Da Vinci Enigma Tarot

Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Da Vinci Enigma Tarot - by Caitlin Matthews, Boxed set of book and 78 cards with artwork taken from Leonardo's notebook drawings and writings, published by St Martin's Press. For more information: https://redfeathermbs.com/writing-the-da-vinci-enigma-tarot/

For the author, tarot is not a method of fortune telling but a method to prepare for the next move by examining the present situation. We are urged to ask questions of this oracle. Sayings and quotes from Leonardo are included with information on elements, numbers, shuffling, choosing, clearing, augmenting, bridging and interpreting. Reversals of card meanings are provided but the card backs are not intended for upright AND reversed meanings. 

Each Macrocosm card (the Greater Archetypal World) has more than a page of explanation and is given untraditional titles, such as Enigma for II, Twins for VI, Imagination for VII, Time for X, Experience for XII, Passover for XII, Pain and Pleasure for XV, Deluge for XVI, Way Shower for XVII, Conception for XVIII, Birth for XIX, Renewal. Each of these 22 cards have a Latin numeral, a title, a message, an explanation of the image and background information to help with the reading, such as Soul-code, upright reading, reversed and disconnected. For the Microcosm cards (the Lesser Manifest World) each have a title, a message, and an explanation of the background of the image, a soul-code, reversed and information about a disconnected energy relating to the card. 

Suggested spreads are a two card reading, Light and Shadow - the first card represents light shining on your issue, the second card revealing unknown factors in shadow and Vitruvian Man, Cause and Effect, The Divine Proportion. the Destiny and sample readings provided.  

I have chosen to sample the card of ‘Birth’  which asks What is shining upon you? This card is a metaphor for the good things that you have, and helps seeing events as though for the first or last time. The card also asks What is being born? In other words, What is new and good? How are you to make the best of any opportunity which  presents itself? Is something happening which will change your life? The word 'dimmi' is at the top of each page and pertains to each card. It is an Italian word, the meaning is 'tell me' and is used in cafes, when staff are ready to take an order, or when someone has a question that requires an answer. 
 
It is wonderful to work with the 78 sketches produced by Leonardo and the insight provided by the write-up of Caitlin Matthews has wisdom and maturity in getting to the heart of the matter. A great deal of thought has been applied to the presentation of this deck. It is original in many ways and is deeper than most tarot decks. 

Review by Wendy Stokes www.wendystokes.co.uk