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Reviews: Tarot Decks
Tarot Reviews
by Bonnie Cehovet
Tarot Master
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A Renaissance Tarot
reviewed by Bonnie Cehovet, TM
author: Brian Williams
illustrator: Brian Williams
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
1994
ISBN #0-88079-545-X
Suits: Staves, Cups, Swords, Coins
Court cards: King, Queen, Knight, Page
This is one of two decks that came to me in a very magickal way - one of the members of a Tarot e-list that I am on had purchased them for herself, only to find that she did not connect with them in any significant manner. I was absolutely thrilled to take both decks off her hands!
The journey that is the Renaissance Tarot spanned a period of ten years - the results show the care, thought and nurturing that was taken every step of the way. Brian Williams had a life long interest in both classical and Renaissance art, which he has translated nicely into the Renaissance Tarot. After spending a year in studies at the University of Padua in Italy. Brian took the illustrations and theory that would become the Renaissance Tarot and used them as the basis for an independent thesis and project at the University of California at Berkeley.
One of the themes that run through this book and deck is the place that Tarot held in European culture. Brian's stated purpose with the accompanying book is to provide a complete guide to the cards, their meanings and their uses. He also goes into the historical significance of each of the cards, which is not something that I have seen done elsewhere. Each card, including the minors, has a bit of myth in it that explains the archetypal qualities of the card, For example, the Ten of Swords is the myth of Paris and Achilles, while the Chariot is the myth of Aphrodite and Ares.
Throughout the accompanying book there are a wealth of black and white illustrations from the Renaissance period. At one point we see the game of Tarot being played (as taken from a mid-fifteenth century fresco in the Sala dei Giochi in the Casa Borromeo in Milan. At another point we see a manuscript illumination of Mars (the God) from the fifteenth century. At yet another point we see an engraving of a Satyr family by Durer from 1505. The list is endless - and fascinating.
With each of the majors we are treated to a wonderful description of the card, quite an involved background into the archetypal myth, and incredible illustrations, as well as divinatory and reversed meanings. With the court cards and the minors we see a description of the card, an abbreviated version of the myth behind it, as well as divinatory and reversed meanings. Each section contains a black and white scan of the card.
At the end of the book Brian presents a section on Tarot spreads, including the Celtic Cross, Tetrasky (also known as the Pythagorean Tetrad) and the Twelve Houses spreads. An interesting aside on the Twelve Houses spread is that it is presented in a square format (referred to as a quadrilateral design), rather than the usual circular format.
The cards themselves are 2 3/4" by 5", on glossy card stock. The backs have a 1/4" white border, with a bisque colored center containing intricate work using triple circles resembling Celtic Knots, upon which reside the medieval symbols for the elements in the four corners, with four corresponding animals floating within them. A male and female figure recline in the center, with their hands held.The almost blandness of the backs acts as a kind of foil for the wonderfully rich colors of the card faces. Again we see the use of a 1/4" white border, followed by a 1/4" gold inner border. The top two corners of each of the cards contain figures (some animal, some human, some symbols) that are there for ornamental purposes only. The title for each card is across the bottom, in both Italian and English.
The overall coloring is a well done pastel, with the figures dressed, for the most part, in Renaissance fashion. The pips make basic use of the suit symbol, with animal and human figures added to them that are not integral to the understanding of the cards. Each suit has its own color: yellow for Swords, pink for Cups, green for Pentacles and blue for Staves.
There are two small changes in the titling of the Major Arcana: the Wheel of Fortune becomes Chance and Judgment becomes the Angel. Each time I return to this deck I find something new to intrigue me. The accompanying book has lessons of its own to give. I highly recommend this deck to all students at all levels of study.
The Enchanted Tarot
review by Bonnie Cehovet. TM
author: Monty Farber
illustrator: Amy Zerner
St. Martin's Press
Eddison Sadd Editions
1990
ISBN #0-312-05079-8
Suits: Wands, Hearts (Cups), Swords, Pentacles
Court Cards: King, Queen, Prince, Princess
This deck came to me in a bit of an unusual manner. I have wanted it for a long time, but never bought it. Then I had the chance to purchase two decks, brand new, at a very reduced price from an internet friend - and proceeded to do so. I will be ever grateful that my friend did not resonate with this deck - because I certainly do!
Where to start - with the book or the deck? They are both top quality, outstanding products. The book is hard cover, with full page, full color illustrations of each card. I was amazed when I saw this - and did not want to put the book down! The text is gently written by Monty Farber, and addresses both of our worlds - that of Dreamtime and that of waking time, and the Higher Self that each of us carries with us through both of these worlds.
Monty goes on to talk about the methods that people have used to access Dreamtime, while remaining in the waking state. He states that the Tarot is a unique tool in that each of the 78 cards carry messages to both our conscious and unconscious selves. Tarot and the visual arts take us beyond cultural differences into another world.
