Mary El Tarot - General Discussion

Bat Chicken

I can accept the idea of depth in a deck. I still don't find that dark, however. To me, it's like nuances found in language. It doesn't happen so much in English, but in French it's found in every verb and every noun. Art is a language IMO.

...And language is an art.
It seems that any deck with a high degree of balance, and that bravely delves into our darker side is generalized as dark. I agree that it is an oversimplification.
 

Lifeisabutterfly

Amazing!!!!

Hi! I just got the deck and am seriously contemplating trimming this...So I popped in here and found your scans--lovely! I went on quite a trimming fest a few months ago and finally had to stop! but these cards are begging for a trim..but I am nervous! I would probably have to keep the lower border though since I would be afraid of forgetting the meanings of some of the less obvious ones.
One question: has trimming made the cards easier to shuffle?
Thank you so much for sharing :)

For those interested, I have trimmed my everyday use deck (I have two) and the results are excellent. The images are stunning without borders and the cards are easier to handle at the trimmed size. I will have to take care in remembering which cards are which when many of the usual indicators are absent, but that should only serve to enhance the experience. Here are links to the trim threads with just the trimmed Mary El and a trimmed Mary El with both the Purple Thoth and the PCS Commemorative for size comparison![/QUOTE]
 

Bat Chicken

I can say the deck is easier to handle being smaller when trimmed, but I can't say it is a lot easier to shuffle! I am really happy with it, though!

Enjoy the deck! :)
 

Lifeisabutterfly

When I trimmed my Diary of a Broken Soul, I used a golden marker to write the card names with--before trimming lol--and since I put the deck away for a bit after that, it was a true blessing upon bringing it back out again!
I can't say enough about trimming. You are right, it brings out the artwork and the energy of each card seems to explode right out at you, like an escape from Alcatraz :)
It's really impressive the effect you've achieved by trimming the Mary El...it's just that getting to that first snip is the toughest -- after that, there is no choice but to continue!
Thanks for the encouragement.
I did perform my first readings with the deck last night and inspite of my misgivings due to the fact that usually I like to rely on more conventional images to guide me and bring me messages, they readings where actually quite interesting and a propos, so the coast is clear on that end.
What an intriguing journey these cards offer....I am glad she finally finished them, it was quite an Odessey for her :p)
 

Lifeisabutterfly

Well, I am done trimming the borders and sat in Central Park today to write small notes with a lovely sparkly gold pen on each card just to make sure I don't forget, in the event I might have to put the deck aside for awhile...but as I was doing that I realized I had already learned each card by heart.
The cards welcomed the gold markings and made them their own, showing the expansive, wild and generous spirit they were created with.
At first I did think this was a dark deck, and almost didn't buy it. but that was before I actually held it before me. I find it visceral at times, and it pokes at my puritanical sensibilities at times, which is such a relief! these creatures, angels, beasts et al. make no apologies for who they are, they revel in themselves and burst forth with life and brilliance..--my soul rejoices in every card...I do believe I'm in love!
There are a few lovely pitstops; the landscapes in the 4's create a small breather before picking up the frenetic race again in the 5''s and come as a refreshing surprise. The artist thought of everything--oasis, sex, male, female, fire, water, wings, birds, animals, kings, queens, babies, forest, wood, bark, leaves, sky, sea, waves, and earth, all for us to be drawn into this raw and sacred Mary El world willy-nilly....
Oh, and let me not forget....Freedom!!!!!!!
 

Lifeisabutterfly

Also what I find quite amazing about this deck is that it's the first one I've actually learned all the cards by heart immediately even if many aren't traditional...after trimming I don't even need to look at the keywords I penned in gold ink on the lower portion of the card. This is unprecedented! The images must really speak to me on a very deep level...sigh...
 

Wintergreen

these creatures, angels, beasts et al. make no apologies for who they are, they revel in themselves and burst forth with life and brilliance..--my soul rejoices in every card...I do believe I'm in love!
There are a few lovely pitstops; the landscapes in the 4's create a small breather before picking up the frenetic race again in the 5''s and come as a refreshing surprise. The artist thought of everything--oasis, sex, male, female, fire, water, wings, birds, animals, kings, queens, babies, forest, wood, bark, leaves, sky, sea, waves, and earth, all for us to be drawn into this raw and sacred Mary El world willy-nilly....
Oh, and let me not forget....Freedom!!!!!!!

I like this way of seeing the deck, especially “Freedom!!!!!!!”. Marie really seems to have let her imagination run wild, with some wonderfully weird results. Sometimes when I read for myself, a lot of the cards seem almost cruelly angry towards me & kick me in the butt (which I need right now)!! I always appreciate it when the ones you call “lovely pitstops” come up, for contrast.

Do you have photos you could show us of the notes you made on the cards. I'm about to start trimming my deck, but can't decide whether I should leave the titles on, or if I should go for it and chop them off. I really love decks that have the titles integrated into the image. The gold notes could be the solution, but I'm afraid to ruin the cards. What kind of pen did you use?
 

Lifeisabutterfly

Hi Wintergreen
I used a Pilot brand Gold Marker with an extra fine point. It cost less than $4.00 and is a bit glittery. The writing is barely perceptible on the cards so they don't jar with the artwork or distract in any way, but it's nice to know they're present in case I set the deck aside for a while and had a bit of temporary amnesia.

The only thing is that I have terrible handwriting AND write in cursive so the overall effect is a bit cryptic if you like. but as I said, the cards didn't mind at all, they have no room for intolerance considering their own odd bunch they house lol.

I believe BatChicken posted some beautiful pics of the cards with no titles or borders and those are the ones that gave me the courage to trim mine...but I'll admit I have another copy of the cards which I have left intact for some reason-it's the first time I've ever had a back up copy, don't know why!

To be honest though, I almost regretted trimming these. I am a very prolific trimmer, I even trimmed my Diary of a Broken Soul tarot, and that really allowed me to finally enter that magical world, I feel that borders usually block my entry, but in the case of these cards, it may not be necessary in the sense that the art already so powerfully "in your face" as you said....I just couldn't shuffle them at all the way they were now I can!

The trimming seems to have made them more mine, as if by doing so, I had tamed them a bit, like the owner of a falcon...

Let us know what you decide to do! It's an adventure. We are blessed to have found these cards and blessed that the artist shared them with the world!

If you would still like a scan of a card with the gold writing on it let me know but I have to wait for my teen age son to do it for me on the scanner...terrible isn't it? well, I must be a primitive gal after all!
 

Wintergreen

Thanks Lifeisabutterfly. I have some time off this week, so I think I'll go for it! I saw Bat Chicken's scans, but I'd love to see yours with the writing on them.
 

Lifeisabutterfly

pas de probleme!

as soon as I can I will be sure to scan a few in no prob.
I should have them for you before the weekend :)