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Reviews: Tarot & Cartomancy
Tarot & Cartomancy Reviews
by Bonnie Cehovet
Tarot Master
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Cary-Yale Visconti Tarocchi
review by Bonnie Cehovet, TM
Provenance:
Reproduced from Cary Collection of Playing Cards
The Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Yale University
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
1984
ISBN #0-88079-038-5
suits: Staves, Cups, Swords, Coins
court cards: King, Queen, Male Knight, Female Knight, Male Page, Female Page
Major Arcana: Charity (Popess/High Priestess), Faith (Pope/Hierophant), Hope (Sun)
order: Justice VIII, Strength XI
This is the first time that I have held in my hands a reproduction of one of the earliest Tarot decks, and I was fascinated by it. The colors tend to be dark, and the details not easily discerned, but I found it exciting to work with - trying in my mind to place myself back in the times that the original of this deck was in use.
In his notation on the provenance of the "Cary Yale Visconti Tarocchi", Stuart Kaplan indicates that the original deck may have totaled 86 cards - 22 Major Arcana and 64 Minor Arcana. Sixty-seven original tarocchi cards were reproduced from the Cary Collection of Playing Cards, with an additional nineteen cards recreated in 1983 (by artist Luigi Scapini) to replace the cards presumed missing from the original deck.
In introduction to the LWB (Little White Book) that accompanies the deck, Kaplan presents a brief history of the Tarot, and defines the major divisions of Major Arcana and Minor Arcana. An added bonus is a section on the history of the "Visconti" and "Visconti-Sforza" decks, breaking these fifteenth century Milanese decks down into fifteen distinct groups, with a brief definition for each group. Kaplan also addresses the artist attributions, and dating of the decks, as these are areas where, generally speaking, there are no definitive answers.
The "Cary-Yale Visconti Tarocchi" does carry some rather distinctive features of its own, one of which would be the addition of the three theological virtues: Charity (Popess/High Priestess), Faith (Pope/Hierophant), and Hope (Star). The four cardinal virtues (Fortitude, Justice, Prudence, and Temperance) are believed to be associated with Strength, Justice, the Hanged Man (or the Hermit), and Temperance. Thus all seven virtues are contained in the "Cary-Yale Visconti Tarocchi" major arcana.
Another distinctive feature resides in the Court Cards: in addition to the King and Queen, each suit contains a male and female Knight, and a male and female Page. The symbol used for Staves in this deck is that of an arrow.
The gold background decoration for the Major Arcana and the Court Cards consists of repeating suns with sixteen rays each: eight wavy, alternated with eight straight. The decorative border is that of a flower design consisting of ten dots in a circle, with a dot at the center, connected by a continuing stem.
Kaplan notes that the appearance of Visconti and Sforza heraldic devices on hand painted fifteenth century tarocchi cards does confirm the involvement of these two families in certain decks. He goes on to say that the lack of Sforza heraldic devices in the "Cary-Yale Visconti" deck would indicate that the deck was not commissioned by a member of the Sforza family, and thus probably predates Fillipo Visconti's death in 1447.
Kaplan presents graphic showing the heraldic devices, along with a text description of them. These include a coiled, crowned viper; a radiant dove; the motto "A bon droyt"; a crown pierced by branches or tree fronds; a sunburst; the imperial eagle of the Holy Roman Empire; a pomegranate; a wreath draped with a scarf.
The cards are presented with a black and white scan, a description of the card, divinitory meaning, and reversed meanings. Separate meanings are given for the male and female Knights and Pages. From the LWB:
"Male Page of Swords: The male Page of Swords stands in full armor. He wears the same type of hat, with a spreading peacock feather brim, worn by the Knight. A helmet is in his left hand, and a sword is in his right hand.
Divinatory Meanings: A person adept at perceiving, discerning and uncovering the unknown or that which is less than obvious. The quality of insight. Vigilance. Agility. Spying. A discrete person. An active youth. A lithe figure alert and awake to unknown dangers. A versatile and adept person capable of adjusting to changing conditions.
