Which Goddess deck do you recommend?
Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 23 Dec 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.
| tatsi |
23 Dec 2004 |
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I recently decided to venture out a bit from the type of tarot decks I usually get. I really need your input in helping me decide on this type of deck, while assuring that it is still well-rounded enough for my liking.
I would like a deck (or decks) that doesn't venture too far from RWS. I don't mind using another theme to describe those concepts, but I'm worried about its limited scope. Let me try to explain: I like the idea of a gentle and feminine-embracing deck, but I'm concerned about the balance in those decks. I don't want a deck that is too gentle (the imbalance of negative and positive). The idea of feminine-embracing deck is wonderful, but not at the expense of gender imbalance.
I think a general focus of a deck like "Love and Relationships" can be a good way to further learn and expand the traditional meanings and to more easily apply those meanings in love and relationship spreads. Then again, if its focus is too narrow, it risks being too limiting.
Basically, I want a well-rounded deck that expresses the traditional meanings in a new refreshing way that doesn't stray too far.
The Goddess Tarot seems really nice, but the gender imbalance and effeminate looking Kings, etc concern me.
The Lover's Path Tarot seems to have more refined art. The gender imbalance seems much improved over her Goddess Tarot.
This is a leading contender. The art is simply beautiful. There is just enough balance, and it seems well-rounded enough that I'm really considering getting this. :)
I recently saw the deck Goddess of a New Light, which has wonderful art. Since it's an oracle deck, I am less picky about it following the RWS traditional meanings.
For an non-tarot oracle, this is definately a deck I'm considering. The art is exquisite. :)
Thanks for all your help in advance.
tatsi
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| RedMaple |
24 Dec 2004 |
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Hi Tatsi,
I have the Goddess Tarot, and I'm not bothered at all by the gender imbalance. It is a Goddess deck -- the premise is that each Major will be a Goddess, that each of the four suits will follow a particular Goddess. The Minors do follow the RWS pretty much, though from a feminine perspective.
I'm curious as to why you would want a Goddess deck if you want it to be gender-balanced? Maybe what you want is a Pagan, more-Wiccan type deck like the Robin Wood.
I personally love the Goddess Tarot. It helps me see other possibilities for cards that were largely defined within a patriarchal system. The Hierophant, my favorite example, shows a pope in the RWS, and shows male traditions of power, wisdom, education, religion. In the Goddess Tarot, Juno - Tradition, Goddess of the Hearth, replaces the Hierophant. So I'm made aware of women's traditions - within the home, as well as outside it. This has been a big help for me, as I'm a woman. I like to see what those other possibilities are when the archetypes are expressed through the feminine.
I'm not sure what you mean by effeminate men, except that they are not muscle-bound warmongers. Those qualities don't define maleness for me.
Sometimes the deck does have a gentle touch. Sometimes that's exactly what I need. It has been accurate, but not brutal, ever.
The Robin Wood deck always seems a bright, shiny deck, to me. It has good energy, is definitely non-Christian. I wish I liked the artwork more.
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| tatsi |
24 Dec 2004 |
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I didn't explain myself very well. :| Your description of why you like The Goddess Tarot is what I'm looking for in a deck. It seems based on what you said that the deck does indeed follow the RWS closely, but from a feminine perspective. This piques my interest further in getting this deck.
Effeminate was a bad choice of word. I should have said that some of the cards (like Kings) look like females desguised as men. It just looked odd to me.
tatsi
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| Ulfdis |
24 Dec 2004 |
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I have the Goddess Oracle, which is a non-tarot oracle deck. I find it difficult to read with, but it's wonderful for inspiration and meditation. Sometimes I incorporate it with Tarot readings by using an oracle card for a significator indicating either the querent or the situation, which works quite well.
As far as the Goddess Tarot goes, I had trouble reading with it. It is indeed gentle, and most of the time, I need a smack on the forehead. :)
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| Seed Crystal |
24 Dec 2004 |
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I like the Daughters of the Moon deck very much, but almost all the people in it are women, and that would probably bother you.
However - have you llooked at the World Spirit deck, which was described by Solandia as "all-inclusive, multicultural and non-gender biased"? It does not stray too far from traditional RWS Tarot organization, but does offer some nice new insights, and frees some archetypes from the heavily Christian imagry some decks use. Re: gender: Some reversals of traditional gender assignments to the cards; some androgenous figures whom my husband and friends have read as male, or female, without any uncomfortable sense the figures (or the gender they assigned) are "wrong" somehow. In fact, my husband was surprised to notice that he has interpreted the same card as female in one reading then male in another. The deck's authors were two women, whose influences include Daughters of the Moon, Motherpeace, Thoth, Rider-Waite, and Shining Tribe.
