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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…
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Deck Review: I Am The Artist Tarot by Sakki-Sakki
My most recent deep dive was into the ‘I Am The Artist’ Tarot by Monicka Clio Sakki. I love the OG Sakki Sakki Tarot, but by the time I got into Tarot it was already out of print, and second hand copies were $$$ 🥵. So I was super excited when the creator announced she was doing a second (revised) edition. It’s such bright, beautiful, joyous deck! Also: hooray, Spring is here and I can photograph with proper flowers in my garden/local park again! The Deck: Look, Feel, and Finish The deck comes with a thick, paperback sized guidebook, Playing With Symbols, that gives plenty of detail on each card, as…
