptions for The Fool? However, the Rider-Waite deck does much to incorporate the ideals of the Golden Dawn symbolism. His fool seems more cheerful, more innocent, holding a rose in one hand, yet heedless to the dangerous cliff just ahead. So while Waite didn't use the Golden Dawn images (perhaps due to his oath of secrecy), he did incorporate its symbolism.

What of the elemental correspondences to suits? Upon this point, both the Rider-Waite and Golden Dawn decks agree:

Wands - Fire Cups - Water Swords - Air Pentacles - Earth

What of the other popular scheme, which uses Wands - Air and Swords - Fire? This site (http://www.villarevak.org/bio/levi_2.html) says of Levi:


Furthermore, he integrated Tarot with Cabala (an influential type of Jewish mysticism) and the Four Elements. In Dogme et rituel, he was the first to write that:

The ten numerical cards of each suit corresponded to the ten Cabalistic Sephiroth (centers of divine energy);
The four suits corresponded to the Four Elements, viz., Coins (later called Pentacles) = Earth, Cups = Water, Scepters (later called Wands) = Air, and Swords = Fire; and,
Although he was not the first to link Tarot to the Hebrew alphabet, he was the first specifically to write that the Juggler (later called the Magician) = Aleph, the Papess (later called the High Priestess) = Beth, etc.

I have searched through Dogma et Rituel, and cannot find where Levi explicitly mentions the elemental correspondences for the suits. However, it is easy to determine from some passages:



Turning now to the four suits, namely, Clubs, Cups, Swords and Circles or Pantacles, commonly called Deniers - all these are hieroglyphics of the Tetragram. Thus, the Club is the Egyptian Phallus or Hebrew JOD; the cup is the cteis or primitive HE; the Sword is the conjunction of both, or the lingam, represented in Hebrew preceding the captivity by Vau while the Circle or Pantacle, image of the world, is the HE final of the Divine Name.


The symbolical tetrad, represented in the Mysteries of Memphis and Thebes by the four forms of the sphinx - man, eagle, lion and bull - corresponded with the four elements of the old world, water being signified by the cup held by the man or aquarius; air by the circle or nimbus surrounding the head of the celestial eagle; fire by the wood which nourishes it, by the tree fructifying in the heat of earth and sun, finally, by the sceptre of royalty, which the lion typifies; earth by the sword of Mithras, who each year immolates the sacred bull, and together with its blood, pours forth that sap which gives increase to all the fruits of earth.

So we have the four letters of the name of God:

Yod wands fire
Heh cups water
Vau swords air
Heh pentacles earth

After doing further research, I think I have found the origin of the wands-air swords-fire scheme: Paul Foster Case, before joining the Golden Dawn, wrote an article entitled The Secret Doctrine of the Tarot (http://www.lvx.org/Archive/pfc_sdt1.htm). The correspondences he uses are:

Yod wands air
Heh cups water
Vau swords fire
Heh pentacles earth

His reasoning was likely that since air was more "lofty", it should be at the highest point of the descent of spirit to matter. However, it is not air, but fire that begins the descent. Fire represents force, and energy, and it is that force which begins the descent. Case reprinted the article with corrections after joining the Golden Dawn.


Waite's divinatory meanings were most likely based on those used by the Golden Dawn, which had an exhaustive system for divination.

Sources: Universal Waite LWB, The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie, Dogma et Ritual, and the following websites:

http://www.lvx.org/Archive/pfc_sdt1.htm
http://www.2000biz.com/pfc/documents/timeline.pdf
http://www.villarevak.org/bio/levi_2.html

Following is a visual comparison of the cards The Fool and The Lovers from both the Universal Waite and the Golden Dawn Magical Tarot. The Golden Dawn Magical Tarot is copyrighted by Sandra Tabitha Cicero and Chic Cicero, published by Llewellyn. The Universal Waite is both copyrighted and published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

[Amethyst Rose]

Excellent answer, Eternal Seeker!! You taught me something. :) I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks!

[Eternal Seeker]

Thanks! I'm just glad it's done. It took several days to research all that. :collapse:

[Anubis RainHawk]

I'd go with Odin for the Hanged Man since Odin was hanged on the tree for self-enlightenment while Chirst was crucified for the enlightenment of others. Therefore, I've often attributed Christ with the Star and not the Hanged Man, though I see both sides of the arguement.


I like your ideas. Thanks posting it. :)

Anubis RainHawk

[RhiamonButterfly]

ok, now that I FOUND my Gendron deck, I used it for my assignment, since it is a deck I haven't yet used. First off, while looking at the pictures, I noticed the artist and creator, Melanie Gendron, used fairly traditional Waite meanings, but her pictures are so much more intense! She has used many different symbols and ideas, that it will take me awhile to learn this deck. It has a lean towards Goddesses of many cultures, especially Native American figures in the artwork, but doesn't lose anything by becoming a feminist deck, with including men in some cards. She has also included alot of animals. Examples would be butterflies, eagles, dolphins, etc. and they also have meanings. Most of the cards include some astrological meanings also, but I'm new to that so I don't know how to read them yet.
Also something else that I found interesting was a mix of what seems like artwork (as in paintings) and then some cards almost seem like photographs! I would read these cards with the standard RWS meanings, but I think there is much to discover in the meanings of these cards! As far as occult symbology, there are a couple things I see so far, like the Deciever card (the devil) has an inverted pentagram on his forehead, and also includes pentacles for coins, etc....
some reviews I read: http://www.tarotpassages.com/gendron.htm and
http://claremc.co.uk/taintedtarot/VAULT/Gendrondeck.html

[Amethyst Rose]

Thanks! I'm just glad it's done. It took several days to research all that. :collapse:

That was the whole point. :D Thanks again!

[Dashifen]

I like your ideas. Thanks posting it. :)
Anubis RainHawk

:thumbsup:

[linaXgrazzada]

Review by Christopher Butler


One of the first decks I owned was the good old Rider Waite, published by U.S. Games/AGM Muller. Indeed, this is the deck that most people around the world know along with the fact that there are countless clones available. Most people would be very surprised to learn that this deck itself is a clone and not the original!

The original plates for the Rider Waite were destroyed during the War. Colman Smith however prepared two lots of line drawings; one with accompanying amber paste ups* for the cards themselves and a second lot, virtually but not completely identical to act as black and white illustrations for the accompanying book by Waite, The pictorial key to the Tarot. When Stuart Kaplan did us the great service of republishing the deck, He had to take the black and white line drawings and have them re coloured, following Waite's personal copy of the deck for reference, but no doubt in a way that was conducive to the printing technology of the early seventies.

More recently however, Rider and Co, in cojunction with U.S. Games have published a full photo facsimile of the original deck and I would encourage anyone to add it to their collection. The colours are much richer, darker and more muted and it is fascinating to compare the tiny differences of detail between this and the better known reproduction. See the face of the Sun on card 19 for instance or the titling on the Page of Cups. The Rider Waite is often accused of being too stark or cartoon like. These criticisms fade away when you see the original and I personally think they stem from the combination of turn of the century line drawings with a 1970's perception of how they should be coloured. The colours were never meant to be flat or fresh. Close examination of the original cards shows rougher textures, often made up from lines or dots and fewer colours made from combinations of a basic pallete of crimson, gold, beige, black and pale blue. The originals appear less cartoon like and more like the turn of the century Arts and Crafts style illustrations that they are.

Most importantly, this publication restores the beautiful original back design of tudor roses and lilies in pale blue, shamefully replaced by a non-descript tartan on the U.S. Games edition. It must also be noted that recent U.S. Games editions have replaced Smith's characterful calligraphy with standard typeface, to bring them in line with the various foreign language editions published. In England, this facsimile version is the most widely available and I hope it becomes better known in other territories as well. The cards are available separately or as a deck and book set.

* In turn of the century printing, the amber paste ups determined the positioning of areas of colour on the printed page. They were rather like a predecessor of colour separation.

Chris Butler discovered the tarot nearly twenty five years ago when, as a thirteen year old he watched Jane Seymour shuffling a strange and colourful deck of cards in a James Bond film! He has recently fulfilled his ambition to create his own deck; The Butler Tarot is now complete and he is working on the accompanying book. He is a freelance artist, based in London, England.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have a basic waite deck. it's 78 cards with pretty traditional art. The deck was just given to me as a present so its not too worn yet.
my source: http://www.aeclectic.net

[Willow Rosette]

Visha'sMommy, can you please expand on what the deck is like? What are the images like? What pictures are used? Can you see the story in the images? Can you tell the meaning of the card just by looking at the images? What occult symbols are used, and how? You told me a lot about the author, but nothing about the cards and that's what I want to know about.


The images in the deck are beautiful, all the cats are very elligantly posed and all the people are very well dressed and regal. That is what origionally drew me to the deck, since I am a cat lover myself. I dont understand the story that goes with it but other people might, even reading the story its self i still dont ee much of it in the pictures. I have had a very difficult time using this deck because i cant see the meaning in the cards kust by looking , I yhave to keep my lwb close. That is why I had origionally chose option 2. As for any occult symbols it seems like almost every picture has like the moon and stars and several have a star shape that can been as a penticle type, but there is nothing that really grabs me as occult symbols. I hope this helps.

