Customer Reviews

Tarot of the 78 Doors

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Tarot of the 78 Doors seems to be placed somewhere between a conventional Tarot and McElroy's Bright Idea Deck.

In contrast to Bright Ideas, 78 Doors keeps to the traditional Tarot numbering. Even so, some of the cards appear to have no
relation to the Tarot. Instead they depict scenes that are ambiguous. Faced with this ambiguity, the reader can create a meaning relevant to their own situation, drawing answers more from their own subconscious, than from Tarot tradition. "Thematic Apperception Test" cards, anyone? Okay,
I know the TAT had a different purpose.

I prefer this style of card and card reading, but other readers prefer the more traditional or mystical styles. This deck is not for them.

The artwork is finer than the Bright Idea art. And this artist can draw women. While the Bright Ideas artist depicts all his
women as heavy-set footballers in drag, the 78 Doors women are luscious. Is that Angelina Jolie as Temperance?

But the 78 Doors artist has his/her own failings - babies are drawn as oversized, plumped up, grisly little adults.
They reminded me of that Laurie Anderson monologue "The Mailman's Nightmare":

"I have this recurring nightmare, and that is that everyone in the world, except myself, has the problems of babies.
I mean they're normal height and everything--five feet, six feet tall--but they have these giant heads, like babies, you know? And enormous eyes, and tiny arms and legs, and they can hardly walk."

And on the 8 of Pentacles, what is that misspelling of "Tattoo" all about? Was it an accident? Is it "tattoo" in some foreign language?
Or is it deliberate - advising me that perfection is not necessary in an endeavour? See - the card is working on my inner mind. (Actually, I think the artist just made a boo boo).

The Little White Book is sublimely irrelevant, as it should be.

Oh, and unlike some decks, 78 Doors comes in a conventional card box that fits the deck exactly so you can carry it around with ease, and not have to figure out some way of containing and protecting your cards. (My Bright Ideas deck is kept together with rubber bands). What are these people thinking when they package these decks? Do they honestly think I'm going to keep my cards loose in a scratchy, el cheapo material black bag, or in an elaborate box the size of a coffee table book?

In summary, I am enjoying this deck and I'm very happy I bought it. The cards are 12 x 6.5 centimetres, semi-glossy, and
easy to handle and shuffle. Each picture is a delight to view and full of things to examine and contemplate.

It is suitable for anyone who prefers the "brain storming" style of McElroy, but wants to retain the useful structure of traditional Tarot.

I like this tarot deck because is not another RW clone. The only thing I don't like is the Christian images that sometime appear, like the Queen of Cups, that resembles Virgin Mary, and another one that depicts a baptism. But all in all, I find it original and suggestive.

The main topic of this deck revolves around around doors and keys used to open these doors. The doors depicted on the cards are very versatile but all of them signify a way to new opportunities or solutions. In order to pass through the door you have to not only leave your fears behind before you cross the threshold but also somehow discover "the key" that opens that door.
The knowledge is "the key", and challenge is "the lock". Knowledge is what gives you access to whatever is behind the door.
Tarot od the 78 doors often gives direct answers to the questions, not just symbolic.

I have to mention that the images on the cards slightly differ (or sometimes not so slightly) from the traditional tarot images (such as Rider-Waite).

From my experience this deck is best suited for the questions having to do with concealed information and methods for uncovering it.

I would change my review to 5 stars if this deck came with a book (rather than a tiny booklet), that goes into a deeper explanation of the images on each card in the way, say, that the OSHO deck describes the pictures on each card and gives an interpretation of and ideas behind the images and then a possible meaning of the card in a reading. I have had good success doing personal readings with 78 Doors using the "Key Spread" depicted in the little booklet and then having to look through the little booklet to find the interpretation for each card as I go, however, the meanings never stick in my consciousness because I have no deeper understanding of the images-who the people are in the image, what situation they find themselves in, what their challenge or motivation is, etc. To be able to incorporate this deck into my professional practice it would be extremely helpful to have descriptions of the images on the cards and WHY they lead to the interpretations. With this deck, it is usually not discernable why the images lead to the stated interpretations. To do a professional intuitive reading one has to be able to go "off-book", and to do that a reader has to have a personal relationship with each card. Whomever designed this lovely, and intriguing deck, please, please go the extra mile and create a book in the manner of Mythic Tarot, Osho, Tarot of the Cat People, etc.
Example: Ace of Wands shows a man standing in front of a door with his arms raised. He is an interesting looking man in front of an interesting looking door, apparently in the throes of...something? The booklet states-"Ace of Wands-The creative power of will. Inspiration that sterngthens the foundations for achieving future goals." (!) Why? Of course I know the standard interpretations of the Ace of Wands, but who is this man? What is he up to? It would give depth to the readings to know this. The artist/creator of the deck clearly had a story in mind (Martin Luther?) when they created this card and all of the cards. I would LOVE to know what it is. :)

First, this deck is NOT for the beginner. While it is a Waite-Smith style of deck, it does not read well because the scholarship behind it is uneven. However, the concept of this deck is clever and several of the cards are very appealing. A collector of decks may want to include it for its unique properties.

In concept, the designer and the artist see the Tarot deck as offering 78 doors to universal meaning. Concepts of doors, passages, openings, thresholds and keys are promised. Passages operate in both directions, coming in or going out, another concept promised for the deck.

The problems you will encounter with the deck in use are that these interesting and exciting concepts are not always well executed and symbols are often shallow, confusing, or simply wrong.

On the positive side, the Major Arcan holds together pretty well. The Fool with his large key is easily recognized as a Waite-Smith variation and the key adds some novel ideas to interpretation in a spread. Right away, concepts slip. The Magician's door, key, or threshold is implied but not well. This Mago is a circus juggler. The Priestess uses her crytal ball as a door. The Hierophant carries a large key...etc.

It's in the Minor Arcana cards that the creativity and concept sputter out. This part of the deck is like one of those ever-burning birthday candles, flashes of brilliance punctuated by periods of darkness. Some of the cards lend interesting insights and can be read without reference to the interpreter's booklet. Most require referring to the booklet and result in scratching your head.

In general, the weaker the pictorial concept and sybolism, the poorer the drawing. If you like your cards well-drawn, like the Morgan-Greer deck, say, then this deck will disappoint on that measure as well. The drawings are not poor but the color choices and poses leave a lot to be desired.