Review of Tarot of the Divine Masculine

Info:

Made by: Vasich and Vasich

Full title: Tarot of the Divine Masculine - the Gate to the Sacred Garden

See more: divinemasculine.co

When I first saw this deck on kickstarter, I fell in love!

I love love LOVE the current focus and attention on the divine feminine, Goddess power, womb reclamation and so on. I truly believe it is time to reclaim the power of the feminine! But that does not mean we have to lose focus on the divine masculine as well. Because the future is not female;

the future is BALANCE!

We need to embrace both parts inside of us, as we are not whole without.

And that's why I was so delighted to see this deck. An exploration of the divine masculine in all its facets, emotions, expressions, bodies. A way to dive into and learn more about the masculine in its healthy and versatile expressions. So much for me to learn!

Alright, so let’s get right to it:

First of all I'm very pleased with the container the cards came in. A sturdy one, with a magnetic lid; an appropriate treasure box that opens up into the mysteries that lies within.

I love it when the container is thought of in the process as well, and this is definitely one that is both beautiful and practical at the same time. No need to store the cards somewhere else.

Inside the box you have the 78 cards, an additional card to thank the patrons with the five top patrons mentioned by name, and a little white booklet.

I would like to emphasize the word little. Because it truly is not a very comprehensive booklet. Given that it is only 48 pages.

However it does contain everything you need to know starting out, including both a brief description on what tarot is, how to read the cards (it suggests looking at symbols, clothes, how it makes you feel etc.) how to cleanse and prepare your deck and how to read for yourself or another person. All in all I feel that someone who has never read cards before is given just enough information to give it a try.

The book also contains three different spread suggestions (one being a general three card spread) however I don’t understand why they didn’t include a divine masculine exploration spread or something like that. A spread based upon the symbolic and general theme of this deck. I just thought that would fit in perfectly!

In the booklet you have a short description to each of the cards (about 7-8 lines in general) which is fine but of course not in any way comprehensive. Funnily enough the descriptions of the major arcana in general are shorter than those that comes with the minor arcana.

Each page fits three card descriptions, and with each description there comes the name of the card and a silhouette of the main characters on the card. This makes it easy to find the description and I like that little silhouette.

And then along comes the big book. I am in complete awe as to how this turned out! It was part of a goal; if the kickstarter campaign reached a certain amount of backers it would be made and shipped with the deck. And boy am I glad it did!

The front of the book is based upon the pictures on the back of the cards. It has a structured front and back, and is very soft to the touch. I mean, it’s just gorgeous! The look and touch of the book sort of grounds you into the now in a very gentle and sensual way, and I love that because I think this really is the strength of the deck in general; it keeps you grounded and present.

In the book you have a foreword and introductions as well as a brief explanation on the structure of the deck.

But the real treasure of this book is the pictures. Each and every card is depicted in full on one page and on the following page there's a description of the card that goes into the symbolism and overall energy of the cards. I like their way of seeing and interpreting the cards and so I read the book from one end to the other and I highly recommend it! You get closer to the cards by seeing them through the eyes of the artists and comparing it to how you see it.

I mean, there’s some spelling errors (bear in mind, english is by no means my first language either!) but I find this very charming. Why does everything have to be perfect all the time?!?

When it comes to the cards,I don't know where to start. Should I talk about the beautifully painted images? The back of the cards? The feeling of the cards?

Well, I gotta start somewhere. So let's talk about the quality of the card stock.

The cards are of medium thick quality, I feel like they will hold up quite nicely even with regular use, yet they are still pretty easy to shuffle.

They come in a regular 7x12cm (2,75x4,74inch) size which fits okay in my hand, but I know some of you find them a bit big.

For those of you who are trimming or modifying your decks, I think it might be possible with this one. The pictures take up the entire page but there’s a thin blue line/border about 2 mm (0.07 inch) into the card, and I don’t think you will lose much of the image if you trim this. That’s all up to you!

The images are clearly based on the Rider Wait Smith deck yet have a fully realized vision themselves. They’ve changed the names of two of the major Arcana cards, the High Priestess in this deck is called Intuition and the Empress card is called the Protector. Also, in this deck the court cards follow the original structure except the queens are called Keepers. Otherwise it is a classic Rider Wait Smith with Strength being the eighth card and justice the eleventh.

