Brotherhood Tarot

Shade

I came across this deck from the review of the Gay Tarot on Aeclectic, I'd be interested to hear what other Gay Tarot enthusiasts thought about it.

http://www.oakgroveoracle.com/

the rest of teh site is here:

http://www.oakgroveoracle.com/

For my part I think it's a beautiful deck and would probably be useful for high-falootin' metaphysical hyper-spiritual readings but would be impractical for more down to earth stuff. It reminds me of the Pollack's Shining Tribe tarot in a way, a deck that I love but can't read with for most ordinary questions. I think it was Lee who described the card meanings in ST as all meaning "spiritual good stuff" and I have to say I agree with him. It was challenging to ask about a college major change and have the answer be about the cosmic group mind, I have no doubt that that wasthe answer, it just didn't help me make a decision.
 

Kiama

Hmmm... I haven't got the deck, so what I say is based merely on the cards showcased on the Oak Grove website.

I thought the deck was pretty, but a little disappointing. All they've done is replaced the women in teh cards with men, and basically copied the RWS. They've added nothing that is 'gay' - no gay-specific issues, etc. Just replaced women with men and had done with it. :(

Shame.

Kiama
 

Pipa Phalange

Oak Grove Oracle - Brotherhood Tarot

Shade and Kiama, thanks for discussing Brotherhood Tarot. Its kind of a thrill to see that people feel that its something to discuss.

My name is Pipa and I'm the creator of this deck.

Right from the start, I imagined this to be a fantasy deck and not one that is based in our real world. I enjoy the thought provoking ideas that come out of symbolism and how it can relate to our lives. For me, it allows me more room for creative thinking when doing a reading.

To ensure that the deck would be useful to those familiar with traditional Tarot, I kept close to the structure of the Rider-Waite deck yet felt free to incorporate my own creative interpretation and spiritual knowledge. I assure you that I have not simply replaced women with men through out the deck.

One of the concepts within this deck is actually gay storytelling. It was important to me to go beyond the scope of the average Tarot deck by incorporating a visual storytelling of gay history and mythology that would explore the gay spirit beyond our modern, western concepts of gay life.
Each suit within the deck contains loosely interweaving stories of gay history and mythology. For example, the suit of Cups retells the legendary story of Zeus’ lust for the mere mortal Ganymede while the suit of Swords reflects upon the so called “cut sleeves” incident from 6 B.C., which is still a euphemism for homosexuality in Chinese literature to this day.

I hope that after you read this you might look at the deck a little bit differently than before. Regardless, I certainly respect your views of the deck and again, am simply thrilled that you took time to address it.

If you are looking for a gay deck that seems to fit your everyday needs or incorporates a modern world setting than you may want to look into The Gay Tarot by Lee Bursten with art by Antonella Platano. It is a deck that is hand drawn images of men in everyday professions and committed relationships. I certainly own this deck. I find it exciting that our two decks, which many might have felt would be quite similar, actually reflect a good deal of diversity.
 

tarotbear

Hello

Dear Pipa - just received word that my deck, signed card, and t-shirt is on it's way! Looking forward to seeing the whole deck up close and personal!
 

Pipa Phalange

Oak Grove Oracle - Brotherhood Tarot

Tarotbear! Have they arrived yet? Looking forward to hearing what you are think about the deck. Word is just starting to come in and I am very pleased.

Besides the decks arriving from the printers, the most exciting thing has happened this week. Widow Bryant, a Faerie sculptress in Chicago, wants to collaborate with me and actually create a piece based upon one of my images. What an honor to have created something that has inspired someone else. That is what i consider success! Yeah!

Peace to you, Tarotbear.

- Pipa
 

Kiama

Hi Pipa, and welcome to Aeclectic!

Thanks for your input on this thread, and for the explanation about the mythological aspects of the deck. I am hoping that Tarotbear will tell us a bit more about it when he receives the deck.

I applaud anybody who instills mythological stories into the deck, and its good to see some gay-friendly stories in there. (The story of Zeus and Ganymede is a fond favourite of mine actually, and I'm putting it into a God-oriented deck that I'm working on.) I'm not sure I can see the story in the images on the cards though, which is something I personally would like. However, I'm sure that after reading the companion book the user of this deck would be able to incorporate what they have read into their reading of the cards. I don't have the deck, so what I'm saying is based only on the cards shown on the website.

