World spirit deck

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 15 Jan 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Lilliana	15 Jan 2002
I've been thinking about buying this deck. I like the artwork, and the fact that it's multicultural. I'm looking for a deck that is based on the RW, so I'm thinking that this might be a good choice. Anyways, I suppose I'm just after general info....does anyone here use it? What is it like to read with? Is it an intuitive deck? Thanks, Lilli

Knight of Swords	25 Jan 2002
Quote: Lilliana (16 Jan, 2002 00:10): I've been thinking about buying this deck. I like the artwork, and the fact that it's multicultural. I'm looking for a deck that is based on the RW, so I'm thinking that this might be a good choice. Anyways, I suppose I'm just after general info....does anyone here use it? What is it like to read with? Is it an intuitive deck? Hi -- I've owned this deck for about two months now, but only started reading with it very recently. I like it very much -- the artwork is very good, if you like bold colors like I do. If you are familiar with the RW, the learning curve on this deck is pretty quick. I am an intuitive reader, and have found this deck to have struck a good balance between having enough symbols to serve as a good springboard, while not overwhelming you with too much imagery. One thing that may take some getting used to is the court cards. Instead of the familiar king/queen/knight/page system, this deck uses a sage/sibyl/seeker/seer system. In my limited experience with this deck, I have grown to prefer the World Spirit system. Court cards are always the hardest for me to read, and I tend not to prefer associating them with other people in the querent's life. Rather, I prefer to associate them with roles that the querent is acting out, or needs to act out with respect to a given situation. And I think that the World Spirit court card system lends itself better for this mode of interpretation, at least for me. Allen

faunabay	26 Jan 2002
I just ordered this deck yesterday! Finally broken down. LOL Will let you know what impressions I have when it's in my hands. :)

Lilliana	26 Jan 2002
Thanks Allen. I too tend to associate court cards with different aspects of the querents personality rather than as actual people. I like the court cards that the world spirit deck uses. I read in a review that they're not hierarchial, but instead reflect different stages. I think as soon as I get some spare money, I'll buy this deck. Faunabay- I'd love to kow what you think of this deck when it reaches you :) Lilli

Talisman	28 Jan 2002
'Lo all, Faunabay, like Lilliana, I hope you post your impressions about this deck. I hope you like it as much as I do. Here's an observation about this deck: I've used it for several months now, and the cards are still as shiney-hard-stiff as the day they came out of the box. Perhaps the perfect deck for the reckless world traveler who reads on the fo'c'sle of a yacht during a South Pacific typhoon, while enduring a desert sandstorm, or in the hot heart of a steamy jungle where jungle rot claims the rest of your gear. Fortunately (for me, anyway) I'm sure the art and conception will endure as well as the cards. Talisman

Lilliana	29 Jan 2002
Talisman, I like your observation, hehe, maybe it *is* the perfect deck for travellers. In that case I will definately have to get it. Lilli

Talisman	01 Feb 2002
'Lo all, Isn't it strange that in Solandia's survey of deck popularity, the World Spirit deck ranks No. #8 out of the thousands of decks available, yet in threads posted no one talks about it. Let's those of us who love this deck keep it a secret. It is a very special deck. Talisman ---------- "Reality is what doesn't go away when you stop believing in it." -- Philip K. Dick

faunabay	07 Feb 2002
OK, I finally got my deck in the mail. I did one of those -- mail a check, wait for it to clear, then get your deck. So it took a while but I got it today. I really like it! It's interesting, bright colors, but a black background. Very interesting contrast. I didn't have an overwhelming "OH I LOVE IT" feeling, but almost a "aaahhhh (sigh), we're going to work great together". I'll let you know more of what I think when I'm able to use it some. I do love the hippy people on some of the cards though, actually I really like having all the different types and colors of people!!!!! lol And what's up with the meditating guy on the 10 of pentacles? He isn't wearing any pants!!!!! :o

faunabay	09 Feb 2002
I've had a chance to do a couple of spreads now and have to say......this deck is GREAT!!! I really, really like it. ;D

