Cosmic Tarot - split from 'Pros and Cons' thread

I was looking at one of the books for the Cosmic Tarot trying to decide if I wanted to purchase it the other day...too many typos book wise drove me away from the book. Plus, if I were writing a book about a tarot deck that used famous people I would go out of my way to find out who they were and to include everyone, not just the obvious ones so perhaps looking through the book aided in my nixing the purchase. As for the cards, I do know a lot of the people without looking them up because I have watched a lot of movies in my life. The older Hollywood actors/actresses didn't bother me, it was the ones in there who are still acting that drove me nuts - mainly Sean Connery. If I could get it cheap then maybe, but I didn't get it and can't see myself reading with it.

Cosmic

Piling on here.

I used to think it was too 80s (especially the headbands!). Now that the 80s are receding so quickly, I kind of like that about it.

I agree that the colors are wonderful, and the artwork in general is too.

Something that no one else has mentioned: It seems like a dance theme deck. Almost. Many of the cards feature ballet and other dance style poses and lots of ballet and (80s again) Flashdance costuming. But not all of them. So if you feel like it's a failed theme deck, that could be a con.

But I think it's pretty enough and different enough to stand on its own.

(I never had a book for it, so I can comment on that.)

I just dug out the book I have on the Cosmic. I found it very helpful. It's:

The Cosmic Tarot

signposts along the path


a spiritual approach to the tarot by Laura E. Clarson

Cosmic Tarot

I have never found the celebrities to be distracting since I don't associate celebrities with tarot. They're just faces like any other faces. Just because I might think "Oh, look at Clark Gable!" doesn't affect the card's meaning for me.

I don't know why people say 80's Hollywood actors??? The only truly discernible actor is Sean Connery and he isn't even acting anymore. But seriously, so what? If Albert Einstein were on the deck would it make it unreadable??

Most of the actors that are in this deck are from the 40's: Humphrey Bogart, Rita Hayworth (in that famous pose), Hedy Lamarr, Ingrid Bergman, Clark Gable, Marlene Dietrich, and possibly Gene Tierney.

A couple of other cards appear to have John Travolta (8Cups), Johnny Depp (Prince Cups), and maybe that's Richard Harris on the King of Swords ala King Arthur of Camelot? I have no idea who that is supposed to be on the Nine Wands, but no one I recognize.

Again, those are the faces as they appear to me, they make look like other actors to you.

I love this deck, one of my top ten!!!

Cons: The FX Schmid deck is smaller and flimsier; font on cards is different from U.S. Games
Pros: The U. S. Games deck is bigger and much nicer cardstock.

tarot heart said:

I don't know why people say 80's Hollywood actors???.

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No, for me it's 80s but not because of the included actors. Vivien Leigh (or is it Hedy Lamarr?) is definitely not 1980s. But there was a trend in the 80s of doing poster art of "Golden Age" actors and actresses in imaginary settings (those in the UK will remember the shop Athena that sold this type of art) and the courts feel a bit like this.

But I think rachelcat hit the nail on the head. It is rather Flashdance isn't it (I shall remember that forever ) The headbands! The leggings!

With different court cards this deck would be a winner.

Le Fanu said:

No, for me it's 80s but not because of the included actors. Vivien Leigh (or is it Hedy Lamarr?) is definitely not 1980s. But there was a trend in the 80s of doing poster art of "Golden Age" actors and actresses in imaginary settings (those in the UK will remember the shop Athena that sold this type of art) and the courts feel a bit like this.

But I think rachelcat hit the nail on the head. It is rather Flashdance isn't it (I shall remember that forever ) The headbands! The leggings!

With different court cards this deck would be a winner.

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Lol..ok I had to count...only six cards with people dancing and it's ballet type dancing. Yes, a few headbands, but not on people dancing. As for Flashdance, the iconic image I have of that movie is the girl with the cutoff sweatshirt hanging off one shoulder (a look that is coming back, by the way **shivers**) and none of the cards have that image.

I don't think we had that trend in America with Golden Age Posters that you mention. I was living and working in New York at the time and that does not ring a bell. Although, you could find posters of just about any actor or actress or play or anything you'd like quite easily. It was quite fashionable to wear the cutoff sweatshirt hanging off one shoulder. I did not sport that fashion myself, I thought it was too slutty looking, lol.

There is another deck which seems much more 80's to me than this one, I just can't think of it at the moment. I shall have a look...

Is there a list of decks that are categorized this way...80's 90's etc.?

I just thought of another pro: there is a deck study thread on this deck, which is always helpful.

tarot heart said:

I don't think we had that trend in America with Golden Age Posters that you mention. I was living and working in New York at the time and that does not ring a bell. Although, you could find posters of just about any actor or actress or play or anything you'd like quite easily. It was quite fashionable to wear the cutoff sweatshirt hanging off one shoulder. I did not sport that fashion myself, I thought it was too slutty looking, lol.

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In the 80's was when there were a lot of old movie posters starting to be reprinted which has mushroomed into a huge business today. Part of the marketing and getting more money for things that provided a nostalgiac link to the past. I do remember some pictures with classic poses from actors being used in a different setting (Humphrey Bogart,WC Fields, The 3 Stooges and Marilyn Monroe come to mind) but not a whole lot. We were still in the era of break dancing, Saturday Night Fever and sequel, Flashdance, beginning of fitness videos (ie: Jane Fonda and forgive me for mentioning it, Richard Simmons, etc) so the time was ripe for headbands, leotards and the like. Yes, many images from the Cosmic Tarot envoke that image and era for me...some others are just beautiful and timeless. I will probably REALLY want this deck when it is OOP if I don't have it by then, but not enough cash to add it my tarot deck count just yet.

But that's what I'm saying, they're aren't a lot of headbands, a few yes, but not a lot. There are a lot of crowns of various sorts that I think people are confusing with headbands.

Ok, so I had to count, since I have the deck right next to me...I counted 8 headbands. Out of 78 cards is that a lot? Not to me, I didn't even notice them until this thread.

I guess I just have to defend this deck because I really love the artwork and I'd really hate for people not to get it because they are hearing that it's just so 80's.

cosmic

Wendywu said:

No, no it wasn't a keeper. All the courts looked like 1980's Hollywood actors and actresses!

Even having an FX Schmidt printed in Belgium edition wasn't enough to make me keep it ....

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And I got it I like it very much..... the only thing I don't like is the ballet dancers/sword fighters and I *HATE* the Ten of Swords... ugh...why did they have to ut that vile card in.... love the Hierophant card though, I love the handwritten names and I love the colouring and feel of the deck. I am glad you rejected it Wu... I did a wee blog poxt on my first impressions here:

link to personal blog removed

Hp

Wintergreen said:

I've been on the fence about this one. I like it's hippy weirdness, but what disturbs me about it is that the High Priestess looks like Karla Homolka.

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The High Priestess totally reminds me of my daughter Pollyanna.... she is on the left of the pic below: