Cartomancy Corner

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18 June 2016

Well, I wasn't expecting that.

I bought the Connected and Free - The Alchemist's Oracle* because the artwork appealed to me. It reminded me of the Wild Unknown Tarot, which I admired but wasn't going to buy because the images were so divergent from my understanding of the individual cards that I would have had to read it as an oracle. Better to just buy an oracle in the first place. :)

But I have to confess I had misgivings about this deck when I first flipped through it. I quickly realised that the keywords and the images didn't seem to relate to each other, at least in any way that I understood. Uh oh. How was I going to apply intuition to cards that seem to pull in two different directions? What was I going to do with a DIS-Connected and Free oracle?

My initial thought was to read them much like some people read Gypsy Witch cards. Sometimes the symbol on the card is at odds with the meaning of the playing card inset. For example, No.9 The Birds: "The birds signify dire misfortune and fierce enemies..." This is coupled with the Ace of Diamonds which traditionally and at its most basic represents a letter or a ring. How do you reconcile those two? Well, you could go with the one that "jumps out" at you first when you look at the cards. The Birds meaning may tie in better with the surrounding cards. Maybe the letter meaning will strike a chord with the question. Flexibility.

So with that in mind I figured I'd give the Connected and Free a chance. But first, I'd subject them to Moonlit Tarot's June Deck Challenge questions, and I'm so glad I did. By pulling one card in response to each day's question I quickly realised that the images and keywords, although not obviously related, did in fact play off each other in a unique and compelling fashion. This was one instance where reading the accompanying book made all the difference. If ever a deck could convincingly claim to have been "intuited with the guidance of the Universe" this would be one of them. The connections do seem to emanate from a different plane of existence.

This deck spoke to me in a way I'd never experienced before. It was uncomfortable. It presented me with my fears, those things I avoid or resist. I couldn't *not* see it. And yet with each revelation the interaction felt positive and safe. This deck wasn't out to wound me but to show me the disparate pieces of myself and help me to wholeness.

I can't call this a review - it's just a very personal reaction to the deck. But if you're prepared to see the world and yourself from a different angle, I can recommend it.
(*except that it doesn't seem to be available at the moment 😢 but they might still have copies here.)


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4 Comments:

  • At 3:05 AM, Blogger Unknown said…

    ️I LOVED reading about your experience with this deck! I've had similar experiences! I bought the MaryEl tarot deck about a year ago and just holding the box made my heart race with fear! I didn't open it for about 6 months! By that time I had come thru a few "tower" events and was stepping into willingly doing shadow work. Then I dreamed about the deck (MaryEl) and Wigan I opened it, a few days after the dream, I felt so happy and loved! Just amazing how these decks & cards can truly be like living beings! 😊🙏

     
  • At 7:43 AM, Blogger jmk said…

    Unknown/Melissa - First, thank you SO much for leaving a comment. I often wonder if anyone actually ever sees my little blog. :) I know I have a hit counter but that could just be people who end up here accidentally and then go "Oh crap" and click away quick, LOL!

    I find the Mary El fascinating and intimidating at the same time. I don't have it and I don't plan to add it to my collection. But you never know, maybe one day it will call to me just as yours did.

    I always have trouble reconciling, and explaining to other non-cardy types, how on the one hand I can accept that cards are just that, cards, bits of cardboard, and yet on the other hand KNOW that there is something, something that connects with me through them. The whole process is compelling and I love it. :)

    Melissa, do I "know" you from elsewhere? - Facebook, YouTube, Instagram? I try to keep track of who's who, but sometimes after conversing for a while with what I thought were two different people, I discover they're one and the same. Slightly embarrassing, hehe. I'd love to hear more about your connection with the Mary El and others - do you have a blog?

     
  • At 6:09 AM, Blogger Unknown said…

    Hello again! I found my way back to ur blog!! I get so tangled up in cyberspace! Yes, you know me as Tarotness from IG, I think. I used your IG to link here. If like to have a new blog (I fid it back in the 90's before it was a "thing". But I don't have one yet. On YouTube I think I'm Melissa M or melissa m thank you :) for finding my comment! I wasn't sure if it posted! I hope to get better at keeping up! Specially with those like you and magicalways369 & others on IG (Instagram) til then, blog & tarot on! ����

     
  • At 6:01 PM, Blogger jmk said…

    Tarotness! Well hi! I love your IG posts. Blogs aren't something everyone *needs* to do, but if you do decide to start one let me know - I'll be there. :)

     

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