Reverse Meanings: An impostor revealed. Unforeseen events which may come to pass in the near future. Illness is also possible. Powerlessness in the face of stronger forces. Lack of preparation."
"Female Page of Swords: The female Page of Swords wears a long robe, also decorated with pomegranates. Her cape is lined in red and she holds the sign of her suit, a sword.
Divinatory Meanings: Empathic person. Insight. Ability to extract confidences. A nervous, alert personality. Assistant to scholar.
Reversed Meanings: Emotional and intellectual dullness. Inability to concentrate. Sluggishness."
The cards themselves are large - 3 7/8" by 7 1/2", of good quality, glossy card stock. The backs are a solid, pale yellow. The face of the cards shows a 1/4" pale green border, followed by a 1/2" decorated gold border. There are no titles or text of any kind on the cards, and the Minor Arcana pips are not illustrated. The nineteen cards added to the deck by Luigi Scapini follow the same structure, but show figures in much more intense color. This does act as a slight distraction with this deck.
At the end of the LWB, the traditional ten card Celtic Cross spread is presented.
I like this deck for its historic content, but the size does make it awkward to use in a reading. A student of the Tarot would find this deck well worth working with, especially for meditative, ritual or ceremonial purposes. It would also be a good pick for someone looking for a representative deck from this period for their collection.
© December 2005
The Babylonian Tarot
review by Bonnie Cehovet, TE
author: Sandra Tabatha Cicero
Llewellyn Worldwide
2006
ISBN #0-7387-0716-3
suits: Wands, Cups, Arrows (Swords), Disks (Pentacles)
court cards: Kerub, King, Queen, Prince, Princess
Major Arcana: Traditional, with the addition of Genesis
numbering: Strength = 8, Justice = 11
The "Babylonian Tarot" is an 83 card deck that follows traditional lines, with the addition of five cards. The card "Genesis" has been added to the Major Arcana. It carries no number, and has no attribution. It represents time and space beyond words and number - the birth of the Universe. The card "Kerub" has been added to the court cards of each suit, and represents Spirit.
The four suits are Wands, Cups, Arrows (Swords) and Disks (Pentacles). The four court cards are Kerub, King, Queen, Prince (Knight) and Princess (Page). The structure of the Major Arcana remains the same, with the addition of Genesis. Strength carries the number eight, and Justice the number eleven.
This is the only deck that is based on the cosmology and legends of ancient Mesopotamia. The name of the deck comes from its primary city - Babylon. Babylonian culture - their way of life, style of writing, and religious customs, evolved through the Sumerian influence in the Mesopotamian valley. In working with this deck, we need to remember that the Babylonians were basically an agricultural people, and that their view of the relationship between gods and humans was very much that of parent to child. There existed an hierarchy of gods: cosmic gods, underworld gods, city gods, nature gods, and personal gods.
The companion book to this deck, "A Guide To The Babylonian Tarot", is very to the point. Cicero presents the historical background for the deck, and then presents the cards themselves. Her presentation is text only, without the use of scans. The God represented in each card is discussed, followed by upright and reversed meanings. While no "attribution" is given to Genesis, Cicero has included upright and reversed meanings.
In the section on card spreads, Cicero has developed two new spreads that are specific to this deck: "The Babylonian Universe Spread", which is a six card spread; and "The Rosette of the Gods Spread", which is a ten card spread. There are no sample readings given. There is an excellent Appendix giving esoteric correspondences for the Trumps, Pips, and Court Cards.
The cards themselves are 3 1/4" by 4 5/8", of high quality, sturdy, glossy card stock. The backs show a 1/2" blue border, with a lighter blue center. A winged, four-legged figure with a human head is shown on each end of the card, placed so that it would be impossible to tell if the card had been drawn in the upright or the reversed position.
The card face shows a 1/4" white border, followed by a slender red border. The Major Arcana title, followed by the god represented, is printed across the bottom of the card in gold lettering. The number and suit of the Pips are printed across the bottom of the card, in gold lettering, along with keywords for the card. The Court Cards show the title and suit printed across the bottom of the card in gold lettering, followed by the God represented.
The artwork in this deck is rather primitive, with an intense use of color. There is some nudity, which, while not inappropriate, would not make this an acceptable deck for use with children, and would have to be used with discretion with adult clients.
There were several cards that I felt drawn to, amongst which was Genesis - quite a thought provoking card. Cicero describes this card as portraying the birth of the universe and the generation of the primeval gods. The head of an ancient deity appears in profile in white at the top of the card. behind him we see a storm filled black sky with vibrant red lightening bolts. In the tumultuous sea below this we see a fetus, representing the first of the gods to be born. A dark card, indeed!
The keywords on the Four of Cups (Mixed Blessings) fascinated me, as they give the card a more positive feeling than it usually carries. The theme of this card was taken from the Babylonian epic "Erra and Eshum". The background of this card is a light blue. In the middle of the card, we see a golden egg shape. At the top of the egg we see the elderly god Marduk facing away from the reader, essentially turning his back on his past glories, and his greatest accomplishments. Four vessels are shown in the foreground: two fluted libation cups and two ceramic pots, signifying mixed blessings. In the center we see the cuneiform numeral two.
The Ace of Wands is shown in vibrant reds, yellows, greens and blues. The wand in the center of this card is the double-headed lion scepter that represents the Goddess Ishtar. The Wand is surrounded by an aura of flames in green, yellow and red. You know that there is power here!
As a professional Tarot reader, I like to see the card of Temperance come up. In this deck, we see Temperance as represented by the Tree of Life. The Tree is located in the center of a garden, in this instance with a winged disc above its apex. The background here is lavender and blue diamond shapes, bringing in a feeling of Spirit.
The Hanged Man is associated with the god Tammuz, a god representing growth and new life. He is also called the "divine shepherd" and the "bridegroom". In this card, we see an upright figure, dressed in white with his hands thrown up in surrender, with galla demons on either side of him, ready to take him into the underworld.
From here we go to the Three of Disks - a card of very gentle energy. The keyword for this card is "Work". In the lower half of the card we see the Goddess Uttu, hard at work. The symbol for the name "Uttu" was also used to mean spider. In the lower right hand side of the card we see a friendly looking spider - her sacred animal. At the top of the card we see three circles. In the top circle we see the graphic of a lion-fish. In the two circles below it we see the "goat-fish" symbol of Capricorn. Done in yellows, greens and blues, this would make a wonderful card to take into meditation.
The card of the Emperor, associated with the god Marduk, struck me as very funny. He is a god of thunder and tempest, and this card certainly exemplifies that energy. Marduk was also a gifted healer and magician. The predominate colors here are reds and yellows. Marduk is shown as a mature male, energetically striding off to battle. (He is striding to the left hand side of the card, which is the past, which is something to think about.) His feet are clad in golden sandals, and he wears a red robe, with his sword across his waist. In one hand he carries a lightening bolt, in the other his symbol of the "marru", or triangle-headed hoe. In the background we see a double set of golden wings.
I found this deck easy to work with, even without knowing the "story behind the story" (the story of the god depicted in each card). I would not recommend this deck for someone who is not familiar with the basics of Tarot, but as an additional reading deck, or for collectors, this would be a good deck to keep in mind.
© January 2006
Tarot Prediction
An Advanced Handbook of Images for Tomorrow
review by Bonnie Cehovet, TE
author: Emily Peach
The Aquarian Press
1988, 1991
ISBN #1-85538-097-8
"Tarot Prediction" is an updated (1991) version of Peach's "Tarot for Tomorrow", published in 1988 by Aquarian Press. Peach bases her interpretations on the images in the "Prediction Tarot" deck - a deck that she feels has retained its basic Tarot integrity while updating the imagery for modern usage (although the images are not from a "modern" setting, but from what Peach terms a "Middle Ages of the Mind". "Tarot Prediction" draws quite heavily on Qabalistic tradition, presenting the reader/Tarot student with the challenge to "do the work".
