Shining Tribe

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 05 Nov 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Jewel	05 Nov 2002
I have been reading the Forest of Souls by Rachel Pollack and of course became interested in her Shining Tribe deck, which once upon a time I said I would not own. Well yesterday I broke down and got the set. I personally do not really like the type of art she uses but I am a symbology junkie so I figure this deck should be full of it based on its creators knowledge, experience, and areas of interest. I also figure the book should be really good as I have yet to read anything by Rachel Pollack that I did not enjoy and learn something from. I was wondering if there is anyone here that has some experience with this deck that they could share with me. Thanks!

Lee	05 Nov 2002
I've gone back and forth with this deck several times, resolving to work with it, taking it out, reading the book, looking at the cards, and putting it away again. The most recent was a few weeks ago. I actually don't mind the art, although many people have an aversion to it. But I think my main problem with it is that while I can understand how she assigns meaning to a particular symbol, the way the symbols are drawn (while not unattractive) simply don't speak to me on an intuitive level. In other words, I look at the symbol, I remember what it says in the book, and I say to say to myself, "oh, yes, that's what that means," but the picture by itself, without the book's explication, doesn't really say anything to me. My other problem is that there are several Minors where she created them out of her personal experiences, and it's so personal at times that I find it hard to relate to. I found that you have to forget all about traditional Court cards in order to work with her Vision cards, despite the fact that she provides correlations between the two. I found it helpful to think of them as the energy of the suit expressed in different ways, rather than as having separate and distinct meanings (which is why the meanings she gives for them often sound the same throughout the suit). There is still a lot that I like about this deck, and it may well be that in the future I'll find a way to connect to it. I do seem to make more and more progress each time I try. Maybe I should get "Forest of Souls" and that will help. -- Lee

Jewel	05 Nov 2002
Lee thanks so much for your response. I will make sure and read the book while I familiarize myself more with the cards. My first experience with them will be through the Forest of Souls, then I will go through the ST book and deck. I have only read Chapter 1 of the Forest of Souls but it has some interesting ideas. There is a thread in the Media section on it. What I like so far about the book is that is extremely different from anything else I have read, and by someone who I trully respect as a Tarot author. The book does not contain card meanings or correspondence tables like you find in most books. It focuses on concepts and I think it is geared towards spritual pursuits. The book uses illustrations from multiple decks but from what I have heard the ST is used a lot, which does not surprise me as it is her deck. Hope this helps.

truthsayer	06 Nov 2002
to me, trying to use the shining tribe deck is like going for a voyage thru rachel pollack's universe. she's a well traveled and read person. she's familiar with world mythologies i've never heard of. this makes the book fascinating reading. however, i believe one would have to be comfortable with the rachel they come to understand in order to read the deck using her symbol system. if you are well read in her books then i think it possible to eventually read her deck. i'd really like to hear her do a presentation on tarot b/c i think that would give me more of an edge, too. i had both the shining tribe and shining woman at one time. the cards are pretty much the same in both except on a few cards. the real difference lies in the accompanying books. ST's book is far superior to SW's. you can tell how much RP has grown in her knowlege since the printing of SW. all in all, i don't like the deck b/c i can't connect with the symbolism. however, unlike other decks i don't like, she is consistent in her art and symbolism throughout the deck. got to admire her for that. :) jewel, since you and i seem to have similar tastes in so many things, let me know how much you like this book. i have so many unread ones right now that i don't want to buy another one unless it jumps off the shelf into my waiting hands. ;)

