Wild Spirit - I Got It!!!!!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 21 Mar 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

faunabay	21 Mar 2002
I GOT IT! I GOT IT! I GOT IT! (jumping up and down screaming) The one day a week I work at the local metaphysical shop we got the new decks in!!!!!! It came in today about an hour before I was to leave! Yea!!!!! So everyone check your local shops. Llewelyn is shipping it before April (obviously) LOL It's absolutely beautiful! The artwork is very intuitive. It's pretty different from the Rider Waite or even thoth pictures and only loosely based on their meanings. But I've got to say WOW!!!! There are alot of animals, nature spirits and sprites in the cards. The Hermit is called Healer/Wise Counselor and it shows a woman at a wooden table with a striped cat in the foreground and herbs in the background. It's such a COOL card! There are so many of the cards that are SO COOL I'd be writing forever to tell you about them. So all I can say is go ask your local shops if it came in yet!!!!!!! I'M SO HAPPY!!!!!

Jewel	21 Mar 2002
YAY!!! That means that mine should arrive soon too as I preordered it from the Tarot Garden ... I can't wait!!! ~jumps up and down with glee~

Kaz	21 Mar 2002
I want it !!!! Found where to get it here in europe: proxis.be Solandia, get them to your affiliate thing ? Kaz

Kiama	22 Mar 2002
DAMNIT! I was hoping to get it the day it came out.... I'll have to order it from my bookstore today then! *Kiama runs off, dragging her boyfriend with her to the shop, cuz he promised her a Tarot deck for an anniversary present.... ;) ) Kiama

Kissa	22 Mar 2002
Hi faunabay, Surprised by your enthusiasm, I went to check on amazon.com what the cover of the kit looked like. I must admit it looks really nice. The author Poppy Palin has written books on witchcraft so I guess the deck is pretty much in this pagan (wicca ?) direction as well. Can you tell me more about the spirit of the deck, how does the Death card looks like for example, what about the Tower ? I seriously consider ordering it from the US even if I am in Europe as it is so much cheaper in the US and already available obviously ;) !!! I might be 100% wrong but the colors remind me of the Vision Quest, do you confirm ? (Verdict ...) Anyway, thanks for letting us now about the availibility of the deck and, for my part, thanks for letting me know about its existence !!! Thanks again ! Kissa aka Karen

aeonx	22 Mar 2002
Does any site have pictures of some of the cards? You guys who's gonna get it, please write a review of them. The cover looked really nice, could be something for me. :)

Jewel	22 Mar 2002
There was an earlier thread on this deck that had a link. That is where I went to see the pics, but cannot remember when it was ... last month some time I believe. All I know is that I cannot wait to get the deck!!! Faunabay I am sooooo jealous *LOL*.

faunabay	22 Mar 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Jewel There was an earlier thread on this deck that had a link. That is where I went to see the pics, but cannot remember when it was ... last month some time I believe. All I know is that I cannot wait to get the deck!!! Faunabay I am sooooo jealous *LOL*. Jewel, I tried to find that old thread and just post to it, but I don't think it made the transition to this new forum. :( It's not there anymore. I'll try to dig up the authors website.

Jewel	22 Mar 2002
Quote: Originally posted by faunabay Jewel, I tried to find that old thread and just post to it, but I don't think it made the transition to this new forum. :( It's not there anymore. I'll try to dig up the authors website. Yeah I know we lost some threads in the transaction ... most of the Tarot for Yourself study group posts got lost too :( .... and yes it was the authors page now that you mention it.

jade	22 Mar 2002
faunabay, i want this deck NOW! but i have to wait to finish my reviews before i can order it. aarrgghh. patience jade, patience. do you have a scanner? can you email me some scans of the cards....pick a few of your favorites and least favorites. love jade

