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Reviews: Tarot Decks
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Samurai Tarot
text: Assimiliano Filadoro
artist: Giancarlo Caracuzzo
Lo Scarabeo
2006
ISBN #888395-499-8
"Samurai Tarot" is a fascinating addition to Lo Scarabeo's wonderful line of art Tarot decks. Based on the Samurai tradition of feudal Japan, this deck takes the Fool's Journey to new levels. The Samurai were much more than simple warriors - they placed their lives in the hands of their lord and their clan. As the LWB points out - duty was the Samurai's most important focus. Does this not resonate with the "duty" of the reader to interpret the story of their readings in the best manner possible? Do we each not have a "duty" to progress as individuals as far as we can in each lifetime?
For the Samurai, their path was defined by an elaborate moral and behavioral code termed "Bushido". The basic philosophy of Bushido was complete freedom from fear, including the fear of death. The "Samurai Tarot" is presented as the journey of the "inner Samurai" through the tests of life. The goal of the original spirit of Bushido focuses more on the "inner enemy" than on the physical elimination of enemies. In this manner, the legacy of the Samurai keeps alive the path toward moral progress and the forming of a mature personality - the process of "individuation" that is the Tarot.
The Major and Minor Arcana reflect the Five Buddhist Elements of the Universe: Earth, Fire, Water, Wind and Air, as well as some aspect of the physical or spiritual life of the Samurai. The divinatory meanings are expressed as brief teachings, akin to haiku. the Major Arcana reflect the myths of Japan through its Gods and Heros.
0 The Fool
I The Magician
II The Goddess
III The Empress
IV The Emperor
V the Priest
VI The Lovers
VII The Chariot
VIII Justice
IX The Monk
X The Wheel
XI Strength
XII The Hanged Man
XIII Death
XIV Temperance
XV the Devil
XVI The Tower
XVII The Stars
XVIII The Moon
XIX The Sun
XX Judgement
XXI The World
The suit of Pentacles represents daily life in ancient Japan. This is where the young Samurai begins his journey. Each of the Aces is expressed as a principle. the Ace of Pentacles represents the principle of Chi (Earth), with the keyword materiality.
The suit of Wands deals with the Samurai competing with himself and his unconscious (his desires, fears, and weaknesses, which take the form of spectral apparitions). The principle of the Ace of Wands is Hi (Fire), with the keyword undertaking.
The suit of Chalices is where the Samurai, having traveled the night of the soul, encounters the evolution of his emotions reflected in nature: Zen. The principle of the Ace of Chalices is Mizu (Water), with the keyword adaptability.
The suit of Swords represents the destination of the journey undertaken by the Samurai. The destination is not an end - it is a connection with previous journey's in an infinite spiral. The principle of the Ace of Swords is Kaze (Wind), with the keyword of thought.
The court figures in this deck are titled King, Queen, Knight and Knave. They are represented by historical or legendary figures from the Japanese tradition.
King of Pentacles: The monk Kukai.
Queen of Pentacles: Daruma
Knight of Pentacles: Minamoto Yorisomo (the first shogun)
Knave of Pentacles: Kabuki Ichikawa Danjuro(actor)
King of Wands: Shidoken (monk)
Queen of Wands: Murasaki Shikibu (author)
Knight of Wands: Shoki (hunter of demons)
Knave of Wands: The Soga Brothers
King of Chalices: Nichiren (monk)
Queen of Chalices: Ono no Komachi (poetess)
Knight of Chalices: Minamoto no Taretomo (archer)
Knave of Chalices: Tenjin (patron of calligraphy)
King of Swords: Takuan (monk)
Queen of Swords: The Heron Maiden
Knight of Swords: Miyamoto Musashi
Knave of Swords: Oboshi Yuranosake (head of 47 ronins)
The LWB is presented, as usual for Lo Scarabeo, in five languages: English, Italian, French, German and Spanish. A brief background on Samurai tradition is presented, and the five rings (the Five Buddhist Elements of the Universe) are introduced. Each of the Major Arcana are presented with a keyword and how the energy of the card applies to life. Each of the Aces has a principle given, along with the elemental association, a keyword and how the energy of the card applies to life. Each of the court cards is associated with a figure from myth or literature, and a series of keywords.
