Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Sun and Moon Tarot Review

Sun and Moon Tarot                                                  
By Vanessa Decort
Published by US Games Inc, 2010

Can I use the word delightful? I usually don’t, but it describes this deck well. As soon as I looked through the cards I felt a new lightness in spirit. The scenes of love, play, affection, youth, and vitality simply made me smile.

Sun and Moon Tarot brings its own wisdom – an embrace of life, of living – to a Crowley Thoth backdrop. Figures on the cards exhibit a certain comfort or confidence in their surroundings, and a sense of being fully present. They are almost cute, as they are also almost all young, with soft round featureless faces, long flowing hair or dreadlocks, baggy pants and belly-tees, and an energy that nearly bounces off the images.

These traits do not make the deck itself lightweight… It is interesting to see all these travelers through the tarot look as if they are under twenty. They easily look like they could be students, reflecting to me that we are all still students – as cliché as it may sound – not only of tarot of course, but of life itself. In the Devil card we see two young people, standing back to back, arms hooked together as if they are bound by some powerful force. We could each be standing there – no matter our age, learning the lessons of the Devil, as stated in the accompanying booklet, “The couple can release themselves by letting go of each other and escaping from the web of illusion. The devil dominates the couple. His third eye forces them to confront their inner demons, obsessions, fears, delusions, and traumas.” In the Five of Pentacles, also named “Worry,” we see two young people, perhaps even children, sitting alone against a wall. It is another emphasis on the agelessness of our concerns. The truth of this card may be relevant no matter where we are in our lives, and the artwork gets this across effectively.

The cards are rich with symbolism, bringing more multiculturalism to the deck than mere appearances. It takes into account Kabalistic paths, Jungian archetypes, as well as universal archetypes and cultural symbols, and the personal symbols of the artist. The deck looks simple and joyful, but carries within it much meaning and depth – making it a true pleasure to read with. For example, in the card of Temperance we see a winged angel passing water from one cup to another, but we also see a pattern of yin and yang in the steam rising above her. Of the card the author says, “Temperance reveals the middle path described in Buddhism. The black and white elements of this card reveal the light and dark dual nature within us. The black and white cups represent properties of the sun (fire) and the moon (water)… Fire and water are brought together into steam, signifying creative power, and integration of opposites.”

The accompanying booklet reflects scholarship, age, and wisdom. It offers clear and comprehensive interpretations for each card, with intuitive and intelligent insight. A good Introduction to Tarot and the Sephirot is provided, as is one spread, called Sun and Moon (yin and yang) Reading.  

The Sun and Moon Tarot is highly recommended, and though it will have appeal to enthusiasts of any age and experience, would be particularly wonderful as a gift for a young person.
~ Nellie Levine








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3 comments:

  1. I am not a tarot practitioner but these cards are delightful. I am used to associating dark, heavy imagery with tarot but these are so playful like children's flash cards. Makes one want to own it just for the pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the lightness and playfulness of these cards. Thanks for sharing!

    Cheers!
    Julie
    Julie Magers Soulen Photography

    ReplyDelete
  3. mkaes me wanna study them more!

    bb

    ReplyDelete

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