faunabay	22 Mar 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Kissa [b] Hi faunabay, Surprised by your enthusiasm, I went to check on amazon.com what the cover of the kit looked like. I must admit it looks really nice. The author Poppy Palin has written books on witchcraft so I guess the deck is pretty much in this pagan (wicca ?) direction as well. Can you tell me more about the spirit of the deck, how does the Death card looks like for example, what about the Tower ? Oh it's just beautiful! The deck is completely nature oriented. There are many animals, nature spirits, and humans. The Queen of Water is a Mermaid - Queen of Air is the Faery Queen - King of Earth is called All Father and shows a male sitting down in tall grass with all sorts of animals around him. The death card is just flat out called Rebirth-Spirit of Change. It shows an old Magician with pointy ears (maybe an elf? - wearing a blue cap and pointy magician hat with yellow stars) holding a little baby. They are standing behind a table with a black top hat that has a rabbit in it. LOL The background has the illusion-type walls of black and white checkerboard that looks like it gets smaller as it goes further away. The Tower is called Lightning Tree-Wild Energy. It shows a snarled, leafless old tree with a kind of an snarled old man face in the middle and two hands coming out of it. One hand is on it's chin and the other is pointing out at you. It's very cool though - not really scary but just kind of an "oh uh" type feeling to it. I don't have the Vision Quest deck yet (just ordered it) so I can't answer this question really. I can let you know when my Vision Quest deck gets here though. :) I've now had a chance to at least flip through the book too. Haven't really been about to read much though. But it's Wonderful! Each card tells you about itself and has anywhere from 4 to 6 pages for each major arcana card!!! It's not like regular books which say something like "this card means....." For example the Rebirth- Spirit of Change says "I am the resurrection and I am the life. Sound familiar? Well, it's true: I am the Transformer and the Recycler...I am both the first and the last. I am both death and life in the circle round. I am Transition, the Changing Man. Meet me, but do not fear me, for I am the one who waves hello as well as goodbye; the one who gives and takes away, only to renew and give again. I am the Reaper and the Sower, and I ask that you are not afraid of me, for every ending is a new beginning......." This is going to be a great book just to read through. It's almost like each card (in the book) is telling you a story. Like I said though I haven't had a chance to really read them, just kind of spot read, but I plan to read the whole book. Which is NOT something I do on a regular basis. :)

faunabay	22 Mar 2002
Quote: Originally posted by jade faunabay, i want this deck NOW! but i have to wait to finish my reviews before i can order it. aarrgghh. patience jade, patience. do you have a scanner? can you email me some scans of the cards....pick a few of your favorites and least favorites. love jade I don't have a scanner, but I'll try to get over to a friend's house and get you some pictures. I'll have a VERY hard time picking out which to send you though. There are so many beautiful ones. I had seen the pictures on Poppy's website and liked them, but they just don't translate very well into the computer. They have a personality all their own that doesn't come across on the computer very well. They just feel good in my hands. LOL

Maan	22 Mar 2002
It al sounds great!!! I'm gonna buy it. But Kaz you write that you found it at proxis? I can't find it at there side, but i found it on BOL

Jewel	22 Mar 2002
Faunabay, does it have the "Faery Oracle" effect on you? ... you know what I mean, the same sort of feel that deck has for both of us. Ohhh I can't wait!!!

faunabay	22 Mar 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Jewel Faunabay, does it have the "Faery Oracle" effect on you? ... you know what I mean, the same sort of feel that deck has for both of us. Ohhh I can't wait!!! No it's not quite the same as that. The artwork is not quite as realistic - a bit more dreamy soft feel to it than the Faerys Oracle. Wild Spirit is more of a comforting, nature feel to it. After saying that though, there are "negative" cards in it. The 8 of Fire says Illness on it. The 5 of Water says Tears. The 10 of Air says Hovering and shows a hawk in the air over a small ground squirrel who's running. Oh I just realized I don't think I said this anywhere, but the title of the card is on the top and it also has key words on the bottom. The key words are not true meaning words like other decks though. They're almost alternative titles???? if that makes sense.

faunabay	22 Mar 2002
Here's Poppy's website.... http://www.herebedragons.co.uk/poppy/tarot.htm

dolphingirl	22 Mar 2002
Hi I have been waiting for this deck since I saw it on the tarot calandar. When I found out it was out I called all the bookstores in my area and no one on the west coast has it yet :( Going nuts with the wait! Samantha

truthsayer	23 Mar 2002
since i live in the middle of nowhere, i went to amazon to pre-order it. i remember how excited i was when i saw poppy's website before. seeing it again just brings the excitement back! this time i bookmarked it! what i've seen of the pictures reminds me of the merryday but it definitely isn't another merryday. thanks for being the town cryer, faunabay. ;)

jade	23 Mar 2002
remember that if you find a deck to buy somewhere, check with solandia first to see if she already has it set up to get a portion of your purchase sent to support aeclectic tarot! it's a way of making a donation (for new software etc when needed) without actually making a donation! a definite perk. in light, jade

