Anyone reading with The Grail Tarot:ATV?

was not impressed at first

I did buy this deck a few months ago and found that it had two five of wands. Upon returning it I could not replace it with the same deck so I opted for another, "druidcraft" I may give it another try, although I am looking for a deck not tied to some religion. I did like some of the changes and images, perhaps will take another look soon.

Anyone Reading With The Grail Tarot ?

I do not think of the Buddha-nature as tied to Buddhism, nor do I think the Grail as healing and harmony-bestowing power is tied to Christianity. The Grail is a living Symbol that may live in us and in humanity with the Buddha -nature and the Sufic Self, etc. The Grail story is in a European setting but has timeless truth to it, just as the Buddha originates in ancient India/Nepal and remains pertinent to us all today. Local becomes global.

The companion books adds greatly to this deck

I bought this deck last week because of the panoramic capabilities of the majors shown on the back of the box, as well as the deck review here on AT. I am a collector, mostly of decks, and have only recently begun trying to read them, which means my 40 or so decks are all opened, but vastly underused

I must say that the "story" in the companion book, however has opened up my eyes to the way that all tarot decks can be read as a continuum of events, thoughts, feelings and actions - very much like life! Reading the story of the Grail Seeker's journey in the majors, and the journey of the young Templar Novice Seeker through the minors on his way to becoming a Templar Master is a fascinating journey. This is true not only through the deck itself, but through the concepts of grail "lore", if you will.

Also, the treatment and order of the courts in the story, and even their position within the deck when you open it, and within the story itself puts a whole new spin on each card and its relationship to the other 15 within the court. This deck places the Queen first ("Lady" in this deck), followed by the King ("Master"), the Knight ("Preceptor") and finally the Page ("Brother"). Each of the ladies represent the Virgin Mary in various pivotal parts of her life, for example; and the text explains how important she is/was to the members of the Templar order. So you can consider all of the ladies in a vignette all their own, by lining up all four cards to follow Mary from her youth all the way through the birth of Jesus, to just after the Passion and finally to her ascention into Heaven. It's fascinating.

As a final note on quality, the backs of my cards are fine; clearly printed. The cutting on the majors is not perfect (some of the cards have a little more depth to the title across the bottom, so they don't all line up exactly evenly), but overall, the panoramic effect is still striking, and easy to see. The SIDES of each card still blend together seamlessly, even if some of the cards jutt UP or DOWN just a little bit when you lay them out in a row.

Overall, the image technique used by the artist for this deck makes the journey aspect of the Fool (the Grail Seeker) so much easier to get into as you explore this deck and its accompanying book. I find myself using my LEFT hand to go through the deck card-by-card, just so the images move to the back of the deck in the "proper" sequence, from beginning to end. In this deck, little things like that really matter!

All in all, it was WELL worth the $24.95 retail price I paid on a whim in a retail bookstore; and for me, that says it all!

Anyone Reading With The Grail Tarot ?

Thanks, AprilFool, for your appreciative overview of The Grail Tarot, with emphasis on the journey motif. It's an amazing series of pictures that stand individually and in sequence. I like the book for its insights on the cards. I also like just being immersed in the deck's mysterious colors, architectures, landscapes, and characters. It's interesting and impressive to think that Caitlin and John Matthews have created three Celtic Tarot decks : Celtic Wisdom (Caitlin, with Olivia Rayner, artist), Arthurian (Caitlin and John, with Miranda Gray,artist), and the Grail Tarot ( John, with Giovanni Caselli, artist). I put them in that order on purpose -- three aspects of the Celtic living tradition, from pagan cauldron to Arthurian Grail to Alchemical/Gnostic Grail. A journey of unfolding creativity of the Self through realms of fear to realms of spirit.

I just bought this deck a couple of weeks ago, mainly because it was on sale. When I got it home, I was all giddy with excitement. I opened it up and sort of went, "Oh boy. I've got my work cut out for me." I'm not intimately familiar with the history of the Templars or with the Grail story. It feels to me like I'm going to need to a lot of research into this area before I'll start to feel thoroughly comfortable with this deck. The story hasn't been assimilated yet. It hasn't been learned and become part of me yet. I ned this I think before I can understand it.

Does anyone else read with this deck regularly? It is certainly beautiful, but I don't know the characters. The RWS deck, I know all the characters. I recognized them right away because of their elemental natures. They felt familiar right off the bat. But with this deck, I need to overlay historical characters I don't know onto their corresponding Tarot equivalent. It's not meshing. Does anyone have any suggestions? Do I actually need a History degree to use these things??

Actually, this deck has been in the sale aisles at the local Chapters and Coles here in Ontario for just $6.99! It's a boxed set, so I'm assuming there is a companion book.

I don't own the deck, but just thought I'd pass this bit of info along for those who wish to own it for a good price!

Morgane_49 said:

Actually, this deck has been in the sale aisles at the local Chapters and Coles here in Ontario for just $6.99! It's a boxed set, so I'm assuming there is a companion book.

I don't own the deck, but just thought I'd pass this bit of info along for those who wish to own it for a good price!

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Yup, that's where I bought it! It's a gorgeous deck. I'm just not sure if it's maybe a little over my head. Not really a good deal if you can't use it!

rachelcat said:

Hi, I have a question for Grail lovers and/or Matthews fans:

What is the significance of pouring water on the (a) stone? (featured on the Priest/Mechiezeldek card).

I'm thinking it is something from Celtic mythology that I can't seem to find. I know it's featured in the Hallowquest deck, in the King of Cups (I think). I COULD look it up in my Hallowquest book but my books are STILL in boxes!

So I'll ask you instead! Thanks for any and all ideas!

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Hi, I just got this deck this week for my birthday.... I consider myself a grail seeker, growing up in and around Glastonbury england... So I am thinking this may be a great deck for me. It looks a bit daunting, but as soon as I start interacting with it (I had a gardenign accident on my birthday, so I have two fingers out of action on my left hand!) tghrough readings and meditation...not sure if kabbalah will be used...mightg noit be the right deck....but anyway...

This question made me stop. The washing of the stone, the stone of course being green, the tablet smert (emerald tablet of hermes) representing earth..

here we find the alchemical symbol VITRIOL or visita interiora terra rectificandon invenies occultum lapidem..... visit the interior of the earth through purification you'll find the hidden stone. http://www.songsouponsea.com/Promenade/VITRIOL.GIF

This of course signifies the finding of the self from the hidden. Or the journey of the seeker going within themselves to find their true selves...
So why the stone? Well the journey inwards, in this expession is the finding of the philosopher's stone. The universal solvent, the one that dissolves the old self... I think the most potent tale that practically everyone on the planet knows, as regards this grail quest, (for the lapis philosorum is an expression or manidfestqation of the grail itself) is the tale of Aladdin. Here the lamp becomes the grail, the stone...western alchemy does afterall owe a great deal to islam.

Similar to what has been discussed, the stone in water also represents seeking perfection, we polish and cleanse ourselves or the stone....never ending, constantly... the process that fits in well with an eternal king such as melchazidek.... who is also found in some apocryphal and Gnostic texts (nag hammadi collection for example http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/melchiz.html

hope that helps.... just an insight or two...
I havent even gotten my mucky paws on the deck properly yet...so my opinions may change.

I never really thought about this deck, but after reading this thread, and the reviews, I want it!!

--Arthurian nut, Christo-Pagan, and alchemy neophyte,
Morwenna

I have it now too!

I finally bit the bullet and bought this deck yesterday. It is indeed wonderful! I'm just a teensy disappointed that a few of the cards are cut a little "off," so the panorama hiccups a little, but it won't turn me off! Interesting, that not only are the majors a panorama, so are the suits, from Lady down through the other courts and up the numbers from 1 to 10. But the suits don't seem to connect to each other. (Makes me wonder what's on the parts of the panorama(s) beyond the first and last cards... )

I'm definitely looking forward to working with this. I'm enjoying reading about others' reactions.