[-Sky-]

Hey AmethystRose!
I haven't forgotten the assignement either but I am re-reading the first lesson,doing a bit of research and planning my answer.But I will definately post it here before January too.
I have a question though:What you mean by the term "occult influences" in our decks?
Lots of blessings to you,
-EDIT-
For option 2,does our deck has to be a 78 cards deck or maybe an oracle?I certainly don't have all the experience to make an oracle deck but I have something in mind and maybe I could try it. :bouncybob
~Sky

[Amethyst Rose]

The images in the deck are beautiful, all the cats are very elligantly posed and all the people are very well dressed and regal. That is what origionally drew me to the deck, since I am a cat lover myself. I dont understand the story that goes with it but other people might, even reading the story its self i still dont ee much of it in the pictures. I have had a very difficult time using this deck because i cant see the meaning in the cards kust by looking , I yhave to keep my lwb close. That is why I had origionally chose option 2. As for any occult symbols it seems like almost every picture has like the moon and stars and several have a star shape that can been as a penticle type, but there is nothing that really grabs me as occult symbols. I hope this helps.

Yes, that helps a bit, thanks. :)

[Amethyst Rose]

I have a question though:What you mean by the term "occult influences" in our decks?

For option 2,does our deck has to be a 78 cards deck or maybe an oracle?I certainly don't have all the experience to make an oracle deck but I have something in mind and maybe I could try it.


By occult influences I mean numerology, astrology, kabalah and magic.... the things that S. Liddel Mathers incorporated into the Tarot.

If you think you can do a good job describing an oracle deck, then I'll let you do it.... I'll let you be the judge of that. :)

[blackcatwiccan01090]

okay, my deck is Osho Zen Tarot deck and this is what I've read and found out...

The Osho Zen Tarot was inspired from Osho, a teacher from IndiaThe artist Ma Deva Padma is a meditative artist and disciple of Osho. The goal of this deck is awareness. It is presented as "a transcendental game of Zen. Its based on ensitivity, intuition, compassion, receptivity, courage and individuality.

The cards are distinguished through the color and numbering/symbol in a small diamond at the bottom of each card. There is also a keyword meaning associated with each card. The court cards are not always pictured as people. They are identified by a direction arrow in the diamond.

http://www.wicce.com/oshozen.html
http://www.wicce.com/oshozen.jpg

http://www.hudren.com/products/zentarot/

by the way, sorry im late...

[blackcatwiccan01090]

by the way, happy holidays everyone

[Flaire-FireStar]

Option 1: Research your own tarot deck. Tell me how you feel it relates to the first tarot decks used for games. How has history contributed to it? Find out if it is based on the Waite or Crowley deck, and explain to me why you feel it to be so. Show me your sources.

For this class, I am using the Universal Waite.
Obviously it's based on the Waite. ( :T ) It has the same pictures as the original Rider-Waite, but the colours have been re-done by Mary Hanson-Roberts in more soothing tones which make it much easier on the eyes.

If the modern Tarot cards originated from those of the Visconti Sforza, in which the pip cards show only the number of suit (example 3 wands for the 3 of Wands), this deck is a far cry in the minor arcana, but from the previews of cards on Aclectic tarot of the major arcana, those are, indeed, similar.

Sources:

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/rider-waite/review.shtml
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/visconti-sforza/
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/universal-waite/review.shtml
http://www.wicce.com/rider.html
http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=78746

[goldcat79]

Deck Name : Spirt Of The South Wind

Deck Size 4+6 The Cards Will 78 Card 22 Major 56 Minor

If A Occult Can Be Tribal The It Would Be Native American "quapaw"

Images :well Based On Waite Style Of Having A Storyline On A Native Tribes

Of The Quapaw A Southern Tribe Apart Of Sioux Nation

A Card Sample :
1 - 0- The Fool-coyote
2 - 1- The Magician-shawman
3 - 2- The High Priestess-medican Woman
4 - 3- The Empire -chief
5 - 4- The High Priest-spirt Guide
6 - 5- The Lovers

This A Sample Of What I Think My Cards Will Be Like And The Story Line Of These Cards Will Be Based On My Time On The Summer I Spent With My Grandfather On A Indian Res In Oklahoma
I Hope This Helps You In Seeing Where I Am Going Going This My Tarot Deck And I Would Like Your Input On This Good Or Bad

[Rowan MoonDragon]

The Universal Waite deck is based off of the Rider Waite deck but it was re colored to make it easier on the eyes. There are some legends that claim the origins of tarot to be from around the 1200's in Italy. For example - the Visconti Tarocchi deck from 1390. During the Renaissance period, knowledge of the Tarot was concealed by referring to it as "ROTA", which is latin for wheel of life, an annagram for tarot. There is symbolism from the Rosicrucians and the Freemasons in some of the cards. These secret societies have existed since before 500 A.D. They needed to pass knowledge and sometimes used the tarot cards to do so. Each card tells a story by using not only picures, but colors, symbols, and astrology. For example, in the card The Fool, the figure is standing at the edge of a cliff, seemingly unconcerned. The yellow in the card reflects intelligence. The wreath around his head reflects growth and since it is around his head it is the growth of his intellect....There are many more symbols in this card but I only want to give examples at this point.

My source is from a book that my tarot teachers wrote-New Dimensions in Awareness-Be Your Own Psychic Tarot Manual

[Willow_starr]

This deck seems to have mostly been made to sell as a gift set (Roth)*. The author, Sasha Fenton, is a British psychic and has published a number of books on different divination systems and psychic arts. The artist, Samantha Bale, is a free-lance illustrator. It is unclear which of the two actually designed the concepts for this deck or what their reasons for creating, and inspirations behind, this deck were. The art itself is inspired by Gothic architecture, stained glass and illuminated manuscripts (Fenton 7) and is quite bright and beautiful which is what makes it aesthetically my favourite of the decks I own.

The major arcana is clearly based on the Rider-Waite deck with a couple of important changes. Arcane or occult symbolism has been removed, except for a few references to astrology, in order to make the deck accessible and "safe" (whatever that means) for everyone (Fenton 4). Also, the characters are much less stiff than in the R-W. Most who were sitting on thrones have been removed from them and some have been completely updated. For example, the High Priestess is a modern fortune teller with a crystal ball and cards in front of her.

The minor arcana differs greatly from the R-W and is much more like early playing cards. All of the character (with the exception of the court cards) have been removed and they simply show the pips. However, the pips in many of the cards are themselves arranged to reflect the meaning of the cards and are similar in theme to the corresponding card in the R-W. The seven of swords, which in the R-W is depicted as a man stealing some swords is shown in the Fenton deck as the swords cutting open a bag of coins. And the two of cups which is a man and a woman sharing or exchanging cups in the R-W is shown as one cup flowing into another surrounded by two roses in Fenton's version.

Sources:
Tarot: Your Color Guide to the Fascinating World of Tarot - Sasha Fenton
My partner's Rider-Waite deck
Red Wheel Publishing - http://www.redwheelweiser.com/authors/author_detail.jsp?supplier_id=365
Deck Review - Jeanette Roth - http://www.wicce.com/roth8.html
Samantha Bale Illustrations - http://www.sambaleillustrations.co.uk/

*Even in my spare time I am citing references like a mad-woman. Damn the brain-washing power of university assignments!

[Madjek]

Assignment 1: Option 1

I will be using the Universal Waite deck.

This deck is almost an exact clone of the Rider-Waite deck. The only difference to my knowledge is the colors used on the drawings. I checked out the standard Rider-Waite deck online and I must say that I think the colors used on the Universal deck are much better. They are easier on the eyes in my opinion, more appealing. Because these two decks are pretty much the same the history of its drawings is identical. They were drawn by an American artist named Pamela Colman Smith. Smith originally drew these under the direction of Arthur E. Waite, with no colors. It is unknown if it was her or the publisher, William Rider and Son, who colored the Rider-Waite deck. Mary Hanson-Roberts was commissioned by the US Games Systems to color this deck (the Universal Waite deck). She is well-known for the Hanson-Roberts Tarot deck.

What makes the Raider-Waite deck appealing is that ALL the cards including the minor acarnas have scenes and symbols depicted on them as opposed to having only geometrical drawings. This makes them much easier to interpret. Excellent for beginners like me! Some of the influences are quabalah/hermetics, which I am not too familiar with yet, as well as magical influences like the pentacles which replaced the coins. I also noticed it has Christian influences for example the devil and the Judgement cards as well as the lovers cards, which to me, look like Adam and Eve. Eve has the snake on the tree behind her. The Judgment card looks like people waiting to get into heaven. The Devil well, it’s quite obvious! With his horns and the fire. This was done to make the interpretations even easier.

This of course are only my opinions and feelings about the deck. I might have interpreted some of the cards wrong. I must admit that when I first received this deck as a present I wasn’t too sure I liked it. But now because of all this research I have done and spending time with my deck I love it. I really learned a lot about doing this.

The reason I really like it is because I can stare at the artwork for hours imagining what is going on in the pictures. It really gets my mind going. I think that is why a Rider-Waite decks are so popular. They can be interpreted differently by different people.

Well I'm off to bed now.... :zzzzZZZ:

edit:
Sources:
http://www.themysticeye.com/
and others I fogot to jot down while surfing....but mostly the one above

[Amethyst Rose]

I Hope This Helps You In Seeing Where I Am Going Going This My Tarot Deck And I Would Like Your Input On This Good Or Bad

Thanks for the redo, goldcat, that was much better!

