Lo Scarabeo's Tarot decks have been acclaimed all over the world for originality and quality. With the best Italian and international artists, each Lo Scarabeo deck is an exceptional artistic value.
Commited to developing innovative new decks while preserving the rich tradition of Tarot, Lo Scarabeo continues to be a favorite among collectors and readers.
Llewellyn is the exclusive distributor of Lo Scarabeo products in North America.
Summary:
Discover your own wisdom and beauty in this intriguing and layered
tribute to goddesses from around the world and throughout time.
Maria Caratti journeyed through the Tarot and visited with
goddesses to create a deck that reveals both with crystal clarity.
Each card shows a unique aspect of a goddess that is lush and deep
and real. These are goddesses, but they are first and foremost
women not one-dimensional super heroines. Caratti presents the
goddesses in a way that allows the reader to connect with and
relate to each one. For this reason, it is a superb deck for
spiritual exploration and meditation. Although not a clone, anyone
familiar with traditional Tarot card meanings will be comfortable
with this deck. Each goddess selected clearly illustrates the
meaning, making it an easy and enjoyable deck to work with for
divination. The artist, Antonella Platano, captures the essence of
each goddess, making each card both a treasure and a portal into
another realm.
In-Depth Review:
The Universal Goddess Tarot manages to succeed, both conceptually
and artistically, where other goddess Tarots and oracles fail.
First, rather than a random collection of goddesses, it illustrates
each arcana with a goddess that expresses the traditional meanings
of the cards. Second, it presents the goddesses as complex, real,
and, in a way, human. Third, the art manages to express the unique
character and culture of each goddess yet the deck as a whole feels
unified. Finally, the Little White Booklet captures in very few
words the voice of the goddess and the meaning of the card; in
addition, it includes a spread that is useful both on a divinatory
and spiritual level.
Most people agree that Tarot cards have more than one meaning. And
most people familiar with goddesses recognize that they, too, are
complex, sometimes with many different stories, myths, and aspects
to their lives. Indeed many goddesses wield power over many (and
sometimes contradictory) areas of life. And, probably, any goddess
aficionados may select different goddesses or different stories to
go with each card. It is a tribute to the complexity of Tarot and
goddesses that there is no one right way. Nevertheless, Caratti has
done an amazing job, particularly with the Minor Arcana, in honing
in on a basic meaning for each card and selecting a goddess to
speak that meaning. Here are few examples. For the 7 of Pentacles
we have a Native American goddess: "I am Estsanatlehi, the Navaho
goddess of renewal and evolution. Cast the seeds into the most
fertile soil and wait. The miracle of nature repeats every time for
those who are patient, faithful, and loving." For the 4 of Swords,
we meet a goddess from the East: "Solitude is sweet only when it is
not accompanied by remorse, regrets, and sacrifices. Mine is a
bitter solitude. My name is Chang-O and I am a Chinese goddess."
The Queen of Cups is particularly mesmerizing: "I am Yemaya,
Yoruban ruler of the depths of the sea. I am the goddess of
generosity, good feelings, love, tolerance, and fidelity."
Sometimes we forget to recognize the faults and struggles of
goddesses. It is easy to over-simplify and think of them as
perfectly good, wise, and powerful. Caratti and Platano (the
artist) were careful to avoid that. In an interview, Caratti
said:
"As I gradually proceeded with the research, I realized that the
life of each Goddess, the character, personality, strengths and
weaknesses of each one, narrated, through the centuries and
continents, the history of the feminine character and life in
general. Goddesses, yes -- but most of all, women. Women who were
newborns and then became playful and carefree children, who grew
into young girls and fell in love, then became thoughtful and
loving mothers, finally filling the role of wise and discerning old
women.
"We [Caratti and Platano] decided, right from the start, that the
Goddesses would have a 'real and earthly' appearance, far from the
evanescent and ethereal images with which they are often depicted.
The Goddesses needed to relate the life of our dimension, material
and tangible, so that every woman could identify with each of
them."
And as we journey through this deck, meeting a shamed and betrayed
Sif, the colorful and energetic Oya, Hel in her cold, dark kingdom,
the defensive and aggressive Akycha, and courageous warrior
Bellona, it would seem that Carattie and Platano achieved their
goals.
Sometimes decks that seek to include images from different cultures
can feel disjointed. Readings with such decks can be jarring, the
shift from style interrupting the flow of the interpretation.
Platano has created cards that are easily recognizable as Egyptian,
Native American, Chinese, Japanese, African, Celtic, Scandinavian,
Greek, and more and yet maintain a cohesive feel to the deck. Part
of this can be attributed to her color palette. She certainly
didn't use the same colors for each card, but she kept all the
colors used within a certain tonal range. It is an interesting
technique and works well without sacrificing the authentic feel of
each individual card.
We've already looked at a few examples of the Little White Booklet
text. By letting each goddess speak, introducing herself and giving
her personal message about the card, Caratti is able to communicate
quite a bit of information in a very short space. These messages
may require the reader to think for a moment (not a bad thing,
surely!), but provides a more coherent message than, for example, a
list of keywords. The six-card spread included is called "The
Temple" and has positions that divine the situation being asked
about, positions that give advice, and a position for a special
message from a goddess. It really is a well-rounded spread that
would be appropriate for many types of questions.
In addition to divination, this deck is also useful is meditation.
A simple technique is, just before entering the meditative state,
gaze on the card, memorizing it. Then close your eyes and imagine
yourself entering the picture and interacting with the goddess.
Also, this deck can come in handy for magical work. If you are
casting a circle and want to represent or invite a certain goddess
but don't have a statue or other item to symbolize her, using her
card from this deck will work in a pinch.
Deck Attributes
Name of deck: Universal Goddess Tarot
Publisher: Lo Scarabeo, distributed by Llewellyn
ISBN: 9780738710068
Artist's name: Antonella Platano
Brief biography of artist: Comic artist and illustrator of The Gay
Tarot, The Witchy Tarot, and the Tarot of 78 Doors.
Name of accompanying book/booklet: Universal Goddess Tarot
Number of pages of book/booklet: 63 (14 in English)
Author of booklet: Maria Caratti
Brief biography of author: The designer of The Secret Forest Tarot
and The Harmonious Tarot.
Available in a boxed kit?: Yes. The deluxe kit includes an
embroidered velvet bag.
Magical Uses: Rituals, path working, and general magic.
Reading Uses: This deck will work well for any reading.
Ethnic Focus: International (goddesses from all over the world and
throughout time).
Theme: Goddesses
Tarot, Divination Deck, Other: Tarot
Does it follow Rider-Waite-Smith Standard?: Yes
Does it have extra cards?: No
Does it have alternate names for Major Arcana cards?: No
Does it have alternate names for Minor Arcana suits?: No
Does it have alternate names for the Court Cards?: No
Why was deck created?: To explore the archetypes of Tarot through
the lens of goddesses.
Book suggestions for Tarot beginners and this deck: A beginner's
book that does not focus on Rider-Waite-Smith symbolism, such as
Mary K. Greer's 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card or The Complete Tarot
Reader and a book on goddesses such as The Goddess Pages or The
Goddess Guide.
Book suggestions for experienced Tarot users and this deck: In
depth reference works about goddesses or collections of
mythologies.
Alternative decks you might like: If you like this art and would
like a light-hearted, fun, and clever deck: The Witchy Tarot (also
sold as a kit under the title The Hip Witch Tarot). If you like
powerful female figures: The Enchanted Oracle.
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