Rating: Summary: Love the deck, but don't use the book Review: Although I love the witches tarot deck and use it for all my readings, I do not necessarily agree with the explanations in the book. The descriptions of each card (meaning and reversed meaning) are actually way too brief to conduct a decent reading. Hence, I would recommend the deck if it feels right, but not the book for it's interpretation.
Rating: Summary: An excellent and unusual divination package. Review: Ellen Cannon Reed's Witches Tarot is an excellent divination package which pairs full-color tarot cards with a 300+ page book and a color layout sheet. The creator is a High Priestess who has injected her own traditions to her tarot set, which includes listings of correspondences for each of the Qabalistic Paths. An unusual set and approach results.
Rating: Summary: Cannon-Reed knows her deck well. Review: Ellen Cannon-Reed should, and does, know her deck, "The Witches Tarot" better than anyone, since she devised it. In her book of the same title, she does and admirable job of explaining from where her thoughts and inspirations of this deck stem. I would call this book a must own companion to her deck for many reasons, all rather obvious. My only dissapointment, and a small one at that, is the authors assumption that the reader has also read her title "The Goddess and the Tree", explaining her interpretation of the connection of modern Wicca and the Qabalistic tree. However, after reading through a short way, the basic ideas of the Qabal do come through to enough of a degree for the reader to begin understanding. Over all, I have to say I was impressed wyth the information provided, the explainations given, and the over all way the book was focused at the meanings Mrs. Connon-Reed intended for her deck. A very well concieved and written view of her creation.
Rating: Summary: Cannon-Reed knows her deck well. Review: Ellen Cannon-Reed should, and does, know her deck, "The Witches Tarot" better than anyone, since she devised it. In her book of the same title, she does and admirable job of explaining from where her thoughts and inspirations of this deck stem. I would call this book a must own companion to her deck for many reasons, all rather obvious. My only dissapointment, and a small one at that, is the authors assumption that the reader has also read her title "The Goddess and the Tree", explaining her interpretation of the connection of modern Wicca and the Qabalistic tree. However, after reading through a short way, the basic ideas of the Qabal do come through to enough of a degree for the reader to begin understanding. Over all, I have to say I was impressed wyth the information provided, the explainations given, and the over all way the book was focused at the meanings Mrs. Connon-Reed intended for her deck. A very well concieved and written view of her creation.
Rating: Summary: Disgusting, cheap, tacky, and morally offensive. Review: I ordered this deck/book set and found it so disgusting that I returned it. I have ordered other tarot decks that I wasn't that fond of, and I kept them because I collect tarot card decks. I study a lot of mystical belief systems and cosmological models including tarot, and like to see different points of view. However, this deck was so disgusting and morally offensive that I absolutely had to return it. I simply couldn't bear to own such an abomination. As someone said, the cards are very tacky and it is extremely cheap how they reused the images for the king, queen, knight, and page. All of the figures in the cards look menacing, goofy, and/or strung out. This is something I can't relate to. However, there are also some morally offensive things such as the interpretation of the devil card which has had it's meaning completely reversed. I understand the objection to the Christian image of the devil, but the devil card still represents one being a slave to their physical needs and desires. The author seems to think that this is a good thing, simply becuase the devil image is derived from a nature god image that does have positive and negative aspects. However, simply because the "horned god" image was often used for the devil doesn't make it OK to reverse the meaning of this card. The devil is still the devil even though he may be depicted improperly by mideval christians. Also, the strength card (obviously derived from the crowley interpretation) looks more like a woman giving in to her desires (in a beastiality sort of way) rather than conquering them. In general I find that "wicca" is completely bogus as it seems to be a completely artificial attempt to relate a bunch of "new age" things that aren't necessarily related, and it's a complete failure in it's attempt to recreate what could probably be described as several lost religions. This deck reaffirms my belief that "wicca" is a bunch of completely bogus junk concocted by some people who want some pseudospiritual way to just justify whatever they feel like doing. I don't even buy the idea that "wicca" is "witchcraft." At best it is a bunch of ignorant garbage, and this deck very clearly supports that.
