Took me only 20 years to finally get this

[Delta]

A bit of a background story. The first time I saw Haindl deck, 20 years ago, I picked it out as a gift to my friend because I couldn't get it for myself out of fear of my very religious, anti-tarot parents.

 

I remember we sat in "Tolkien's Pub", took the deck out, shuffled and asked "What was JRR Tolkien like?" The card we pulled was The Magician, and I knew right there and then that tarot is no joke and that I loved it.

 

Yesterday I finally purchased this deck for myself. ☺️

 

I also asked it to introduce itself in three cards and this is what I got. ✨ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gregory]

You read in the Bird and Baby ? I love that pub. My medic friends had a rather nastier name for it. Spoiler to avoid offence....

 

Spoiler

The Fowl and Foetus

 

[Raggydoll]

9 hours ago, gregory said:

You read in the Bird and Baby ? I love that pub. My medic friends had a rather nastier name for it. Spoiler to avoid offence....

 

  Hide contents

The Fowl and Foetus

 

Haha, I think that’s a rather catchy name 😂

[Nemia]

I have never been to Tolkien's pub but it sounds wonderful. 

 

The Haindl was among my first decks and for a time, it was my favourite. Since then, I have developed some doubts about Haindl's spirituality but he was a very good artist and his deck is fascinating. I have trimmed it and it works even better trimmed, the cards work together like one big painting. 

 

I bought Rachel Pollack's book about it and then also the book about the kabbalah with the included poster of the Tree of Life, painted by Haindl. It's wonderful, too. 

 

 

I actually trimmed the deck to use it with the painting and make it melt when I lay out the cards on this Tree of Life. Should do so again, haven't used that deck in ages. Thank you for reminding me! 

 

[gregory]

3 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

Haha, I think that’s a rather catchy name 😂

 

Its REAL name is the Eagle and Child.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Eagle_and_Child

 

Sorry - 

 

Bu the Haindl is a fine deck - do try and get Pollack's book about it.

[Scandinavianhermit]

Since Lewis and Tolkien lunched at the Eagle and the Child on Tuesdays, so must Charles Williams have done, so an association to tarot – even so light – already existed. Williams wrote The Greater Trumps in 1932, was evacuated to Oxford in 1939. Williams was a disciple of A.E. Waite. C.S. Lewis adored him, but Tolkien once called him a 'witch doctor'. They spent Thursday nights at Lewis' room at Magdalen College drinking booze and reading each others' works in progress (including Lord of the Rings). 

[Morwenna]

On 4/9/2024 at 2:57 PM, gregory said:

You read in the Bird and Baby ? I love that pub. My medic friends had a rather nastier name for it. Spoiler to avoid offence....

 

  Reveal hidden contents

The Fowl and Foetus

 

LOL! We were there in 1990 on our honeymoon. But honestly, the last thing I would have thought to bring on that trip would be a Tarot deck! 

[Morwenna]

On 8/5/2024 at 7:08 PM, Scandinavianhermit said:

Since Lewis and Tolkien lunched at the Eagle and the Child on Tuesdays, so must Charles Williams have done, so an association to tarot – even so light – already existed. Williams wrote The Greater Trumps in 1932, was evacuated to Oxford in 1939. Williams was a disciple of A.E. Waite. C.S. Lewis adored him, but Tolkien once called him a 'witch doctor'. They spent Thursday nights at Lewis' room at Magdalen College drinking booze and reading each others' works in progress (including Lord of the Rings). 

I read somewhere that Tolkien disliked Williams' writings but did like him as a person. He couldn't understand why Lewis liked his writings so much.