Review: The Westwood Tarot

The Westwood Tarot
Artist: Yasmeen Westwood

Author: Kalliope

Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing, September 2024

Description: 78 cards, 254-page guidebook, book-style box with magnetic closure lid.

Card Size: 3.5 x 5

"Through her artistic vision, Yasmeen invites us to explore this whimsical tapestry of magic, woven into the cards, where the boundaries of imagination are limitless and the extraordinary awaits."

The Westwood Tarot is a beautiful, mystical deck. As you open this book-style box, you can feel the energy in the cards. Everything about this deck is breath-taking.

Based on the images of the Rider-Waite Deck, the cards are easily identifiable. Yasmeen has brought a whole new light to the Tarot with this deck. It's simply amazing.

The cards are a little larger than a regular tarot deck, but are easily shuffled hand over hand. The deck has gold edging, that doesn't flake off everywhere.

The guidebook, written by Kalliope, is also top-notch. I always love it when these two artists get together, the results never disappoint.

After a brief Welcome, and a short piece on the Creation of the deck, the author shares the Pathways of Empowerment with an overview of the Five Cs - Center, Clear, Connect, Call, and Close. 

Divining the Cards goes over what to expect in each card's description: Mnemonic, Image, Keywords, Scene, Categories, Magick, Wisdom, Spirit Guides, and Quotes. The Major Arcana also includes Further Indulgence. The Magick of the Courts are replaced with Astrological Sign and The Movement of the Knight.

After a brief look at The Suits and The Courts, we enter The Major Arcana - 69 pages of magical, intuitive words. Each card's description is covered in 2 to 3 pages.

My only criticism with The Westwood Tarot is the binding of the guidebook. It doesn't want to open fully, as you can see in the image of 12 The Hanged Man.

            Mnemonic

            Hanging on a limb,

            to see another way

            Perspective is king,

            at the end of the day

            Just stuck in a moment,

            in a pocket of time

            Surrender by trusting,

            that all will be fine

Further Indulgence - "The Hanged Man embodies the essence of the Norse god Odin, inviting you to embrace divination through runes. ..."

The Minor Arcana spans 168 pages. Each card description is explored through three pages.

As you can see in this image, the spine strings are being pulled tight. 

Light - "grieving, not seeing eye to eye, not all is lost, learning from your mistakes, ..."

Shadow - "hurt, despondent, feeling rejected, disappointed, loss, despair, ..."

Scene - "... Turning to look, she sees two more cups but these ones a filled to the brim, bow bringing the total to the Five of Cups. Apologetically, her rueful eyes rest back on the moon and she wisely says, "I'm sorry.""

Each card is presented with category meanings, which includes Love, Career, Wellness, and Finances. 

Category - Career - "Feeling let down at work and unappreciated, finding it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. ..."

Magick - "... It's in the moment when all seems lost that the magick of the Five of Cups comes in, offering you a glimmer of hope."

Words of Wisdom - "I will no longer build my home in the hearts of people that didn't mean to say "forever" after the words "love you.""

Spirit Guide - "The Penguin, a steadfast spirit guide, waddles into your life, helping you navigate life's ebbs and flows. ..."

Quote - "Nothing grieves more deeply or pathetically than one-half of a great love that isn't meant to be." ~ Gregory David Roberts.

The author closes the guide with Spreads: a few three-card spreads, a love five-card spread, and a nine-card spread.

The Westwood Tarot has definitely found a home on my shelf. 

I would recommend this deck to any reader: novice, expert, or anyone in between. My go-to starter deck for a new reader is the Rider-Waite deck. The Westwood Tarot would easily fit into the category of an alternative first deck.

Grab your copy at Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing.

(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing)

Review: The Magick of Lenormand Card Reading

The Magick of Lenormand Card Reading

Author: Kalliope

Artist: Yasmeen Westwood

Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing, 2024

Description: 280-page paperback book

Book Size: 7 x 10

The creators of the Lenormand of Enchantment have created a book that goes beyond the original guide available with the deck. The Magick of Lenormand Card Reading takes you into the depths of Lenormand, covering a multitude of topics and situations.