Kissa	23 Mar 2002
Thank you very much faunabay for your description of the deck ! I am now going to visit Poppy's website and make up my mind ... Tell me how you liked your Vision Quest as well :) ! But you will probably be too busy with your new Wild Spirit book and deck I guess ;) ... Kissa

Kiama	26 Mar 2002
Woohoo! Just ordered it from my local bookstore! I should have it in about a week... Can't wait! Kiama *Dancing around like a maniac*

faunabay	26 Mar 2002
I just know you'll love it! :)

Kiama	27 Mar 2002
Faunabay: What's the book like? Any good?

faunabay	28 Mar 2002
Kiama, The book is very good for working with this deck!!! I can't say enought about how she writes in the first person - like the card is telling you about itself. I love this. Each major arcana explanation can get wordy but it's also interesting - almost like a story for each card. But it doesn't get too much into any general tarot stuff. She says there's quite enough books out there with spreads. LOL

Kiama	28 Mar 2002
I adore Poppy Palin's writing, and this book sounds so cool! I'm so excited, and can't wait until my new Wild Spirit deck arives! Kiama, The Excited One

Jewel	28 Mar 2002
That makes 2 of us Kiama :)

Jewel	05 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by faunabay I GOT IT! I GOT IT! I GOT IT! (jumping up and down screaming) It's absolutely beautiful! The artwork is very intuitive. It's pretty different from the Rider Waite or even thoth pictures and only loosely based on their meanings. But I've got to say WOW!!!! There are alot of animals, nature spirits and sprites in the cards. I'M SO HAPPY!!!!! I GOT MINE! I GOT MINE! I GOT MINE! (grabs Faunabay and starts doing the happy wild spirit dance) I had to echo your message here. I LOVE this deck. For me the deck is well suited to spiritual development as the deck indicated to me during our new deck spread :). The deck is so incredibly intuitive! the book is fabulous too! I'M JUST SO HAPPY TOO!!!!!!

Kiama	05 Apr 2002
Still waiting for mine.... *Sniff*

Maan	05 Apr 2002
Me too Still three weeks to go........

truthsayer	07 Apr 2002
i ordered mine thru amazon to help aeclectic out. checked w/ solandia and she seems to think what i did would count. i got a message from amazon last night that they have shipped my deck out. i should get it next week. happy! happy! joy! joy! and it makes me even happier that i helped aeclectic in the process. :D sharing the joy just makes getting the deck more special! :p

Zhritza	07 Apr 2002
I would like to help Aeclectic in this way too, but I wouldn't be able to afford decks in general were it not for my employee discount and not having to pay shipping...

Kiama	08 Apr 2002
I'd like to order through Aeclectic at Amazon, but alas, I am only a poor teenager, and do not own a cedit card... *Sniff* It would be dangerous for me to own one anyway! I'd have no mony left! Kiama

truthsayer	09 Apr 2002
i got my wild spirit today and am just thrilled w/ it in all ways. the art is magical. the writing in the book is enchanting--just like poetry it flows so well. i see correlations to tarot but this deck works as a system to itself. it has it's own personality separate from that as a tarot deck. i'd love to see a fantasy book written w/ the card characters interacting together. #15, the wild spirit commonly known as the devil is the most wonderful one i've ever had the pleasure of seeing and reading. just for a new spin on old tarot ideas make the wild spirit deck worth the money. it's everything it was advertized to be and more. i love the way each card speaks about itself and tells it's story in the first person. that alone makes the deck so endearing and charming. kind of like the naive wisdom of a child who speaks her mind. is the fairy deck by brian froud anything like this?

Zhritza	10 Apr 2002
I don't have the Wild Spirit, but I do have the Faeries Oracle by Brian Froud. Judging from the Wild Spirit images I've seen, the art is actually pretty similar, although Froud's art is probably more detailed. The Froud deck feels wonderful, I connect easily with the images - but it's an oracle deck, with 64 cards, and I'm sort of at a loss for how to best use it. It helps for gaining personal insights, but I doubt very highly that I could read for anyone else with it. If you're OK with oracle decks and you like the Wild Spirit, I think the Faeries Oracle would probably be great for you. It only comes in a book/deck set and the book is a hardcover, so the whole shebang costs US$35 - more than twice what I normally pay for a deck.

