vulprix Posted May 21, 2022 Posted May 21, 2022 (edited) Hello! I hope it is kosher to get a new thread started for everyone this week. 🙂 Please let me know if there is any issue! Happy new week to all! ** This thread is for those who would like to work through their collection of decks. Each week we will be picking a deck (or decks) to work with for the week. All are welcome. Please join us! The only rules we have are the Tarot Tea & Me rules; be respectful to each other. You can drop in and out anytime, time and real life permitting. New to tarot? Long time reader? Come on in. 1. Please post with your chosen deck for the week. 2. Chat away about your deck, how you're finding it etc., or not - it's all up to you. Participants: 1. vulprix - Ceccoli Tarot Edited May 21, 2022 by vulprix
fire cat pickles Posted May 21, 2022 Posted May 21, 2022 I'm in with the standard RWS this week. Here's my reading, comments are welcome!
Page of Ghosts Posted May 21, 2022 Posted May 21, 2022 I'm sticking with my Paulina Tarot from last week, haven't used it in ages and I forgot how lovely it is.
Rachelcat Posted May 21, 2022 Posted May 21, 2022 I’m going way, way out on a limb this week. My deck this week will be Fallen Angel Oracle Cards by Nigel Suckling. It’s a cemetery statuary photo collage deck based on the 72 demons of the Goetia. I have my Complete Magician’s Tables by Stephen Skinner handy for some help with the source material. (If you care, the deck is based on Weir’s list of demons (c. 1570), not the Harley manuscript (c. 1600). I love learning about where all these occult ideas come from.) (I recently found out that the new Lo Scarabeo deck, Goetia: Tarot in Darkness, is based on the same demons. And there will be a matching Notaria: Tarot in Light based on the Shemhamephorash / 72 names of god coming soon. So I’m just waiting for another Llewellyn coupon to grab them up, too! I’m a bit wary of their tarot attributions, but maybe I can ignore them?) Considering it consists of demons, it’s interesting that the deck has positive as well as negative keywords and messages, so I think it can be used as a “regular,” if gothy, oracle. The book has, for each card/demon: element, planet, message, description paragraph, and “motto” (the keyword that’s on the card). I find it kind of annoying that there’s so much repetition of keywords. By my count there are: 5 dangers 4 upheavals 3 honesties 2 celebrations 2 harmonies 2 recuperations 2 transformations 2 changes 2 travels 2 strengths 2 turmoils I guess the author is trying to stay true to his source material, but, hey, there are only 72 cards! Maybe come up with some synonyms? Well, I’m going to try it out, quibbles and all! A serious wash and shuffle and then an interview! I’m going to read by the keywords first, then check in with the demon’s appearance and abilities as listed in Skinner. Most important characteristic: Valac, resolution A deck of demons probably isn’t the most popular idea for an oracle. It takes resolution on the part of the creator and the user (me!) to give it a try. I was too superstitious for a while to really dig into it, but now I’m ready to work with it. Valac appears as a boy with angel wings riding a two headed dragon. He brings snakes. So here we have boy with wings and some snakes. No dragon though. Strength: Morax, leadership The deck’s strength is that it’s a forerunner of the current spate of demon decks coming out. It leads the pack. Morax looks like a bull with a man’s face. He teaches astronomy and the virtues of herbs and stones. Ok . . . ? Here’s a bull, anyway. Weakness: Malphas, danger Meta weakness: five cards have the keyword danger. Such repetition is a weakness of the deck. Malphas appears as a crow. He builds towers and houses. Here’s a crow with a building. I guess the large cross is a tower, maybe? What can I learn from the deck? Amdusias, harmony I can learn to harmonize the positive keywords with the gothy illustrations. I can learn about the harmony (instead of opposition) of the demons with the angels. Amdusias appears as a unicorn who causes musical instruments to be heard. Here we have a Pegasus unicorn next to a fallen Celtic cross. We’ll imagine the music . . . How can I learn it? Belial, friendship I can learn about the harmony of the angels and demons by looking at them all with friendship. Or realizing that they’re really all friends: a Good Omens situation! Belial is one of the highest ranking kings. This is a demon name that seems familiar. Maybe he’s in the bible? He appears as a beautiful angel in a chariot and grants political favor. That’s him up in the sky above an impressive government building. Outcome of our work together: Orias, inspiration Well, inspiration is good. I will be inspired to continue my angel and demon journey, with this deck or others. And to not be superstitious or put off by shady occult things. They don’t have power over me because they’re not real. They’re just interesting ideas that I like to learn about. Orias appears as a lion riding a horse! With 2 serpents in his hand. Thankfully, this card does NOT show a lion riding a horse, instead we have an angel with a caduceus, that is, 2 snakes on a winged stick. He teaches the medical uses of astrology. Hmmm. Not sure how that’s related to inspiration, but I’ll take it! Well, that was fun! I’m glad I finally decided to give this deck a try, even though it’s because I’m coming down with deck acquisition syndrome! And now that I see that the illustrations are actually illustrating something, they’re more appealing than just random tombstone collages. I know this is SO LONG, but I enjoy sharing my discoveries with you!
