Prairie Tarot by Robin Ator

[herself]

I just got this deck today. I like it very much! Makes me think of my dad, who loved his Westerns, and of Little House on the Prairie, so important in my childhood, and of all the John Wayne movies and other Westerns I used to watch on Saturdays...and it just stirs up all sorts of meaning to me. The images are so instantly evocative. I really like this deck and can't wait to use it.

Carla, I loved Little House on the Prairie too - still do, for that matter! That Queen of Swords could be Laura

The Hanged Man is another card I think is fantastic. It reminds me of this series of Time Life books my parents had, on the Wild West; there is an old painting in there, depicting what I believe is called the Sundance, and the corresponding practice of being suspended - just like the guy on the card. I remember being fascinated (open-mouthed fascinated) by that picture, and looking at it again and again. Heh.

 

[Bhavana]

Carla, I loved Little House on the Prairie too - still do, for that matter! That Queen of Swords could be Laura

The Hanged Man is another card I think is fantastic. It reminds me of this series of Time Life books my parents had, on the Wild West; there is an old painting in there, depicting what I believe is called the Sundance, and the corresponding practice of being suspended - just like the guy on the card. I remember being fascinated (open-mouthed fascinated) by that picture, and looking at it again and again. Heh.

My first experience with native american suspension rituals was in a movie from the early 70's called "A Man Called Horse" about a white man living with the Indians, and he did this ritual and became a warrior. The actual name of the ritual is okeepa - (suspension) very painful, showed extreme bravery on the part of the person doing it - and I believe the point was that the pain causes the person to go into a state of meditation, inward reflection, etc so I think it is a fitting image and concept for the hanged man - surrender to higher purpose, sacrifice, letting go, gaining clarity..

 

[GryffinSong]

I have a friend whose son did his first Sundance a year or so ago. It's not something that just anyone can do. There is a lot of training and such over a long period of time. I find the concept of it quite frightening, but deliberate pain has never been my path. Apparently he was very moved by the experience, though I haven't heard much feedback about how it went. I believe he will do it again at some point.

 

[greatdane]

Interesting deck but wondered about the Moon

OK I know what desert is like having lived in Arizona and I know what prairies are like and I was just wondering why the Moon card is desert and not prairie. Big difference between flat grasslands as in prairie and mountains and cacti as in desert. Not saying it's not a GREAT deck, I think it's really well done, just wondering why not just keep it all as prairie when it works so well as that and is called the Prairie Tarot? I'm just going by the picture I saw on the website for the deck though, perhaps it's different now? I have thought about getting the deck.

 

[rota]

"...I was just wondering why the Moon card is desert and not prairie."

++++++

It's an open western space that's barren, bleak and rocky ... like the Moon itself.

++++++

 

[greatdane]

Ah I see that, Rota

But when I think of the prairie or the Moon, cacti isn't the first thing that comes to mind. But aside from that minor thing of switching to desert, instead of using prairie, for the Moon card, I think it's a stunning and unique deck. It captures so much about what I'm sure prairie life must have been like in the times depicted. I think the deck has integrated symbols of prairie life with tarot extremely well.

 

[Cocobird55]

It is a wonderful deck -- I get great readings from it, too. The cards speak to me.

 

[Laura Borealis]

But when I think of the prairie or the Moon, cacti isn't the first thing that comes to mind. But aside from that minor thing of switching to desert, instead of using prairie, for the Moon card, I think it's a stunning and unique deck. It captures so much about what I'm sure prairie life must have been like in the times depicted. I think the deck has integrated symbols of prairie life with tarot extremely well.

The Moon works for me. It blends in, as there is a variety of Western scenery in the deck. There are mountains, large bodies of water, farms and yes prairies. There are other cards with desert scenery, too. The Knight of Wands rides across red sands, with three pointy hills in the distance, like the pyramids on the RWS version. The Nine of Coins shows a rocky landscape, complete with a vast butte, that could be set in Monument Valley.

I really like the Prairie Tarot version of The Moon, myself. I love the saguaro cactus standing in for the traditional towers. In one of my favorite novels, there is a mother's bedtime story about the saguaro, saying that they dance in the moonlight when nobody is looking. To me, the cactus make it more cheerful than the typical Moon card.

 

[greatdane]

I think you hit it, Laura B!

I think it is the name of the deck and the pictures that threw me! If it was called Wild West Tarot or something, the differences in geography wouldn't have even made me pause! And it is a great looking deck. I like how the symbolism so easily translates.

 

[faunabay]

You know I have this deck. Got it because I live in the midwest. ....drive through the prairies all the time! ROFL But maybe because I'm too familiar with them I'm not that into this deck. I think it's great! Love the concept but don't seem to pull it out very often! I want to use it more than I actually do!