Cocobird55	12 Apr 2002
I bought the book and deck today at Akashic, my local new age bookstore. They only ordered one, and I snapped it up. It's a very nice deck. I read the introduction, and the author said that her main purpose in doing the deck was to make tarot more accessible to people who don't like to learn by memorizing lists of meanings. The titles of the cards are descriptive, and not the usual RW tarot titles. The cards also have keywords to further explain them, and the pictures are full of intuitive nuances. I think I will enjoy working with this deck a lot. Sue

faunabay	12 Apr 2002
truthsayer, You mean you don't have the Faerie's Oracle yet? tsk tsk tsk LOL You need to get it. I know you'll love it just like Jewel and I do!!! taro-holics anonymous members unite!!! ROFL

Summerdream	17 Apr 2002
I just got the Wild Spirit Tarot 2 days ago. I have to say I love it! It is very intuitive and I adore the companion book. I think it is terrific that it is written in the first person. It makes the cards come alive. I haven't really worked with it much yet but am taking my time reading thru the book first. I have been reading all your posts here about how excited you were getting over these cards and thought I can't go wrong with these...lol. If all the tarot elders here love it, I'd say it must be something else!!!! Indeed, it is! Hope all of you that want the deck have the chance to purchase it soon. My husband asked me which deck I wanted and I'm glad I choose this one! The paintings are awesome and well, I can't say enough.

Jewel	17 Apr 2002
Hiya Momof3girls, isn't the little girl on the inner child card just precious!!! when I saw your post here and that you had the deck something just told me that you would be drawn to that card (probably because I knew you were drawn to the Maiden card in the Faeries Oracle).

Lee	17 Apr 2002
Hi, folks -- I'm awaiting my copy of Wild Spirit to arrive, should take a few weeks. Meanwhile, Diane Wilkes has written a very interesting review of this deck and book at the Tarot Passages site: http://www.tarotpassages.com/Poppy.htm She takes a rather dim view of the book, whereas all the comments here about the book have been very positive. I'd be real curious to know what those of you who have the deck think about the book in light of this review. Also, I'm just dying of curiosity, I can't wait 'til I get the deck -- does the Hanged Man card (I think it's called Silence) show a hanged person, or what does it show? Thanks so much -- -- Lee

Jewel	17 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Lee I'm just dying of curiosity, I can't wait 'til I get the deck -- does the Hanged Man card (I think it's called Silence) show a hanged person, or what does it show? Nope, does not show a hanged person. If I am thinking of the right card it has a young woman sitting at the edge of a lake, I think it is a castle in the background. It is "silent". I will take a better look at the card this evening and give you a better description ... my current one sounds bland, but this deck is really lovely. Thanks for the link to the review, I am going to go read it now.

Jewel	17 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Lee Meanwhile, Diane Wilkes has written a very interesting review of this deck and book at the Tarot Passages site: http://www.tarotpassages.com/Poppy.htm She takes a rather dim view of the book, whereas all the comments here about the book have been very positive. I'd be real curious to know what those of you who have the deck think about the book in light of this review. Diane really does not like the book *LOL*. Well Lee, I think preferences are a personal thing so although I respect Diane's opinion, I disagree. She states at the beginning of her book that one of the goals of the deck is to help people build intuition. Poppy gives me the impression of having wanted to creat her deck to be intuitive and unique. She was definetly taking a different approach to Tarot, and I don't think she made any secret of that. She wants anyone (regardless of experience with Tarot) to feel comfortable picking it up and letting their intuition guide them ... to let their inner wild spirit run free. I think Diane might have been a bit harsh on the book ... then again it is her opinion and she is entitled to it. Once you read it you can judge it for yourself. I am sure it is not perfect (I am still reading it), but I have enjoyed it so far. What the book does is really help you look at the card and feel the card, to hear it speak. It opens some communication doors between the deck and the person viewing/reading with it. Just my 2 pearls worth ...

