the hidden realm :-)

[floatingleaf]

I finally received that OTHER Tarot deck I ordered a few weeks ago. Tarot of the Hidden Realm by Julia Jeffrey. It took a while before it even shipped... and then it got lost on the way, so I had to request a replacement. But now it's here. And I totally understand what people mean when they say that different card decks speak to them on different levels. My other two Tarot decks are somewhat similar: both feature very stylized, aesthetic images that are somewhat subdued in their emotional expression. This one is a total opposite: raw, visceral and immediate, evoking emotion without the need to understand the symbols. In fact, most of the cards don't even include the traditional accessories associated with their particular suits or ranks. They are mostly close-ups of human faces, suffused with feeling - and the feeling tells you all you need to know about what the card means. Well, they're not technically human - they're supposed to be "the fairy folk", and there are a few animals thrown into the mix as well - but the close-ups are so intimate they just grip you by the gut. I actually had tears in my eyes while sorting through this deck; not because of its beauty (from a purely aesthetic standpoint, the Shadowscapes Tarot, which I posted about earlier, is more beautifully designed), but because of how "real" it feels. Love and fear, joy and heartbreak, longing and wisdom and regret... it's all there, on those faces. Which makes it, I now realize, a better deck to learn the Tarot from than all those more technical, sophisticated ones. You can read up on the symbols later. The simple, intimate images really activate your intuition. I did a few simple spreads, and I found I didn't even feel like checking the companion booklet for meanings; and even when I did, the meanings in the booklet seemed less clear to me than my own instinctual response to the cards was. This is totally new, as I am very much used to processing everything on an intellectual level before I can even access the emotion behind it. Which, of course, makes you constantly question your interpretations. With this deck, I wasn't questioning, or arguing with my own brain; I was talking to the cards, saying, "OK, so you're telling me THIS, and I know exactly why you'd say it... and this other card is showing a different perspective on it, but I can relate to that as well, because I see how the two energies complement one another in my life, and in this current situation". It was as if I suddenly got "plugged in" to the actual wisdom of the universe.;-D Who knew. *blinks*

Anyway... let me show you a few examples of what I'm talking about. Here's The Empress:



And this is Strength:



The Strength card typically features a lion... but the wolf is so perfect here, and so much more in tune with the deck's Celtic vibe. <333

Now here comes Death:



She gives me the chills. Not in a creepy way, but in a "sweeping force of destiny" kind of way. ;-)

And this is The Devil:



Note he's not actually called "The Devil" here. They changed the card's name to Shadowdance. Again, so intuitively perfect.

And The Star. All the breathless wonder of life contained within one image:



Now look at The Moon:



Don't you just feel the pull right into the bottomless depths of your subconscious?... I do. :-P

Now let's move on to the four elements. The Wands are fire, vibrant and alive:



Three of Wands typically shows someone setting out on a journey... but what could better convey the same wild mix of hope and uncertainty than a young couple with a newborn?







The Cups are water, moody and emotional. My favorite card among all the Cups is this lovely selkie, torn between two worlds:









The Swords are air - cold, sharp and spacious (or detached). This one is the most peaceful of the bunch... so I love that instead of swords, she got butterflies:



And I love the Page. So focused on her task:







And, finally, the Pentacles, representing earth - grounded, peaceful and practical:









Now, the Queen of Pentacles is my favorite of all the Queens; quite possibly my favorite card in the entire deck. She embodies the level of inner peace and confidence that only comes through experience... and that is precisely what makes her irresistible, even beyond the, ahem, "physical shell". Which, as I'm sure you'll agree, leaves nothing to be desired. Or perhaps everything... depending on your perspective. :-D

And now... bedtime.