The Celtic Wisdom Tarot with Cards

By Caitlín Matthews

- An original tarot based on Celtic spiritual traditions - Written by the bestselling author of The Celtic Book of Days - Draws upon the ancient oracle traditions of the Celtic druids to create striking visual images - Major and minor arcana cards reflect the druids' belief in the immortal soul and the values that infused daily Celtic life - Honors ancient Celtic tradition in a way that will provide inspiration and direction for modern seekers Divination was an honored art among the Celts, who believed that spirit was present in all things. Caitlin Matthews's The Celtic Wisdom Tarot draws upon the ancient oral traditions of the Celtic druids to create striking visual images that profoundly reflect the druids' deep-rooted belief in the interconnectedness of all things. Immortality of the soul was a tenet of druidic belief and the 22 cards of the major arcana follow the sacred triple spiral of the soul's path through many lifetimes. These cards mirror the mysterious thresholds of the Celtic otherworld where all life is subject to powerful transformations. The minor arcana, on the other hand, is redesigned to depict the rich spiritual values that infused the daily life of the Celts. Battle skills, art, and knowledge--the chief hubs of Celtic life--replace the standard pentacles, wands, cups, and swords. Together the wisdom cards of the major arcana and the folklore-based cards of the minor arcana create a meaningful fusion of deep spiritual truths and the lessons of daily life. The Celtic Wisdom Tarot provides a portable oracle to help clarify confusing situations and empower readers to take advantage of lifeis opportunities. It honors the ancient traditions of the Celtic peoples in such a way that their truths can still be a rich source of inspiration and direction for modern seekers.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0892817208
• ISBN13: 9780892817207
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Destiny Books
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 1.5" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Wowza!

These cards are stunning! I just got them today and the minute I opened them, I knew I had something special in my hands! The artwork is beautiful and each card, as I flipped through them, seemed to tell a story of its own. I immediately connected with the rich imagery and Celtic symbolism. Each "suit" is geared toward the four Celtic holidays: Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasa which, to me, is very useful for pathworking through and connecting with the seasons of the year. The cards depict characters from Celtic mythology with background information that is extremely useful for personal pathworking. Ms. Matthews has also provided several, in-depth meditation techniques with which to use the cards in your spiritual workings.

Beautiful

This is to me a lovely and quite magical deck. I don't care too much for the "divinatory" meanings and am quite curious as to why they are even there. The stories which abound with each card seem to me to be sufficient. Perhaps this was a move to connect these cards more to traditional tarot? I have chosen to ignore them and focus on the storytelling, wisdom and magical energy of the artwork. I've felt an impulse to create my own meanings for these cards, thats "how powerful" they are in opening the intuitive centers and effecting the subconscious. These cards will truly take you on another journey, one which is not of this world. Take heed, these are not your "typical" tarot.

The Celtic Wisdom Tarot, by Caitlin Matthews

Like most of the books and divination materials by this author, The Celtic Wisdom Tarot is both original in conception and beautifully presented. Not just another deck with how-to manual, Ms. Matthews system can be as simple or complex as the user wishes. Her historical scholarship is apparent, and she presents us with her ususal lyrical and astute approach to the Celtic archetypes. Celtophyles will enjoy her connections between tarot systems and the Ogham tree-language. I've found the deck and her system extraordinarily useful from the very first throws ... lovely!

Celtic diviners these are for YOU!

I did research on what tarot deck I wanted to buy and came up with a list, then went to the local bookstore to see which deck 'spoke' to me. I had originally crossed this title of my list because of some reviews of it but once I saw it on the shelves there was no going back. The deck has lovely art and the cards are reorganized in attune with Celtic culture. The stories and archetypes seen in the deck are wonderful. The book is informative on general tarot interpretation and more specific ones as well. The Soul Wisdom questions are great for getting to the heart of the matter if you are puzzled. The spreads are also very good, the main three being a general spread, a more daily spread, and one that focuses on a relationship. Tarot fans will love the new twist on divination and Celtica fans will love this method as it will speak to your heart. Well worth the investment and sure to be treasured.

A Stunning Deck, and a

Although the cards are rather large, as noted by other reviewers, the up side is that their size makes them ideal for contemplation and visualization, as the cards virtually shimmer with the most radiant and lively colors I've ever seen in a Tarot deck. In conjunction with the beautifully produced hard cover book that comes with this deck, one can get involved on many different levels, i.e. some may wish to pursue readings, while others may want to use the book and cards as a colorful means of gaining an in-depth familiarity with Celtic myths and legends. Be forewarned, though, that this deck bears no resemblance whatsoever to other traditional Tarot decks - Caitlin Matthews has created her own system; however, one senses that it is well worth the effort to delve into it.