Moongold	06 Nov 2002
I was browsing in our local Theosophical Bookshop and had a strong feeling that I should get the Shining Tribe and followed that feeling as I have tremendous respect for Rachel Pollack. 78DW was the first Tarot book I owned. Forest of Souls is not available here yet. A week's experience is not a lot but the three readings I've done with this deck have been very accurate in an affirming away. The book is superb and necessary to consult in the beginning, I think. You do have to learn new meanings but in this way it is not dissimilar from the Osho Zen. The book is well written as you would expect from Rachel Pollack. The interpretation for each card is preceded by some kind of poetry. For example, this verse refers to the High Priestess: She stays in one place She swims in the water She talks with the serpents She knows all the secrets She says nothing When I saw the first images of the deck a few months ago I didn't really like the art work but now I see it with fresh eyes. The oche backs of the cards and the variations of this colour theme throughout remind me of Australian aboriginal art and I love this. The imagery itself now has a strong pull and I find Rachel's explanations of the symbols fascinating. Solandia did a review of this deck which is worth reading. I am going to take this deck really slowly as there seems to be a lot of deep meaning in it for me but I've decided not to get any more decks for a while. I need to spend more time becoming comfortable with those I have, and this particular deck will take a lot of study. Last night I took out my Morgan Greer and Old Path and spend some really enjoyable time comparing the three decks. Moongold

Jewel	06 Nov 2002
Moongold thank you so much for the review of your experiences with the deck. You might also want to read the review at www.wicce.com, which was also excellent, and yes Rachel does use Aboriginal art in the cards! Truthsayer, when I have a chance I will read the book and definetly let you know. I just want you to know that it is your fault that I own I this deck because you made me have to have the Forest of Souls which has led me here ... thus you are guilty *LOL*. (Just thought no one had blamed in you in a while so I would). I am very intrested in the symbolism used as described in the review at Wicce. Something tells me I have something to learn from this deck. Not sure if I will keep it after that or not, but I did order it a special pouch from Tarot Totes *LOL*. But honestly Truthsayer, if the book is good and one I think is really worth it I will let you know ... but like I said, I am yet to read a tarot book by Rachel Pollack that I did not enjoy and learn from ...

truthsayer	06 Nov 2002
[quote]Originally posted by Jewel [b]Truthsayer, when I have a chance I will read the book and definetly let you know. I just want you to know that it is your fault that I own I this deck because you made me have to have the Forest of Souls which has led me here ... thus you are guilty *LOL*. (Just thought no one had blamed in you in a while so I would). jewel, if you only knew the panic i felt when you said it's my fault you own this deck. my mind was racing to remember when i might have given ST a "shining" review when i could not think of anything! then my anxiety hit a huge stop when you said somebody needed to blame me for something. now if i'd been in a car i'd be suffering whiplash b/c of you! LOL but i was not--lucky for you. ;) i couldn't help but laugh and groan at the fact you really had me going on this one. }) have i called you the devil lately? }) remember your destiny as #15. ;) }) honestly, i think i will be blaming you for causing me to get the forest of souls. it's already on my wish list at amazon. <<>> i know i'm doomed to buy yet another book that'll be waiting on my shelf god knows how long. :D oh, well! there's worse fates out there.

Jewel	07 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by truthsayer jewel, if you only knew the panic i felt when you said it's my fault you own this deck. my mind was racing to remember when i might have given ST a "shining" review when i could not think of anything! then my anxiety hit a huge stop when you said somebody needed to blame me for something. now if i'd been in a car i'd be suffering whiplash b/c of you! LOL but i was not--lucky for you. ;) i couldn't help but laugh and groan at the fact you really had me going on this one. }) have i called you the devil lately? }) remember your destiny as #15. ;) }) honestly, i think i will be blaming you for causing me to get the forest of souls. it's already on my wish list at amazon. <<>> i know i'm doomed to buy yet another book that'll be waiting on my shelf god knows how long. :D oh, well! there's worse fates out there. ~Giggles madly~ no it has been a while since you called me a Devil, but I much prefer the terms "Temptress of the Sea" or "Queen Tarot Siren" (as Starfish used to call me) *ROFLMAO* ... I know it is Faunabay I really need to blame, but like I said it had been a while since you had gotten any credit and I could not let that happen. I am now on Chapter 4 and this book is AWSOME!!! I love the way Rachel sees things, very much parallels many of my own thoughts (thus you need this book as we often times think alike ;)). She uses many decks in her book to illustrate things, many which we own, so I believe I will be raiding my collection so I can follow the book using the spreads and cards she uses where I can. Has also given me an interesting perspective on how to prioritize my wish list *ROFLMAO*. I definetly intend to use the ST while reading this book, and as I suspected the symbolism in the deck is rich. I will tell you now, if (when) you get this book you might as well get the deck (or try to see if you can get it in trade), I think you will also want to follow the layouts in full color and where you can pick up and look closely at the cards and compare them to cards in other decks she refers to (she does comparisons as well). This is a book I will read cover to cover and probably more than once ... With it under my belt I will definetly be reading the book to the ST and probably gaining a lot of respect for this deck although the art is not cup of tea. The darned thing is starting grow on me like weeds. P.S. glad you weren't in a car, I would have hated to be responsible for something bad happening to you!

