Brotherhood Tarot

[tarotbear]

confusion

I do have a signed copy of the Brotherhood Tarot, but I don't want my first post on the subject to sound negative ~ which might color people's interpretations. Is it really a tarot deck, or a divination deck with Tarot labelling?

IMHO - It is a wonderfully creative deck! However, when one has a wonderfully creative deck with images that don't follow 'tradtional' lines - and there is no LWB - to help you understand a few things ... it gets frustrating. The Suits are based on interweaving gay history and mythologies ... but without an understanding of those mythologies - What exactly is the 'cut sleeves' incident? - it leaves me confused as to what I am supposed to understand by viewing the images. Example: the Five Rods - two men in oriental headgear - what?

I can truthfully say the the four Pages don't say a thing to me; I'm not sure what they are supposed to represent - or why - which is how I see things. I am very familiar with the RWS and this deck claims to have 'kept close' to the structure of the RWS ... but I think it needs a book, pipa!

 

[Pipa Phalange]

I hear you, brother. The book is in the works. It will definitely flesh out the gay history and mythology, which will reveal some of the layers I built in to the deck.

I made a conscious effort not to verbally reveal to much all at once as
I feel that in art the viewer should be drawn in to contemplate the
imagery from their own perspective. As Tarot images, this idea is
heightened because of the personal nature of its function. Realizing
my audience will be composed of beginners as well as advanced Tarot
users, I did not want to force-feed information but allow the visual
presence to stand on its own, initially. In our culture of immediate
satisfaction, I realized that this could be problematic. Regardless, I
decided to hold true to my belief that both art and Tarot are about
personal growth and that requires contemplation from the viewer.

The companion book will reveal more depth to understanding the layers
within Brotherhood Tarot and flesh out the hidden story lines. Its a
work in its own right and not just an instruction tool. There are so
many texts on Tarot that it seemed redundant to simply detail
explanations or sybolism. I consider the cards and the companion book as the first two pieces in a body of work. That body of work will be framed in the
universe I created with these cards reflecting my personal vision of
RadFae freedom and spirituality. The goal is to entertain, provoke,
and inspire through the telling of stories of gay life from around the world and through out history.

I assure you the story of the "cut sleeve" will be revealed. While I may not satisfy your desire to understand the pages or any specific card as clearly as you would personally would like, I'll certainly keep it in mind as I finalize the book.

How successful I am in getting the message across will be up to individual users like yourself. I happily enjoy critical thought and discussion because it stretches my own thought processes in regard to the deck. While most of the feedback I have recieved has been extrememly positive, its voices like your's that help me to relook and contempate my own expression. Thanks for voicing your thoughts.

Pipa

 

[tarotbear]

constructive criticsm ..

O.K. I would like to know why is seems a trend in modern decks to disregard the suit symbols, sometimes entirely. What makes the card supposed to be that card, other than the title on the top? Somewhere else someone commented that a modern deck should not be an exercise on how to make medieval symbols fit a modern context, but when an image is devoid of anything that ties it back to the title ... is it still the same card?

Example - for those without a copy of the deck:

There is a card of a rather attractive older man with a tatoo on his left bicep. He wears a large bat facemask that looks like it is made of leather, but you can see the fierce expression in his eyes. He is about to shoot an arrow at an unseen (target? Enemy? tonight's dinner?) something. There is no suit image anywhere on the card. What suit and what card is he ...

A Knight?

A Page?

A King?

A Queen? (remember - no women in this deck)






The title of the card says "The King of Pentacles." My first impression was 'The Knight of Wands (Rods).' For me, Knights are an active principle, dealing in action and Wands dealing in strategy. Pentacles deal in manifestation, and Kings 'rule.' O.K. - a difference of perceptions.

