Showing posts with label divination. Show all posts
Showing posts with label divination. Show all posts

THE MARCHETTI TAROT




The new Marchetti Tarot is said to be the last tarot deck Ciro Marchetti will give us. I was fawning over the Retrospective Tarot and the Tarot Grand Luxe when I came across this jewel. Instant hearts for eyes! Also instant checkout. lol

I have collected Ciro Marchetti’s self-published decks since I first found out about them, but  I think the real milestone was January 2013 when the Gilded Reverie Lenormand came out. I had two copies of the Gilded Reverie Lenormand, a copy of the self-published Legacy of the Divine Tarot, four copies of the Tarot of Dreams 2nd edition, The original Gilded Royale Tarot, the self-published Oracle of Visions and two copies of the smaller Tarot Royale. Now I own the Marchetti Tarot and I am eyeing the Restrospective Tarot, which is a compilation of all his favorite cards from his decks. The cards are frosted in white with silver gilded edges. They cards also have some very stunning back designs. I’d be sorry to miss out on that one.

But for now, we focus on this one. The cards are 2.75 x 4.75, in my hand they seem to be about standard size. The card stock is thick and has no yield. The shuffle is a crunchy, stiff task for tiny hands like mine. With time they may get somewhat broken into with smooth, feathered edges. The gilding seems to have been applied by hand, it is a soft and shiny gold. Truly a luxury card experience.





Ciro Marchetti’s art is greatly improved in this deck and looks more magic-realist. The interpretation of each card is imaginative, which is a challenge in itself for somebody who has made so many tarot decks already to reinvent. How many times can you paint more or less the same scene and proudly walk away declaring you nailed it? For Ciro, that’s about ten times now. What an artist!

Something I enjoy when working with these cards is the environment in each card. It brings part of the magic of the imaginary world these events are happening in to you, while still keeping legibility. I think that these are loosely based on the Rider-Waite Smith tradition of tarot with an artistic twist or new interpretation.

If you stare at a card long enough it may give the illusion that it shifts or moves. The characters are lifelike. I see motion implied in the artistic strokes. There are elements in movement, especially the water in the suit of Cups. So dreamy!

Each suit has its own color scheme, except for the Major Arcana. Visually this ties most of the cards into group according to color and perceived mood. Depending on how many hues you are working with in your reading, you could pick up on outside influences that slightly affect you without your knowledge. In practical use all of these qualities can be used to spring to mind some new interpetations for your reading. It all depends on which way the wind blows!

If this is his last piece to contribute to the world of divination, we got lucky. He put a lot of love into this one and it shows. We can only hope that this deck will one day make its way into the mass market. It is a stunning addition to the world of tarot, and one many people would enjoy using in their craft with gusto!





What is your most important characteristic?
Queen of Cups. Seemingly cold images that bring a lot of understanding of the cycles and inner currents inside of us. A transparent look into the heart and the psyche, gentle and reassuring. It may be a shy experience at first but you will find yourself warming up to it.

What are your strengths as a tarot deck?
Ten of Coins. The culmination of many years of work and artistic contemplation of the tarot. This is a labor of love crowned with pride for artistic achievement. It has a lot to offer the tarot reader and will be easy to work with once familiarized.

What are your limits?
Nine of Cups. Your limits are how you structure or otherwise box in your dreams. Reading tarot is an intuitive practice, one that requires a connection to your inner self and the ability to connect to others empathically. If you are able to metaphorically stand in their shoes and understand their life you can then patiently explain it back to them and bring a hue of reality to the rose-colored glasses they might be looking at their life through.



What are you here to teach me?
The Magician. I am here to teach you the gift of foresight and responsibility to yourself. In understanding the tools you are working with you can achieve the realization of your dreams from concept to prototype to finished result. If you trust in yourself and your abilities there is no limit to what you can create. You just need to believe in it.

How can I best learn to collaborate with you?
Three of Coins. In three steps, but generally just diving into it and getting your hands dirty. Starting anew means you have to start thinking about ways to approach problems differently. It is in your new creative solutions you find the potential to do bigger and better things. Take advice from those with more experience and put your efforts into your next achievement.

What is the potential outcome of our working relationship?
Knight of Swords. The news you seek may seem cold and calloused in response. That's what happens when messages come through with precision and lack of decorum. Using this deck you will have a sharp sense of de-cluttering your life, and will find you can picture the outcome before the circumstances are over. This deck spares no one's feelings.



