So, what's up with the Wildwood Tarot?

Glitterbird said:

I love this deck, the first thing I did was throw away the book and I use it as an oracle.

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That's pretty much what I want to do, actually. I really do love the artwork, but it just doesn't feel like Tarot to me. I just need to get enough of a handle on the mythology and symbolism of the images on the cards, especially the Majors and the Courts (the Pips I think I can read well enough)

Aside from the fact that yes, I do have the second edition, and yes, it is a copy and paste job AFACT, the descriptions in the book do not match the cards in many cases, and some of the courts have been changed to different animals, which makes using Chelsa's Greenwood book difficult. I really wish the authors had spent more page space explaining the animal symbolism and significance in Celtic folklore and in Druidry, and less on pat, shallow divinitory meanings. If I understand the symbolism, I can interpret the cards for myself, thank you very much.

Really, a lot of the Wildwood companion book is New Age word salad.

Asbestos Mango said:

New Age word salad.

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I love that expression.

Asbestos Mango said:

... which makes using Chelsa's Greenwood book difficult.

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Mango dear - her name is Chesca....

That aside - yes I use the deck, and as the book is useless for it, no I don't use the book. It is a pretty deck and it works fine. It feels like tarot, even. NOT like the Greenwood - but I don't care about that. It's - basically - just another deck, and one of the better just anothers !

Asbestos Mango said:

That's pretty much what I want to do, actually. I really do love the artwork, but it just doesn't feel like Tarot to me. I just need to get enough of a handle on the mythology and symbolism of the images on the cards, especially the Majors and the Courts (the Pips I think I can read well enough)
I really wish the authors had spent more page space explaining the animal symbolism and significance in Celtic folklore and in Druidry, and less on pat, shallow divinitory meanings. If I understand the symbolism, I can interpret the cards for myself, thank you very much.

Really, a lot of the Wildwood companion book is New Age word salad.

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There is some very good stuff out on Celtic totem animals, etc, a lot of it by John Matthews. He has a Celtic Animal Oracle that gives very good explanations of the various animals. It's inexpensive, and in print. Ted Andrews in Animal Speak is very good on the animals, more from a Native American perspective, though he includes European and Asian views. Animal Magic by DJ Conway is also excellent, and more of a European view. Any of these will be a great help with this deck...they have been for me.
For the Celtic Folklore, again, Matthews....and any story collection of Welsh and Irish Mythology.
The richness is amazing, once you have a little information under your best. and yes, the Companion book is New Age Babble, at best.

I feel the book is quite good, but I do agree that it should been totally revamped for the new deck. Many of the card meanings are straight forward and require one to consider how she/he can sort their life problems out through their own effort e.g. The Wheel, Nine of Bows....








Freddie

I also like the Wildwood. Hoped it would be a more available version of the Greenwood (which yes, I also have - got it used but before the price became astronomical) but found it to be a completely different deck, with similarities to the Greenwood.

Sort of like oranges and tangerines.

I ignored the Wildwood book completely. Probably good for me.