"The system outlined in this book is my personal tried-and-true method that works and can be easily applied to any life situation. This current volume is written with the professional reader in mind, with expanded meanings and new combinations, allowing you to foster an even-deeper, more magickal relationship with the cards."

The Author covers the basics, from how to use the book to journaling and practice exercises. The Tips and Tricks section shares a multitude of information, from The Red-String Method to card order and word play combinations.  

The 36 Magickal Moments chapter supplies you with spells for each Lenormand card. How to Read the Cards offers a few pointers and delves into casting the cards from the simple yes/no method to in-depth tips on the Grand Tableau.

The bulk of the book covers the cards, both individually and in combinations. Each card presentation has number and name, a poem, and an image of the card. The illustrations are from the Lenormand of the Enchantment. The cards are described in length, along with keywords, timing, meaning, the card in aspect to love, career, wellness, finances, and modern day, and affirmation, cartomancy, Combinations, and ends with a quote.

This is a very extensive guidebook that will take you further into the Lenormand world. There's so much here, it's a little hard to share the depth. Each card has seven or more pages of information. You may get a little overwhelmed. 

It's important to remember when diving into Lenormand to take what feels right for you in the guides, and discard the rest. As said, there's a lot of information in this book, but the Lenormand is a never-ending journey. Just remember to take it slow to get the most growth from your connection with the cards. 

The Scythe pages begin with number and name. The poem begins the text.

"Sharp and dangerously slicing, cut down to my very core

Sudden and unexpected accident, left me disconnected and sore

Irrevocable divisions, splitting halves the rendering them apart

Separating quickly, leaves a wake of broken shards in my heart"

After the image, you see the first part of the description.

"As the sun sets on the year's final harvest, the Scythe emerges from the field of golden wheat, catching the last wisps of fading light glinting off its sharp edges. Shimmering flaxen shafts of wheat are swaying in the breeze …."

Further into the Scythe pages, you find the card in different aspects.

Scythe in Modern Day - "The Grim Reaper, a motorcycle club (Sons of Anarchy), symbol of death, injectables/vaccine."

Affirmation - "When things suddenly and unexpectedly leave my life, I will trust in that wisdom and let them go with compassion and love."

The Cartomancy of the card takes you to an even deeper level of the Lenormand. The Jack of Diamonds - "This Jack is preoccupied with having the need for security, both emotionally and financially, but keeps this vulnerability to himself."

The sections on Combinations dive deep and are expansive. The Scythe and Clover - "green wound (infected), very risky, temporarily detached, brief separation, wild accident, brief division, temporarily disconnected, easily broken, temporarily cut off, brief threat, very risky, brief emergency"

The most important thing to remember when reading with the Lenormand is to maintain context to the question, which should be very focused in order to receive an understandable answer.

I'm not sure if I would recommend this book to a beginner. It's so easy to get overwhelmed by information when dealing with this simple 36-card deck. You really need to begin at the beginning and slowly delve into deeper parts of this system. In my opinion, too much information will kill your intuition and confidence.

With that said, I highly recommend this book to the seasoned reader. You're bound to discover something useful within the text. 

Grab your copy at  Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing.

(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing)

Review: Angels of Healing and Hope Oracle

Angels of Healing and Hope Oracle

Author: Ellen Valladares

Artist: Yasmeen Westwood

Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing, 2022

Description: 44 cards, 112-page guidebook, box with magnetic closure lid.

Card Size: 3.5 x 5

“Whether you’re in need of support, healing, or inspiration, you’ll find it in this deck of 44 exquisitely designed oracle cards. The angels are divine beings of love and light that guide and protect us and assist us with our spiritual and personal growth.”

The Angels of Healing and Hope Oracle is a beautiful deck, printed on good card stock, with gold edging. The cards are easy to handle and shuffle. The messages proved to be inspiring and helpful.

The first card I pulled from this deck brought me light and joy. As a guide for my day, the 'Lighten Up' card inspired me to unburden my day and enjoy leisure as one should in the stage of retirement, although sometimes that is a task all on its own. 

The Angels' Playlist Pick for this card is "Soak Up the Sun" by Sheryl Crow. I began my morning by listening to the song and imagining a day of joy.