Talisman	11 Feb 2002
'Lo all, To begin at the beginning: Lilliana asked if this deck is based on the Smith-Rider-Waite, and by that she meant one of the firmly established traditions in tarot cards. And, the answer is yes. The deck is also influenced by Lady Frieda Harris and her paintings in the Thoth deck. In fact, the Seer of Cups* is a portrait of Pamela Coleman-Smith, and this card is dedicated to her. (*The Majors are traditionally titled, as are the suits, but the court cards have been renamed: The Seer, Seeker, Sibyl and Sage. Some of us have experienced difficulty in reading Court cards. I really like this change. (Briefly, the courts are not meant to be hierarchial, but rather to represent the different stages of development. I could really write a bunch about this, but to keep this brief, I won't.) This is a "real" tarot deck. There are 78 cards. One change. The "World" has been renamed "The Universe." For those of you who find it a big concern, both Strength and Justice have numbers. I have thought about what makes this deck so powerful. Okay, the background is black. Against this black background, the highly detailed images stand out in rich, jewel-like tones. (Okay, you ever seen one of those moonlight desert scenes painted on black velvet in a Mexican restaurant? Sounds awful and corny, I know, but you get the idea. They glow.) Actually, the images are block prints done in bold, dramatic lines. But, if you've ever carved something in a potato, inked it and stamped it, you're not gonna' believe the detail in these cards. The colors are vibrant, deep and rich, against the black background. The images are not pretty, or cute, but they are compelling. This is not a soft, delicate deck. So, Lilliana, it is -- kinda -- based on the Smith-Rider deck. Next, you ask if the deck is "intuitive." Well, there are two approaches to tarot -- rational and intuitive, and ten bazallion things in the middle. I think this deck falls on the intuitive side of this vast scale. Faunabay noticed that in the Ten of Pentacles, "the man has no pants." Lauren O'Leary, who created the deck, and Jessica Godino, who helped write the book which accompanies the deck, say about the symbols which appear in the cards, (paraphrased) "we explain some of them, but many we leave for you to assign your own meanings. Remember, the tarot is always open to interpretation . . ." Well, the deck provides many evocative elements to look at, and they tease your intuitive abilities. So, Faunabay, you asked why the guy in the Ten of Pentacles has no pants. Isn't it obvious? Good Grief! And, the answer is different every time you look at the card. Best thing I like about this deck is, it really is multi-cultural -- without slamming you over the head with it. For those of you who have not seen this deck, and cannot deal with the idea of the Fool as a woman, look elsewhere. With this deck, every time you turn a corner, you meet something unexpected. I love the World Spirit, and, someday, I hope to write a serious review of this deck. (Well, at least as serious as I can get.) Talisman

faunabay	11 Feb 2002
Talisman, you are so right. Everytime I turn a card over I see something different! Of course I haven't been working with it for long, but the cards are full of symbolism without being too busy. The more I work with it the more I like it. It really is turning out to be a very intuitive deck for me. Which I'm liking alot. I was getting kind of tired of the same structured feel to most of my decks. (don't get me wrong, I still like and want them all LOL) But was wanting something a bit more intuitive and boy did I get it with this deck! I can't say enough about it! :* But really Talisman, he doesn't have any pants on, what's up with that?!? hehehehehe I know, I know, we're supposed to figure it out for ourselves. hhhhmmmmm There are quite a few things like this in the cards. It's alot of fun and makes you think about the cards in a different way. Like why is the mouse in the Strength card surrounded in a ball of light? Why does the sage of pentacles have a pig rolling happily by his chair? Why does the heirophant have a smirk on his face? Why does the 4 of swords have a crutch leaning next to the resting figure? There are so many new things to look at and think about!!!! Fun Fun Deck!!!!

jade	11 Feb 2002
thank you talisman.....now i want this deck. :) i'm thrilled with your review. in light, jade

Lilliana	12 Feb 2002
I think I'm gonna have to buy this deck ASAP. I was going to wait awhile, but after reading what you guys have to say about it, I'm tempted to forget about the bills and get the deck instead :) Seriously though, Talisman and Faunabay- thanks for answering my questions. That's one of the things I love about the Aeclectic forums, great advice and opinions. Lilli

raeanne	13 Feb 2002
Could someone help me get past the "bad baby" on the Sun card? I agree with everyone about how good this deck is, but I just cringe every time I see this baby. He has hair on his chest and a very bad crew hair cut. He has a shifty look in his eyes that just creeps me out! If anyone can give me some ideas about how to look at this card without feeling spooked, I would be very grateful.

jade	13 Feb 2002
the way that i get over the creepiness of a card is..... i stare at the card until i memorize it all. then i close my eyes and visualize the card getting bigger and bigger until i can step into the card. i interact with the stuff in the card and then it doesn't creep me out anymore. (worked for me with the devil card in the morgan greer deck when i first started out :)) in light, jade

Logiatrix	14 Feb 2002
i can't help thinking that the sun-baby looks like Richard Nixon. i've decided that it means i'm supposed to be kinder to republicans. :P (oh, yeah, and blue people, too!)

raeanne	15 Feb 2002
Metaz, Thanks for the suggestion! Maybe I can get over the creeps this card gives me by calling it the "Tricky Dick" card instead of the "bad baby" card! What a hoot! Actually, the idea really fits. I also remember a song from around the Nixon era: "Those were the days, my friend, we thought they'd never end. . ." Sounds like the Sun card to me!

