Wildwood Tarot - tarot decks

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• The Wildwood Tarot is a complete reconception and redesign of the popular Greenwood Tarot. This time author Mark
• Ryan is working with John Matthews, and illustrator Will Worthington of the DruidCraft Tarot, to the create this deck
• based on the seasonal rhythms and festivals of the ancient year.

Everyone that I know that has worked with either of these decks has been drawn into them, and moved beyond belief. They are not to be taken lightly. The box that the book and deck come in is heavy duty, with a lift-off top. The figure on the top of the box is that of the Ancestor (Hierophant), a very imposing figure clad in reindeer skins and evergreen leaves. This figure alone tells of the seriousness of intent in this deck. There are two compartment within the box for the cards, with finger-hole to make easy to get the cards out

I am a little bobblehead reading the companion book. (Yes, I read companion books from first word to last. I am not of the school that throws the book away and just takes the cards out to play.) The figure on the cover of the companion book is that of the Hooded Man (The Hermit). This is a favorite card for me in most decks, as it is one of my birth cards, and a card that I strongly identify with.

Note: Having said this, Mark Ryan says in “Part One – Into The Green” that the best advice he was ever given was to “Read the book, meditate with the cards, then put the book away and do your own thing.”

I am impressed with many things in the companion book. From an esoteric perspective, I love the fact that green type has been used, and that the pages that divide the sections are green, with white print. It follows the theme of the book, without making a mockery of it. The companion book is divided into three parts: Part One – Into The Green (Introduction), Part Two – The Cards And Their Meanings, and Part Three – Finding Your Way (working with the cards).

The deck is a traditional 78 card deck, with the Major Arcana renamed as follows:

0 The Wanderer (The Fool)
1 The Shaman (The Magician)
2 The Seer (The High Priestess)
3 The Green Woman (The Empress)
4 The Green Man (Emperor)
5 The Ancestor (The Hierophant)
6 The Forest Lovers (The Lovers)
7 The Archer (The Chariot)
8 The Stag (Strength)
9 The Hooded Man (The Hermit)
10 The Wheel (The Wheel of Fortune)
11 The Woodward (Justice)
12 The Mirror (The Hanged Man)
13 The Journey (Death)
14 Balance (Temperance)
15 The Guardian (The Devil)
16 The Blasted Oak (The Tower)
17 The Pole Star (The Star)
18 The Moon On Water (The Moon)
19 The Sun of Life (The Sun)
20 The Great Bear (Judgment)
21 The World Tree (The World)

The suits are Arrows (Swords/Air/Spring), Bows (Wands/Fire/Summer), Stones (Pentacles/Earth/Winter) and Vessels (Cups/Water/Autumn). The Court Cards are King, Queen, Knight and Page.

In his introduction, Mark Ryan addresses the subject of gender in the deck. First and foremost, each of us carries both male and female qualities. Where the concept of the archetype was largely masculine or feminine, that is what the creators worked with. In other instances, choices were made – such as the Moon being portrayed as feminine and the Sun as masculine. Ryan also addresses such things as asking questions (which he breaks down into the formulation of the question, the impartial layout of the cards, and the interpretation of the layout), fate and the Tarot, and the foundation for the Wheel of the Year. He takes us through the four seasons, the four corresponding suits, and each card in turn. The text is complimented with an excellent schematic of the Wheel of the Year and the four suits.

The cards are presented with a black and white scan, a short synopsis of their position on the wheel, a description of the card, a discussion of the meaning of the card, reading points, and a highlighted section called “Roots and Branches”, where the keywords are listed. Note: The Court Cards do not contain descriptions, and the Pips (numbered cards) do not contain keywords. The intro page to each suit includes a quote, the position on the wheel, the elemental association and associations (keywords/qualities applicable to each suit).

The chapter on working with the deck includes a three-card spread (The Pathway), a seven card spread (The Bow), and an eight card spread (The World Tree). After the spreads the authors have included a visualization (The Hermit’s Cave). At the end of the book are blank pages for making notes.

I was especially pleased to see a visualization presented, and presented so well. The reason given for including this was that answers do not come easily in any divination system, or in a form that is easily understandable. The visualization is meant to help the Seeker focus on their question, and to get to know the archetypes and what they represent.

The cards themselves are 3” by 4 ľ”. The backs are black, with a fine white border Ľ” in. At each corner is a white flower. Along the border on the right and left hand sides is a copyright notice. The backs are reversible. The card faces have a Ľ” white border. The titles are across the bottom, in black mettering: the Major Arcana show the card number and title, the Pips show the card number and suit, in text, with the keyword for the card. The Court Cards show the card title and suit, in text, along with the keyword for the card.

The artwork is color intense, with a sense of fantasy, along with a strong acknowledgement of the natural world, and stands consistent from card to card. The artwork, by Will Worthington, is very different from that of the “Greenwood Tarot”, which was illustrated by Chesca Potter. Both decks stand on their own as far as the artwork goes. There is an intensity of both color and form in these cards – they carry great power, to the point that at times one does have to step back and regroup.

With the sense of earthiness and care for the planet at the foundation of this deck, it would appeal to all forms of nature (green) spirituality, as well as to those that follow other religious orientations. The stories flow in this deck – it would be easy to read from for and level of Tarot reader/student, and is applicable for all ages and all backgrounds.