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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Meanings Printed Right on the Cards,
This review is from: Tell-Me Tarot (Cards)
The Tell-Me Tarot, conceived by Arik Eyal and illustrated by Nir Cassuto, is a straightforward deck that not only depicts fully illustrated imagery, but also key words and divinatory meanings right on the card.
In addition, most cards either have a positive designation (+) or a negative designation (-), with several neutral (no symbol). Designed with the beginner in mind, the keyword shortcuts and meanings printed on the card serve as a great memory aid and intuitive prompt. The imagery is colorful, pleasing, non-threatening, and dynamic. The Tell-Me Tarot cards measure approximately 4 ¾ x 2 ¾ inches with an almost reversible, stylized sun/moon/stars motif on the backs (if you look closely, you can see that the pattern isn't entirely reversible). This deck doesn't come with a Little White Book, but instead contains four cards that explain how to word questions and use several spreads. Here are several examples of keywords, designations, and meanings printed on the cards: * The Empress = Abundance (+) - Abundance, prosperity and success in response to your inquiry. Fertility and possibility for pregnancy. * The Hierophant = The Healer (+) - Ability to teach, advise, and heal. Signifies a calling to help people or seek expert advice. * The Devil = Fears (-) - Desires and fears could overcome you. Think positively and have faith in yourself. * Death = Termination and Renewal - Let go of past patterns, people, or activities in order to allow renewal and personal growth. * Six of Swords = Assistance - Your receive help and assistance to solve a problem. Your situation changes from stormy to calm. * Two of Wands = Mid-Phase - You re between accomplishments and future goals. It's time to pause to consider future ventures. * Four of Cups = Open Up (-) - You are emotionally closed and ignore all the love that surrounds you and is offered to you. Open up. * Queen of Pentacles = Stability (+) - You establish long term security. You are practical, stable, and enjoy comforts. No need for changes. Most of the divinatory meanings are quite good, but I feel that the negative and plus designations are not only confusing and unnecessary, but could become a roadblock to learning the cards and remaining open to the energetic continuum that exists within each. For example, The Tower equates with Positive Changes (+), but experienced Tarot readers will tell you that while the *result* of The Tower can bring renewal and wonderful changes, the process of getting there via the lightning bolt is usually anything *but*. It would have been much better to call this card "Drastic Change", and leave off the (+) entirely. Another confusing example is the Two of Pentacles compared to the Seven of Cups. The Two of Pentacles equates to Indecisiveness (neutral designation), advising "You are indecisive and have difficulty making commitments. Decide and commit in order to find fulfillment." I could buy this interpretation (although I think the Two of Swords would have been more appropriate). But in a similar card, the Seven of Cups (equating with Confusion), the advice states "You are multi-talented, with too many options. In order to succeed, you need to focus on one choice". Yet, for some reason, this card has a negative (-) designation. While a great idea with an admirable presentation, I feel that the Tell-Me Tarot deck would have been better served had the negative and positive designation symbols been left off altogether. This way, whether a card's energy--or the actions taken in light of its appearance in a reading--ends up being beneficial or hindering, constructive or destructive, could be determined by the querent (or deck user). This deck would be great for those interested in learning the Tarot, including children, making the Tell-Me Tarot a nice adjunct to beginner books. The expressive imagery alone invites speculation, storytelling and intuitive insight. However, one risk in this type of deck is that the student will find it difficult to create his/her own interpretations down the road because the ones provided have been cemented in their consciousness. (To see 15 images from this deck, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com) -- Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Tell-Me Tarot,
This review is from: Tell-Me Tarot (Cards)
I have always loved tarot cards. There's something just so delightfully arcane and occulty about them. I have loads of decks that I love to thumb through but never use. I own "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Tarot and Fortune-Telling" by Arlene Tognetti and Lisa Lenard and "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Tarot Spreads" by Arlene Tognetti and Carolyn Flynn, and I still don't read tarot. Why? I can never remember the basic fundamental meanings of the cards. Now I know there is this whole school of intuitive tarot reading where you define the cards yourself based on what they seem to mean to you, and I get that, I really do. However my respect for the old school will not allow me to do that without first knowing exactly what Arthur Edward Waite said they meant first...by memory. What is a slave to tradition like me supposed to do? Turn to the "Tell-Me Tarot" created by Arik Eyal and illustrated by Nir Cassuto.
