Customer Reviews

Whimsical Tarot Deck

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Whimsical Tarot approaches the reading of cards from a completely different aspect -- by associating with childhood images and fairy tales. This deck allows us to connect with our "inner child". Although the name may suggest this is a less than serious deck, this deck is a very valuable tool in discovering our inner selves and helping us reconnect with those simple things that give us joy.

The images on the cards do not obviously correspond with the imagery from our experiences with the Rider-Waite style of decks. Gone are the confusing "Quabalah mystery" symbolism that we pondered and studied in order to interpret the meanings of those older decks. This is the use of simple and obvious imagery that gives us instant insight into the meaning of the cards.

The images are drawn from well known fairy tales and are familiar to just about anyone. The art work of Mary Hanson-Robert is clean. She gives us very colorful images that attract attention but are not obtrusive. The art work is not distracting, but is lovely to sit and reflect upon.

As we explore the deck, we find some familiar tarot references. We do have a Major Arcana comprised of 22 cards, all clearly marked with the number of the card in its order, and the name of the card. There is no mistaking the card's association. The Fool - 0 - is the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. If you look at the tarot as a personal journey of the one who begins as a fool, this association is very obvious. We have the symbolism of the yellow brick road, we have Toto and so much more. The Magician is Puss in Boots, the High Priestess is the Fairy Godmother. There are some very interesting associations, as with The Emperor being Father Christmas, the Old Woman in the Shoe for the Emperess, Judgment using The Cricket from Pinnochio, Glinda for The World, "Goldilocks being discovered" as Justice. The images are so obvious in some instances, yet they challenge you to use your own judgment and personal insights.

The Minor Arcana is numbered one through ten with the court cards being page, knight, queen and king. There are four suits: rods, cups, pentacles and swords. The cards are clearly marked with the name on each. However, the suits symbol does not necessarily appear in the graphic on the card. As with the page of Cups, we see a crystal ball supported by golden fishes with morning glories growing around the ball. The meaning is clear; we are looking to the future. What we are looking for is what we must answer or ourselves.

Each card gives us the same kind of feeling. We see the familiar, what we have grown up with and are very aware of. What we need to do is examine why this card is speaking to us - what is it that we can associate with ourselves in this card.

I also find myself drawing on my own knowledge of the tarot and associations when I am using this deck. While someone who is not familiar with the traditional meanings of the tarot will find this a very easy and fun deck to use, those of us who are trained in the traditional meanings will not find this "foreign" as there are familiar associations here. When we look at the "Two of Cups", the traditional meaning being a lesser "Lovers" card, it's association is still retained with the story of the "Owl and the Kitty Cat", so we are not totally out of familiar grounds. Pentacles still retains its meaning of material matters while cups still reflects inner emotions. The "Ten of Swords", a card of chaos and mistakes, shows the story of Humpty Dumpty falling off the wall. The traditional meanings are not told in the mysterious symbolism but in very obvious and well thought through imagery.

There are small details on the cards that also attract attention. In the "Seven of Cups", a card traditionally of choices, we see a divided road, presumably the yellow brick road from Oz, forking off in many directions, with a multi-sign post. If you read the little signs, we see choices like Emerald City, To Market To Market, Rabbits Hole, Ginger Bread Lane, Rapunzel's Tower, McDonalds Farm and the Castle. The associations with these choices leave one with much to ponder. It is details like this that allow special reflection and a good look at one's inner self. And these special touches make this a remarkable deck.

There is the usual box that is provided by U.S. Games, and a small booklet with some quick references for interpretation. However, I would highly recommend that you get the book that accompanies this deck, as there is much here that you should dwell upon, and look into. I have not seen the "Box Set" that is supposed to be available, with the deck and book sold together and I bought the book and the deck at the same time even though they were sold separately. I have reviewed the book as well, under the book's listing.

I love this deck for personal contemplation. And I do not mean this as being a deck you should use only for yourself. I have used this deck for clients who wantedto examine their own personal feelings and issues and it has provided much insight. It works as well with clients as it does with personal readings.

I would also like to suggest that if you have a youngster who is interested in tarot cards and readings, that this would make a perfect first deck. As our children watch us using the cards, they will also want to explore the path with you, as all children look to their parents for guidance. This deck is so perfect for the younger apprentice that I couldn't think of any deck more perfect for the "almost teenager" or the "First Deck" gifting.

If you are looking for something that is perfect for a holiday gift, or someone just starting, or the "first deck" give this deck a viewing and see if you don't agree this could be the deck for you.

I'm not a professional by any stretch of the imagination nor do I ever plan to do readings for a living. In fact, I was just introduced to Tarot cards three months ago and am still struggling with the main meanings of each card much less the underlying meanings.

