The Llewellyn Tarot
by Anna-Marie Ferguson
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Book Summary Information
Author: Anna-Marie FergusonBrand: New Age
Edition: Cards
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-09-08
ISBN: 0738702994
Number of pages: 264
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
Book Reviews of The Llewellyn Tarot
Book Review: Llewellyn's Flagship Tarot Deck
Summary: 5 Stars
This is not the first deck by Anna-Marie Ferguson. Previous to this she has "Legend: The Arthurian Tarot". Her artwork has graced the pages of books and has been exhibited in museums.
I must admit, her work is lovely and exquisite. Very detailed, the figures are full, graceful and inspired. Looking through this deck, it is well worth it for the artwork alone. But a tarot deck is much more than just lovely art. It needs to be functional and be able to illicit a response from both the client and the reader.
The book acknowledges Lewellyn Publishing's Welsh heritage as the inspiration for the topic of the deck. Llewellyn George, the founder of Llewellyn Publishing, was born in Wales, and was also a well known astrologer and theosophist. So, the inspiration from the Welsh tales become the foundation for this deck.
Ms. Ferguson is a member of the Arthurian Society and the Pendragon Society, and was a good choice for the research and attribution of this deck. Her background in these myths and legends lend to some good references and insightful attributions of the figures for this deck.
I needed to reference the book for some of the insights, as I was unsure where the author/artist was going with this. As an example, while Peredur is perfect for the Fool card, Ceridwen I needed to reference, and her attribution of "Queen of the Witches" as told by the folklorist Elias Owen put that into better perspective for me. The choice of "Taliesin" for Hierophant was interesting, softening the original Raider-Waite interpretations.
Yes, there is the word - softening. This deck softens many of the edges off the original interpretations of the Rider-Waite system. Reading through the interpretations of many of the cards, The Death Card, which is usually images that make some folks cringe, here is Arawn, and truly represents the meaning of evolution, change or transformation. While death is mentioned, the story that accompanies this card is more suggestive of the idea of change and evolution.
In the book, each of the Major Arcana cards has a story explaining the choice of the figure by retelling a shortened version of that figure. A nice touch, as it clearly helps the reader identify the elements suggested in the imagery and how to read the card.
The cards do follow the Raider-Waite system, with 21 recognizable Major Arcana cards, four suits of ten cards and four court cards. While some of the names of the Major Arcana cards are changed, they are still easily recognizable. The Court cards remain Page, Knight, Queen and King.
Again we return to the images on the cards. Going through the deck, the traditional elements of the cards are held on to. We have Swords, Wands, Cups and Pentacles. We see familiar elements, like the Two of Cups reflects the traditional meaning of lovers, often considered a minor lovers card. We even see some of the familiar imagery of the Raider-Waite deck. The Four of Pentacles is almost a dead ringer, with the figure seated, his feet on one each, he holds one in his lap, and one is above his head. Behind him is the images of a town/city. The meanings are, again, much softer than the original meaning of the card, and one which I think allows for more of a personal interpretation.
We also see some greater changes in some of the images. The Three of Pentacles is completely changed. Instead of the familiar scene of a "sculpture at work in a monastery" we see a woman sitting in a field sewing. A simpler design, but it still gets across the idea of skill or trade or one who is artistic.
If you are like me, and not all that familiar with the Welsh legends and major figures, the Major Arcana will take a bit to read through, examine and find the meanings, but I believe after a small learning curve, you will find this material easy to work with and lovely to read and understand.
I used this deck with a few clients, and they were not just impressed with the artwork but they also were fascinated with the stories and associations. I think this deck will fit well into my working decks.
Llewellyn has a winner here, with a lovely deck, original content and an easy to use product. I even love the golden patterned bag with the beaded accents that holds the deck. This will make a lovely presentation to students or as gifts for your favorite tarot reader. boudica
Summary of The Llewellyn Tarot
The Amazing, Century-Spanning Tarot
The Llewellyn Tarot is a stunning achievement that has already drawn acclaim for its depth and beauty. Its watercolor imagery invites you into a mystic world of ancient forests, sensuous seascapes and wondrous waterfalls brimming with mystery, meaning and magic. This lavishly illustrated deck is based on the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith deck, making readings easy. It also reveals a compelling Celtic story featuring Rhiannon as The Empress, Bran the Blessed as The Emperor, The Wild Herdsman as The Devil, Gwydion as The Magician, Llew Llaw Gyffes as the Bringer of Light and other figures from Welsh mythology.
This deck?created by famed artist Anna-Marie Ferguson?reveals Welsh myths and honors Llewellyn George, who traveled from Wales to the U.S. in 1901 to teach astrology and start Llewellyn Publications. The deck comes with a full-size book that explains the myths associated with the image on each card as well as their divinatory meanings. It also includes two original spreads.
The Llewellyn Tarot brings life to the ancient myths while keeping to a structure that makes it ideal for giving readings. It honors the wisdom and spirit two great personalities, one who strived in myth, and another who strode to open astrology in a new land. Inspiring and practical, this is the deck you will use every day and on special occasions. Whether this is going to be your first deck or your hundredth deck, it is the deck you must have.
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