Deck Review - Paulina Tarot

Charming, fae, sweet... These are all words that have been used to describe the Paulina Tarot, drawn by Paulina Cassidy and published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. and they are all true, but there is more to this deck than just that.

My account at Amazon tells me I have had this deck since March of 2009, and I instantly bought one for my aunt, a budding collector and reader in her own right, because I found it so adorable and the colors so lively, which should speak highly of the deck, but it had never made its' way into my regular reading rotation until recently.

Before I took the deck and and actually began to read with it I believed that the images, while charming and gorgeous, were too similar, too samey-samey to offer good readings.  I purchased some prints for my daughter's room, leafed through the cards occasionally, but that was it.  I now know better.  This surprising little deck is not just fairies and pretty things.  It's sweet exterior hides a tough core and some sharp little teeth.

This charming reading, including the Magician, the Ten of Swords, and the Tower, heralded the onset of one of my worst anxiety attacks to date, and then my husband went in for an emergency surgery.

But I can't hate a deck that was just telling me like it is, nor one that has my all time favorite Hierophant card, which is an oft maligned card that should be about our connection to God and where we all find divinity, whether that looks the same or not, and it should be a card that offers wise and good counsel, and encourages to follow our own traditions.  Unfortunately, it often becomes a card that becomes about our disappointments and discomfort with organized religion and authority figures.  I feel this image goes far towards salving those wounds.

The Paulina Tarot is a 78 card deck that features standard Major Arcana, with Strength at 8 and Justice at 11.  The Court Cards are Page, Knight, Queen, and King, and the suits are the standard Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles, so no surprises there.  It is based on the Colman Smith deck, but not enslaved to it.  There are lots of quirks to this deck that make its' voice unique, and the colors are gorgeous.  For intuitive readers, there are plenty of symbols to grab a hold of to read, and lots of play between the colors.  The cards interact and have a great storytelling ability to them.  The packaging includes a tuck box and Little White Book, and the cards have been printed in China on lovely stock without a hint of shine to it, and the cards themselves are a good size at 2.75" x 4.75".  I am a huge fan of the U.S. Games decks that have been printed in China, as the card stock is divine and the colors are lovely, as well as being less pixelated.  (If anyone from U.S. Games is reading this, can we get a Hermetic from China, pretty pretty please?)

My experience with the deck has been that the readings are straight forward and really hold no punches.  If you are going to ask the Paulina a question, you had better be sure you want to hear the answer!  I also found my biggest concern, that the images may not be distinct enough to offer good readings, was entirely unfounded.  This deck positively sang in my hands, and I had no head scratching moments with it at all.

I feel people to new to tarot would enjoy this deck, and the images are not scary at all, with no nudity or violence.  I feel experienced readers with a leaning toward whimsy or fanciful, somewhat fussy fae will enjoy the imagery, and intuitive readers that like to have many things to work with on the card should enjoy the expressive pictures as well.

These images are from the Paulina Tarot by Paulina Cassidy for U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Daily Draw - The Empress, Queen of Wands, Temperance

Today these cards, the passionate Queen of Wands sandwiched between two Majors, want to talk to me, like this whole deck has seemed to this week, about my creative life.  Temperance is also a card of doing, like the Emperor of yesterday, and she is actively managing her life, so that the Queen of Wands is free to be passionate about the way her garden grows, with the help of the Empress.

I feel like garbage, physcially, so I don't have lots to write, but I get it.  I feel too sick to do much about it, but I get it.  The advice of the lady Arcana in this reading for me is to nurture myself, and get with the program, doing what I know I need to in order to feel better.





These cards come from the Paulina Tarot by Paulina Cassidy for U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Daily Draw - Nine of Swords, The Emperor, Ace of Wands

These cards speak a fairly clear story to me today.

The order that the Emperor is capable of bringing out of the chaos of my Nine of Swords anxiety will free the creativity of the Ace of Wands.

This is a powerful message for me today because I just decided to run my life a little differently than I have been to this point.  My schedule is loose and free flowing, generally, and as much as I enjoy that kind of schedule, it may not be the best way for me to be productive.  So this week I had a firm "butt in chair at 9 am" policy that has worked quite well.  I managed to get my exercise and breakfast in before, though I am still in pjs now at 3:30 pm.  Clearly my dressing routine needs a bit of refinement, but writing is happening, tarot readings are happening, and while my family is my first priority, these run a close second.

Like many people, I struggle against what I perceive as the stricture of the Emperor, but there is a reason to impose order, at times, and I am beginning to realize it more and more.  Of course no one wants to be manhandled by an iron fisted fascist, but there is more to this guy than that.  In this reading, he is the gatekeeper, dividing me against myself where I need it most, the protector, too.