[Amethyst Rose]

Review by Christopher Butler



I just saw this, and I'm sorry I missed it before. I'm sorry linaXgrazzada, but you can't just post someone else's review as your answer. Not only is it plagarizing, but it's not *your* answer, it's someone elses! I really can't accept this and need you to redo the assignment in your own words and doing your own research before you can go on.

[Devi]

I chose option 2

I think it would be very interesting to come up with your own deck . I have 2 ideas I think would be really nice. The first would involve a lot of research. An african deck featuring different african countries mythology & symbolism and Gods and Godesses. I dont know all the countries I would research but I know I would like the Four suits to be represented by a different culture one from the north south east west with egypt being one of them.


The other idea would be a hindu based deck featuring Hindu Gods and Godesses with eastern symbolism. The colors would be saffron and gold or saffron and red. The minor arcana would be divided up by earth water fire and air.I think it would be interesting to have them also divided up by the different symbols vishnu carries. disk, lotus, club and conch shell.

Vishnu's symbols (http://mailerindia.com/god/hindu/index.php?vish2)

Because I'm new to tarot and do not have a complete understanding of each card I cannot give a complete idea of how i would like to convey each meaning. I do think that I would want the minor arcana cards to not only have symbolism but also be telling a story. There are so many beautiful vedic stories...... many would capture the meaning of each card. But again thats a more involved idea that would call for a better understanding of tarot than where i'm at right now.

So what I did do was put together ideas I have for the major arcana cards.They are made up of Hindu Gods and Godesses. They may change or evolve as I Iearn more.:smile:

Fool: Jada Bharata
Magician: Brahma
High Priestess:Saraswati
Empress: Sita
Emperor: Rama
HIEROPHANT: Kapila
Lovers: Usha and Anirudha
Chariot: Arjuna
Strength:Lord Nsringha Deva & Prahlad Maharaja
Hermit: Narda Muni
Wheel: Lord Jagannatha
Justice: Yamaraja
Hanged Man: Buddha
Death: Shiva
Devil: Maya
Tower: Kali
Star: Hanuman
Moon: Chandra
Sun: Surya
Judgement: Ajamila
World: Vishnu and Lakshmi,

here are some links that showcase a few of my picks.

Jada Bharata (http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/volume_4/lectures_and_discourses/the_story_of_jada_bharata.htm
)
Gods and Goddesses (http://fullmoon_deities.tripod.com/hindu.html
)
Sita & Rama (http://www.salagram.net/parishad131.html
)
Kapila (http://www.tattva.com/BBT/SPBOOKS/spbooks.html)
Usha & Aniruddha (http://tezpur.tripod.com/)
Lord Nsringha Deva & Prahlad Maharaja (http://www.twilightbridge.com/hobbies/festivals/holi/narashimha.htm
)
Ajamila (http://www.geocities.com/krsnajoe/srimad.html)

[Amethyst Rose]

Great job, Devi! Sounds like it'd be a really nice deck. Thanks. :)

[Madjek]

Well I always been drawn to the rider-waite style cause I really enjoyed using them over the years and I love the pictures as court cards. So this is what I would do. Make it in modern terms, with a really dark gothic artist doing the art. I would try to make the images and symbols very blunt. Nothing really hidden. It would be in your face well sticking to the pattern the rider waite deck layed out. Some ideas for the court cards would be like for the fool have some one in a black business suit with a bright red power tie walking staring up into the stark sky as he walks off a skyscraper holding a brown brief case. Than I think just a large wolf hound nipping at him trying to stop him. The Magician being called the programmer instead and have four monitors showing the four suits of the tarot. Love showing the classic image of the church wedding and a heavenly host watching over them. The Hermit would be the homeless and would look like the deranged bum we all see on the streets, but his face would be as full as wisdom as the aryan Christ we all know. Temperance would become the chemist, a scientist mixing two vials into one. Death riding his black horse through the crumbling ruins of a city with a priest, mayor, prostate and drug addict dropping to there knees. The devil laughing would be above a t.v. with two images playing. One of a man shooting up with heroine and a women drunk and passed out. Both of these images would be surrounded by smoke like demons. These demons would be playing out of one DvD player at the bottom. The tower being sudden unexpected change i think an image of 9-1-1 would get the point across. What in modern times would represent it more. Judgment would be what we as a modern world have to fear. It would be a barren wasteland with smoky images of modern horrors floating above it, nuclear blasts, dieses, starvation, genocide, war and terroism. On the barren wasteland would be a family of pale naked humans looking up, hoping for a new world, a better world. These our just some images I can think of. They would be the bases and set the mood for the deck. It ideas of would carried through with court cards.
If you have any questions what other images i would decide on for any card feel free to ask.
Deep Peace
Raven Heart

I really like the sound of this deck.... :hearteyes

[Lolith]

Just so you know, I didn't forget about this assignment, and I wasn't procrastinating. :) I came up with my idea a while ago, and have spent the last few weeks brainstorming. I wanted to put some thought into this before I just posted something random. I'll try to recreate what is in my head.

The deck I would create would be highly based on the Waite style with only a little emphasis on the occult. I personally love the idea of each picture telling it's own story, and I've never really been much into symbolism so it was easy to determine the style of my cards. The extent of the occult influence that I would put in would be numerology (a certain number of things, a certain time on a clock), color correspondences, and auras. Even though I wold use these, they might not be in every card. They would only appear when I felt that it was necessary to add extra emphasis to a certain aspect of that card. My deck would also use the traditional swords, wands, pentacles, and cups. The only change I might make in that would be to switch wands for sticks. I would use absolutely no cue words on any of my cards. I find them to be a great distraction. My major arcana wouldn't even have the name of the card, it would only have a roman numeral to tell which one it was. The minor arcana would have only the specific number of whatever suit it was, and for the court cards, the difference in them would be easily determined. For the king, queen, knight, and page, I'd use adults, teenagers, and children respectively.

The characters I would use in my deck would be a mix of humans and ghosts and would revolve around the feelings of death. I spent a lot of time thinking of images that would invoke a great deal of emotion, and that's how I came up with this idea. The humans in the cards would consist of those who can/cannot see, and those who can only sense the ghosts. The ghosts would consist of those who fear, embrace, except, or not notice the fact that they are dead. The deck would be set in modern times with a mostly urban setting. The colors in the deck would be deep and rich, however, the color correspondence would be a noticeable contrast but would still blend in with the look of the cards. Even thought they wouldn't "pop out" if you looked closely you would notice them. The only faint colors I would have in the deck would be for the ghosts. They would be a pale blue/grey color. The colors would be the only way to tell them apart from the living humans. As for the auras I mentioned earlier, both the humans and ghosts would have them.

My deck would be a highly personal one. It would not be light-hearted, and would probably be considered very dark because of some of the images that I have in my head for certain cards. Since the deck would be for only me, I would not be afraid to use things that some people might find offensive. Some of the pictures might be considered morbid, grotesque, or gory, but the deck would not revolve around those attributes alone. I would only use them as I felt needed.

Having said that, I'll describe a few of my cards now. Keep in mind that these might change as I've only been seriously thinking of them since this assignment started.

The Fool (0): A young adult at a party where people are doing drugs. That young adult ODs and you can see their spirit floating up while everyone around doesn't notice. The look on the ghost's face would be one of confusion.

Death(XIII): An elderly man watching his own funeral. His family is small, but they are obviously mourning their loss. The sky would be cloudy with the look of approaching rain.

The Devil(XV): A family arguing over a will at a lawyer's office. The ghost of their relative watches on and has his head hung in shame as a result of their greed.

The Star(XVII): The scene would be a seance. The ghost would be brought down and able to communicate with their living friends/relatives. The looks on each person's face would convey some emotion close to happiness.

5 of Cups: A person who just recently lost a loved one would be kneeling while looking at a picture of that lost one. The ghost of that loved one would be watching with a hand on the person's shoulder. The look on the ghost's face would be a look of sorrow due to watching their loved one suffer. The 5 cups would be chalices sitting on the nearest table next to a bottle of liquor making it obvious that the human was drinking heavily.

3 of Swords: The scene would be in a child's bedroom. The mother of that child would have a cake and presents laying on the child's bed while a picture of the child is sitting opposite her. The mother would be crying, and the ghost of the daughter would be looking at the whole scene. The 3 swords would be hanging on a mount on the wall (like a collector's item). This would be somewhere where I would use numerology (number of presents and candles), and special colors (wrapping paper). I do not however know what those colors would be right now.

That's all I really have right now, and I think I covered everything. I hope I answered all the questions, and I hope I wrote this clear enough to get my deck across the way it is in my head.

[Willow_starr]

The characters I would use in my deck would be a mix of humans and ghosts and would revolve around the feelings of death. I spent a lot of time thinking of images that would invoke a great deal of emotion, and that's how I came up with this idea. The humans in the cards would consist of those who can/cannot see, and those who can only sense the ghosts. The ghosts would consist of those who fear, embrace, except, or not notice the fact that they are dead.

Wow, that sounds like an amazing deck! If you do ever make them I would love a copy.

