William Blake Tarot of the Creative Imagination

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

Demonesse	15 Nov 2002
I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on the William Blake Tarot of the Creative Imagination...in relation to his poems? He wrote like he drew - delicately, and with much thought, in his "Songs of Innocence and Experience". I notice that some of the drawings are similar to the ones he also used for the decorative plates (not the cutlery kind of plate) on which his poems were written...the writing on the cards is, or is similar to his writing, too.

Laurel	15 Nov 2002
Oh my gosh, this is a topic that I want to read and write essays about, but I'm not emotionally or time-wise prepared to do today. Blake is a very fascinating topic to me, especially in regards to the kind of questions you're asking. Laurel

truthsayer	15 Nov 2002
there are several threads out there on the blake deck if you look in the archives. i got the deck last summer but b/c i'm not extremely familiar w/ his poetry or life i've been reading a book of his poetry "songs of innocence and experience". the book includes his art. i'm really not well versed enough on all this to say anything profound at this point.

MeeWah	15 Nov 2002
Demonesse: William Blake was a prolific mystic artist-poet well ahead of his time. An engraver & printer by trade, he was a prolific artist & poet who produced works using methods of his own devise. He was not motivated by wealth or fame but largely preoccupied with sharing his vision of life & man's relationship to that life & to the cosmos. He was reported to have experienced angelic presences which guided &/or influenced his artwork. Blake's artwork echoes the theme of his writings. As is so often the case, in his own time few were his audience & his work did not receive the recognition it rightly deserves. His body of work serves as a contribution to the metaphysical world & is reflective of an understanding & insight that remain today as viable expressions of a deeply profound man. In creating the William Blake Tarot, Ed Buryn has also created a fitting tribute to Blake's unique spirit & view. I wish Blake was alive now, as I would love to have an opportunity to speak with him! You could probably address any queries about the deck to Ed Buryn, whom I see as an authority on Blake--naturally! Perhaps there would be interest in a study group for the deck? Both Blake & William Wordsworth, who was inspired by Nature, are called romantic poets.

Cerulean	16 Nov 2002
www.facade.com gives a free online reading and you can choose the William Blake tarot...last that I looked. Off and on, I've looked at small poetry books and articles. I came across a graphic novel called the Compleat Moonshadow at a Borders bookstore and it opened with a William Blake poem about a piper. That's just an example of how people start from his poetry and move into interesting, fascinating works. I use google.com as a topic search for Blake to learn interesting tidbits, find one or two paintings...I think if you also go to Gutenberg.org/com, you might be able to look at free text downloads of his work. Someday, yes, I'll get the tarot, but sometimes it's harder to find and it is one of the great independent tarots that one wants to buy... Mari H.

darwinia	16 Nov 2002
[quote] <> I just bought it D.--expecting it late next week, so I'm in if you want to start a study group. I never took his poetry in school, so know nothing about him. I'm trying to get Northrop Frye's biography/criticism of Blake called "Fearful Symmetry" which I think would be a good place to start for study. I hear that Ed's book that comes with the deck is fabulous too, but the Northrop Frye book was originally published in the 40s and is still in print and used for university level study of Blake. Between the two of them I look forward to learning. I have to be honest, I'm not fond of Blake's better known poetry, but his art intrigues me. For a time he was a great believer in the theology and philosophy of Emanuel Swedenborg, and apparently much of his art was inspired by that belief. I find that hard to relate to as well, but Blake was certainly an original and that's what really grabs me. Judy

Demonesse	16 Nov 2002
William Blake was a prolific mystic artist-poet well ahead of his time. An engraver & printer by trade, he was a prolific artist & poet who produced works using methods of his own devise. He was not motivated by wealth or fame but largely preoccupied with sharing his vision of life & man's relationship to that life & to the cosmos. He was reported to have experienced angelic presences which guided &/or influenced his artwork. Both Blake & William Wordsworth, who was inspired by Nature, are called romantic poets. ---MeeWah Ah yes, I did know that, but not about the angelic presences. I suppose if Wordsworth were to have a deck dedicated to him, there would be at least one card full of daffodils :) As for Blake, in his engravings he sometimes seems to struggle with emotion - in his Poison Tree the manuscript version has the ironic title "Christian Forberance" (no insult to anyone - this is Blake's work not mine!) while the poem itself displays malevolence -anger repression was a topic of a few of his 'Songs of Experience'. My favourite of all time would be 'The Sick Rose' and 'My Pretty Little Rose Tree' - are there cards with representations of these poems?