Update, August 24, 2011:  It has been a rough weekend for me.  I have developed some weird stomach condition that feels  like heartburn or acid reflux, and I NEVER have had that before so figuring out what it felt like was step one, but it is constant so it can't be that, either.  I am working on figuring it out and started a whole body cleanse because I think married life has wreaked havoc with my previously pretty good diet of very little processed food and lots of grains and plants.  The big worry on the brain is getting to the Bay Area Tarot Symposium, which I am to leave for in a couple days and being well so that I can learn lots of tarot things and enjoy a mini vacation with The Man and my friend.





These cards are from the Paulina Tarot by Paulina Cassidy for U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Daily Draw - The Hermit, Eight of Swords, The Magician

The words I heard when I looked at this draw were, "The way forward is the way back, at times."  Great, now I am talking to myself in cryptic riddles.

I am gonna leave this reading to percolate a bit, and let the images work on my mind, and let my inner Gandalf express himself in a way that leaves me with actual words to write on my posts.  This probably requires role play of some sort.

Update:  To me, the figures look as if they are forming a unit, though not necessarily a cohesive one.  The Eight of Swords denizen appears to me to be turning away from the Hermit, as if the Hermit is herding her somewhere she doesn't want to be, and seems to be entreating the Magician for help, who is coming forth to give it.

I am having a hard time today fulfilling my personal obligations to myself, because the deep introspection I am asking of myself is making me see things about myself I don't necessarily want to, so I have been willfully turning away.  The Shadow has to be treated gently, because above all else it is self preserving.  The Magician could cut those bonds we see in the Eight of Swords, but it may not quite be time for that, for me.  I may need to struggle against them a little longer.

The Magician makes me think of doing, and one of the things I do that makes me feel better is walk.  I don't mean stroll leisurely, but walk so hard and fast it is very nearly running, and I huff and I puff, and my mind works and works, and then, at the sweetest moment, it goes blank, empty and peaceful.  This Magician certainly appears to be on a mission, and so in addition to Morning Pages and meditation, I commit myself again to a pounding, cleansing walk every day, too.  It certainly couldn't hurt anything.





These cards are from the Paulina Tarot by Paulina Cassidy for U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Daily Draw - The Lovers, Queen of Wands, Three of Wands

The cards for today want to affirm for me that I have made the right choice, as the Lovers is often a card about choices, to pursue with passion and diligence, Queen of Wands, the idea that came to me for a creative project that wants to be born, Three of Wands.  Just to be sure I understood what was being said, the Knight of Cups appeared at the bottom of the deck for my shuffle, to let me know that it's okay to dream, and dream big.

The Lovers cruise blithely through the air, entering the Queen's garden, where she is master of all that surrounds her, like that giant cat who could easily rip her to shreds, but she is fearless in confidence, which reminds me to go forth boldly and conquer what fears I may face, because that is the only way through them.  The Three of Wands makes his third appearance for the week, and I believe he is here to say, "Yes, this is why I keep hanging around." plus to remind me to keep my other projects going as well.  Dreams are we need to sustain our souls, the Knight of Cups counsels from the bottom, but this project is going to be a long one and may pay very well, but not for a long time, so better to keep my other things going as well, in tangent.  All these Wands this week are telling me if I make the commitment to show up, I will be given the creative energy I need to complete these projects, which is deep reassurance indeed.





These cards are from the Paulina Tarot by Paulina Cassidy for U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Daily Draw - Three of Wands, Two of Swords, Four of Cups

Here's that Three of Wands again, because I just must not have quite got it yesterday, now paired with the Two of Swords and the Four of Cups.  I think this card combination today means that I will be exploring my creativity deeper, but no clear good choice will arise, and I will feel discontented with whatever I do decide on.  The stance of the figure in the Two of Swords makes me think she would like nothing as well as to to swing those swords outwards and knock the smug Three of Wands the complacent Four of Cups right off their retrospective towers, and maybe that will be exactly what will happen.  The Nine of Swords had to make a shadowy appearance, just to make sure I understood that I could face a great deal of anxiety about this choice, and when it finally does come due may have a hard time trusting in what I have decided.  This is actually a comforting card for me, because it signals my anxiety, and anxiety is a liar.  I know this.

Update:  I now know what these cards and yesterday's refer to- I have had what I think is an amazing idea for what to write, but it will take a lot of work, research, and dedication.  I have no real idea what I am getting into, which is the blindness of the Two of Swords, and I do not really want the tedium of the amount of work it will require, seen in the Four of Cups, but the creativity in the Three of Wands demands it.  Nervous, excited, and preparing for a long haul...