truthsayer	17 Apr 2002
i simply can't believe how harsh diane wilkes was on wild spirit. yeah, it's different--but i view that as her wonderful creativity. i didn't see the cards talking as carrying out an agenda. i thought it was trying to express a personality of the wild spirit as opposed to the conservative spirit. at least her favorite card--the one for the hermit is mine, too. that made me feel better. is diane a psychoanalyst by trade? she seemed to be really trying to figure out what makes poppy tick. one of us who loves wild spirit needs to do a positive rebuttal review. i will have to review the deck again. i think anyone who loves the froud fairy deck would also like wild spirit b/c they both have the cards talking. i think it's really nice to communicate w/ the cards personally. i don't like really structured decks. lee, you have to break the news to us what you think of wild spirit before you post a review. ;)

Lee	17 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by truthsayer lee, you have to break the news to us what you think of wild spirit before you post a review. ;) I sure will! Of course I'll have to wait and see what I think when I get it, but it's real helpful to get a feeling for others' views too, which is why this is great for me, to be able to discuss it with everybody here. -- Lee

Cocobird55	17 Apr 2002
I read Diana Wilkes' review, too. I would say that this is not a traditional tarot deck -- or book. I enjoy non-traditional decks lik this one, the Osho Zen, the Celtic Wisdom, the Sacred Circle. Just out of curiousity, I read Diana Wilkes' review of some other non-traditional decks and she had similar criticisms of them. She does, however, feel that most of these decks have great art work and are a good bet for collectors. Let's face it, no one is going to like everything and that's okay. This deck is not traditional, and that's fine with me. I don't know how I will like reading with it, but the pictures are wonderful and I have lots of decks that I don't think would be easy to read with. Sue

Summerdream	17 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Jewel Hiya Momof3girls, isn't the little girl on the inner child card just precious!!! when I saw your post here and that you had the deck something just told me that you would be drawn to that card (probably because I knew you were drawn to the Maiden card in the Faeries Oracle). Jewel, You are certainly right on about be attracted to the little girl on the inner child card!! I think she is adorable and she does remind me alot of the Maiden in the Faeries Oracle. I'm just loving this deck.

faunabay	18 Apr 2002
Lee, I read Diane's review yesterday. She didn't like it too much, did she? :) I still do though. I like reading in the first person. But I haven't read the whole book yet so don't know about the other things she brings up. I do still like this deck, but it's losing some (a small amount) of it's newness luster. I think it may be that the cards I don't like - I really! don't like them at all. For example I have to agree with Diane's reveiw and opinion of this deck's Justice called Hooded One. I don't "see" Justice in this artwork at all. I mean she's poking him in the eye for Goddess sake. And my other two NON-favorites are the 5 of fire - artwork doesn't fit with rest of deck and Lord of the Wild(Emperor) - looks like an Ozzy fan LOL. But there are some WONDERFUL cards which I absolutely love. Almost too numerous to list but here's a few....LOL Wisewoman (High Priestess) King of Earth 7 of Fire Queen of Fire All the cards with animals as the main focus :) And all of the ones Diane lists that she likes I have to agree with also. Like I said above I do still like this deck, but it has lost a bit in my eyes after closer scrutiny. (shrug)

arizonagirl	18 Apr 2002
I swore, I really swore, that I wouldn't get ANY MORE decks. But, one look at the beautiful cards in Wild Spirit and here I sit making a note to check out the price at Amazon when I finish reading the forums. Will you people PLEASE stop corrupting my good intentions??!!??

faunabay	18 Apr 2002
Yea!! Another one bites the dust and joins us in the taro-holics anonymous group!! :) (aww man, now I've got that song stuck in my head)

Jewel	18 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by faunabay I don't "see" Justice in this artwork at all. I mean she's poking him in the eye for Goddess sake. I wonder if she used the justice concept of "an eye for an eye"? ... just a thought ... I will have to look at the other two cards you mentioned (darn it I did not bring the deck with me today!). Truthsayer ... I agree that someone should write a counter review from a postitive perspective. Lee? did you get the deck yet? ~tries to rush the mail to Lee~ Momof3girls ... see that is more like what I thought the Maiden should look like :) ... I just love the inner child card :) Arizonagirl ~giggles~ we cannot stop so the only thing I can suggest is if you see our names on the threads you might want to open them with caution ( and money in your account) *LOL*.

