“Celtic Dragon Tarot”
Before purchasing a Tarot deck, I usually review two cards from the deck to get a feel of it. They are The Fool (0) of the Major Arcana and the Ten of Swords of the Minor Arcana. For me, these two cards are filled with complex meanings that will reveal the author’s intent for their deck. Will the author rely on the traditional Rider-Waite (R-W) meanings for the Tarot or will they add their own meanings? How does the author approach the Fool’s Journey as well as using the Tarot in daily life?
In the Tarot, The Fool is the seeker starting out on his journey. Heedless of the dangers before him, the Fool is confident in his abilities to overcome obstacles. What adventures will he have and who will he meet? To me, this card presents the possibilities of life.
The Fool (0), in “The Celtic Dragon Tarot” by D.J. Conway and Lisa Hunt, is an apprentice wizard, who has arrived at a crossroads within a magickal forest. This Fool has already undertaken his journey, and now has to decide which path to take. Three small dragons entice him to go one way. Meanwhile, several animals and dragons watch in the background.
D.J. Conway writes, “The Fool is the Dreamer, the novice who is beginning on the path of a new cycle of life.” She continues, “This person is one who stands at a crossroads in his spiritual growth.” According to the author, during his journey, the Fool will meet and learn from various dragons. I interpret the authors’ intention that this deck would be used mainly for the Fool’s Journey.
Examining this card further, several things stand out for me. Dressed the white of the Seeker, the Fool is armed with his wizard staff and scroll. Unlike the Fool of the R-W Tarot, this Fool is prepared and ready for what he encounters. He does not seem to be a novice to me, but rather someone who is undergoing a new stage in his journey.
In front of him are three small dragons in the primary colors of blue, red, and yellow. These dragons indicate both the purity of the quest and the future of making many choices. As the Fool continues on his quest, these primary colors will mix into purple, orange, and green to reflect his continual learning.
At his feet is a forked path. The Fool cannot go back since the way is blocked by trees and dragons. The owl and raven (Yin and Yang, the Union of Opposites) in the background reflect his choices. Conway writes, “If the Fool allows the critical conscious mind to regain control, he will miss the correct path and wander off into the desert of materialism.” (This indicates to me that the authors intend for the deck to be used for a spiritual journey rather than for everyday matters.)
My feeling about The Fool (0) in this deck is different from what the authors indicate. I see crossroads as choices to be made, except there is no correct path, only differing experiences. The Fool has to make a choice on the direction of his journey. The little dragons enticing him reminds me of the little dog in the traditional R-W version, who tries to get the Fool’s attention to stop him from stepping off a cliff. The difference between the two is that the Fool of “The Celtic Dragon Tarot” is ready to be guided. He is ready and able to continue on his journey through the forest, taking with his scrolls and staff.
3 comments:
I am so sad to only find your blog today and now see that you are no longer blogging. Thank you, anyway for this post. I am new to tarot and learning about my deck (the Paulina Deck). I came here looking for information about the symbolism of little dragons. But, what I found is your explanation of how you assess various tarot decks and specifically this Conway and Hunt deck. It's a fascinating read and I appreciate your transparency in sharing your personal way. It gives me much to consider going forward.
Thank you for this post. I am new to tarot and came here trying to understand more about the symbolism of a little dragon on my Paulina Deck. Instead, I found your lovely explanation for how you evaluate various decks. Your post is interesting and gives me much to think about as I continue my exploration of tarot as a tool for my own self-discovery. I'm so sorry to see that you stopped blogging here several years back but wanted to say "thank you" for all the work you have put into it and for continuing to share it here.
Hi, I do have a Word Press blog where I have posted my thoughts about things Tarot. It is Neptunes Dolphins - the website is: https://neptunesdolphins.wordpress.com/
Thanks for your kind words.
Post a Comment