Hallowquest and Arthurian Tarot

                                                                         

'We must create one more pure work' W B Yeats

Hallowquest Tarot Magic and the Arthurian Mysteries is the title of the companion book that accompanies The Arthurian Tarot Cards by Caitlin and John Matthews with artwork by Miranda Gray. This specialist deck and book style initiatory course in the Mysteries of Britain is based on the mediaeval stories from Britain and France of King Arthur, the Round Table and the search for the Holy Grail. They feature the personalities, places and events that will be well known to students of these extraordinary tales. The authors are specialist tarot creators and this is one of their best! It presents a coherent deck which features the Greater Powers (Major Arcana) and Lesser Arcana (Court cards and Minor Arcana). It corresponds to the four seasons and the traditional cups, swords, pentacles and staves. Black and white scans are provided of the cards in the book. There are rituals, meditations, occult explorations and shamanic journeys and Hallowquest provides a year's meditation course as a series of doorways into the archetypes and symbolism in order to provide a structure for personal self development.

I have chosen 'the Seeker' as a sample card. It shows the curious Hallowquester setting out on a journey to follow a path of enlightenment through a wasted landscape. The Seeker is humble and travels without the weight of fixed ideas. Only then can destiny naturally flow and unwind and intuition take place. This is the Rainbow Path. The Birds of Rhiannon from the Land of Promise and who live on the Tree of Life call their intuitions as they fly overhead! The quest begins with a question! The world's healing is a challenge - as is the personal healing we all seek for! Every Seeker is a Grail winner - a role which is open to women and men equally. The legends tell of the unworldly Peredur or Perceval, whose innocent desire for life experience and knowledge lead to knighhood and the accolade of 'The One Who Frees the Waters', a tribute of great honour, wisdom and power. It is a title for one with special gifts who can heal, balance and align.

There is good information about the tarot and also about the use of the deck with the wonderful magical stories which have survived over the course of a thousand years so you engage and experience the ancient tales as though you are living them. Anyone who works with this deck will be transported into the story and its connection with learning about their life today. The Majors are explained in depth and are titled as characters from Merlin, Arthur, Guinevere, Taliesin, Prydwen, Gawain, The Wounded King and many others and the Court cards are Kings, Queens, Knights and Maidens and them their sacred quest for the Hallows. 

There is information on how to use the deck and added to this are many exercises, games and meditations and you can find your personal totem. It is suggested that any revelations during working with the cards is recorded int he space provided. The cards can be used for a variety of purposes: for divination (upright meanings only); for storytelling; for myth making, for understanding the ancient story, and for self development. A valuable chapter on ethics when working with tarot is important. Spreads are related to the Matter of Britain too, with Merlin's Mirror and Excalibur. I found the book was accurate with regards to the academic nature of the research and I loved the beauty of the landscape and animals which speak The archetypes are magical, the nature of the personalities and the storyline is full of depth and complexity. Wonderful artwork by Miranda Gray - this deck is an investment!

    Reviewer: Wendy Stokes Visit: https://wendystokes.co,uk