The vernal equinox, also known as Ostara, is an important event in the pagan calendar. It occurs around March 20th and marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Pagans celebrate this time as a period of balance and renewal, as the day and night are equal in length. For pagans, the vernal equinox represents a time of awakening and growth. It is a time when the earth is coming back to life after the long winter months. The days are becoming longer, the weather is getting warmer, and plants and animals are starting to show signs of new life.
SAMPLE CARD IMAGES:
There are 83 cards in five groups the 40 Element cards suit cards 1-10 , the 16 Helper Cards court cards , the 22 Ancient Ones major arcana , the Power card Tree of Life , and 4 Gift or Faery Cards. It s sort of like biting into a piece of fruit that looks like a peach and smells like a peach only to discover that it has the texture and taste of a banana.
The days are becoming longer, the weather is getting warmer, and plants and animals are starting to show signs of new life. In pagan belief, the vernal equinox is associated with various deities and symbols. One common deity associated with this time of year is Eostre, the goddess of fertility and renewal.
Fadry wicca tarot
Summary: A complex deck that can lead to intense readings by intermediate and advanced readers, it is also appropriate for those following Kisma’s Faery Wicca tradition. The Irish names will take dedication to master, but the usefulness of extra cards makes this a worthwhile endeavor. This is not a deck for everyone, but those who are willing to explore it will find much to benefit readers and clients alike.
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
ISBN: 1-56718-684-X
Creator: Kisma K. Stepanich
Artist: Renée Christine Yates
Name of accompanying booklet: Faery Wicca Tarot
Number of pages of book/booklet: 180
Author(s) of book/booklet: Kisma K. Stepanich
Available in a boxed kit?: Instead of the normal little booklet, this deck comes in with a book that has the same length and width as the deck. The deck itself is in a box, and there is a slipcase that holds both the book and the boxed deck. This is very clever as it doesn’t take up a lot of room but still includes far more information than is usually found in those tiny "little white booklets" that accompany most Tarot decks.
Magical Uses: Contacting spirits, developing intuition
Reading Uses: Determining directions for the future, general advice
Ethnic Focus: Celtic
Artistic Style: Basic colored illustration
Theme: Celtic Faery Wicca
Does it follow Rider-Waite-Smith Standard?: Somewhat, but with a Faery Wicca twist.
Does it have extra cards?: Yes
What are they?: The major arcana cards are renamed as "The Ancient Ones" cards. More on this below. There is one extra card here, numbered 00. It is named "The Tree of Life (Crann Na Beatha).
Does it have alternate names for major arcana cards?:Yes
What are they?:
Number Traditional Faery Wicca
00 [None] The Tree of Life
0 Fool The Seeker
1 Magician The Druid
2 High Priestess High Priestess
3 Empress The Mother Goddess
4 Emperor The Father God
5 Hierophant The Guide
6 Lovers The Beloved
7 Chariot The Chariot
8 Strength Poetical Justice
9 Hermit The Holy Man
10 Wheel of Fortune The Sun Wheel
11 Justice Strength of Will
12 Hanged Man The Hangman
13 Death The Banshee Crone
14 Temperance The Holy Waters
15 The Devil The Old One
16 Tower The Round Tower
17 The Star The Star
18 The Moon Old Witch Moon Hill
19 The Sun The Sun Child
20 Judgement The Judgement
21 World The Weaver Goddess
Each card also has the name in Irish.
Does it have alternate names for minor arcana suits?:Yes
What are they?:The suits are named, in Irish, after the traditional magical elements. Domhan (Earth) replaced Pentacles. Tine (Fire) replaces wands. Aer (Air) replaces swords. Uisce (Water) replaces cups.
The number cards of the minor arcane are called the "Element" cards, while the court cards are called "Helper" cards. When you originally get the deck, instead of a suit running from the numbers through the court of the suit, you get all forty of the Element cards followed by the sixteen Helper cards. Each of the Helper cards represents an actual figure from Celtic mythology. Although the Element and Helper cards have symbolism, it is sparse compared to many other decks. Still, they give enough information to properly interpret the cards according to the information in the book.
The major arcana can be used in traditional fashion, but there are some dramatic differences. The most obvious one is the change of the cards numbered eight and eleven. The Faery Wicca Tarot uses the ancient format. These two cards were changed by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a practice continued by one of that Order’s members, A.E. Waite. It is this version that is the modern standard, but a little history doesn’t make this too jarring.
Some of the others are more difficult. Card 7, The Chariot, has only one horse rather than two, resulting in a change of interpretation for me. Card 8, Poetical Justice, seems vicious to me, with a young pregnant woman being driven away. Card 12 shifts the focus from the traditional Hanged Man to the person who does the hanging, The Hangman. The author does this to move away from the concept of sacrifice represented by the card??""sacrifice implies martyrdom or victimhood" the author writes. I would respectfully disagree. We can sacrifice what is no longer needed in order to make room for even more. However, the author redefines the meaning of this card as "change," and this concept can easily be incorporated into readings.
The most disconcerting card for me was 15, The Old One. In the front is the image of the Horned God from the Gundestrup Cauldron, changed to make the sign of the horns (thumb and middle fingers bent into the palm with the pinky and first finger raised) with both hands. While it’s certainly appropriate, I have to admit it made me think of someone shouting for "Freebird" at a rock concert! Even more bizarre is a popular image of Jesus standing behind the Horned God. And traditionally, this card is called "The Devil." The book describes this a requiring a choice between them (or maybe not), leading to a meaning of choice for this card in this deck.
Why was deck created?: According to the author, while sitting in a stone circle in Ireland, the vision of Dana came to her and inspired her with the design for this deck.
