It's so nice to receive gifts in the post (even if I have paid for them). The Wizards Tarot arrived today and it has me hooked. Usually I prefer painted cards to digital artwork but in this deck the images have been thoughtfully composed. The majors and the courts are bursting with symbolic detail (all explained in the book) without anything superfluous being added. The images are a little small they would have been better borderless like the Green Witch deck. Faces are a bit characterless but I have just been using the Tarot of the Hidden Realm which is at the opposite end of the spectrum in this regard. The courts are better especially the pentacles which are represented by gnomes.
I love this description of the Page (the card that most closely resonates with me) 'The youngest member of the gnome family might not conform to our idealized standards of beauty but she is as her creator made her'. Happy with that.
The guidebook (or mandrake academy manual) is one of the best I've ever read. For each of the major arcana there are lessons on symbols, practical exercises and new spreads.
I did the magician's above and below spread. You place the four aces - wands, cups, swords, pentacles in a row and then place four cards above and four cards below. The top row depicts your spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical ideals and the bottom row will illustrate your realities. The aces are there to remind you which area of your life you are examining. This spread really spoke to me.
In brief:
Spiritual development my ideal is magician and reality is page of pents (very much a learner) - makes perfect sense. My spiritual journey only got underway this year!
Emotions: Ideal is the initiate, I long for emotional renewal and a return to innocence. The Knight of Pents reminds me I have come a long way, across difficult terrain a complete return to innocence may not be possible. I am where I am.
Intellectual: Ideal the Sun (professor of solar magic) or bright young star of the academy. Yes I'm an early career academic building a research profile. Reality Queen of Pents. I'm early career but I'm not young. I'm not hurrying and I don't feel the pressure to conform to 'mainstream' research. I'm planted firmly on my own theoretical 'throne' and that is where I will bloom.
Physical: Ideal the six of wands. Yes I need to improve my public speaking by addressing the bodily as well as cognitive side of this. Reality Queen of Swords. I've been hurt before at conferences and in teaching. I'm sadder but wiser. I can spot trouble from a distance even when as Kenner says 'it's only a whisper on the breeze'. I'll need to use the sword to nip threats in the bud and as I've already learnt this week work behind the scenes (no open warfare).
I wonder what books that Page carries in her bag. :) You seem to have pulled several court cards from the Pentacles suit, which suggests being grounded and looking at things from a practical standpoint. I've always thought of the Queen of Swords as being a great bulls#it detector, which is always helpful. Found a great quote by Anne Lamott that I think this queen would approve of:
ReplyDelete"You don't always have to chop with the sword of truth. You can point with it too." (Something I'm still learning!)
I do love a book bag :) Yes I am very pents/coins. I did another spread in which the emperor appears in whatever part of life needs the most attention - turned up in Eduction my opportunity to point with the sword.
Deleteexpectations vs. results...a lesson we struggle with until we die.
ReplyDeleteYes but curiously I was happier with the reality cards than the ideal - felt more like me :)
DeleteLooks like a great deck with enough meat on the bones. I am thinking about buying a new deck too. I love the thrill of investigating if I might relate to the deck. And yes the anticipation of the delivery ..... :
ReplyDeleteThis one is worth getting for the book alone. It really is tremendous. I've been reading and playing all day :) Hope you find your best new deck.
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