Liliana	15 Feb 2002
Do you think the hanged man's blue due to lack of oxygen? hehehe

Jewel	15 Feb 2002
~mumbles something like "Faunabay and Talisman are a bad influence as she happily browses through the cards of her new World Spirit Deck~ *LOL* About the old-baby ... perhaps it is reminding us all that if we search, no matter what age we are, we can find our child within and the fire of our youth. After all, age changes what we look like, and we do gain some experience but in many ways we are the same as we always were deep inside. (Well I am anyways ... I feel no different in my 30's than I did in my 20's yet the good thing is now I know things I wish had known then). Love & Light,

Melvis	15 Feb 2002
Wow oh wow oh wow oh wow... Just got the deck at my local occult shop (so it smells all incense-y...cool! 8) ) Pictures on a web site just can't do this deck justice! Like Talisman says, it's like RW, but then again, it's not. It contains most of the activities and characters on the minors as the RW does, but then it has so much more, too! I've heard of other people getting two extra cards with their decks (80 cards to a sheet before cutting...so 2 extra), but this was the first time it happened to me. Anyone else have that with this deck? I got the Magician and Temperance...great cards to get, I think! And can I get practical and say that I just LOVE the packaging? I've gushed about Llewellyn's new book/deck sets before, but even the box that holds the cards themselves is a nice one, with a type of hinged lid on it. Okay, gushing over! I'm off to the Study Groups to try the 78DW spreads with them! Peace, Melvis P.S. I think the Sun baby looks like the actor Sam Neill. (Jurassic Park) Maybe it could be his character as he's leaving the island in the helicopter in Jurassic Park, celebrating that he's alive! Although I don't think he was naked though...hmmm...I'll have to work on this theory...

kayne	17 Feb 2002
*Peer pressure is a bad thing* I need this deck. I too am searching for the >perfect< deck... could this be it for me...?

gypsyrose	17 Feb 2002
My first post! I just got this deck last week and I love it! I think it's going to be my new favorite. Maybe the old-baby on the Sun card is to remind us that even though the sun is a good thing, too much exposure can cause premature aging. I haven't figured out why the man on the Ten of Pentacles forgot his pants.

gypsyrose	17 Feb 2002
Quote: faunabay (08 Feb, 2002 07:00): And what's up with the meditating guy on the 10 of pentacles? He isn't wearing any pants!!!!! :o Hey, I just thought of something! Maybe he's related to the guy in the Bosch tarot's ten of pentacles, and he's getting ready to sh*t money too. :P

faunabay	17 Feb 2002
Quote: gypsyrose (17 Feb, 2002 21:04): Hey, I just thought of something! Maybe he's related to the guy in the Bosch tarot's ten of pentacles, and he's getting ready to sh*t money too. :P gypsy - nah he's beyond monetary and material posssessions......you know like pants. ROFL ;D

Liliana	17 Feb 2002
Yes, I NEED this deck too now, I thought I didnt like the art by lookingat thepictures on aeclectic, but here the problem was the amazingky smnall scansofit here, whenIsaw the cards biggerelsewhere,andsawstrength and especiallty the tower(I LOVE the tower) now i need it :P Out ofcuriosity, can someone tell me whats its Devil andHigh Priestess cards look like? I want to read intuitively, and Ive never seens a deck withso muchsymbolism to be intuitive with without being crowded and ugly (ie Parrott Tarot, besides Its minors are pips)

Talisman	17 Feb 2002
"Just got the deck at my local occult shop (so it smells all incense-y...cool! ) Pictures on a web site just can't do this deck justice!" -- Melvis Liliana, you asked about the Devil and High Priestess cards. Here is the High Priestess description, from the book: "A woman stands in a circle of stones, holding a billowing veil in her arms. Two great trees guard the entrance to the clearing, one silvery white, the other cast in darkness. The crescent moon rises behind her, horns upturned like a vessel to catch the flowing Milky Way. Her shadow winds along the ground, revealing itself to be horned like the moon." Well, there are others things in the card too, unmentioned in the description. Like the Great Horned Owl tucked in one tree, and . . . Thing is, once you start describing all the things you can find in just one card, it makes the cards sound as cluttered as an attempt to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling on the head of a pin. But, they are not cluttered. They are bold and dramatic in their simplicity. How this is accomplished is part of the magic of the deck, I guess. I won't even attempt to describe the Devil card. So many things. I'll leave it to someone else. faunabay has teased up about the pantless meditator in the Ten of Pentacles, but look at all the things in this card: An Irish Wolfhound, a Flat-Coated retriever, a sharp knife and sliced melon, a jungle river, a couple holding hands on a dock by their home, three kids, cups, a pipe and a feather . . . (Believe me, I could go on and on, just naming things in this card.) And, faunabay, I'll bet you've noticed that counting the 10 pentacles takes you on a trip around the entire card. The book says of this card, " . . .the everyday world contains magic and mystery that we are often too busy to acknowledge." raeanne, a pretty take on the Sun card. Remember the song well. Talisman

