Nudity in the Cosmic Tribe

This is to hopefully, spark the Cosmic Tribe Study Group up again, of course, you don't need to have been part of the group to jump in now! Just go for it... (I am sure you all have opinions about this topic...)

If you would like... go see The Cosmic Tribe.

Jewel remarked in another thread that when using the Cosmic Tribe, she doesn't even notice the nudity anymore, she just reads it as a reflection on how open the people are. I agree with Jewel and I am reminded of how *naked* the people really are when others who are not used to the deck comment on it. (Liliana!!! )

I think the card that is so signicant, in terms of nudity, is the Moon because she actually wears cloths. She is wearing an elaborate gown... what does she have to hide? The fact that she IS clothed adds further emphasis to the significance of her attire.

~ How do you see the significance of the people being mainly nude in this the Cosmic Tribe Deck?
~ Which card would you least like to show up if you were using it for a reading with your most prudish friend?
~ Does the nudity prevent you from using the deck as much as you would like to?
~ Add anything else you feel is appropriate to the topic!

Personally, I just think it's gratuitous and tacky. Doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. I'd never buy it or read with it, for myself or for others.

kayne said:

If you would like... go see The Cosmic Tribe.

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ok, I went to see. At first it freaked me out (now I understand what Sarahenglish felt like when she said she is uncomfy with nudity in a deck ...) !!!

Took a look again.

The hermit looks nice. It was interesting to make several choices for the Lovers card. As I couldn't get any text with the pic, do you get the three cards in every deck or how does it work ? you have to write in your order if you want a hetero or gay or lesbian deck ?

Also Justice ("Balance") is 8 and Strength is 11 ("8" being my personality + soul number, I am used to Strength at that place). The Tower is fun, satiric and deep, I like it. The Star is simply gorgeous.

Court cards have changed names.

In overall, an interesting deck, definitely not my style but I can understand why some of you are crazy about it, there is a lot going on in these cards !!! There seems to be humour and altogether, it isn't as scary as I had imagined.

To answer your questions :
- I can imagine that the creator wanted to address us all in our deepest most natural nature, without clothes, without lies. Maybe it also means you have to be humble and honest when you come to this deck as the characters in it come to you this way. They are open, honest, funny pauses, I think the deck is delirious and doesn't take itself seriously. The deck reflects our time yet doesn't overshow it by using fashion clothes
IMHO it is not pornographic though, it just is nudity. I wouldn't buy the deck because I would just catch myself staring at .. well, you know ... but it is not porn.
- Every single male card !!! Except for the Hierophant and the Sun if you can count it as a "male" card.
- I am not reading for others as I am a very beginner, yet I could imagine that I would stick with very neutral decks for public readings.
- I had a long introduction very off-topic (nudity) so this mail is long enough already !!!

Kissa

I actually was one of the people who were freaked out about the "neked" people LOL when I first saw this deck. But for whatever reason I kept being drawn back to look at the website.

Well once I got it I had my time sitting there staring at the body parts ROFL, but then I got over it. It's kind of weird (not surprisingly) I agree with Jewel in that I almost don't notice it anymore. It fits with the deck's style. Someone (don't remember who) was wrote that he tried to picture the people with clothes and what type of clothes they'd be wearing and it didn't seem right. IMO one of the biggest emphasis of the deck is openness and one with nature (so no clothes).

The only card I still kind of wince when it comes up in a reading is the Emperor! With the camera angle and the way he's sitting it's just almost reaching out and smacking you in the face that he's nude. ROFL

I love the court cards in this deck. In most decks I kind of wince when I get a court card - it's hard to keep the meanings seperate. But in this deck they're so easy to read. I just love the Queen of Pentacles! She has got the greatest smile - just looks like she's having a blast.

The only thing I find a bit difficult is the minors being basis on the Thoth deck. Which I don't know that well. Alot of the minors I can still understand easily, but some I just can't get??? This is a minor problem though. I love this deck!!!!

It's nowhere near as disturbing as the Giger.

DollChica said:

It's nowhere near as disturbing as the Giger.

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Oh it's not meant to be disturbing!!!
The Cosmic Tribe is done in the spirit of openness. The Giger IMO is supposed to be disturbing to grab your attention.
I don't see the two decks as being similar in the least.

It was me! It was me!

Faunabay: I was the one that mentioned how odd it seemed when I tried to picture the people with clothes on. I was trying to work through the question "why does the nakedness on these cards bother me?" I started to wonder what I would do to make the cards "right." That's when I tried to put mental clothes on them.

But, no matter what kinds of robes I put on the court cards or jester-wear I put on the Fool, every card seemed to be more 'fake' when I put clothes on it!

Since I only read for friends, I do have plenty of opportunities to get people used to the deck before I read for them with it. But still, it's not for everyone. Actually, it's not the prudish ones that I worry about. It's the ones who would be too distracted by the 'packaging' to concentrate on the reading!

As far as what card I don't want to come up when reading for prudish friends, the Wheel card seems a bit orgy-ish, but the 10 of Swords is probably the most disturbing...and not because of the nudity, interestingly enough!

Peace,

Melvis

I remember once I was in school, and a friend asked me for a Tarot reading... All I had with me was the Cosmic Tribe!

So, here we sat, in the middle of the Sixth Form study room, with all these nekkid people sprawled over the table! This friend was transfixed, to say the least, and wasn't quite sure what to make of it... He just stared and asked me why they had no clothes on. So I explained.

I said that the artist wanted to get across the wonderfulness of the body, in all its forms, sizes, shapes... It is a sad fact that our legacy here in the UK about the body and sexuality comes from the Victorians... And lots of peole today still think the body is dirty, as is sexuality... This deck tries to overcome that by making us realise that the body is the house of the spirit, and is beautiful no matter what it looks like. And this deck does it well. Look at those cards, and tell me there isn't one of the people in that deck that you think isn't beautiful. I look at each one of them and see beauty, but furthmore, I see natural beauty, not all that gunk we pile on our faces and in our hair...

Kiama

I am scared !!!

DollChica said:

It's nowhere near as disturbing as the Giger.

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ooops. I just come back from http://www.wicce.com/hrgigerpix.html

Now this deck freaks me completely out. The Fool card is just so weird and violent and I cannot figure out what it means, it has nothing to do with a "traditional" meaning of the Fool IMO. This is definitely a deck for art collectors, Giger/Aliens fans or serial killers from outerspace ...

Cosmic Tribe doesn't have at all this insanity, it is much more positive, I think.

Kissa

hmm, i just looked up the link you provided kissa, for the giger deck.
i like it.....

kaz