Bodhiseed Posted May 21, 2022 Posted May 21, 2022 Thank you for the new thread @vulprix.❤️ I'm so grateful to be out of the hospital and to know the tumor they removed is benign. To celebrate, I'll be using some favorites this week - the Druidcraft Tarot paired with the combined Druid Plant and Animal Oracles.🌻
euripides Posted May 21, 2022 Posted May 21, 2022 How is it Sunday already? This week I'm going to see how my Arthurian decks compare. Arthurian: Legend (Anna-Marie Ferguson) and the green box (white borders) Matthews Arthurian. I got to know the tale of Gawain and the Green Knight a few years ago and have been meaning to spend a bit more time with Arthurian legend. Perhaps time for a rewatch of Excalibur!
Bodhiseed Posted May 22, 2022 Posted May 22, 2022 This week I'll be using three decks, all created by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and illustrated by Will Worthington. The Druidcraft Tarot and the Druid Plant Oracle were published by Connections; the Druid Animal Oracle was published by St. Martin's Press. I've combined the two oracles and will be using them as one deck. Today's draws are the Prince/Knight of Cups and the Wren: Being an idealistic and artistic soul, this knight is likely in the process of composing an ode to the evening. He may not be able to balance a checkbook, motivate a group, or shine during a debate, but he does remind us of beauty and our spiritual connection with all of life. He inspires us to see beyond worldly pleasures and power plays; he invites us to seek the deeper meaning and purpose of life. The Wren, though she is a little bird, has the ability to project her song far and wide. The wrens here in my area will make a nest nearly anywhere - from motorcycle helmets to wreaths on a front door. Both these cards suggest it is the outpouring of our heart that will enrich our lives, not the material things we've accumulated. For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. ― Michelle Obama
Rachelcat Posted May 22, 2022 Posted May 22, 2022 15 hours ago, Bodhiseed said: I'm so grateful to be out of the hospital and to know the tumor they removed is benign. To celebrate, I'll be using some favorites this week - the Druidcraft Tarot paired with the combined Druid Plant and Animal Oracles.🌻 Wonderful news! I hope you heal well and quickly! I did a deep study of the Druid Animal Oracle many years ago. They're such beautiful illustrations! And the others, too, of course! I'll enjoy seeing your readings!