The interpretation of the cards for the Enchanted Tarot is done in a manner that I have not seen elsewhere. The approach is threefold: levels of consciousness termed "The Dream", "The Awakening" and "The Enchantment". In The Dream, Monty presents a gentle fable that shows us the allegorical meaning of the card (very similar to the Inner Child cards). The Dream is such that each time you interpret the meaning, deeper knowledge comes to you.
In The Awakening, the same information is brought into the conscious realm through a straight forward discussion of the card (which would be the interpretation section, in most books).
In The Enchantment, we see the connection between our waking world and Dreamtime. The Enchantment is actually an exercise that will allow you to put the energy of t he card to use in your life.
At the end of the book is a short section on how to prepare for a reading, including tips on how to formulate a question in the best manner possible. Templates are presented for doing one and three card spreads, as well as for doing the Celtic Cross spread.
The cards themselves are a bit "over-size" at 3" by 5 1/2". They are difficult for small hands to maneuver with - but - where there is a will, there is a way! The backs are white, with a narrow gold border about 1/4" in from the outer edge. In the center we see two solid gold hearts, each surrounded by a thin gold outline of a heart. Surrounding the hearts are two swords and two wands, with a solid gold star at each of the four directions.
The face of the card has a white border of approximately 1/4", followed by a dark orange border, a slightly wider light orange border and another dark orange border. The pictures themselves are of a collage nature, done in multiple mediums, including oils and fabric. The card title appears in black on top of the card.
One of the first things that I noted when going through the deck was the lovely use of lace. Sure enough - Amy Zerner thanks a specific person and store in the beginning of the book as a resource for her lace. I liked the lace so much that I ventured into Victorian lace land online - which, one of my friends pointed out, could be dangerous!
Each of the suits is color coded: Wands are red, Hearts are purple, Swords are blue and Pentacles are green. In general, the color scheme used throughout this deck represents the healing qualities for each element and card.
The Enchanted Tarot is exactly that - a gentle, enchanting deck. The Three of Hearts (Cups) shows a ballerina reflected in a series of mirrors, holding a gold heart over her head. The Princess of Swords shows a lovely Victorian type lady standing in nature reading a letter. The Two of Wands shows a male figure, alone on a mountaintop, leaning on his staff. Above him are two crossed swords, with a butterfly over them. One of my favorite cards in this deck is Death, which is depicted as a skeleton standing up, with his hands in his pockets and his legs crossed. Clearly, you expect him to start dancing at any moment!
I am into masks lately, so the Devil in this deck is another favorite. Here we see a mask, with dark horns and slitted eyes, looking down with obsession at the material world. From the book:
The Dream
This us the face of evil. Blinded to his spiritual The Devil looks down on his treasures, his slitted eyes in complete obsession with and surrender to the material world. His ill-gotten gains are of no real use to him though, because his fraud and trickery have driven all companionship away. The Devil expresses the worst side of human nature; following decadent impulses blindly and judging things only for their surface value. This is the dark side of the soul, ignorant of what is real and valuable. The Devil, with his scarlet lips and black horns, is the creature of nightmares and paranoia. Under his influence, fear of the unknown becomes daunting. Restless undercurrents flow, irritating the appetites and demanding instant gratification. All love is lacking in the Devil, for he views it as a sign of weakness. Though he may simply be mischievous at times, he will try to take advantage of any situation and cannot be trusted. He sets free only those who choose to see beyond t heir own material desires.
The Awakening
If you need material objects to make you feel good about yourself, then you must feel empty and afraid that you will be recognized as such. You need to change the emphasis from physical concerns, to those of spirit. Your bondage is the result of your limited beliefs about the world. You have within you the power to change your beliefs, using visualization, affirmation and actions in harmony with the natural law. You don't have to resort to deceit.
The Enchantment
You may need some spiritual cleansing now. Crystals have the power to help heal and balance us. Choose either clear quartz or amethyst. Purify the crystal by washing it with salt water. Wipe it dry with a silk cloth. Hold it to your lips and chant: "I wish to transcend my obsession. Help me to see love where I see temptation." Place the crystal on the Devil card.
I highly recommend this deck to all levels of Tarot practitioners. It can be used by anyone, in any setting, and very much opens up the meaning of the cards for both the reader and the Seeker.
Tarot Book Review: Women of the Golden Dawn: Rebels and Priestesses
by: Mary K. Greer
Park Street Press
Inner Traditions
1995
ISBN #0-89281-516-7
This is one of those books that sneaks up on you. Every so often on one of my Tarot e-lists this book would be mentioned in passing. After hearing about it several times, the thought began to stay with me that this might be a book worth reading. The day finally came when the book was in my mailbox. I was incredibly excited - it was here ... now I was going to see for myself what everyone had been talking about!
