I just wanted to flit in and say thank you to everyone who's purchased the deck, whether you love it or hate it or sit somewhere in between. I knew when I decided to deviate and create a new system that I would challenge some with my choice to call it a tarot, but it's been rather interesting to watch the discussions on this particular aspect.
So, I wanted to share my thoughts ...
For me, all decks are oracular in nature. They are all oracles. Even the tarot. We come before them with questions in both heart and mind and seek their insight and a way forward. So understand, for me, at the end of the day, there is no real difference except that an oracle is often theme specific and freeform in nature. Except for one or two decks I am aware of, there are few that have any structure or order to them. The Dreams of Gaia Tarot has both. Oracles are not possessing of a major and minor arcana. Oracles do not have suits and court cards.
So here I am, the deck creator, faced with a choice between calling it an oracle, and calling it a tarot. It's very structured nature makes it so much more than an oracle, but I agree, it's not a tarot in the traditional sense either because I have *gasps with horror* replaced all the traditional archetypes. However, it was never meant to be a traditional deck. It was, from the very beginning, meant to be a new independent system, and that was something that challenged me to terrifying degree. You see, I am bipolar, so structure and order and routine are very important to me. They keep me healthy and grounded. I embrace tradition in a lot of areas in my life because, for me, confidence comes in following rules and knowledge that is founded in tradition. Tradition and structure keep me safe when my head gets screwy.
But life is a journey forward. It's an evolving story. Nothing stays the same, and sometimes new systems emerge.
This deck is an evolution. I don't want people for one minute to believe that I believe it is a better system, but it is, if you are willing to give it the time, a potentially powerful alternative system. (Yes, one that requires a willingness to learn). There is still so much of the tarot there - the major arcana is still a journey through life. The cards look at the big picture, while the minors are still about our everyday stories. This deck is a mirror of our lives.
It is a system that is more tarot than it is not, and at the end of the day, I couldn't very well call it a taroracle now, could I? It's got the bones of the tarot at its foundation. It's got the energy and intention of the tarot at its heart. It's voice, if you are willing to hear it, is still very tarot. To me, the choice was quite simple. I went with tarot. It's one of those times in my life that my choice was so simple it was an easy one to make. And even though my choice has generated a wee bit of debate, I would not go with oracle, because it's not an oracle. I will stand both defiant and unapologetic and call it a tarot because that's what it is.
But the beautiful truth is that it CAN be read and used like an oracle too. Some see this as a negative, but again, I do not. I think it says a lot for a tool that can be used in multiple ways.
Again, this deck is not going to be for everyone. There are some who just won't be able to see beyond the changes made and embrace them because they fly in the face of traditions and learning that they honour above all else. Being somebody who understands the reasons for embracing traditions, I can accept their point of view. I don't necessarily agree with it, but I understand it and respect it. I think the only time I get a little reactive is when somebody criticises the deck without having any real knowledge of it because they have based their opinions what the deck is not, instead of what it is, or they have dismissed it, and criticised it, because it comes with some assembly, i.e. learning, required.
I will not apologise for not creating another clone deck. I have always said, right from the very beginning, that this deck was not going to be a traditional tarot and every time I deviated, I ran into endless obstacles. The moment I just allowed it to be what it was meant to be, everything flowed.
I also find myself looking at the criticisms offered with the awareness that the same arguments were probably made when the RWS and Thoth tarot were published. They were met with the same criticism. How do you think traditionalists would have perceived and reacted to them? There would have been many who loved them, and just as many who hated them. The tarot, when you look at the history of the tarot from beginning to present, shows that it has evolved in some really fundamental ways over time. It reveals that there is room for growth and change.
I'm not afraid of criticism, because I have seen this deck in action. I have seen it do the very thing I created it for - healing work and self-empowerment. It works. People connect with it. It's an alternative system that is meant for those who want something different or cannot connect with the older tarot options. If you are happy with traditional decks, then I am happy for you. I truly am. But the Dreams of Gaia Tarot has both place and purpose. It challenges people to own their choices completely, and that's something we need in the present.
Now, I just also want to add on the quality/production side of things that there have been a few issues. Blue Angel prides themselves on creating a quality product and stand by it, so if anyone has any issues with their deck, whether it be damaged cards or that pesky misprint, please, take a photo and send an email to BA and they will address the issue. Everything about this deck has been a learning experience for both myself and BA. It's a first tarot for both of us, so getting the balance right has been challenging, but these are all 'first edition' issues that will be resolved in the second.
I hope my words have not offended anyone. I am not questioning or challenging anyone's point of view, but simply offering a little insight and my own perspective
And thank you again to everyone who has purchased the deck. I am both appreciative and grateful.