The message I gained from this card: "You cannot change external conditions or other people, but you can change your mood." Let the Angels of Light carry your burdens away. Choose joy and happy. Want what you have, be carefree, and be happy.

The guidebook opens with a welcome from the author on her experience with angels and the creating of the Angels of Healing and Hope Oracle. She then introduces a brief Angels 101, giving you her perspective of who and what are angels. She goes over how to use the deck from preparation to suggested spreads. The Angels' Playlist Picks offer a nice addition. Each card has a chosen song, revealed during the creation of the deck.

The author offers many opportunities outside of the deck and guide to further pursue this deck and its gifts. You can hear the entire playlist on Spotify, practice meditations in the Meditation Room at www.ellenvalladares.com, join the Angel Community of Facebook - Public Page and Group, and even purchase prints of individual cards  at www.enchantedsoulart.co.uk. She also offers a Connecting with Angels kit, which includes a 10-page pdf guide, a guided meditation, and printable reference cards.

The Card Messages are presented in alphabetical order to make them easy to find. Each card is given two pages: the card name, an image, and the playlist pick on one page and a detailed message on the other.

The guidebook closes with a brief look at The Archangels and Angel Numbers, and a quick bio of the author and illustrator.

One of the suggested spreads in the guidebook is a three-card layout, which follows from left to right - where you've been, where you're headed, and probable outcome.

The first card pulled is the 'Water Element', which urges you to take advantage of the healing powers of water. As where you've been, you may have already begun to seek this healing by drinking more water or being near or in water.

The second card pulled is the 'Warrior of Light', which urges you to be a source of light and to not get dragged into any negative drama that may be stirring near you. Stay in joy and light. As where you're headed, you will survive the emotional drain you may be feeling. Recuperate with the healing powers of water and let your inner light cast around you, protecting you from outer drama.

The third card pulled is 'Embrace the New' - "Everything about this moment is new." Each moment brings a new breath, a new movement, a new step in your life. This is a very positive moment where anything is possible, embrace the newness that each moment can bring into your life. "Embrace the new you, the true you."

This sequence of these cards shows an encouraging path. After healing yourself with the properties of the Water Element, you find yourself able to protect yourself with your own light, which allows you to step into a new way of being, a way of being true to yourself.

The angels ask you to be kind to yourself with the 'The Self-Compassion' card. Treat yourself with the same compassion and generosity as you would an adored friend. By loving yourself with your whole heart, you invite the same to enter your life. This one lesson may be the most important message in life, in my opinion. For if you cannot love and respect yourself, how or why would you find this same compassion in another.

The Angel's Playlist Pick for 'Pause and Reflect' is "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac. 

With little time to reflect on the chaos going on around you, this card represents a slowing down of events. The angels urge you to take this moment to reflect on all that has happened. Meditate, relax, and reflect on things learned, let go of, and created during these past moments.

"Like this card's image, which is turned on its side, you're being asked to look at things from a new perspective."

The Angels of Healing and Hope Oracle, an extraordinary deck, presents the most beautiful cards with encouraging messages to guide you through your day, through your life.

I would recommend this deck to anyone interested in a new oracle deck or even their first deck. The images are beautiful, the messages clear, and the energy of this deck is very pleasurable.

Grab your copy at Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing.

(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing)

Review: Lenormand of Enchantment

Lenormand of Enchantment

Author: Kalliope

Artist: Yasmeen Westwood

Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing, 2022

Description: 36 cards, 204-page guidebook, box with magnetic closure lid.

Card Size: 2.5 x 3.5

“Our vision is that this deck will appeal to the masses and be in every professional’s arsenal, with updated artwork, modern meanings, and combinations that are applicable to today’s day and age, yet managing to hold on to a semblance of antiquity.”

The Lenormand of Enchantment is a beautiful deck. Printed on good card stock, the cards are easy to handle, although you will have a few gold specks on your hands in the beginning. A minor issue to have with such an amazing deck.

After a brief introduction into the Lenormand, the bulk of the guidebook covers Card Description and Combinations. Although this guidebook will not teach you how to read the cards, it will get you started in the process. The descriptions focus on the individual card and then combines it with each of the other 35 cards. So, you are basically learning pairs. 