The physical book itself has a commanding presence - 490 pages, replete with charts, extensive footnotes, wonderful graphics and a cover that one cannot takes ones eyes off of - a wonderful rendition of "A Masque of the Four Seasons" by Walter Crane.
"Women of the Golden Dawn" tells the story of the men and women that founded and nurtured the original Golden Dawn society (a society of an occult nature, and the "parent" to the influential Rider/Waite Tarot deck). The focus is on the women: Florence Farr, Maud Gonne, Annie Horniman and Moina Bergson Mathers. This is their story - a story of four women growing up within the strictures of Victorian society - how they were able to live outside the bounds of convention, how they were drawn into the world of high magick, and how t hey were able to use that world to help them focus on accomplishing what they did in the physical world.
The very strength that "makes" this book almost had me putting it down before I ever really got into it. The first few pages (right up until the storyline really begins) were so focused on timelines and the psychological nature of the four women that I was sorely tempted to leave the rest unread. I was not about to read close to 500 pages on the psychological nature of anybody!
Fortunately for me, when I had just about had enough the story began. It is written in a very interesting manner - using the connotations of spring, summer, fall and winter as dividing periods in the all too human lives of these women. What I "thought" was holding me back in the beginning was actually the strength of this book - intense research and the wish to present this "story" in a coherent manner.
Once I began the "story", I could not put it down! People that had been names in a history book to me started to become "real people"! They had personal family histories, marriages, divorces, children, causes - all of the stuff that life is really all about. Behind all of this - the driving force in their lives, was an intense interest in studying (and most importantly, living) the principles of high magick that became the Golden Dawn magickal system.
This book IS magick - we feel their joy, we feel their pain, we feel their sorrow. We cheer them on, we encourage them to make "different" decisions in their lives. For the duration of the time spent reading this book, we live in a different world - their world. For many of us, their world - and the body of work that they left behind, is actually the basis for our world. I studied Rosicruciansim from the time I was in my late teens. I studied astrology, Tarot, and the magickal arts. Like these women - it was not an esoteric pastime - it became how I lived my life. Complete with the corollary that I was always well aware that the world that I walked in was not part of the conventional world.
Through these women, we get to know the men of these times: S. L. MacGregor Mathers, William Butler Yeats and George Bernard Shaw, to name a few. We see the egos involved, and we get to know them in a far different manner than if we were to research them directly.
Throughout the book, Mary Greer includes wonderful insights into the psychological makeup of all of the cast of characters - the why behind their decisions and actions. She goes one step farther and includes the art of astrology, through the use of individual birth charts for each of the women and the men in their lives and through referencing their charts for specific events in their lives.
These women were involved in the transformative world of Magicians, yes, but they were also active in Irish politics, in establishing theaters, in the creative worlds of poetry and music, and in women's rights in general. Maude Gonne throughout her life was passionate about Irish freedom; Moina Mathers an artist with a great deal of ability that she set aside to act as a partner to her husband in birthing and nurturing the Golden Dawn Society; Florence Farr was an English actress of considerable ability who held high office and had a great deal to say about the Golden Dawn policies; Annie Horniman co-founded the Abbey Theater, was active in Golden Dawn politics and was a source of financial largess for the Mathers and others.
Throughout the book Mary Greer has included pictures of the men and women at various stages in their lives, graphics showing the systems being referred to, illustrations from different Tarot decks and representations from Moina Mathers art work.
We are also privy to the actual work being done, such as an Enochian skrying session done by S. L. Mathers and W. B. Yeats with Moina Mathers doing the actual skrying. We experience the work of W. B. Yeats and Maud Gonne on the astral plane as they create their Celtic Mysteries. We get to read about Tarot work done by these women - and see how they interpreted the cards. We get to experience some of the wonderful world of ritual that these men and women lived. And .. we get to see how ego's and political intrigue brought about the downfall of the original Golden Dawn Society.
Reading this book is to experience the lives of these men and women, to become one with them. Exceeding well researched and presented, with extensive footnotes, this book that I almost put down is a keeper. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in High Magick, the Wisdom Traditions, the Golden Dawn itself, Tarot and women's history. If at first you find it hard going - put it down - you will find a time in the future when this book will have a place in your life!
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Bonnie Cehovet ,
Tarot Master, and Reiki Master/Teacher.
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Bonnie Cehovet is a Tarot Master, professional Tarot reader and Reiki Master/Teacher.
Bonnie has been reading the Tarot professionally for over ten years. She has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association, including Secretary and Web Assistant For Links. She is currently Certification Director and Secretary for the American Board For Tarot Certification. Bonnie is also a founding member of the World Tarot Network.
Bonnie has had her work published in the ATA newsletter, in Geraldine Amaral's "Celebrating The Tarot" print newsletter, on the World Tarot Network and other internet sites. She is editor for her own monthly newsletter "Gateway To Tarot" (Yahoo Groups).
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