Rating: 
Summary: This is "my" deck!
Review: I agree with what Lady Eire said in her review about this deck. It is for the "studied Celt." If you are of Celtic ancestry and have already researched Celtic history, myth, legend, and the Old Religion, this deck will make perfect sense to you. I'm a relative beginner to the Tarot and I've had no trouble understanding this deck and picking up on the layers of meaning under each card's images; in fact I inderstand this deck better than a "traditional" Tarot deck.If you prefer all hand-drawn decks, you probably won't care for this one much - which doesn't make it a "good" or a "bad" deck - it's just not your preference. I, for one, love vibrant colors and lots of different details on each card, and Sacred Circle has it. I like a deck from which I can pull the same card many times, and each time notice a different detail that pertains to my question. Bravo, Anna and Paul - this is one Celt who appreciates Sacred Circle. :)
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful deck...but not for beginners.
Review: I am a Tarot beginner. I purchased this as my first deck and, to be completely honest, the reason for my choice was that I saw images from the deck on aeclectic.net and thought that the cards were "pretty." I love the deck for a lot of reasons. The artwork is beautiful (though the photography doesn't blend well with the computer-gen art on several of the cards). The cards are large, so the details and symbolism are not lost. The choice of landscapes and plantlife depicted on the cards is always appropriate and, well, just lovely in general. What I do NOT like about this deck is the book. This is not a deck geared to beginners and, though it has its merits, the book is confusing at times. The deck is not a traditional tarot deck, and several broad liberties have been taken in renaming and redefining parts of the Major Arcana. Only the barest descriptions and explanations of spreads are given (though quite a few are shown). More time is spent on the meditative qualities of the cards than on their use and/or meaning in divination. The divination paragraphs regarding each card are often wordy and full of "fluff" that goes with the lore and symbolism that the author put into the imagery. There is no discussion of the placement of different cards in the spread or the relationships between cards. In short, it is a book written with the idea that its reader will already know quite a bit about Tarot. This deck is nicely done. I've truly enjoyed it. I feel connected to the deck, and I'm glad it was my first choice. My advice, however, to any other beginners, is that you start elsewhere (like the Rider deck which has SO many books and tutorials written about it) before diving into a "different" deck like this one.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful deck...but not for beginners.
Review: I am a Tarot beginner. I purchased this as my first deck and, to be completely honest, the reason for my choice was that I saw images from the deck on aeclectic.net and thought that the cards were "pretty." I love the deck for a lot of reasons. The artwork is beautiful (though the photography doesn't blend well with the computer-gen art on several of the cards). The cards are large, so the details and symbolism are not lost. The choice of landscapes and plantlife depicted on the cards is always appropriate and, well, just lovely in general. What I do NOT like about this deck is the book. This is not a deck geared to beginners and, though it has its merits, the book is confusing at times. The deck is not a traditional tarot deck, and several broad liberties have been taken in renaming and redefining parts of the Major Arcana. Only the barest descriptions and explanations of spreads are given (though quite a few are shown). More time is spent on the meditative qualities of the cards than on their use and/or meaning in divination. The divination paragraphs regarding each card are often wordy and full of "fluff" that goes with the lore and symbolism that the author put into the imagery. There is no discussion of the placement of different cards in the spread or the relationships between cards. In short, it is a book written with the idea that its reader will already know quite a bit about Tarot. This deck is nicely done. I've truly enjoyed it. I feel connected to the deck, and I'm glad it was my first choice. My advice, however, to any other beginners, is that you start elsewhere (like the Rider deck which has SO many books and tutorials written about it) before diving into a "different" deck like this one.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful tool for meditation, but difficult to use
Review: I am new to the tarot, and this is the first (and so far only) deck I've bought. The images are absolutely breathtaking, and I've found it to be a wonderful tool for meditation. However, I concur with other reviewers that the deck is a bit large to shuffle comfortably, and the fact that you can tell whether a card will be reversed is unfortunate. I imagine this will continue to be my favorite deck for meditation, but I'm planning to buy a more "conventional" deck for learning to read spreads.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Gorgeous
Review: I am so impressed by this deck! It has a history of the cards, which is very interesting, also a brief view on paganism, and how its percieved. The cards are absolutely gorgeous, and the book is well worth reading! I have about 6 other tarot decks, and none have "reached" out to me like these have!!!
