Tarot: theory and practice
The Sun and Moon Tarot card deck is created by the artist Vanessa Decort. This deck has images that seem like they are drawn for stories and imaginative journeys, and is really an awesome and beautiful deck. Although I am personally a big fan of Rider-Waite-Smith styled decks, I found myself liking the imagery on this deck because I felt as if these images were pretty familiar to me! Read more The Sun and Moon Tarot deck by Vanessa Decort
The Rohrig Tarot is a sexy, glossy Tarot deck that has been thoroughly modernised – the Chariot shows a Formula One motor racing car – and overall the artwork is beautifully done and finely detailed. There are two versions of the deck: the US edition and an earlier German edition with uncovered nudity. Read more The Röhrig Tarot deck
Perhaps the inventors of the Tarot cards intended that they should be understood as a graphic summation ofthe principles of the Qabalah, or perhaps not. At least there is no written evidence to suggest this, and the great Jewish scholar of the Qabalah, Gershom Scholem, is probably correct in his assertion (however deprecatory) that the connection was made by late nineteenth century English and French occultists. One way or the other, the interlock of Tarot and Qabalah is so precise that the systems are mutually explanatory. And actually, the likelihood that the two systems developed independently gives far greater authority to the ideas of both because it points toward their mutual roots in universal Truth. Read more The Whare Ra Tarot deck
The Circle of Life Tarot is nothing less than seventy-eight windows into different worlds. The round cards and fantasy-style art create a sense of being slightly off balance, signaling the mind that something extraordinary is about to happen. These portals to inner revelation are not meant to provide fortune-teller-like readings but journeys into the vast and fascinating worlds that live within each of us. Read more The Circle of Life Tarot deck
This deck is the work of Walter Wegmüller. The title of this Tarot is more than just a Tarot-related naming, but it is also based on the genetically-intellectual roots which Walter Wegmüller inherited.
Together with these cards and the book (1975) of Sergius Golovin (from 1930 to 2006) should be mentioned “The world of Tarot”. This artist contemporary of Wegmüller with gypsy blood component supplies the paper, card reading how-roots in India and the use of the Tarot cards in the manner of the traveling (nomad) gypsies. Read more The Gypsy Tarot deck
The major arcana in this complex Italian deck are packed with symbolism, with Hebrew, Sanskrit, and Celestial letters, Vulgar Latin, Zodiacal correspondences, and the Path of the Tree of Life on each card. The minor arcana of the Stairs of Gold Tarot are unfortunately very plain. Read more The Stairs of Gold Tarot deck
The Barbara Walker Tarot depicts goddesses and gods from mythology all over the world. Positive, negative and in-between deities are all shown, creating a complex deck which can seem a little disturbing to those unfamiliar with the myths. Read more The Barbara Walker Tarot deck
The New Palladini Tarot is a reworked version of the earlier Aquarian deck by David Palladini. The art in this deck is crisp and vibrant, and a little simplfied from the traditional Rider-Waite symbolism. Read more The New Palladini Tarot deck
The Knapp-Hall Tarot is a reprint of the original Knapp Tarot, which was first published in 1929. The majors have a French influence and the minors are similar with the Etteilla Esoteric deck, respectively the Ceremonial Magick Tarot deck. Read more The Knapp-Hall Tarot deck
When I first opened the plastic box of this deck and book set, I was strongly reminded of many of the decks published in the mid-eighties, very “cosmic” and alternative. So I was quite surprised this is actually a deck published in 2001.
The art is very intuitive and I find it is very typical for a Pisces artist – the dreamy and emotional style, the use of effects like starry nebulas, fading and dissolving motives, spheres and ethereal figures. Most cards show soft, matted colors and a color scheme with many hues of blue, but some are vibrant and therefore spring out at you in a layout (e.g. the Magician, the Emperor, Justice (which is 8) and the Devil). The backs are reversible. While Pilz has developed his own symbolism, most of the meanings fit well into the traditional categories and may even bring out some new aspects of a well-known card. Read more The Ananda Tarot by Ananda Kurt Pilz
