Circle Network Card Review: The Hobbit Tarot By Peter Pracownik and Terry Donaldson Published by US Games Systems Inc 78 card tarot deck and booklet in packet £20
This tarot deck provides a parallel between the amazing storyline of Oxford professor, JRR Tolkein’s novel ‘The Hobbit’ and the experiences we have in our own life and seeks to provide caution and wisdom to help us achieve our aims. The booklet offers interpretations of each of the 78 cards and includes a 12 card ‘The Ring of Gollum’, a 9 card ‘The Sword of Aragon’ and a 14 card ‘The Arkenstone’ spread, the last, an unfolding as a spiral to be read in story-telling fashion, from the centre outwards.
UK based Peter
Pracownik is at the forefront of visionary genre artwork and has produced 78
inspired, creative artworks for this deck. He was also commissioned by US Games
Systems Inc to produce the artwork for the ‘Dragon Tarot’, the Wyvern
Collectible card game, ‘The Lord of the Rings Tarot’, the ‘Imperial Dragon
Oracle Deck’ and the ‘Woodland Wisdom Oracle Cards’. He has held successful exhibitions in
Hollywood and has made appearances on TV in the UK and US.
London based
Terry Donaldson is a professional tarot reader, guide and healer and the author
of several books on tarot, magic and folklore. He travels extensively and has
studied in Greece, Iran and India. He previously collaborated with the artist,
Peter Pracownik on ‘The Dragon Tarot’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings Tarot’.
The card backs
are imperceptively irreversible and provide a kabbalistic style geometric web
design with a golden ring to represent each of the sephirot. I was pleased to
see the glyph as, we are reminded that within the chaos and violence of this
story, morality and spiritual values play a vital part. I found the deck, and the
storyline, has a staunch masculinity, similar to the myths of the Anglo Saxons
which originally inspired the novelist.
I have chosen to
describe two cards as samples:
The Six of Cups
shows Gollum gazing at the golden Ring which he found years before while with
his cousin on the river, Anduin. He is deep inside his lair by the lake. Bilbo
has not yet arrived and found it. Gollum was a hobbit but his possession of the
Ring made him mentally and physically deformed but it gave him invisibility for
fishing and attacking stray Goblins who would provide his meals. He acquired
the name, Gollum from the horrible swallowing noise he made in his throat.
Divinatory meaning: Giving and receiving on an emotional level, a time to play.
This card shows happy memories and innocent times, sharing with others. It is
full of nostalgia, even naivity. It says ‘play time’ and put away those
memories which are painful and sad. Reversed, this card indicates emotional
withdrawal and detachment.
The artwork for
the card of O The Fool features Bilbo Baggins (which appears on the rear of the
packet). It depicts Bilbo stepping out barefoot from his beloved home in the
hills, wearing a waste-coat and with his knapsack thrown over his shoulder, as
he embarks on the great adventure he has been chosen for. Divinatory Meaning: A
new chapter of life is presenting itself, be open minded to this personal
journey. In a spread, this card energises the part which seeks adventure and
spontaneity and requires a leap of faith to find out where it takes you. There
is a need for caution. Risks must be assessed. Balanced opinions are required.
Reversed, the card shows a reluctance to make a commitment or the following of
an unwise path, either by the seeker or by a foolhardy person who causes
disruption.
Reviewer: Wendy Stokes www.wendystokes.co.uk
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