Similarities between Old English and Druidcraft Tarots?

brenmck

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Helvetica said:
Apart from the fact that both are English, I see little or no connection between these two decks (both of which I like, btw). The DruidCraft is set in some mythical Celtic setting, outside of history, though probably around the time the Romans invaded; it is self-consiously pagan and incorporates Druidry and Golden Dawn magic. The Old English is Medieval in theme and as Dwaas wrote, inspired by the beautiful Luttrell Psalter, and therefore Christian in inspiration, although of course there were rich pagan survivances in Christian England.

The look of these two decks is quite different, too; the Old English has non-scenic suit cards, which work better without the RWS-meanings (in fact, reading with it, as with all non-scenic pip cards, gives a very different reading experience from those with scenic cards, like the DruidCraft).

For anyone deck-shopping, this is an excellent summary of both the Druidcraft and Old English.

Personally, the Druidcraft hits me right where I live (or have lived?).
The accompanying book with this deck is one of the most helpful and informative I've seen. As a side note, it's been very interesting to me to spot the Druid influence in early Celtic Christianity - borrowing and "sanitizing" Druid thought and poetry as part of conversion/transition campaigns headed by the formidable St Patrick. It permeates his prayers and meditations, particularly his veneration of Nature and the gnostic-like notion of spirit being everywhere and in all things.

I don't get the same type of journey with the Old English - it's much less directive, and the sparseness of it allows a lot of room for wandering, so it's just as meditative but in a much different way.

~B~