How accurate is 78 Degrees of Wisdom for this deck?

Go with your view

When I read your post I thought, 'You go Girl!'

I like 78, and I read it for help, cause I'm such a newbie. However, the real deal comes from your internal system, and how the cosmos is channeling wisdom, force, or whatever it channels through you.

I think the most important thing in determining what the cards are telling us is to link them to what is happening in your life at the moment. I was getting the eight of wands alot for a friend.... turned out they were breaking up with someone.... lots of hustle, bustle, steam and froth.

I think you have the ability to understand the cards. Just trust your internal vision.

Also, why don't you write a book?

"I think the most important thing in determining what the cards are telling us is to link them to what is happening in your life at the moment"
I totally agree

Moongold and shining tribe

I find Pollack's shameless flogging of the shining tribe disconcerting, to say the least;This isn't to say that the tribe isn't a beautiful deck. As the Grande Dame of tarot, a spiritual approach, she shows herself to be pretty materialistic.

I did get the shining tribe and find it to be so egocentric, that I don't get it all of the time. I don't mean this in a narcissistic way. Her interpretations are based upon her own inner vision (which can be said about any card creator). However, her interpration reminds me of why I don't like jazz; the music is an intimate personal conversation between a group of musicians, which I don't always understand.

Just me.

Shandar

Shandar ~

Well, we all have different responses to the cards.

Your coments about Pollack's "materialism" are unnecessary, however.

shandar said:

I find Pollack's shameless flogging of the shining tribe disconcerting, to say the least;This isn't to say that the tribe isn't a beautiful deck. As the Grande Dame of tarot, a spiritual approach, she shows herself to be pretty materialistic.
Shandar

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Hello Shandar,

I am not sure what you mean about Pollack "flogging" the Shining Tribe - were you refering to the references she made to it in the book "The Forest of Souls"? I have "The Forest of Souls" and loved it. I don't think "The Forest of Souls" was ever meant to just be some book she wrote, it was supposed to illuminate uses FOR her Shining Tribe deck. I have the Motherpeace Deck and there have been about five different books written for it by the creators... I would gladly buy more than what I own if I had the money right now. And if Rachel ever wrote MORE books ALL about The Shining Tribe or even just partially, I would buy them too. But I love the deck. I loved reading her stories about working with it.

It is perfectly fine for you to not like the deck, or not "get it," or whatever, but I think you have the wrong idea about Rachel "hawking" it inappropriately.

Just hoping that what I wrote will give you another perspective.

Oh Dear!

I ordered this book today as I heard it was one of the best books on Tarot study around :-(

martyn_uk said:

I ordered this book today as I heard it was one of the best books on Tarot study around :-(

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It is just that, Martyn

If it was worthless there would be no opinions about it at all. It is actually a classic and was way ahead of its time when first published. It is still a very worthwhile purchase.

And if you don't like it you can always trade it off.

Been a long time since I was in RWS... and couldn't resist when I saw the subject was 78 Degrees of Wisdom.

Ok, maybe Rachel Pollack saw the cards differently, maybe she was looking at an older deck. I was using the Radiant RWS at the time so I figured that the images were a bit different and wasn't too put out by that fact.

There were many things I didn't get, like the references to the Tree of Life, but that was no big deal either, since I still don't get the Tree of Life, but it did add depth and meaning in a lot of ways.

What was interesting was the way she tied many different styles and symbolisms together and made it understandable and comprehensible. I felt this book was probably the most influential Tarot book I have owned and helped me develop a deeper understanding of Tarot, not only RWS but every deck I've had since then as well.

It definately wasn't a book to speed read your way through. I'd have to stop after a paragraph or two to think and digest, then re read it again to be sure because it was so mind blowing for me. I loved this book and still do and recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about the deeper meaning in the cards. It really did open up my world and made me a much better reader... but that is only my opinion.

Some things did disappoint me, the descriptions and little annecdotes of some of the pips, i.e. 3 Swords... still, it beat the heck out of any other Tarot books I had until that time. It's a keeper.

I was at my library, and it didn't have a single book about Tarot, so I had to ask the librarian to borrow one for me from another library, and the only title I could remember from threads on here was 78 Degrees of Wisdom.
So I started referring to it when I would do readings for myself, to see what it added to what I already knew from the LWB, which was very helpful.

However the more I read the book, the more I really wanted a RWS deck.
So I went out and got one last night, and have only had a chance to do a couple readings with them, but I feel like a real Tarot student now, lol.

I don't agree with all of her interpretations, but I do find her insights fascinating.
I know someone mentioned the Tree Of Life, which I'm also unfamiliar with, but I found it fascinating that it was on one of the minors. I like that she points out things like that that I might not have noticed otherwise.

Eventually I'm going to buy the book, it's been added to The List, lol

Also, I forgot to mention, the book that I find the most difficult to understand and don't feel like it 'fits' the card sometimes, is the little booklet that came with the RWS deck! lol

"I don't agree with all of her interpretations, but I do find her insights fascinating"VisionQuest

Have you noted how many ppl say this? I think this is what do Rachel a great master, cause you don't have to follow her, she gives us the tool to our own development. I guess she must be proud of her readers, cause we achieve what she says about start to thinking "this card suggest me..."
Really amazing! Thanks again Rachel!