I must add that, after taking another look at the deck, I am pleased with the models used in the cards. It's good to see that they're not all the stereotypical camp gay men, and quite a lot of them look like any other Pagan/alternative man one might come across at a festival or moot. So thumbs-up for that! :D

And on another positive note, whether people like the deck or not it is marvellous to see more gay-friendly and men-oriented decks and Tarot books coming onto the market. I'm not a gay man, but I see the need for such decks (and after a good experience with the Gay Tarot, I am inclined to collect as many 'Gay Decks' as possible).

Wishing you all the best with the Brotherhood Tarot, Pipa, and Tarotbear - I eagerly await your further input!

Blessings,

Kiama
 

tarotbear

It's here!

I no sooner was reading Kiama's post than the deck just arrived at my door- literally! Give me a day or two to check it out.
 

VisionQuest

Ok Tarotbear, time's up! what do you think? lol jk :) Take your time :D


Kiama, I LOVE your signature quote!
I myself love spiritual fruits but am allergic to religious nuts ;)
 

Pipa Phalange

Brotherhood Tarot - Back Story

Thank you for your comments and private messages. I appreciate the interest. Its been an exciting few weeks. Even though the decks just came in earlier this month, I have shipped to 27 US States and 6 countries. Probably the best thing that has happened is that I have inspired an artist, Widow Bryant, to create an actual Faerie of one of my images - couldn't have asked for anything more magical to happen.

Tarotbear has encouraged me to share the back story of the deck so without any further GAk here is my story...

Last Winter, I started my own company, Oak Grove Oracle, to explore the creative arts of Radical Faeries and establish an on-line community to reflect and showcase the wide range of their digital artistry. In the process, my creative spirit was compelled to invent a Tarot deck that would speak to the spiritual nature of gay men. It was equally important to me to go beyond the scope of the average Tarot deck by incorporating a visual storytelling of gay history and mythology that would explore the gay spirit beyond our modern, western concepts of gay life.

I began my journey by traveling the length of California seeking inspiration from its natural beauty. From my home in San Diego I made my way up the coastline along the Pacific Ocean until I reached the forests of ancient Redwoods. After spending time in the world of those giants, I found myself drawn to the Mojave and Anza Borrego Deserts to experience the curiosity of Joshua Trees and the slow rhythm of desert life. Throughout this journey I photographed everything that spoke to my soul.

Once home, I gathered many dear friends to help me realize my vision. Together we gathered the objects and costumes that would create the visual fabric of the deck and help me tell my stories within the visual language of Radical Faeries, (mainly) men who gather in nature and playfully celebrate life without being tied down to masculine and feminine qualities we adhere to in everyday life. Out of these photo sessions sprang the basis for the 78 images that are Brotherhood Tarot.

Each suit within the deck contains loosely interweaving stories of gay history and mythology. The suit of Cups retells the legendary story of Zeus’ lust for the mere mortal Ganymede while the suit of Swords reflects upon the so called “cut sleeves” incident from 6 B.C., which is still a euphemism for homosexuality in Chinese literature to this day. These stories and more will be told in the companion book due out later this year.

To ensure that the deck would be useful to those familiar with traditional Tarot, I kept close to the structure of the Rider-Waite deck yet felt free to incorporate my own creative interpretation and spiritual knowledge. Each card seemed to demand its own drama and humor, making for intriguing results when mixed with my personal vision and the unique energy of the people involved.

If you want to read more, you can check out the initial reviews at http://www.oakgroveoracle.com/reviews.htm - There are more coming in and some will be appearing here at Aeclectic Tarot as well. Hope you enjoy them.

Blessings,
Pipa
 

Sulis

This thread was becoming buried in the Gay Tarot Study Group.

Tarotbear has asked that it be moved so that other Aeclectic members will have the chance to discuss it.

So here it is in Tarot Decks

love

Sulis
co-moderator - Tarot Study Groups / Gay Tarot