Mary El Tarot - General Discussion

Zezina

Mary El Tarot & book have arrived!

My Mary El Tarot and book have just arrived.

Never have I seen a Tarot deck so magnificently presented and packaged! A marvellous box with a swing lid, and the book and cards nestled inside.

I'm just flying out to a movie - so I can't linger over this and be late, but I've looked through the deck of cards, and they exceed all their promise for me, with the lovely familiar images all there. Large and beautifully crafted cards, easy to handle, and as I've learned to shuffle on decks such as the Cary-Yale and Visconti-Sforza, these are no problem for me to shuffle.

A few penises, etc., which I took exception to in the Williams Renaissance Tarot, but here they seem perfectly natural and acceptable. Marie is a great artist.

The autographed book looks just great. I'm overwhelmed, actually, at the beauty of this package. Which, after decades of looking at Tarot decks, I thought it was no longer possible for me to be.

Thank you Marie, and congratulations!

*Z*
 

Bat Chicken

So now, there is a thread for every one of 78 cards!

My blind (no book) look at the cards was the foundation for this study group, but, I hope people will add to it as I plan to. I want to take a closer look at the qabalah in these cards and see what Marie had to say. I am sure my imagination carried me away at times!

My most brief comments seem to be on the Kings - not because they were simple but because they were iconic. These are the most readable Kings I have ever seen - courts in general actually. I found the greatest personality in them.

I think that, for me, this deck is one of the best at both expressing the mystery of Tarot and imagining it. I am currently doing an IDS with it and I have never felt the desire to be so thorough.

For those interested, I have trimmed my everyday use deck (I have two) and the results are excellent. The images are stunning without borders and the cards are easier to handle at the trimmed size. I will have to take care in remembering which cards are which when many of the usual indicators are absent, but that should only serve to enhance the experience. Here are links to the trim threads with just the trimmed Mary El and a trimmed Mary El with both the Purple Thoth and the PCS Commemorative for size comparison!
 

a_shikhs

BatChicken, the trimmed version looks stunning. And yeah I agree that it would much easier to handle after being trimmed. ;) I totally agree that this deck is so deep and mysterious. It is actually fun studying the cards. I love love this deck and am really tempted to get a spare copy and trim it. :D
 

I Sunshine

Just got my Mary-El too

Wow Oh Wow! Have been wanting this deck for over a year... don't know why I waited so long after publication to buy it! Stunning, deep, mysterious! I am blown away and I too feel overwhelmed by all the symbolism. Figure I better join you guys in the study group just to make heads or tails of it all. I am surprised to be this drawn to a deck this... dark. Hmm not the right word really.
 

I Sunshine

Question

Has anyone else noticed the circle with the triangle in the middle ~ seems to be on every card? Most times it is easy to find... sometime hidden. Is this a signature? Or does it have meaning? I have been looking through the various threads, on Maria's website, and through the book and cannot seem to find a mention of it?
 

Bat Chicken

Yes - it's her signature. :)
 

I Sunshine

Thank you Bat Chicken! It was driving me nuts!! ... now moving on with this lovely deck.... <grinz>
 

Wintergreen

Just received my deck via UPS. I'm new on the forum, I hope it would be alright if I joined your group?
 

Bat Chicken

Of course! Welcome, Wintergreen!:)
 

RunningWild

After having this deck since this past Monday, I'm still only about halfway through the book. I'm enjoying the heavier than usual meanings and incorporating them into my general tarot knowledge. Up close and personal packs an even greater punch, IMO.

I've shared a few times on the deck now but feel woefully inadequate because of the qabalistic references, geometry and such. To me, and for me, this seems a deck that speaks to the subconscious/unconscious ...those things which lurk at the perimeter of my mind, dredging up primitive emotional responses.

Thank for starting this study group, Bat Chicken and I hope you don't mind if I chime in with a few meandering thoughts now and again (which I hope will be pertinent LOL)