Tarot of Pagan Cats

Lillie

TreeLeafe said:
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/pagan-tarot/index.shtml

This is the Pagan Tarot's images. There's a lot of cards that reference Pagan religions- specifically ones that work with witchcraft (Like Wicca). With a "Pagan" themed Tarot, I'd expect to see at least some symbolism or images that have witchcraft in a religious aspect in them. Like cats performing a ceremony or spell of some kind.

Ah, OK. It is the one I was thinking of.
It has cars and computers and stuff!
I find that so odd.

Anyway, no, there are no cats 'performing spells' as such. These are 'real' cats, they have paws not hands, they are not anthropomorphic. They are doing cat things on the whole.

However there are nods in scenes and symbolism toward 'pagan' religions, and one possibly where a cat might be performing some kind of ceremony, if only we knew what it was thinking.

There is also the usual connection between cats and pagans and/or witches, as shown on one of the cards you linked. Loads of cats. What's pagan about that card if not the cats? Otherwise it's just an ordinary woman sitting on her porch.

But mostly it is, as you say, an RWS with cats. But very cleverly done, very lovely.

Mostly it's a fun deck, it has more depth than 'RWS with cats' would suggest, and I think it does manage to justify it's use of the word pagan in the title (if only just), but like I said earlier, it's not some deep serious magickal deck. It's not trying to be, and if I was told that it got called that because 'Cat tarot' was already taken and they had to think of something else, I'd believe it.

However, this is just my take on it.
Maybe there is loads of pagan symbolism there that I'm just not seeing. Maybe it's secret so only those in the know will notice it...
And I'm just to thick or something.
Whose to say?
 

Greg Stanton

Ugh, more multi-lingual mania from Lo Scarabeo.
 

DaughterOfDanu

Lillie said:
Ah, OK. It is the one I was thinking of.
It has cars and computers and stuff!
I find that so odd.

Anyway, no, there are no cats 'performing spells' as such. These are 'real' cats, they have paws not hands, they are not anthropomorphic. They are doing cat things on the whole.

However there are nods in scenes and symbolism toward 'pagan' religions, and one possibly where a cat might be performing some kind of ceremony, if only we knew what it was thinking.

There is also the usual connection between cats and pagans and/or witches, as shown on one of the cards you linked. Loads of cats. What's pagan about that card if not the cats? Otherwise it's just an ordinary woman sitting on her porch.

But mostly it is, as you say, an RWS with cats. But very cleverly done, very lovely.

Mostly it's a fun deck, it has more depth than 'RWS with cats' would suggest, and I think it does manage to justify it's use of the word pagan in the title (if only just), but like I said earlier, it's not some deep serious magickal deck. It's not trying to be, and if I was told that it got called that because 'Cat tarot' was already taken and they had to think of something else, I'd believe it.

However, this is just my take on it.
Maybe there is loads of pagan symbolism there that I'm just not seeing. Maybe it's secret so only those in the know will notice it...
And I'm just to thick or something.
Whose to say?

Alright. Thanks.

As to my thoughts of cats performing spells, I more mean something like a cat sitting in front of an altar or some sort of ritual scene. I know they're not anthropomorphic.

I just find it odd that they chose the word "Pagan" When there's not an obvious Pagan theme to it. Perhaps used to get attention and more purchases? There's other words that they could've used. Using the word Pagan on a non-Pagan deck just seems out there. It doesn't really need to be a "Serious" deck to be magickal (After all, magick is in the eye of the beholder), I just find it wierd to give a deck a theme and a name and then not use it. That would be like someone making a tarot with a rose theme and then there be no roses in it.
 

Aerin

Greg Stanton said:
Ugh, more multi-lingual mania from Lo Scarabeo.

I like the multilingual borders. I like that people who don't have English as a first language and don't know Tarot can access decks, and might not be able to otherwise. I also like the LS symbols on some decks but if you don't know Tarot well that might not help that much especially with the Majors. (I also find the languages interesting personally.)

People who don't like them generally cut them off or just buy another deck. There are so many comments about the borders on a variety of threads, and given that we are told they increase sales presumably more people find them useful than not.