[Amethyst Rose]

Just so you know, I didn't forget about this assignment, and I wasn't procrastinating. :) I came up with my idea a while ago, and have spent the last few weeks brainstorming. I wanted to put some thought into this before I just posted something random. I'll try to recreate what is in my head.
.
.
.
That's all I really have right now, and I think I covered everything. I hope I answered all the questions, and I hope I wrote this clear enough to get my deck across the way it is in my head.

Wow...that honestly sounds kinda....creepy. :) Great sounding deck though. The emotion in the 3 of Swords would be right on...so sad. Really good, job! Thanks! :)

[Lolith]

Wow...that honestly sounds kinda....creepy. :) Great sounding deck though. The emotion in the 3 of Swords would be right on...so sad. Really good, job! Thanks! :)

Did my deck sound creepy, or what you quoted? I hope it is not what I said about why I delayed posting.

Thanks Willow_starr. If I ever do get around to making this deck I'll be sure to let you know. I'm a horrible artist though, so it might be a while :toofless:

[LadyAutumnCat]

I am using the Tarot of the Cat People Deck. There really wasn't much information available, or maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. However, from using the deck and from what I have read, there is definitely a story being told in the artwork found on the cards. There are symbols and representations of warriors, queens, battles, different felid species, and the interrelationships between all key players in the Cat World. The story/deck is broken into five separate kingdoms with distinct qualities and attributes. The kingdoms are the Major Arcana, the Suit of Swords, the Suit of Wands, the Suit of Cups, and the Suit of Pentacles. The creator of this deck has designated specific gem stones to each kingdom, which are representative of the people and the physical characteristics of the lands they inhabit. Some of the kingdoms are more volatile and violent than others, which assists in interpreting the card meanings.

I am having trouble distinguishing whether they are Crowley or Waite based, because I can see a bit of both in them. Much like Crowley, the creator of this deck uses a lot of symbolism in the artwork, for example cups overflowing to indicate wealth or success. However, the deck is inherently based on a fantasy world that she has created. Therefore, I believe that this deck is a combination of the Crowley and Waite styles.

I think this deck relates to the first decks that were used for playing games in the sense that it is telling a story. If a person was inclined they could simply play a game with each card representing a different player. There need not be any specific meaning attached to these cards, they are beautiful and tell a story independently.

I see a definite Egyptian influence in these cards due to the figures garbs and the intrinsic link between cat and human. I also sense a buddhist influence and animistic influence in that the cats can contact their others/familiars after death and can even shape shift as their experience grows. Overall, I think this deck is a culmination of all the tarot teachings of the past.

Sources:

Kuykendall, Karen. 1985. The Tarot of The Cat People Book
http://www.facade.com/tarot/cat_people/
http://www.tarotuniverse.com/~tarot/cgi-bin/cart.cgi/0880790784.html

[Aleigh]

Lolith, that sounds like an amazing deck! :)

[Willow Rosette]

Lady Autumn cat that is so amazing. i was looking at the same deck that you are describing and didnt see any of it. I had been thinking this deck didnt call to me and that made me sure of it. i am so amazed you saw all that. makes me sure i need to build my own deck now. your answer was really amazing.

[Amethyst Rose]

Did my deck sound creepy, or what you quoted? I hope it is not what I said about why I delayed posting.



Haha, your deck sounded creepy. :)

[Amethyst Rose]

Good answer, LadyAutumnCat! Thanks. :)

[Rainlily]

The deck I am using is the Rider waite deck. It was designed by Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman Smith did the the actual drawing of the pictures for each card. The deck was published in 1909.
Waite kept the meaning of each of the cards but introduced descriptive pictures on all 78 cards. Waite was a member of the order of the golden dawn and wrote many books on subjects such as divination and the kabbalah. If you look very closely you can see many religious and cultural symbols in the cards.
In the lovers card you see Adam and Eve with an angel coming out of the clouds above, a tree bearing fruit is behind Eve with serpent wrapped around it. Both the chariot card and the wheel of fortune card both feature the egyptian sphinx, also for a final example if you look at The High priestess you will notice she is holding a scroll with the word Tora inscribed on it (actually if you look closely at the wheel of fortune tora is written in the wheel as well).

[Valkie]

Option 1: Research your own tarot deck. Tell me how you feel it relates to the first tarot decks used for games. How has history contributed to it? Find out if it is based on the Waite or Crowley deck, and explain to me why you feel it to be so. Show me your sources.



Review by Bonnie Cehovet


The Dragon Tarot, by nature, is a specialty deck. It will appeal to those of us who find dragons and dragon lore appealing. You won't find traditional visual symbolism here - but you will experience a deck that is artistically well thought out and well presented, and eminently "usable".

Donaldson introduces dragons as ancient symbols of knowledge and power - in virtually every culture of the world. The very word "dragon" comes from the Greek word Drakoni, which means "the seeing one". In The Dragon Tarot, Donaldson calls on dragon legends from around the world to present a saga of myth and magic. There is a very interesting section called "Dragonland - A Traveler's Report" , in which the reader is allowed to experience the adventure and magic associated with dragon energy.

In "Your Journey", Donaldson presents techniques that allow the reader to access their imaginations. In "Mastering The Tarot", he shows the reader how the cards come together to tell their story.

Dragon myths run the gamut of experience - from those encompassing greed, lust and the dark side of our personalities to (primarily from the Middle East) to those symbolizing wealth, power and supremacy (primarily from China). Some of my best "growing up" memories are of watching the Dragon winding it's way down the street at parade time. It was fascinating, exciting, colorful - a whole other "world"!

The Dragon also has its place in astrology, which is not something that I was aware of. The Dragon's Head (also called the North Node) represents the karmic lessons that we are to learn in this lifetime. How much more important can anything get - this defines what each lifetime is!

Each Major Arcana card is presented with a black and white scan, a description of the card, and section where the card "speaks" about the archetypal energy that it represents, the divinatory meaning of the card (in the upright position only), and a short discussion of additional symbols that have been placed on the card.

Each Pip is presented with a black and white scan, a sentence on what the Dragon guide in the card is trying to accomplish and the divinatory meaning.

Each Court Card is presented with a black and white scan, a description of the energy of the card and the divinatory meaning. There is also a short addendum to the court cards, with the admonishment that while the court cards represent either male or female energy, that this energy exists in both males and females - each of us carries dual energy.

While Donaldson does not present reversed meanings, he does indicate that they are a question mark that needs to be paid attention to - that the energy of the card is in some way not working as it should.

In the section on spreads, the Celtic Cross is presented, along with two separate readings that are left to the reader to interpret along the lines of key questions that Donaldson presents. Donaldson has done something quite interesting with the three card spread - he has presented several different possible questions dealing with different life situations (relationship, home, career, life path, children's education and life path). There is also the beginning of a work sheet that show the reader how to bring the cards together in story form.

The cards themselves are on good quality, glossy card stock. At 2 3/4" by 4 1/4",the cards are easily worked with by those like me that have small hands - a definite plus! The backs of the cards have a 1/4" white border, with an inset background of deep purple. A light blue and white dragon is placed in each of the four corners of the inset - the four dragon tails are interwoven in the center. Behind the dragons there is a diamond-like schematic outlined in fine gold lines. The cards read the same upright and reversed, so there would be no way to tell which position the cards were in before they were turned over.

The majors are a combination of dragons and traditional symbols. They have a 1/4 " white border, with the number and title of the card in black lettering against white across the bottom of the card. On either side of the title is placed a glyph of the astrological sign associated with each card. The only title change is that the Hanged Man becomes the Hanging Dragon.

The pips have the same 1/4" white border, with the name and number of the card across the bottom. The pips are not illustrated in the traditional manner - they contain a dragon "guide" and the symbols representing their respective suits. On either side of the title are glyphs representing the element of the respective suit.

Some of the cards in this deck are fairly true to traditional Tarot, and some are very different. The traditional cards for me were the Tower, which is represented by a Tower, lightening, water and fire; the Moon, which shows a full moon in a night sky, overlooking two pillars - one on either side of a flowing stream, with a dragon between them; Justice, which shows a dragon head between the two pillars of justice, holding a set of scales in his mouth over a globe of the world and the Wheel of Fortune, which is depicted as a wheel with twelve spokes, each containing a glyph of one of the signs of the zodiac. Perhaps the most traditional card is the Three of Swords, which is seen as three swords piercing a heart.

A card that I found beyond traditional, but very well done, was the Sun. Here we see dragon wings surrounding a lion face, around which are placed glyphs of the twelve signs of the zodiac, with flames surrounding them. In the mouth of the dragon we see the Yin/Yang symbol.

Strength also falls into the "same but different" category. The top of the card shows a night sky, the bottom of the card shows green hills in daylight. The middle of the card shows a lion and a dragon on either side of a caduceus, which has fiery flames at its top. It appears that the lion and the dragon are having a wonderful time playing together!

Donaldson ends the book with a section on dragon myths from around the world - ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, North America and Mexico, China, Japan and the West.

The Dragon Tarot opens up the imagination, just as the author intended it to. While not for all people, and definitely not for beginners, I found it interesting and believe that it has a place in the Tarot world.

Bonnie Cehovet is a Tarot Master, a professional Tarot reader with over ten years experience, a Reiki Master/Teacher and a writer. She has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association and American Board For Tarot Certification and is co-founder of the World Tarot Network.

