Thursday, February 25, 2021

Pocket of Peers Tarot Deck-Commentary

 

Pocket full of Peers-Tarot Deck by Jamie Sawyer

Commentary-Not really a review.

 

I’m not usually known for Tarot Deck reviews or commentary.

 Something about the emergence of this deck has nudged me toward my blog.

As I move forward, I am aware that some people (reading this) will think that I am jealous because I am not one of the pictured. I am not , really, jealous.

 I am disappointed at some of the content, however.

I have seen a “flip-through” of the deck on Arwen’s youtube channel. I had seen flashes of cards as they were used by Mitchell Osborn on Facebook and a couple of them produced some time ago, of Rachel Pollack and Mary Greer.

Like the other works that I’ve seen (and purchased)  by Jamie Sawyer, the cards are beautiful…stunning, really. Lovely pict-o-graphs of practitioners (and some cards with no real people depicted) casting readings…dancing, playing singing bowls etc       Really amazing

Illustrations as only Jamie Sawyer can capture them. If I was one of the peers depicted, I would be flattered and honored.

There are several of the people represented that I recognize: Arwen, Mitchell Osborn, Ethony, “V”, Mary K. Greer, Rachel Pollack, Benebell Wen. There is a host of other mystical/Tarot luminaries whom I do not recognize, or know.

I like that Mary K. Greer and Rachel Pollack have “stand out cards” (out of the usual Tarot canon) as Teachers.

Now, I’m about to say something that might make me unpopular. Are these people my peers? I think, by their inclusion in this radiant Tarot deck., they are set aside, maybe set above the rest of us who didn’t make the cut.

 I haven’t (yet) published a Tarot deck, or written a book. So my 39 years in Tarot and mystical practice are unhearalded—at least in this deck. But I find myself feeling that makes this deck more “clique” than “peers”.

If this is a deck meant to embrace the more modern sensibilities, then where is Enrique Enriquez (of the documentary “Tarology”)

I also find myself missing some of the unsung harbingers of Tarot. Maybe they should be in their own deck titled Visionaries. Where is Janet Berres? (Creator of the International Tarot Associattion)? Where is Robert V. O’Neill (author of Tarot Symbolism, one of the first exhaustive texts on the topic). In seeing the flip through, I found myself waiting to see Amy Zerner & Monte Farber as The Lovers, (Creators of The Enchanted Tarot) but they were not pictured. Wald and Ruth Ann Amberstone (creator of The Tarot School and The Reader’s Studio) are not among those pictured.

  I found myself looking for Stuart Kaplan (President and creator of U.S Games Inc. who was the first company to print and distribute Tarot in the United States). I found myself missing Eden Gray-who created one of the earliest Tarot texts in modern times.      There is a deck that features A. E. Waite and Pamela Coleman Smith, so I guess I have no complaint on that score. But where is Robert M. Place (creator of several Tarot decks, among them The Alchemical Tarot)

  I realize that this illustrates (on my part) my belief that I thought we were all (kind of ) in the same Tarot Boat..However, I’m now feeling that we don’t even occupy the same firmament. There (apparently) are the Stars, which glimmer so brightly. Then there are the people in the Mid-heaven, who have notice and prominence.

Then there are we, who collect Tarot decks, buy Tarot books , read Tarot Cards and teach Tarot classes. I’m thinking we’re the ground forces…appreciated, but not really acknowledged.

Am I so socially unaware that (at my age) I don’t realize that there is a kind of caste system in the Tarot world? No, I am not. I have found myself star struck at a Tarot convention.

Do I like pictorial evidence in a medium to which I have devoted much of my professional  career that I am not ‘one of the chosen”?

No.

Will I support a deck that would remind me of this

(every time I break open the oracle) how low down the Tarot Totum pole I actually am? No.

Thursday, February 11, 2021

What kind of Fool am I?

 

In 2005 (not quite sure of the year) my mother and I attended my first World Tarot Congress.

So many Tarot luminaries were in attendance. I spent much of the time gobsmacked,Star struck and card struck.

On Saturday night, there was a banquet and a “talent show” where songs were chosen for the respective cards of the Major Arcana, and I was to sing (solo) “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” because (as Janet Berres, the creator of the event, said) “None of the Pagans are going to know this song”

My mother and I walked into the dimly lit banquet room to take seats in the only table which was unoccupied. All the other tables were full, and I feared we would be the duo outcasts in this lone out-lying table.

But then, a foursome entered the dining room and took their seats with us.

Immediately I knew Amy Zerner, with her stunning purple hair (before it was an actual fad) , Monte Farber (Amy’s husband and co-deck creator) greeted us, pleasantly. Then a long looking man, with a care-warn face, that I recognized as the keynote speaker from the night previous, Stuart Kaplan-president of U.S. Games Inc. and his companion, Bobbie Bensaid.

I was (properly) cowed. My mother was not.

We all started chatting back and forth and then started talking about the songs we were performing. Monte was to sing “Blue Moon” (for the Moon card) and  Stuart was bemoaning the fact he had been chosen to sing “What kind of Fool am I?” for the Fool Card. I mentioned I was singing “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”. Monte said he knew that song and sang the tag line of the chorus “Comin’ for to Carry me home” and I chimed in with descant/harmony and the table stopped for a moment. Stuart said to my mother “She can really sing” and my mother-in a knowing way said “yeah, she can sing”.

There many other wonderful things that happened as we made new friends. Monte arranged an entire act around his Blue Moon number with dancing back-ups of Amy, Bobbie and me. Monte and Caitlin Matthews came up and sang Swing Low Sweet Chariot with me, in four-part harmony.

But there was a moment with Stuart that I have remembered just now.

When the event was announced and Stuart introduced to kick off the singing, Stuart, promptly, came to my chair. With one hand on my shoulder, and one drawing the chair back, he leaned down quietly and said “come with me. You’re going to help me sing this song.”

I did as he ask. One does not refuse royalty…even if it is Tarot Royalty.

As we got to the stage there were many people up there to help sing this song. Not be out done, Stuart pushed me forward toward the microphone. In the picture taken, it’s almost as he’s hovering above me (in a back row) in the performance of the song.

After that I kept in touch (for a bit) with him and Bobbie.

I saw him a few years later (at another event) and he treated me like family.

 Just today, I learned that Stuart Kaplan passed on Feb. 8th 2021 of complications of Covid 19.

Rest in deep peace, dear Stuart.

What kind of Fool are you?

The kind who journeys in spiritual realms without cares or pain (now).

All my love,

Kim