Two divinatory spread are presented: a two card spread entitled the "Duel", with the first card representing the Seeker and the second card representing the problem/issue; and a five card spread entitled "Clash at the Crossroads", which is focused on a particular task at hand.
References from the movies, literature and the comics are listed for the reader that wishes to go further into the study of the Samurai culture.
The cards themselves are 2 1/2" by 4 3/4", of sturdy, glossy card stock. The back have a 1/4" brownish-red border, followed by a slightly larger green patterned border. in the middle is a depiction of a Samurai, upright and reversed. It would not be possible to tell if a card had been drawn in the upright and reversed positions.
The face of the cards shows a 1/4" white border, followed by a darker, patterned border. For the Majors, the card title is listed across the top and the bottom of the card in each of five languages: English, Italian, French, German and Spanish. The card number, in Roman numerals, is at the top of the card, in white against the dark border. The Pips show the suit in each of the above five languages across the top and bottom of the card. The Pip number appears in white against the dark border at the top of the card. For the court cards, the title and suit appear in each of the five above languages across the top and bottom of the card.
The artistry in this deck is very gentle, with a very mystical quality. We find the Fool as an old man, with a staff in one hand and a fishing rod (with a fish on the hook!) in the other. The Magician appears as a Buddha like figure in a yellow robe, seated in front of a low table, on which rest his tools (sword, wand and chalice). Behind him we see a cloud filled sky, and some type of red structure (two red pillars on each side, with a narrow red board between then close to the top, and a third pillar at the top, connecting the two vertical pillars. The Goddess (High Priestess) is a lovely multi-armed figure holding an open book in (one) of her right hands. The Empress is a bit disconcerting, as she appears as a warrior, with a scepter ending in a blade held firmly in her left hand, and a look of determination on her face.
The Priest is a Hermit-like figure, in a gray robe, with a staff in his left hand, standing at the edge of a pond, surrounded by animals, with a full moon in the background. Justice is awesome, showing a huge, ethereal, Buddha-like figure, with his hand clasped together in front of him, a night sky in back of him, and three darkened pagodas in front of him. There is definite humor in the Monk Hermit), which shows a rotund Buddha-like figure in a red loincloth, seated on the ground, fanning himself with a leaf that he hold sin his left hand. What appears to be a frog figure is balancing himself above the figure on the limb of a tree. The Wheel (Wheel of Fortune) shows a bright green dragon, head and tail circled together, with a Samurai at its center. The Hanged Man moves away from tradition a bit, as it shows two figures on the ground, one of which is holding the end of the rope from which the Hanged Man is hanging, with the other figure holding a swords in his right hand. The Hanged Man, wearing a red coat, hangs by one foot only, with his arms free, and a sword in his right hand. The World is an interesting card, showing three pillars, with a female figure standing on top of one of the pillars, and what appears to be the same figure at the bottom of the pillar. The World shows a female figure wearing a kimono, holding onto a white ribbon that forms a circle with the Yin/Yang symbol in the middle.
The Aces are interesting cards, with the Ace of Chalices showing red flowers coming from a low container, with an open fan to one side; The Ace of pentacles shows three figures crossing a bridge, with two circles, one inside the other, in the sky above them. In the middle of the inner circle we see what appears to be an "S". The Ace of Wands shows a hand holding a Wand, with a walled fortress behind it, topped by a large building (castle?). The Ace of Swords shows a sword held in the right hand of a warrior in war gear, with an object that I cannot identify in his left hand.
