by ~*~Velvet Angel ~*~

Alexandra Genetti is both author and artist of this Tarot deck.

© 1997 Destiny Books

The author of the Wheel of Change Tarot has many talents, including artist, astrologer, and Tarot Reader.  She spent 10 years creating this deck which contains a rich blend of symbols from various cultures, time period, and human interests.  The symbolic variety found in the cards range from Native American pots to the modern electric guitars.  With the exception of the four court cards which are entitled Queen, Knight, Prince, and Princess, this deck follows the traditional Tarot Structure.

One thing that stands out in this deck which I really like is that the borders are color coded, so you can easily tell at a glance which suits of the Tarot you are working with in a reading.  The suit of Cups have a reddish-orange border, Wands have a yellow border, Swords have a blue border, Disks have a green border, and the Major Arcana cards are done in a pale lavender border.  I would have color coded them a little differently, but it's a useful system nevertheless.

A lot of different colors are used in this deck, and although probably not considered especially fancy, the art is nice and very well done.  Much detail is included in the cards, and the work of the artist is appreciable.

Another thing I like with this deck is that it represents many different races and cultures.  From looking at the variety of scenes in the cards and reviewing information from the accompanying book, this deck seems to make an important statement to me:  "No matter what race or religious beliefs you hold, you are just as important as anyone else."  I like that feeling with this deck, because I am very much against prejudice of any kind.

As with other Tarot decks, this one contains some nudity which can tend to be offensive to a few readers and clients, but when considering the various cultures presented in Wheel of Change Tarot, such nudity is simply a way of life for some cultures, and certainly not presented in the cards with intention to be offensive.

Many of the images in the deck do differ from traditional Tarot . . . but then again, this is a different deck, designed from the perspective of the author and artist, Alexandra Ginetti.  Some of the information in the book can also seem to stray from traditional meanings, but as I read through some of the card meanings, I could still find the common thread to traditional Tarot meanings.  This deck just opens up additional views in my opinion, and I've found it to be worth my time in exploring.

The book and deck are obviously the result of a lot of thought, effort, and dedicated work by the author, yet it won't be something for everyone's personal tastes.  It is attractively packaged as a boxed set with book and cards, but I would recommend viewing as many cards as possible before making a purchase decision.  It's difficult -- if not about impossible -- to find a deck where you really like each and every card.  Most often, there are at least a few cards in the deck which don't especially seem appealing . . . but when the deck speaks to you overall, then it's easy to overlook the few minor things you wish had been different in a deck.  The Wheel of Change Tarot is one of those decks . . . you will likely find that not every single card is one you like a lot, but for me, I can appreciate the overall work in this card set.

On page 3 of the introduction in the book, Alexandria Genetti speaks about her labor of love for the creation of Wheel of Change Tarot:

"The Wheel of Change Tarot the result of ten years of steady work and study . . . . I wanted to create a new Tarot that was intellectually rigorous, yet consistent and straightforward.  I wanted this new Tarot to express elements of the modern world of science and of our contemporary life, but also to relate our history and evolution.  I also knew it should be traditional; it should keep to the ancient forms as much as possible without renaming cards or suits and also without the overuse of the human figure, so prevalent in today's decks.  I wanted the cards of the Major Arcana to be immediately distinguishable from the pip cards of the common deck, so I knew that there would be no human figures in the numbered cards.  Overall, however, the most important thing I wanted to express in these cards was a deep reverence for nature and, in addition, the condition of humanity embedded within . . . "

"The court cards represent the roles in the human family of mother, father, son, and daughter.  The cards could have easily taken these very clear and simple names but for one thing:  this produces a static system in which the development of the changing roles is fixed and deterministic.  The father and mother become the inflexible origin of the son and daughter, and the system is then linear rather than circular.  In the court card system of the Thoth Tarot, the active Knight usurps the role of the Father King, and his addition makes the system a cycle of changes, moving like a wheel.  The Knight embodies energy from outside the family pattern and represents, as Lancelot did, a new influence of the Queen, made manifest in the outer world as the Knight carries her off.  In this way the Tarot Prince and Princess -- who are the issue of the old King  and desire the new authority of rulership -- are able to fill the place of the old King and Queen endlessly in the circle of creation."

"The Prince and Princess represent youth, or inexperience and learning, while the Knight and Queen represent adulthood and confidence."

I've read reviews on this deck that range from very critical to very highly appraised.  I think it's important to keep in mind that because artists do not approach all of the cards in the same way, or have the same degree of understanding and interpretation, it's to be expected to find differences from deck to deck.  I definitely would not call such differences "flaws;" it's really just the authors' personal expression and their willingness to speak from their own voice rather than to copy someone else.  I think such efforts are commendable, because it takes courage to put what is familiar aside and try something new in a way that stands out as something a little different from all the rest.  In fact . . . that is what makes each unique deck what it is :-)

One thing about the book is that it does not discuss reversed card meanings.  The author does not use reversals when reading Tarot, because she feels that there are already plenty of possibilities in 78 cards.  Here is yet another point where my personal views differ from the author's, because I feel that reversed cards are important if they come up.  I do read this deck with reversals, however, and one doesn't have to use any set of cards exactly like the author does.  In fact, finding what works best for you, according to your own beliefs and preferences, is what helps you to become a good reader regardless of the deck(s) you use.

The author would seem to agree on that point, as in the preface section of the book, she wrote . . .

"In the written explanations you will find my own ideas and impetus behind the images.  However, I want to be clear that I intend these explanations as a guide.  I do not want to limit the reader's own intuition or ideas in any way.  These images are dense; they contain many symbols, and the language of symbol is undeniably complex and elusive.  Let the pictures themselves be your first teacher."

Number of Cards in Deck: 78 cards (22 Major/56 Minor)

Size of Cards:  3" x 5"

Included with deck: 383-page Instruction Book

Major Arcana:
Fool, Magician, High Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant,
Lovers, Chariot, Strength, Hermit, Wheel of Fortune,
Justice, Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, Devil, Tower,
Star, Moon, Sun, Judgment, World

Suit Names: Wands, Cups, Swords, Disks (Pentacles)
 

Court Cards:  Queen, Knight, Prince, Princess
 

Back Design of Cards:

This Book/Deck set is Available from Amazon.com:

TAROT DECKS -- CLICK HERE FOR FULL LIST Animals Art-Styled Celtic Decks Christian-Based Decks Cultures/Multi-Cultural Decks Historical Myths & Legends Other Traditional/Beginner Decks Whimsical Decks Wiccan-Based Decks Women

The above card image is an extra card in the Wheel of Change Tarot Deck.  For those who like having the availability of a *wild* card, this card could be used for that purpose.