Peach rather glides over the origins of the Tarot, choosing to focus instead on the transitions that the Tarot has gone through. She refers to transitional periods as that period of time when one "Age" is in the process of ushering in its successor, this being a time when change is greatly accelerated. (The availability of Tarot decks in the 1980's, as opposed to their availability today would be one point of focus, as would the greater acceptance of the public for Tarot today, as opposed to the 1980's.)
What happens during these revisionary time periods is that knowledge is brought up to date, so that its validity can be recognized based on current standards. Peach makes a good case for the images of the Tarot being universal, and originating, to some extent, from the Mystery Traditions of the Ancient World. A case in point here would be the card of the Lovers, as compared to an illustration of Isis and Nepthys, from the Egyptian Book of the Dead.
Peach does an excellent job of introducing basic Qabalistic concepts. such as the Tree of Life, the Three Pillars, the Sephiroth, the Triads, and the Four Worlds. She presents clear graphics, including a graphic of how each world is born of the world before it, and how each world is complete in and of itself.
The four suits are presented with their association with the four worlds, and the four elements. Peach describes the Small Cards (Pips) as representing the trends or events in the Seeker's life, and as functioning in the material universe only. Each card is presented with a black and white scan, Qabalistic attributions, along with a discussion of the card, and how it applies in life. (Keywords for the cards, dignified and ill-dignified, appear in the appendix at the end of the book.)
The Court Cards are seen, for the most part, as representing people in the Seeker's life (the Seeker, an aspect of the Seeker's personality, an individual other than the Seeker, gender and sexuality, or an event, thing, or commercial entity).There is an excellent presentation of the Court Cards in association with the Four Humours, which sheds great light on how they may function in a reading. Peach makes an interesting suggestion that the Court Cards interact with the forces represented by the Small Cards (Pips), and perhaps act at times as a point of focus. The Court Cards are presented with a black and white scan, the predominant element and predominant qualities, and Qabalistic Title, followed by a discussion of the card. In the appendix, keyword definitions are given for the Court Cards as people, and the Court Cards as events.
Note: The subject of significators comes up within the realm of the Court Cards in this book. While recognizing that there are other methods for choosing a significator, Peach is adamant that significators be chosen, based on astrological attributions and sex.
There is quite an interesting section on archetypal images and the Cube of Space. One look at the in depth graphic in this chapter is enough to make one realize that looking at flat representations of the Tree of Life positions does not show to any great extent how and where the energies of the Tarot converge and interact. I also liked the concept of the Cube of Space acting as a "third party system" to aid in comprehension.
The cards of the Major Arcana are presented with a black and white scan, extensive Qabalistic attributions, a graphic of their placement on the Tree of Life, and quite an extensive discussion of each card. (Keywords for the cards, dignified and ill-dignified, appear in the appendix at the end of the book.)
In her section on reading the cards, Peach touches on the aspects of resonance and dissonance for each of the cards. (She sees reading with Elemental Dignities as an integral part of reading the tarot.)
In discussing Tarot spreads, the types of spreads are divided into two categories - positional spreads and sequential spreads. Positional spreads are seen as being those with defined card positions. Sequential spreads are seen as being those spreads that show a line of cards that run in a timeline, such as
Past/PresentFuture.
In Appendix 1, Peach includes dignified and ill-dignified meanings for each of the cards; and how combinations (multiple cards with the same face number) can be interpreted. In Appendix 2 five different practice spreads are presented and discussed.
I found this material to be easy to understand, and the graphics very helpful. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to have a better understanding of Qabalistic associations and the Tarot.
© December 2005
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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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