The "Tell-Me Tarot" is a traditional 78-card tarot deck that features whimsical art that plays off the traditional "Universal Waite Tarot Deck" artwork. The big difference between the "Tell-Me Tarot" and other decks is the inclusion on each card of a brief meaning for the card. Why hasn't anyone thought of this before? It's so clever! For instance, a favorite card of mine, Death is explained in Waite's "The Pictorial Key to the Tarot" as "The veil or mask of life is perpetuated in change, transformation and passage from lower to higher, and this is more fitly represented in the rectified Tarot by one of the apocalyptic visions than by the crude notion of the reaping skeleton. Behind it lies the whole ascent in the spirit. The mysterious horseman moves slowly, bearing a banner emblazoned with the Mystic Rose, which signifies life. Between two pillars on the verge of the horizon there shines the sun of immortality. The horseman carries no visible weapon, but king and child and maiden fall before him, while a prelate with clasped hands awaits his end. There should be no need to point out that the suggestion of death which I have made in connection with the previous card is, of course, to be understood mystically, but this is not the case in the present instance. The natural transit of man to the next stage of his being either is or may be one form of his progress, but the exotic and almost unknown entrance, while still in this life, into the state of mystical death is a change in the form of consciousness and the passage into a state to which ordinary death is neither the path nor gate. The existing of occult explanations of the 13th card are, on the whole, better than usual, rebirth, creation, destination, renewal, and the rest." Obviously the previous definition is describing the art and symbolism of the Waite deck, but still, pretty long and involved. What happens when you draw Death in the "Tell-Me Tarot"? You get the delightful variant art by Nir Cassuto and at the bottom of the card it says "DEATH=TERMINATION & RENEWAL Let go of past patterns, people, or activities in order to allow renewal and personal growth." How simple is that? Thanks to the on card definitions, there is no need for the little booklet that comes with most tarot decks. Instead, there are four cards that briefly explain a few spreads and different ways to use the cards. The "Tell-Me Tarot" is the perfect starter deck for anyone interested in tarot.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good For Beginners,
By
This review is from: Tell-Me Tarot (Cards)
There is truth in advertising after all. The box proclaims "Ask a question. Choose a card. Receive an answer." That is exactly what the Tell-Me Tarot does. This deck is not for the advanced reader unless they are looking for an interesting way to test their keyword skills. Then this deck is perfect.
The premise is very simple. Use simplistic art work that utilizes bright colors. Soften the blow of the "mean" cards whenever possible. For instance, the Ten of Swords is shown as someone covering themselves with a huge red blanket. Ten swords are plunged into the blanket rather than the figure as in most traditional images. A bolt of lightning is streaking from the cloud above. The message on this card is Ten of Swords - Pain/Hurt (-). Though you've been mistreated and hurt, the pain is temporary. You will soon become stronger. That's a pretty far cry from the more standard "get out of victim mentality" kick in the pants of this card. The imagery is not just another knockoff of the The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck. The artist, Nir Cassuto, gives a whimsical air to many of these cards. However, whomever vetted these cards did not pay attention to the Ace of Wands. A more phallic representation I don't think I've seen! It's funny to me because the Lovers card in this deck shows our man in red shorts while the woman is dressed in a white shift. Odd that we would have a flying boy part in the Ace of Wands, but full coverage in the Lovers. Certain cards give the appearance of children playing at grown-up games. The High Priestess, who doesn't sit between two pillars, has her hands up with a cloud over her head. Given the cloud at her feet, she looks a bit like Lady PigPen here. And the Magician as a similar issue with his up hand seeming to give birth to a cloud swirling with stars and the infinity symbol. I like the Knights of this deck very much. The Knight of Swords is on his horse charging across the card. The Knight holds his sword up. His key word is "Rushing." The Knight of Pentacles is just beginning to move. His horse is under control. His key word is "Future Plans." The Knight of Cups, key word "Romance", is looking back offering his cup. The Knight of Wands' horse does not even touch the ground as he speeds off into the distance. "Breakthrough" is the appropriate word here. None of the court cards refer to any person. They all refer to the person reading with this deck. Also there are no reversals here. The back is not a blind back. By that I mean you can tell if the cards are upright or reversed before you turn them over. You do need to study the back to see the key though. No Little White Book (LWB) of instruction for this deck. Frankly you don't need it since the meanings are on the cards. There are two bright yellow cards with instructions that include sage advice such as: The (+) sign appearing on some of the cards symbolizes a positive answer and the (-) sign symbolizes a negative answer. If neither a plus nor a minus is shown, the answer may vary. For complicated situations, it is best to break it down into several short focused questions. For example: (1) Situation Report; (2) Future Development; 3) What should be done. So okay, that second one is actually a pretty nifty little spread. I love three card spreads. The other two bright, and I do mean bright yellow, cards have spreads. You get a Time Spread, a Relationship Spread and a General Spread. The General spread does not give you the questions. You just have cards 1, 2 and 3 and a Conclusion card. For teaching purposes, this deck does have potential. You could use it as I've mentioned to test your skills or others skills at knowing key words. A beginner might find this deck useful however I would be wary not to use this as the only deck for a beginner. It could be difficult to divorce yourself from this concrete meanings. It is my belief that a Tarot deck should be a tool rather than a hard and fast limit. I did use this deck for my weekly @tarotscopes on Twitter. The feedback I got was that it was accurate. I did not vary from what the cards said even though I truly wanted to. So from that perspective, this deck does seem to read well.
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