Review by Adrienne


When I first became interested in reading the tarot, the one thing that I had a problem with was finding a deck that suited my feelings and represented ME. I did a lot of research, and most suggested that the best decks to start with were either the Rider-Waite or Robin Wood. So I took a look at each of them, and I saw why they were highly suggested, but the pictures didn't seem to mean anything to me. That's when I decided to let my real interests do the talking.

Then one day I stumbled upon the Dragon deck, and I felt like my prayers had been answered! The artwork and symbolism, combined with the rich history, myth, and mystique that surrounds dragons in general, turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. The use of many rich colors was something that I felt, at that point in time, many other decks didn't seem to have (although now I know otherwise). But, my absolute favorite part about this deck are the Major Arcana. They were (and still are) like nothing I had ever seen before. The capture all the symbolism of traditional tarot decks, but they also contain a draconic twist that is sometimes a bit funny (in particular, the Hanging Dragon card!).

All in all, the Dragon Tarot was the first deck I ever owned, and it remains my favorite to this day. I highly suggest this deck to anyone who doesn't feel connected to the more traditional decks, and longs for something deeper. It is very hard to put into words all that I feel with this deck, so you may be better off experiencing its power for yourself, but believe me, you won't regret it! Again, I have seen many decks in my days, but none of them compares to the power and imagery of the Dragon Tarot!

Review by Charlie Taylor


When I first became interested in reading the tarot, the one thing that I had a problem with was finding a deck that suited my feelings and represented ME. I did a lot of research, and most suggested that the best decks to start with were either the Rider-Waite or Robin Wood. So I took a look at each of them, and I saw why they were highly suggested, but the pictures didn't seem to mean anything to me. That's when I decided to let my real interests do the talking.

Then one day I stumbled upon the Dragon deck, and I felt like my prayers had been answered! The artwork and symbolism, combined with the rich history, myth, and mystique that surrounds dragons in general, turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. The use of many rich colors was something that I felt, at that point in time, many other decks didn't seem to have (although now I know otherwise). But, my absolute favorite part about this deck are the Major Arcana. They were (and still are) like nothing I had ever seen before. The capture all the symbolism of traditional tarot decks, but they also contain a draconic twist that is sometimes a bit funny (in particular, the Hanging Dragon card!).

All in all, the Dragon Tarot was the first deck I ever owned, and it remains my favorite to this day. I highly suggest this deck to anyone who doesn't feel connected to the more traditional decks, and longs for something deeper. It is very hard to put into words all that I feel with this deck, so you may be better off experiencing its power for yourself, but believe me, you won't regret it! Again, I have seen many decks in my days, but none of them compares to the power and imagery of the Dragon Tarot!

resource http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/dragon/review.shtml

I find that the Dragon's Tarot's main connection to the early decks used for games is the simplicity of the minor arcana. For an example, the cups suit boldly presents the cups across the face of the card, while the "story's" picture is presented as secondary.

The deck's history is a short one. First concieved in 1991, it doesn't have the back ground that a lot of the more popular decks have. It does draw on dragon mythology, astrological symbolism, and familiar images from the Waite deck to stay true to the card's long running history.

My own feelings are that it is partly based on the early decks. While a majority of the minor arcana take on they're own path, there are still some similar themes with some of the cards. Examples include the three swords piercing a heart of the 3 of swords and the blind folded dragon in the 8 of swords. There are those that take on a imagary of thier own and the reader has to look for the new symbolism that is included.

The major arcana's symbolism sticks with the traditional themes of the Waite deck with few diviations. The depiction of the Sun card listed above is one of the diviations, while the Fool, who is dressed as a court jester about to walk into the unknown, is another.

[LadyAutumnCat]

Lady Autumn cat that is so amazing. i was looking at the same deck that you are describing and didnt see any of it. I had been thinking this deck didnt call to me and that made me sure of it. i am so amazed you saw all that. makes me sure i need to build my own deck now. your answer was really amazing.

Thanks! This deck has called to me, but I'm definitely a cat person, maybe even too much so!! :lol: I can't wait to see what type of deck you design.

[Lady Ravenna]

After much thought and many many changes, I have finally come up with my tarot deck design.

My deck is going to be very personal to me. The images, colours, and symbols used will based on my interpretations, making them easy to read. Various astrology signs will be used in the deck as well as some colour correspondences. Once we get into the card meanings I will be better able to decide which cards astrology signs will go on.

The deck will be in the Waite (storytelling) style. Most of the cards will be brightly coloured. The pictures on the cards will be more like photographs as opposed to art work.

Here are some examples of the images that will be on the major arcana cards.

The Fool (0) – To me this represents life choices. This card will depict a young person surrounded by many papers and college brochures showing that decisions need to be made and information must be gathered to help make the decision.

The Magician (I) – To me this represents skills and using your skills to bring about your desires. This card will depict a graduate holding their diploma high in the air much like the magician depicted in the Rider-Waite deck. This represents using your knowledge, skills and power to bring about your desired results.

Transformation (XIII Death) – Not as brightly coloured as the rest. This card will depict a hospital under expansion. This shows transformation, and the hospital represents a place of new life as well as death.

The Sun (XIX) – This will be a very brightly coloured card. Looking similar to the sun card in the Rider-Waite deck, the sun will be big and bright and there will be a person in a car driving down the road towards the sun throwing their hat into the air.

*I might add more of these as they come to me before this assignment is due*

I haven’t looked into the meanings of the minor arcana cards yet, so I can’t be specific about the designs on them. The ‘suits’ would stay the same (swards, cups, pentacles, wands) and each element that corresponds to that suit will be represented some way on each of the cards in that suit.

So it is a Waite style deck, influenced mostly by the Rider Waite deck. Occult symbols used would be astrology and possibly numerology. Am I missing any info?

[Amethyst Rose]

That's great, Lady Ravena! Sounds really interesting! Thanks. :)

[Aleigh]

Originally I was going to write about my deck, the Celtic Dragon Tarot, but I actually had an idea for my own deck the other day. It's a little goofy, but I decided to go with it anyway because I can't get the idea out of my head. :nyah: This idea was inspired by a thread (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?threadid=1955) in the Tarot forum about the court cards and how to remember them. The person compared each court card to a well known person or fictional character, and it actually helped me remember a little better what they were supposed to mean. So it hit me the other day...why not do a sort of "Pop Culture Tarot" It would obviously not be a very serious deck, and I am thinking it would be geared more towards beginners trying to learn the meanings of the cards. I would want the pictures to be sort of bright and colorful...maybe colored pencil drawings with a lot of details. It would be more of a Rider Waite style deck, because I would want it to tell a story, but I don't know if that would work because I would be using different people on every card? I've never seen a Crowley style deck so I'm not entirely sure what the difference is. I obviously haven't decided who I would use for every single card yet. Also, I know this deck could never really be done, because what are the chances of getting permission from 72 people (or in some cases their decendants/estates) to use their image in a Tarot Deck?!

In the Major Arcana I would use any famous figures, both fictional, and real life modern and historical figures. Even images of famous events or places if that worked for a particular card. For some reason I keep thinking of Frodo from the LOTR for the Fool. He was so innocent at the beginning of the books, had no idea what he was really getting into, but he was ready to take the risk anyway. That's what the Fool means to me. My mind is now drawing a complete blank on the other figures I was considering for the Major Arcana. :(

For the Minor Arcana, I would try to use the same types of figures within each suit. For example, for the suit of Pentacles (which would be earth, of course) I would try to use figures from politics and business. To steal from the post that inspired me, I would use Dave Thomas for the King of Pentacles. For the queen of Pentacles I think of Hilary Clinton for some reason. The knight would have to be some bright young businessman just starting out...maybe Michael J Fox's character from "Secret of my Success" or something like that.

In the suit of Cups (water), I would try to use figures that are associated with strong emotions more than anything else. The example in the post that inspired me was the character of Deanna Troi from Star Trek for the Queen of Cups, and I can't think of anyone better than that! LOL The funny thing is that the example in that post for the Knight of Cups was Romeo, but I was thinking more of Jack from "Titanic". So I guess it'd have to be Leonardo DiCaprio, one way or the other. :p For some reason I'm keep thinking of Cole (the little boy) from "The Sixth Sense" for the Page. I don't know my court cards very well so I don't even know if that makes sense! :lol:

I'm a little confused about the associations for Wands and Swords. I'm just starting out with Tarot so forgive me if I mix them up. One of my decks has Wands as fire and Swords as Air, the other is Wands=air and Swords=Fire. For me Wands mean more creative energy and intellect than action, so I guess I'm going with Wands=Air and Swords=Fire? To be honest I'm still having problems with the elemental associations for all the suits, so I may be totally screwing this up!

For Swords, I would use sports and military figures. Men and woman of action, energy, impulsiveness and bravery. I would have to use Brendon Fraiser's character Rick from "The Mummy" for the King because he was all action, bravery and impulse and not much else! (Plus I just watched it again last night) :p The Queen would be Eowyn from LOTR. I'm not obsessed with LOTR or anything, but I think of Gollum for the 7 of Swords. :lol:

Last, but not least, for the suit of Wands I would use people who are more artistic, creative, or just well known for their intelligence. I think of Leonardo Da Vinci for the King of Wands. He just seems the most creative person I can think of right now.