The colours are intense and beautiful and the images are very clear. The symbolism I feel is very easy to understand and I have no difficulties putting myself in the cards and imagining how they're feeling. Which makes them very beginner friendly and easy to use. This however does not change the fact that you can dive deep into the cards and deep into your own emotions with this deck.

The characters portrayed here are mostly male in various ages, ethnicities and body types. Most of them are half naked and the body language of the portrayed characters are an important part of the symbolism of the cards. I love how the artists portray the divine masculine in so many different forms. We see enjoyment, vulnerability, strength, power, longing, desperation and so on and so forth. The entire emotional spectrum is mirrored in the cards and the nakedness of the characters makes it very vulnerable and open. And I love that, considering how masculinity is often viewed or perceived.

The image on the back of the cards is mirrored and so you cannot tell from looking at it whether a card is reversed or not. I like that considering I mostly use reversed cards and I like that I'm not able to see whether a card is reversed or not before turning it around. On the back the images are in a beautiful brown-beige color scheme and they are very pleasant to look at.

I think what adds to the feeling of a very well finished deck, is the fact that they’ve chosen to have the background color on the back of the card be on the edge as well. So you have this dark brown, almost black edge which I just adore and I feel like it lends to a certain depth when looking at the cards.

Alright Lovelies, that’s some of my thoughts on this deck. Can you tell I’m in love with it yet?

Let’s have a little fun. I have a New Deck Interview Spread that I like to do. This always gives new insights into a deck and how I can work with it the best. So let’s try it with this one (I’ve kept it short, since this probably is already a long read)

Here goes:

Me as a reader

The Protector

This card in an original Rider Wait Smith deck is the Empress. This shows that I’m all about nurturing and creating growth when I read cards. Less focused on the specific but in the growth of it all with heart and soul

Where I’m strongest

The hierophant

Another Major.

I see myself in the different characters in the card. I can pass on knowledge while keeping an eye out for the whole picture, but I’m also the curious student, ever eager to learn more.

Where I’m weakest

Four of swords

When I get lazy or give up. Whenever I feel like there's no point or it doesn't matter. That i cannot fight anymore. These are the times when my readings are too emotional or too much caught up in ego chatter.

You as a deck

Four of wands

There is so much enjoyment in this card,and I love that this comes up here. Beauty, enjoyment, pleasure. These are all words to describe this card and I feel like they describe the deck as well. There’s a sensuality in each of the cards, and not only do they look good, they have a smooth way about them when you hold them. They make you want to stay present in the moment, they make you want to soak up the entire experience in a very grounded, enjoying way.

Your strengths

Three of wands

A sense of longing, seeing things in the horizon not yet here or perhaps leaving. The cards can tell you what it is that you are missing, what it is that you are longing for. Where in your life do you subconsciously wish for something or feel less than whole?

Weaknesses

Nine of wands

When there's a lot of hurt going on, or perhaps an unwillingness to look past the wounded warrior within. That is not the time to pick up these cards, perhaps they can be used as a way to anchor in that wound. So maybe just opt for another deck in such times.

Us as a whole

Eight of wands

I see movement, action, running just for the heck of it. Or maybe because something is burning. It’s not really important, because all that matters is here and now. All that matters is the feeling of the ground below your feet, the way the fabric sweeps across your body, the wind on your skin, the hair blowing behind you. You get the feeling, right? As a whole we can achieve what we want as long as we keep grounded in the feeling of what is. The sensation of being present. Not being too worried or caught up in the past or the present, things will arrive on time anyway.

How we can communicate

Two of wands

Again this longing as in the three of wands. This seems a bit more determined than in the three of wands though. I think the communication comes down to using the cards as a way to make plans and active decisions. There's a lot of air energy going on with all the wands, but the key is to incorporate the earth energy as well. Actually acting upon the advice from the cards will strengthen the communication.

When do we work best together

Seven of swords

When we don't get distracted by outside influence, when we don't feel like we need to rush or be somewhere else. Also, when we try to achieve unity instead of separation. We need to be fully present and not wanting or trying to escape. We must not speak from something truly divided within when we cooperate.