Pagan Ways Tarot
Author/Illustrator: Anna Franklin
Schiffer Publishing, Ltd, 2015
Description: 78 cards and a 190 page guidebook in a sturdy cardboard box, with magnetic closure
Card size: about 3.4 inches by 5.1 inches (86x130 mm)
The Pagan Ways Tarot is based on the Pagan worldview, but most cards have familiar scenes and details of the Rider Waite system. The imagery and coloring are beautiful and vibrant. The Minor Arcana feature the addition of keywords. Overall, I'm impressed by this deck and plan to put it into practice.
Some of the titles are change – Empress/Lady, Emperor/Lord, Hierophant/Elder, Wheel/Wyrd, Devil/Underworld, Judgment/Rebirth, Pages/Princesses.
The guidebook offers a brief introduction to the Tarot, the Pagan Ways Tarot, and the Journey of the Fool. Each card section features a large, color image and tells the story of the Fool as he journeys through the Minor and Major Arcana, along with upright and reversed meanings. The guidebook closes with a brief symbolism dictionary, four detailed spreads and suggested meditation practices.
I've only scanned through the guidebook so far, but I enjoyed the card information of the few I read. The typical keyword references are not presented as in most guidebooks. You begin with the story of what the Fool, who represents the seeker on his journey, encounters when arriving at each card. And then, there's a short section of what the card means in both upright and reverse. The meanings are what you expect for the Tarot, but it's always interesting to read these from a different perspective.
I chose a few cards randomly. I couldn't begin to narrow it down to favorites. There are just too many wonderful images in this deck. As you can see, the images are spectacular, the keywords fit, and look at that color! Grey for the Four of Cups, how perfect! The blues for the Ace of Swords, delightful!
It's hard to pull from the guidebook because of how it all fits together. Here are a few lines for a couple of the above cards to give you an idea.
Four of Cups - The Four of Cups represents a lack of emotional fulfillment. You are dissatisfied with your life, you may feel bored and uninspired at work, or there may be unspoken resentments within a relationship. You might feel generally unwell or depressed.
Nine of Wands - You've been knocked down and picked yourself up so many times you are tired of it. Now you face another setback. Though you feel at the end of your tether, you will find inner reserves of strength, so don't give up.
Discover the Pagan Ways Tarot. Grab your copy from Schiffer Publishing.
(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing.)