This deck makes it very easy on me! All the pictures have little stories behind them that make their meanings easy to recall. Especially the suit cards! My other tarot deck just has pictures of two swords or three cups and whatnot. It had nothing on them to help the beginner guess at what they meant.

The benefits of this deck are that it helps you remember the significance of each card, the pictures are colorfully and wonderfully drawn with much detail. It is an all around beautiful deck and the images are very light and happy.

The down sides to this deck are that it is almost TOO optimistic at times. The three little pigs having their house blown down just doesn't quite capture the essence of The Tower to me. Also, the cards have a thin width and long height which kind of makes for uncomfortable shuffling if you've got small hands.

This deck is wonderful for me though. I like it's optimistic outlook and it's innocence.

The Whimsical Tarot is most notable as a children's deck.. or a deck to read 'for' children. For both purposes, it would be truly excellent. However, I fall into the third category, the one you find in parenthesis, as not to alienate the adult that finds this deck wonderful... (The Young at Heart). I love this deck!!

Since I became interested in Tarot, I have bought close to two dozen decks.. and this is the only one I currently have not sold. This deck appealed to me for two reasons.. The first being it has NO scary images. While I am quite interested in tarot, I find that many of the cards are downright negative and fearful. While many people argue that this "shadow" side is necessary in cards, I beleive it can be accomplished in more gentle ways. There is so much negativity and violence in the world.. and we are all so tough on ourselves already. When I sit down for advice and counsel from my cards, I don't need to be scared. For this reason, I have migrated more to Angel and Fairy oracle decks. It can be tough reading for yourself when some of those sword cards pop up,etc. This deck makes you feel good, even when delivering life's tougher messages...

Second, this deck is so easy to relate to.. Since the cards all depict fairy tales, fables, or nursery rhymes.. the association makes it VERY easy to learn. Alas, a good deck for beginners as well. I would reccomend getting the book by Dorothy Morriosn. Even though you could easily read the cards if you are familiar with the stories, the book really is helpful in providing more detailed descriptions and revealing more depth. Perhaps this won't be your only deck as it currently is mine, but it is certainly a refreshing one to pull out when you need more gentle advice.. A+

The Whimsical Tarot is a perfect deck to showcase Mary Hanson-Roberts strengths as an illustrator. The drawings are skillful and charming, the colors soft and rich; the over-all feeling light and exuberant. Hanson-Roberts can draw with a level of consistent skill that many many Tarot artists unfortunately don't match. She delights in drawing children. She can render animals without the crude distortions many Tarot artists produce, as well as recognizable plants, graceful drapery, etc. She has a sense of composition. She captures stance and gesture. The Magician in this deck is Puss-in-Boots, who stands with his head thrown back in a jaunty pose that catches the essence of the character. Hanson-Roberts even manages to make clear that this cat is smiling, and still have him look like a cat. And it's all done in a lovingly detailed style that will please both children and those of us grown-ups who still love children's book illustrations.

Hanson-Roberts' limitation is that she doesn't seem to be able to move beyond the children's story style. In the Hanson-Roberts Tarot, a number of the adult figures are somewhat childlike, with disproportionately large heads, big eyes, and child-like expressions. The slight, girlish Queens look like teenagers playing dress-up with their mothers' crowns. Even the Hermit, though he has a long white beard, doesn't quite look like an adult. All of this takes away from the emotional impact of the deck.

But in the Whimsical Tarot, there's no problem. It's a fairy-tale deck.

This is a collectors' deck for those who love Hanson-Roberts' style - and they are many. It is also a marvelous set of images to give a child. As such -- not as a Tarot for readings -- I give it five stars. I don't think it's appropriate to teach children either divination or the structured kind of introspection that working with Tarot encourages. But I know that as a child I would have absolutely loved having a treasure-box of pictures like this, from fairy tales and myths both familiar and unfamiliar. Children will happily discover various kinds of creative play with this deck, such as making up their own stories and bringing together characters from different tales. Parents can make up stories with the child (a great game!), or use the cards to gently encourage the child's awareness of his or her feelings ("Who do you feel like today? Puss-in-Boots? Jack and Jill?") But it may be that children will enjoy the deck most when they visit it alone, letting the marvelous images feed their imaginations and carry them off to story-land.

When we ordered this deck in, I admit I was not expecting to like it. I ordered it to have some "cute" decks for the people who like cute, and becauase I really like Dorothy Morrison, the author. Some of the Tarot readers on staff figured they would use it for fairs and for children, but not for serious readings.

We were wrong. The deck captivated all of us at the store, including me.. and I *despise* most cute decks. The pictures are drawn from fairy tales, some of which are well known, others less so, so getting the book (or the set) is a good idea, but even without the book it is very readable. The pictures hit you at a subconscious level, very strongly.

