The Wise Woman's Tarot [Spiral-bound]

Flash Silvermoon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 2002

The Wise Woman's Tarot is a multicultural, matriarchal book with colorful companion deck. It celebrates the global female lineage in 78 powerful images.

Flash Silvermoon's scintillating text and densely symbolic card designs are rooted in the body of ancient esoteric knowledge. Together they make r/evolutionary inroads into the very structure of the Tarot itself. In short, Flash's work forges a sacred marriage between ancient wisdom and progressive thinking.

An accessible tool for divination, The Wise Woman's Tarot will deepen your understanding of the Ancient Mothers' wisdom. Speaking clearly to beginners, long-time Tarot enthusiasts and adepts alike, The Wise Woman's Tarot strives to raise the evolutionary bar for all!

The Wise Woman's Tarot has been developed independently over some 25 years, during which time we have seen the births of the Witches' Tarot, Motherpeace, Daughters of the Moon, and even the Goddess Tarot. So while The Wise Woman's Tarot may appear to be a newer sibling born to the family of woman-identified Tarot deck & books, it is actually an "old soul", recently incarnated. (Although it is not necessarily a purely feminist tarot or womyn's tarot, it can be easily embraced by such groups.)

As a Dianic (Wiccan) Priestess, Flash is motivated by Dianic values to demystify and share knowledge. Her work is set forth in a flowing, readable style in this comprehensive 200 page volume. She keeps the reading light while she draws heavily from her accumulated wisdom and personal experiences as a professional reader.

The text of The Wise Woman's Tarot achieves academic quality, widely researched, packed with well organized information available through essays, card descriptions, annecdotal stories, example readings all supported by a comprehensive index, footnotes, bibliography, charts and appendices. The book itself is also beautiful with all the cards in full color and dozens of related photos.

The writing is deep and evocative, going into the akashic records and ancestral lineage of the Divine feminine as represented through cultures the world over. Flash offers an engagingly-readable blend of arcane knowledge and matriarchal heritage, the details of which are thoroughly captured in her card designs, illustrated by Barbra Vogel following Flash's guidelines.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...compelling images, vivid text ...opens a secret door to the heart of women’s wisdom. Every Goddess library needs this!" -- Patricia Monaghan, author of "The Goddess Path"

"...so beautiful! ...love the politics, inclusive nature ...spiritual world view puts us all under the sky feeling powerful and strong!" -- Byllye Avery, founder Black Woman’s Health Project

...a beginners as well as an adepts [book&] deck... completely fascinating... So much to look at, to read, to learn... -- The Beltane Papers (issue #29 - Early Spring edition)

About the Author

Flash Silvermoon has been a mover and shaker in the Women’s Spirituality Movement since the early 1970s, and is still stirring the collective cauldron at every available opportunity. Being a double Pisces with a Cancer rising, she was drawn to metaphysical study at an early age -- "drafted by the cosmos" as she puts it. Organized religion was never her cup of tea; Flash’s anarchistic spirit and compassionate conscience led her into movement work ... the peace movement, the civil rights movement, the women’s movement, lesbian and gay rights activism, anti-nuclear organizing, animal rights initiatives and more. In short, if it was moving to guarantee rights and redress wrongs, she was there. The women’s spirituality movement was a perfect fusion for her spiritual and political leanings.

In 1975 Flash moved from New York City to Melrose, Florida where she now lives and works serving the Gainesville community and surround. The beauty of the country with its peaceful atmosphere has been her haven, enabling her to create, write, and dive more deeply into her spiritual work. Her practice, which she calls transformational counseling, includes Tarot readings, psychic readings, astrology, past life regression, stone healing, gem elixirs, flower essence therapy, animal communication, and women’s magic and ritual. She creates her own gem elixirs and gemstone "power tools" for healing and with "TWWT" she has created her own Tarot deck, now shared with all.

Flash also offers classes and gives lectures and slide shows on many of these subjects. For ten years, she wrote the astrological section for "Of a Like Mind", an international women’s spiritual newspaper. Her work has been widely published in local and national metaphysical and feminist periodicals. In addition, she has been a featured psychic on several local call-in radio shows. She contributes generously of her time and talents to fundraisers for many causes. In 1990 and several times thereafter, Flash was inspired to organize "Womanspirit Rising". With three other priestesses of different traditions she created a circle of over 350 spiritual women to honor all the ancient mothers and elevate planetary energy.

Being a true shaman, Flash blends her spiritual life with her creative life; she has been a professional musician for over 35 years. At this point, the music and the magic have dove-tailed into several tapes and CDs, some for meditation and relaxation, others "to get your groove on and rock the house".

Over the past 12 years Flash’s healing work with animals has expanded. "It’s been refreshing to spend more time communicating with the four-leggeds. They are my teachers and I love them dearly."

Flash has several new works in progress, including her latest, "Lifetime Companions", about her experiences with reincarnation and communication with her animal familiars.

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 180 pages
• Publisher: Moonfox Productions (October 31, 2002)
• ISBN-10: 0972395202
• ISBN-13: 978-0972395205
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,940,204 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oracle for a Wise World, May 26, 2008

By 

S. K. Harrell (NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Wise Woman's Tarot (Spiral-bound)

I'm not a card reader. In fact, I'm not particularly gifted with sensitivity in the synthesis of symbol and personal mythology as it is printed on card stock, neatly packaged and colorfully presented. I hold cards in my hands and any life thrumming in them falls still. It was with a sense of utmost confidence in Flash Silvermoon, herself, that I agreed to review one of the culminations of her life's work, The Wise Woman's Tarot.
I began that pursuit as all eager students should--by first reading the accompanying text. Evident from the start was the truth that this deck is created with the feminine fully evoked, which I did glean sentiently from the book and accepted as a keen indicator as to why so many other decks have never spoken to me: they did not intend to. On first read the name of the deck could easily be misconstrued. It would appear this deck is for women, and it is certainly steeped in the love, lore and legend of the Goddess. Look again. This deck is aptly named for wise women, those who honor the balance of All Things, including the delicate masculine complement and the multicultural ties connecting us all. With this revelation newly opened in mind and insight, the cards spoke volumes.
Silvermoon has put a great deal of thought and introspection into the symbols giving life to her deck. Working within the traditional archetypes of Minor and Major Arcanas the story of each Arcana unfolds, which just happens to smartly mirror the story of thoughtforms becoming the formed world. Using the foundation of the traditional tarot Silvermoon retells its story in true Aquarian style, balanced, nurturing and whole.
While the cards are a work of art and the voice of insight, the spiral-bound text holds its own. Silvermoon doesn't just explain the cards in intricate detail, she divulges a cumulative and diverse history of every figure and scenario presented, weaving them together as a shared chronicle. It is this facet of the deck that reveals the twenty-five years of work Silvermoon put into it.
Also expressed is the need for and act of how to approach and work with cards as oracles, the necessity of shielding while doing any intuitive work, and how the symbolism of the cards correlates with the chakra system, colors, totems, and planets. The standard presentation of layouts and their function is presented, along with many short cuts, charts and diagrams, as well as instruction on how to do card readings for animal friends.
In summary, the power of this tarot deck lies in Silvermoon's understanding that despite their historic roots, symbols continue to grow and evolve, as does anyone working within the Wise Woman's way.