Although more techniques are mentioned, such as reading strings, using "the pips", and timing, they are not explored in detail in this guidebook. To learn beyond the basics, you will need to seek out more resources. 

Be careful when you start building your research materials, as there are many different systems out there. Try to stick with one, or you will become confused. French and German seem to be similar. They share enough qualities that I'm not able to tell you if this is one or the other system. Once you get set keywords for your cards in place, just try not to stray too far in a different direction.

Above, you see two cards - Mountain and Clouds. Let's say your question is, "What should I focus on now?" If you look to the guidebook, you will find that Mountain is an obstacle or delay, and when adding the combination to the equation the obstacle is unknown. So, your focus should be on figuring out what this unknown obstacle is and overcoming it.

In the image above, you get an example of how the guidebook is laid out. After the card number and title, there is a short passage for the card. Beside the image, there is a long list of keywords and the card's basic meaning. The rest of the card's section is devoted to combinations with the other card.

I've included a few more combinations to give you some sample images and an idea of what can be discerned from the guidebook.

Following along with the same question, "What should I focus on now?" The Coffin represents an ending of some sort. When adding the Ring combination, it becomes the end of a marriage or contract. So, you should focus on your marriage, or possible divorce agreement.

"What should I focus on now?" The Key represents answers and the possibility of new opportunities becoming available. When adding the Anchor combination, you receive a definite answer or opportunity. So, you should focus on what is obvious to you. It seems you already have the focus. This combination clarifies that you are on the right track.  

You can get all of these answers directly from the guidebook and a little intuition. But with additional resources, you will find so much more in the Lenormand cards. If you are looking for direct answers to your questions, this is the way to go. 

I recommend this deck to new and experienced readers, along with deck collectors. The images are simply amazing. The guidebook is adequate to get you started, but if you want more, you will have to look for other resources to complete your study. 

To begin your journey further down this rabbit hole of discovery, I suggest trying Rana George: The Essential Lenormand, or Caitlin Matthews: The Complete Lenormand Oracle Handbook.

Grab your copy at Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing.

(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing)

Review: Tarot of the Enchanted Soul

Tarot of the Enchanted Soul 

Author: Yasmeen Westwood

Artist: Yasmeen Westwood

Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing, 2022

Description: 78 card deck, 144-page guide book, box with magnetic closure lid.

Card Size: 3 1/2 by 5 1/2

"There are those who believe in the magic of the Soul. Now there is a tool to access that magic and hear the whispers of your inner spirit." 

The Tarot of the Enchanted Soul is an interesting deck based on the Rider-Waite Tarot. The images are of a fantasy/steampunk themed style. 

A couple of cards have been renamed. The Hanged Man is Perspective, and The Hierophant is The Mentor.  

The 78 cards are edged with gold. The larger size allows for detailed scenes, although it does make them a little difficult to shuffle. 

The beautiful blue backing design gives this deck a cool vibration, while the light blue borders allow the main focus to be on the images which are exquisite. Each card contains keywords to enhance the learning curve of understanding the Tarot. 

The guidebook is designed to take you from beginner to reader and explores the cards on a deeper level of understanding the soul. 

Beginning with a short introduction to the Tarot, the book covers explanations of the Major Arcana, the Minor Arcana, and the Court Cards. You are also introduced to how to begin a reading, learning the Tarot, keeping a journal, and a walk through 7 Tarot spreads.

The bulk of the guide is devoted to card meanings. The Major Arcana section includes the image, title, quote, keywords, a short story reference, meaning, person, and thoughts for journaling. The Minor Arcana section, which is divided into suits and contains the court cards, includes the image, title, a quote, card description/meaning, and thoughts for journaling.

Tarot of the Enchanted Soul would make a great collector's deck, but is also suited for readers of all levels. This deck has found a place on my shelf. I simply love the images, and look forward to digging deeper into the guidebook, which is full of interesting insights.

King of Swords - The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. If you would take a man's life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die. ~ George R. R. Martin

Grab your copy at Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing.

(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing)