For Pagans, Wiccans & Witches- The Well Worn Path Divination Kit

[Diana Ricerca]

Hi all,

The other day I received my copy of The Well Worn Path and I wanted to share my feelings and see what impressions others have had.

If you haven't heard about this new deck they have a really cool website ( www.wellwornpath.com ) or you can take a peek at a thread that has been going on right here on mystic wicks http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?threadid=88462

Anyway...here is what I wanted to share.

I am impressed with what I got for my money, not only a beautiful deck, a book with the card's meanings/symbolism/teachings, but also a black bag and a little box to keep the cards in.

And what beautiful cards they are. I have owned a few different tarot decks over the years and I've always had to spend time learning about their symbolism and meanings. This one I pulled straight from the box and did a reading.

Everytime I look at one of these cards I find something new. Its kind of like going on a mini-pathworking.

Anyway, I could go on and on.
But I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

Till then...
Blessings,
Diana

[Temptation]

Hey Diana!

I was thinking of starting a thread about this too. You beat me to it.

I got the deck recently too and I absolutely love to look at these cards. I didn't know what to expect when I ordered it because it's not a Tarot deck, more of a Divination deck, but I was pleasantly surprised at how lovely it is.

I haven't read with it yet as I'm more comfortable with the traditional Tarot decks. I've just been enjoying looking through the cards.

Wasn't that laminated card with all the meanings a nice touch too?

Simply lovely and highly recommended, especially if you follow a Pagan/Wiccan path. I don't and I still think it's awesome.

[stella01904]

Originally Posted by Temptation

Simply lovely and highly recommended, especially if you follow a Pagan/Wiccan path. I don't and I still think it's awesome.

MM ~ I do and that's what I love about it!
When I study Tarot it always leads to Hebrew mysticism: Qabala, the Hebrew alphabet. Then you have that stonemason's angle to the older decks, you know, the Golden Proportion and all that. Not to mention Gnostic Christianity, which was also a big influence. All of this is very interesting but it's not me. Putting deer horns on the Pope doesn't make it a Witches deck because the structure of the Tarot itself is Hebrew. There is a Pagan influence from the Greek cult in Marseilles but it is one voice among many.
I like the older European oracle decks but they also always have some Christian influence.
What is "ours"?
Runes are Pagan and I like them, I use them, but I don't work with that pantheon.
Scrying is universal. It is ours but not ours alone.
Reading playing cards is likely a Witch thing (but also Romany). The one photo of Maddalena I've seen shows her with playing cards. The thing is, playing card divination gives you the down and dirty, but doesn't offer much in the way of spiritual insight. There is a website that compares Tarot and playing card reading. It equates Tarot to a philosopher and says "If you want philosophy, knock on the front door and ask for the philosopher. If you want to know what goes on in the philosopher's house, knock on the back door and ask for the scullery maid." Playing card reading is useful, but it can be very mundane.
The Well Worn Path is the ONE DECK I have seen that is purely Craft. I've only had mine for a few days, but it seems to work with all kinds of questions, from the sublime to the mundane.
If I could only have one deck (and I love cards, I have hard-to-get decks that I have gone to great lengths to aquire) I would keep this one.
It can be used for magic, ritual, and meditation purposes also.
Wow.
BB, Stella

[Diana Ricerca]

Originally Posted by Temptation

Wasn't that laminated card with all the meanings a nice touch too?

Yep, nice touch. Class all the way!

[Diana Ricerca]

Putting deer horns on the Pope doesn't make it a Witches deck because the structure of the Tarot itself is Hebrew.

Now there is an image that will stick with me for a while!

I like the older European oracle decks but they also always have some Christian influence. What is "ours"?

Agreed! That is what is so cool about this deck! These images are ours and they mean something to us.

Reading playing cards is likely a Witch thing (but also Romany). The one photo of Maddalena I've seen shows her with playing cards. The thing is, playing card divination gives you the down and dirty, but doesn't offer much in the way of spiritual insight.