Khatruman	19 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Demonesse Ah yes, I did know that, but not about the angelic presences. ...My favourite of all time would be 'The Sick Rose' and 'My Pretty Little Rose Tree' - are there cards with representations of these poems? Here is a quote from the Prentice Hall English textbook I use with my seniors: Quote: "I must create a system or be enslaved by another man's." So spoke William Blake, an artist and poet whose work defied all the conventions of the time. Blake's visions began early, when, at the age of four, he suddenly began to scream because he saw God at his window. Four years later, while working in the fields, Blake said he saw a tree filled with angels. Blake's parents, who were followers of the mystical teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish philosopher, inventor and spiritualist, believed that their son had a "gift of vision" and did all they could to nurture this gift. The William Blake tarot resparked my interest in tarot when I found it in a discount rack at Borders. I will have to look on my deck to see if the Rose poem illustrations are represented. Also, yes, the book is wonderful. It really does so much more than tell you interpretations of the individual cards. Peace!

juice	20 Nov 2002
You annoying Tarotholics are going to drive me to skulking Borders for clearance racks. That deck is on my wish list. I just had to spend money on other things like electric and phone for a while.

darwinia	20 Nov 2002
[quote][i]Originally posted by juice <> Mine is a Christmas gift, I too am in thrall to the electric company, the heating company, the phone company, and the property tax man (who seems to be awfully greedy lately!) Grrrrrr, who said "clearance?" This little beauty, including the cost of the money order and stamp, cost me $78.52 CDN. One month of hydro electricity or two months of phone. I expect it will be worth it though. And to address the tarotholic issue: I find a lot of these are so similar to the Rider-Waite that it's not worth getting the same old, same old thing. The William Blake Tarot is in your face different, and I expect to learn a lot about Blake, so there's that learning hook in there. The colours are different, the titling is different, it's very, very neat and strange and exotic. Judy

napaea	20 Nov 2002
yippppeeeee! so glad to see this thread! i didn't evenknow there was a William Blake tarot! ever since i started studying reincarnation i've been meaning to read up on his works. i'm sure i read something in high school, but just dont remember, and he is sited a number of places as having been a believer in rein. sounds like my kind of guy. and now that i know there is a tarot deck too!...well darn! money doens't stay in my pocket very long anymore!!!

Khatruman	21 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by freesiaskye Grrrrrr, who said "clearance?" This little beauty, including the cost of the money order and stamp, cost me $78.52 CDN. And to address the tarotholic issue: I find a lot of these are so similar to the Rider-Waite that it's not worth getting the same old, same old thing. The William Blake Tarot is in your face different, and I expect to learn a lot about Blake, so there's that learning hook in there. The colours are different, the titling is different, it's very, very neat and strange and exotic. Judy It was I who bought it for *waits for the growling* $5 at Borders, but that was about 3 years ago. It opened me up to the knowledge that there WERE decks other than the Rider Waite and the decks that U.S. Games put out in the 70s. I doubt you will find it there now, I guess, like drawing a good card, it was luck, or was it planned? Sorry, don't want to gloat, but I am glad I picked it up then, and, of course, if I had foresite, I would have picked up a couple more decks. Yes, it is a very different deck and what I like about it is the focus on creativity, which, being a writer, speaks to me clearly.

darwinia	23 Nov 2002
[quote][i]Originally posted by Khatruman <> ==Actually, I'm ABSOLUTELY delighted in your fortune at finding it at that price. Grrrr......ooops that one slipped out! Especially since you like it so much--I mean that. <> ==Oh, thanks for saying that, it's just the sort of thing I want then. I hesitated because of Blake's religious leanings, but I think Ed's managed to incorporate many other aspects of Blake's relentless creativity into this deck. I'm very pleased to hear you say this. Do you notice how many artists and writers are attracted to tarot cards? It's unbelievably interesting to me and very inspiring. Judy

Demonesse	23 Nov 2002
I didn't like the deck, originally, until I read his poetry - then I started to appreciate it :) His religious leanings are not much of an issue for me - his poems lean towards Christianity, yes, but he does not write like a puritanical one, especially in the world-weary Songs of Experience.

