The Illuminated Tarot - Card Games & Gift Giving - The Illuminated Art Series Tarot Cards - Modern Tarot Deck, Cards - Illustrated, Art Series Edition, | 53 Unique Cards for Divination & Gameplay |

You might wonder how a "real" Tarot deck could consist of just 53 cards. That's what I wondered too, until I got the deck and began using and studying it. The author "folded" the Majors and Minors together so that some cards do double-duty as either a Minor or Major or both, depending on how the reader wishes to interpret them or where the cards fall in a layout. In other words, you can give the Major/Minor cards as much weight in a reading as you like. But all the Minors (Clubs=Wands, Spades=Swords, Diamonds=Pentacles, Hearts=Cups) and all the 22 Majors are represented and accounted for (see the attached image), along with the very appropriate addition of a Joker card for the Fool. The Pages and Knights were blended into a single Jack, and this works quite nicely with combining the qualities of those two court cards into one. Each card has its suit symbol and either a number or court indication, but no words are used. The author based this Tarot on a traditional 52-card playing deck, and it could work for such purposes if you like. But it can also be used just as you would any other Tarot. It actually makes perfect sense that the author designed the deck this way, since one of the theories about the origins of contemporary Tarot is that it evolved from a standard deck of playing cards. So although this seems like a giant leap away from what many people have come to accept as the quintessential Tarot -- a deck of 78 cards, with 56 Minors (including four court cards and 22 Majors) -- this might be more of an "authentic" deck or perhaps a revisiting of Tarot's past. So don't let the uncommon construction of this deck put you off. It actually is a real Tarot -- just different from what you might expect. The cards themselves are phenomenally designed. The size (3.5 x 5 inches) is perfect, despite their larger-than-normal dimensions. Because there are fewer cards in the deck, the larger size of the cards is extremely easy to handle. I have very petite hands, but I can shuffle (riffle or under/over) with ease. The finish on the cards is magnificent. There's a heavy coating with a linen-like matte finish. This keeps the cards from showing fingerprints or dirt, making them easy to keep clean. The cards stick together a bit initially, perhaps because of the vertical "linen" lines in the finish. But the more you work with and shuffle them, the less this happens and the more they "soften" up and become "loose." This is my ideal size and finish for Tarot cards, so I couldn't be more pleased with them. The backs are gorgeous and reversible. The colors are cream, black, and white. There are no gilded edges with this deck, which I'm very happy about, since that tends to flake off and make a bit of a mess on hands and reading cloths. The edges do initially "shed" a bit from where they were cut at the print shop, but that diminishes with use. There are moderately wide borders on the cards, but some of the artwork intentionally bleeds into them, so I wouldn't suggest trimming the borders. They're perfect just as they are. The lavish illustrations are fresh, simple, and modern, but not precious or cloying, and the images have depth and inspire intuition. The colors are clear and distinct to each suit but create a well-coordinated family. Wands/Clubs: orange, green, and blue; Diamonds/Pentacles, soft yellow, burnt orange, violet/purple, green, and light brown; Hearts/Cups: red/pink, orange, brown, and green; Swords/Spades: blue, deep purple, violet, deep brown. As with any deck, there are some cards I’m greatly drawn to and others less so, but there aren’t any that totally turn me off. The artwork incorporates a combination of animals, plants, symbols, and ethnically ambiguous humans. It can take a little time and study to understand why the author chose certain Minors to mesh with particular Majors, but her choices mainly follow and represent traditional Tarot concepts and make sense to me. In general, they’re paired based on conventional meanings/interpretations, numerical value, or energy/suit. What's especially intriguing is that many of the cards, including the Jacks, are reversible (just like standard playing cards)! The box is incredibly sturdy and beautiful, and it's even embossed! It has an inner "cupped" holder to keep the cards secure and a ribbon to help pull them out. If you like to store your cards in a box or bag when they aren't in use, you definitely won't have to purchase anything additional. The LWB is actually a small, full-color booklet with key words for each card and a few simple layouts. There's not a lot of explanation of much else, which some readers might consider a good thing. I'd like to know more about the author's reasoning behind certain Minor/Major matches and her use of color and symbols, but they are nevertheless clear and consistent among the suits. This is a very easy deck to use and learn, and it's one I'd recommend for both beginners and seasoned Tarotists. Although beginners might not get to know the customary numbers for the Majors by using this deck, it really may not matter, since all the Majors are represented here in a very unique and compelling way. A bonus of this Tarot deck is that it will teach you how to read a regular playing-card deck should you ever need or want to. It's tough to come up with original approaches to Tarot, and most contemporary decks either stick with the traditional 78 cards or even add a few extra ones. This is the first time I've come across a full deck that takes a more "condensed" approach, but I must say that I'm impressed.

