Rose Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Ezine card deck review: Rose Tarot by Nigel Jackson. Magnetic presentation box containing a set of 78 tarot cards and full colour instruction book. Card size 2.75 x 4.5 inches. Published by Llewellyn Publications. US: $32 : U.K. £26

Every prayer brings an Angel into being and using this deck for consultations is described as bringing the ‘Angel of the Rose Tarot’ into being! 

Truth-v-illusion; being-v-appearances; knowledge-v-illusion; reality-v-trickery! These are cards that “trace the journey towards spiritual reintegration!” 

 

The deck is created for oracular consultations that facilitate inner awakening, and to guide the seeker through a garden labyrinth of esoteric knowledge, with secrets of the Cabala, alchemy portals, and the courtly love mysteries of chivalry and amor. The method used are symbols that survive from medieval times and words from texts of divine wisdoms that encompass the author’s specialities of hermetic theosophies of C1700s, the Illuminist Freemason’s designs of C1800s, and romantic esoterica of C1900s. You will find text from many arcane books with quotes from Ficino, Agrippa, Bruno, Swedenborg, Boehme and many more! A useful glossary is provided. 

If you thought this deck might be high brow, you are right, but don’t be put off if you have ever wanted to sound impressive while performing a reading! The deck is based on the well known Rider/Waite/Smith and Marseilles Tarot decks, so the Majors have traditional titles. The Court cards are King, Queen, Knight and Knave, and the suits are water Cups, air Swords, fire Batons and earth Coins. The Minors are easily recognisable and have mandolora shaped artwork inserts, and will provide easy readings. The attractive artwork is delicate, elegant and clear, and I think it has a feminine beauty that will lend itself especially for giving readings for female enquirers - though men could also enjoy this artwork and might be more interested in the complexity of the subject matter. Numerology, astrology, alchemy, Martinism, Rosicrucianism, hermeticism, and other rich symbolisms make this a fairly unique deck. An attractive 6 petalled rose design for the backs is mirror imaged, though only upright readings are provided.  

For the Majors, there is 6-8 keywords and an explanatory write up of 300 words, and for the Courts and Minors, 5-7 keywords and 100 words of explanatory text. 

There are sections in the book that explains about the Tarot, the Hermetick Quincunx, and Five Fold Way, Ludovico Lazzarelli, microcosm & microcosm, lower and higher Septenaries: Hebdomad & Ogdoad, the Eight Worlds, the Tetractys, the Seven Souls/Bodies and more! The deck can also be used for meditation.

Two spreads are suggested: 

Wisdom Hath Builded Her House of Seven Pillars (7 cards) and The Italian Method - The Twelve Houses (12 cards)

I would suggest this deck is suitable for those who are interested in the esoteric/hermeticism angle. If someone is new to reading the Tarot, I think they would need more tips to get a down to earth, helpful reading. However, the artwork is exciting and beautiful, and with a little imagination, one could get a good reading from the images alone.  

Nigel Jackson is an internationally renowned artist and Illustrator specialising in the art of western esoteric traditions, such as Masonic Theurgy of the Counter Enlightenment, Medieval Nigromancy and Renaissance Hermeticism. He lives in Manchester UK. He used to be a musician with the band ‘Stockholm Monsters’ and has many other impressive decks to his credit. See:

The Celtic Oracle (Authored with Nigel Pennick)

The Rumi Tarot

Celestial Magic

Complete Vampyre

Fortuna’s Wheel

Medieval Enchantment / The Nigel Jackson Tarot

Illustrator for The Mansions of the Moon

The Latin Picatrix

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