Witches Tarot

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 25 Sep 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Justin	25 Sep 2003
I just got the Witches Tarot today and i have a few questions about it. I tried searching the archives to see if this topic had been discussed before and i didn't find anything. So if this has been talked about, i appologize in advance for the repeat. Here are my questions. As i was looking throught the Majors, i was loving what i saw. When i got to the minors however, my enthusiasm wanned a bit. With how "on" the Majors had been, i thought the minors would continue the theme, but they really didn't (at least not the traditional theme) and i'm okay with that. But then i started to read the LWB that came with the deck, and i got even more disenchanted. It seems like the swords and wands are sometimes used interchangably to represent the mind and action. There doesn't seem to be real definition (at least not in the LWB). Also, the court cards confuse me just a bit, i get the concept that anytime you get one of these cards, you should lay down another card on top of it, and what ever card you lay on top, the court card "assists" you with the reading of that card. Okay, would anyone like to comment on these things and maybe bring my appreciation for this deck back up. I was so excited before/when i first got it, but now i'm apprehensive. Any suggestions? Justin

catlin	25 Sep 2003
MM Justin, If you are referring to the Witches tarot by Ellen Cannon-Reed we have had a lenghtier discussion about it some time ago. When I recall it correctly, it was even me who started the discussion as I was so distressed by the lack of artwork in this deck es. in the 2 and 8 of pentacles. If you are talking about the tarot by Fergus Hall (the deck used in one of the old James-Bond-movies) I cannot recall having had a discussion about that one.

Justin	25 Sep 2003
Catlin, I'm talking about the deck by Ellen Cannon-Reed. Like i said, i searched the archives, but i didn't come across the discussion. I'm really interested in it however, so if you could point me in the right direction of the thread, i would be VERY grateful! Justin

catlin	25 Sep 2003
There are some points about this deck in the thread "decks you thought you like and didn't." Maybe I wanted to start a separate thread and I did not do it? *catlin looking rather bedraggled now*

raeanne	25 Sep 2003
Hi Justin, There is a book that Ellen Cannon-Reed wrote that is the prequel to the book that comes with the Witches Tarot. I can’t remember the name of it right now but it helps build an understanding of this deck. The whole system she has developed is strongly based on the Tree of Life. The colored half circles on each card relates to the cards position on the Tree of Life. If you aren’t familiar with Kabala (however you want to spell it), you might get a bit confused at first. One of the main complaints about this deck is the court cards. The only difference from one suit to the next is the color of the clothing and the season of the year. Personally, I think there is some good imagery in this deck but it may take some extra work learning all the things that Ellen Cannon-Reed had in mind when she created the deck. But, I still laugh when I see the guy in the speed-o. Enjoy.

Justin	25 Sep 2003
Raeanne, Thank you so much. Unfortunatelly, i only got the deck and the LWB that it came with, not the 300 and some page book that accompanies it. I don't know all that much about the Qabala, but i do know about the circles and the tree of life. I actually wondered about that when i first got the deck and i started trying to put cards together like pieces of a puzzle to see if i could make the full circles. I came up with some interesting card pairings, and pictures! Anyway, thank you again and i'm still having trouble with the 6 of swords. It just seems like it's a card from a completelly different deck! MM and BB! Justin

Indigo_lady	25 Sep 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Justin I actually wondered about that when i first got the deck and i started trying to put cards together like pieces of a puzzle to see if i could make the full circles. I came up with some interesting card pairings, and pictures! OMG ... I had never though of that... I'm going to give that a try first thing tonight!!!!!! ;)

nexyjo	25 Sep 2003
there's two books by ellen cannon reed with cover the witches tarot. "the witches tarot" which comes with the deck in the set (if you purchase it that way), and "the witches qabala". from my experience, both books are needed to understand her tarot system, which relies heavily on the qabala. i didn't particularly like the deck, and while the books were interesting, i ended up just putting the deck in with my "collection", and the books on my shelf, and there they sit. occasionally i'll use them for reference, if i am looking for another perspective on a card, but for the most part, i don't use them.

Silverlotus	29 Sep 2003
I used the Witches' Tarot exclusively for many years. My frustration with it was one of the reasons I gave up tarot for a long while. I find the meanings of many cards quite different then in other decks. However, I've picked it up again and made some changes to it that suit me. And, I rarely use it now. :P Firstly, I try to use the meanings that suit the cards. By that I mean, if Ms. Cannon Reed's meanings make sense and suit the picture, I will use them, but if my meanings make more sense, I use them. As for the court cards, I have never read them the way Ms. Cannon Reed suggests. It makes no sense to me. I think that you need to decide if it works for you. If it does, great! If it doesn't, then read them the way you want. Now, the art work. Well... it has potential. It is a shame that the artist wasn't given more time, or perhaps that he didn't budget his time better. You can read a short note from Martin Cannon here: http://www.wild-moon.com/passions/cannon.htm. And the books, The Witches's Tarot and The Witches' Qabala (formerly The Goddess and the Tree), are pretty useful for understanding Ms. Cannon Reed's system. She does assign some of the major arcana to paths they are not normal associated with. And, if I remember correctly, she talks a little more about why she switched the Air and Fire attributes. (Something to do with her tradition, I think.)

The Witches Tarot thread was originally posted on 25 Sep 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.