Cerulean	24 Nov 2002
It's in my New Year's budget to obtain one for me, one as a poetic gift. I've seen many of Blake's etchings in good art publications and admired his rendering of Dante's whirlwind of souls---much more dynamic than Dore or some other classical depictions of Dante Algheri. The Digital Dante project (I did a google search) features some Blake etchnings. Blake didn't travel physically, despite encouragement from contemporaries, I've read on net commentaries (another google search)...but his inner visions certainly had interplanetary looks to them. I even have a William Blake dictionary, since he had his own definitions and landscapes that drew from sources such as Dante, but was transformed into his own stellar visions. So I'll keep watching this thread to see how others use the deck. I've used the facade.com reading as a take on creative ideas. Mari H.

Pollux	25 Nov 2002
Mari, I am with you: I'll start saving from the 1st of January to get that deck. And hopefully with a solid base from my Xmas savings (yeah, sounds improbable, doesn't it? ;) *LOL*). I have seen some stuff too, but my luck was seeing it *live*! :D There was a special exhibit at the Tate Gallery, a couple of summers ago, just for me... ;) It featured mostly works after the Divine Comedy, with extracts and translations - it was quite weird to see both together - and some bits of commentary on the works... definitely palatable. *LOL* Some other works and panels all dealt with his personal spirituality, and I must say it was just neat, and alas despite my promises to learn more I never bothered to go beyond what I learnt at school (and as a personal initiative, since Blake was not in the programe). Apart from some very schoolish and not even academic info, I know so little; I'll have to pay a visit to my mum's school library, and to the bookshop. I know I culd find lots on the Net, but I could hardly force myself to read commentaries, just imagine the mere poetry... br... It would be interesting to start a Study Group on this deck, once there's a sufficient number of members owning a copy. So guyz, let's keep in touch! ;)

darwinia	25 Nov 2002
I got my copy in the mail today. Unfortuantely, Canada Customs nabbed me for the Goods and Services Tax plus an administration fee so I had to pay another $10 to get it from the post office. Sigh. However, on a positive note, Ed included lots of additional information with the deck and I really LOVE it. What a good investment in creativity and artistry, despite the cost for those of us living out of the U.S. The two cards I immediately liked were the 6 of Music (Pleasure) and the 3 of Poetry (Creativity), because I loved the quotes. Also, my personal card is the Queen of Swords, and here she is the Queen of Science and I love the write-up from the book and the way the picture was collaged. Lovely colours, lovely borders, and perhaps, as Demonesse and Pollux suggest, we can start a study group sometime in January or February after more people get their decks? Interestingly, on the order form Ed includes, you can buy t-shirts with a particular card printed on them or straight laser copies for framing. He also offers a miniature laminated version of the deck for those that would like to carry this beauty around with them. The change in the elemental associations was a bit disconcerting but I think I'll get used to it after reading some of Ed's commentary on the subject. A really interesting deck and item for study and I'm so happy I purchased this rather than a same old R-W clone. I can feel it firing up my imagination already. Judy

juice	26 Nov 2002
Who is this Ed and how dearly does he think of this deck. It is definitely on my wish list. I loved to do a study group if it didn't go too fast a pace. I haven't the foggiest of which of my current decks to use in the 78 degrees threads going on now.

darwinia	26 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by juice Who is this Ed and how dearly does he think of this deck. It is definitely on my wish list. I loved to do a study group if it didn't go too fast a pace. I haven't the foggiest of which of my current decks to use in the 78 degrees threads going on now. Hi Juice, Ed is Ed Buryn, the creator of the deck and quite knowledgeable about Blake and his work as you might expect. I probably shouldn't keep referring to him as "Ed" like we were good pals or something, since I only spoke to him once to order his deck. I agree with you about the pace of study. Sometimes the best notions and ideas and "sidebars" happen when you putter away and discuss randomly. The joys of lateral thinking. Incidentally, Ed ;0)) has several books on creativity listed in his bibliography. I thought A Whack on the Side of the Head and FREE PLAY - Improvisation in Life and Art both sounded good. Has anyone read those? Judy

