Pagan Tarot

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 01 Jul 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

catwoman	01 Jul 2002
I'm after a pagan/wiccan influenced Tarot Deck but there are quite a few to choose from. What do you think is the best of the bunch? Is there any I should stay clear of?? Thanx! Naomi xx

Maan	01 Jul 2002
Hi Catwomen I really like the Robin Wood tarot! So i say go out and get that one ;) If i where you i'd stay away from the tarot of the old path. But that't just my opinion and there are others here who really like that one. Love and light Maan

Sulis	01 Jul 2002
Hi Naomi I bought the Robin Wood tarot a while ago as I was looking for a pagan deck, I hated it and traded it straight away. I didn`t like the `californian` looking characters. I`ve heard this deck described as `the attack of the Ken and Barbies` and that`s exactly what I thought of it, but an awful lot of people have Robin Wood as their favorite deck. I`ve just got The Wheel of Change Tarot and it`s gorgeous- very pagan - Genetti uses the Wheel of the Year in the major arcana. The symbolism and interpretations of the minor arcana differ a lot from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck a lot but if you can get your head round that then I`d thoroughly recommend this deck - it`s lovely. Brightest Blessings Julie xx

WolfSpirit	01 Jul 2002
I love the Robin wood and I'm not a fan of barbie ;) You can see the cards here http://www.rglobal.net/user/nodntap/robin_wood_deck.html and decide for yourself, there's been a lot of discussion on this already ! The thing I don't like is it uses the hierophant, I want a pagan deck to use the druid really... I would not recommend the faery wicca if you want an easy to read deck; I love the artwork but you need to know a lot of the old Irish symbolism to understand it properly.

truthsayer	01 Jul 2002
i second the vote for wheel of change. this deck is simply one of the best done pagan decks i've ever used. it's multicultural. it's beautiful but the ppl are definitely not ken and barbie. it rethinks tarot stereotypes like the swords suit into a much more positive suit. there's enormous archetypal and psychological depth. i also like the pagan 2000 but it's rather difficult to get. i haven't read w/ it but i like the colors and the book. i like the robin wood, okay and i can read w/ it but it's not one of my fav decks. i have the sacred circle but i don't really like it. the images are computer and photography generated. i really don't like that kind of art. the book is excellent tho and that's why i keep the set. i don't like tarot of the old path either. the majors are beautiful but i simply could not relate to the minors at all. the completely white edgeless background is a tad distracting, too.

Starfish	01 Jul 2002
I'm not a fan of Ken and Barbie either and love my Robin Wood. Very easy to work with. I do agree with WolfSpirit that I wish the Hierophant was a Druid; that's my only complaint with the deck. :TSTAR Starfish

DreamDancer	01 Jul 2002
Although it's not marketed specificly as a pagan deck, the World Spirit deck has a lot of pagan imagery of the multicultural sort. The Waking the Wild Spirit deck has a very pagan feel also.

truthsayer	01 Jul 2002
i forgot about waking the wild spirit. yes, definitely a pagan feeling.

mondk	02 Jul 2002
My favorite deck out of all of my decks is the Witches' Tarot by Ellen Cannon Reed. Here is what it says in the front of its LWB: "..you'll find this deck both familiar and different, traditional and untraditional. It was designed to express the traditional ideas of tarot with the traditional Qabalistic symbolism, in a way that would appeal to paganfolk and others." The cards do carry a rather witchy, Pagan feel to them, in my humble opinion anyway. I do recommend at least checking the pics of them out. Blessings, Michelle

Momof6	04 Jul 2002
Merry Meet Catwoman, I really like the Robin Wood deck. I wish they would have used more realistic looking people (meaning some fat on them!!!), but if you do walk a pagan path, you will most likely see a lot of symbolism in this deck that you will understand the meaning of. I had initially purchased this deck for spellwork but I am using it for readings so I am still looking for a pagan/witchcraft deck for my spellwork. Another deck that I connect with (and I'm pagan) is the Motherpeace round Tarot deck. It is heavily matriarchial, but if you honor the Goddess, you may connect with this one. I'd suggest the mini sized deck. This is my favorite deck for meditation and it is also great for readings. I also use this deck for spellwork but I hate to tie up one card (or more) out of the deck for a day, week etc...at a time for a spell because I can't use the deck for readings. I have heard that the Tarot of the Old Path is a good one for Wiccans/Pagans to work with but I don't have it...the photos online of it don't do much for me. I also read that the Gendron is a good choice. I have that one coming in the mail and it should be here next week. Let us know what you end up hearing, learning, or purchasing??? I am always on the lookout for a good deck that is heavily pagan influenced. Bright Blessings and Hugs, Momof6

Sorceress_Jade	04 Jul 2002
Was reading the thread and checking out the decks you all suggested. Thanx for the Robin wood sight, I've been contemplating that deck and am very pleased to be able to see ALL the cards. Also, the witches Tarot imagery is very, what's the word, strong. It seems very powerful, and I appreciate the deviation from waites classical ideas. That deck was beautiful and I never would have known, thanx!

