Why a Tarot Deck?
As Patricia and I worked the Magick of The Lost Harlots, we soon became of one mind that eventually we would like to do a companion Tarot Deck. This was, in the beginning, just a wisp of an idea. Once the book was published, the pandemic and all the fall-out of Covid-19 took a great deal of our time and energy. Though published, we were not in a place to market the book as we wanted, and the Tarot deck took a backseat to all we and the rest of the world had to contend with.
As a long-time professional reader, I fantasized about creating a Tarot deck; however, my artistic abilities have sadly been bent to the words, not the art. My beloved dad was an artist; however, my gift is to appreciate the visual arts versus performing sketches, paintings, sculptures, and the like. The illustrations in The Lost Harlots beckoned as Major Arcana cards. The characters within the story could easily be transformed to the Fool, Magician, High Priestess, Emperor, etc., of a standard Rider-Waite-Smith Deck. We saw this immediately, however the process, as most processes that are worthy, takes time and new considerations.
We have been making headway in this aspect. We have a general understanding of who each card IS, and we have begun the painstaking creative work to write about each card while Patricia works on the illustrations from a point of view of conceptual art with meaningful Tarot symbols versus the sketches illustrated for the book. Once this becomes a more familiar rhythm, we will launch a Kickstarter program to help off-set the costs of publishing an independent Tarot deck.
The greatest creative aspect of this project is the art for each card. As a Tarot reader and enthusiast, writing the Tarot Information Booklet is the easiest part. Tarot has never ceased to amaze me as a divination tool. The symbols found within each Tarot card, from the Major Arcana to the Court and Pip’s are a language all their own for me in my work. The clarity of the challenge card to the solution cards forever strikes within me an awe. As a counseling tool, divination tool, honesty tool, you cannot find better. Patricia has her work cut out for this deck! As for me, the card meaning itself is apparent, and therefore the writing for the deck is apparent as well. I hope to translate that well, in the deck information booklet.
It is never recommended that one learns Tarot from an Art Deck; but rather from a basic Rider-Waite-Smith deck or the Robin Wood deck. Once that is learned in a competent way, an Art Deck from any artist/writer can be read. This concept reveals why Tarot enthusiasts own so many decks! I currently own over 100 decks: down from over 200 a mere two years ago. The draw is always the art itself and is an expression of just how much times have changed since I first began reading Tarot. There are now thousands of Art Tarot decks and many private and public publishing sites. It is my opinion The Lost Harlots will resonate for professional and hobby Tarot readers and collectors.
To give an idea of our concept, consider the following rough-draft and sketch for the upcoming The Lost Harlots Tarot; remember this is a rough draft with the illustration from the book:
8
Strength
“She had been our bravest warrior,
Hard, fast and always true blue.
Loving us all and taking care,
A stalwart in harshest times, we knew.
But for me, my dearest Sister.
By my side through thick and thin.
How to carry on in this life I knew not.
Could Abigail survive without her twin?”
The Lost Harlots
Millie Lily was the courage and the strength within the circle of Outlaws and Harlots. She was Abigail's first real friend, and always the one to roll up her sleeves and get to work. Fearless in the face of danger and heartache, she managed to maintain her gentle care through the worst of life’s traumas.
Strength pulled in a reading indicates a persona of courage, stamina, caring, wisdom, and strength; physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. The Strength card is much more than obvious heroism; Strength is protection, conviction, virtue, healing, and gentle endurance.
A strong card that represents a large circle of positive attributes, Strength has overcome much to become who they are. She recognizes those qualities within herself and within others.
Reversed, Strength is weak; a person lacking conviction, perhaps a hypochondriac or one who overestimates their personal stamina; rebellious without a purpose, or depressed and overwhelmed by personal crisis in a way that sends out the negative energy of a taker versus a giver. At times, a Strength card in reverse will indicate a person who will take the coward's path at the expense of morals and relationships. An overly dependent person, or one who disregards the best interests of others may be represented by the Strength card reversed. May also indicate drug or alcohol addiction.
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