This Tarot is a rare sparkingly jewel.....
I have fallen deeply in love with this outstanding, vivid, elegant and otherworldy Tarot. I am a traditional witch, and as this is a Wiccan based deck, there are some irritants, but as it is also very heavily Druid based (more so than Wiccan) there is so much here that meshes and sings to me in a profound way. There is real, awesome power and magic here. The colours rich, sumptious and yummy.
The art leaves me speechless with it's sheer lushness, breathtaking beauty and intense detail. What really blows me away in this deck is the depiction of the British countryside, grassy, mossy, hilly, dappled, sensual - the impression, when one looks at these cards, of standing in front of an door that opens on unspoilt nature. The trees, shrubs and flowers are so well done! Gnarled mossy barks of oaks that serve as seat, refuge or marriage bed to various characters, young-old peeling barks of birches, soft grasses mingled with curling ferns, flowers delicately drawn and coloured; waters that reflect the skies, the surrounding vegetation and the moods of the characters...
This is the one Tarot deck I can hear the people "speak", like I could walk (or fall into!) into the images. A dream within a dream. Some of these cards created an intense reaction within me that I still feel when I gaze at them. The dark presence of Cernunnos, at the same time benevolent protection and dark cthonian promise, fulfilling and haunting paradise...Death, with the crone holding the skull, and her cauldron of endings I love the Three of Swords, because of its emphasis on creative thought - it also shows how thought linked to nature and endurance (the oak) can help us overcome trouble.
I cannot recommend this deck enough! Even if you're not Pagan or Wiccan you will fall madly in love with the images and how intuitive and flowing this deck reads. My readings have taken on a completely new dimension, capturing a primordial deep essence of my soul.
The cards are quite large, it's a must to drink in the sheer detail and beauty. Though one could easily cut off the white borders and perhaps the stone borders as well.....
The book is wonderfully written. Complex but written in a very understandable manner. Reading through the book was a delight and helped the cards come alive for me. The section on the Courts is nothing short of amazing. A must read!! I especially love how he starts with the Outer mysteries (minor arcana) first, grouping them by numbers, then preceding with the Inner Mysteries. I saw and experienced so many wonderful and profound card connections. This is a keeper of a book and indispensible as a companion to this magnificent deck. Ahhhhh how I wish this deck was available when I discovered I was a Witch (and always had been) back in 1989.
You can't go wrong with this Tarot, it's a rare, rare sparkling jewel.Read full review