While the symbolism in this deck is not traditional to Tarot, it does follow its own tradition, and is very well presented. This is a theme deck, yes, but it would work in a reading (for a reader that was well versed in the Tarot), and as a comparative deck. This is not a deck for beginners, but could be used in meditation, as well as ritual/ceremony work. I found it to be a deck that I connected easily with, and one that brought a smile to my face.
© May 2006
Golden Tarot of Klimt
author: Bepi Vigna
illustrator: A. A. Atanassov, based on the artwork of Gustav Klimt
Lo Scarabeo
2005
ISBN #073870790-2
In a word - this deck is stunning! Done in gold leaf, it is based on the art of twentieth-century Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. His work reflects the art and culture of early twentieth-century Vienna. Klimt left the "School of Arts and Crafts" in protest of his belief that painting and other figurative arts were not being given their proper worth (at this time, theater and operatic music took precedence with the Austro-Hungarian court).With fellow painters, he helped create a splinter group known as the Vienna Secession, whose aim was to promote Austrian art at home and abroad. Of these painters, Klimt stands out as perfectly expressing the spirit of the bourgeois and the aristocratic world of his time. His works created a dream-like universe that was both decadent and magnificent. He is considered to be one of the initiators of the tradition of modern design through his combining pictorial techniques and purely graphical techniques.
These are the works that inspired artist A. A. Atanassov to create this absolutely stunning deck. The gold leaf itself is mesmerizing, but the art that it enhances is also in a class of its own. The work is very stylized, with the figures appearing long and thin, bordering on seeming emaciated - the type of thing that one would see in a fun-house mirror. the skin tones are extremely pale, with the background colors tending to orange-red or shades of brown.
The deck follows the traditional structure of the Tarot, with traditional titles for the Major Arcana, and the placement of Justice at VIII and Strength at XI. The Minor Arcana suits are Wands, Chalices, Swords and Pentacles. The court cards are entitled King, Queen, Knight and Knave.
The LWB that accompanies the deck is in English, Italian, German, Spanish and French. It covers the biographical background on Gustav Klimt, a short section on the symbolism in this deck, and upright and reversed meanings for each of the cards. One spread is presented, a thirteen card spread entitled the "Circle of Faults and Virtues". Twelve cards are placed in a circle, with the thirteenth card in the middle. Part of the process here is that the Major and Minor Arcana are separated, with the first twelve cards coming from the Minor Arcana, and the thirteenth card from the Major Arcana. If the middle card is upright, the cards are read from right to left. If the card in the middle is reversed, the cards are read from left to right. The spread is read in a specific manner, with the first four cards being turned over, and then the card in the middle. The first four cards represent the Seeker's current situation, with the Major Arcana card providing the direction for reading the Minor Arcana. The second group of four cards represents the Seeker's job situation, and the last four cards represent the Seeker's emotional situation. My thought here, and I don't know why, is that this spread is representative of the energy of the times that Klimt was painting.
The cards themselves are approximately 2 5/8" by 4 3/5", of sturdy, glossy card stock with gold leaf. The backs have a 1/4" black border, with a patterned gold background. In the center, back to back, is the surrealistic impression of a female figure. It would be impossible to tell if the cards were drawn upright or reversed. The card faces show the same 1/4" black border, followed by a thin gold border. At the top of the Major Arcana is the card number, in Roman numerals, with the card title in five languages (English, Italian, French, Spanish and German) in small gold lettering in the four corners. the Minor Arcana show the suit number at the top, with the suit name, in five languages, in each of the four corners. The Court cards show the title and suit in five languages, in each of the four corners.
There were a few cards that I felt did not bring out the traditional energy of the card. the first one was The Fool, which shows a male figure, nude, standing with his head in his hands. Definitely not a youth setting out on his life's journey. What troubles me is that the card does match the upright definition given in the LWB: "Lack of points of reference, loss of identity, confusion". The Hermit to me was another version of the Fool, with a nude male figure standing, this time with his hands behind his back and his head down. This time to definition in the LWB does match what the archetype should be: "Solitude, meditation, reserve, wisdom".