Anyway, I am very interested that you like the deck Lillie, I might not have expected that... I rther like the White Cats deck but this sounds more natural and less anthropomorphic.I'm less interested in what it is called than how it reads.

(Can I have a White Horses tarot? Pretty please?)
 

Lillie

TreeLeafe said:
Alright. Thanks.

As to my thoughts of cats performing spells, I more mean something like a cat sitting in front of an altar or some sort of ritual scene. I know they're not anthropomorphic.

I just find it odd that they chose the word "Pagan" When there's not an obvious Pagan theme to it. Perhaps used to get attention and more purchases? There's other words that they could've used. Using the word Pagan on a non-Pagan deck just seems out there. It doesn't really need to be a "Serious" deck to be magickal (After all, magick is in the eye of the beholder), I just find it wierd to give a deck a theme and a name and then not use it. That would be like someone making a tarot with a rose theme and then there be no roses in it.

Oh it is magical.

There are lots of sort of magical stuff about in the cards. like the four things that are also the suit cards, like a book that is obviously a grimoire and a ritual knife in the moon card, the cauldron as an object and as a symbol is very prevalent. The 8 of wands has a card sitting in something that looks to me like a magic/ritual circle (it has the 4 weapons in the quarters). There is a lot of use of the triangular element symbols. There is a statue of a pagan harvest goddess on an alter in the 10 and 4 of swords.
And I'm sure there is other stuff too.

I don't know what of this would be called pagan. To me it seems like some kind of catch all term that is used fairly indiscriminately anyway. But if you want magical stuff in it, yeah, it's not nearly as obvious as the RWS magical influences, but it's there.

As for weird names, have you ever seen the film Trainspotting?
Where's the train????
I failed to spot it at all.
 

Lillie

Aerin said:
Anyway, I am very interested that you like the deck Lillie, I might not have expected that... )

I'm gobsmacked.
 

DaughterOfDanu

Lillie said:
Oh it is magical.

There are lots of sort of magical stuff about in the cards. like the four things that are also the suit cards, like a book that is obviously a grimoire and a ritual knife in the moon card, the cauldron as an object and as a symbol is very prevalent. The 8 of wands has a card sitting in something that looks to me like a magic/ritual circle (it has the 4 weapons in the quarters). There is a lot of use of the triangular element symbols. There is a statue of a pagan harvest goddess on an alter in the 10 and 4 of swords.
And I'm sure there is other stuff too.

I don't know what of this would be called pagan. To me it seems like some kind of catch all term that is used fairly indiscriminately anyway. But if you want magical stuff in it, yeah, it's not nearly as obvious as the RWS magical influences, but it's there.

As for weird names, have you ever seen the film Trainspotting?
Where's the train????
I failed to spot it at all.

Ah okay.
Usually Pagan is a term for someone who practices witchcraft but isn't necessarily Wiccan. So think modern witchcraft. The things like cauldrons, brooms, ritual scenes. Yet it's in a modern house or there's computers in the scenes as mentioned before.

I see what you're talking about. You've upped my hopes again. :)

Have you tried reading with it? If you have or when you do, would you mind posting how it reads? If you find it flows nicely or if its hard to figure out whats going on, etc.
 

Debra

Lillie said:
As for weird names, have you ever seen the film Trainspotting?
Where's the train????
I failed to spot it at all.

LOL it's the title of the book. Here's the explanation from wikipedia:

The title is a reference to an episode where Begbie and Renton meet "an auld drunkard" in the disused Leith Central railway station, which they are visiting to use as a toilet. He asks them if they are "trainspottin", as Renton is urinating onto the stonework. Trains have not run to Leith since 1952. As they walk away from the drunk, Renton realises the drunk is Begbie's father.

So no train is part of the point. I guess.
 

HearthCricket

Any pictures? I am dying for this deck. It looks like fun and very interesting. Pagan Cats. Makes sense to me. I mean, when is the last time you saw a cat make the sign of the cross? :D Aren't they rather rich in lore and life of Pagan societies? (Some good, some bad??)
 

Aerin

Lillie said:
I'm gobsmacked.

:D :D

Well now I want to take a look as well :) because I had decided not to have it and now...