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TAROT SUTRA |
OK. Admit it. You saw this box set in the store and were intrigued by it's tag line - "An intimate guide to exploring sex through the Tarot". Well, strictly as research for this review, I bought a copy of the book and deck set, and was rather pleasantly surprised.
The deck itself is a slightly larger than usual Rider-Waite redo. The larger size allows room for a brief description of the meaning of the card underneath. Though I usually am not fond of this, I assume this set is marketed so that it is accessible to Tarot readers and non-Tarot readers alike. The new color choices for the cards are effective; and they definitely wake up an old Rider-Waite reader like myself. There seems to be a loss of detail in some of the faces and my Star card showed some irregularity in the printing.
Now on to what makes this idea unique. The accompanying book begins by covering how to find your Personality Card and what than means in terms of your sexuality. Then the book goes on to suggest five different ways to choose cards for an evening's entertainment.
The Majors and the Minors are interpreted differently. Each Major Card is given a two page analysis. Each card is followed by a list of edible aphrodisiacs, music to make love by, colors, oils and sensual suggestions. Who could have imagined that The Chariot would suggest making love on the divan. Imagine my surprise when I found out The Tower suggests making love on a rooftop, the rim of a volcano or the Ledge of the Hoover Dam. Each card offers eight or ten suggestions ranging from the ridiculous to the extremely sublime (or so I can imagine).
I was somewhat disappointed when I reached the Minor Cards to find that each card just got a half page description without all the details of oils, aphrodisiacs and music. The sensual suggestions are still there; however, there are fewer for them and they are incorporated in the text rather than listed at the end. I guess this forces you to read rather than just jumping straight to "what are we doing tonight, dear." Looking for a manage trois? The 2 of Pentacles is your card. How about making love in a gondola? Well, obviously you need the 6 of Swords. Of course, for a nude picnic, the 8 of Wands is called for.
Some of the interpretations make perfect sense. Some of them came from way left field, but there were so many fun things going on in left field, I didn't mind. As a reading deck, I can not honestly see a need for this deck; however, I would strongly recommend it as a collectors deck. I can even vouch for it as useful in its original intent, to add ideas and spice to a relationship.
Tarot Sutra (ISBN 0-7894-5966-3) is published by Dorling Kindersley Press. For the open minded and the serious collector, this deck and book set should be considered. It showed up for half price through my book club, so there may be some deals out there. I have always welcomed diverse interpretations of the cards to increase the layers of my understanding. The unique approach of this deck and the accompanying book have added new insight to a number of cards for me. I encourage you to check it out and use it the same way. And if anyone is around Hoover Dam in December, give me a call.