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Does anyone have the Guardians of Wisdom deck? If so, could you give me some feedback on it?
Thank you,
Teal
i don't own it but find it very beautifull...hopefully somebody here have it and can give us some more info!!!
for the ones who want to see it:
http://www.guardiansofwisdom.com/
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/guardians-of-wisdom/index.html
http://www.tarotpassages.com/guardians.htm
http://www.tarotwisdomreadings.com/TarotDecks/GuardWisdom.html
http://www.tarotgarden.com/database/dbsearchengine.php?view_title=guardians+of+wisdom
with love,
sara.
Rhiannon
15-10-2002, 10:44
OH MY GODDESS! LOL, how did I not see this deck before????
It's gorgeous! It's so striking! It's (dare I say it) divine! LOL I love this one. This will definietly be my next purchase. And at the price they are asking I think it's really reasonable. And you can get is signed by the artist! Woo Hoo!
*taking a hint from Pollux and weaseling for a minute* If anyone who has this would care to part with it, I have some very nice decks you may be interested in...... })
R :) *who dares Pollux to call this one CUTE*
i have had this one bookmarked for some time and whenever i think i just might have the money to afford a new deck i go and look a little at this one - but so far others have tempted me too much.
i too would like a good review or two from someone before i got it.
Angel Star
15-10-2002, 12:12
What a beautiful deck! I think I had seen it before but was too busy collecting other one this one is definitely on my wish list next to buy!
There were threads in the past about this deck.
I can't remember what exactly, but I remember that a comment by someone who had it really put me off.
If anyone is interested the best thing is scour the archives - and the deck was called Universal Power something back then, the other name.
In truth it is very visually appealing, but I don't know for the rest...
The Tarotical structure is so messed up, with those numbers matching nothing... and the new names used don't get me too much excited.
Maybe it is the anarchic nature of the deck that I dislike; anarchy is very welcome in almost all sectors of my life, but NOT spirit and divination...
ANYWAY, as Rhiannon duly mentioned, if you got a spare one of these and want to place it somewhere, there's always room in my tarotical empty pocket...
(a broke) POLLUX
Originally posted by Pollux
There were threads in the past about this deck.
I can't remember what exactly, but I remember that a comment by someone who had it really put me off.
If anyone is interested the best thing is scour the archives - and the deck was called Universal Power something back then, the other name.
(a broke) POLLUX
tarotgarden also name them Universal Power Cards...
:confused: i remembered there was a thread about it and searched for it but didn't find it, now i tried with this name and nothing, maybe somebody else can?
i can't remember anything anymore from that thread only the pictures so if there is something bad about this deck and someone here own it, please say!!!
sara.
SherryZoned
15-10-2002, 21:04
I am not normally a collector..I trade off decks I dont use..but I would love to have this deck..and keep it to...So I am with Pollux and Rhiannon..If you have a spare..I will come up with somethig you want in trade for it hehe..
MystiqueMoonlight
16-10-2002, 01:44
Indeed the images of this deck seem to be empowering and spiritual, but IMO all the words and definitive meanings tattooed on each card serves as a distraction.
What a shame the artist didn't release this deck as a pictorial one only. So many beautiful decks can be over simplified in an effort to make them commercially viable and "easy to use".
As much as I admire the artwork I wouldn't own this deck simply for that reason....
I agree with Mystique, too many words. Also, again, "Asian" and "Native American" are not cultures. Since when is a continent comprised of one culture? As such, keywords that convey the idea of traits or strengths assigned to all the people of an entire continent don't make a lot of sense to me. And it's too bad, because the art is breathtaking.
Angel Star
16-10-2002, 14:11
I still find this deck beautiful and don't find all the wording to be confusing at all. It certainly will be on my list as the next one to own! Take care all.
Demonesse
17-10-2002, 07:39
It's beautiful, but like Lo Scarabeo's Tarot Art Nouveau, the "same-ness" of it gets overwhelming after awhile. The wordings, as noted by MystiqueMoonlight, ARE distracting and detract from the meanings the reader can imbue in an individual querent's reading. And as Qolus said, there is no such thing as one "Asian culture". That's like saying there's only one type of fish in the sea...it sounds so...condescending.
Yea, Pollux, call it cute! *echoes Rhiannon* :D
toddhershey
21-06-2006, 00:53
Hello to everyone. A friend sent me this link and I found your comments quite interesting. I will try to answer some of the comments that have been brought up about the guardians of wisdom deck to the best of my abilities.
The deck itself was meant to be a three part construction. However due to contractual obligations I was not able to complete the entire program. Originally the first part of the deck was to be an introduction to tarot. Therefore I put the words and pictures together so that people would not have to refer back to a book. This was for an elemental execution of question to answer reading for the person that has never picked up the deck of cards before in their life. The second part is being constructed on my web site right now. Please see www.toddhershey.com the second part uses the cards as a tool for the reader to use to create a reading with. Thus creating a 50-50 mix between card and reader to help the individual and for the reader to gain insight into readings and life itself. At this stage the cards are more or less an advanced form of a creative tool. Much in the same way a violin is used to create music. The cards being an instrument; they have no power until it is used with the hands of an experienced reader. The Third level deals with the idea of transcending past conscious thought and delving into the five layers of higher energetic work. These would include; communication, breath, visualization, movement, and mystical. All of these stages are now being worked on in one form or another on my web site. The Site itself is only a week and a half old and most of the time has been spent creating a free tarot application. I will however be in the next couple of weeks getting some of the other information out. If you would like to use the free app to see more of the cards please click here http://www.toddhershey.com/game.htm any thoughts or comments that you would have would be greatly appreciated. Please keep in mind however that we are working on a very small budget and the idea of massive changes like 10 card spreads are nice but financially prohibitive
The mixup with the universal power cards I think is due to the fact that the original title was, the guardians of wisdom universal power cards which is what it says on the front of the box. However we could not fit that on the entire box a we had to split it some on the top some on the bottom.
