The book or the deck is the best place to start. Both are exceptional products of top quality. The book has a hardcover cover and full-page, full-color illustrations of every card. This book was amazing to me and I couldn't put it down. Monty Farber gently wrote the text. It addresses both our worlds, that of Dreamtime as well as that of waking. And it also addressed the Higher Self that each one of us carries through all of these worlds.
Monty continues to discuss the various methods people have used for accessing Dreamtime while still being in the waking state. Monty states that the Tarot is an exceptional tool because each of the 78 cards can carry messages to our unconscious and conscious selves. The visual arts and Tarot allow us to transcend cultural differences and enter another world.
I have never seen The Enchanted Tarot Cards interpreted in such a way. The three-fold approach to the interpretation of the Enchanted Tarot cards is "The Dream", The Awakening, and "The Enchantment". Monty tells us The Dream through a gentle tale. It explains the allegorical meaning behind the card. This is very similar to the Inner Child cards.
The Awakening brings the same information into the conscious realm via a straightforward discussion of the card (which in most books would be the interpretation section). The Enchantment reveals the connection between our waking and Dreamtime worlds. The Enchantment can be described as an exercise that allows you to apply the energy from the card in your daily life.
A short section at the end of this book explains how to prepare for a reading and gives tips on how best to form a question. There are templates for both the one- and three-card spreads as well as the Celtic Cross spread.
The cards are 3" x 5 1/2" in size. These cards are not easy for small hands to maneuver with. The backs of the hearts are white with a thin gold border at 1/4 inch from the outer edge. Two solid gold hearts are located in the middle, each surrounded by a thin gold outline. Two swords and two wands are placed around the heart, each with a star in solid gold at each of its four directions.
The card's face has a 1/4" white border. This is followed by a darker orange border, a slightly wider lighter orange border and another dark brown border. Images of collage nature are created using multiple media, such as oils and fabric. The card's title is in black.
When I was looking through the deck, one of the first things I noticed was the beautiful use of lace. Amy Zerner thanked a particular person and store at the beginning of her book for providing lace. I loved the lace so much, I went online to find Victorian lace land - which, as one of my friends pointed it out, could be dangerous.
Each suit is color coded. Wands, Hearts, Pentacles, and Swords are all red. The colors used throughout the deck represent the healing properties of each element and card. The
Enchanted Tarot is exactly what it sounds like - a gentle and enchanting deck. The Three of Hearts (Cups), shows a ballerina looking in a series of mirrors and holding a gold heart above her head. The Princess of Swords depicts a beautiful Victorian-type lady reading a letter in the woods. The Two of Wands depicts a man standing alone on a mountaintop and leaning on his staff. Two crossed swords are above him, and a butterfly is over them. Death is my favorite card in the deck. It is shown as a standing skeleton with his hands in his pockets, and his legs crossed. You can expect him to dance at any time!
This deck features the Devil, which I love. This is a mask with dark horns, slitted eyes and obsessive gaze at the material world. The following is an extract from the book:
The Dream
This is the face of evil. Blind to his spiritual The Devil gazes down upon his treasures and his slitted eye in total obsession with the material world. Because of his fraud and tricks, all his ill-gotten wealth is no use to him. The Devil is the worst part of human nature. He follows degenerate impulses blindly, valuing things only on their superficial value. This is the dark side, the one that is ignorant of the real and the valuable. With his black horns and scarlet lips, the Devil is the devil, who creates nightmares and paranoia. Fear of the unknown can become overwhelming under his control. The Devil's undercurrents are constant, irritating the desire for instant gratification and causing a lot of anxiety. The Devil sees all love as weakness. He may be mischievous, but he is always trying to make the most of every situation. He will only let go of those who are willing to look beyond their material needs.
The Awakening
You can't feel satisfied if you have to feel good about your self if you only need them. It is time to shift the focus from your physical concerns to ones of spirit. Your limited beliefs about the world are what create your bondage. Your beliefs can be changed by visualization, affirmation, and other actions that are in accordance with nature's law. It doesn't matter if you resort to deceit.
The Enchantment
It is possible that you need to cleanse your spiritual soul right now. Crystals can help us heal and balance ourselves. Clear quartz or amethyst are your options. Salt water can be used to clean the crystal. Use a silk cloth to dry the crystal. It can be held to your lips. Please help me to see love where temptation is. Place the crystal on your Devil card.
This deck is highly recommended to all levels of Tarot practitioner. It is easy to use in any setting and opens up the meanings of the cards for the reader as well as the Seeker.