FROM THE PUBLISHER’S PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: “The Sacred Sisterhood Tarot is an invitation for all to tap into the energy of the Divine Feminine and reclaim the tarot as a tool for self-care, spiritual growth, and self-actualization. Tarot was created during a time when the patriarchy maintained tight control over the roles that women were allowed to assume, and as a result most decks overlook the rich religious and spiritual status women have held throughout history. The Sacred Sisterhood Tarot is a complete reimagining—it’s what happens when we open up every card in the deck to feminine energy. True sisterhood is about coming together in a sacred space to support one another—no matter how you identify. Through the imagery, keywords, card meanings, and an exploration of female symbolism, readers will be instilled with confidence not only in their own feminine power but in a deeper understanding of a centuries-old craft.”
MY THOUGHTS
First of all, I really like how DuBarry approaches the idea of female symbolism and representation in the tarot. She makes it clear from the outset that this is not a deck “for women only.” Rather, it celebrates feminine energy while stressing inclusivity, unlike the original tarot, which centered its images and descriptions around the old gender roles. DuBarry references the “Divine Feminine” as a source of energy we can all tap into, with traits such as empathy, receptivity, creativity, fluidity, and intuition.
Following sections titled The Tarot Deck Explained, Meet Your Deck, and Ways to Use Your Deck, DuBarry provides an excellent summary of “Female Symbolism in the Tarot.” She discusses The High Priestess, The Empress, Strength, Justice, Temperance, The Star, The Moon, and The World, along with how Divine Feminine wisdom is expressed in each of the four suits.
I like the way DuBarry presents “The Spreads” section by including 1-card, 2-card, 3-card, and 6-card spreads as well as the Horseshoe Spread and (of course) the Celtic Cross.
Moving into the card-by-card discussions, we are given one page per Major Arcana card, arranged by Keywords (Upright), Keywords (Reversed), Yes/No/Maybe (I LOVE this), Upright Meaning, and Reversed Meaning. The guidebook can therefore be used as a quick reference/reminder or a source for more in-depth study. Pages covering the Minor Arcana cards offer a similar format, with two cards per page.
The cards themselves, printed on sturdy stock, have rounded corners and attractively ornate gold borders against a black background. They were created to resemble vintage posters with a modern edge, in shades of green, brown, and gold with other colors added from time to time (such as a purple chalice on the Ace of Cups). The cards feature the original French name for each of the Major Arcana, such as La Papesse for the High Priestess and Le Diable for the Devil. The number system and minor Arcana follows the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith convention.
I find it refreshing to browse through the artwork on these cards, as it incorporates various racial backgrounds and skin colors.
I will be posting a Deck Interview with this deck here on the blog before long, and also plan to share a reading or two using this marvelous deck.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ashawnee DuBarry is an intuitive tarot reader and astrologer based in New Jersey. She offers tarot and birth chart readings and works with women to help them connect with their inner goddesses. She is an advocate for mental health awareness and is passionate about helping her clients to use tarot as self-care, to heal, and to understand themselves more deeply. Learn more about Ashawnee and join her 35.5k followers on Instagram at @ElysianSpiritTarotLLC, where she posts daily messages.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR: Coni Curi is an Argentine artist and illustrator based in Buenos Aires. She gets her inspiration from folklore, astronomy, mythology, and the occult. Learn more at conicuri.com or join her 55.9k Instagram followers at @conicuri.
In accordance with the FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, I hereby disclose that this product was provided by the publisher for free. Other than the occasional review copy, I receive no monetary or in-kind compensation for my reviews. The substance of my reviews is not influenced by whether I do or do not receive a review copy.
I'll be interest to see a reading done with these cards, I look forward to it Zanna.
ReplyDeleteIt should be interesting! Thanks for stopping by!
Delete