Which card do you want to show off?
King of Swords. Mind over heart in matters of fortune telling. This deck seeks to inspire all the while giving messages with clarity. Watch for sharp edges, if you are sensitive you might thing this deck is strong. You'll be sticking through the facts and finding truth without the attached tangled of feelings.

How do you see me?
The Empress. This card is following me around lately. The Empress signifies growing into your most adult self, having an understanding of the world and shouldering responsibility. Seeking personal growth, seeking to be there for others on their journey. Simply being grounded in the present with the gift of unconditional love. Knowing this and enjoying the experience is enough.

How do you see yourself?
Six of Swords. A journey of the psyche that takes time to show signs of change or comfort. These transitional periods shed insight into the past and help you understand what you are leaving behind, but the real puzzle is actually the future you are slowly approaching. This card signifies movement, implying we are seeking a direction for personal growth. No matter where we go, what we have learned comes with us.



Its been a while since a new release has captivated my attention enough to make me add another deck to my bulging tarot collection. At 362 decks I can finally say I am running out of storage space in my living quarters, but it had to happen eventually. I’m not mad about it, my card collection brings me lots of joy.

I am really enjoying using this since it arrived a couple of weeks ago. This is a great tarot deck to work with, and the culmination of work of an amazing artist. A deluxe experience in a tactile and visual sense. Well worth the investment!
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EPIC TAROT



Today I am going to review Riccardo Minetti and Paolo Martinello's Epic Tarot by Lo Scarabeo.

This is a strong fantasy deck that includes mythical creatures and imaginative worlds to explore or interact with. Some of the sights are imbued with fantastical imagination and will inspire you to look past traditional systems of reading the tarot cards. Fantasy lends itself to narrative almost seamlessly. I love the fact you have a range of small creatures going all the way to colossal golems. I like how interactions between all the sentient beings in the cards can correlate with our own personal paths and struggles.

I am a huge endorser of feeding the imagination and keeping a logical foundation throughout. It is through dreaming that we allow ourselves to formulate plans that are uplifting and keep us purposeful. Being lit with inspiration will keep us working harder towards achieving what we hope will one day come to pass.

The colors are mostly shady, with some pastel contrasts to build dreamy layers in the illustrations. This deck is best approached with an imaginative, open mind and a warm heart.

The illustration quality is really nice. Despite the mood of the illustrations being different, this deck definitely reminds me a lot of the Universal Fantasy Tarot, which I loved since I first laid eyes on it. 

The Epic Tarot comes in a standard Lo Scarabeo box, and the card format is very comfortable to use since the cards and card stock are thin. I find this deck format very easy to shuffle and fan out. The cards have fully reversible backs and attractive framing borders, which change color according to the suit. There are no titles to identify the cards, just number and suits or illustrated courts.






I need to note in this review that the court cards are very confusing to read. Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings have been changed to Unicorns, Griffins, Phoenixes and Dragons. I can’t tell which is which intuitively and need to check the booklet to figure out what they are. I can especially not tell what is a Griffin or Dragon. If you have a white gel pen or light metallic marker you can write on them. I, myself plan to write down what is what in a post-it to keep close when doing my readings. I like the way these cards look and don’t intend to write on them. Because of this change in the court cards I wouldn’t recommend this deck for beginners. If you want to learn the tarot tradition you can still pick from a variety of other beautiful decks. But I think everybody is entitled to start their tarot journey as they see fit, though. So if this is the deck for you, full speed ahead! You’ll figure out what the courts are meant to represent eventually.



I have been using this deck for a few months now and I find it very easy to get adjusted to. You will appreciate the change in scenery and characters because it will allow you to take what is in front of you and weave the story according to the nuances of your situation. For this reason I’d recommend this deck for artists and writers especially. Keep the craft alive!

If the upcoming interview is any proof, this deck is still able to deliver sound advice that feels custom tailored to your situation. All you will need is the time to decode the message, and to keep things moving in forward motion.





What is your most important characteristic?
The Empress. Holding space for yourself and others can become a responsibility you take on lovingly. I intuit this means the advice you derive from readings will sound like advice you get from a knowledgeable parent that has shared the same experience. This means that when you tune into the mindset of looking into your life, you should have patience with yourself and be accepting of the circumstances. Know that you hold your own space and can make just about any experience manageable so long as you still have some influence over it.

