Unboxings and First Impressions

[katrinka]

1 hour ago, timtoldrum said:

I suspect it is a reference to the Arabic astrologers and their texts. 

 

That sounds very probable. :)
 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, katrinka said:

 

That sounds very probable. 🙂
 

 

It’s just an idea. Much of our understanding of a number of astrological doctrines (which influenced esoteric thought) came via the Perso-Arabic writers.
 

I doubt Picard used the term Arabic Cosmology. It sounds like a latter description for his influences.

[katrinka]

4 hours ago, timtoldrum said:

 

It’s just an idea. Much of our understanding of a number of astrological doctrines (which influenced esoteric thought) came via the Perso-Arabic writers.
 

I doubt Picard used the term Arabic Cosmology. It sounds like a latter description for his influences.

 

True. I've never seen the term "cosmology" in any vintage writing. 😁

Quick question - I can't seem to find the ideas that differentiate Arabic astrology from that of the French or Spanish astrologers. Is there any major divide between, say, Albumasur and Ibn Ezra? What makes the Arabic distinctive?

I know very little about it, obviously. I always assumed there was an exchange of ideas and things kind of bled together.

[Decan]

You are right, absolutely, there were exchanges of ideas, and from what I remember western astrology in Europe comes from Arabic astrology.

 

I agree too for the word "cosmology". The word "Islam" is also strange and possibly not appropriated. I really doubt that Picard or other astrologers and occultists of his time in France were refering to the Koran (but they could have had a copy of the Picatrix under the cloak).

I should start a little document on Picard to gather what we really know on him.

[Guest]

11 hours ago, katrinka said:

 

True. I've never seen the term "cosmology" in any vintage writing. 😁

Quick question - I can't seem to find the ideas that differentiate Arabic astrology from that of the French or Spanish astrologers. Is there any major divide between, say, Albumasur and Ibn Ezra? What makes the Arabic distinctive?

I know very little about it, obviously. I always assumed there was an exchange of ideas and things kind of bled together.

Hello 🙂

The Hellenistic period is the dawn of horoscopic astrology. You have Hermēs Trismegistus, Petosiris, Dorotheus, Valens, Ptolemy, Rhetorius... Many of these texts survive in their Arabic or Latin translations. 

 

Abu Ma’shar (Albumasur) was part of the Perso-Arabic period which succeeded the Hellenistic period. Other Perso-Arabic astrologers includes Māshā’allāh, Sahl, Umar Al Tabiri, &c. 
 

Some of the above were not Muslims but practised in the Persia or Baghdad.  
 

During the Perso-Arabic period there was a crossover with the Golden Age of Islam. This includes the Spanish regions. 

 

Later you have Ibn Ezra, Bonatti (during the medieval period) and then the Renaissance astrologers (Regiomontanus, Morin, Lilly) prior to the Fall of Astrology. 
 

There is no clear times when one ends and the other starts.

 

[Guest]

On 10/11/2020 at 12:55 PM, Decan said:

Do you mean if I already read with it?

Hi @Decan

 

Yeah a reading, or even just an introduction reading. When I acquire a new deck I tend to note the cut. I’ve found that quite telling. 

[Decan]

52 minutes ago, timtoldrum said:

Hi @Decan

 

Yeah a reading, or even just an introduction reading. When I acquire a new deck I tend to note the cut. I’ve found that quite telling. 

Ah okay! I simply pulled 3 cards regarding a little question, but I need to acquire a good understanding of my cards, and it is still not the case.

My question wasn't situational (it's just something like that I wanted to ask) but the answer I got was situational, which isn't really a surprise with this deck.

Edited October 12, 2020 by Decan

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Decan said:

Ah okay! I simply pulled 3 cards regarding a little question, but I need to acquire a good understanding of my cards, and it is still not the case.

My question wasn't situational (it's just something like that I wanted to ask) but the answer I got was situational, which isn't really a surprise with this deck.

Interesting. I did not mean to pry. I’m still awaiting my copy; it has not even been dispatched, yet. I ordered a second copy for a friend last week, too. 