Bodhiseed Posted May 22, 2022 Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) Thank you, @Rachelcat! ❤️ Worthington really is an awesome artist when it comes to nature. I really like the gravestones and statues in the deck you're using this week. Edited May 22, 2022 by Bodhiseed
Rachelcat Posted May 22, 2022 Posted May 22, 2022 Copying @fire cat pickles! My Sunday reading is here:
euripides Posted May 22, 2022 Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) I've been considering getting the Druid oracles even just for the art. Beautiful stuff. Today's reading with the Ferguson Legend Arthurian and the Matthews' Arthurian was super interesting, and was a bit of a lesson in one way to think about using highly thematic decks. With a fairly standard RWS deck, a long familiarity with the cards tends to make them easy to read with a combination of 'standard' meaning and intuition - the two tend to blend. These decks start to need a bit more digging into the symbolism and story (for me, anyway), but when I take that time, it's rewarding. First nine of shields (pents). Central to the story of Dame Ragnell is autonomy or 'sovereignty' as it is in the text - the ability to make one's own decisions. Her being accorded that freedom by Gawain breaks the curse she is under. In the card, Gawain is turned to the fire as she transforms - it's a very grotesque image, as she holds up floppy hands on stretched-out sleeves like an empty costume. Next is the Eight of Cups, Chapel Perilous. Launcelot has made it into the chapel but within a giant evil hand threatens to extinguish the sole candle. The writer of ShamansPath Weblog says of this card 'Do not let anyone or anything – especially yourself − put a bushel basket over your light. ~ Do not allow anyone or anything – especially yourself or your perception of your self − hold you under its thumb. If necessary: Leave. Move. Go elsewhere. Hastily. Try something else. Reach out for other options. ' There's a grey cast to these cards that make them really appropriate to my constant feeling of being mired down, stuck. The Arthurian offers light. The victorious flag of the six of spears, and the hermit. The hermit has been showing up a lot lately, and it's a card I'm always drawn to. I long for some real downtime. A week or two to just be, to breathe, to write and reflect. The Grail Hermit speaks to introspection and wise counsel 'be as my flowering staff', he says, set down roots. This is not the chatter of social media, but drinking deep from the well. The victory of the six requires effort; something to be proud of. This won't be achieved by the faint of heart, the lightweight dilettante. Edited May 23, 2022 by euripides
Wyrdkiss Posted May 23, 2022 Posted May 23, 2022 I'm on a vacation with my son this week, so I shall just lurk and enjoy 🙂 Back next time for sure. @Rachelcat keep the oracle pulls coming -- that is a cool one.
Rachelcat Posted May 23, 2022 Posted May 23, 2022 Trying to keep going! Here's my Monday reading with the demons!
vulprix Posted May 23, 2022 Author Posted May 23, 2022 (edited) On 5/21/2022 at 4:57 PM, Bodhiseed said: Thank you for the new thread @vulprix.❤️ I'm so grateful to be out of the hospital and to know the tumor they removed is benign. To celebrate, I'll be using some favorites this week - the Druidcraft Tarot paired with the combined Druid Plant and Animal Oracles.🌻 You are welcome, Bodhiseed! I am so glad to hear you are recovering and got some good news. I am sharing in the happiness!! 🌞 Feel that vitality! I do not have the ability to edit my original post (🙃) but I will post an updated list of participants in a day or two after it seems everyone has settled in, just for record-keeping! That’s my current solution. I did do a brief reading regarding my spiritual practice just now—a check-in to see how it is going, where I’m at. A reading to reflect. As usual for me, the Ceccoli is extremely accurate. A lot of cutting out and refining of rituals I am used to; trying to break free and round out my practice, which has felt lacking. But there is an overall feeling of gratitude and bathing in the treats of life ☺️ (9 of Cups up top). Edited May 23, 2022 by vulprix
Amberjune Posted May 23, 2022 Posted May 23, 2022 thank you for the new thread, @vulprix! @Bodhiseed I am happy and relieved to hear that. Wishing you continued good recovery. Druidcraft is such a solid deck, a true classic. My decks for the week are the Hobbit Tarot and the Tantric Dakini Oracle. Happy Gemini season!
