Tarot of Metamorphosis

I just knew I had to have this deck when I spotted it because of how unique it was not because I was drawn to the images. It is based on RWS with a spin that every card's base is about change, a concept that I believe drives us and makes us who we are. Every choice and path we take in life changes us and changes others around us, usually for the better (even if we don't think so in the moment).

As I riffled through the images some were extraordinary and surreal while others had me scratching my head or turning up a lip in distaste, but it was apparent that all had something to say. Reading through the book, I was awestruck at the descriptions with the Major Arcana and how it took the regular meanings one step left and deeper but remaining true, I was mesmerized and pulled into my inner reflective being. The Minor Arcana had me scratching my head to grasp the heart of the cards, but when I did a quick layout I found that this is a very strong intuitive deck with a quick wit. Often straying from the artists original meanings for the cards as the images seemed to touch me, sometimes irritate me but all spoke aloud. I've included the LWB meanings to show the contrast.

I asked a few questions to help me get to know this deck and give me some practice with it.

1. What is your most important characteristic?
What a strong image Temperance is! An hourglass type vessel with a back lit human form opposite a dark skeleton adored in gold. What struck me was the balance of life/death, adornments/bare, light/dark. Seeing the onlookers rapt in what's before them a seer opposite standing separate and apart but available for an exchange of words with a few easy steps or perhaps a simple glance. I found the answer to this question was that it is about balance and showing that balance to others willing to look with my help.

The LWB's description is: "Metamorphoses of the Psyche. balances the opposite polarities of existence in an inner meta. that renews the human being. Pursue the harmony you seek, avoid stagnant situations and crystallization, both mental and material.


2. What are your strengths as a deck?
The Hermit is a great and wise sage that appreciates the power of silence.
This card told me that it's strength is great wisdom that hovers above much and sees much if we listen.
Again I stray from the intended meaning in the book, but will include it here for interest of reference and for the curious. "Metamorphoses of Silence. The most important transformations are those that need the most time. Be patient and let your personaily be tranformed and adapt to the needs of your higher self, whose voice can be heard only in the inner silence."


3. What are your limits as a deck?
This is one of the surreal images that, while beautiful, also repels the part of me that looks first and asks questions later. With this deck I can see that images are in a constant state of change themselves and with peculiar artwork and flourish, meanings not always what they seem. How can a card irritate me and please me at the same time!?

"Chalices represent the metamorphoses of myth. the great reservoir of the collective human unconscious varies according to the culture. There are countless legends that tell of metamorphosis, allegorical and mental mirrors of profound spiritual tensions, at times covered up but never completely forgotten. "

"The 6 of Chalices is the change in memory. The past was lavish with changes that turned out to be positive. Harmony. Love that is strengthened through oneself. (Myth of Philemon and Baucis)"


4. What do you bring to the table -- what are you here to teach me?
This is one of the cards I'd seen online and one that made me want to see more. Immediately I'm whisked away on a short hike not far from home. Climbing the incline and coming across an alcove like the one in the image, a monsters open mouth, teeth menacing. But to master fear and brave a closer look transforms those teeth into protection. This card told me to reign myself in and master...something. That something left undisclosed and yet to discover.

My intuitive feel for this card is the closest to the book's description, "The Metamorphoses of energy. Even the most frightening and aggressive force can be sublimated through metamorphosis. Strenth helps us correctly channel the lowest energies, transforming and purifying them. Be careful of excessive trust."

5 & 6 were the shortest of answers.

5. How can I best learn from and collaborate with you?
The Knight of Pentacles smiled, his bike already in motion forward as he beckons "suit up and ride".

6. What is the potential outcome of our working relationship?
"The sky is the limit, you'll see an immediate truth and you'll see of how things are sometimes different under the surface"

New deck interview spread by FireRaven on Aeclectic Tarot

Mona Lisa Tarot

I finally had the time and mental and spiritual energy to greet my new Mona Lisa Tarot deck. My first time with a deck, I usually say a basic "hello" and pull a card or two to see what comes from it, it's been a good indicator to show me from the get-go if I can connect with a deck as a reading deck or if it's only a deck to admire. I was pleasantly surprised with the cards that I pulled and indeed it's shown strength as a reading deck for me. Instantly I see this will be a deck that I will need to use intuitively and toss out the typical RWS meanings. While the RWS meanings are there in abstract ways, the images on these cards are far from being typical.




I pulled the 3 of Swords, and very plainly, the image is a woman writing with a baby in the background, replace this with my computer and it's unmistakably how I've spent my last 7 weeks. The other card was the Knight of Pentacles and again, the sense of wanting to flee the city and responsibility is too strong to ignore. Alexiss has been what they call a colicky baby and it's been a difficult time, sometimes making me want to run away from home. (but I love her dearly and understand she's just as irritated by all of this too) The LWB keywords are fate/mission and disagreement/misunderstanding, true but the words are not as strong as the impact of the images. I don't feel a need to peer further and meditate on these cards as they only show me in a snapshot of the current day, and show it very well! I won't delve into them further, but what they have done is made me want to study this deck further and compare, but this deck has shown it's value for reading intuitively rather than relying on the cold hard RWS meaning, perhaps giving more depth and clearer pictures into my future readings.

I then asked what I could do to make Alexiss happy or comforted and once again, the cards were plain and in-my-face.

I pulled the 7 of Wands and the Queen of Swords. The 7 of wands shows Mona Lisa protecting a child, the orange/red background is so prominent, I can only see it as protecting Alexiss with fiery and all my might. Plain and simple, she needs me to protect and care for her best I can. Mona Lisa herself is a mystery and her "face a study in contradiction" (from the intro in the LWB, in the Queen of Swords I've taken her representation as someone whom I don't know well and may very well have her own agenda or not portray herself for who she truly is. This card tells me not to listen to all those that preach about care of babies, they have their own agenda and are speaking in general terms instead of on a personal level, and those who've had babies know that each one is different and unique.

What I found interesting was we both got a card from Swords, this suit relates to Air and is about communication, Alexiss is verbal (cries, coos, babble) but cannot tell me outright what she needs, it's become a practice of picking up her other non verbal ways to communicate to tell me what she needs. Funny how little Miss Alexiss is running the show these days, she gets the Queen and I get the 3, I guess that tells the tale how she's pulling the strings right now and I'm following. lol. The Knight of Pentacles can be interpretted as upcoming travel by foot... mmmm... all those nights with her on my shoulder pacing to calm her.

I'm amazed at the clarity of this deck enough to put more time into more in depth study, but that will come later.