These cards are from the Paulina Tarot by Paulina Cassidy for U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Daily Draw - Three of Wands, The Moon, Page of Wands

The precarious balance of the first card, the Three of Wands, shows I can go either direction right now, and I am not yet done with the energy of the Moon, which is where I need to delve in order to reach the bright energy the Page of Wands exudes.

The combination of the Three of Wands with the Moon speaks of exploring the depths of the Moons' landscape, and the exuberant Page of Wands suggests that it doesn't have to be quite as murky as I have been making it.  I have pulled the Moon over and over and over since March, and honestly still have no idea exactly what it means and why, but the card was kind enough to defer to the Lovers as my Monday Majors pull earlier today, and the fiery cards flanking it today suggest that I may be able to burn up the watery Moon energy with the advice of the Wands surrounding it.  The Moon is a lovely card, and one I enjoy, but I am ready for something new in my life.

My work is all creative work, reading tarot, writing fiction, being a mom, all of that is creative work, and the Three of Wands is a card about  preparation and putting energy into our creative endeavors, and the Moon is  card that insists we follow our intuition.  When I relate this combination back to my theme card of the week, the Lovers, I need to pay close attention to my feelings in order to know where to put my creative energy, because I have so many different things pulling on me at the moment.  I see the young Page of Wands here because I am just not sure what I should be doing, and I am learning all manner of things at the moment, all of which seems so important, but I am not just a little overwhelmed.  The Moon says I have to walk on faith, not always being able to see the next clear step, but the Wands cards are ready to light the path once I take those first steps.


Update:  This draw is totally connected to the one for today, separated by a day, and I know what the cards were saying.  I had some creative ideas bubbling around in my head that came to a boil in my sleep (the Moon), in a dream, in which I realized the project I want to write most of all, and I realized it was kind of a big deal, a TON of research involved, but I think there is nothing else like it and will be so worthy, which at the very least would would be my ships coming in artistically (traditional Rider Waite Smith imagery of the three of Wands) and would have me an exuberant student all over again (Page of Wands).  Tarot is so cool!





These cards come from the Paulina Tarot by Paulina Cassidy for U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Monday Majors- Theme for the Week: The Lovers

I almost fell down and said a little prayer of thanks when I pulled my Major card for my theme of the week and it was not the goddess forsaken Moon.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  It is a lovely card, and clearly full of messages for me, but I really am ready for a break.

So, we are at the Lovers, and this card is a beautiful rendition of it.  The couple is whisked away on the wings on a snow white creature, completely trusting the driver, and why shouldn't they?  When we love this ferociously, we tend to be oblivious to the rest of the world around us.

Of course, with the Lovers, the first thing that comes to mind is our romantic relationships, and I will try to remember to be extra good to The Man this week, who is always so good to me.

The second thing the Lovers advocates is choice, and when one arises, to follow the one that makes your heart sing like a lover, when all is going well.  I will spend this paying attention to what inspires that ecstasy in me and what I truly love, and thusly look for clues as to where my time is best spent.





This card is from the Paulina Tarot by Paulina Cassidy for U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Daily Draw - Queen of Pentacles, The Magician, The Tower

Now we move on to the Paulina Tarot, charmingly wrought by Paulina Cassidy, and brought to us by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

The Queen of Pentacles is usually me, so I am glad to see her hanging around today.  The Magician, that can be me, too.  The Queen glances over rather conspiratorially at the Magician, who has her back turned away from the calamity of the Tower.  Those first two cards have something up their sleeves, and they want nothing to do with the third card, the Tower.  Which, coincidentally, neither do I.

I believe these cards are a warning to me today, which is if I do not want to encounter any Tower moments I would wisely emulate the responsible and earthy Queen of Pentacles.  I will deal with my housework before playing, and get everything set up for Monday morning kids' things to do.  The Magician is the great intercessory between the worlds, and works with all the elements, so if for some reason I am not able to avoid any Tower moments through diligence and care, I should be able to assimilate them through my own belief in my ability to so, which is actually a quite empowering thought.  The Magician, le Bateleur in the more tricksy Marseilles incarnation, has an air of getting something over on someone, almost as if I play my cards right, proscribe the "proper" household rituals, I can avoid the upheaval of the Tower.  I may just leaave out a bowl of milk for any faeries hovering about today.

Update:  I know what these cards wanted to tell me now.  When I let myself, the Queen of Pentacles, lose my self confidence, signified by the Magician, I have a lot of upheaval in my sense of security, shown by the Tower.  I did it right, though, by being able to recognize what was going on pretty quickly and changing my words, which changed my mindset before a total collapse came, so I am beyond grateful for the heads up from my cards.





These images are from the Paulina Tarot by Paulina Cassidy for U.S. Games Systems, Inc.