Rating: Summary: Fantastic Deck!! Review: I've been reading Tarot since I was 13, and I've got at least 4 dozen decks. Of all those decks, the one I love the most is this deck. There are some things about this deck which make it different then most decks, most notably that the suits that represent the Air and Fire element in most traditional decks is switched around in this deck (instead of representing Air, Swords represent Fire). If you are a Witch or a Wiccan, you will understand the change and most likely welcome it, but if not, you can easily work around this change and use the deck as you would any other deck. Another fairly large change (for me, anyway) is that when you deal a face card (a Court Card) you lay another card on top of it to clarify and add to a situation. Sometimes it is a behavior that you could expect from a person, sometimes it shows two steps to an ongoing situation, sometimes it just restates what the face card was telling you, it all depends on the reading. Either way, this is a fantastic way to read and interpret the cards. I see a lot of people complaining about how the Court Cards look the same, and to that I have to say that people are not really LOOKING at the cards. While they are similar, they very clearly express different meanings and issues. Frankly, in this day and age where it isn't uncommon to buy a deck only to find that there is a fully illustrated Major Arcana and the cards representing the Minor Arcana strongly resemble basic playing cards, or aren't different even in the slightest, I think to throw away the deck because the Court Cards look similar is really nitpicking. The complaints about how some of the cards look silly also shouldn't be "complaints." In every Tarot Deck, there are cards that are less appealing to the reader, and the cards and reasons it is less appealing vary from person to person. Most people who read cards professionally or have a lot of experience in doing so can tell you that to find a card unappealing is part of the way the Tarot works, and that should be translated into the readings, because it's the cards way of personalizing themselves to you. So while you might find pictures to be goofy, that is actually a good thing, not a bad thing, and should be translated into your readings. That one review, where the person launches off into a diatribe against Wicca and Witchcraft totally baffles me. Why would one buy a Tarot Deck by a Wiccan, aimed at Wiccans and Witches, if they thought the whole idea of Wiccans and Wicca was a joke?? As a Wiccan, I have to say that while this deck is fantastic, it doesn't go into the practices and beliefs of Wiccans (that belief, by the way, is not do what you want as long as it feels good), and if one were picking up this deck in hopes of becoming Wiccan or learning about Wiccan practices, they would be confused at best. Sure the Devil card is replaced by "The Horned God," but that is because Wiccans and Witches don't believe in the Devil. As such, the card is changed to "The Horned One" but the meaning is not changed significantly, since the Horned God is not an all good or all evil being... He represents great power and great happiness, but also the opposite of that. He represents all that is good and bad, the flow of nature. It is very easy to get the same meaning out of "The Horned One" card as one would have gotten from The Devil card; bondage to power and false happiness, upset of balance, disrupting the flow of positive by indulging in the flow of the negative. Remember, for most Wiccans, The Horned One is one half of the dualistic nature of the God and the Goddess... He by himself is not balance, and this card reflects that beautifully. I also have to wonder at what type of mentality one has when one looks at the strength card which has a nude female holding the leash of a lion and automatically assume it has anything to do with giving in to or endorsing bestiality... The card is highly symbolic and does not imply bestiality in any way, shape, or form, through the illustration on the card or its meaning. There are faults with this deck. If one were to buy the deck apart from the book, I suspect they will not be satisfied with the explanations of the cards or the deck that are in the basic booklet that comes with the deck. Some of the meanings are a little hard to understand as written, and there is an inconsistency in some of the translations are a large paragraph long, while the explanation of the another card is only two or three words long. However, as with all things, if you buy the accompanying book separately (which is only about $9), a great amount of this deck and how it functions will be cleared up. As with all Tarot Cards, if it is the deck for you or not depends on your relationship and one could find, as some on here have, that the deck is not for them. I would also go so far as to say that this deck may not be the best beginner deck, but I could be very wrong. Before buying this deck, people should venture online sites that feature samples of the decks, like Isis Books, and decide if this is a deck that they want to get to know.
