I Am One Tarot

[Thea Lynx]

This deck was displayed at my recent Tarot Class and captured my interest. I went back and really looked it over and now have it on order.

One thing that concerns me, is all the differences (IV is the Actor, not Emperor, High Priestess is referred to as The Mother, the Empress is referred to as the Intuitive one, etc) but there is no "book" available except for the booklet that comes with the deck. I have gotten in the habit of trying to use the book that was designed for the deck as there are often some very special differences that I want to be aware of. The review I saw for this deck does seem to indicate that the booklet with this deck is very useful, but I would like to hear from someone who has actually used the deck. This seems to be the kind of deck I would reserve for exploring my own self-awareness (as I currently do with my Thoth deck) rather than one I would use for readings for others. The more I handled this deck, the size and feel of the cards, the more I liked it - I was very fortunate that my supplied had an open deck that could be investigated like this.

So, please let me know how this deck has worked for you.

Thanks,

Thea

[lunalafey]

the book may be a LWB, but is full of info.
This deck from what I know (have it, don't use it much) follows along like any other deck except titles.

[Cassiopeia]

Hi Thea, I have just ordered this deck too! I absolutly loved the scans I saw of the cards. If you type in the name of the Author/Creator of this deck (I cant remember of hand) into the search engine of this board, you will find lots of threads about the deck, and there is an interview with the Creator herself! I found those really useful to read.

Will let you know how I get on with reading with my deck once it arrives!

Cass x

[All Is One]

I bought this deck on the strength of the reviews on this site and also after seeing the artist's site. Like other decks I have found interesting, I don't really share most of the artist's beliefs (I refer to the extraterrestrial stuff) but I like her artwork a great deal.

I have some issues with the deck, and wish the cards were very large - because I use it only for meditation work. The movement of her people and her use of color, her ability to convey feeling through structure, form, contrast, is helpful to my own interpretation of the tarot.

Because the LWB is in three lang it is actually quite sparse. I think the deck is basically the classic tarot. Hope you liked it when you did get it?

I get a deck like the Osho Zen and somehow the slick packaging fools me for a short time (just personal taste here...) and other decks - like this one, are seemingly basic, but in the long run offer me more depth. I admit that I have not used it in a while, but that is true of many many of my fav decks. Part of the fun of collecting is re-discovering parts of your own collection now and then.

her web site is www.saint-art.com

[inanna_tarot]

I'm a proud owner of the I AM ONE after craving for it over christmas and being told it doesnt exist! Then it came up on ebay and i just HAD to have it! lol
I really love the colours and shape and everything about this deck just speaks to me! Definately something not be taken lightly with alot of thought and dedication by the artist to create this and the LWB (which is very thick and full of detail for a LWB).

Love it love it love!
Anyone else?

Sezo
x

[Thea Lynx]

Since my original post about this deck, I have had the pleasure of working with it in depth, but only for a short period of time ( I am trying to spend time with all my decks before settling on really detailed work with the ones that grab me) and it was incredible. Especially noteworthy was the day I was at home, in a power failure, with the generator running, the noise of which always grates on my nerves, biding my time before going to work. I decided to pull a celtic cross with this deck, thought I did so very casually, but the way it spoke to exactly how I was feeling at that time and what I needed to do for myself was truly insightful.

I have started to wonder if I should go to the cards when I am in a strong emotional state - I usually do my daily spreads in as calm and quiet an atmosphere as possible, but wonder if I may be missing something

Thea Lynx

[All Is One]

Thea ~ it took me so long in my tarot studies to figure out what you just described and it is the lesson of a lifetime.

For me, at least, the higher the emotional energy - even the most upset I can be, is the time I rarely would think to do a reading but when I somehow break through long enough to do one...

even a one card draw, or a three card read...it evaluates and resonates.

A celtic cross - or my own spread (seven spiders) seems to make everything clear as no reading at a calm moment ever could do.

A

[SongDeva]

Thought you'd all like to know, the book is available...as a free e-book on Maya Britan's website! How great, huh?

Click on "I am one tarot" in the left nav bar on her website:
http://www.saint-art.com

[Rusty Neon]

The "I Am One Tarot" would appear to be based on the "New Tarot for the Aquarian Age" / "Word of One" deck by John Starr Cooke:

http://www.tarotpassages.com/TNewT.htm

http://www.spiritone.com/~filipas/Masquerade/Reviews/wordone.html

[SongDeva]

Rusty, I think there may be another answer here; that the two are derived in part from the same deck circa 1963. I remember reading that Maya Britan was asked to complete a deck begun around that time, or something like that. Maybe John Star Cooke was another faction splintered off from the original group? It says his deck was completed in 1992.

If anyone can figure this out, I'm sure you can.

[Rusty Neon]

Songdeva, I have no expertise in this, I just ran into a couple of reviews on the web a few days ago by chance. :) I don't recall seeing anything about 1962/3.

In the opening paragraph of the Frank Jensen tarotpassages review on Britan's "I am One" deck, it's mentioned that John Starr Cooke and Rosalind Sharp published a deck in 1968.

http://www.tarotpassages.com/one-fj.htm

[Rusty Neon]

Songdeva ... I've just edited my post of a few minutes ago.

[MystiqueMoonlight]

I actually interviewed the creator of the new I Am One Tarot deck which I think is still available here on Aeclectic to read.

At the time she lead me, and our members, to believe the deck was a new creation perceived completely by her as a result of a "visitation". At no stage did she refer to the original deck published in 1968. She claimed her entire inspiration for the deck was a result of this "visitation" and an intense "awakening" of some kind.

