Looking forward to the WILD Kuan Yin Oracle!

The Happy Squirrel

Just bought this deck purely for the artwork. WOW.

The Happy Squirrel

Madrigal said:
At first glance this looks far more Tibetan or Mongolian than something I'd associate with Kuan Yin who is most commonly (though not always) depicted on a dragon (or fierce creature) and surrounded by water. The images here while lovely are more those I'd associate with the dakinis or sky dancers.

Yep. My initial reaction was "Kuan Yin?"

Onion Budgie

There are too many yaks in this deck for me. Good if you like yaks, though.

The Happy Squirrel

Onion Budgie said:
There are too many yaks in this deck for me. Good if you like yaks, though.

I don't *particularly* like yaks by themselves, or seek to collect their images and likeness, or anything like that. I don't even usually like the more 'realistic' style of painting as this one.

However, there is something amazing about these paintings. A combination of what is real and what is not. All those flying and floating yaks and Tibetan women! The stark lightings. The colours. Those sunburned rosy cheeks!! Heightened reality. Hyper reality? Dream like and yet very real at the same time? Wild (never heard of any domesticated pet yak?) and tame at the same time (all those bear hugs and playfulness with the yaks!) Something.

Yak or not.

It could be anything, if in the same spirit of these amazing juxtaposition of rugged reality and fantasy, they would be great visual triggers for much inner contemplation!

The Happy Squirrel

tarotluv said:
Anyone have this deck yet? I preordered on Amazon but it already says "temporarily out of stock".

Have you tried Blue Angel directly?

Madrigal

The Happy Squirrel said:
Yep. My initial reaction was "Kuan Yin?"

Kuan Yin is often described as the female counterpart to one of the principal Tibetan deities, Avalokiteshvara also known as Chenreizig. As such she's got an association with Tara who was born from a tear that sprang from Chenrezig's eye. Tara could be seen as the Tibetan counterpart to Mary in many ways, an embodiment of the divine Mother. Perhaps the creator felt Kuan Yin was more familiar to western ears than Chenreizig hence the title of the deck?

I took another look at this deck and, title aside, I feel a wonderful sense of life energy and joy in it. The preponderance of yaks might have to do with the fact that before the Snow Lion became the national symbol of Tibet it used to be the Yak. On prayer flags today the Four Dignities appear in the cardinal directions, wind horse, garuda, tiger and snow lion. The Yak has been instrumental in survival for the Tibetans providing milk, butter, cheese, clothing, jewelry, transport and the relationship is an ancient one. From a symbolic standpoint the yak is the body, loyally and patiently bearing the soul throughout the world, carrying the burdens we place upon it and from that standpoint I love the presence of the yaks in this deck. If I were to buy it I might re-name it for my own purposes but it sounds like it's hard to come by.

Madrigal

Of course I can't buy this unless I can figure out which Tarot deck in my collection it would work well with. So far I'm not coming up with much. Perhaps the RoA, Ancestral Path, maybe Vision Quest and a few others but nothing that says, yes, perfect fit! Hmm...

The Happy Squirrel

Madrigal said:
Kuan Yin is often described as the female counterpart to one of the principal Tibetan deities, Avalokiteshvara also known as Chenreizig. As such she's got an association with Tara who was born from a tear that sprang from Chenrezig's eye. Tara could be seen as the Tibetan counterpart to Mary in many ways, an embodiment of the divine Mother. Perhaps the creator felt Kuan Yin was more familiar to western ears than Chenreizig hence the title of the deck?

I took another look at this deck and, title aside, I feel a wonderful sense of life energy and joy in it. The preponderance of yaks might have to do with the fact that before the Snow Lion became the national symbol of Tibet it used to be the Yak. On prayer flags today the Four Dignities appear in the cardinal directions, wind horse, garuda, tiger and snow lion. The Yak has been instrumental in survival for the Tibetans providing milk, butter, cheese, clothing, jewelry, transport and the relationship is an ancient one. From a symbolic standpoint the yak is the body, loyally and patiently bearing the soul throughout the world, carrying the burdens we place upon it and from that standpoint I love the presence of the yaks in this deck. If I were to buy it I might re-name it for my own purposes but it sounds like it's hard to come by.

Given the nature of the pre existing paintings used and the closer Tara association that can be made through the Tibetan imagery I still regret that they didn't choose title more in line with those like 'Oracle of the Sky Dancer'.

I think the Kuan Yin is inserted a little willy nilly for commercial purposes. Or, Alana Fairchild is familiar with Kuan Yin and used a variety of or existing Asian art to convey her messages (including her prior "Kuan Yin Oracle" deck. I don't see how nipples are relevant to Kuan Yin).

What a wonderful description about the Yak madrigal!! You could almost create your own deck with such beautiful writing about the yak!!

Madrigal

The Happy Squirrel said:
Given the nature of the pre existing paintings used and the closer Tara association that can be made through the Tibetan imagery I still regret that they didn't choose title more in line with those like 'Oracle of the Sky Dancer'.

What a wonderful description about the Yak madrigal!! You could almost create your own deck with such beautiful writing about the yak!!

Thanks, HS. If I buy this deck I'll be renaming it the Skydancer Oracle, that is just perfect :thumbsup:

The Happy Squirrel

Madrigal said:
Thanks, HS. If I buy this deck I'll be renaming it the Skydancer Oracle, that is just perfect

You know what, I did that with my "Holistic Tarot" book. I couldn't stand the title so renamed it to what I heard the author (Benebell Wen) had originally intended, "Tarot Analytics", with a gold marker for myself

I might do the same here!!

I am curious about the guidebook though. If it ties all the images to the Kuan Yin principles ..... Etc. will report back for sure!