Rating: Summary: Fantastic Deck!! Review: I've been reading Tarot since I was 13, and I've got at least 4 dozen decks. Of all those decks, the one I love the most is this deck. There are some things about this deck which make it different then most decks, most notably that the suits that represent the Air and Fire element in most traditional decks is switched around in this deck (instead of representing Air, Swords represent Fire). If you are a Witch or a Wiccan, you will understand the change and most likely welcome it, but if not, you can easily work around this change and use the deck as you would any other deck. Another fairly large change (for me, anyway) is that when you deal a face card (a Court Card) you lay another card on top of it to clarify and add to a situation. Sometimes it is a behavior that you could expect from a person, sometimes it shows two steps to an ongoing situation, sometimes it just restates what the face card was telling you, it all depends on the reading. Either way, this is a fantastic way to read and interpret the cards. I see a lot of people complaining about how the Court Cards look the same, and to that I have to say that people are not really LOOKING at the cards. While they are similar, they very clearly express different meanings and issues. Frankly, in this day and age where it isn't uncommon to buy a deck only to find that there is a fully illustrated Major Arcana and the cards representing the Minor Arcana strongly resemble basic playing cards, or aren't different even in the slightest, I think to throw away the deck because the Court Cards look similar is really nitpicking. The complaints about how some of the cards look silly also shouldn't be "complaints." In every Tarot Deck, there are cards that are less appealing to the reader, and the cards and reasons it is less appealing vary from person to person. Most people who read cards professionally or have a lot of experience in doing so can tell you that to find a card unappealing is part of the way the Tarot works, and that should be translated into the readings, because it's the cards way of personalizing themselves to you. So while you might find pictures to be goofy, that is actually a good thing, not a bad thing, and should be translated into your readings. That one review, where the person launches off into a diatribe against Wicca and Witchcraft totally baffles me. Why would one buy a Tarot Deck by a Wiccan, aimed at Wiccans and Witches, if they thought the whole idea of Wiccans and Wicca was a joke?? As a Wiccan, I have to say that while this deck is fantastic, it doesn't go into the practices and beliefs of Wiccans (that belief, by the way, is not do what you want as long as it feels good), and if one were picking up this deck in hopes of becoming Wiccan or learning about Wiccan practices, they would be confused at best. Sure the Devil card is replaced by "The Horned God," but that is because Wiccans and Witches don't believe in the Devil. As such, the card is changed to "The Horned One" but the meaning is not changed significantly, since the Horned God is not an all good or all evil being... He represents great power and great happiness, but also the opposite of that. He represents all that is good and bad, the flow of nature. It is very easy to get the same meaning out of "The Horned One" card as one would have gotten from The Devil card; bondage to power and false happiness, upset of balance, disrupting the flow of positive by indulging in the flow of the negative. Remember, for most Wiccans, The Horned One is one half of the dualistic nature of the God and the Goddess... He by himself is not balance, and this card reflects that beautifully. I also have to wonder at what type of mentality one has when one looks at the strength card which has a nude female holding the leash of a lion and automatically assume it has anything to do with giving in to or endorsing bestiality... The card is highly symbolic and does not imply bestiality in any way, shape, or form, through the illustration on the card or its meaning. There are faults with this deck. If one were to buy the deck apart from the book, I suspect they will not be satisfied with the explanations of the cards or the deck that are in the basic booklet that comes with the deck. Some of the meanings are a little hard to understand as written, and there is an inconsistency in some of the translations are a large paragraph long, while the explanation of the another card is only two or three words long. However, as with all things, if you buy the accompanying book separately (which is only about $9), a great amount of this deck and how it functions will be cleared up. As with all Tarot Cards, if it is the deck for you or not depends on your relationship and one could find, as some on here have, that the deck is not for them. I would also go so far as to say that this deck may not be the best beginner deck, but I could be very wrong. Before buying this deck, people should venture online sites that feature samples of the decks, like Isis Books, and decide if this is a deck that they want to get to know.
Rating: Summary: Understandable yet tacky... Review: I've delt with the Merlin deck before, and the pictures were beautiful. However, the pictures in the Witches Tarot seem phoney and rushed, with no real creative insight. The book, however, makes the deck feesable, as well as the aces. If the artist had reached a midpoint between the aces and the rest of the deck, the pictures would be beautiful. The book is wonderfully informative in not only the Tarot, but as well as meditation and divination in other forms. I reccommend it if you can find it for under $30. (The shelf price is rediculous.)
Rating: Summary: Very informative and well written Review: My fiance bought The Witches' Qabalah for himself and bought me the Witches' Tarot deck. I adore the deck, but I didn't know about the book to it until recently when I found it on your site. He bought it for me as a present and I truly enjoyed it. Not only did it help with my understanding of Qabalah, but it also assisted in my understanding of the symbolism of the deck itself. A wonderful book that would fit in any Witch or Coven's collection, I must commend Ms. Reed and thank her for a lovely book and Tarot deck.Blessed BeDyana
Rating: Summary: Witches Tarot Deck Review: The witches Tarot is my first Deck. I have since purchased the much revered Rider Waite Tarot and I find I like my Witches Tarot deck better. I love the artistry even though it could be considered a bit on the erotic side, and I frankly don't give a hoot about the fact they reused the images for the king, queen, prince, and princess. It is easy to find fault with the talents who create artistic products such as these, either the Witches or the Rider deck, but I think both are very positive. I liked the deck so much I have recently ordered the book too.
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