It’s full of added on symbols. The majors have prominent keywords, astro symbols, and quotes from the Gnostic poem, “Thunder, Perfect Mind” https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontlin ... under.html. The minors have keywords related to their element, “Lightning,” “Ocean,” “Fruits,” and god and goddess names, as well as astro assignments, symbols that represent their numbers, and what looks like Egyptian hieroglyphics. Courts are Daughter, Son, Mother, Father. Whew! I’ll definitely have to look at the (cute small hardback) book for the god and goddesses, I have no clue on those. The astro assignments definitely aren’t GD because they are two planets each.
But most of all, they have Caroline Smith’s wonderful simple but powerful artwork. I look forward to exploring the deck this week.
Lots of shuffling and then on to the interview. The cards are large, and the information is dense, so the short version interview this time.
Deck’s strength: Father of Water
It looks like from the tattwa symbols, fathers are air, and sons are fire, daughters are water, and mothers are earth. So Father of Water is air of water. He’s also Jupiter and north node. As a strength, the combination of air and water is just right for a tarot deck, lots of information, learning, and symbols, along with openings for intuition and feeling. The illustration shows the water of intuition (full of little fishies) flowing from the father’s head, and the descending dove of understanding as his scepter. According to the book, Tarquam is the angel of autumn, Libra as an air sign?
Deck’s weakness: 3 of Fire, Beacon
A beacon is fire put to use as a communication device. Perhaps the weakness is over-communicating, too much symbolism not letting the card speak for itself. Although the planets on the side are Sun and Jupiter, Sun is obviously more important here. I like the three fire triangles highlighting the sexuality of the woman. Her allure shines like a beacon. Shamash is a Mesopotamian sun god.
What can I learn from this deck: 14 Peace
Sorry, but for a tarot studier like me, this card is a hot mess! It’s 14, so Peace is an alternate to Temperance, which might be ok. But the keyword is Justice, and the quote mentions judgment!!! (In this deck card 11 (Justice) is Law, keyword System.) So maybe what I need to learn from the deck is to be open and learn its alternate system; give it a chance. The planets are Venus and Midheaven. It seems to illustrate Peace as divine consolation for tears, perhaps guilt. An eagle-headed white angel with colorful wings comforts two kneeling, weeping grey figures. Their tears water roses; their grief nurtures. I think of guilt because the quote is about judgment and acquittal, and the keyword Justice, so instead of Peace, it could be Mercy. None of which has much to do with Temperance as either moderation or joining of opposites, except the duality and similarity of the male and female figures being comforted. Another thing I’ve learned is people really don’t know what Temperance means!
Outcome of our work together: 9 of Air, Thunder
The title is Thunder, but the illustration is more like rain and rainbow. But with the black cloud beneath, I guess it’s if you want rain and a rainbow, sometimes you have to have thunder first. Or you might be scared of thunder, but in the end there’s nourishing rain and maybe a rainbow. Is that a dead animal below? Or maybe he’s hunkering down in a storm with no shelter. The planets are Uranus and Pluto. Jumala is the Finnish god of thunder. So what I’ll find from working with this deck is that it seems like too much to deal with at first, but it will soften and open my learning and intuition.
Wow, such an interesting deck! I look forward to more. I might end up just doing one card a day so I can really dig in, but we’ll see. Have a happy week ahead!