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Deck and Interesting Book
Review: I have been interested in the Ancient Celts and especially Druids for years, especially since I learned of my Irish ancestery. Being interested in such things, I was drawn to this deck in my search for the "perfect" deck for me. It has beautiful, detailed images, each with its own symbolism and meaning explained in the well written book that comes with the deck. It was well worth purchasing and I have never stopped enjoying looking at the cards and reflecting on them. This is the perfect deck for someone interested in the Celts or following the Celtic path.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Deck
Review: I have been using this deck for a year and a half now. The only obstacle I can see with using this deck is the backs of the cards showing whether it will be reversed or not. (Some people have had a slight problem with the size of the cards-but you get used to it in no time.) I just make it a point to not look at them when I am mixing them up so that it will not affect me. Otherwise, the imagery is beautiful-I love the way it has incorporated actual places with the images of the Tarot. Even though some of the meanings and cards are different, it's all in the way you feel when you see them more than what the book says anyway. Great book with lots of information and history. I love it!
Rating:
Summary: I was mysteriously drawn
Review: I have never really been one to be drawn to the Tarot. I have always been a stone/herb person. But when I first saw this deck, I could not put it down. It called out to the Pagan Celtic Spirit within me and I just *had* to have it. It is the 1st deck that I have picked up and worked with that I can actually get something from. Most decks were pretty and I liked the artwork, but this one has something spiritually mystical about it. It spoke to me, and that was what 1st impressed me. Because of this deck, I have begun working with Tarot and seeking to learn more. Someone above stated that this was a deck for the *experienced* reader. I have to disagree. I think that the experienced reader would try to read too much into what the cards of this deck are saying. As a new reader, I can pick up the card and *truely* follow what I am told by the card. I don't spend time trying to figure out what *traditional* decks would portray by this card. It simply speaks and I hear it. I just know, I don't have to *learn* how to read these cards. I think that says a lot about how The Spirit works through them.
Rating:
Summary: Will be a classic
Review: I just received this beautifull deck. This is my second Tarot deck that I have purchased. The first Tarot deck I received was the celtic tartot by Courtney Davis. The Sacred Circle Tarot is much easier to read. The cards have little reminders on the top of each card, so they are easier to interpret. Also, the book that comes with the deck is in plain english, so it is easier to understand while learning the tarot. Not only is it one of the prettiest decks, but also very easy to understand.
Rating:
Summary: A must have deck and book for the serious reader
Review: I love this sumptuous photographic deck. I intend to use it in my own personal meditations over the next several months. I like to pick a card a day as a daily guidance tool, so a new deck typically takes about 2 1/2 months to absorb into the subconscious. The luscious imagery of The Sacred Circle Tarot promises to be very thought provoking indeed. The book that accompanies the deck reflects a wiccan/druidic magickal practice but retains the ancient association of swords with air, wands with fire. Many of the new decks that reflect the wiccan tradition reverse the elemental meaning of swords and wands. Being a traditionalist, and follower of a Scottish shamanic path, I prefer to use decks that keep the swords as air and wands as fire. The Sacred Circle Tarot uses layered photographic imagery, created by overlaying Mason's collaged photographic images with symbols chosen by Anna Franklin. This deck, begun over 15 years ago, could only be completed in the manner the duo envisioned when they discovered the computer program Adobe Photoshop. Unlike other photographically collaged tarot decks, The Sacred Circle layers several different images with illustrations (ie. dragons and other non-photographic creatures/symbols) in a single scene as if the real and astral appeared in the same moment for the photographer's lens. The effect of the layering is surreal, opening a psychic doorway for the user by drawing the eye into a rich scenic image. It is rare for both a deck and book to capture my heart, Sacred Circle does so and more.
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