by
~*~Velvet
Angel ~*~
Tarot
of the 78 Doors
This
deck is suitable for any question you wish to ask of the Tarot.
by
~*~Velvet
Angel ~*~
Tarot
of the 78 Doors
This
deck is suitable for any question you wish to ask of the Tarot.
Deck by Antonella Platano
© 2005 Lo Scarabeo
I was intrigued by the title of this deck which makes reference to doors. Naturally curious, I looked up pictures of this deck to see what it was all about -- something I always do before I make a deck purchase. The images of the cards were just as interesting to me as the name itself. We often talk about doors and pathways and finding the keys to a door. We hear the well-known concept of "when one door closes, another will open." And so each of these 78 cards offer a key to a particular door of wisdom.
The artist, Antonella Platano, also did the art for the Universal Goddess Tarot, the Gay Tarot, and the Witchy Tarot.
The cards are illustrated in a mix of modern and medieval imagery. The Chariot card, as an example of modern imagery, features a rock star standing on a convertible car with his guitar and waving at his many fans. The King of Chalices features a merman as a depiction of medieval fantasy. You'll find tattoo parlors, computers and technology, medical scenes, metaphysical practices, rituals, and alternative therapies featured in the variety of this deck. There are scenes of modern day home life as well as castles portraying a medieval era. This is a deck that can really grow on a person! At first, I wasn't sure I would like it, but in exploring the LWB (little white booklet) that comes with the deck, there are some interesting meanings noted for the cards -- a way to step outside the lines and think outside of the box a bit. And this is always a great way to let your imagination explore deeper meanings that aren't necessarily traditional, but still very useful nevertheless. I think this would have been a deck deserving of a full book to accompany the cards instead of just the LWB. There are not a lot of meanings listed in the booklet, but what is provided is thought provoking. The booklet is written in several languages, starting with the English version, followed by Italian, Spanish, French, and Dutch respectively. So you get about 12 pages of brief information for the cards along with a ten-card spread called "The Key" for each language that it's written in.
Reversals
are not mentioned at all in the brief information of the booklet, but the
backs of the cards are designed in the style for reversals to be used easily.
The back of the cards feature a key at a gate opening, and an inverted
duplicate image is beneath that. So when you shuffle the cards, you
won't notice which cards are reversed and which aren't. I personally
like to use reversals in my readings, so this is a deck which is no exception
for that. I still use reversals for this Tarot deck, just as I do
most others.
The card numbering of the Tarot of the 78 Doors is traditional, although a lot of the imagery does not hold to traditional Tarot images and symbolism. It's definitely not a clone of the Rider Waite Tarot, but one can draw answers from the subconscious in discovering meanings that are specific to one's own situation.
The theme of this deck is obviously about doors and the keys used to open those doors. This signifies the discovery of the "key" to new opportunities. Knowledge is the "key," and the challenge could be considered the "lock." For it is knowledge that gives access to what is behind the door in front of you. This could be a good deck choice to work with questions that involve "secrets" and how to uncover what seems to be concealed. The cards are essentially the 78 physical and metaphorical doors that can provide the key for entering the most distant and secret place -- our heart . . . and this is noted on the box cover.
The cards themselves are easy to shuffle. They are flexible, rather than being stiff. They are made from an average cardstock, and have a matte finish.
Velvet
Angel
Number of Cards in Deck: 78
Size of Cards: 2.60 x 4.72 inches
Included with deck: Small LWB (little white booklet)
Major Arcana:
Fool, Magician, High
Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant, Lovers, Chariot, Justice,
Hermit, Wheel, Strength,
Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, Devil, Tower, Star, Moon,
Sun, Judgement, World
Suit Names: Chalices, Swords, Wands, Pentacles
Court Cards: Knave, Knight, Queen, King
Back Design of Cards:
Shown
above
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 TAROT
OF THE 78 DOORS
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