Kiama	18 Apr 2002
FINALLY!!!! The bookstore has it in! I'm getting it as soon as possible tomorrow! Kiama

Kaz	18 Apr 2002
damn, i can get it in may from proxis, wait for long time ......... i want it. do you ppl classify me as one of those hopeless, helpless, tarotholics yet, or am i still on the safe side of the mark? kaz

Zhritza	18 Apr 2002
Well... how many decks are you up to? I only have 20 and apparently I'm in the club myself; you must have many more than me. You're a moderator, for gosh sakes! :)

Kaz	19 Apr 2002
lol, being moderator doesnt ask for many decks, i only have 6 decks...... kaz

Kiama	19 Apr 2002
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got it! I got it! And I'm emailing Poppy right now, to tell her how wonderful she is, and how wonderful her deck is, and how wonderful life is now that I have her deck...! *Out of breath* ITS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! YEHAAA!!!! WOW!.... I love the way the book is written! Faunabay: You were SO right about it! Absolutely amazing! The funny thing is though, I can see this deck being used by children... Its a much easier system, cuz the way she writes about the cards would appeal to children's imaginations... Kiama

arizonagirl	19 Apr 2002
**ArizonaGirl is doing the happy dance** I've ordered it. I've ordered it. Amazon.com says I'll have it in a week or so.

faunabay	19 Apr 2002
I'm sooooooo glad you finally got a copy Kiama! Isn't the book cool? I really like the writing style. :)

Kiama	19 Apr 2002
Okay, firstly: All you Brits, look at the Fool's thumb. Is that not the British Gas Advert???!!!!!! Yes! But I love the card anyway. Now, onto Wilke's 'Review' of the book. (I'd prefer to call it an opinionated rant personally. A review should be mostly objective.) Firstly, she accuses Pops of having an agenda. Well, 'Duh!' ALL authors, and Tarot creators have agendas, for goodness sake! Without an agenda, there would be no new Tarot decks, no new ideas, no new approaches. There, first bit said. (I have spoken personally wih Poppy Palin myself, and know why it seems she has an 'agenda'. She is a wonderful, caring, kind woman. Her concern for the environment is paramount in her life, so how can she possibly keep it out of what she writes in her Tarot book? It is impossible for a writer to write something, and not include something of themselves in that writing. Wilkes seems to think Poppy can! Uh-uh! No way! If Poppy's a writer, (And she is!) then her beliefs, views, thoughts, and emotions are all poured out onto the page for the world to see and stare at. Not only is this the ultimate bravery, but it is the paramour of creativity.) I shall now quote Wilkes for my next part: "I also suspect that Palin's tarot resources were somewhat limited. She confidently avers, "...[t]his is the first pack that takes the questing soul on a country path, leading from the urban and suburban levels of human conscious dwelling into the wilderness that is of the heart, not only in the land." Hello? Do the words "Merryday Tarot" mean anything to you?" Um... Does self-promotion mean anything to Wilkes??!!! Of course an author's gonna say that about their deck! She's not gonna write, 'Well, this is a deck like any other. Nothing special." is she?!! Ugh! So what if Mrs Wilkes thinks that Poppy's way of describing the cards to us isn't good enough? I know plenty of people who will be glad to see such a wonderful and inventive method of approaching the cards! My kid sister has been praising the day Pops was born, ever since she began to read the book... I haven't managed to get my hands on it for more than half hour at a time yet cuz of the sis!) Such a method takes you right into the very essence of each card, so that you become familiar with each card as though it were a real life person, a friend... Now, I know you'll be able to understand a friend better than somebody you read about in the newpaper! This deck, despite what Wilkes thinks, is not a Pagan deck at all. Poppy is not Pagan. Thus, this deck is more about the Earth and its protection than about the celebration of the Goddess and Her cycles. If this is what Wilkes classes as an agenda, then by my head! We all have about 50 of them! Wilkes claims that Poppy uses euphemisms for the more'challenging' cards, such as Lightning Tree, Rebirth, and Fiddler... I say no, she doesn't. She has confronted the challenges presented by each of these challenging cards, and has seen the way past them. That is why Death become Rebirth... Why the Devil beomes the Fiddler. It seems Wilkes has not accepted that the challenges given to us in the trad. Majors are to be overcome, and explored... But no, let's just leave Death as that ugly white skeleton on horseback, shall we? Or even better, some of those dancing skeletons with scythes we see in the Golden Dawn decks! Wonderful! Just what the majority of Tarot readers want and can relate to! What a good idea. Oh dear... I'm being far too sarcastic But those are the main points I wanted to contend. Kiama

