The concise review of ‘Parallel World Tarot’ deck concludes with a short appraisal of the ‘feel’ and quality of the cards. There will be many who will dislike the punchy colours and the deceptive simplicity of the designs. The seventy-eight cards will be as any other deck: It will be loved or not, and there would be no surprise if the feeling is immediate. Morgan Greer has this effect on readers.
Astrid’s deck will be understood by very experienced individuals. The Morgan Greer Deck (mentioned in an earlier essay) is sometimes dismissed as a beginners deck. Anyone who believes this to be so is not entirely aware of the powerful symbolism. It would be easy to confuse the clarity of imagery and ‘other’ aspects of Astrid’s design with a beginners deck. Nothing could be further from the reality, the bold and definitive pictures make it a superb instrument for professional readers. Morgan Greer and Astrid’s deck could be confused at first sight. There is no crossover in the symbolism. Although the bold colours and borderless images of both decks I find especially pleasing.
The Moon is a particular favourite – Divers ascending to the surface on a night dive open’s the imagination to many ideas. The Magician’s table is traditional and the spectrum of colour makes a nice wand. The sentiment ‘As Above So Below’ is clearly defined in his prismatic hand. These are just two of the ten’s of ideas held within the imagery.
The depth of the symbolism is demonstrated in the two previous essays, and it would be pointless to write another seventy-six monograph describing the remaining cards. It is this writer’s opinion it is the owner of the deck who comes to understand its meanings. The advanced Tarot reader will adapt the interpretations over the years. Simplicity and small spreads are the sign of an experienced reader. If asked a reader of the highest calibre can combine two or three cards into a spectacular display of ability. To explain the methodology involved in the highest degree of reading would take twenty thousand words or more, something well beyond the constraints of a daily essay. It is important to comment, this is only a personal opinion. Many brilliant readers use complex and informative spreads, and there is great respect for their ability.
The King of Coins is immediate in its understanding. The Ten of Cup’s with the astrological signs and the ten coloured vessels contain hundreds of interpretations. I photographed this card and have it as a screensaver on my phone. The psychological inference of the symbolism is superb.
There is sufficient information in the previous essays to get a ‘feel’ for what is on offer with Astrid’s beautiful creation. It comes as no surprise that her deck has evolved over ten years as a professional reader. Knowledge and awareness seep through every card. The seventy-eight cards would grace any professional readers table.
The Knight of Wands seems to provoke thoughts of real creativity and progress with projects. The lion signifies great courage when working with one’s ideas. The King of Swords asks me to consider, intellectual aloofness and warns of the dangers of isolation caused by wealth. By the way, the ‘Court Cards’ have superior guidance if understood. Unfortunately, they are dismissed and feared my many readers, and therefore given ‘personalities’. Jung’s archetypes help with meaningful interpretation.
The cards shuffle and handle beautifully although the reader should be aware the cards will ‘age’ fairly quickly. If I were to use these professionally, I would spray them with a high-quality protective coating. For many years I used Hahnemuhle Fineart Protective Spray or Winsor & Newton fine art gloss spray varnish to protect my working decks. I would advise trying the finish on an old deck to see if the effect is to your taste, before spraying an expensive investment. My feeling is high-quality cards used professionally benefit from this simple method of protection. The old days of worn decks on the table are long gone, people like to see ‘one hundred and one percent presentation’ today. The longer a readers cards stay pristine, the better.
On the subject of cards, we are fortunate that Annie Webster is part of our community. Annie has extensive knowledge of differing genres of Tarot, Angel, Divination and Meditation cards. At the events, you can take advantage of the many open decks and look through each one with care. It is not possible to do this on Amazon etc. It is nice to be able to feel the weight, and physical size of the cards, and of course assess the imagery and the all important symbolism. Link to 🙂 Annie
The three essays have guided me to think about the daily news posts on this LizianEvents.org site. Even though there is a comments tab at the top of the page, I have received numerous emails about the Tarot posts. In answer to the three most important questions 1) I do not teach Tarot anymore. 2) I am no longer a reader. 3) Yes, I may review a deck again. I would prefer other people to review decks and send in their essays.
Many Thanks for the kind feedback and reading the LizianEvents News.
See You Soon.
