Author: J. R. Rivera
Artist: Jasmine Becket-Griffith
Schiffer Publishing, Ltd, 2015
Description: 80 cards and a 152 page guidebook in a sturdy cardboard box, with magnetic closure.
Card size: 3 1/2" by 5
The Beautiful Creatures Tarot is amazingly beautiful, a true treasure for deck collectors, especially if you are a fan of the artist. The deck vibrates with extraordinary energy.
The Guidebook gives a basic introduction, 10 divination spreads, and card information: keywords, descriptions, meanings, and an image. The deck is made of good card stock (a little sticky, but should smooth out with use) and exceptional print quality.
With the energy radiating off this deck, it would make an amazing tool. However, it will take a little work for a reader to adapt to this deck. One may even choose to step away from it as a tarot deck and use it more as an oracle deck.
The Beautiful Creatures Tarot is not a traditional tarot deck. There are many variations from the typical system. And, the card images lack the associations and symbolism found in most tarot decks. The images focus on young women with enormous, glistening eyes. Other creatures appear on the cards such as skeletons, cats, dinosaurs, dragons, and more.
A few of the changes include:
Major Arcana - Card 0, The Fool is now The Explorer, card 1 Magician is Mage, card 5, Hierophant is renamed Hierophantress, card 8 Strength is now called Fortitude, card 11 Justice is now The Equilibrium, card 12, Hanged Man becomes The Swinging One, card 13 Death is renamed The Transformation, card 14 Temperance becomes The Mediator, card 15 The Devil is now The Addiction, and card 16 The Tower has become The Unexpected.
Minor Arcana - The suits have been renamed to Fires, Waters, Airs, and Earth.
Court Cards - Kings, Queens, and Knights have become astrology signs, and the pages are based on the elements.
Wild Cards - two additional cards - You are One (Significator card) and The Supernatural (Situation card).
I would not recommend this deck as a beginner deck. A new reader needs the associations to build a good connection with the tarot and the card meanings, in my opinion. This deck would make for a very difficult journey into the tarot.
Let's take a look.
The 6 of Airs is the angel who will help you move from a rough situation to a smooth one. In her palm is a map to help guide those who have lost their way. She is responsible for transporting you to your destination. In the Rider-Waite version, Six of Swords, a boat carries two people across rough waters, steered by a ferryman. In this version, the angel acts as your ferryman.
A message from the card -
You've been suffering for some time and looking for a gateway. Come here: jump inside. Let the symbols on my hands take you far away.
In the 7 of Earths, a maiden has taken time off from her busy schedule. The card represents waiting upon the rewards of what has been completed. It suggests learning to observe and seeing value in your hard work. In the Rider-Waite version, 7 of Pentacles, a man rests after his work is complete and observes his accomplishments.
A message from the card -
I can see that you've done all that you can do. Now you'll be waiting for everything to come gracefully to you.
As you can see from these two examples, the connections can be made if you dig deep and observe how the Beautiful Creatures Tarot relates to the traditional tarot. In the first card, the astrology symbols can trigger the relationship of transitions and changes of moving from one situation into another. In the second, the clocks can trigger the relationship of taking a break and resting for a moment.
The beautiful images within this deck will make the necessary work worth the effort.
Grab your deck from Schiffer Publishing.
(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing.)
