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

http://fionnmara.com

http://illuminationtarot.com

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The Ancestral Path Tarot Deck

The Ancestral Path Tarot, artist Julia Cuccia Watts, author Tracy Hoover, publisher US Games

The Ancestral Path Tarot is one of the most unique sets of tarot cards I have ever seen. Usually, I see decks having only one common theme or look (celtic, fairy, gothic, etc). While The Ancestral Path Tarot does have its theme of the path you take (or may take) and the journey and evolution of problems and situations from their causes to their conclusions, what really sets this deck apart is that, unlike most decks, each suit in this deck has its own look and story.

In this deck, we are treated to four different cultures and eras. The Swords are based on Feudal Japan and Shintoism. The Staves are based on Ancient Egypt, specifically the 19th Dynasty of Ramses II (1304 BC - 1247 BC). The Cups are based on the Arthurian Legend and the Holy Grail. The final suit, usually referred to as rings or pentacles, is this time referred to as Sacred Circles, and is based on Native American culture. An example of each can be seen here:

By using four cultures from four different areas (one North, one South, one East, and one West) and four different eras, it does allow us to feel connected to the whole of existence. We are shown that, no matter what time you lived, what culture you belonged to, no matter who your ancestors were, we are all alike in that we all walk the same paths in the search for understanding. This is best represented in the 22 cards of the Major Arcana, which blend the images from all the suits together, leaving some to feel cross-cultural, some multi-cultural, and some with no culture. While the Major Arcana, on the whole, tend to stay close to the images tarot readers are most familiar with, there are a few exceptions. The most notable is The Hanged Man, referred to in this deck as “The Hanged One”. In this deck, The Hanged One is shown as an inverted fetus still in the womb, a most stunning image:

Another interesting difference between this deck and most decks is that in this deck, there are no reversals. Cards are only given one meaning each. I suppose an expert reader could interpret the reversals as they saw fit, however, for the beginner, this is a good way to get familiar with doing reads and learning the cards, giving them just the one meaning.

Speaking of experts and beginners, this deck appears to have been designed with both categories in mind. While, on the surface, many of the basic images are easy enough to understand, especially for those with experience with other decks, if you look closely at many of the cards, there are tiny details you might overlook. The experienced eye and reader will be able to add these images for a much more layered and in-depth analysis. The idea that you should look deeply into the hidden symbols and images is portrayed almost tongue in cheek by the creator of the deck. In The Fool, she actually uses her own image for the card:

However, if you look closely, you can see that the card she is holding up is The Fool, and it has her image on it. That kind of “image within an image” is an invitation to observe the cards very very closely, and down to the most minute detail. Experienced readers will find many tiny, almost hidden images within the cards, allowing you extra layers with which to do your reading.

This deck also offers up new spreads for these cards, as well as new takes on classic spreads. Two new spreads work very well. The first is a Direct Path Spread, in which cards are laid across the table in a line (the photos shows it isn’t a straight line, as most paths wind a little, so some cards are slightly higher and slightly lower than others. This spread is used to show the progression of a problem, issue, or decision from its history, to its current path, to its conclusion, ending in a springboard to the next circumstance/problem/issue/path.

The other new spread worth mentioning here is a Fork In The Road Pattern, in which, after laying out a card for the influences on the issue, and the current state of the issue, the reading breaks off into two forks, giving you two possible paths and two possible outcomes, so you can see the progression and consequences in each of the two choices you face in resolving your question. Seeing both paths, and both possible outcomes will give you a better insight into what your decision will be.

The imagery in this deck, combined with the uniqueness of the four cultures in the four suits makes this, truly, one of the most beautiful and unique decks I have ever seen.

For further studies into tarot reading, I recommend the books currently sitting in my reading/study pile:

The Tarot Bible, Sarah Bartlett

Learning the Tarot, Joan Bunning

Understanding the Tarot Court (from the “Special Topics in Tarot” collection), Mary K Greer & Tom Little

The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals (from the “Special Topics in Tarot” collection), Mary K. Greer

Designing Your Own Tarot Spreads (from the “Special Topics in Tarot” collection), Teresa Michelsen
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Thank you to Giani for this great review

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Tarot Review: Ancient Feminine Wisdom of Goddesses and Heroines, Divination Deck

Ancient Feminine Wisdom of Goddesses and Heroines, Divination Deck By Kay Steventon and Brian Clark Published by U.S. Games, Inc.

The wisdom of goddesses… we may discover it through myth and folktale, feel it through our connection to earth and sky, receive it in a dream or vision, or even recognize it in the words of a friend. It is something that can speak to us whatever our spiritual path. Wisdom resonates, and feminine wisdom exists in the depth of our women’s souls.

The Ancient Feminine Wisdom divination deck shares the wisdom and insights of fifty-two goddesses and heroines, drawn from stories that have been passed down through centuries. The cards are divided into groups that can help us understand their significance in our lives. We begin by meeting the First Goddesses, and first among them, we are introduced to Gaia, who is referred to as “the mother of creation.” Other groups are Olympian Goddesses, where we find Hestia, Demeter, and Athena; Chthonic Goddesses, home to Cybele, Hecate, and Eris; the Guardian Goddesses, where we are offered the protection of Hygieia and Hebe. Heroines are grouped into the Heroine’s Journey, Lovers and Partners, the Power of the Heroine, and Virtues of the Heroine. Some of the heroines we meet are Psyche, Medusa, Penelope, Galatea, Medea, Cassandra, Antigone, Hesperides, and Auxo.

When we draw a card, we can reflect not only on the meanings of that specific goddess or heroine, but of her place in the deck. Drawing the card of Hygieia, a well-known ancient goddess of health and healing, would suggest to us that we are on a path of wellness. Her place in the group of Guardian Goddesses would also indicate we may be receiving some sort of spiritual protection – interpret that as you will! The deeper, feminine wisdom of the card goes even further by indicating that the need for our healing may arise from our soul being unnourished. As the accompanying booklet says, “Hygieia teaches us that without the alignment of body and soul, and heart and mind, dis-ease manifests as physical symptoms, mental anguish, and emotional pain. This card confirms that healing is imminent, but attention must be paid to the root cause – the illness of the soul.”

Each card offers enough insights that full readings or multi-card layouts are not even necessary, although there are several layout ideas provided in the booklet, and a lovely custom spread sheet included with the set. It would be of benefit to draw just a single card each day, to set aside, meditate or reflect on, allowing the card’s wisdom to inform our actions. The author suggests lighting a votive beside the card as well, to become more in tune with, as well as to honor, the energy or wisdom of that particular goddess or heroine.

These are gentle cards, beautifully depicting the goddesses or heroines, and offering insights in a direct but quietly reflective manner. The deck would be highly recommended for anyone who wishes to pursue ancient feminine wisdom, Greek goddesses in particular, and who likes the interactive nature of using oracle cards.

To learn more or to purchase visit Ancient Feminine Wisdom of Goddesses and Heroines at Amazon

~ Review by NellieLevine

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The Sun and Moon Tarot Review