Shapeshifter Tarot Book

Summary:

A stunning and transformative artistic deck that is good as an additional deck with a focus on major life changes and magickal work including meditation, shapeshifting, and spellwork.

In-Depth Review:

As befits a deck that is focused on shapeshifting—the supposed ability to transform from one type of entity into another (the werewolf is a famous model)—this deck transforms from strange and dubious quality to transcendent power and beauty.

The art in this deck varies from being similar to the richness and clarity of the pre-Raphaelites and symbolists, to a sort of hazy and gauzy feel, as if one item of crystal precision is in the process of changing to another. This is ideal for the purpose of the deck, which is changing, shifting, shamanic alterations. Some of the art goes beyond being ideal and all the way to breathtaking. For example, you'll love the color and intensity of card 2, Sorceress, the energy and transformation of 6, The Lovers, and the symbolism on 8 Courage. As you go through this deck you’re going to find cards with meanings that leap out at you.

In the full-sized book that comes with this deck the authors describe each card in detail, giving the meaning and how to interpret the advice given by the card. This is a step above what is given in most books and is very good. They separately interpret alternate cards, making the book more of a stew than a melting pot. It is delightful to learn about the two authors based on their different approaches to the cards. Thinking about what is written will help expand your understanding of the cards.

Also included are descriptions of five spreads that are specifically for this deck. Most books and booklets included with Tarot decks give spreads, but often the information is far too sparse and there are no examples to see how to give a reading. Here, the authors provide two sample readings, something that will definitely help beginners.

Another great feature of the book is a "key words" section, basically a brief listing of the meanings of all the cards. If you read the book a few times, this section is all you’ll need to remind you of all the concepts found on each card. It’s a great time-saver.

Although ostensibly about Celtic Shapeshifting, a field that is ripe for exploration, the art of the deck is far more inclusive and seems to be focused toward indigenous world cultures, not just the Celtic path. For example, card 7, Power, shows a man shapeshifting into an Asian tiger. Card 16, The Serpent, shows a morphed women and snake. The snake is hooded, like a cobra, a native of Asia and Africa. The book describes kundalini, a concept associated with India. Card 24, Oneness, features people from all over the world. The book describes, this, as well as the Egyptian goddess Maat.

You're going to find this deck especially good for questions about major life changes: "What will be the result if I leave my boyfriend? What will happen if I move to another state or country? What will be the result of changing my job." These are all major changes and shifts.

The authors suggest that the cards are good for meditation. Specifically, if you have issues you need to deal with, they suggest you find the card that represents the energy you want to acquire and meditate on it. There is also information in the book on spellworking and the skill of shapeshifting: the merging or your consciousness with that of another entity, such as a plant, animal, or even a stone or the earth. It provides the basic concepts to develop this skill, and the bibliography provides other books that go into greater detail.

Name of deck: Shapeshifter Tarot
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 1-56718-384-0
Creators’ names: D. J. Conway and Sirona Knight
Artist’s name: Lisa Hunt
Brief biography of artist: Lisa is an internationally known Tarot artist whose work includes The Shapeshifter Tarot, the bestselling Celtic Dragon Tarot (Llewellyn), and Fantastical Creatures Tarot (US Games 2007, voted a top 10 Tarot deck for 2007 by Aeclectic Tarot. She is the creator of the award winning Animals Divine Tarot (Llewellyn 2005), earning her a 2006 COVR visionary award. Lisa is also the author of the fully illustrated meditation book Celestial Goddesses(Llewellyn 2001). Lisa loves to read and has an impressive collection of books. She has spent her life studying and sketching fairy tales, myths, legends and other fascinating subjects that have driven her muse. She also holds a M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis on Jungian Psychology/Art & Drawing. Lisa lives with her family in Florida.
Name of accompanying book: Shapeshifter Tarot
Number of pages of book: 264
Authors of book: D. J. Conway and Sirona Knight
Brief biographies of authors:
A native of the Pacific Northwest, author D.J. Conway has studied the occult fields for over 35 years. Her quest for knowledge has covered every aspect of Paganism and Wicca to New Age and Eastern philosophies; plus history, the magical arts, philosophy, customs, mythologies and folklore. In 1998, she was voted Best Wiccan and New Age author by "Silver Chalice," a Pagan magazine. She lives a rather quiet life, with most of her time spent researching and writing.

For more than twenty years, Sirona Knight has been studying psychology, folklore, and religion with a personal interest in goddess tradition. She has traveled to Europe, Mexico, the Pacific Northwest, and Alaska on her quest for knowledge of the goddess. She is a published poet, writer, teacher, hypnotherapist, and lecturer and holds a master’s degree in psychology and leisure studies from California State University. Knight is a Third Degree Craftmaster and High Priestess of the Celtic Gywddonic Druid Tradition. She has made radio and television appearances in Northern California, has been an active workshop leader for several years, and has created a series of guided imagery self-help tapes. She lives in the Sierra Foothills with her husband and their son, two dogs, and family of cats. Her writing room is situated next to an ancient Native American site, where she devotes her time and craft to enjoying life, moment by moment.

Available in a boxed kit?: Yes, the box contains the deck, a separate box you can use to store and protect the deck, and a full-sized book.
Magical Uses: Meditation, spellwork, shapeshifting
Reading Uses: Questions concerning major shifts and life changes
Ethnic Focus: Indigenous world cultures, especially Celtic
Artistic Style: Symbolist with a hint of the pre-Raphaelite.
Theme: Shapeshifting, especially from the Celtic tradition
Tarot, Divination Deck, Other: Although this loosely follows the design of a Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot (Major Arcana with four Minor Arcana suits), there are many differences that make this a unique deck—not a traditional Tarot and not so far from the RWS to call it a divination deck or something else.
Does it follow Rider-Waite-Smith Standard?: Yes, but very, very loosely.
Does it have extra cards?: Yes. There are three extra Major Arcana cards, The Double, The Journey, and The Dreamer which are inserted before the last of the Major Arcana cards, usually called "The World."
Does it have alternate names for Major Arcana cards?: Yes. The cards are renamed as follows (the RWS name is given first):
1 The Fool—Initiation ?
2 The Magician—Sorcerer?
3 The High Priestess—Sorceress?
4 The Empress—The Mother?
5 The Emperor—The Father?
6 The Hierophant—Knowledge?
7 The Chariot—Power?
8 The Lovers—The Lovers?
9 The Hermit—The Seer ?
10 Wheel Of Fortune—The Circle?
11 Justice—Nature?
12 Hanged Man—The Shapeshifter?
13 Death—Rebirth?
14 Temperance—Balance?
15 The Devil—Choice ?
16 The Tower—The Serpent?
17 The Star—The Star?
18 The Moon—The Moon?
19 The Sun—The Sun?
20 Judgment—Transcendence?
21 None—The Double?
22 None—The Journey ?
23 None—The Dreamer?
24 The World—Oneness
Does it have alternate names for Minor Arcana suits?: No.
Why was deck created?: "The underlying concept of the Shapeshifter Tarot is to help bridge the gulf between people, animals, and nature. The cards in this deck act as merging tools to help access the many different animal energies (some of them magickal) together with the elemental qualities of air, fire, water, and Earth in nature. By using this deck, you can access the knowledge of the eagle, an oak tree, or the ocean—wisdom that is inherently yours and resides within your very being."