Sally Gardens	04 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Momof6 Another deck that I connect with (and I'm pagan) is the Motherpeace round Tarot deck. It is heavily matriarchial, but if you honor the Goddess, you may connect with this one. I'd suggest the mini sized deck. This is my favorite deck for meditation and it is also great for readings. I also use this deck for spellwork but I hate to tie up one card (or more) out of the deck for a day, week etc...at a time for a spell because I can't use the deck for readings. I would also recommend the Motherpeace for anyone rooted in Goddess spirituality. Kris Waldherr's Goddess deck is "prettier" in terms of artistic quality and sophistication, but for me the Motherpeace has more heart and soul. The simple images speak strongly and directly to me; I'll never forget the first time I discovered the book and laid eyes on the High Priestess image. I was barely 20 years old and the sense of "initiation" into a new realm or stage of life was powerful and deep. I really connect with the images in this deck. Contrary to what critics of the deck tend to say, I do not find it at all "anti-male." Rather, it is strongly woman *centered* in its mythos and energy -- and it may be that this stands out precisely because we are (even now) so used to the assumed man-centered worldview that permeates our thinking and cultures. The Motherpeace deck is also richly symbolic, in an Earthy-spiritual way. Anyone with previous experience in dogmatic religiosity should be able to relate to the Motherpeace interpretation of the Hierophant. :D It's one of my favorite cards in this deck, and to me gives the "truth" side of the traditional image. Some decks out there give the positive aspect of a spiritual mentor/guide (MerryDay, for example - though I don't know if that deck is especially pagan or not, but it looks like it might be). On the subject of the Robin Wood, I used to own the deck, but to me it felt too shallow and perky and, yeah, Barbie-and-Ken, overall. I do like some of the original interpretations, such as the Devil card and the Judgment card, but on the whole I just felt it didn't have enough depth and was too much of a Rider-Waite clone and not really "pagan" enough at heart. YMMV. The Sacred Circle deck is really beautiful and definitely pagan in spirit and theme. As with the Goddess deck, I didn't really connect with it on a gut level as a reading deck, but lately I've regretted selling this one because it had some powerful images for meditation. (If that makes sense...) Anyway, you might look into that deck as a possible candidate; it *does* reinterpret all of the majors in pagan terms - no leftover popes or altar boys in this deck. ;) The majors are arranged in terms of a spiritual journey into the depths and back, so a few are renamed and re-ordered. You might also want to have a look at Tarot of the Trance and the various Celtic and Arthurian decks out there. I will soon be getting the Songs for the Journey Home deck, which looks like the images are strongly rooted in Earth-based spirituality. Ultimately, I guess it depends on what your own understanding of "pagan" would be, and probably the best thing is to look at a lot of decks until one clicks with you. My experience is that "your" deck finds *you*. :D If at all possible, look at ALL of the cards before buying; an otherwise good deck might have one image that *really* puts you off, and will ultimately make the whole deck one that you don't want to use.

Sally Gardens	04 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Momof6 I also use this deck for spellwork but I hate to tie up one card (or more) out of the deck for a day, week etc...at a time for a spell because I can't use the deck for readings. That's simple to solve: Buy another copy of the deck. ;) I had bought a copy of the mini Motherpeace with the idea of carrying this one with me while using the larger deck at home. What I ended up doing is using the mini deck for my monthly reading; the smaller card size makes it easier to keep the full layout on a table/altar all month long, where I can see it and reflect on it. I use my larger deck for other everyday uses, three-card readings, and so forth.

Momof6	05 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Sally Gardens That's simple to solve: Buy another copy of the deck. ;) I had bought a copy of the mini Motherpeace with the idea of carrying this one with me while using the larger deck at home. What I ended up doing is using the mini deck for my monthly reading; the smaller card size makes it easier to keep the full layout on a table/altar all month long, where I can see it and reflect on it. I use my larger deck for other everyday uses, three-card readings, and so forth. Thanks :) I've been thinking about doing just that. I thought the regular sized MP deck would be a great size for spellwork. Maybe I'll get a copy for my birthday present to myself later this month. Sometimes the answer is as plain as the nose on your face! *lol* Hugs, Momof6

The Pagan Tarot thread was originally posted on 01 Jul 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.