INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND

Welcome! This blog is dedicated solely to my Taiga* Tarot designs as they develop. I am not necessarily designing this deck for use in divination, but rather to ultimately share 78 taiga, drawn and written out of my over 30-year journey with The Tarot as a faithful and creative guide. I also do not post these as final versions, simply as final for the moment. Some may very well be subject to revision as I discover more about their inter-relationships, or am drawn to a different design or wording, or receive feedback.

All the cards so far have been influenced in some way by my night dreams, and they all have a decidedly psychological bent. I most definitely expect the latter to continue as that is largely how I relate to The Tarot. I also make no attempt to encompass a broad range of Tarot meanings and approaches in these designs, but to simply highlight an aspect or two of each card that I have found central in my over 30 years with The Tarot as a guide.

As to why a black and white deck? I adore color and find it's often an important aspect of readings, so had no idea that the deck would be in black and white. (Actually, the only thing I "knew" about the deck ahead of time was that it would be a taiga tarot.) But this is how it has come through. I am planning to make the backs of my own laminated copy very colorful, however. :-D

I have the odd feeling that this deck exists somewhere else/when, and is coming to me, card by card. There is also an image that keeps occurring to me: this deck is like a tapestry made from one long strand of many textured embroidery thread, and each individual card is one stitch/texture pulled through to the viewer's side of the picture.

*Very simply put "taiga" are illustrated tanka and "tanka" are five line poems. At the end of each card post below is some additional "Background Information" on the deck and links to sites for in-depth information on taiga and tanka.

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‘til next time, keep enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Tarot Gallery & Journal; Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm; and DREAMJIN: for Haiku-Like Dream Poems, a Yahoo group.****

THE SIX OF SWORDS

So I happened to wonder today when a new Taiga Tarot design would show up. Then I thought about a dream (:-D) I had last night and "voila!" there was the Six of Swords. In the dream I and a vague other person fly in a small plane out over the land of lakes to re-map its changes. I am sitting on the outside of the plane between the wings and they begin to bend. From my weight, I worry? Then I insist we turn around and go back as we are far from home. As we fly back I see the brilliant sunlight on the surface of the lakes. Here's the design this dream inspired:



Traditionally, this card is often said to be about gaining or needing to gain perspective. From the dream I heard getting above or distant to it all is not the only way to achieve a new perspective. Looking below or within is also a way to a fresh view, as in what might have been reflected in those brightly lit lakes as we flew over. Maybe within our own "underneaths" -- :-D -- the higher light from above is reflected, and what could be more of a new way of seeing things than that? I've often thought of this card as saying "As above, so below."

Here's the Six of Swords in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:



What's odd here, is that contrary to how it usually goes for me with the RWS deck, I find it a bit of a stretch to get to the idea I'm positing for a Taiga Tarot card. I have to tell myself a story about the figure: The man is concerned about the adult and child he's ferrying to a different place. It's quite a job to pole all three of them across this wide lake. He's focused entirely on the work very literally at hand. The new view will only be found later as a gift, after they've all reached a new place. This, too, is how I sometimes find perspective, if I'm open to it.

BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT:

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dreamku I write (haiku-like poems about dreams), I am not only attempting to bridge two things – Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all. For in-depth information on these forms:

Modern English Taiga Galleries

AHA Poetry: Tanka Resources

* * * *

‘til next time, keep enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Tarot Gallery & Journal; Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm; and Yahoo DREAMJIN: Group for Dreamku – Haiku-Like Dream Poems. ****

THE FOOL (O)

I really wasn't expecting a Taiga Tarot design to occur to me for some time. My move here to southern California from New York city barely two weeks ago is still very new and there's tons of stuff left yet I have to do to be truly settled in. But on February 13, 2008 I had a dream that ended: "....I realize I'm going awfully fast and not looking very carefully as I continue to veer to the left. I come to what is clearly a cliff-edge but don't even stop to look before going on. As I keep going vertically down the cliff-side I see all sorts of rocks and boulders, and meandering puddles and streams. I keep rushing straight down, thinking that going this way will take a very long time with all the twists and turns required in order to find proper footing." My immediate thought on recalling the dream was "I sure feel like I've gone headfirst without looking off a cliff [with respect to the move to CA]." "Oho!" I said to myself, "The Fool!" Here's the design that resulted:



And here's The Fool in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:



The little dog is often said to be intuition, our connection to God/dess's guidance. And that little dog has been nipping consistently at my heels since I made the decision to move to California, almost herding me toward just the right cliffs to head pell mell over. Once at a cliff-edge, it's been up to me to cope with the new moment before me ... feeling foolish, breathless, and hopeful.

BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT:

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dreamku I write (haiku-like poems about dreams), I am not only attempting to bridge two things – Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all. For in-depth information on these forms:

Modern English Taiga Galleries

AHA Poetry: Tanka Resources

* * * *

‘til next time, keep enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

THE DEVIL (XV)

This was a devilishly (sorry, but the pun is apt :-D) difficult card to design. Both the drawing and tanka went through not only many minor revisions, but each had a couple major total do-overs, in which I took an entirely different tack. Maybe XV is too "close to home." It's astrology sign is usually Capricorn, which is mine, too. :-)

As with all but two of the previous designs, The Devil card was dream-influenced. I'd just finished a lengthy dream journaling session which had ultimately explored issues of psychological projection. How many of the demons and even sometimes angels we see in others, are our own inner qualities projected on them, masking who they really are and also masking ourselves in that process. I then thought "The Devil card!" Here's the design that thought finally brought me to:



And here's The Devil in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:



The Devil's hebrew letter is often "ayin," which means "eye" in noun form. That has always puzzled me a little. No matter the various esoteric explanations of it I'd read, they were not satisfying. But on associating XV to issues around psychological projection I finally find a more satisfactory take on ayin. We need to really, fully open our eyes, to ourselves and others, and not just accept the disowned aspects of ourselves we paste on to each other. No matter The Devil's hand gesture says "All you see is all there is," we need to see this is not true.

One of the positions The Devil can hold in our lives is as a tough spiritual teacher, a Guardian at The Gate, who will not let us go further in our development until we are ready. And, in this capacity, I see XV confronting us with our projections. Those demons and angels we attribute to others that are really our own. Those projections that chain us in fear and stunt our growth. In the RWS version above the chains around the necks of the two figures can be seen to be very loose. Just as with projections, the figures' own willingness to fully open their eyes and see, can free them.

As a simple letter in the hebraic alphabet ayin refers to mirth, and that I have always gotten from the first time I read it. I.e, a healthy sense of humor about the misperceptions and incongruities in life are necessary to our well-being and growth. We also especially need to be able to laugh at ourselves, a lot and heartily; not to take ourselves so seriously.

BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT:

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dreamku I write (haiku-like poems about dreams), I am not only attempting to bridge two things – Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all. For in-depth information on these forms:

Modern English Taiga Galleries

AHA Poetry: Tanka Resources

* * * *

‘til next time, keep enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

THE KNIGHT OF WANDS

Just short of 25 years ago, I was considering offering my first Tarot classes at the urging of others. I was hesitant to do so as I was not sure I knew enough about Tarot. One night on going to sleep I asked my dreams for help with this decision. In a dream that night I "heard" a voice that I instantly trusted clearly say "You will be taught by teaching." Well, there it was. I began to plan the series of classes the next day. And I learned a great deal (and not only about Tarot) in the preparation and in the actual teaching.

How does this all relate to the Knight of Wands? In the wee hours of this morning I was awake and began muzzily going over in my mind each of the Ace through King of Wands in The Voyager Tarot (like counting sheep, in a way :-D) that I had just finished a two week meditation on. For some reason I settled on the Sage, which could be corresponded to the Knight of Wands. I then realized how the Knight of Wands, especially in The Thoth Tarot, has always for me been a highly energized card, blessed (or fraught, as the case may be) with all sorts of personal associations, in addition to it's usual meanings. To make a long story shorter, I realized it should be my next Taiga Tarot design. It was when I thought this that I recalled the above 25 year old dream. I'd never associated that dream to the Knight of Wands before. But decided to go with it, grabbed my dream notepad and began working on the tanka and drawing. The Knight of Wands below was completely sketched and the tanka written before I finally went back to sleep.



And here's The Knight of Wands in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:



This Knight is sometimes said to be very generous. And although I've not specifically associated him with teaching, Wands are about communicating so it fits. (I've probably said several times in these blogs of mine that a Tarot buddy and I had an expression about what we'd see in the cards: "If a meaning doesn't fit, we'll make it fit." LOL!) Wands, in my understanding, are also somewhat closer to Spirit (very generally speaking) than the other suits. So this teaching can be more on an intuitive and spiritual level than the more worldly.

By the way, I think my sleepy mind tossed that dream quote up as it is as applicable now in my life as it was back then. It is, in a way, very reassuring to be told I can learn what is needful along the way. That I don't have to "know it all" before doing anything, as I'm on the verge of going along some pretty big and new roads.

BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT:

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dreamku I write (haiku-like poems about dreams), I am not only attempting to bridge two things – Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all. For in-depth information on these forms:

Modern English Taiga Galleries

AHA Poetry: Tanka Resources

* * * *

‘til next time, keep enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

THE EMPRESS (III)

Just as all but one of my previous Taiga Tarot designs have been, this Empress is dream-inspired. I'd been thinking a lot over the past few days about several different cards I might design next, none of which were III. When I went to sleep last night, I asked that my dreams give me a clear indication of which one to work on next. The first dream image from last night that I recalled this morning was (very briefly put) of a pregnant woman who was gently tapping her belly in a loving way. I immediately thought of The Empress and then associated the individual taps of the dream woman's fingers to the eight visible stars in the crown of the Rider/Waite/Smith version of The Empress. Thus, my Taiga Tarot design for The Empress is:



Here's The Empress in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:



As I sketched eight* stars on my version I recalled I used to wonder if there were more stars we could not see toward the back of Her crown. And that led to the line in the tanka about "seen and unseen." There is so much more available to us from Her bounty than we are ever aware of. There, in the unseen reaches of "creative imagination" (said to be a function of III in some traditional teachings). The Empress is basically a card of bounty, beauty, creativity and abundance, and She's often seen as the archetypal mother.

That last, mother, leads me to an old dreamku of mine:

The Empress cradles
Death in Her wide lap
crossroads

You may note that the card I designed just prior to this one is Death. I did not do this consciously, but I am sure there was some unconscious memory involved in that choice. I won't go on about it all, but my life is very much as it was when I had the Tarot dream that produced the above dreamku. That is, a great deal of life threatening illness and a few deaths around me (my mother among them). An early attempt at a regular dream poem before writing this dreamku addressed the idea of The Empress as a door, based on Her Hebraic letter being Daleth which means door in noun form. At the end of that failed regular poem I spoke to my dying mother, saying: both your doorway and mine swing back//mine opening on this present life//while yours opens//on the Summergarden. ("Summergarden" being where souls go after death in an ancient Celtic tradition.) Ever since, although I only vaguely address this in the pregnant belly shape on the Taiga Tarot design above, I've seen The Empress, above all, as a door. At times, a door not unlike Death's portal. The difference being in directions.

* On checking the RWS III version I see there are actually 12 stars. See what happens when one relies on a sleepy aging memory? LOL! But the line about "seen and unseen" still applies in the tanka. It's just that the road I took to the thought is slightly askew.

BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT:

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dream haiku I write, I am not only attempting to bridge two things – with this deck, Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all. For in-depth information on these forms:

Modern English Taiga Galleries

AHA Poetry: Tanka Resources

* * * *

Resource: Various versions of The Empress card.

‘til next time, keep enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****

DEATH (XIII)

This post is about the first Taiga Tarot design to urge itself upon me for quite some time, Death (XIII). This is also the first card design so far that was not directly influenced by a dream. However, I do not say my dream world has had nothing to do with it. I have had a few dreams recently that referenced death, but as I did not feel immediately prompted to work on XIII I cannot confidently claim they have influenced this design. I can mention a conscious influence: my Taiga Tarot design for The Hanged Man (XII).

Here's Death (XIII):




And here's Death in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck for comparison:



Very succinctly put, Death is often understood to represent transformation. And though I have only rarely seen it address actual bodily death in a reading, it can carry this meaning as well. However, more often I have seen Death refer to a metaphorical dying, as in a total change. It is this aspect of the card that drew me to design it today, tugging at my yearning for inner transformation.

BACKGROUND ON THE TAIGA TAROT:

Please note: This deck is not necessarily being designed for use in divination, but rather to share taiga based on each of 78 Tarot cards.

When I decided the name of the deck would be The Taiga Tarot, I liked not only the alliteration but the resemblance of the word “taiga” to “tiger.” One of my power animals is the Siberian Tiger (and by extension, all tigers), which first appeared as three tiger kittens in a dream. What I had completely forgotten at the time was that the area of Siberia in which the tiger ranges is called “The Taiga”!

A “taiga” (briefly put) is an illustrated tanka. A “tanka” is a mood poem written in five lines, that usually references natural images and human emotions. Also, there is often a contrast or conclusion or response in the last two lines to the first three. I recognize that the tanka/taiga I’m developing for The Taiga Tarot are non-traditional. As with the dream haiku I write, I am not only attempting to bridge two things – with this deck, Tarot and taiga – but also bringing my own experimental slant to it all. For in-depth information on these forms:

Modern English Taiga Galleries

AHA Poetry: Tanka Resources

* * * *

‘til next time, keep enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Tarot Gallery & Journal and Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm.****