Khatruman	26 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by freesiaskye Incidentally, Ed ;0)) has several books on creativity listed in his bibliography. I thought A Whack on the Side of the Head and FREE PLAY - Improvisation in Life and Art both sounded good. Has anyone read those? Judy Hi Judi, I have not only the book A Whack on the Side of the Head, but the follow up A Kick in the Seat of the Pants. In addition, Roger Von Oech who created those books also developed a Creative Whack Pack a deck of cards (!) with four suits and ideas on how to spark creativity. They are a wonderful deck, not tarot, but in some way divinatory, or oracular. In fact, the author studied Oracular devices, i.e. Tarot, I-Ching, Runes, Indian Medicine Wheel and found them to do similar things, involving random choosing of a message. In Von Oech's thinking, the random message triggers the brain to leap out of its routine and think in a novel, or creative way. The cards have four suits, as I said: The Explorer, the Artist, the Judge, and the Warrior, and likens them in four stages of the creative process. First, one explores to find a new idea, then one plays Artist and molds it into something, then one becomes the Judge and critiques the project, and finally one becomes the Warrior and institutes the idea. The author designed these to be used by business people, but it is creative in many ways. Each card has an associating word, an image, and a story, or lesson on the creative technique. I even have a software package on it, which might be outdated by now.

darwinia	26 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Khatruman Hi Judi, I have not only the book A Whack on the Side of the Head, but the follow up A Kick in the Seat of the Pants. In addition, Roger Von Oech who created those books also developed a Creative Whack Pack a deck of cards (!) with four suits and ideas on how to spark creativity. I noticed these cards when I read the reviews at Amazon.com of the book. Neat. I have just ordered the book from someone on ABE, so I will look forward to reviewing Roger's ideas. Thanks. Still trying to get a copy of Fearful Symmetry by Northrop Frye. One woman on ABE wanted $18 CDN for the paperback which was underlined all the way through the book and only in good condition!! Judy

Khatruman	04 Jan 2003
Anyone who is looking for the William Blake deck: I was just on the www.facade.com site, which lets you do readings using the Blake deck. When I did a reading with it, there was a blurb about purchasing the deck, autographed, for about $40, which sounds significantly less than people say it is fetching. I don't know if this is outdated, but it is worth looking into, since this is such a wonderful deck! Peace!

Cerulean	05 Jan 2003
It does cost about $40.00 with shipping costs included...I don't have the exact amount, but when I did a websearch, Ed Buryn, the creator/writer's telephone number was listed and the address is current on the order form. He sells it direct to people who send him a check. He kindly said that he had several copies, numbering in the hundreds, so I could order as many as I wanted. He answered the number listed and confirmed that I could send a check, etc.. This was in December 2002. I'm going to follow up when my budget allows soon. Best wishes, Mari H.

zander770	05 Jan 2003
easy, now . . . easy. i STILL haven't ordered my g.d. deck yet (sooooo...please? please don't buy them ALL?!!?) i'll get it, i'll get it...next month...let's get that study group created, real soon, what'd'ya say? ~z~770 :TMAGE post script: the above letters "g.d." do NOT "stand for" golden dawn, this time . . . ------- Forwarded message -------- Date: Sun, 3 Nov 2002 14:39:59 -0600 From: anaxilac@earthlink.net Reply-to: Ed Buryn To: allen mahan Subject: Re: william blake tarot Hello Allen, Thanks for the kind words. To order the deck, send cash or money order to: Ed Buryn PO Box 720 Nevada City CA 95959 The amount is $43.95 including priority shipping (plus $2.95 sales tax only if you live in CA). Thank you, Ed

Khatruman	07 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by zander770 let's get that study group created, real soon, what'd'ya say? Amen, let's do!!! As I have said, the Blake deck reinspired me five years ago to study tarot. I just did a reading with it last night on a novel project I am embroiled in and the reading was spot-on correct... I want an excuse to be spending more time with this deck..so please, please, please...let's start the group!!! Peace!

darwinia	07 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by zander770 i'll get it, i'll get it...next month...let's get that study group created, real soon, what'd'ya say? I say "Yes!" I just received the book Fearful Symmetry by Northrop Frye that I ordered for Christmas to augment my knowledge of Blake. It's a huge book, and full of information--all very exciting. I'm still not very familiar with the deck yet, but I love it and I love the book. If anyone is dithering about purchasing this, it really is worth it, it's very different and interesting.