[katrinka]

2 hours ago, timtoldrum said:

Hello 🙂

The Hellenistic period is the dawn of horoscopic astrology. You have Hermēs Trismegistus, Petosiris, Dorotheus, Valens, Ptolemy, Rhetorius... Many of these texts survive in their Arabic or Latin translations. 

 

Abu Ma’shar (Albumasur) was part of the Perso-Arabic period which succeeded the Hellenistic period. Other Perso-Arabic astrologers includes Māshā’allāh, Sahl, Umar Al Tabiri, &c. 
 

Some of the above were not Muslims but practised in the Persia or Baghdad.  
 

During the Perso-Arabic period there was a crossover with the Golden Age of Islam. This includes the Spanish regions. 

 

Later you have Ibn Ezra, Bonatti (during the medieval period) and then the Renaissance astrologers (Regiomontanus, Morin, Lilly) prior to the Fall of Astrology. 
 

There is no clear times when one ends and the other starts.

 

Ah, part of a timeline - thank you! That clears things up considerably. :)

And I recall my deck taking awhile to arrive...I got the impression they use a print on demand service rather than just keeping it on hand. I could be mistaken, though.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, katrinka said:

Ah, part of a timeline - thank you! That clears things up considerably. 🙂

And I recall my deck taking awhile to arrive...I got the impression they use a print on demand service rather than just keeping it on hand. I could be mistaken, though.

Yeah. Although contemporary astrologers are fond of the terms old, traditional and classical such terms misrepresent the complicated genesis of astrology. To be honest, even “modern astrology” is misleading. It was and never has been practiced in one singular or continuous period.  Generally speaking, the Hellenistic period starts around 1 BCE and ends around 7 CE. Hermes Trismegitus falls early in this period and is, of course, much referenced by the medieval and later occultists.

 

James told me that it is print on demand for Thomson Leng. He said that it can take a couple of weeks to print. I ordered on the 26th September. Hopefully, it will be printed soon. I am waiting impatiently lol. 

Edited October 12, 2020 by Guest

[TheLoracular]

Yesterday, the Chrysalis Tarot by Holly Sierra and Toney Brooks arrived.  This was something of an impulse buy, based on a single review somewhere.  My goal was for a new reading vs. exclusively personal or study deck that was both whimsical and wise with appeal to a wide audience of viewers watching me in 2021 YouTube videos and Twitch streams.  It was meant to compliment and complete the list of Universal Waite, Pride, Voyager, Thoth and (maybe) Haindl or (maybe) Robin Wood or (maybe) Osho Zen decks for the purpose of doing watchable content in 2021.    I knew I wanted something that wasn't too much like any of the above and with broader viewer appeal than some.  I knew I wanted to limit myself to working with six decks in 2021 & 2022 as far as reading for others and teaching others was concerned.  

--opens the box and exposes any readers of this post to the workings of my brain (sorry!)--

First impressions:  Since "Whimsical & Wise" were the key words in my brain as I was searching for a new deck I had no previous experience with and hadn't seen all the pictures of, just a couple of Majors?  This. Is. Perfect.

The card stock is very good quality but I expect that from U.S. Games.  The fact that the Major Arcana have original names art that matches the archetypes being called on BUT also include in smaller print underneath what role in a standard tarot they replace is a godsend.  Inclusive mythology, inclusive imagery, very welcoming to readers and querents from any sort of background with a sense of identifying with vs. appropriating cultural iconography.  The artwork is gorgeous and rife with esoteric but (non-traditional RWS) symbolism.

Stones-Mirrors-Spirals-Scrolls as suits.  Hmmn.  I will have to think about that.   That made me pause and pick up its LWB.  Stones=Pentacles/Disks(Earth) came to me naturally and fits my inner network of symbols/correspondences.  Mirrors=Cups(Water) did not as easily.  But taking a second to consider that huge corresponding attribute of "reflective" and how both can be used for scrying and that Mirrors are Yin to me?  Yep. I can work with suit name and symbology. 