Liliana	17 Feb 2002
Well, howabout just this, is the devillike a traditional devil or is it more like a horned god devil? :) And it sounds like theHigh Priestess is a thumbs up, it's the most important card in the deck for me (my soul card), and it sounds great :) The only card I didnt like really is Judgement, andi guess if Im going to have a Judgement about a card Judgement is fitting lol. The baby in the Sun is a bot odd, but I think I can handle him ;) (God i HOPE its a him) I know what you mean about all the little details, it does sound cluttered and ugly (Parrott Tarot hehe), but its so not, and the people and scenes are realistic enough that it looks like doing entering the card exercises with them will be easy (I hope I dont loose my munch entering that tower card lol)

faunabay	17 Feb 2002
Liliana, I was going to say the High Priestess is one of my favorite cards from this deck, but they all are. LOL And Talisman thanks on the horned owl, I missed him! The Devil is a horned man with bat wings and a goatee! He's clothed and even has his hands resting on a stylish cane. But Talisman is so right - there are WAY too many things on this card to completely describe it. Let's just say he stands on a raised platform while many things happen at his feet. LOL Did that pique your curiosity?? Talisman, I did notice how the pentacles were scattered around the whole card on the 10 of pent. I like the way they're incorporated into the scene. Some other things I really like: I love the death card - It shows a figure on a funeral pyre while above the flames a phoenix rises and below there are people in the different stages of grief. As an eyeglass wearer myself I also love that two cards show people wearing glasses - 9 of wands and 2 of pentacles. HEY, I just realized Major Tom has me in his deck as the 2 of pentacles! People with eyeglasses unite!!!! ROFL Sorry went off on a tangent there for a minute. (sheepish grin) As Talisman says it's very hard to describe these cards without it sounding like they're too busy to read with. As strange as it sounds they are packed with symbolism but without feeling busy if that makes any sense at all. Nobody have a hissie fit here this is just a personal example ;D I know there are many people who love the Shapeshifter deck, but I get stuck looking at all the things in the cards. I LOVE the artwork but that's my problem. I spend all my time looking at the pretty pictures and can't focus on any one thing. The funny thing with the World Spirit deck is there is even more symbolism than the Shapeshifter but I can focus on things????? (shrug) I don't understand it, but that's the way it is with me. Another question to ponder - why does the person in the 7 of wands look cross eyed? :P

gypsyrose	18 Feb 2002
Well, I just can't stop talking about this deck. I even like the Devil and Death cards. The devil looks like he's about to do a song and dance routine up on that stage, and the Death card with the Phoenix rising from the funeral pyre is one of the best I've seen. One card I don't understand is the three of swords. Who is the guy in the mirror? What does the letter on the wall with three knives sticking in it have to do with sorrow? I guess this is one I'll have to meditate on.

Liliana	18 Feb 2002
Well, it soundsto bea more traditional devil not a horned God, which i like :) I've seen death andI love it too, with all the people in the front showing the emotions wehave at death but yet the beautiful phoenix showing its just a rebirth. And i love the river infinity sign (i kow its called lemiscate or something like that lol) well, the book says a lake and two islands, but i see it as being in motion, actually like the stream of conscienceness. And Ive only seen maybe10cards lol, theres 78 of them! I SHOULD wear glasses aswell (some day I'll get around to it), but I like seeing all the fuller figure women, being one myself ;) I think I wouldnt of made quite as many blue and green people, as its hard to connect to their culture (unless you count blue man group lol) but some things I really enjoy are things like eclipses, every other deck onlyhas day and night scenes, ive never seen someone include an eclipse before :) I cant wait to get my copy.