darwinia	07 Jan 2003
I now remember why I named my Newfie dog (now deceased like his namesake) after Northrop Frye. Onward, onward in our provocative journey of learning! "I am not speaking now of merely vulgar misunderstandings. No one who has read three lines of our straightforward and outspoken poet can imagine that he wished to be pursued by a band of superstitious dilettantes into the refuge of a specialized cult. Whatever Blake's phrophecies may be, they can hardly be code messages. They may need interpretation, but not deciphering: there can be no "key" and no open-sesame formula and no patented system of translation. The amateur of cabalism who accepts obscure truisms for profound truths, and sentimental platitudes for esoteric mysteries, would do well to steer clear of Blake." Northrop Frye

zander770	08 Jan 2003
[quote]Originally posted by Khatruman . . . I just did a reading with it last night on a novel project I am embroiled in and the reading was spot-on correct... :confused: hey, Khatruman: may i ask: is this a "project of writing a novel," as in a "book," or are you referring, rather, to a certain "project of noted novelity," which has you so "embroiled"?!? seriously! ~z~770 :TAW post script: i've always enjoyed your signature!

zander770	08 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by freesiaskye I now remember why I named my Newfie dog (now deceased like his namesake) after Northrop Frye. Onward, onward in our provocative journey of learning! "I am not speaking now of merely vulgar misunderstandings. No one who has read three lines of our straightforward and outspoken poet can imagine that he wished to be pursued by a band of superstitious dilettantes into the refuge of a specialized cult. Whatever Blake's phrophecies may be, they can hardly be code messages. They may need interpretation, but not deciphering: there can be no "key" and no open-sesame formula and no patented system of translation. The amateur of cabalism who accepts obscure truisms for profound truths, and sentimental platitudes for esoteric mysteries, would do well to steer clear of Blake." Northrop Frye so, you say _Fearful Symmetry_'s a good book? is it regarding blake, only? is it biographical or more "academic," focusing upon blake's poetry? does it primarily underscore his writing or his graphic artistry? how much does it concentrate upon his psychic abilities? (from the quote, above, it sounds as if an attempt to cover "everything" was frye's goal! it MUST really be a "big book" and all encompassing!) did frye succeed in his attempt? i will anxiously be awaiting your reply. i know northrop frye only from ken burns' _civil war_ pbs documentary, but, he was just GREAT, in that, i thought! a very knowledgeable, yet also very humorous and seemingly quite an approachable man! (edit): also: are you saying that frye is deceased? if so, when did he die and how? also: Khatruman? everyone also might like to know more about this "software package on it, which might be outdated by now." am i correct in my understanding you that this "software" is for/of Roger Von Oech's "Creative Whack Pack" tarot/oracle deck? ~Z~770 :T2P

juice	08 Jan 2003
Please don't buy them all up. I'm running way to low on money at the beginning of this year but this deck has been on my list for a while.

zander770	08 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by juice Please don't buy them all up. I'm running way to low on money at the beginning of this year but this deck has been on my list for a while. Ha!!! my sentiments, exactly (as expressed in my "ed's e-mail addrs," above)!!! where's my "secret santa" when i need her?!? o, well, juice . . . i suppose, though, that you and i might read along w/frye's book as we watch everyone else do reading's w/the blake deck? (now, i AM feeling depressed . . . ha!!!) ~Z~770 :T10S