Spirals=Wands(fire), unfortunately do not suit each other in my inner network well at all.  Spirals are Yin to me and this is a Yang suit.  BUT each individual card in the suit is bringing to the table at least one image that either symbolically or metaphorically Yang, very fire-based or solar-based that I can draw on.  The Ace for example has a bighorn sheep (ram) with a spiral horn that goes to Aries which goes to Fire in my inner network instantly.   I am just going to need to dig deeper with these 14 cards and that is totally okay.

Scrolls=Swords(Air) goes smoothly into my inner network.  I daresay Scrolls goes better than Swords to many of the other Air correspondences.  XD.  I like this part of the deck alot. 

Glancing through the Court Cards, it feels like they will work wonderfully well with the Myer-Briggs associations I like to bring into a reading with that part of the deck.

So all in all?  I'm very happy with the deck.  It is what I was looking for in practically every way.  I feel like its going to be something I can comfortably read/teach tarot with by mid 2021 and I would prefer it in my list to both Robin Woods & Osho Zen if I'm going narrow the list to six different decks and already certain about four.  I feel like viewers will love it and it gives me oh so much to say in videos and streams that won't be just a repetition of other content.  

Five Stars.  

 

[Decan]

16 hours ago, timtoldrum said:

Interesting. I did not mean to pry. I’m still awaiting my copy; it has not even been dispatched, yet. I ordered a second copy for a friend last week, too. 

You wasn't pry, lol.

And I finally did a cut, something I'm not used to do with new decks. For the Thomson the cut revealed the Empress. The card seems in line with the RWS meaning for this card, and so it is very fortunate in this deck. A very good omen I think!

The influence of a woman too? I think about Katrinka work for this deck of course!

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Decan said:

You wasn't pry, lol.

And I finally did a cut, something I'm not used to do with new decks. For the Thomson the cut revealed the Empress. The card seems in line with the RWS meaning for this card, and so it is very fortunate in this deck. A very good omen I think!

The influence of a woman too? I think about Katrinka work for this deck of course!

Perfect considering the cards were published in a women’s magazine, too. I associate the empress with communication. 

[LogicalHue]

I've gotten my second Nightmare Before Christmas deck and its worse than the first. Almost identical indents on the Fool card PLUS other problems on the face of that card PLUS the box is all torn up PLUS the cards are cut significantly off-center whereas the first deck was pretty perfect in that regard. I've asked if its possible to just send me one replacement card, as the top card is clearly getting damaged when the deck is boxed. But I'm feeling like this probably won't be solved and I've just got a dented up card.

[Guest]

On 10/13/2020 at 7:47 AM, Decan said:

You wasn't pry, lol.

And I finally did a cut, something I'm not used to do with new decks. For the Thomson the cut revealed the Empress. The card seems in line with the RWS meaning for this card, and so it is very fortunate in this deck. A very good omen I think!

The influence of a woman too? I think about Katrinka work for this deck of course!

The cut for me was the World card. But when shuffling the Seven of Swords popped out reversed. I am still mulling it over. 

[katrinka]

1 hour ago, timtoldrum said:

The cut for me was the World card. But when shuffling the Seven of Swords popped out reversed. I am still mulling it over. 

 

Yours arrived, then? 🙂

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, katrinka said:

 

Yours arrived, then? 🙂

Yep. I really like it.

[katrinka]

Fantastic! Looking forward to your insights. 
 

[Guest]

36 minutes ago, katrinka said:

Fantastic! Looking forward to your insights. 
 

Over the last two days, I’ve tried to decide how to structure my studies with it. There is the reversals, too. With the GE/PE and so on the reversals have a clear method. That seems the case, here. But... then some are a bit random.
 

I noted the brunette and blonde on the 8 of Rods and Cups. That is classical cartomancy.
 

Madeleine Montalban used this deck in her lectures. I have been told that her article were edited into the Prediction Book of the Tarot but I do not know how much editing or if she even followed the system. 

[Decan]

5 hours ago, timtoldrum said:

The cut for me was the World card. But when shuffling the Seven of Swords popped out reversed. I am still mulling it over. 

These are really good news! Congrats!

