The Burning Serpent Oracle - tarot decks

Price: US $14.42

ProductID: alt1097

• The Burning Serpent Oracle is the creation of Rachel Pollack and Robert M. Place, based on Lenormand imagery and
• illustrated in Place's stunning artistic style. The 38 cards can be used like a Lenormand deck, but they have also been
• designed to be accessible to beginners, and to have a deeper spiritual dimension that allows for personal visionary
• interpretations.

These cards will be recognizable across the room at a psychic fair, The Heart, with flowering rose and cool Demeter holding The Scythe. The Gold Ring promises more than a mere marriage commitment, as the ring provides a base for a Solomon-like temple. Cards 28 & 29, traditionally The Man (28) and The Woman (29) are doubled by including a female card 28, and a male card 29, each looking in the direction opposite of their traditional versions. Another “bonus” two cards are Osiris and Isis, thus boosting the standard set of 36 to 40 cards. Part of the significance of each of these Egyptian figures relates to the higher self of the man and the woman.

The text weighs nearly one pound and, at 263 pages, is packed very full into the 5 x 8 x 5/8 inches. It is a reader’s pleasure to find no typos and page after page of fascinating narrative, as the author weaves personal story, mythology, historical references, and spiritual and cultural connections into a practical discussion of how one might interpret each card. In fact, Rachel Pollack offers four well organized categories for interpreting every card: the most direct meaning, basic meaning expanded and explored, larger context and potential secret or mystical meaning. Each card is shown in black and white in full page size, and 43 revealing pages outline many variations on reading spreads with commentary and suggested meanings.

With each card, I enjoy the well-informed and creative variation of Lenormand image; truly this collaboration has yielded so many enjoyable images. The Burning Serpent rises out of an ancient Jewish altar, The Fox is found in 19th century London and a wee butterfly perches on top The Rusted Cross. Many more visual and textual surprises await the reader and practitioner of the cards. Card backs show a variation of Card 1, Hermes the Messenger. Also, slipped inside the box of cards, is a little white book of 15 pages with all the basic meanings. The artwork of the cards has the look of pen & ink with colorful but muted gouache; sensitive souls like me are not overwhelmed with garish and overly strong colors.

I like The Burning Serpent Oracle, and I believe the background of both author and artist, with their skills and years of work and study, have come together to bring us an oracle that will be utilized for many years to come.