What are your strengths as a tarot deck?
Emperor. Persuasive strength that comes lacking in intimidation. You can be sure answers will be direct. It feels like the answers will seem apparent at first glance once you’ve gotten settled in and adjusted to reading with this deck.

What are your limits?
Nine of Swords. If you are anxious or outside yourself, your focus on deriving intuitive messages will dwindle. It is possible your anxiety towards needing to know will stress you out. Because of this I’d advise taking a few deep breaths, getting grounded back in your space and emotionally detaching from anything you are about to look into so you can be fair. Avoid getting overwhelmed by pacing yourself.



What are you here to teach me?
Four of Cups. If you are getting discouraged by circumstances you are in you didn’t see coming, don’t pressure yourself further. Instead of being bitter, huffing and puffing, try instead to give yourself time with your mind off the issue. Distract yourself, rest, do something that matters to you. The time will come when it is important that you do something again. Until then, take it easy.

How can I best learn to collaborate with you?
Judgment. Learn to answer calls for action. Be prepared before it is time to act. You can achieve this by planning. You can achieve this as you develop foresight. If it is not something you were born with then trust it’s just a matter of time until things start making more sense. The difference is knowing when you are called to act, and learning to identify when to hold back and be patient still.

What is the potential outcome of our working relationship?
Six of Swords. Taking a risk can feel like throwing it all to the wind. You don’t get lost if you know where you want to go, because you set the intention. If you are uncertain about your future, you can use this deck to figure out where you’ll be going next. If you trust intuition you should find the path becomes clear the further into it you venture.



Which card do you want to show off?
Five of Swords. Often the most difficult times in our lives are the ones that encourage us to push forward. Being faced with the most dire of circumstances can force us to reinvent ourselves and to find a way. All we need to do is believe in ourselves. This is really eerily optimistic for this kind of card. Even when faced with tasks that overwhelm us, we can use the power of thought to create new solutions.

How do you see me?
The Lovers. Immersed in an intimate bonding experience. It takes being open and vulnerable to consecrate the art of connecting to others. I curate that experience, and live it in example.

How do you see yourself?
Three of Coins. A deck that will work with you, for you through the toughest circumstances. There will be as many options present as you allow yourself to see.



Visit Numerology Sign for really great tarot card meanings!

I really like this deck and feel it is often overlooked. I've had mind to rotate it into my work table to use with others, but haven't done so because some treats you just want to reserve for yourself. I get so much enjoyment out of using it that I don't want to exploit its magic treating it like a workhorse.

It is worth checking out! Let me know what you think of it if you've interacted with it.
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THE FALLEN ANGEL ORACLE




Here is a deck for those of you attracted to darkness. The Fallen Angel Oracle by Nigel Suckling promises you will discover the art and wisdom of prediction. I’ve had these cards for a few years already and feel this oracle deck works as its own system. The concept it is based off has stood the test of time and hast my respect. The names of the fallen angels in this deck were taken from Johann Weyer’s On the Illusion of Daemons. This was a detailed argument against the Malleus Maleficarum.

If you are sensitive to peoples true nature through your interactions with them, I think you will really enjoy working with this deck. It promises you a look into archetypes from the psyche. The real self that people keep to themselves, not the self they want you to see. Anything with the underlying tone of the psyche will interest me. I am fascinated by the interior self that we hide from the world.

I don’t think life is all positivity. Many of the truths to people can be somehow dark or ugly. Being that I am accepting of that life aspect I find this deck to be helpful in representing other people as they really are, with their strengths just as present as their flaws.





If we wish to strip these cards of their more personable qualities and down to concepts of emotion they can also read well and prove helpful. You can go off the card and the keyword like in most other oracles if you want to keep it simple. The important thing to keep in mind is that if you want a more in-depth system to go along with the cards, that’s an option too. If you read cards this can only be good for you in developing your intuition.

With the brisk weather settling in and the end of autumn looming, the discolored leaves and the days growing shorter I find myself comforted by a deck that will match my inner stirrings with the outside weather. The moods conveyed by the textures in the cards sit perfectly with this type of weather. I feel as comforted as if I was bundled under blankets, enjoying tea and candle lit readings while the wind blows outside. It quiets the mind and grounds me somehow.

I feel like sharing my insight with you.

This deck is a left-hand path deck if you couldn’t already tell from the 72 cards in the deck named after demons, also known as fallen angels.





What is your most important characteristic?
Amon. Vision, diplomacy. Element: Air. Planet: Moon.
This fallen angel is said to have a great view of the past as well as the future, which translates to ease in understanding your circumstances if you can clearly look to the past and to the future. This helps in your decision making.

The wise owl’s blank stare seemingly peers right through you. I like the implication that a deck of cards can see right through you. How we interpret the outcomes is really up to us.

What are your strengths as an oracle deck?
Andrealphus. Persuasion. Element: Earth. Planet: Moon.
Using the power of persuasion to convince, basing the strategy of being calculated. If you play to your strengths you have a much higher chance to win, apparently.

What are your limits?
Furfur. Evaluation. Element: Water. Planet: Mars.
Even with the best of intentions you will often find conflict and problems to solve. The key is in having the disposition to work through it, seeking to help and to motivate. Problems tend to arise along the way, so accept this aspect of life with grace and you will be able to keep moving forward.



What are you here to teach me?
Orias. Inspiration. Element: Water. Planet: Moon.
How to use logic and the artful practice of divination to tell accurate and enlightening fortunes.

I mean, I’ll take it.

How can I best learn to collaborate with you?
Buer. Help and healing. Element: Water. Planet: Mercury.
Use your logic to cut through all distractions. Tune into the real arcane secrets and choose to keep people around you who are attracted to you for spiritual purposes and who seek answers in similar ways. These are your equals. If you grow, they grow. Have that same attitude towards your divinatory tools.

What is the potential outcome of our working relationship?
Sabnock. Discretion. Element: Air. Planet: Moon.
Knowing to temper your strength and using it conditionally. The deck seems to think that self restraint will win your battles for you because you’ll get to camouflage or somehow observe your adversaries before your moment to act comes. So with time passing and circumstances changing ever so slightly, you are promised the upper hand if you wait before you strike.


Which card do you want to show off?
Gusion. Choice. Element: Water. Planet: Venus.
When you gain a better understanding of the past as it spills into the present and influences the future, you can bring solace to those in doubt, eliminate enemy bonds and distribute rewards to those who have waited for them.

Moments of decision making can be some of the hardest for those of us who aren’t 100% assured in what we want our outcome to be. In these moments our best course of action is to set our uncertainty aside and to proceed with assurance.

How do you see me?
Forneus. Honesty. Element: Earth. Planet: Moon.
Through your deep honesty and understanding of the subconscious can lead you to find respect even among your enemies. Speaking your truth even when it won’t be what others wish to hear keeps your hands clean.

How do you see yourself?
Andromalius. Deception. Element: Water. Planet: Mars.
A stern advocate for justice. This deck suggests that if you leave people to their own devices they will show you which colors they are truly made up of. This deck delights in underlining which flawed aspects of their personality you are dealing with so you can rectify the situation and know how to defend yourself.



Fine day for a cemetery walk, don't you think?
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THE STARMAN TAROT




The Starman Tarot was made by Davide de Angelis and published by Lo Scarabeo. This is a very special deck for many reasons. It is inspired by the artworks that Davide de Angelis brought to life as visuals to go alongside David Bowie’s music. David Bowie used to affectionately call it “potent visual alchemy.The words of a gifted visionary!

The book that accompanies the deck goes in-depth with the meaning of each card. It is very beautifully illustrated and designed. It dedicates a full spread to every card and offers reversed meanings. I find them insightful into the concept of the card and think you’ll find it useful in juxtaposition with the wild illustrations. The is a handy resource that can serve as a springboard for your readings.

If you need something more grounded or traditional, check out Christine’s site Numerology Sign. She has thoughtful card reflections for you to use and I think they’re great. So if you find yourself wanting more reading material to sink your teeth into, there it is.

The card stock is thin and glossy. The cards are 3 x which makes them rather large for my hands. The back design is really nice. I liked it a lot when I first saw it!




The deck is meant to be used asking yourself: “what happens next?” I think empaths will have a visceral reaction to it. The color translates into feelings, and the movement implied in the cards can make these images come to life for the reader. I think in this case logic gets overpowered by the psychic sense of intuition through just feeling. Because of that I think this deck could help you make sense of your feelings in time of inner turmoil.

I see this deck as unique in its visual repetition. If I was to compare it to anything it would be to mandala work or sacred geometry and to the visions you see when you participate in a shamanic ceremony. This quality alone charges the deck with a new age type of spirituality that will be attractive to all those seekers of truth who also happen to be very sensitive to the influence of music. I invite those people to pick this deck up as they will find they have lots to work with.