It wasn't long after that I found this site mentioned above and discovered that her deck was infact a "reimagining" of the original 1968 deck. Cooke and Sharp actually did agonise of the creation of this unique deck and I personally feel the new version to be tainted due to it's misconception.

Sorry to put a damper on it everyone :)

Just my two cents worth.

[SongDeva]

Hey, Mystique,

Thanks for the input. That is rather odd, indeed, especially since she references it in the review (she wrote) here at AT:

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/i-am-one/review.shtml

If you recall, can you flesh out the timing on all this?

Sd

[MystiqueMoonlight]

SongDeva,

This is the first time I have seen this review. The interview I did was when her deck was just about to be published. She even did an online chat with various Aeclectic members.

Perhaps as a result of the disappointment expressed by many people who rushed to purchase the deck based on her original scenario of it's creation she had a change of heart and decided to come clean as to it's authentic originality.

I just know I'm going to get yelled at soon :rolleyes:

[BlueLotus]

This deck has long been on my wish list, and I decided to order it a couple of days ago, directly from the its creator.

I am not sure yet what to expect, but it seems to be a very fiery deck from what I have seen and read about it and from the images.

I think it can be an exciting new experience for me, anyway, to say the least.

[jema]

I remember feeling a bit disappointed when I learnt about the background of the deck, but once I gotten over that I still liked the deck.
I used it in readings for friends and it works.
It is a rather abstract deck and you don't really need a LWB or a book for it, Just to listen in to the cards and give them some time to convey their message.

Maya Briton is a very warm and charming person and she created some wonderful paintings.

So despite having objections to a lot of things about the deck I know it is one I intend to keep and use simply because I like reading with it, those images speak to me.

[SongDeva]

Originally posted by MystiqueMoonlight
SongDeva,

This is the first time I have seen this review. The interview I did was when her deck was just about to be published. She even did an online chat with various Aeclectic members.

Perhaps as a result of the disappointment expressed by many people who rushed to purchase the deck based on her original scenario of it's creation she had a change of heart and decided to come clean as to it's authentic originality.


Thanks for the timeline, it makes sense.

[fyreflye]

Seriously, folks; this deck is a RIPOFF of "T: The New Tarot for the Aquarian Age" first published in 1969 and reprinted in 1970, recorded and painted by John Starr Cooke with assistance on the lwb's from Rosalinde Sharpe Wall. Cooke's children republished it in 1993 as "The Word of One Tarot" with two additional sets of Major Arcana designed by Cooke.
The design of the Major Arcana for the "T" tarot was dictated by an entity calling itself "The One" via Ouija board sessions during the late sixties. The complete text of these sessions with commentary is online at: http://users.aol.com/pythagoras9/tarot.html
Follow links within it to see pictures of the original cards and other material.
Maya Brittain was in no way involved in these sessions or with the original deck. She has taken the material, including names and descriptions of the Majors, and used them WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION for her own deck which she claims comes from "ancient Egyptian" sources.
You can think what you want about Brittain's art work (I think it's garish) but you have to see Cooke's. By coincidence Tarot Garden found a few sealed copies of the "Word of One" set recently and is selling them online for a relatively cheap $45 (last I knew.)
"T: The New Tarot" was one of the first independently published tarot sets that began the tarot boom of the '70's and in my view is still one of the great tarots of the late 20th century.
DISCLAIMER: Not associated in any way with Tarot Garden or with either edition of the "T" Tarot; just a fan of it who gets angry any time someone brings up Brittains sloppy ripoff.

[MystiqueMoonlight]

Fyreflye,

My point exactly. I guess you're just a little braver than I :)

Maya actually gave me her deck for carrying out the interview at the launch of it.... I gave it away because I was so ashamed when I found out the real story.

Her deck for me is tainted and I don't want that sort of karma in my world.

[fyreflye]

What's brave about exposing a fraud? You think Brittain will sue?

Those who find the Brittain deck inspiring and energetic are surely entitled to their opinions but they should wonder about the source and nature of this energy and consider in what ways it may be affecting them.

BTW I got the link wrong in my previous post. The Word of One Ouija sessions are here: http://members.aol.com/miletus1/foreword.htm
The link in my previous post was to Dr Christopher Humphrey's commentary on the "T" Tarot and well worth reading in itself.
http://users.aol.com/pythagoras9/tarot.html

[MystiqueMoonlight]

LOL

Great links by the way.

[jema]

She was "exposed" a long time ago. And seriously, do you really think that my karma will be tainted for liking her artwork?
I thought her first explanation to how she created the deck was a load of mumbo jumbo and have to wonder a bit over those who actually bought the whole concept of the tarot as originating from Moses etc.
So it is wrong to steal and not be open about your sources. but she done that now.
She did come clean about it, under pressure, sure.

My collection of decks are to a large part "rip-offs" since most decks won't come clean about using the Rider-Waite as "inspiration"

Ok, lambast the deck all you can, but don't try to judge those that like it.

[SongDeva]

I have to agree with Jema.
I know you're upset about the deck, Fyreflye, and I'm glad AT provides a forum for you to voice your opinion.

I don't accept comments about my experience of energy and what is or isn't affecting me or what I should or should not examine by someone who doesn't know me from...."moses."

I figure you probably didn't mean this as a personal attack, but I'll ask you to redirect your anger or judgement to its source.

In fact, for the tarot collector, a deck like this is a collector's item even more, I suppose. LOL
Does anyone recall other decks that have sparked controversy?

I know Ryan A's $1000 Satanic Deck was cause for much conversation for a while. Then again, as I mention it, I remember I thought that one was interesting too. LOL!!
Not that I was willing to shell out a grand!

Edited to add:
I'm sure there is a controversial deck thread somewhere!

[Cocobird55]

I'm bumping this up -- someone was looking for it.

Sue