My brain is running out of examples for anymore cards right now, and I'm confusing myself between air and fire so I'm going to stop right now, but I do plan to try to come up with a complete list of who I would use for every card as inspiration comes to me. :)

[-Sky-]

Sorry for handing my assignement just one day before the deadline but my relatives from Athens came to visit and since I hadn't seen them for a long time I spent most of the time with them.
At first I had decided to do both assignements but as days passed by I realised that to make a tarot deck or an oracle needs a lot of research,meditation and hard work.So I will present Option 1 as my assignement.I am actually working on designing my own oracle but I will better present my ideas later on.
Option 1: Research your own tarot deck. Tell me how you feel it relates to the first tarot decks used for games. How has history contributed to it? Find out if it is based on the Waite or Crowley deck, and explain to me why you feel it to be so. Show me your sources.
Sample cards:http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/sacred-circle/

By:Anna Franklin
Illustrated by Paul Mason
Cards:78 (normal tarot deck)

The Sacred Circle Tarot is a seventy-eight card deck drawing on the Pagan heritage of Britain and Ireland,its sacred sites,and symbolic imagery from the tradition.The crads depict landscapes and sacred sites in Britan and Ireland,centers of energy and worship for thousands of years,emphasizing our connection to the land and its cycles and the visible and the spiritual legacy of our ancestors.
The deck not only draws on ancient traditions but is of immediate relevance to the modern-day practitioner.The creators felt that the deck should not only be beautiful,but usefuk,not only useful but beautiful using key symbols to unlock the deeperst levels of Pagan teaching.
I have a rather bad memory and I don't remember exactly when I bought this deck but it must have been 2 months ago..(not sure).It is though a deck I bought recently but I can tell you that I connected immediately with it.I actually adored it from the moment I saw it online in Aeclectic.It is the first of my decks that made me see the inner meaning of each reading and interprete the cards with my heart.The last days I've spent much time studying the deck itself for this class.I've searched the book and my internet resources but nowhere it states clearly if it is based in Waite's or Crowley's deck.But actually based on this resources I believe that it is a deck interpreted through symbolism.Therefore it is based in Crowley's deck.Inside the book that comes with the deck it mentions many time the importance of symbolism in the cards and studying the cards I couldn't find a story "hidden" behind the pictures.Instead I found lots of plants,animals and symbols.
Like a person said in Aeclectic,this deck is a treasure.Although the pics are computer generated I find the cards extremely beautiful and breath-taking.As many reviewers say,it is not a deck for beginners but it IS understandable and helpful.I think that it can be used for both everyday-problems readings and more in-depth/pathworking readings.
Facts about the deck
As I mentioned before the deck comes with a very helpful book which includes:
-Several spreads:
a.The Zodiak Spread
b.The Circle Spread
c.Planetary Spread
d.The Romany Spread
e.The web spread
f.The Celtic-Cross Spread
These spreads seem very complex but they help you grow spiritually and gain experience.
-The Journey of the Fool:Using the Cards for Meditation and Spiritual Development.
Each of the 78 cards can be used as a pictorial key or trigger for meditation and the Sacred Circle deck has been designed with this in mind.Each card contains symbols that work on a number of levels that will reveal their complexity and depth with continued study and practice.I've found this section amazingly helpful because as I progress in studying the tarot I loved meditating with them and the book explains pretty well the meaning of each card and the lesson it has to teach you.
-Spreads meant for meditation
a.The Wheel of the Elements
b.The Arrows of Brigid
-Symbolism,Divinatory Meaning and Reverse Meaning for each card vvvvvSamplevvvv
SAMPLE
Four of Wands

The card shows four wands within a circle, making a spinning wheel.

The Symbolism

The four wands of this card join together to form an eight-pointed wheel which spins. This is the symbol of the ever-turning seasons - from seeding to harvest to seeding again - in the Eternal Return. The eight points represent the eight major festivals of the Pagan year.

Divinatory Meanings

The Four of Wands indicates that you have put a lot of hard work into a project and are now starting to reap the rewards. You have earned a rest but will soon have to start work again. However, you should be wary of rushing things, pay attention to detail, and make sure you have enough support and financial backing to see things through to completion.

On a personal level, this card indicates that the demands of a relationship will ease off and will become more happy and harmonious. For the unattached, romance is in the air.

Reverse Meanings

The Four of Wands reversed in your spread indicates that though the completion of a project is delayed by various obstacles, there is no need to worry as it will soon come to a successful completion.

The Major Arcana
The Major Arcana constists of the normal twenty-two cards though in some cases the titles and sequence have been altered to fit more closely with the theme of the deck:
Traditional Card and Number Sacred Circle and Number

The Fool - 0 The Green Man - 0

The Magician - 1 The High Priest - 1

The High Priestess - 2 The High Priestess - 2

The Empress - 3 The Lady - 3

The Emperor - 4 The Lord - 4

The Hierophant - 5 The Druid - 5

The Lovers - 6 The Lovers - 6

The Chariot - 7 The Chariot - 7

Strength - 8 The Warrior - 8

The Hermit - 9 The Druid - 9

The Wheel of Fortune - 10 The Wheel - 10

Justice - 11 The Web - 11

The Hanged Man -12 Sacrifice - 12

Death - 13 Death - 13

Temperance - 14 The Underworld - 14

The Devil -15 The Tower - 15

The Tower - 16 Initiation - 16

The Star - 17 The Star -17

The Moon - 18 The Moon - 18

The Sun - 19 The Sun - 19

Judgement - 20 Rebirth - 20

The World - 21 The World Tree - 21

I've found the Major Arcana very inspiring and tell you the truth I like and accept all the changes to the titles made by the creators.I love the fact that this deck is a purely pagan deck.Most of the changes like The Empress,Emperor,Heirophant,Strength,The World Tree,Sacrifice etc are well-done but I don't really agree with some others like Judgement,The Devil,the Tower(it kinda confuses me that teh actual tower is now Initiation and The Devil is the actual Tower,confusing!)etc
The Minor Arcana
The Minor Arcana consitsts of the usual four suits-cups,wands,dics,swords- with the cards one to ten and page,knight,queen and king.They are numbered below and have a key word above,which explains the basic energy of the card.
The King of each suit,instead of having a key word,is assigned one of the elements and represents the quintessence of that element,while the Ace represents the basic impulse.The Queens represent its mutable qualities,the knights its fixed qualities and the pages its cardinal qualities.
Swords
The suit of Swords is associated with the season of spring,the athame of the magician,the direction of the east,sunrise,the element of air,and the power of the mind.The lessons and key words of the suit of swords are all concerned with mental qualities and attributes,how they are used and how can they be developped.
The border of the sword suit consists of scyscapes and clouds with yellow cornestones,the magical color correspondence of the element of air.
Wands
The suit of wands is associated with the season of summer,the wand,arrow or spear,the direction of south,noonday,the element of fire,the power of transmutation,the spiritual impulse,and the energy of creativity.The lessons and key words of this suit are concerned with creativity and energy,how to develop these qualities and crystallize them into practical applications.
The border of the wand suit constists of flames.The cornestones are red.
Cups
The suit of cups is associated with the season of autumn,the cup,grail,or cauldron,the direction of the west,twilight,the element of water,the emotions,intuition,psychic faculties,and the growth of the spirit.The lessons and key words of this suit are concerned with balancing the emotions and nurturing the spirit.
The border of the cup suit consists of flowing water with blue cornestones.
Discs
The suit of discs is associated with the season of winter,the disc,shield or stone,the direction of the north,midnight,the element of earth,practical and material matters.The key words and lessons of this suit are mainly concerned with the material plane,the body and physical health.
The border of the disc suit represents earth and stone.The cornestones are green.
Occult Influences
Anna Franklin and Paul Mason tried to make this a truly pagan deck and removed some of the Cabalistic and Christian iconography that has crept into the tarot over the centuries.In the Major Arcana most of the cards contain herbs/trees/flowers and animals that are associated with the meanings of each card.Eg In the card of the High Priestess we can a swan standing next to her .The swan is associated with prophecy ,music and poetry as well as the Goddess Brigid.The tree of this card is the willow which is sacred to the Goddess. I am not really sure about astrological influences though as I have not studied astrology...
Here are some more reviews and my sources:
-The Sacred Circle Tarot book written by Anna Franklin and illustrated by Paul Mason
-http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/sacred-circle/review.shtml
-http://www.tarotpassages.com/scircle.htm
-http://www.tarotpassages.com/sacredcircdw.htm
If you need further information or if I forgot to present anything just tell me.
~Anna

[Autumn Eryn]

I've chosen option #1. My deck is the Rider-Waite deck (hey, I'm a newbie).

This deck, as I’m sure everyone knows by now, was designed in 1909 by A.E. White and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith. It is not the oldest deck or the original tarot deck, but is one of the first to have the suits fully illustrated, which probably helped create its wide appeal.

Waite was a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and a lot of that symbolism has found its way into the Rider-Waite deck.

I found a very interesting thread that discussed the view that the suits represent the stations and positions of the community in older times. For example, the Pentacles represent the farmers, the craftsmen, the laborers, those who work within a community and are its main source of life, work, and wealth.