Review:
Some people collect cards for their artistic value, some use them for magick, some for spiritual development, and some for divination. I only keep a few decks for their artistic value (such as the Dali deck) and prefer to have decks that I use. The Faery Wicca Tarot is strange in that it looks like the "standard" deck and feels like one, but has so many differences??"including the meanings of many cards??"that this deck is definitely not a standard Tarot. It’s sort of like biting into a piece of fruit that looks like a peach and smells like a peach only to discover that it has the texture and taste of a banana.
The important thing to point out is that there is nothing wrong with bananas. In fact, if you need some potassium in your diet, a banana is even more desirable than a peach. But seeing one thing and getting something else can be quite a shock. So I have to state at the outset that to use this deck to its fullest you can’t just sit down and work with it??"you must study the accompanying book.
Studying this book is really the key to the deck. After a brief introduction you follow the Element cards, the number cards of the minor arcane. Each description is part of a story followed by a brief poem. Rather than telling you, "This card means X, Y, or Z," the story and poem tend to provide concepts and feelings about each card, resulting in an almost initiatory experience. This is followed by some spreads to use with just these cards. Then come the Helper cards??"the court cards of the minor arcana??"followed by more spreads. Next comes the Ancient Ones, the major arcana, and more spreads. Finally, the four Gift of Faery cards are described along with more spreads.
As you learn more and more about the cards, the spreads become more unique and complex. With complexity comes precision and accuracy. In short, this is a deck for intermediate to advanced Tarot workers who are willing to study and practice. The results will be very worthwhile.
This also follows the concepts presented in Ms. Stepanich’s tradition of Faery Wicca. If you are one of the many people involved in that system, this deck is ideal for more in depth work.
Just as the interpretation of the cards seems to move from traditional to unique, the artistic style of artist Renée Christine Yates is a conundrum. The Ace of Aer seems to be almost primitive in style (primitive in an artistic sense, as in the style of Grandma Moses) while other cards have explosions of depth and realism. For example, look at the fish on the Four of Uisce or shield on the Ridire of Domhan.
A totally unique aspect to this deck consists of the four extra cards known as the Gift of Faery cards. They are the Apple Branch, Crane Bag, Hazel Wand and Holy Stone. The closest thing I can compare them to is a part of the reading system used by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. At the beginning of the system, after determining your question, you would cut the deck into four piles and turn them to look at the bottom cards of the piles. Loosely, the piles can be seen as associated with the meanings of the four elements. The reader looks through the piles for the significator. The element of the pile the card is in gives a general direction for the reading. By randomly pulling one of the Gift of Faery cards you will get an indication of the level of perception you are operating in. The book describes other ways to use these cards, too.
The book concludes with a pronunciation guide to all of the Irish words on the cards and in the book. Frankly, I am very glad the book is included with every copy of the deck because without it I would have become confused and lost. Together, they make a valuable tool for Tarot readers.
If you are deeply invested in the standard Tarot as being the "only" acceptable interpretation of the cards, this deck is not for you. If you’re a beginner, I quite honestly wouldn’t start with this deck unless you are following the Irish Faery tradition. Intermediate and above readers, as well as those interested in Faery lore and craft, will find much of value.
The important thing to point out is that there is nothing wrong with bananas. In fact, if you need some potassium in your diet, a banana is even more desirable than a peach. But seeing one thing and getting something else can be quite a shock. So I have to state at the outset that to use this deck to its fullest you can’t just sit down and work with it??"you must study the accompanying book.
She is often depicted as a maiden or a hare, symbolizing fertility and new beginnings. The hare is also associated with the moon, which plays a significant role in pagan worship. During the vernal equinox, pagans often perform rituals and ceremonies to honor Eostre and other deities. These rituals may involve lighting bonfires, dancing, and making offerings to the earth. Some pagans also participate in egg hunts, which symbolize the search for new life and fertility. Overall, the pagan understanding of the vernal equinox revolves around the ideas of balance, growth, and renewal. It is a time to celebrate the return of spring and the awakening of the earth after the cold winter months. Through rituals, pagans honor the deities associated with this time and seek to harness the energy of the equinox for their own personal growth and transformation..
Reviews for "Pagan sacred sites associated with the vernal equinox"
- John Smith - 1 star
I found "Pagan understanding of the vernal equinox" to be deeply disappointing. While I was initially intrigued by the topic, the author's writing style was convoluted and difficult to follow. As someone with limited knowledge of paganism, I was hoping for a clear and accessible explanation, but instead, I was bombarded with esoteric jargon that left me feeling more confused than educated. Additionally, the lack of proper citations and references made it difficult to trust the information presented. Overall, this book failed to meet my expectations and left me unsatisfied.
- Lisa Johnson - 2 stars
As a skeptic, I was open-minded when approaching "Pagan understanding of the vernal equinox", hoping to gain some insight into pagan beliefs. However, I found the book to be shallow and lacking in substance. The author provided vague explanations that didn't fully explore the depth of pagan understanding of the vernal equinox. I was expecting a more comprehensive analysis, but instead, I felt like I was reading a superficial overview. Moreover, the book lacked the critical examination necessary to appeal to a skeptical audience. It felt more like a collection of personal anecdotes rather than a well-researched exploration of the topic.
- Sarah Thompson - 1 star
I was thoroughly disappointed with "Pagan understanding of the vernal equinox". The author's writing lacked clarity, making it difficult to comprehend the concepts being discussed. Additionally, the book lacked proper organization, jumping from topic to topic without a clear structure. It felt like a jumbled mess of information. Furthermore, the author's biased perspective detracted from the objectivity I was hoping to find in a book of this nature. This book failed to provide a comprehensive and unbiased understanding of the vernal equinox from a pagan perspective, and I cannot recommend it.