As for the suits and cultures… they are to represent a quality of a way of life. The Ancient Asians was about making decisions in a clear and coherent way the Native Americans symbolized a connection with the earth and the idea that you have to live in harmony and balance with the elements around you or face the consequences if you do not. The goddesses don't have a culture either yet there are goddesses in every culture. I am not trying to single out a specific group but bring the best of what the group has to offer.
If you have any more questions you can always get me at my site
Thank you
Todd Hershey
fyreflye
21-06-2006, 01:49
I'm sure the cards are gorgeous but I wonder why tarot designers (among others) insist on choking their web sites with so much Flash and Javascript that those of us with slow connections never manage to get the pages to load completely. I watched the Flash page try unsuccessfully to load for five minutes and finally lost interest. Maybe that's why I've yet to buy anything from sites like this.
toddhershey
21-06-2006, 10:41
dear fyreflye, as a designer we have less choice than you think. the people we go to to build our apps are programers. in most cases we rely on them to create for average person with the average internet connection. In my case we had them use the smallest flash program possible. (ie 1 card) and i still have people ask why can't i get larger spreads with more cards? which would take up more space and be a larger program. Rock v. hard place.
As for buying anything...I created what my app so that people could pull cards and have fun with out entering names, emails or what ever else "free" reading sites offer. Sorry you were timed out, that is a drag. i was going through that myself a while ago. if you are really having problems with speed my dsl is only 3 dollars more a month than dial up and i would never go back. please let me know if you would like the company. best th
I have this beautiful deck. The readings are
clear and down to earth.
It's not my main reading deck, but I use it for
staight one card answers when I like extra information.
It's a keeper!
ros
:)
Crowqueen
21-06-2006, 15:22
Woah.
Well done Tod for answering the questions put to you directly. As an amateur ethnographer I agree with you about needing to generalise about cultural aspects common to a continent. The RW is based on general European culture yet no-one complains that the costume in it is sometimes from different periods or that German/French/British mediaeval culture was different. Many "Celtic" or "Norse" cultural references in decks available are as much a broad generalisation as "Native American" can be, since both cultures at one time or another held sway over many parts of Europe and had regional variations, yet both can be reduced to a simple typology for a generalised audience. My area of study is Slavo-Balt Eastern Europe, which despite regional variations maintains some sort of over-arching mythology (such as the thunder god Perun/Perkunas appearing to be common to both Baltic and Slavic mythoses, despite different interpretations from tribe to tribe).
It is a brilliant piece of artwork. That alone makes me want it; if you can suggest a UK supplier it would be handy though!
sunflowr
22-06-2006, 10:05
I have this beautiful deck. The readings are
clear and down to earth.
It's not my main reading deck, but I use it for
staight one card answers when I like extra information.
It's a keeper!
ros
:)
I'm with you there. I love the deck! I recently bought it at the Bodhi Tree bookstore here in L.A.
Acquired my copy from Tarot Garden some time ago.
The captions do not bother me because the imagery is what I focus on. They are beautiful & evocative; reminiscent of Susan Seddon Boulet's artwork. I use it more as an oracle deck rather than as a Tarot deck.
toddhershey
24-06-2006, 13:04
Dear crowqueen thank you for your kind words and intrest in the deck. if you would like i would be happy to get you a deck. I can even help with the price and shipping if you would like.ssssshhhh don't tell anyone <grin>... to see more about the cards and reading style that goes into them please note the info below.
http://www.toddhershey.com/deck.htm
Reading ideas behind the deck.
Here is a small amount of what we are dealing with when it comes to working with energy/readings and how energy flows. It is intended for a more advanced student, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me by clicking the contact link above.
We started with a combination of deciphering and affirmation recognition. I started by using the 10 ineffable Sephiroth which have have 10 infinitudes, which are as follows:
The infinite beginning in the infinite end Line 1 being creation
The infinite good and the infinite evil Line 2 being love
The infinite height and the infinite depth Line 3 being light
The infinite East and the infinite West Line 4 being rebirth
The infinite North and the infinite South Line 5 being higher energy
With each one of these five lines you can invoke a pathway in one of two directions. Giving you a total of 10 directions in which you can go. With the second line of the Tetragrammaton, it asks us to look at everything in duality. Thus we decide the reality that we choose and what we choose to bring forth. Which leads to a tricky question of right and wrong. Just as I'm sure that many things that were thought of as evil are now good, and many things that are seen as good today, will I'm sure will be someday seen as evil. So please remember to not get caught up in semantics but rather try to bring out the best you can be by accepting who you are and bring forth the greatness that is within you.
By using a distilled version of each of the above lines I have come up with the following affirmation for change towards what I believe is positive. Please feel free to make changes to your affirmation to better suit your needs.
The affirmation we have created is: I am the creation of love and light reborn in a higher energy.
If you have any knowledge on breath work and visualization it would helpful for you to include these elements into your affirmations.
Below is the completed pathway that energy would flow during a reading. The diagram is the backbone of how I believe readings are done. The energy flows from top to bottom and up again, left to right and right to left and finally in a circular fashion.
Energy
Shadow side/Light side
Intention / Action / Outcome
Physical / Emotional / Mental / Spiritual
Energy / Creation / Love / Light /Rebirth
Finally here is a fuller definition of the affirmation. Again please feel free to make changes to suit your individual needs.
I am
That which is not yet known and connected to everything that is.
My desire moves me to a new place that I am already a part of.
So that I might touch, feel and to know my true self.
As this, I am a creation of love and light that is reborn in a higher energy