Bodhiseed Posted May 23, 2022 Posted May 23, 2022 Thank you @vulprix and @Amberjune! 💚🌻 Enjoying taking a peek at everyone's decks this week.😊
euripides Posted May 23, 2022 Posted May 23, 2022 (edited) Six of Shields: Generosity Galahad restores the castle and lands to its rightful heiress. Grail Two: concord, communication, sharing, harmony. These two decks have the same theme, in theory, but markedly different feels. The Legend has a blue cast and generally quite a gloomy feel. It's quite an old deck and from experience I know that subtle watercolour and pencil work used to be a problem to scan; I think the artwork, may have suffered in the process through to print, with addition of the pip symbols and the ornate borders detracting from the subtle paintings. It really deserves a reprint with a bit of digital magic worked, I think. The Arthurian, in contrast, is filled with light, with a simpler graphic look. I'd thought I might prefer the black-bordered edition (I'd probably buy one if I came across it) as I think dark edges set off light colours better, but the white does give it an overall bright and positive feel. Using them together, I feel like there's a positive/negative energy pairing, dark/light, past/future. The Legend Arthurian includes very detailed vignettes from specific tales, while the Matthews Arthurian is less specific, with scenes from the countryside, castles, and characters. . Edited May 23, 2022 by euripides
Wyrdkiss Posted May 24, 2022 Posted May 24, 2022 10 hours ago, vulprix said: You are welcome, Bodhiseed! I am so glad to hear you are recovering and got some good news. I am sharing in the happiness!! 🌞 Feel that vitality! I do not have the ability to edit my original post (🙃) but I will post an updated list of participants in a day or two after it seems everyone has settled in, just for record-keeping! That’s my current solution. I did do a brief reading regarding my spiritual practice just now—a check-in to see how it is going, where I’m at. A reading to reflect. As usual for me, the Ceccoli is extremely accurate. A lot of cutting out and refining of rituals I am used to; trying to break free and round out my practice, which has felt lacking. But there is an overall feeling of gratitude and bathing in the treats of life ☺️ (9 of Cups up top). I love this deck. What do you make of the 10 of discs in this? It's the only one I'm having trouble with, based on your description of what you are exploring.
KaiNO Posted May 24, 2022 Posted May 24, 2022 Hi guys! I have tried to participate a couple of times before, but then the weeks just go by so fast before I find time to post very much. But I'll try again now although it's already late in the week ☺️ My deck this time will be Tarot of Magical Correspondences. If you're not familiar with it, Benebell did an excellent review of the deck here.
KaiNO Posted May 24, 2022 Posted May 24, 2022 I loved your post @Rachelcat, very informative 👍 I wasn't aware of the "Complete Magician’s Tables" by Stephen Skinner, or the Fallen Angel Oracle Cards by Nigel Suckling. I must show you this picture I just took: Yeah..., it's my kickstarter versions of Goetia Tarot in Darkness and Notoria Tarot in Light. Still unopened, but one day when it feels right I will start using them. And now thanks to you , "your" oracle deck with the same demons is winging its way to me too 😊 On 5/21/2022 at 10:38 PM, Rachelcat said: I’m going way, way out on a limb this week. My deck this week will be Fallen Angel Oracle Cards by Nigel Suckling. It’s a cemetery statuary photo collage deck based on the 72 demons of the Goetia. I have my Complete Magician’s Tables by Stephen Skinner handy for some help with the source material. (If you care, the deck is based on Weir’s list of demons (c. 1570), not the Harley manuscript (c. 1600). I love learning about where all these occult ideas come from.) (I recently found out that the new Lo Scarabeo deck, Goetia: Tarot in Darkness, is based on the same demons. And there will be a matching Notaria: Tarot in Light based on the Shemhamephorash / 72 names of god coming soon. So I’m just waiting for another Llewellyn coupon to grab them up, too! I’m a bit wary of their tarot attributions, but maybe I can ignore them?) Considering it consists of demons, it’s interesting that the deck has positive as well as negative keywords and messages, so I think it can be used as a “regular,” if gothy, oracle. The book has, for each card/demon: element, planet, message, description paragraph, and “motto” (the keyword that’s on the card). I find it kind of annoying that there’s so much repetition of keywords. By my count there are: 5 dangers 4 upheavals 3 honesties 2 celebrations 2 harmonies 2 recuperations 2 transformations 2 changes 2 travels 2 strengths 2 turmoils I guess the author is trying to stay true to his source material, but, hey, there are only 72 cards! Maybe come up with some synonyms? Well, I’m going to try it out, quibbles and all! A serious wash and shuffle and then an interview! I’m going to read by the keywords first, then check in with the demon’s appearance and abilities as listed in Skinner. Most important characteristic: Valac, resolution A deck of demons probably isn’t the most