The artist is Mary Hanson Roberts, the author of the Hanson Roberts deck, which I knew to be excellent (and I recomend). If you like the art style of the Hanson Roberts deck, you will likely appreciate the art in this deck. The author of this deck is Dorothy Morrison, who has written extensively on Pagan topics. The deck is ,however, quite able to stand on its own without the prior acheivements of the author and artist.

Yes, the cards are somewhat softened. The tower, death, etc have all been re-done in a more approachable style. My professional readers all agree they are less likely to frighten a first time or skittish querant, while being just as readable. The one problem with using this deck is that many people simply wont take it as seriously.

The Magician is "Puss in Boots" and instantly understandable to anyone who has read that fable. When you draw this card you know you are dealing with someone who lives by their wits, and parleys their natural talents into extraordinary and often magical feats, but is a trickster, and bears watching. A valued ally, and a dangerous opponant.

The one card I might argue with is "Temperance", here depicted as "Jack and Jill". The picture shows Jack and Jill tumbled down the hill, with the water buckets spilling and overturned, through lack of wisdom and restraint. It simply doesnt read the same way as I expect Temperance to read from the Rider Waite deck. It is a valid and understandable reading, but not the same.

The best way to get a feel for any Tarot deck is to actually see it, and handle it, of course, but I do strongly recomend this deck for personal readings, and for proffessionals, with the caveat about not being taken seriously by some querants.

I adore this deck! The personality of it is so gentle and warm, not foreboding like some decks. The story-pictures make it so easy to relate to the cards and very enjoyable to read. If a deck can be friendly, this one is. While this deck is not serious, I've come to trust it at least as much as any other deck I own. It's honest and so fun to look at!

This deck is very different from most of the other decks, specially when it comes to the imaginery which comes with it.

I own many tarot decks, and sometimes I get a bit uncomfortable with the images on some of the cards, specially "The Tower", "The Devil" and "The Death"; why to these cards always have to show people dying or even being chopped to pieces?. However, when I met this deck, I just found it to be wonderful.

Who wouldn't remember the stories that we've heard and read so many times? (even now as adults). This cute deck helped me to get tuned with it immediately, the readings just pop into my mind because the messages that the stories enclose in every card are simple to understand, but at the same time they give you an image to focus into and lot of wise thoughts.

Remember that we learn about life (its dangers and rewards) when we were children because of these stories.

Perhaps I'm odd, but the images in this deck make it very easy for me to work with. I find it a wonderful deck for doing readings with, and I deeply enjoy just working with this deck. The artwork is wonderful and really speaks to me. (I'm 33) I do with the creator would perhaps write a companion book explaining which tales etc she used for each card and why... but that's my innate curiosity speaking.

THERE'S A REASON THIS DECK has been Re-Printed after being only two years OOP (Out-Of-Print): According to US Games' website, it's "BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND". And not a moment too soon either, *vbs*. I guess all our emails to them WHINING INCESSANTLY about getting this deck back out in the world finally paid-off!
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THE 'WHIMSICAL' IS ONE OF THOSE DECKS that should just plain ALWAYS be available, like the Rider-Waite. It's a must for giving readings, (or teaching), children and pre-teens. It's a must for giving readings to elder folk, (and very appreciated by them, I might add... the 'Fairytales' bring back many memories for them, *s*). And it's a must for those days, weeks, months, and/or years when you're just so sick-and-tired of having the 'dark-side' of life artistically thrown in your face.
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WITH THE 'WHIMSICAL', one can LEARN Tarot very easily. This is made so because 'Fairytales' are so embedded in all of us. The 'trigger' mechanism is built-in so that, instead of trying to memorize this, that, and the other regarding Tarot Meanings, all you have to do is look at the 'Fairytale' the card represents and you're 95% of the way home.

As well, because it's so easy to relate to the 'Fairytales', one gains confidence very quickly, and will want to READ FOR OTHERS. The same kind of 'Stage Fright' just isn't there with the 'Whimsical', (as it is with other decks), when one wants to hang-out-their-shingle so-to-speak.

Once you become proficient at reading the 'Whimsical', you will, of course, be moved to try other, headier decks, but for my money, the 'Whimsical' is the deck to learn with.
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THIS RE-PRINT IS THE DECK ONLY. There IS a BOOK that goes along with it, but it has to be purchased separately. And one would be wise to do so, as I will discuss below.
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ABOUT THE DECK AND BOOK... I am reposting this from the Amazon Review I wrote strictly for the BOOK, but all the descriptions, of course, apply to the DECK as well, save one---> The DECK, itself, is in 'FULL COLOUR', whilst the pictures in the BOOK are 'BLACK & WHITE'. If you get the DECK, I strongly urge you to purchase the BOOK to go with it. Read on to find out why--->
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"IN A WORD, the 'WHIMSICAL TAROT DECK and BOOK' is just great, as would be hoped-for, (and expected), from Dorothy Morrison, (the Designer of the Deck and Author of the Book); and from Mary Hanson-Roberts (Artist extra-ordinnaire).

