Traumzeit-Tarot

It’s wonderful to see Tarot continuing to be an evolving artform and platform for exploring and expressing personal visions.  Like jazz music, Tarot artists can use an established structure or theme as a platform for exploring creative riffs, letting the vibes take them into personal improvisations and expressions.

A nice example of this is the Traumzeit-Tarot, a new deck by German artitst Stefan Beckhusen.  The Traumzeit has hints of the Crowley/Harris Thoth deck, particularly in the minor arcana, as well as influences from the Marseilles and Waite/Smith traditions, yet is infused with the personal energy,  perspectives, and motivations of the artist.

One of my favorite cards of the deck that leaped out to me was XX: Gericht, or Court (as translated by Google).  Traditionally this card is titled Judgement, or Last Judgement.  The keywords for this card are:  Selbstschau, der Lebensfilm, which translates to: Self-review, the life film. 

 

Here the Seeker has come to the end of their journey.  The book of their life lies open before them, and the heavenly horns are blaring as if to announce:  Wake Up!  It’s time to assess where you’ve been, and where you are going.

A demon-like figure huddles on the left, and an open chest is on the right from which floats particles of light.  These may represent the dark and the light experiences that the Seeker has encountered on their journey through life.  The particles of Light rise towards the book, indicating that the Seeker has chosen the Light over the Darkness.  The two angels at the top of the card point the way towards the heavens, towards the next destination on the Seeker’s evolutionary journey.

In our lives, there is often darkness and we feel trapped by the machinations of the world and despondent of our failings.  Yet, it is through confronting those demons that we come to know their opposite, the Light.

Here are some additional cards from the Traumseit-Tarot, showing Beckhusen’s space/jazz riffs on archetypal Tarot themes:

Major arcana:

Minor arcana:

Courts:

Tarot: Tool for Creating Coincidence

The Tarot is commonly perceived as a medium to “predict the future”, to provide guidance on future directions and events. Some may say that selecting a card and then having that card relate to an event or person is just random coincidence.

I think that Tarot can be a tool for creating coincidence.

By coincidence, I mean co + incident. 
Co = with, or together
Incident = an occurence or event that interrupts normal procedure.

Uniting with the incident. 

Using Tarot to create coincidence from the random:

Unite your perceptions with the images and symbols and energies that the Tarot artist encapsulated in the cards, which will enable you to share in that creative process.  Selecting and meditating on the cards provides you the opportunity to coincide (be together with) the symbolism of the cards, to further explore their nuances and filters. 

This co-incidental union of perception and cards also opens a portal to receive and create new insights from the cards’ relationships with events and people and yourself.

The act of selecting random Tarot cards and then meditating on how the selected and arranged cards relate to the world around us and in us…  creates the coincidence.   

A dictionary definition of coincidence:

1. The state or fact of occupying the same relative position or area in space.
2. A sequence of events that although accidental seems to have been planned or arranged.

A dictionary definition of incident:

1. A definite and separate occurrence; an event.
2. A usually minor event or condition that is subordinate to another.
3. Something contingent on or related to something else.
4. An occurrence or event that interrupts normal procedure or precipitates a crisis.

So go ahead, interrupt normal procedure, use Tarot (or any tool of your choosing) to create the co-incidence.   Join in the wonder that the random and unexpected can provide.

Here Comes the Sun

In the Northern Hemisphere, the time of Winter Solstice is near.  Darkness continues to expand its influence, yet the light of the Sun will soon return to renew our spirits and give us hope for brighter times.  

In these holiday times (what I call the Hollow Daze), the focus of many is on acquiring material objects and stuffing their stockings and themselves.  I choose to reflect on the darkness, and the Light emerging within. 

Javanne Tarot - The Sun

Break Free from the Tower of Consensus Reaility

One of my favorite cards from the Linol Tarot is Der TURM, or The Tower. It has such a marvelous 3-D dream state quality. The man (a knight?) floats away from the crumbling tower, resigned to his fate yet seemingly at peace.

The destruction of the Tower can represent a letting go of the restrictive conventions that have been built up (either by yourself or by society).  In the background, a castle with four watchtowers represents the established society or structure from which he came, and from which he is now breaking free.

There comes a time to release yourself from that consensus reality, so that you can see the world from a fresh pespective.

Sol Invictus: The God Tarot

Sol Invictus: The God Tarot is a recently released deck by Kim Huggens and Nic Phillips, printed by Schiffer Publishing Ltd.. It very effectively combines powerful images inspired by a wide range of diverse mythologies, crisp and accesible artwork, and in-depth and interesting research.

This is not a casual deck.  This is a deck for pondering, reflection, and insights, card by card.  The accompanying 254 page book is also not casual, containing several pages of fascinating details on the symbolism and historical background about the god, legend, or concept depicted in each card.

There are many wonderful images in the deck.  One of my favorites is XI - Justice - Mystical Opponents/Brothers.  I find this image particularly appropriate at this time of the upcoming Winter Solstice, where the lengthening darkness will soon transition to a slowly emerging light.  I love the way the dark and light are dynamically balanced in this card, with images of Chaos on the left and Order on the right. The hooded figure reminds one of the Grim Reaper, whose scythe decisively separates the quick from the dead.  In this card, the enigmatic spectre silently reveals the dynamic dualism that powers creation. One cannot exist without the other.  Indeed, the One is part of the Other.