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Deck Review: The Wyrd of Sarah Howard
Ever since The Wyrd of Sarah Howard* reached me from half a world away a couple of weeks ago I have been OBSESSED. Like, totally head over heels in love. [*I’ve removed the links to Angus West’s old website and shop as it appears to now go to some weird scammy page. If you love the deck you can contact Gabi via Insta here] The artist and creator, Gabi Angus-West, recently did a small reprint of this previously out-of-print Oracle Deck. I spotted it on Fairlight Tarot‘s Instagram feed when they posted about receiving their deck, and it was like that bit in movies where the camera zooms in on…
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Tarot Card Meanings: The Magician
‘One dream, one soul One prize, one goal One golden glance of what should be (It’s a kind of magic) One shaft of light that shows the way No mortal man can win this day (It’s a kind of magic) The bell that rings inside your mind Is challenging the doors of time (It’s a kind of magic) The waiting seems eternity The day will dawn of sanity (Is this a kind of magic? It’s a kind of magic) There can be only one This rage that lasts a thousand years Will soon be done This flame that burns inside of me I’m hearing secret harmonies (It’s a kind of…
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Currently On Kickstarter: The Alleyway Tarot
The deck has now arrived with me, and you can read my review here __ I own Publishing Goblin‘s last Kickstarter Tarot deck, The Alleyman’s Tarot, and, while it’s a bit unwieldy to work with, I still love it for reflection purposes, and for thinking about the ways different artists interpret the traditional card meanings. The guidebook is also a cracking read, as opposed to the normal fairly generic guff. So I didn’t hesitate in backing this new deck, The Alleyway Tarot, that follows the same principles as its predecessor. Each card in the deck is designed by a different artist, and the concept is that this is a ‘found’…
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Deck Review: The Literary Tarot
I’ve been waiting for this deck for eons, and was very excited to finally get it in my hot little hands. Obviously I firmly believe in the importance of supporting indie artists, which is why I love Kickstarter. But this deck is a bit special, as it’s created by a non-profit in support of a great project, the Brink Literacy Project by F(r)iction that aims to increase worldwide literacy rates. They do a lot of work in prisons, which is an area very close to my heart. As a criminologist who has spent time working in prisons, I cannot tell you what a difference learning to read can make to people…
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Currently On Kickstarter: The Solara Occulto Meliora Tarot
Edit: Since I wrote this blog post, my deck has arrived! You can see my full review here, and buy the deck here. Eeeeek! Very excited about this one. The out-of-print Solara Occulto Tarot has been on my wishlist for aaaaaaages. I occasionally spot a secondhand one on one of the Tarot trading forums, but they’re £££. So it was with great excitement that I saw the artist and creator Amanda Spicer is funding a second edition on Kickstarter! The Solara Occulto Meliora Tarot consists of a standard 78 card Tarot deck plus 21 bespoke oracle cards. From what I can see, this second edition is largely faithful to the…
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Tarot Card Meanings: The Devil
‘It’s unfortunate that when we feel a stoneWe can roll ourselves over ’cause we’re uncomfortableOh well, the devil makes us sinBut we like it when we’re spinning in his grin. Love is like a sin, my loveFor the ones that feel it the mostLook at her with her eyes like a flameShe will love you like a fly will never love you again’ ‘Paradise Circus’ by Massive Attack (Del Naja / Marshall / Sandoval / Brown / Jackson) Welcome to my Devil’s chains! The Devil is the fifteenth card of the Major Arcana, representing bondage, desire, addiction, temptation, and shadow work. In this post, I explore what the Devil Tarot…
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Learning Tarot: Books & Resources
I expected quite a lot of cynicism from my friends when I started learning Tarot (as I assumed they’d find it a bit ‘woo’), but most folks have actually been super interested (as well as wanting readings, which I am delighted to give), and have often asked how they can learn more about the history and mythology of the cards. I thought it might be useful to put together a (by no means exhaustive!) list of the resources I have found useful on my Tarot journey. Tarot Journals If you actually want to learn how to read Tarot (as opposed to just explore more of its meaning and history), my…
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Deck Review: The Mike Willcox Tarot & Oracle
This week I’ve been doing my deep dive into the latest edition to my Tarot collection, the Mike Willcox Tarot & Oracle. I don’t, as a rule, normally buy oracle decks (I’ve only got one other in my whole collection, plus one on my wishlist) or ‘Majors Only’ Tarot decks, as I just don’t use them. I try and force myself to ask two questions before buying a deck: is it useful? And: is it functional? (As well as: will buying it necessitate you feeding your children cold baked beans ’til payday?) And I only go ahead if I get two for two! (Or rather, three for three – I…
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Tarot Card Meanings: The Fool
“Fools rush in, where wise men never goBut wise men never fall in loveSo how are they to know?When we met, I felt my life beingSo open up your heart and letThis fool rush in” ‘Fools Rush In’ by Bow Wow Wow (Mercer / Bloom) Welcome to my chain of fools! The Fool is the first card of the Major Arcana (zeroth card?), representing new beginnings, openness, and the courage to take a leap of faith. In this post, I explore the Fool Tarot meaning: including classic symbolism, modern interpretations, and the personal risks we take when we say yes to something unknown. I had a soft spot for The…
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Currently On Kickstarter: The Genius Garden Tarot & The ‘Journey’ Tarot
Edit: Since writing this post, both these decks have arrived :-). You can read my review of the Genius Garden Tarot here, and buy it here. You can read my review of The Journey Tarot here and buy the deck here. After not backing anything on Kickstarter for ages (trying to be strict with myself!), I’m currently backing two gorgeous decks. The first is the Genius Garden Tarot by Jessi Huntenburg. This is a super cute, hand painted, standard 78-card deck with a warm, hopeful art style. I love the way when you spread the deck out the card backs make it look like the hands are extending into one…
