Sunday 3 March 2024

The Muse Tarot

Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Muse Tarot by Chris-Anne, published by Hay House. £21.78 cards and an accompanying guidebook are presented in a quality hard box. Visit website: Chris-Anne.com

Words printed on the inside of the box: "There is magic in truth, there is truth in my veins. Where my blood speaks in sooth, and my mind has no reins." 


The concept for this tarot deck is loosely based on the Rider-Waite deck with 'contemporary imaginings' of the traditional archetypes and symbolism that we would usually expect from most tarot decks. Many of the major arcana cards are retitled, such as 'the hanged muse' for card number 12, 'awakening' for card number 20, and 'the world cosmos' for card number 21. The kings are described as 'muses'. The suits are re-named as 'emotions' for cups, 'inspiration' for wands, 'voices' for swords and 'materials' for pentacles. Already we are preparing ourselves for the unusual! 

The card images are highly coloured and computer generated. Almost all are of young women in their 20s, slim and active and set in surreal landscapes. These multi-cultural figures are surrounded with straight lines at angles, wavy lines, circles, mirrors, flowers, pyramid shapes, astrology symbols, runes, dominoes, horses, crystals and other artistic details. 

The guidebook provides keywords, prompts, a poem, and an explanation for each card but there is no instruction on preparations or how layouts apply to possible questions. The explanations are philosophical and often given in the third person, 'she'. 'There are no rules' we are told in the ‘unguide’ book but it is suggested we converse with the characters and make connection with our own inner muse. I asked a question and opened the guidebook at a random page, read the text, and gazed at the appropriate card. I found myself in a meditative and trance-like inner space, with the type of thoughts that arise just before sleep or upon awakening. I found the images and the text mysterious and dream-like. Due to this, I think using this deck requires a basic knowledge of tarot and I think these cards are best read for oneself rather than for others. The images are female centric and would therefore appeal exclusively to young women. 

This tarot deck is described as 'experimental', and 'unorthodox' and was originally designed for a digital, audio experience and is still available in this form with the poetry, creative prompts and audio files required for readings. There are also harp music sound-healing tracks to enjoy. These can be accessed on this link: TheMuseTarot.com

Chris-Anne Donnelly is 45 years of age and lives in the Blue Mountains of Ontario. She studied marketing strategy at the University of Toronto and holds a Sheridan Bachelor of Design award from York University. She started her marketing and graphic design company, 'Pixelbrand' in 2008 for healers, feel good companies, soulpreneurs, and people-helping-people. She is a 'change-maker' and ‘dream builder’ whose style is Bohemian, chic and unique. Her ‘brand catching’ marketing company operates within the health and wellness sector. It launches products and services and creates coveted and memorable brands. Chris-Anne also produces courses and products for soul philosophers and dream chasers, and as a champion ‘card slinger’ she has independently Crowdfunded three tarot decks on Kickstarter, The Sacred Creators Oracle (originally designed to assist business owners, but not used in this way), The Light Seer’s Tarot, and this latest ‘muse’ deck. 

The Muse Tarot supplies “Air energy to fluff your wings or a little moss to ground your love, a tiny spark to ignite giant dreams or an ocean tide to heal your wounds.” It is quirky and offbeat, a deck that 'tickles ideas into formation and acts as a springboard for curiosity and intuition'.
Review by Wendy Stokes for Psychic News Magazine  https://Wendystokes.co.uk 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.