All you have to do is look into a card attentively. As your eyes trace the outlines of the figures you will be able to imagine these scenes coming to life and in ethereal movement. The inertia will power your intuition.

Despite this deck having a whole body of music to strengthen its foundation in the world it can be used as a stand alone tarot deck in which the reader allows themselves to be moved by the visual songs weaved through the narrative of the cards.



I definitely get a feeling of transience or time being influenced to slow down or speed up according to the mindset you are in when you go into a reading with this deck. You can see the aspect of change the author intended the cards to have. From one scene to another there is movement, and looking at the cards independently can also be an exercise for your intuition. There is so much going on in these cards that you can tune into the feeling of each one and see the story play out in those wild colors. With so many supernatural elements present you can end up going really far out there into the reaches of your imagination, from where the spark of life comes. Creativity at its finest.

I definitely see the explosions of color and the wild, busy composition as eye candy for creatives. You will find a refreshing burst of bright color with every card placed on the reading space. Let your eye move along the compositions as it wants to. With so much present in each card, you can trust your intuition to guide you towards the symbols you need to pay the most attention to. This will help you weave the story together.

I feel certain that every time you encounter a repeating card you will find something new in it. One card will be able to transform as you need it to, bringing new messages according to how the cards around it influence the narrative you are weaving. You’ll never run out of things to say with this deck, that’s for sure. Where some decks may challenge you to draw more information, this one will have too much information. Scaling it down will be your challenge, but with the journey being this fun I don’t see why you would want to. Go wild, let your imagination and your instinctual senses lead you.

With this deck I promise to enjoy color and feelings as I let my inner child come out to play in the readings.





What is your most important characteristic?
Prince of Wands. Starting out with the burning of inspiration that comes from how we see the world around us and how we respond to it with our senses. Inspiration can be the motivator that springs your hands and feet into action every day. It can get you in tune with your divine sense of purpose.

The cool greens give this card an outer space feel and the shadows on the side give this card a bit of a sense of danger. Interpreting this as the querent facing the obstacles of his or her life by acting fast and being mindful of surroundings.

What are your strengths as a tarot deck?
Five of Swords. Burning hot words at the time they are most needed. It seems this deck is a tough motivator, the kind that will chew you out with an important lesson that you still need to listen to. Overcoming obstacles take strength and sacrifice, and sometimes comes in times of tension.

What are your limits?
Queen of Coins. The only limitations are the confines of the mundane world: circumstance, responsibilities. Anything that roots you down to the ground.

You also need to look after yourself first. You need to be okay so that you can show up and work on the things you want improving.



What are you here to teach me?
Eight of Coins. How to build layers onto readings following the path the symbols on the cards lead you on. If you allow yourself to play with what you are offered you will find amazing discoveries. The answers come together as the puzzle is solved and things fall into place. You’ll be able to organize your life with the power of your thoughts. Then you can fuel your body as you bring those divine thoughts into reality and manifest them in your life.

How can I best learn to collaborate with you?
Six of Cups. To work with this tarot deck, tune into the art of watching illustrated works interacting with one another. Putting these different pieces of the puzzle together will help shed light on those aspects of your life you can’t see or understand. Treating your own life like a puzzle to put together will help you work out the many problems that keep you from moving forward.

What is the potential outcome of our working relationship?
Prince of Coins. Learning to trust the life you have built for yourself as it leads you forward is the potential outcome. Learning to see the signs is a challenge for those who don’t often look outside their lives for solutions to their problems. Focusing on the same problems without new perspective can keep us in a monotonous routine that slows us down. We begin to get stuck when we allow ourselves to be trapped by our circumstances. In order to find a new reality we need to keep ourselves light of heart and light of step.



Which card do you want to show off?
Ten of Cups. The joy that comes with sharing and establishing a community. We find ourselves to be happy when we connect to others and share our joys with them too.

How do you see me?
Queen of Swords. A sharp seer, a channel for the unknown and previously unexplained. Through the connection to the Earth and with the use of my intellectual abilities I am passing messages to enrich and guide the lives of other people. It is a solitary path, and I am a solitary practitioner.

How do you see yourself?
Death. Transitions, the link between life and the afterlife. That which we don’t know is a secret. We learn through experience as we pass through the natural transformation of our lifetime.



The more I look at this deck the more I find myself loving it. The cards are triggers feelings and mindsets. They are narrative and illustrate our instinctual senses from the psyche to our physical existence. I love the sensations suggested through lines, color and symbology.
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