Tarots with Plants/Flowers/Herbs
Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 22 May 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.
| Cerulean |
22 May 2003 |
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I was trying to find a thread that discussed tarots with floral motifs and themes in their description...although some close-to-tarot oracles also might fit if they are 78 cards with floral references (Tarot of Hellen?)
The closest that I've come to something that I like right now is the LS. Spirit of Flowers with English translated text by Laura Tuan and paintings by Antonia Caselli. Caseilli did the beautiful and graceful Art Nouveau by L.S., but I'm more inclined to like this one. Laura Tuan did a tarot in Italian that I like with some celtic tree and myth references (Celtici), but that's a long learning curve for me.
At first I thought it would be more fluffy bunny or a charming collectible with childish sprites and graceful, delicate paintings. But I'm getting quite a fun selection of floral suggestions and meanings---there's something almost Victorian about the assignment of violet to the Wheel and use of colored flowers to the suit---swords are white flowers, chalices are blue flowers, wands are red flowers and pentacles are yellow flowers.
Do others have floral or plant/herb motif based tarots or tarots that have strong floral notes? I started collecting tarots with enjoyment after looking through the wonderful Ukiyoe Tarot's minors and plants and seeing the various possibilities with modern art tarots.
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| falconwing |
22 May 2003 |
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Hi Mari,
besides the ones you have already mentioned I also like the "Herbal Tarot" by Michael Tierra, although its one of those RW-clones. The assignments of plants to the various traditional cards is really inspiring. I like this deck a lot.
Falconwing
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| jlbvt |
22 May 2003 |
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The LS Tarot Art Nouveau has flowers on almost every card, in the borders/backgrounds. The 8 of swords has poppies and ivy. The World has two white lillies. The Moon has ginko leaves. Justice has blue/purple irises. The Emperor has Maple leaves and those cool seed pods that flutter and spin to the ground...
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| galadrial |
22 May 2003 |
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Cerrithwen Genetti (the daughter of Alexandra, who did the Wheel of Change deck) has a hand made photo collage deck called Flowers of Life Tarot. It is a majors only deck based on RWS and has a nice handmade accompanying book (with lavendar paper). The book gives a short descripition of each card and explains her choice of an astrological correspondence, though the cards themselves do not have astrological symbols on them (they do have a lot of flowers, though). Here are a couple of quotes: "Strength is shown as a powerful woman in red standing on a field of poppies. Her red dress represents will, the cycles of women and passion. The orange poppies symbolize a blossoming of originality in what Strength wants to accomplish...", and for the Fool "Behind his head, a pair of butterfly wings is shown. The wings are positioned so that the antennae of the butterfly is shown as his antennae. The wings and antennae represent his ability to fly in a metaphorical sense. The two Golden Retreiver puppies are walking in from the side, symbolizing youth and the Fool's animal nature. The puppies hint that the Fool is still a youth at heart and is still learning the ways of the world. The swirled flowers represent the blooming potential of the Fool." The deck is still available at www.wheelofchange.com
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| Cerulean |
22 May 2003 |
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Thanks for posting these. I just remembered the Romeo and Juliet had many floral references, but I've never picked up a 'Shakesphere's Garden' sort of book.
I wanted to pick up the mini Art Nouveau because I think in small format, it would be exquisite. If it has that glossy/silky stock on the 2000 edition, it might be a slippery little novelty deck.
So 78 card decks with many flowers include:
1. Art Nouveau by Caselli (Lo Scarabeo)-JLBVT
2. Spirit of Flowers by Tuan/Caselli (Lo Scarabeo)-MH
3. Herbal Tarot by M. Tierra--Bk/Deck (U.S. Games)-Falconwing
4. Old Path by Gaines/Rodway-Bk/Deck (U.S. Games)-SilverLotus
5. Ukiyoe (Minors) Good booklet. (U.S. Games)-MH
6. Romeo and Juliet aka Shakespherean by Scapini (Del Negro)
Extensive booklet in both large and small format.-MH
7. Tarot de Marseille (Conver or Marteau/Grimaud)-Rusty Neon
8. Celtucci (Celtic Tree symbols) by Laura Tuan--Bk/Deck (Vecchio)-MH
22 Cards include:
1. Flowers of Life by C. Genetti (Independent)-Galadriel
I'll check out Flower Speaks and Tarot of Hellen. I think I like very much the integration of sprite-like fairy beings and flowers. If people want to add to the list, I'll check it regularly...maybe if there are also garden-based ones, food/recipe with herbs might count...
I realize that the Rider Waite has many floral motifs...so are there more RWS workalikes that also have garden and plant motifs?
Mari
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| galadrial |
22 May 2003 |
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Originally posted by Mari_Hoshizaki
So 78 card decks with many flowers include
Sorry, I didn't realize you had specified 78 card decks. Cerrithwen Genetti's Flowers of Life deck is Majors only.
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| Rusty Neon |
22 May 2003 |
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As least as regards the numbered cards of the minor arcana, you could add the Tarot de Marseille (Conver or Marteau/Grimaud) to this list as well.
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| Rusty Neon |
24 May 2003 |
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Although the 54-card 19th century Grand Lenormand deck is not a tarot deck, it's interesting to add this deck to the list of flower-themed decks in view of its historicity.
In each card, one of the panels has a bouquet of three different kinds of flowers. This deck uses flower language. The meaning of the bouquet is a synthesis of the three individual flower meanings.
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| Cerulean |
26 May 2003 |
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Hello Rusty Neon,
I've got the deck and remembered it's associations. It's a very pretty deck and if you are a playing card reader, an interesting alternative. I was never able to find out it's history associations of flowers and myths. So I hesitated and decided not to include oracles yet.
It never seemed like the tarot though to my limitations. Do you read with these playing cards in the same manner as tarot? Maybe it's astrological associations also helped?
I'll start an oracle with flowers list and related texts at some point, or others can. I remember a Victorian Grimore which is supposed to be about flowers. But is this almost another topic?
I still don't know where Laura Tuan got her flower associations. Her Italian-based tarot decks seem to be fully researched, but I cannot seem to find a bibliography. It takes me eons to check out different cards.
Mari H.
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| jema |
27 May 2003 |
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i have the tarot of Hellen and i sort of wished it was a majors only. the majors are wonderful and the minors are pretty horrible.
but it is a flower deck alright.
i am really curious about the new Lo Scarabeo flower deck. from what i have seen it looks lovely. but i have a feeling it will be just as hard to work with as the other decks from Lo Scarabeo.
i heard a lot of negative things about the Herbal deck. but for me it was the only deck i had wich was fully illustrated for a few years. the images may be a bit naïve and simple but i really like the assignment of the herbs and the whole deck has a nice feel to it. it is a "real" tarot and it feels solid and honest.
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| genna |
02 Jun 2003 |
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Sacred Circle Tarot has lots of plant and flower motifs,and the book explains what they meant to the Celts.
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The Tarots with Plants/Flowers/Herbs thread was originally posted on 22 May 2003 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.
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