 

[NightWing]

A Welcome Addition

I'm really glad to see the interest already in this deck. The comments and criticism so far are certainly encouraging me to get my hands on it. I was hoping Amazon.ca would have it, but alas, no. In fact, it doesn't seem to be available in Canada anywhere. And since shipping from the U.S. is increasingly a problem (terrorism alerts and all that), there may be a long wait for it.(sigh)

It seems unfortunate that we can't obtain it here in Canada, a country where most of our provinces and territories now have legalized same-sex marriage, among other gay-positive changes. Perhaps this is a deck more needed in America's "Bible Belt" than elsewhere, as part of an educational strategy. If so, I trust it will have a beneficial effect.

Peace be upon its creator, and all who read it.

 

[Owlface]

brotherhood tarot

I was pleased to encounter scans of this Tarot online a few weeks ago, and delighted to receive the deck itself shortly afterwards. I'm posting this mainly in response-or as a reaction-to the VERY negative and, IMHO, unfair review recently posted on Tarot Passages.

First of all to say, I am a heterosexual female and, as such, maybe not the deck's main target. The reviewer at Tarot Passages carps at the total absence of women in this deck. All I can say is, it doesn't offend ME. I understand that the deck derives its images from the Radical Faery movement which is, almost exclusively, composed of gay men. It just is. But I am not aware of any attempt in that group to actively exclude women. And, may I say, while this deck's lack of women does not offend me, there are various other decks (she said, cryptically) that do offend me, because they depict women as nothing more than sex-objects.

I applaud this deck for trying to do something different, to give exposure to a tradition most of us are not familiar with. Unlike the T.P. reviewer, I do think it tallies more or less with the Rider-Waite-NOT that the R-W should be the only point of comparison. And, though perhaps I am not the right person to be saying this, I get the feeling that this deck could be a powerful tool for gay men seeking to feel happier with their true selves in the face of prejudice. To sneer at it because it's a photo-realist deck, or because quite a lot of skin is shown (very tastefully ) is to miss the point.

Also, if someone hates photorealism on principle, as this reviewer clearly does, why the hell do they choose to review a photorealist deck ?? Isn't it better to look at what the deck-creator was trying to do within their own medium ? Pipa wasn't AIMING to recreate the 1909 Waite deck, for goodness' sake !

I agree with various people who have posted here that the forthcoming book will help to enlighten on a few matters, especially on the cut-sleeves incident depicted in the Swords suit. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy.

Oh, and has anyone mentioned the landscapes in the cards ? They are wonderful.


love and blessings to all

rosyelf

 

[Pipa Phalange]

Rosyelf, what lovely words to hear from you. Your very kind.

Earlier this year, I approached a variety of individuals to write reviews for Brotherhood Tarot and asked for their honest opinion so I have to first applaud Frank for taking the time to write up his review. Regardless of the tone and a questionable quote, I'm delighted that his words sparked you to share your own feelings about the cards.

As I continue to work through the final edition of the Companion Book, the dialogue here on Aeclectic Tarot and in reviews allow me to pause and look at the cards from someone else's perspective. That can only make the words I choose that much clearer.

I'm just one guy who did this thing that I felt was important to do and put everything I had into it. In these few weeks since it made its way into the world, I've had an incredible response from men and women around the globe who have connected to the cards and have shared with me their personal experiences using the deck and what that meant to them. In my life that's pretty powerful as well as humbling.

Thank you.

Blessed be,
Pipa

 

[Pipa Phalange]

The Companion Arrives

Hello, one and all, Pipa has emerged from the Oak Grove with the long awaited Brotherhood Tarot Companion! Thank you for your patience.

It's currently available directly through CafePress at http://www.cafepress.com/brotarot

I'd love to hear what people think about the deck now that the offical word is out on the Gay histories and mythology incorporated into the deck, the explanation of the images within Brotherhood Tarot, the tale of its creation and my other musings. For those who have been using the deck, I'm especially curious what changes will occur in relating to the imagery.

Bonnie Cehovet (www.americanboardfortarotcertification.org and www.tarot.thecrystalgate.com) will soon be publishing a review of the book here at Aeclectic Tarot. Look for it at the beginning of 2007.

Bright blessings!