The BOOK STANDS ON ITS OWN as an instruction as to what all our beloved 'FAIRYTALES' mean from an esoteric point-of-view. It's very much well-worth the reading of it to gain insight as to just why 'FAIRYTALES' have so captured and imprinted upon us their everlasting 'Wisdom'.

It is precisely the SYMBOLOGY of this, 'WISDOM UNCONSCIOUSLY IMPRINTED', that Dorothy so vividly explains. So, please, DO NOT make the mistake of thinking this is just a DECK or BOOK for children. The DECK gives right-on, easily understood readings for adults, and the BOOK is so insightful as to make one wonder how they could have lived without Dorothy's explanations all these years, *lol*
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THE BOOK is very well-bound, and incorporates the 'Pictures', 'Descriptions', and 'Advice' of all 78-Cards of the 'WHIMSICAL TAROT DECK', (both Major and Minor Arcana... Minor Arcana fully-illustrated).

THE PICTURES in the BOOK are all BLACK & WHITE.

THE PICTURES in the DECK are all FULL-COLOUR.

THE DIMENSIONS of the BOOK are: 4 1/2" Wide x 7" Tall, or, 11 1/2 cm Wide x 17 3/4 cm Tall.

THE CARDS measure: 2 3/4" x 4 3/4"... or, 7 cm x 12 cm, if you prefer. They come in a regular TUCK BOX that, if not taken care of properly, will fall apart over time (as all Tuck Boxes do). So, if you're gonna USE this deck, keep the TUCK BOX safely stored away, and put the cards in a Tarot Bag. (Remember, when the 'WHIMSICAL' went Out-Of-Print in 2007, the price for it in the Tarot Community soared... it was fetching upwards of $100-dollars, and even more the Deck/Book Set!)
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THERE ARE OFFERED a variety of TAROT SPREADS, and a nifty section on how to 'HELP YOUR CHILDREN' understand Tarot. And why not? The DECK, and ensuing BOOK, (being based on 'FAIRYTALES'), is most appropriate for youngsters as it is COMPLETELY NON-THREATENING.

The SCARIEST cards in most Tarot decks are 'DEATH', (Skeleton with Scythe); 'THE DEVIL', (well, use your imagination for this one, *lol*); and the 'TEN OF SWORDS', (a person's body stabbed with 10 swords, yuk, *lol*).

But, in the 'WHIMSICAL', these horrifying pictures are, instead, shown as:

DEATH is: 'SLEEPING BEAUTY' laying asleep, (not dead), on her draped bed, awaiting the new phase in her life to come forth and awaken her to action;

THE DEVIL is: 'PINNOCHIO' with two hands pulling the strings and making him dance 'seemingly against his Will', showing us that the development of our 'Will to resist temptation' is, in fact, the building of our Character;

The TEN OF SWORDS is: 'HUMPTY-DUMPTY' falling off the wall, (but not yet hitting the ground to be all cracked and broken to bits), showing us, also, that we all fall down from time-to-time due to naivete, lack of experience, or just plain fate.
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WHAT I ESPECIALLY ADMIRE is how Dorothy explains each Tarot Card in terms of the actual 'FAIRYTALE' used to depict it. Each Card has its own TWO PAGES devoted to it, which includes a Black & White picture of the Card itself. These two pages are broken into two parts: the 'CARD DESCRIPTION' and the 'ADVICE'.

THE 'DESCRIPTION' part is a complete reference to the 'FAIRYTALE' symbology utilized, and how it applies to the Tarot Card depiction. Dorothy did a really good job of this, as I referenced above, ('Death, Devil, Ten of Swords').

THE 'ADVICE' part consists of Dorothy's very insightful explanations as to what the 'WISDOM OF THE AGES' is trying to tell us; thus, moving us in a direction to choose a Course of Action, (or Mode of Perception), that is more aligned with the ETHICS and MORALS of our 'DIVINE NATURE'... the very 'WISDOM' we try to instill in our children, (and which, by the way, many adults need to be reminded of as well), *wink*
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THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY TO GO WRONG WITH THIS DECK AND BOOK... the 'WISDOM OF THE AGES' may be presented in a 'WHIMSICAL, FAIRYTALE' manner but the SUBSTANCE we all need to be the best human beings we can is all there. It was a stroke of genius for Dorothy to make it so accessible to us all, *vvvbs*

P.S. Please be advised: This Amazon Page is selling the RE-PRINTED DECK ONLY. You have to buy the BOOK separately.

I am 25 years old and I love this deck. If you know any fairy tales, the same ones you read to your children, then this is the deck for you. It is fun and simple to read. This deck makes doing readings fun and easy.