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| Moongold |
24 Dec 2004 |
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I also have the Goddess Tarot and love it. It is very gentle indeed but deals with powerful, deep issues.
XII Sacrifice -Kuan Yin (cf Hanged Man), Kuan Yin returned to earth, never to leave whilst there is suffering. This allegory always brings tears to my eyes. The Christ God died for man and returned to the Father. Kuan Yin was admitted to heaven because of her beauty and Goodness but returned to earth to be with us always.
Really powerful stuff.
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| FantasyWorld |
24 Dec 2004 |
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I recently saw the deck Goddess of a New Light , which has wonderful art. Since it's an oracle deck, I am less picky about it following the RWS traditional meanings.
For an non-tarot oracle, this is definately a deck I'm considering. The art is exquisite. :)
Thanks for all your help in advance.
tatsi
Seeing your post, I looked this deck up. It's lovely, I really like what I saw. The art is beautiful. I'd pick that one out of the other Goddess choices.
Although not a Goddess deck, I have RobinWood and love it since RedMaple mentioned it.
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| ambermoon |
24 Dec 2004 |
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I would recommend the Goddess Tarot. It's gentle but firm, rather like a good grandmother's love.
That said, I just bought the Lovers' Path and am happily getting to know the cards and their stories.
In addition to her artistic style, I admire Kris Waldherr's storytelling. I learn so much from her decks.
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| MeeWah |
25 Dec 2004 |
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As with all things, how a deck resonates differs with the individual. I choose decks based either on their name, artwork or both. Sometimes based on the images of a few cards. I have the Goddess Tarot, Robin Wood & Tarot of the Old Path.
I acquired the Goddess Tarot based on its title & artwork, but it serves as a meditation deck rather than as a reading deck. I prefer Robin Wood & Tarot of the Old Path as reading decks. They also seem more balanced energy-wise. I also am attracted to their artwork, which appealed to me on an intrinsic level & before I knew they were Pagan-oriented, but one need not be of the Pagan to use any of them. In fact, I aquired the Tarot of the Old Path because I was intrigued by its name & prior to seeing any of its cards. It was one of the best choices I have ever made for a reading deck!
RedMaple provides the soundest "argument" for the Goddess Tarot I have seen which bears consideration.
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| tatsi |
26 Dec 2004 |
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Thanks everyone for your suggestions and comments of why you prefer certain decks to others. This really has given me food for thought.
I will check out the decks you have suggested and with your comments I hope to have a future purchase or purchases :) to add to my growing collection.
tatsi
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| tatsi |
28 Dec 2004 |
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I've decided to get the following:
The Goddess Tarot deck and workbook. The workbook seems to have nearly identical card information found in the book, but adds an extra description paragraph. The only difference seems to be that *instead* of four sample readings you get three additional spreads.
The Lover's Path Tarot deck/book set
Kris' artwork is just beautiful.
tatsi
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| ladyfaerylainell |
28 Dec 2004 |
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I just got my limited edition lovers path tarot set by Kris Waldherr a little over a week ago. The limited edition lovers path tarot set includes an autographed certificate of authenticity, a pencil drawing of Amor and Beatrice, an extra trump card XXII. ARTISTRY, a lovers path scroll, the text and the cards in a beautiful boxed set. I orginally wanted to get the Goddess deck but the lovers path was just so beautiful and dynamic. I love them. I think she has a healthy balance of gender roles because the deck focuses on lovers throughout history and mythology. I especially like XIX. AWAKENING with Cupid and Psyche as well as XVII. GRACE with Dante and Beatrice. I did notice that she renamed some of the trump cards: fool is innocence and the devil is tempation among others. You still get the same reading as if you would with other decks I just find this deck to be more beautiful and focuses on the relationships with others and self. To check out the deck you can go to http://www.loverspath.com
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| Lurea |
29 Dec 2004 |
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You might check out the Goddess Tarot study group in the general study group forum. It died down after 7 or 8 cards, but there is still some interesting material in it.
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The Which Goddess deck do you recommend? thread was originally posted on 23 Dec 2004 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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