Then again, I’ve also found sites that claim that the four suits correspond to the four elements. Go figure. Apparently, this idea has been going around since the 1700’s, so this can’t be applied to the Rider Waite deck exclusively (and maybe I’m jumping ahead here), but I thought it was a really cool idea.

http://tarotuniverse.com/famousdecks.html
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=33606
http://www.villarevak.org/bio/levi_2.html
http://www.wicce.com/rider.html

[celticfire]

ok...here we go. I have chosen option 1 because I do not believe I am 'learned' enough yet in the art of tarot reading to be able to create a deck of my own design yet.

The Celtic Tarot, by Julian de Burgh, was created from the inspiration and profound influence of the ancient myths and legends of Ireland. From a land forged from war, hardship, family, and mystery, de Burgh provides a simple, no-nonsense deck that is good for both novice and advanced readers alike. With representation of ancient and sacred sites, believed to be the Druid('s) altars, the Sidhe and the Tuatha De Danann, The Celtic Tarot offers a powerful and insightful, although modern, tool of divination.

The entire deck is traditional based, very similar to the Rider-Waite deck(s), but with a much lighter display of artwork. The illustrations, by Mary Guinan, are done in more 'muted' tones. She used mostly pastels to create the visually stimulating cards. They are simple in design, but this simplicity does not create a lack of anything, in my opinion. The designs and colors used do not overload the senses. My view is that they appear ancient and worn, as if they have been touched and have served their purpose completely.

The deck is also comprised of 78 cards, with 22 cards being from the Major Arcana and 56 Minor Cards. Although based upon the Rider-Waite deck(s), there are a few differences that I believe should be mentioned and even discussed. First of all, there was only one change made to any name of the Major Arcana cards. What the Rider-Waite deck refers to as the Pope, in the de Burgh deck is now called the Druid. This, even though being self-explantory coming from a Celtic based deck, has also been a point of 'distaste' by some review critics. In (most) Celtic tribes, the Druid held a position to what is similar to that of the Christian Pope. Even in some tribes, the high Druid was often called the Father and was believed to hold all knowledge of the Druid(s) themselves. By de Burgh changing this represenation, he upset a few with his view, but it is essential to honestly represent the Celtic idea in this deck.

A second difference is noticed within the Minor Arcana cards. Instead of the court cards being respresented by King, Queen, Knight and Page they are represented in this deck by King, Queen, Prince and Princess. I have not found any particular reason for this variance.

Some reviews of this deck have not been favorable, suggesting that there is a lack of symbolism (compared to more traditional decks), that that this is not a very good deck for beginners. I tend to disagree with both of these points, especially the references to the lack of symbolism. For example, in the Rider-Waite deck(s), The Fool appears to be about to walk off a cliff, oblivious to his surroundings. In The Celtic Tarot deck, The Fool is shown as if he is about to begin a journey. He is carrying a pack, standing beside a stream, and appears to be looking in the distance with a bit of longing. Another example of differences is the card of The Sun. In the Rider-Waite deck(s), The Sun appears behind a small child whom is riding a horse. There are also sunflowers in bloom and a flag flowing in the breeze. In the de Burgh deck, The Sun appears more simply, encompassing half of the card itself. In front of the Sun is a warrior or a God (whichever you chose to interpret it as), clad in a golden horned helmet, carrying a sword and shielf, and draped in a kilt. The expression on his face is one of strength and defiance...dominant and unchanging. It's not overly harsh, but itself shows a contrast to the representation of child, who appears carefree and happy, in the Rider-Waite deck.

The cards, although simple and devout of bright color and overly intricate designs, offer a great amount of detail. They are deep and offer a great insight. Almost every card holds a representation in some form of all elements. They are distinct, yet subtle. As with The Magician card, he seems to be surrounded by a forest, standing on a pentacle, with a sword in his belt, carrying a chalice of water in one hand, a torch with flame in the other, and his cape appears to be fluttering in the wind. It is also of notice that each suit also correlates to its respective element. The suit of Wands corresponds to Fire, Swords to Air, Pentacles to Earth and Cups to Water.

The Celtic Tarot is not a decadent tarot deck. It does not hold much appeal to those outside of the Celtic realm. But what it does offer in mystery and insighfulness corresponds well with the Celtic Mythology upon which it was based. Julian de Burgh, a master astrologer, offers this as a wonderful tarot deck to all who seek and believe. It is accompanied by a 176-page book, which offers wonderful information on each card, how to interpret them, layouts and record-keeping information.

Resources:
www.tarotwidsomreadings.com
www.learntarot.com
www.sacred-texts.com
www.crystallinks.com
www.intuitivetarot.com
www.druidry.org

[Bookgirl83]

I wasn't able to find out a lot of history on this deck, but here's what I found.

The Hanson-Roberts deck was created in 1985. The deck contains 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana on cards roughly the size of normal playing cards. It is based on the Rider-Waite deck, in that each card tells a story. According to what I have read, this deck shows little deviation from the Rider-Waite symbolism.
The most interesting aspect of this deck is the illustrations done by Mary Hanson-Roberts. The original artwork for each card was done in colored pencil, giving the cards a soft, almost fairy tale feel; also, the original art was roughly twice the size of the printed cards. My personal favorite part of this deck are the people; they come across as very human to me. The faces of the people show the range of emotions, and each one is unique.
This deck is highly recommended for beginners for several reasons. It's faithful adherence to the Rider-Waite deck makes it easier for a novice to understand and interpret the cards. Also, the small size allows for easier handling and manipulation. Also, the illustrations are sure to appeal to many novice readers, as they did to me.

Sources:
LWB: Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck by Stuart R. Kaplan
http://www.tarotpassages.com/hanson.htm
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/hanson-roberts/review.shtml

[Jackiedanielz]

Assignment 1: Research your own tarot deck. Tell me how you feel it relates to the first tarot decks used for games. How has history contributed to it? Find out if it is based on the Waite or Crowley deck, and explain to me why you feel it to be show. Show me your sources.

I own the Gilded Tarot deck with art by Ciro Marchetti (http://www.ciromarchetti.com/). This deck is definitely a Waite deck. Without doing any research on this I knew it to be so. Firstly because I think the first deck I ever saw was a Waite deck, I found it easy to understand, so when I was looking for a deck for this class, the Gilded Tarot really spoke to me. Not only where there images I could already relate to & understand easily but because the illustrations in this deck are phenomenal! (see here (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/gilded/))

Upon research of the deck, I found that Ciro Marchetti used Photoshop to create this deck, which to me is amazing since I use that program in my job so, again, I could relate. Marchetti used RWS as his muse for these illustrations. This deck is set in a pseudo-Medieval Fantasy world, but unlike RWS there are no religious assumptions. In order for this deck to not be another clone of RWS he uses mechanical devices, animals & depictions of mother earth. Also because of his love astrology there are many cards in the Majors that depict the wheel of the zodiac & universe backgrounds. (i.e. The Fool, Emperor, and Hermit).

Marchetti also used gemstones to convey luxuriousness to the deck. Black onyx is used in the Majors and the Minor breakdown is as follows; wand=ruby, cups=carnelian, swords= sapphire and pentacles=emerald. The animals represented make frequent appearances commenting on the action in the card or setting the mood. But being a newbie to Tarot, I am working more on learning the cards’ meanings than trying to figure out what these little creatures are doing there so I usually skip right over them.

sources:
The Gilded Tarot Companion by Barbara Moore
Aeclectic.net (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/gilded/)

[faerieridingdragons]

I chose option 2.I'm not sure if I'm answering this correctly,so please let me know if this is not what you wanted and I'll redo the assignment.I am by no means an artist,however I am always coming across pictures online or in books and magazines that remind me of someone or something that has occured in my life.So I would love to make a "Memory Deck".I would chose pictures that would not only correspond with the meaning of each card{once I understand the meanings alot better},but that represent a memory that is also related to that meaning.In this undertaking I do believe I would be able to make a deck that is as unique as I am,and would also help me be more connected with the deck.It would also help to keep me reminded of what each card represents as they would be connected to a memory I wish never to forget.It would contain bits of Irish,Viking,Scottish,Welsh,and Native American symbolism{or maybe just a word} because these not only show where I come from but each one influnces the way I choose to worship the God&Goddess in some form.As I'm interested in runes and I do my own dream interpretations I'd want to somehow include these as well.The back of the cards would be purple,black,silver and have pictures of faeries&dragons.The deck would be simular to Waite decks in that they would be telling the story of my life.I also think this would be a lovely deck for me to pass on to my children when I go to await rebirth,in this way they would be able to see a small part of my life through my eyes.I think that's everything,if I've left anything out or if I have not explained it to your statisfaction,please let me know.

[Amethyst Rose]

Wow, look at all the last minute assignments. :) Sorry I didn't get back earlier, but I've been recovering from New Years.

Aleigh: Would you include any occult influences (astrology, numerology, magick, etc.) in your deck?

Sky: Excellent answer!

celticfire: I've only seen pictures of that deck, but I think you described it perfectly. Thanks!

Everyone else did great jobs, too! Faerieridingdragons, I think your deck idea is a really good one... it'd be a great way to connect with your deck.