truthsayer	07 Nov 2002
i still have the shining woman. i traded the shining tribe since i thought it was prob more valuable than ST. i didn't like the deck well enough to have 2 copies. i just wish i still had the book for ST. if someone has the ST book up for trade i'd love to make a deal for it! it's a good book. the few changes in the deck still don't create a need in me to have 2 ST/SW's around.

Shade	07 Nov 2002
I probably never would have gotten the Shining Tribe on my own but I am loving Forest of Souls so much I wante dto have her deck to work with the book. I like owning one deck in this style but I don't think I'm going to be getting many more "primitive style" decks too soon.

Jewel	08 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by truthsayer i still have the shining woman. i traded the shining tribe since i thought it was prob more valuable than ST. i didn't like the deck well enough to have 2 copies. i just wish i still had the book for ST. if someone has the ST book up for trade i'd love to make a deal for it! it's a good book. the few changes in the deck still don't create a need in me to have 2 ST/SW's around. I did not realize you still had the SW, I thought you had traded them both. If you have the SW then all you need now is Forest of Souls *LOL* ... I agree with you, I would not have 2 of this deck either *ROFLMAO*. Good luck getting the ST book!

Moongold	09 Dec 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Lee I actually don't mind the art, although many people have an aversion to it. But I think my main problem with it is that while I can understand how she assigns meaning to a particular symbol, the way the symbols are drawn (while not unattractive) simply don't speak to me on an intuitive level. In other words, I look at the symbol, I remember what it says in the book, and I say to say to myself, "oh, yes, that's what that means," but the picture by itself, without the book's explication, doesn't really say anything to me. My other problem is that there are several Minors where she created them out of her personal experiences, and it's so personal at times that I find it hard to relate to. I found that you have to forget all about traditional Court cards in order to work with her Vision cards, despite the fact that she provides correlations between the two. I found it helpful to think of them as the energy of the suit expressed in different ways, rather than as having separate and distinct meanings (which is why the meanings she gives for them often sound the same throughout the suit). I have been working with this deck for several weeks now and it does take time. Your suggestions are very apt. The deck has been a good one for pesonal development. This is partly because the symbolism is quite rich, I think, and I have felt as though I've been invited to go on a special journey. As I reflect on each card, sometimes for a week or more, it's meaning stays with me - at least. my understanding of the meaning - and becomes almost unconscious. I've only done about 20 cards in detail but I have a strong feeling for each one of those. I think you definitely need Rachel Pollack's book to get the most from this deck, although gifted people may be able to read easily from the cards the first time. I couldn't. I actually really like the experience of going on a journey with someone like RP, knwing that I'm free at any time to leave. I love the very positive interpretations she gives as well, and the inclusion of her poetry. The deck is definitely worth pursuing. It takes a bit of time, but the rewards are great. Moongold

Jewel	09 Dec 2002
Moongold, thank you so much for your post. With the holidays and all I have not been focusing on tarot much at all, and have not been following though with my RP reading or working with the ST. Your comments have made me very eager to pick up my book again and continue exploring the ST.

The Shining Tribe thread was originally posted on 05 Nov 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.