Lee	19 Apr 2002
Hi, Kiama, please don't be afraid to be sarcastic -- when someone publishes a review (or a deck or book, for that matter) they must expect a certain amount of feedback and criticism. Diane herself used a certain amount of sarcasm, so I think you're entitled. Diane is a friend of mine, but I like to see different viewpoints aired -- especially with such passion! :) You wrote with what I believe used to be called a "high dudgeon." :) But really, this sort of thing was exactly what I wanted -- others' viewpoints. And when I finally receive the deck, I may well agree with you! -- Lee

Lee	19 Apr 2002
Although I do disagree that a review should be objective... I'm afraid I don't know what that means. A review should say what the reviewer thinks of whatever it is being reviewed, I'm not sure where objectivity comes into it... I think a review is by its very nature subjective... -- Lee

faunabay	19 Apr 2002
I agree with you kiama in that I don't agree with Diane's review. LOL But I do also agree with Lee (ROFL) in that a review is the opinion of the reviewer which isn't objective, it's their opinion. OK have I agreed with everyone now? LOL Seriously I hope I made at least a little bit of sense here.

Lee	21 Apr 2002
There were several further posts here by Kiama, Talisman and myself, going more to the subject of tarot reviewing in general, and Talisman wisely suggested that a new thread be started. So I've broken off those last posts and placed them in a new thread, entitled "Tarot Reviews," in the Talking Tarot forum. -- Lee

faunabay	26 Apr 2002
Here you go with one of them.... :)

Maan	01 May 2002
The bookstore just called!!!!They have the wild spirit deck for me!!!!!!!! I'n going to get my bike and race to the store..............

Kaz	01 May 2002
maan, what store in holland has it? i can't find it anywhere here up north. kaz

Maan	01 May 2002
I'm sorry to dissapoint you Kaz i ordered the deck. So after three weeks it finally arrived. And o my, it is sooooo GREAT ! ! ! Only that stupid Llewllyn box. I had to wrap the deck in a handkerchief..... the poor thing

Lee	02 May 2002
I've *finally* received my Wild Spirit. Here are my preliminary impressions. The art on the deck is absolutely wonderful, colorful, exuberant. It's a pleasure to look at. There really is something captivating about the cards. I'll have to spend some more time with them to see if I can pin it down. I think it's important to note that although the Majors correspond in general terms to traditional Tarot Majors, the titles are all changed, and the images are all changed (except for the Fool). So people who need to have the majority of cards in a deck show some form of the traditional image will be disappointed. Some of the pictures on the Majors make an immediate impression -- for instance, I love the old baby shoes shown on the Judgement card -- but many of them aren't readily understandable (at least not to me) until I get a chance to read about them in the book. The fact that some of the "negative" cards are presented in a more positive light doesn't bother me. Regarding the book, I really do see where Diane was coming from in her review. In the introductory pages, the author says repeatedly that she wanted to present a comfortable, friendly way of learning the deck. But many of the card chapters have a noticeably angry, hostile, and defensive tone, and it put me on the defensive reading it. Not all of the chapters are like that, but many are. I'll have to wait until I read the whole book before I can say whether most are or not. I really need to spend some time with both book and deck to solidify my feelings about them, and this process may result in my seeing them differently, but right now those are my thoughts. -- Lee :)

Jewel	02 May 2002
Lee thanks for sharing, I look forward to hearing more. What I find so interesting about the written word is that we can take it any way wish, we can see anger, conformance, excitement ... but the only one that ultimately knows for sure the meaning is the person who wrote them. When I read the part of the book where she mentions making the deck friengly and open and easy to learn, to me that was meant was to give the reader confidence that they would be able to do it even if they had had trouble with other decks in the past. A mental block removal device *LOL*. ~Shrugs~ maybe I just don't get it *LOL*.

The Wild Spirit - I Got It!!!!! thread was originally posted on 21 Mar 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.