[linaXgrazzada]

i posted the review as proof of a source. my deck is a standard deck. the images of it are really representative of the time of reniassance. i feel it is really closely related to the first decks. the images are great. they help in readings because the images really tell the story of the meaning of the card. for instance the 8 of pentacles shows a peasant looking man carving a pantacle into wood. that would explain why the person who gave it to me chose it for me. It is really good for a beginner such as myself. it is a waite deck. the cards really tell the story.

[Amethyst Rose]

i posted the review as proof of a source. my deck is a standard deck. the images of it are really representative of the time of reniassance. i feel it is really closely related to the first decks. the images are great. they help in readings because the images really tell the story of the meaning of the card. for instance the 8 of pentacles shows a peasant looking man carving a pantacle into wood. that would explain why the person who gave it to me chose it for me. It is really good for a beginner such as myself. it is a waite deck. the cards really tell the story.

Thank you! :)

[Aleigh]

Aleigh: Would you include any occult influences (astrology, numerology, magick, etc.) in your deck?

Yes, I was tired when I posted my assignment and forgot to talk about that part. I would include symbolic colors, and magical tools and symbols etc in the cards. I would have the backgrounds of each card be sort of vague and fuzzy simply because with the characters coming from such a broad range of fiction/non-fiction and different genres (sports, politics, tv/movies, historical figures) the deck would look too...fractured...I think if I put the figures in the background they would normally be seen in. So the main focus would be the characters (doing whatever action seems appropriate for that card) and whatever they might be holding or wearing, not a lot of emphasis on their surroundings. I actually picture it a lot like my Celtic Dragon deck only with famous people instead of dragons. :lol:

I wouldn't include astrology or numerology, simply because I don't know much of anything about those subjects, so I think it would be awkward for me to try to use them correctly in the cards, and this is meant to be a deck more geared toward beginners, who wouldn't necessarily understand those symbols. :whatgives

[Amethyst Rose]

Sounds great! Thanks! :)

[~Elise~]

Option 1 for me. I'm sorry this is late:

The Celtic Dragon Deck is loosely based on Waite/Golden Dawn imagery. The Major Arcana are very much the same except for Card 5 - The High Priest; and Card 15 - Chains. These were changed because "Neither of the usual names applied to these cards have anything to do with pre-Christian Celtic spirituality." This doesn’t make a lot of sense, but hey, it’s their deck. The suits are Wands, Swords, Cups and Pentacles and the court consists of King, Queen, Knight and Page. Strength is eight and Justice is 11.
One reason I like this deck and the Shapeshifter deck, by same people, is that Fire is Swords and Air is Wands. That is the way it is in my tradition that I follow, as well. So it is an easy deck for me to use and relate to.
Every card has a dragon somewhere in the image. Most cards also have humans, but some cards, including the Lovers, the Chariot and the Hermit, feature dragons only. The images are usually not based on the images from the Waite deck, and the artist makes some interesting changes. The Magician is female.
In the Minor Arcana, the artist tried to evoke the traditional (Waite/Golden Dawn) meanings in new ways. For example, the Two of Pentacles shows a young woman walking across a log over a chasm, using two dragons and her arms to keep her balance, like a high wire walker. Aces are consistently depicted as newly hatched dragons. Women are often depicted as physically strong and powerful.

There is no LWB with this deck, you get a large book to go along with the deck. A description of the card is given, as well as a divinatory meaning. There are no reversed meanings, as the deck is not designed to be read with reversals. Conway's meanings are loosely based on the traditional (Waite/GD). The meanings usually have advice on how you should act in response to the card. Sometimes the meaning have nothing at all to do with the card.

I agree with the following comment from a reviewer: 'Sometimes I received a far different impression of a card when I looked at it than what Conway intended. For example, the King of Swords approaches a fiery dragon with his sword half-drawn. The book tells us that he "makes contact with universal, manifesting power, from which he will mold his desires into actuality." But to me it looks like he is deciding the dragon’s fate; otherwise why would he be in the act of unsheathing his sword?
I find I must comment on the inclusion of the word "Celtic" in the title, which I don’t think is really warranted. The deck seems to be set in the same pseudo-Medieval fantasy-land as the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. A few Celtic designs have been introduced here and there, almost as an afterthought, but Celtic mythology in particular is really not referenced at all. It is hard to resist the conclusion that the authors simply wanted to do a dragon deck, but it was felt it might sell better if it were a "Celtic" deck, which seems somewhat opportunistic.'
There is good symbolism in the deck, but as stated—the dragons are what makes this deck. The artwork is superb and is the reason I connect with the deck so well. The dragons are not cartoonish or overblown…they are characters in the deck and the story told. And each card does tell its own story—you can look at the picture without even knowing what card it is and know what was meant.

Elise

[Amethyst Rose]

Thanks pearls59, good job. :)

[OriginalWacky]

Option 1: Research your own tarot deck. Tell me how you feel it relates to the first tarot decks used for games. How has history contributed to it? Find out if it is based on the Waite or Crowley deck, and explain to me why you feel it to be so. Show me your sources.





There is a wide variety of information available on the tarot in general, and the problem is that much of it is speculative, and not backed up by real evidence. I found a few sites that seem pretty reliable, and these are where I got my information. The sites are included at the bottom of this assignment.



Since my deck is basically the new version of the Waite deck, it’s obviously based on the Waite deck, and I can’t really explain why I feel it’s so… I know it’s so. There is a long history behind this deck, and it appears to begin around the 14th century. It first started as a deck of 56 playing cards, which is now known as the Minor Arcana. Around 50 years later, the Major Arcana was added, which consists of another 22 cards, totaling 78. There is not accurate information on who first actually created the deck.



At that time, the tarot was used as a tool for spiritual enlightenment, self improvement, and self awareness. It wasn’t until the 1800’s that it became used for divination and to possibly predict future events. The tarot was introduced to the Western culture in the 1900’s.



The Rider Waite deck is still the most widely used for divination. It’s highly recommended for beginners, and often used as a springboard into using other decks, depending on one’s personal preferences. I like my deck, and it has deeply personal connections for me, as it was given to me by The Mate. Each card has it’s own meaning, and often that meaning will change from reading to reading. The meanings also change depending on the cards surrounding it in a reading. While I’m not very good yet at interpreting what exactly my deck is telling me, I sometimes get a feeling that doesn’t quite jive with what is written in the booklet. Unfortunately, the notebook I used to use to jot those kinds of notes in was destroyed, and I don’t have exact details.



The ‘occultness’ of the tarot developed over time, beginning around the late 18th century. As Waite was a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, his version of the deck is linked to the Kaballah, and High Magick. The Minor Arcana can be related to the elements (each suit is an element), and the Major Arcana generally deals with historical archetypes, and key symbols.



Wow, I’m not sure what else you might want to know, but this is what I’ve come across in reading, and it’s a good start, as I learned more about my deck than I had in looking at the booklet before this. Now I can read everybody's answers, and hopefully learn even more.





http://www.tarothermit.com/infosheet.htm (http://www.tarothermit.com/infosheet.htm)



http://www.sacred-texts.com/tarot/faq.htm (http://www.sacred-texts.com/tarot/faq.htm)



http://www.mystichouse.com/tarot1/history.htm (http://www.mystichouse.com/tarot1/history.htm)



http://www.tarotpassages.com/old_moonstruck/oneill/ (http://www.tarotpassages.com/old_moonstruck/oneill/)



http://www.globalpsychics.com/lp/Tarot/menu.htm (http://www.globalpsychics.com/lp/Tarot/menu.htm)



http://www.intuitivetarot.com/ridertarot.html (http://www.intuitivetarot.com/ridertarot.html)

[Amethyst Rose]

Good answer, thanks!

[Shatril]

Wow Wacky you gave me some websites I didn't know about. Thx, Shatril

[AmethystMoon08]

I chose the Robin Wood Tarot. This tarot deck is used to divination, and can be used for spells.
The Robin Wood Tarot deck is based from history because it shows a lot of symbolism. Especially Pagan symbolism, as you'll see pentacles and pagan oriented things in the cards.
The Robin Wood Tarot is based on the Waite tarot, and I feel it to be so because it follows the same patterns and looks as the Waite deck.
I used my deck, Robin Wood's book, and site as sources.

[OriginalWacky]

Wow Wacky you gave me some websites I didn't know about. Thx, Shatril
I am a storehouse for TONS of sites. I'm getting pretty decent at telling if they are worthwhile or not, more or less anyway. Of course, if it applies to things I have no clue about... then all bets are off.

But I have so many sites that my bookmarks are about 30 folders, each of which has at least 15 subfolders, each of which has 4-5 subfolders, and even some of those have 1-2 subfolders. I can't even imagine how horrible it would be to lose my bookmarks, I actually back my favorites up on CD to avoid that. I have stuff from the very tame wonderful things to share with my babies to the extreme wierd stuff that I don't show anybody else.

Glad I gave you something new to look at!

[Wiccamagikal]

I have chosen option 2. I would have many images of Elves, dragons, and nudity is a must. I Know that nudity offends some in tarot, but to me it is a way of -being clean- being..untainted. I would have 78 Cards and they would be about the size of regular playing cards for easy shuffling. I would make them many different colors, and have a lot of red and blues because those two colors are colors that I connect to. I would also have a booklet, not a mini booklet that gets lost..saying the meaning of each card and a checklist of how many times I have gotten this card in readings. Just for my info.

---Thats about it~!~