darwinia	08 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by zander770 so, you say _Fearful Symmetry_'s a good book? is it regarding blake, only? is it biographical or more "academic," focusing upon blake's poetry? The book focuses on Blake's poetry--the whole of it, not just snippets of his popular poems, but the whole prophecies which people have either ignored or misinterpreted. It does not cover his graphical output or biography, but it does discuss his work, and discusses it in the context of other authors of the time. This is considered the definitive study of Blake and was written in 1947 and is in its tenth printing. Quote: did frye succeed in his attempt? Apparently, since the book is still being studied and is in print and is cited in Ed Buryn's bibliography from the book of the William Blake tarot. Quote: i will anxiously be awaiting your reply. This book is not an easy read. I find most of the worthwhile reference books are like that, you can read so much before you stop assimilating or comprehending the information, so don't expect a review for six months! Quote: i know northrop frye only from ken burns' _civil war_ pbs documentary, but, he was just GREAT, in that, i thought! a very knowledgeable, yet also very humorous and seemingly quite an approachable man! I think you might be getting Frye mixed up with US historian Shelby Foote. Shelby Foote wrote this absolutely HUGE 3 volume history of the civil war that is considered the definitive study of that. I know because I bought it after seeing the Burns documentary and seeing how knowledgeable Foote was, and it's a fabulous history, well worth the money if you're a civil war buff. They are paperback volumes but very thick--treasures. Quote: (edit): also: are you saying that frye is deceased? if so, when did he die and how? ==He died in 1991. He died, as we all must, from age. http://www.northropfrye.com/aboutfrye.htm http://vicu.utoronto.ca/fryecentre/ I mentioned previously that my brother-in-law studied under Northrop Frye at U of T in the sixties. He was quite an influential thinker here in Canada on society, religion and literature. Now, if you're looking for more information on Shelby Foote (go BUY those books) go here: http://dmoz.org/Society/History/Historians/Foote,_Shelby/ You know what? I look at these two men and think despairingly: "Why can't I do something with my life?" Isn't it incredible the magic some people generate in their lifetime? ****** Amazon.com This beautifully written trilogy of books on the American Civil War is not only a piece of first-rate history, but also a marvelous work of literature. Shelby Foote brings a skilled novelist's narrative power to this great epic. Many know Foote for his prominent role as a commentator on Ken Burns's PBS series about the Civil War. These three books, however, are his legacy. His southern sympathies are apparent: the first volume opens by introducing Confederate President Jefferson Davis, rather than Abraham Lincoln. But they hardly get in the way of the great story Foote tells. This hefty three volume set should be on the bookshelf of any Civil War buff. --John Miller The Civil War: A Narrative: Fort Sumter to Perryville, Fredericksburg to Meridian, Red River to Appomattox by Shelby Foote Paperback: ; Dimensions (in inches): 6.67 x 9.83 x 6.65 Publisher: Vintage Books; ISBN: 0394749138 ; (December 1986)

Khatruman	08 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by zander770 :confused: hey, Khatruman: may i ask: is this a "project of writing a novel," as in a "book," or are you referring, rather, to a certain "project of noted novelity," which has you so "embroiled"?!? Ahhh, looking at my post, I see the confusion. My apologies. I am referring to a novel that I am working on. Actually, I wrote a rough draft for the National Novel Writing Month challenge to write 50,000 words in the month of November. I achieved the word goal, with over 51, 000 words, but I still have a chapter and a half to write. I used the Fool's Journey as my outline for chapters and it was wonderful to do, but now real life concerns have made me put aside finishing it, so I did a reading the other night with the Blake deck and it was a brilliant reading. Actually the culmination card was the 00 Eternity card (don't know if you have the deck), which is a very significant and promising card. Thanks for the interest and for the compliment on my signature line. Peace!

Khatruman	08 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by zander770 Khatruman? everyone also might like to know more about this "software package on it, which might be outdated by now." am i correct in my understanding you that this "software" is for/of Roger Von Oech's "Creative Whack Pack" tarot/oracle deck? I bought von Oech's software package perhaps seven years ago, after I had bought the Creative Whack Pack, a deck which influenced me to see tarot through a whole new perspective. I have always been a Macintosh person, and I bought the software in a Mac version. It is a wonderful program, allowing you to do "readings" with a software version of the deck. You pose a question or concern and can do a three or four card reading, if I remember correctly. von Oech's cards have an anecdote, a picture, and a question which asks you to tie in the idea on the card to the concern you posed at the beginning. In the software, you type in an answer to the question and can have it actually pose even more questions on the card. After a series of questions and full reading of the cards, it takes you to your responses and has questions you can answer about how this all relates to your issue. I am not sure that the software will work with my latest Mac, and I would like to find out if von Oech has updated the software. I know I was beginning to have incompatibility problems when I last used it a few years ago. If you want to know more about the Creative Whack cards themselves, I posted a thread called Bibliomancy in the Divination forum of the non-tarot section. There is a link to download a paper I did in grad school, which focused on the novel Robinson Crusoe and tied it in with von Oech's Creative Whack system. I hope this has helped. Peace!

