The Simple Tarot

A Tarot deck created as equipment in the founding

of American Paganism. .. Therefore designed to be

readable on sight by any intelligent and perceptive

person in the modern world.

MEMOIR.. .. A South American art critic, who couldn't read, speak

or understand English, did read these cards .. {-here-}

See the cards: .. Scroll down to the "See it in action" section.

Or see the the cards standing still: .. {-here-}

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Over the years;

I've used this deck to teach somewhere near a hundred people to read Tarot.

On the other hand; .. Last year i published the Singing Fish Tarot and since then i've found comfort and delight there. ..

.. .. Furthermore, in these months the Fish have been perfect for the students i've taught. .. .. But they were all beginners in the work.

When a Serious Student appears i'll still reach for this one, the Simple Tarot. .. .. Why? .. .. Thru its simple style of depiction, it likes to tell the full rich details of your situation. ..

.. .. And i'll tell you why it's like that.

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I am a Peace Warrior;

A Soldier of Goddess Mother; .. That is something deep in my soul, something puzzling and ancient remembered from long ago.

Here in this lifetime, back in 1979, i created the Simple Tarot, .. .. (in its handmade first edition,) .. .. as a way to start my self-taught art career, .. .. and step decisively into a well equipped Human existence. ..

.. .. But that was a puzzling task, for it was a time of WAR. ..

.. .. And i'd first been a leader for that war, .. .. but finally one of countless leaders risen in the Anti-War SOLDIERS' REBELLION, .. .. where i led, .. .. Yes, led a friend to his DEATH in Pacifist Struggle, ..

.. .. And in Human instinct, losing one of your soldiers feels like the death of your spouse. ..

.. .. So to justify my survival and move forward in strength, ..

.. .. I needed a way to absorb all that Love & Loss, ..

.. .. To not let all that Joy & Grief, .. .. all that Defeat & Victory, .. .. that Imprisonment & Freedom, .. .. that unrelenting Effort, and Effort, and Effort, .. .. a way to learn from all of that, .. .. to stop it all from slipping away into forgetfulness and dreams. ..

.. .. Then, in summer '78, i got a few Tarot decks, .. .. Studied the fine-print little booklets they came with, .. .. Tried them out for myself and others, .. .. And realized that to work well: .. The cards must somehow portray all of Human Life. ..

.. .. So a new Tarot, .. MY Tarot, somehow come out of my life, .. seemed like the only kind of art work big enuf, .. .. deep, complex and full enuf, .. .. And therefore, i hoped, of help to others too, .. .. IF i did it well.

I began doing some sketching, .. .. Seeking a design that expressed my ultra-concentrated mind, .. .. Plus was possible with my neophyte artist skills. .. .. Until in a public library, in an Art History book, i discovered an old Chinese style of making pictures in scrolls called the "iron wire" school.

Then it took 12 months to work thru the 78 cards, .. .. Producing for each a concentrated little iron-wire-like picture, .. plus its own ittle scrap of Confucian-style poetry, .. .. Twelve months to get the first handmade copy. ..

.. .. Then i began reading for the public at once.

Here's a poetic memoir of that beginning time .. {-here-}

Here's a dramatic poem of how that beginning felt .. {-here-}

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In Defense Of Fortunetelling:

I'm a big fan of Wikipedia, the on-line encyclopedia. .. .. When they have a funding drive i give a few coins. ..

.. .. Well, they host a wide array of pro- & con- atricles with titles like: .. "Divination", .. .. "Fortune Telling", .. "Tarot", .. "Tarot Reading", .. "Telepathy", .. "Spiritualism" .. so forth, ..

.. .. Some articles treat this whole phenomenon respectfully. ..

.. .. But some articles denounce it ANGRILY, claiming Almighty Science disproves it. .. .. (Like as if, until them, all humans in history were stupid creatures full of silly illusions.) ..

.. .. But in 1978 i'd gone to Software School .. and emnerged a neophyte Engineer, .. In other words: .. A PRACTICAL scientist.

I mean, there was no Wikipedia in 1978, .. .. But i found that same anti-experiment chorus in full howl then, .. .. With the Federated Opressive Religions Of America all dead set against this threat to their fantasy of fear giving them power inside human minds. ..

.. .. Yes, and even then i was sure something of this kind is definitely real, .. leaving only whole landscapes and worlds of amazing details to be found by experimental investigation. ..

.. .. I knew its reality from spontaneous experience of Oriental Meditation during all that wartime stress, {-here-} ..

.. .. And knew it is real from my observation of sublime Korean Shamanic Dance. {-here-} ..

.. .. Then later, knew it's reality from following the Oriental belief in re-birth: .. .. By recovering some quite convincing past life memories. {-here-}

YES! .. I was a Soldier Of Our Lady in this mind-freedom struggle!

For even while, .. in that century, .. our US. Empire tried to batter & burn its way into Asia, ..

.. .. First the appalling total wonton obliteration by bombardment that we did in North Korea, ..

.. .. Then our clown show failed Holywood helicopter cowboy occupation and conquest of China's south flank, .. Our failed futile laying waste to all of Vietnam for endless years, ..

.. .. For even while all that US. Hell was rainiing down, .. the Spirit-Force of Asia was liberating American minds. ..

.. And my efforts were a small contribution.

Here's a memoir of that mental liberation .. {-here-}

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More about the artistic process:

I should tell a litte more of the artistic process of creating these cards.

(under construction)

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In closing, will you indulge a fantasy of mine?

Seriously: .. Now in old age, i foresee my passing as me becoming a FIERCE ANCESTOR. .. .. .. Therefore my fantasy:

In many oriental temples the doors are defended by statues of Fierce Guardians, giving reassurance as you enter. .. .. And seriously: I've had profound experiences while playing similar roles in our US. Pagan ceremonies.

.. .. Well, those guardians sometimes bear symbols for wise folk passing thru to read and understand. ..

.. .. So i've imagined this: .. .. Me after death in this realm, .. .. Me standing there smiling enigmatically beside an Onward Gate, .. .. With a shield bearing the Major Arcana of this Tarot.

Thanks for your kind attention! -sr

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You can see the cards below, in

the “See it in action” section.

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