U. S. Games Systems Inc.

Tarot experts Katz and Goodwin have come up with a creative, interactive new approach for studying tarot. Whether you want to learn to read cards, or to use classic tarot symbolism and images to tap into esoteric wisdom, this book is a perfect place to start. Set up as a journey through the traditional 78-card tarot deck, the reader is invited to visit one card a day and explore it as a destination. The authors then build on that basic format, providing information about tarot-related subjects (correspondences) like numerology, astrology, Kabbalah, essential oils, and magickal tradition.

The information in the book is well-organized so it is easy to access, but there is lots of it (the book has 424 pages). The Reading List at the end, spanning a hundred years of tarot writings, indicates the broad range of resources the author relied upon to create this tarot tool. The end product is synergistic, not a compilation. It is a unique presentation which includes fun titles like The Clockwork Museum, The Garden of Delights, The Pyramid Plaza, and The Ancient Coliseum. The addition of Affirmations, Meditations, and original spread designs helps the reader become an active participate in the world they are exploring.

The book will be as valuable as an addition to a reference library as it is as a starter course for serious tarot study. If you want to learn what lies behind the intriguing pictures in your tarot deck, this is the book for you. SHOP FOR THE BOOK

© Anna Jedrziewski and InannaWorks

 

Beyond Words

The eyes say it all. Wise, whimsical, sultry, melancholy … these ladies have attitude. Lots and lots and lots of attitude. Lucy Cavendish is a long-time advocate of ancient women’s spiritual traditions. She is a practicing witch. Jasmine Becket-Griffith is a fantasy artist who captures the hidden magic in her subjects and brings it to the surface. This 46-card cast of female characters, which they created together, is aimed at teenagers, but speaks to that aspect in all of us which represents newly-emerging energy.

Much is hidden in the shadows. Most of it is masked by negative emotions, but at the heart of the darkness lies the truth. The Oracle of Shadows and Light asks us to summon our courage and journey to our center, no matter what we encounter along the way. The artistry and creativity of the deck imply the treasures that wait for us if we are willing to risk the adventure.

Among my favorite cards: Two Little Witches whose crystal eyes vibrate in perfect unison; The Mend-a-Broken-Heart Fairy with tear-stained face and hearts on her wings; The Angel of Time whose rage emanates from the cogs of the machine; The Snow Angel whose black wings have magically transported her from a Hollywood red carpet to a snowy forest; Marie Masquerade with her laughter barely hidden by her regally-elaborate costume; and — my very favorite — Lady with a Bosch Egg who has made art out of the sadder-but-wiser ruins of her world.

This deck, with its well-written companion book, is a box full of art and wisdom and hope. The power of each lady surrounds you as you look into her eyes. What a treat! SHOP FOR THE DECK

© Anna Jedrziewski and InannaWork

 

Llewellyn

The Knight of Swords, in her 1930’s aviator gear, takes a stance that is reminiscent of Katherine Hepburn. The face staring out from the card, however, could belong to Angelina Jolie. The dirigibles emerging from the mists above the mountains in the background are easy to miss as one first scans this intriguing card, but once they have come into focus, they become the central theme of the illustration. In stark contrast to the static figure in the foreground, they simultaneously signal foreboding and attraction.

The epitome of “steampunk,” this collaboration between Moore and Fell has produced a tarot deck that almost vibrates in your hands. The layers of esoteric symbolism created by Moore are set in motion by Fell’s lush fantasy art. True to the traditional Rider-Waite format, The Steampunk Tarot doesn’t just reinterpret that set of cards, it grows out of it and takes wing.

While one can easily spend hours looking at the imagery on the cards, it is only when one does readings with them that the depth of the complexity in each card becomes evident. This deck is a treat for everyone, but for the professional card reader it is a special gift. Clients will be fascinated as the secrets of the other side rise from the contradictions within each picture. SHOP FOR THE DECK

© Anna Jedrziewski and InannaWorks

 

Findhorn Press

Astrologer Alison Chester-Lambert has joined forces with Richard Crookes, illustrator of the Angels of Atlantis Oracle Cards, to create a series of 36 cards which capture the energies of the Zodiac. If traditional astrological formats confuse you, this beautifully-packaged deck and book set comes to your rescue. If you’re an astrological pro, this deck will delight you with its visual interpretations. If you’re an oracle/tarot card afficionado, this deck will add an exciting, inventive series of images to your repertoire.

The cards are divided into three groups. The Zodiac Sign cards indicate the universal influences that are at work with regard to the situation being explored. The Planet cards make it personal, telling the querent about the aspects of themselves that are being affected by the situation. The House cards describe the physical plane stage on which the situation is playing out. Regardless of your level of divinatory expertise, you can dive right into forecasting with this deck by pulling one card from each group and “reading” the story that the three cards tell when laid out next to each other. The full-color companion book provides additional insight into the symbolism of each card. Written conversationally, without obscure terminology, the book offers ancient wisdom conveyed in real-world language, and adds a few secret tidbits to the mix (i.e., Pluto’s transformative energies release the power of Kundalini energy).

Crookes has delivered another visual treasure and Chester-Lambert backs it up with a solid astrological foundation. I highly recommend this deck. SHOP FOR THE DECK

© Anna Jedrziewski and InannaWorks

Hay House

Renowned spiritual teacher and healer Sonia Choquette refers to the tarot archetype The Fool as an “unapologetic mirror”. She has created this 52-card oracle deck to explore the wisdom of the archetype in depth. The answers always lie within and The Fool’s Wisdom Oracle Deck will help you find it.

The deck is divided into 40 Minor Fools which are meant to help with day-to-day living, and 12 Major Fools which offer insight into the underlying patterns which affect our outward choices and behavior. Silas Toball’s engaging illustrations facilitate contact with the lessons of each card. Choquette’s companion book elaborates on those lessons in a serene and reassuring voice. She guides readers toward a more authentic and fulfilling life with great competence and a very gentle touch. Her goal is self-empowerment. She provides guidelines for working with this powerful tool, but also encourages readers to develop their own methods for using it. Like the drawing of The WONDER Fool which graces the cover of deck, she smiles supportively as the butterfly finds its strength and takes flight.

This deck is a breath of fresh air. Emotive, inspiring, and sometimes whimsical, The Fool’s Wisdom Oracle Deck will appeal to your Inner Child as well as to your Inner Wisdom. SHOP FOR THE DECK

© Anna Jedrziewski and InannaWorks

 

Llewellyn Worldwide

This sensational imagery, created by Spanish illustrator Royo, combined with the millennia-old oracle from Asia, yields an oracle deck which is provocative, compelling, and filled with symbolism that will open door after door in the subconscious.

Each of the cards bears one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the traditional I Ching. Those who are experienced in working with the I Ching can use the deck as a simplified process for arriving at the appropriate hexagram to interpret. Those who are just beginning to work with the I Ching will find this deck is a helpful tool for learning the complex, ancient system. I suspect, however, that most people will acquire the deck because of the lush and intriguing, Asian-influenced images that call out from each card.

Whether you want a series of new images to trigger intuitive information, or you are just interested in collecting unique decks, this is a deck you don’t want to miss. I can’t stop looking at it! SHOP FOR THE DECK

© Anna Jedrziewski and InannaWorks