zander770	08 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by freesiaskye I think you might be getting Frye mixed up with US historian Shelby Foote. (~z~) geez . . . someday hopefully before the next new yr my head'll get "out of the clouds . . ." thx for the correction. Quote: The book focuses on Blake's poetry--the whole of it, not just snippets of his popular poems, but the whole prophecies which people have either ignored or misinterpreted. It does not cover his graphical output or biography, but it does discuss his work, and discusses it in the context of other authors of the time. This is considered the definitive study of Blake and was written in 1947 and is in its tenth printing. (~z~) again, thank you for the detailed info! obviously, i am not a blake scholar--but i might have took the time to look-up the author and the book instead of assuming that it was newly published--james joyce and yeats? yes, but no, just a great interest in william blake. i know a bit about his life, poetry, paitings and engravings, that he had "visions" and created his own "personal mythology," but what attracts me is that he was a brilliant artist and an "eccentric," as many of his ilk are! again, thank you, freesiaskye, for your time in providing the [i]correct[/] information. i need to now "provide" my own w.b. tarot of the creative imagination deck! (i have visited the www.facade.com for w.b. tarot readings, tho, from time-to-time.) ~z~770

darwinia	10 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by zander770 [b] (~z~) geez . . . someday hopefully before the next new yr my head'll get "out of the clouds . . ." thx for the correction Oh heavens, I don't consider it a correction, just a sharing of information. I am not a Blake scholar either, I know absolutely nothing about him (don't you love getting into a new subject?) Frankly, I would never have assumed it was an old book either. Imagine how good it must be if it has been in print for 55 years? Quote: but what attracts me is that he was a brilliant artist and an "eccentric," as many of his ilk are. Me too, I love people who can think for themselves, they are a rarity. Quote: [again, thank you, freesiaskye, for your time in providing the [i] correct [/] information. No one is correct, we all share. Call me crazy, but that's my attitude. I wasn't correcting you, merely discussing, and hey, you got me all excited again about Shelby Foote! Quote: i need to now "provide" my own w.b. tarot of the creative imagination deck! This is the hard part. I received money for Christmas which is the only reason I was able to buy it. It's worth it though.

zander770	10 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by freesiaskye . . . (don't you love getting into a new subject?) ~z~ -- why, YES! it is ... for example: 3 yr's ago i was very much "into" bonsai tree's (i know, i know ... you wouldn't know that from "looking" at me!) and i had three (that's "a lot," really, it is, for they DO take a lot of pruning, watering, sun, but! they are also--most lines--hearty), that is, until i left town for TWO WEEKS, last summer, and my girlfriend KILLED THEM all. she didn't "mean to!", of course ... (she left them out too long in the sun!) see? she wasn't "into" that (they would have survived TEN-WK's inside, if i wouldn't have hounded her about: "be sure to take care of the bonsai's ... make sure to ..." sometimes? i think we can get into "too many things..." sometimes ... Quote: No one is correct, we all share. Call me crazy, but that's my attitude. You got me all excited again about Shelby Foote! cool! i've a good ("tarot friend," e! www.suite101.com ) who lives in richmond, and, i was supposed to visit, 4 dec 02, but ... (we'll "talk" about the [american] civil war, another time! soon, okay, freesiaskye? email me!!!) this is beginning to sound like it should have been a pm ... i DO "have the denero" to mail "ed" and get the deck. i too need determine 1) how much i LOVE spagetti; 2) how much i LOVE to smoke (tobacco!); 3) The Charm!!! peace out ~z~770 :T9C

SongDeva	25 Oct 2004
Just thought I'd mention to you Blake Tarot fans that author Tracy Chevalier (her name is her URL) is writing her next book, all about Blake, and the "effect he had on his neighbors." Intriguing. I'm excited...not only do I own the deck, but am a huge Tracy Chevalier fan.

Oni	16 Nov 2004
does anyone know were to see pics of the whole deck? and like is it a mass produced deck that is just oop or was it like hand made like the blue moon?

Lee	16 Nov 2004
Hi Oni, I don't know where to find scans from the whole deck, but I do know that it was a mass market deck that's gone out of print. It was published by Aquarian/HarperCollins, the same folks who published decks including the Arthurian Tarot, the Norse Tarot, the Shining Woman Tarot, and many others. The deck's author, Ed Buryn, has been selling copies of them (I'm sure previous posts discuss this), but I don't know if he still is. -- Lee

The William Blake Tarot of the Creative Imagination thread was originally posted on 15 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.