My Mom read playing cards and I tried to learn from her, but you're right they gave the answers but no teachings or inner meanings.

If I could only have one deck (and I love cards, I have hard-to-get decks that I have gone to great lengths to aquire) I would keep this one. It can be used for magic, ritual, and meditation purposes also.

I agree! I was thinking about using them for teaching. As you know symbols are very important for our subconscious mind, so if you showed your students a card - let's say the Crescent Crowned Goddess - and you explained each of the symbols on the card; the cave, the vervain, the cauldron, the snake, the river crossroad, (just to name a few) you could teach a complete two hour class on the Goddess and your students would walk about with a TON of new knowledge - and I bet they would easily retain it!

Plus what a great way to teach the younger witches and pagans coming up through our covens!

I'm still coming up with ways to use this deck and I've only had mine a short while!

Off to play some more!
Diana

[raven grimassi]

Originally Posted by stella01904

The Well Worn Path is the ONE DECK I have seen that is purely Craft. I've only had mine for a few days, but it seems to work with all kinds of questions, from the sublime to the mundane.
If I could only have one deck (and I love cards, I have hard-to-get decks that I have gone to great lengths to aquire) I would keep this one.
It can be used for magic, ritual, and meditation purposes also.
Wow.
BB, Stella

One of the things that I feel is key to the Well Worn Path deck is its roots in the mystical and magical. The imagery was drawn from ancestral knowledge and wisdom, and we interfaced with the "momentum of the past" to manifest the concepts. This required working on astral levels and elemental plane work.

Once the concepts came into focus, the artist went to work on manifesting the vision within the material realm. This process drew upon the magical & mystical as well, for she used herbal tinctures in the colorings, and poured her own magic into the manifestation of the cards.

I feel that this combination is carried in the pictures, and they really do speak to the reader. But beyond that, we also intended the cards to be teaching tools. Because the deck contains forty foundational concepts of Paganism and the Craft (Wicca & Witchcraft) each card can be used in a setting to teach a student. The card can be presented, the imagery discussed, and the teachings transmitted. Here the visual image helps the student to retain what he or she has learned.

The deck is also designed for solitary ritual. Again, the cards are effective because the imagery flows from the other planes. The companion book contains a complete Full Moon ritual that requires nothing but the cards. However, some incense and candles would enhance the experience.

Originally Posted by Diana Ricerca

I was thinking about using them for teaching. As you know symbols are very important for our subconscious mind, so if you showed your students a card - let's say the Crescent Crowned Goddess - and you explained each of the symbols on the card; the cave, the vervain, the cauldron, the snake, the river crossroad, (just to name a few) you could teach a complete two hour class on the Goddess and your students would walk about with a TON of new knowledge - and I bet they would easily retain it!

Yes, and this is one of the strengths of this deck. For example, you can lay out the cauldron card and teach a student all about its symbolism (including its connection to the womb of the Goddess, and its powers that appear in myth & legend). The companion book presents the traditional teachings about each card image, but people can certainly apply their own views according to their own training or tradition.

A teacher can take a series of cards and create a teaching curriculum. One example would be the Goddess, cauldron, broom, and Maiden, Mother, Crone cards. Another set of cards would be the altar, pentacle, wand, athame and chalice cards. There are many other useful combinations as well.

Best regards - Raven

[Xander67]

I cant wait to get my copy! soon as I get back to work and get caught up a bit... it is on my list!

[LisaT4P]

It's on my wish list.

[Amryn]

Another deck to add to my very long wish list.

[Talena13]

I just recently received the Well Worn Path and found it unique and beautiful with so many uses. It really looks like a lot of time and thought went into the making of this deck and I'm looking forward to exploring it more. What a great tool. One of the things that struck me is how friendly and warm the deck seems to be. Much of the time I am overwhelmed by the usual Tarot deck and the memorization can be intimidating. The Well Worn Path comes across as a visual journey that will teach one along the way. What a pleasure. I'm taking the deck with me on a road trip as I will have hours to spend traveling in the back seat of a car.

Blessings,
Talena