You probably guessed after last week that I might go looking for a version of a Celtic-themed tarot deck, and of course I did.
The deck is beautifully packaged in a self-closing box that includes both a guidebook and the cards.
The art in Kristoffer Hughes’s deck, as created by Chris Down, is quite striking, sometimes bold, and each card offers an abundance of symbology to contemplate. I find it interesting, considering my post last week, that Hughes discusses several bodies of thought that he then unifies in the Celtic idea of the “world tree” (indeed, the title of the book includes the word “branches”).
I imagine I’ll need to spend some time just exploring the cards to know if I feel connected to this deck. There are differences in the names of some of the major arcana cards as well as the minor arcana cards. I haven’t had a good opportunity to sort all that out yet.
In a recent video from Kevin at Body Mind & Soul, he suggested two cards as connected to the last full moon, the Ten of Cups and the Ten of Pentacles. In this deck, those would be the Ten of Cauldrons and the Ten of Shields. Happy online researching if you’d like to know more about these cards. You can also find Kevin’s video at this link.
Disclaimer: I am no expert on tarot cards. Because I don’t study or practice with any particular deck, I don’t do readings. I use the cards as a means of introspection. I also enjoy the art, beauty, and symbolism of many tarot decks and how they reflect the personalities and journeys of their creators. Tarot is like other things that inspire me and engage my interest, such as books, music, and art.
I don’t much care for the artwork, although I am intrigued by the two pairs of young women in the background on both. There is some creepy about them – a la The Shining.
I need to spend a lot more time looking at the cards from this deck. There are many with dragons on them, and I have an affection for dragons.