New Golden Dawn Ritual Tarot

Creator(s): Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
Date: 1991, 2010
Country: USA
Publisher: Llewellyn
Number of Cards: 79
ISBN: 978-0-73872-339-6 
Type: Golden Dawn
Reference: Encyclopedia of Tarot, vol. IV, pp. 362, 363



Notes: 
Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero are Senior Adepts of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. They were personal friends of Israel Regardie who was involved in the Wang Golden Dawn deck, and according to the Cicero's was unhappy with that deck and so comissioned the Cicero's to create another version. But he died in 1985 after seeing only some preliminary sketches.

Sandra Cicero created the original artwork in oil, following the card descriptions given in the writings of the Order of the Golden Dawn and Chic Cicero co-wrote the book accompanying the deck.


Each Major Arcana includes a Hebrew letter and an elemental or astrological symbol, the court cards show elemental symbols, the pips show astrological and elemental symbols. The specific elemental energies are depicted by flashing colours (two complimentary colours,  that are on opposite sides of the colour wheel which, when stared at, will swap places with each other in an optical effect).There are two versions of the Temperance card included.

The two Temperance cards are necessary for the Golden Dawn Portal Ritual (Crowley, The Equinox, vol. 1 number 2). The Portal ritual symbolizes the passage from the First to the Second order, the doorway to the "Vault of the Adepts" of the next grade, Adeptus Minor, 5=6.

The four grades from Zelator to Philosophus each represent an element, Earth, Air, Water, Fire. The Portal ritual symbolizes the equilibration of all of these, their sublimation into the element of Spirit, hence the alchemical language and Tarot imagery for the Path of Samekh from Yesod to Tiphereth. The Path of Samekh is the direct way, between the Paths of Nun and Ayin, which are Death and the Devil in the Tarot, and are present in the ritual diagram.

"Post CXX Annos Patebo" ("After 120 years I will open") was engraved on the tomb of Rosenkreutz which plays a central role in in the Golden Dawn 5=6 grade. The paths of Nun and Ayin total 120 and spell the ancient biblical name ON - Heliopolis the city of the Sun. The letter Samakh spelt in full equals 120 - SMK. The symbolic age of the adept is 120 (1x2x3x4x5=120) having past through the 5 outer order grades.

The deck was first issued in 1991 as the New Golden Dawn Ritual Tarot and reissued in 2000 and 2010 as the Golden Dawn Magical Tarot. The first edition was packaged as cards only in standard cardboard box. Later editions published in 'mini-kit' format, with accompanying small softcover book.

There also exists an unauthorized Romanian edition published 1998 by Editura Ananta. This edition substitutes astrological signs for the Hebrew letters on the bottom left corners of the Major Arcana and has a different image for the Hanged Man.

The Sacred Circle Tarot

Creator(s): Anna Franklin, Paul Mason
Date: 1998
Country: USA
Publisher: Llewellyn
Number of Cards: 78
ISBN: 978-1-56718-457-0  
Type: other
Reference: Encyclopedia of Tarot, vol. IV, pp. 504, 505




Notes:
Anna Franklin, a Priestess in the British Pagan Tradition, and graphic designer Paul Mason created a deck based on the idea (suggested by R. J. Stewart) that the Tarot had its origins with the bards of Celtic culture. Many of the Christian or Kabalistic symbolism has been removed and replaced with symbolism of the ancient Celts.The images on the cards are a composite of photographs taken of various sacred sites around the British Isles, combined with computer generated artwork and traditional drawing assembled in Adobe Photoshop. 

The Major Arcana consists of - The Green Man [Fool], The High Priest [Magician], the High Priestess, The Lady [Empress], The Lord [Emperor], The Druid [Heirophant], the Lovers, the Chariot, the Warrior [Strength], the Shaman [Hermit], The Wheel, the Web [Justice], Sacrifice [the Hanged Man], Death, Initiation [Temperance], the Underworld [the Devil], the Tower, the Star, the Moon, the Sun, Rebirth [Judgement], and the World Tree [the World].