Melvis	18 Feb 2002
faunabay, I'm so glad you mentioned the 2 of Pentacles! As I went through the cards, checking them all out, I came to this card and my jaw dropped...that's ME! I have glasses and short dark hair and I even look at people over my glasses like that! (Just to annoy them! ;) ) My feet are rather smaller, though... Also, I think the designs keep from being too busy because there is always one central character or characters that anchor the image. There's lots going on around them, but that one figure is usually so strong that you are not distracted. Whadda ya think? :) Peace, Melvis

catlin	19 Feb 2002
Ok, I'll give in!! I was toying around with getting this deck for me at Ostara and I just ordered it at amazon.de (of course via aeclectic.net !!) I could not resist since I first set my eyes on it in the Tarot Calender.

Logiatrix	19 Feb 2002
oh, geez!!! now i have to take yet another look at this deck! coming on this forum certainly keeps my tarot journey neverending!

Liliana	19 Feb 2002
My copy isin the mail, send a little energy to get it here by Saturaday will ya all? The worldwidededication in on Sundayandiwant to use it.But now that I believe Ive found my deck, Ifind myself looking at oracle cards to use with it, kind of a guardian to pull at thebeginning of the spread. lol and OF COURSE the one I found I like the most HAS to be the mostexpensivesince Im poor, maybe I can find a cheap substitute in the mean time ;) (for those curious, I want the Angel Blessing cards, I wanted something with specific angel names on each card, and the artwork is far better than on theANgel Oracle, besides the sentences on the Angel Oracle are too long and influence things too much, the keywords on the Angel Blessings are just right)

Pollux	21 Feb 2002
WE ALL ARE HOPING YOUR WORLD-SPIRIT DECK GETS HOME FOR THE WORLD-WIDE-CONSECRATION!!! :) Please, let's help this poor little Liliana: let's have some special sacrifice and invocation to Saint Expedit !!! :D

kayne	24 Feb 2002
I am getting the World Spirit Tarot for my birthday tomorrow!!! (My room mate won't let me open it a day early either... grrr...) I will be able to add it to our world wide deck consecration! :) :) :)

Liliana	24 Feb 2002
And mine came yesterday :) Sure you dont want to run out and buy it Pollux? ;) And Kiama and ArizonaGirl for that matter lol

catlin	25 Feb 2002
Got mine last week. I was a bit disappointed to see that it was only the Minikit (I had expected the big book to come with as amazon.de wrote book + cards) but when I saw the cards I was smiling again! I LOVE it!!!

kayne	25 Feb 2002
The World Spirit deck is fantastic! (And I got it as a gift - even better :) ) I think this may become one of my primary decks... I think it suits me more than the Osho Zen - I like that too but I think this deck is a little more... "me". :) :) :)

Liliana	25 Feb 2002
I really like the Queen of cups being a mermaid and the King of Cups being Neptune (or one of those sea gods lol) I dont particularly like the couple overly heavy ancient egyptian cards (Judgement and 10 of swords) but hey, they arent THAT bad (unlike Conolly lol) Im still trying to deal with that Sun baby lol, guess Ill have to enter the card sometime and have a discussion with him lol. I also Im not the happiest about the screwed up associations with the World (Universe) cards animals, as we discovered on chat Friday, where she replaced the angel (air) with dolphin (Id say water) Butitsstill beautiful with all kinds of little things to look at lol

Talisman	25 Feb 2002
'Lo all, Since everyone is mentioning things they see in this deck, just thought I'd throw this in for those who haven't seen the deck. The image of each card has a razor thin border against the velvet black: the Majors have teal, the Wands Alizarin Crimson, airy purple for the Swords, watery blue for the Cups, and Aureolin yellow for the Pentacles. In truth, this is not something I usually notice. Also, have always wanted to do a "Noah's Ark" collection of all the birds and animals who play minor roles in the cards, but, somehow, I always get sidetracked. Nevertheless, there are a lot of 'em. 'Cause I'm slow, I expect I'll be finding new things in this deck years from now. Talisman

Talisman	25 Feb 2002
Melvis, Two of Pentacles, hmmm? I think I've fallen a little bit in love with you. She looks so intelligent. (I also love this card in the Robin Wood deck, sans glasses, but with the strange and wonderful bird boats, and her cheeky expression, to make up for it.) Talisman

kayne	26 Feb 2002
I did my first ever one card daily reflection with this deck before going to bed last night and I got the Seeker of Cups - That is me!!! It is so close to my personality when you read the LWB and I am a Pisces. I knew from then this was the deck I was meant to have!

Melvis	26 Feb 2002
*Melvis blushes all the way down to her toes* So intelligence is a good thing, huh, Talisman? Well, there's a few million eligible bachelors in the midwest that I'd like you to talk to, then! :D ;D :P ) Thank you, kind sir...you made my day! Peace, Melvis

The World spirit deck thread was originally posted on 15 Jan 2002 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.