Chrysalis tarot

feynrir

Reflections, response, and a query

Hi Mi-Shell (and everyone!!)

I took this deck out today and read a bit with it. I was contemplating the whole time if I should trade it away or not, and the deck seemed to cry out "Just a little more effort and you will understand me! Please don't give up on me yet!!"

Ugh. Okay, Chrysalis, okay. >:[

But I had a thought today, though I'm not too knowledgable about this yet (haven't researched):
Despite being a metaphysical scholar and expert (to some degree that others think he is, at least)--does Mr. Brooks have a solid knowledge of tarot at all??

I don't mean to call the man out (though I'm kind of doing exactly that), but it's possible that he thought his metaphysical knowledge would make for a good deck, but he didn't have a clue about how to do that within the tarot structure. I do think this would have worked better as an oracle, though since it's kind of forced into the tarot structure, it does force readers to dissociate (or completely ignore) tarot in a historical context.

I would ask the same about Ms. Sierra, but as Brooks "wrote" the deck and I've listened to interviews with him expressly about it, I'm holding him a little more responsible for the subject matter in my admitted ignorance.

For example, I have learned a LOT about tarot history through Rachel Pollack's and Robert Place's writings alone. These are two people who have very solid understandings about historical decks, alchemy, Christianity, Kabbalah (in its various forms), and other spiritual/scholarly underpinnings. These schools of knowledge have helped develop and ground tarot into its most standard and significant incarnation(s).

Toney Brooks? Has he written anything about the Tarot with a capital T? And does he understand it like many of us do?

I think that the deck is nice for a beautiful and flexible exercise of the intuition--much like many Lo Scarabeo decks, actually, which I find to often "stray" a bit. But this one takes it further into New Age territory, and as I've written previously, the LWB expresses that clearly and makes me uncomfortable. All the while, I do try to remain receptive.

Mi-Shell's pointed criticisms (which all really resonate with me!!) made me want to share all this with the rest of you, and I look forward to seeing what others know and think. I'll be googling now, thanks :)

Questions questions questions...
...that I have about this deck:
The 5 of Mirrors: I is supposed to be the Bodhisattva Quan Yin? But the female looks like a brunette Byzantine woman! Why is she not shown as the Asian Spirit Being Quan Yin is? Black hair and slanted eyes......?
Besides: This image looks like a Mayor Arcana card [...]
 

Miss Divine

I gave my Chrysalis to a friend yesterday. As much as I loved the artwork, it just didn't function for me as a tarot deck. I've honestly tried to love it, but I couldn't. Too many cards just didn't resonate. Which makes me kinda sad actually, because it's so beautiful.
 

Amsonia

I'm still a big fan. This deck is my "personal only" deck and use it for journaling and self reflection...I follow Toney's blog and love his more detailed explanations of the cards.

I understand that this deck is different from a traditional Tarot in many ways, but that it is these differences that I find, make the deck intellectual, intuitive, interesting, and insightful to use. To me.

It is not my 'go to' deck for non-introspective readings...but I don't think that means this deck is not worth having...it is definitely in my top 3 favorites.

I look forward to the upcoming companion book by Toney.
 

Miss Divine

I'm still a big fan. This deck is my "personal only" deck and use it for journaling and self reflection...I follow Toney's blog and love his more detailed explanations of the cards.

I understand that this deck is different from a traditional Tarot in many ways, but that it is these differences that I find, make the deck intellectual, intuitive, interesting, and insightful to use. To me.

It is not my 'go to' deck for non-introspective readings...but I don't think that means this deck is not worth having...it is definitely in my top 3 favorites.

I look forward to the upcoming companion book by Toney.

I am glad you are enjoying your deck... and I hope you will enjoy it for many years to come.
The thing is, I'm not a journaler. I've tried it, but it just isn't for me. And that is exactly what this deck is perfect for... Self reflection and journaling!
I am also not someone to follow blogs and such. Perhaps if the book had already been released along with the deck it would've been different for me.
 

The Happy Squirrel

There is another thread talking about the mirror element in the cards, and the collective unconscious perspective which is the basis of this deck. But I can't seem to find that thread at the moment.... There is another chat about how this deck is somewhat it's own system and that if you look at it with the RWS framework in mind then I can be a bit problematic. That the publisher insisted on certain labelling of the courts and majors to resemble the RWS more but that the creator(s?) actually didn't intend for them to be so. Or something along that line. I am wondering if the original intentions and framework can be explained better, maybe this deck will come across differently for us?
 

BrownBear

I am still using the deck, as a tarot deck, & I really like it. It is not a traditional RWS, and that is just fine with me.

I like the animals especially the bear on the two of stones that is cautiously trying to decide whether or not to move on.

I never fell for the hype around the deck, but it speaks to me in a quiet way. I guess if I had a lot of iron clad definitive theories and beliefs about what a tarot deck " should" be I probably wouldn't like it. But by keeping a mind open it really did work for me.

It is one of my top three decks for sure. I only keep three decks because I am not a collector, so it says something that this one made it to the keep pile
 

EmpyreanKnight

This is on my order list, and I hope to get it before Halloween. I cannot study it immediately though, because as a beginner I'm deeply delving into the Rider Waite Smith and the Thoth Tarot right now.

Though the deck is far from being a traditional RWS, so far that by the formal meanings of many cards it seems to have created a profound system for itself, one has to admit that there's an excellent study support system behind it. Aside from the relatively detailed LWB and the coming companion book for the Chrysalis coming early next year, the deck creator also maintains a highly informative website for the deck that discusses each of the 78 cards. I think there's also an active facebook group, though I have yet to join it. Even discounting the beguiling art on the cards that's such a jeweled wonder to look at, it is these these little things give the deck much value.
 

aquestionmark

I had purchased this deck at the very beginning of my tarot journey. I trimmed it and traded it away.... I am curious how people are getting along with this deck, love it or hate it..

For some reason it is crawling back into my brain but I traded it away the first time for a reason.. I am conflicted!
 

Amsonia

I'd also love to hear some feedback now that this deck has been out a while. I know there is a fairly active discussion group on facebook for it that I see in my newsfeed but don't post to.

Personally, although the deck itself, physically, is still something I treasure (I have some of Holly Sierra's framed art, as well as a signed deck) so sentimentally I'm very fond of it, but I haven't found myself pull it out of it's bag in over a year except to measure it against my tarot bags when I make them!

I think about using it, but then I just don't. I believe it is really because I have learned so much more about reading a traditional RW deck, that the alternative meanings at this point aren't something I want to take the extra time for unless I'm really in the mood, and I just haven't been in the mood.

Now, granted, I hardly use ANY of my decks, but there have been at least 5 or 6 other decks opened or shuffled in the last few months...but not the Chrysalis.

What's your long term experience with this deck?
 

Barleywine

I just treat it as an oracle deck and don't try to force it into the tarot niche too much at all. It works perfectly fine for that (in fact, it's one of my better "oracle" decks) and I've had some excellent readings with it. The name "tarot" misrepresents its strengths, it seems to me.