popular idea for an oracle. It takes resolution on the part of the creator and the user (me!) to give it a try. I was too superstitious for a while to really dig into it, but now I’m ready to work with it. Valac appears as a boy with angel wings riding a two headed dragon. He brings snakes. So here we have boy with wings and some snakes. No dragon though. Strength: Morax, leadership The deck’s strength is that it’s a forerunner of the current spate of demon decks coming out. It leads the pack. Morax looks like a bull with a man’s face. He teaches astronomy and the virtues of herbs and stones. Ok . . . ? Here’s a bull, anyway. Weakness: Malphas, danger Meta weakness: five cards have the keyword danger. Such repetition is a weakness of the deck. Malphas appears as a crow. He builds towers and houses. Here’s a crow with a building. I guess the large cross is a tower, maybe? What can I learn from the deck? Amdusias, harmony I can learn to harmonize the positive keywords with the gothy illustrations. I can learn about the harmony (instead of opposition) of the demons with the angels. Amdusias appears as a unicorn who causes musical instruments to be heard. Here we have a Pegasus unicorn next to a fallen Celtic cross. We’ll imagine the music . . . How can I learn it? Belial, friendship I can learn about the harmony of the angels and demons by looking at them all with friendship. Or realizing that they’re really all friends: a Good Omens situation! Belial is one of the highest ranking kings. This is a demon name that seems familiar. Maybe he’s in the bible? He appears as a beautiful angel in a chariot and grants political favor. That’s him up in the sky above an impressive government building. Outcome of our work together: Orias, inspiration Well, inspiration is good. I will be inspired to continue my angel and demon journey, with this deck or others. And to not be superstitious or put off by shady occult things. They don’t have power over me because they’re not real. They’re just interesting ideas that I like to learn about. Orias appears as a lion riding a horse! With 2 serpents in his hand. Thankfully, this card does NOT show a lion riding a horse, instead we have an angel with a caduceus, that is, 2 snakes on a winged stick. He teaches the medical uses of astrology. Hmmm. Not sure how that’s related to inspiration, but I’ll take it! Well, that was fun! I’m glad I finally decided to give this deck a try, even though it’s because I’m coming down with deck acquisition syndrome! And now that I see that the illustrations are actually illustrating something, they’re more appealing than just random tombstone collages. I know this is SO LONG, but I enjoy sharing my discoveries with you!
Rachelcat Posted May 24, 2022 Posted May 24, 2022 Wow @KaiNO, I see you're going long on angels and demons! (I missed the Kickstarter. I think I was being a purist and not wanting to deal with the tarot aspect of the decks. But I got over that somehow, so now I'm just waiting for a Llewellyn sale.) You also have great self-control to wait until the right time to open them! I'd have ripped into them long ago! Enjoy! Thanks so much for sharing! Share pics when you open them if you want to!
euripides Posted May 24, 2022 Posted May 24, 2022 (edited) 11 hours ago, KaiNO said: My deck this time will be Tarot of Magical Correspondences. If you're not familiar with it, Benebell did an excellent review of the deck here. ohhhhh. That's beautiful. It would be so enriching for anyone seeking deeper esoteric knowledge. Today, the Ace of Cups (grail) and Spear Knight. In the ace of cups a vision of the Grail appears above a group of of women with with uncovered hair and hands linked. This card doesn't have that sense of the baptismal font of renewal that so many aces have, but rather a dark energy being raised, and a vision of an impossible dream that people spend their lives chasing. I'm somehow reminded of someone's comment about the fading demiurge of the old gods. I feel like the energy of the spear is being offered as an antidote to this dark vision. Action is what's needed to tackle the day. Maybe he's reckless, but I suffer from an abundance of caution - anxious about everything, so he's a bit of a counterpoint to that. And while he's moving apace, his horse is nicely collected - this isn't a headlong bolt. He's confident in his horsemanship and has his eyes on his target. I suspect he's hunting down his lunch, not some fantasy. Edited May 25, 2022 by euripides
vulprix Posted May 25, 2022 Author Posted May 25, 2022 On 5/23/2022 at 9:44 PM, Wyrdkiss said: I love this deck. What do you make of the 10 of discs in this? It's the only one I'm having trouble with, based on your description of what you are exploring. I’m glad that you are a Ceccoli fan, Wyrdkiss❤️ It’s great, isn’t it? The 10 of Pentacles in this spread indicates that I have the physical means and the grounds to break free of the of the wavering courage (5 of Wands), and of cyclical culling of my current practices (5 of Swords), in order to feel more at home with my spirituality. I hope that makes sense! I will update the list of participants soon for everybody with a new post ☺️
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