Strength I really do not understand. Here we see a female figure standing, with what appears to be a male face on the lower left hand side of her skirt. The definition given in the LWB is: "Spiritual energy, moral strength, clear thinking, determination". This definitely does not come through in this card. The Hanged Man has lost the esoteric symbolism by having the figures arms held straight out in front of him, with one ankle bound and the other unbound, with the unbound knee bent out.
The female figure in the World is standing sideways to the viewer, and very, very pregnant. I am not sure from the look on her face if she wants to tell the reader something, or if she wants to know how she got that way. The Nine of Chalices is a real doozy, with a figure that appears to be male, but with enlarged breasts and a very pregnant stomach!
There may be some reason for all of the above, and if I were more knowledgeable in the area of art, they might have made more sense. The cards were breathtaking from an artistic point of view, but I don't know how I would interpret them in a reading, or explain them to a client.
Having said that, there are some cards that absolutely shine! the Magician appears as a female figure, in a red dress with gold figures on it. In her left hand she holds a flat dish, while what appears to be a gold snake winds itself around her right arm, with its head poised over the dish. Her right hand appears to be held in a stylized, Hermetic type position. The High Priestess shows a very elegant lady, seated, with a book held loosely in her left hand. Again, both hands seem to be held in Hermetic positions.
The Lovers shows a male and female figure embracing, with the archetypal intent showing clearly. Justice is a standing female figure, with the sword of justice in her right hand (a large sword - the hilt comes up to her shoulder), and the scales of justice in her left hand. I was rather drawn to Death, which showed Death with a pale face, carrying a scythe. To the right, in a a separate picture, we see a family of pale figures. The message here? Death is a part of the cycle of life - it comes to us all. Also very telling is that under the face of Death we see a series of crosses, making up a surrealistic 'body".
The Moon is one of my favorite cards, with a female figure, curled into a fetal position, riding on a moonbeam. The Sun is another favorite, showing two figures embracing in front of a gold background that features little sworls that look like peacock eyes. The Five of Chalices is humorous, yet right on target - a fully dressed female figure, standing, holding a pale mask of her own face in front of her. How many masks do we all wear in living out our lives!
The Ten of Pentacles is very much a "feel good" card, showing a bright yellow house through a canopy of green, leafy trees. All of the court cards served their purpose, with the possible exception of the King of Pentacles. Here we see the King seated, with his head propped on his left hand. His right hand holds the symbol for the suit of Pentacles, which rests in his lap. The manner in which he is seated, and the look on his face, is more Four of Pentacles that King of Pentacles.
This is a very well done deck, and a must have for collectors of art decks. It does contain a considerable amount of nudity, which is something to take into consideration when offering it as a possible deck for a client reading. While this deck could be used for reading, it is not a deck for beginning readers. It would work well, however, in working with the comparative method of reading. The artwork itself, and the gold leaf, make this a deck that is easy to appreciate.
© May 2006 |
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Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Educator, Reiki Master/Teacher
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Bonnie Cehovet is a Tarot Educator, a professional Tarot reader with over ten years experience, a Reiki Master/Teacher and a writer. Bonnie holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of Hawaii, Manoa campus, and is certified as a Tarot Educator with the American Board For Tarot Certification.
She has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association, to include Secretary on the ATA Board. She is co-founder of the World Tarot Network, and Vice President (as well as Director of Certification) for the American Board For Tarot Certification.
Her articles and reviews currently appear in the World Tarot Network newsletter (www.worldtarot.com),
The Meta Arts Magazine (www.themetaarts.com),
the Aeclectic Tarot site (www.aeclectic.
net/tarot),
and on her own site,
www.tarot.
thecrystalgate.com.
For the past three years she has edited her own monthly Tarot newsletter - Gateway to Tarot. She also has articles appearing in the 2004 and 2005 "Llewellyn Tarot Reader".
www.americanboard
fortarot certification.org
www.tarot.
thecrystalgate. com |
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