New Thelema deck

Pique Dame

I just ordered the Thelema deck off Amazon. I'd been wanting it for many months/years but never got around to buying it. Call me a bandwagoner or whatever, but this past week's episode of "The Bachelor" included a tarot reader doing readings on the contestants using this deck, so that was the kick in the pants I needed to finally click on the "Buy now" button. I know it's RWS based so I'm already comfortable with the meanings. It drew some criticism in another thread on here because it's not very Thelemic, and the general consensus is that it's just another cheap RWS clone. But I absolutely love the imagery and feel very drawn to the characters in the cards, which is why I bought it. Anyone on here use this deck? Anything you can say about how it reads, any quirks or anything you could share? I'm anxious to use it when it arrives!
 

EmpressArwen

Pique Dame said:
I just ordered the Thelema deck off Amazon. I'd been wanting it for many months/years but never got around to buying it. Call me a bandwagoner or whatever, but this past week's episode of "The Bachelor" included a tarot reader doing readings on the contestants using this deck, so that was the kick in the pants I needed to finally click on the "Buy now" button. I know it's RWS based so I'm already comfortable with the meanings. It drew some criticism in another thread on here because it's not very Thelemic, and the general consensus is that it's just another cheap RWS clone. But I absolutely love the imagery and feel very drawn to the characters in the cards, which is why I bought it. Anyone on here use this deck? Anything you can say about how it reads, any quirks or anything you could share? I'm anxious to use it when it arrives!
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haha I thought it was the Thelema deck but wasn't sure! The episode did make it very intriguing by having the reading take place out in the bayou. :)

I'm drawn to it too...but then I look at some cards that I've found online and I have the opposite feeling. The Fool comes to mind. Let me know what you think when it arrives. It's on my maybe list right now.
 

Pique Dame

EmpressArwen said:
haha I thought it was the Thelema deck but wasn't sure! The episode did make it very intriguing by having the reading take place out in the bayou. :)
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Yes!! And when all 3 of them sat down in front of her, the first thing I thought was: How is she going to do a reading with so much animosity and negative energy between those 2 girls? Immediately, she tells them there's too much tension and she needs to read everyone individually. I would've done the same thing.

EmpressArwen said:
I'm drawn to it too...but then I look at some cards that I've found online and I have the opposite feeling. The Fool comes to mind. Let me know what you think when it arrives. It's on my maybe list right now.
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I guess I'm drawn to how beautiful the people's faces and clothing are, and how lifelike the images appear, almost like photographs rather than paintings. The Devil guy is pretty hot so I immediately felt temptation and seduction, despite the negative connotations of the card. I saw the Fool and it threw me a bit seeing a female as the Fool rather than the traditional male jester, but I think I can roll with it. I'll definitely let you know when it arrives.
 

DDwarks

I bought it a few weeks ago and haven't been able to put it down since.

I was a little disappointed about the lack of extra symbolism since I thought it was a thelemic deck too but it reads very easily.

In fact it's the only deck I've been able to read with intuitively from the word Go.

I had Marchetti's deck but never connected with it the same way.

The artwork looks (suspiciously) similar it's very true but the Thelema's energy is very different.
It has a soft yet deep energy whereas Ciro's deck I've found to have a very strong masculine energy.

Edited to add:
I love the Queen of Swords in the Thelema's. Beautifully dressed in a long white flowie gown with a hand covering her own heart. As a Queen of Swords myself I can't tell you how comforting it is to see someone representing us that way because it is how we are. We protect our heart, no matter what!
 

Pique Dame

DDwarks said:
I bought it a few weeks ago and haven't been able to put it down since.

I was a little disappointed about the lack of extra symbolism since I thought it was a thelemic deck too but it reads very easily.

In fact it's the only deck I've been able to read with intuitively from the word Go.

I had Marchetti's deck but never connected with it the same way.

The artwork looks (suspiciously) similar it's very true but the Thelema's energy is very different.
It has a soft yet deep energy whereas Ciro's deck I've found to have a very strong masculine energy.

Edited to add:
I love the Queen of Swords in the Thelema's. Beautifully dressed in a long white flowie gown with a hand covering her own heart. As a Queen of Swords myself I can't tell you how comforting it is to see someone representing us that way because it is how we are. We protect how heart, no matter what!
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That's awesome!! I'm so glad to hear you connected with it so quickly! I've seen and held a lot of different decks but never felt quite so drawn to the imagery as I did with this one. I do love how soft and feminine it is. Flowy gowns and blowing long hair. It's so me! I can't wait to read with it!
 

Le Fanu

Pique Dame said:
... and how lifelike the images appear, almost like photographs rather than paintings.
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But I think they are photographs. This deck is totally RWS - and I think it's a very endearing deck in its way. I had never seen any similarities between this and Ciro's decks. I mean how many variations can there be, for example, in someone defending themselves against 7 staves? I still don't see it much. Ciro's work is more carnivalesque, this is more muted and completely photographic. The composition could be RWS rather than Ciro's.

I like the colours and borderlessness. I don't use it much although I'm sure I could. It's one of those decks that lacks symbolism for me. It's one where you have to look and think "ah yes - the hermit - " and draw on your memorised meanings. There is very little in the images I think that would provoke new and unexpected meanings. But it's nice in its way - feels more like a beginner's deck- and with a feminine vibe. The Death card is gentle and the overall feel is inoffensive
 

CharlotteK

Le Fanu said:
It's one of those decks that lacks symbolism for me. It's one where you have to look and think "ah yes - the hermit - " and draw on your memorised meanings. There is very little in the images I think that would provoke new and unexpected meanings. But it's nice in its way - feels more like a beginner's deck- and with a feminine vibe. The Death card is gentle and the overall feel is inoffensive
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Yes, totally this. It was a very early deck for me and it helped me to learn. I still find it lovely to look at, but it's a tad bland. I do go back to it from time to time when I'm in the mood for something gentle and soft, but there are other decks that fill that brief too in slightly more interesting ways, so it gets rarely used despite being overall quite lovely.



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