The suit of wands is associated with the season of summer, the wand, arrow or spear, the direction of the south, noonday, the element of fire, the power of transmutation, the spiritual impulse and the energy of creativity. The suit of cups is associated with the season of autumn, the cup, grail or cauldron, the direction of the west, twilight, the element of water, the emotions, intuition, psychic faculties and the growth of the spirit. 



The suit of discs is associated with the season of winter, the disc, shield or stone, the direction of the north, midnight, the element of earth, practical and material matters. The suit of swords is associated with the season of spring, the athame of the magician, the direction of the east, sunrise, the element of air and the power of the mind.

The Sacred Circle Tarot is only available as a boxed set that includes the book The Sacred Circle Tarot: A Celtic Pagan Journey also by Franklin and Mason (336 pages).

Shadowscapes Tarot

Creator(s): Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, Barbara Moore
Date: 2010
Country: USA
Publisher: Llewellyn
Number of Cards: 78
ISBN: 978-0-7387-2732-5   
Type: RWS
Reference: aeclectic





Notes:
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law is a renowned artist, whose fantasy illustrations regularly appear in magazines such as “Realms of Fantasy”. The artwork was influenced by the Impressionists and done in watercolors.

The suit of Pentacles shows Lizards and Dragons, color of the suit is green. The Wands cards have amber colors and are populated with foxes and felines. The Cups show fish and mermaids, their dominant colors are shades of blue. On the Swords cards are birds, color of the suit is violet.

The Major Arcana show the card number, in Roman numerals, and the card title at the bottom of the card. The Pips show the card number and suit at the bottom of the card, while the Court Cards show the card title and suit at the bottom of the card. The cards have a thin silver border and the backs are reversible

Tarot of Vampyres

Creator(s): Ian Daniels
Date: 2010
Country: USA
Publisher: Llewellyn
Number of Cards: 78
ISBN: 978-0-7387-1191-1 
Type: RWS
Reference: llewellyn







 
Notes:
The Major Arcana follows traditional titles, with Justice at VIII and Strength at XI. The suits are named Scepters, Grails, Knives and Skulls. The Courts are titled Lord, Queen, Prince and Daughter.

The cards measure 2 3/4" x 4 5/8" and feature backs which aren't exact reversible, but enough so that it's difficult  to tell at a glance which side is up. The cards are bordered on three sides with black. The titles on the bottom are surrounded by vines. At the bottom of the card is listed the card title for the Major Arcana (the Majors are unnumbered), the number and suit for the Pips, and the title and suit for the Court Cards.

The cards also feature the astrological signs related to them. These are explained in the accompanying book, along with details on how the cards relate to Qabala and the Tree of Life. The colors of Major Arcana are related to the zodiacal, astrological, or planetary color symbolism following traditional Golden Dawn correspondences.

The title of the companion book "Phantasmagoria" comes from stage magician Etienne-Gaspard Robert.  He was a master of theatrical production, and the term "phantasmagoria" represented a magic lantern show with silhouetted puppets used to act out macabre drama. The book is not illustrated; it is all text. 

Legend : The Arthurian Tarot

Creator(s): Anna-Marie Ferguson
Date: 1995 , second edition 1999
Country: USA
Publisher: Llewellyn
Number of Cards: 78
ISBN: 9781567182675
Type: RWS
Reference: Encyclopedia of Tarot, vol. IV, pp. 393, 397





Notes:
The deck is also known as the Avalon Tarot ( but there is another Avalon Tarot by Viglioglia from Lo Scarabeo).

The back design shows the labyrinth of Chartres Cathedral. The suits are swords, spears, cups and shields. All majors have their standard title plus an additional title belonging to the Arthurian Legend except the devil, which has been renamed "The Horned One"

The deck includes an extra card on which is a dragon, totem of Pendragon, Arthurs male lineage. The set also contains a layout sheet and a 304-page book titled "A Keeper of Words