I checked and the World (and the 7 of Swords) have different meanings than those in the RWS, interesting variations.

[katrinka]

A lot of the cards do, especially the Rods. But even the Majors are different in a lot of ways. Danger is emphasized for the Fool. It should be obvious - he's stepping into a crocodile's jaws. Even RWS shows him stepping off a cliff. But it's been ignored again and again. People get the Fool and say "Go for it!" Uhhhhh... 🙄

[Decan]

4 hours ago, katrinka said:

A lot of the cards do, especially the Rods. But even the Majors are different in a lot of ways. Danger is emphasized for the Fool. It should be obvious - he's stepping into a crocodile's jaws. Even RWS shows him stepping off a cliff. But it's been ignored again and again. People get the Fool and say "Go for it!" Uhhhhh... 🙄

Yes I know... This was developing with "pathworking readings" maybe, when both the reader and the sitter were agreed to interpret the cards in a positive way only, to valid what the sitter wants to hear in some ways; I personally think that denial must not be underestimated (I saw that many times on forums), so a simple warning from a reader to a sitter (useful!) can be rejected (and possibly with virulence) because it upsets a sitter.

But yes, the Fool runs into the wall (or the river, with this friendly crocodile); let's come back to the source, and thanks for your work with this deck!!

[katrinka]

The thanks goes to you guys - now I have people to discuss it with. 🌝
The prediction given for the 7S(R) is a bit random.  Auspicious, though, especially if you combine it with the World. 

I thought pathworking was guided imagery? I guess you could fit a reading into that format, though it's not something I have any desire to do. Especially if it requires censoring the warnings out of the cards! 

[Niobium]

I've been remiss in posting a few of my non-Bonestone acquisitions. 

 

First: Magas Ilustradas, by Mara Parra and Josefina Schargorodsky. I came across this one on instagram and it took me a while to identify it. Getting a copy was a bit difficult because it doesn't appear to be readily available outside Argentina. But, eventually, I obtained it. It comes as a split deck in a long, flat box, but the box wasn't sufficiently protected so it got smushed pretty badly. 😕 I've transferred the deck into a lovely pouch I got from my go-to, dsdmedievalneedle on etsy.

 

 

As you can likely tell from the photo the cardstock is smooth matte, thicker but bendy enough to make shuffling easy. The book fits perfectly in the bag I bought, though it's a shame about the box because it's quite lovely. I find this deck quite nice to work with, a really wholesome feel, if that makes sense, and with everything going on it's a welcome addition.

 

Next: El Tarot de los Amantes (Lovers Tarot), by Kris Waldherr. I'd seen references to this and always eschewed because...I don't know why. Maybe I'm just dumb. But I saw a spread someone did with it and I was wowed by the art. It's really quite lovely.

 

 

Sadly, the print quality is only 'okay'; it's a bit low res considering the rest of the package, which as you can see is quite a bit. That said the art remains lovely and detailed. This one feels a lot like Medieval Scapini to me, so far. I'll have to give it some time to differentiate itself. I find that deck to be somewhat severe, not in a bad way, but it's very much a '2020 mood' Tarot Deck. Not always what I need! Not disappointed in this, though.

 

Please note I don't speak a WORD of Spanish and both of these decks are...entirely in Spanish. So I can't speak to the books' contents but they're certainly well made, for those that matters to.

 

Finally, I managed to find a copy of Solara Occulto (Second Ed.), by Amanda Spicer of Pranic Forest:

 

 

This deck is truly astounding. I loved the box but, like Magas Ilustradas, it got a bit mangled in shipping. Even the tuckbox took some damage (fortunately the deck itself was fine). The art is very elemental and fits a niche I've been trying to fill for months. If you can get a copy of this deck I can't recommend it enough. It can be intense at times but I'm glad I put the effort into obtaining it; it's been worth the work.

[Danvers]

My Fantastic Menagerie LE has arrived. I'm super happy with it but I'm wondering if the cardstock has changed. It's still lovely but certainly stickier than the usual cardstock. Such a nice surprise for Halloween!