Everything about this deck—from the feel of the stock to the structure of the reading system—is different from traditional RWS type decks. Which suits me fine. I'm a big fan of non-traditional decks. But while I'm always fine with non-traditional art and interpretations, I'm rarely enamored with anything that breaks the 78-card mold. This deck does that in some really interesting ways, so it won me over. Keegan found ways to work the majors into the 40 cards of the pips, and she reduced the courts to twelve by combining the pages and knights. An example of working the majors into the minors is the Two of Spades (Swords) doubling as the Hanged Man. It makes perfect sense to me. Both have their perspective skewed, both are taking a pause. I thought it was clever. There were other examples like that in the deck, too, such as the Seven of Spades doubling as The Chariot and The Four of Spades doubling as Death's cycle of renewal. The art is very graphic. Some have an updated hippie rock poster sort of vibe, with lots of little details to peruse. And others are very simple almost like wood cut kind of images. All of them felt "new-age modern retro" to me, which has its own story to tell within each card. And most are fully illustrated, while a small handful come close to being TdM style pips. I'm not into non-illustrated pips, but even in the less illustrated ones, she inserts something clever and evocative. My favorite is that, on the Four Of Diamonds/Coins, a king is peeking through one of the coins, checking to make the sure the others are still there. How clever is that?! It's also interesting to note that, while the suit may be Hearts, she uses Cups in her illustrations. Diamonds used Coins (with diamonds on them). Same for all the suits...playing card suits, but with tarot suit imagery. Now, I will say that the book meanings were hit and miss for me based on the vibe I was getting off one card or another. Overall, the book meanings were skewed to the cheery and positive, which could make the deck more mainstream, along with the 53-card structure—a deck of playing cards plus the Fool as the Joker. Totally approachable for the tarot-curious. And maybe I'm getting things from the images the artist didn't intend. But that's OK, because the deck is sparking all sorts of new tarot neurons for me regardless. And I've been reading tarot for 30 years and have a collection of hundreds of decks, so my neurons are pretty jaded. I don't usually get excited enough about a deck to review it. Finally, the packaging is flawless. A sturdy hinged box and first-class presentation. The card stock is thick and sturdy, along the lines of a Schiffer deck, but superior. The cards have a matte gloss finish and the ink (I think) creates a lightly ridged surface to the cards. This creates the perfect friction for shuffling right out of the box. The feel is very different than you're used to, but in a pleasant way. For the price, everything about it is high quality. If you're RWS all the way and uptight about people who mess with tarot's sacred structure, steer clear of this deck. But if you just love exploring decks and different interpretations and perspectives in cartomancy and tarot, give this one a try. And if you know nothing about tarot and just want to have fun and tell fortunes, this is the perfect toe in the water. It is not the same experience as a true, 78-card deck, but it sure is an attractive, approachable alternative.

The Illuminated Tarot, is an oversized deck of 53 fully illustrated and boldly colored cards resembling a standard playing card deck. The four suits have playing card indices (Spades, Hearts, Clubs, and Diamonds) with the illustration influenced by the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot suits (Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles). But what makes this deck truly unique is that some of the cards are associated with a Major Arcana (not Minor Arcana) card. I think of these cards as having been "promoted" -- if you are of a mystical mindset, you may think of them as being "lifted to a higher vibration." Examples: * The Ace of Clubs depicts a lion holding a RWS-like Ace of Wands. It has been promoted to the Major Arcana card Strength. * The Eight of Hearts has a large, reversible red face of a moon, which is suggestive of the RWS card Eight of Cups and its figure that is walking away under the light of the moon. This card has been promoted to The Moon. * The Two of Spades is a closeup of an upside down and blindfolded face, suggesting the visual element of the "hoodwinked maiden" in a RWS deck. This card has been promoted to The Hanged Man. * The Nine of Diamonds, with its abstract pond and garden, has been promoted to The Hermit. This is similar to the solitary garden of the woman depicted in a standard RWS Nine of Pentacles. It is clear that the author-illustrator Caitlin Keegan has a deep understanding of the Major and Minor Arcana. She made excellent choices throughout her deck as to which cards to promote to the Major Arcana. I would not be surprised if her system becomes adopted by folks who read with playing cards. (Yes, it's that good.) The size and presentation of the deck, with its beautiful gold embossed clamshell box and its full-color companion booklet, suggests that is a art deck. But a deck this well-designed and executed begs to be used! I look forward to working with The Illuminated Tarot and it will definitely be on my Top Ten Decks for 2017.

I bought these on impulse alongside the popular deck, "The Wild Unknown Tarot". I returned the The Wild Unknown the same day I received them. These cards, "The Illuminated Tarot" feel good in my hands and have been a joy to work with. I am not a professional Tarot reader, and wanted to get a deck of cards to learn and practice cartomancy (divination with a standard card deck). I haven't done so yet but you can also use these as playing cards. From the moment I opened the shrink wrapped package I could feel the quality. It comes with a well designed box and a simple set of instructions with neutral card explanations. The cards are printed on a thick matte stock with a satin finish. In comparison, the popular "Wild Unknown" was printed on cheap cardstock and felt like they would rip after a few uses. Not so with the "Illuminated Tarot". I feel like I will learn with these cards and they'll look and feel good years from now. They are very well made. The cards feel great texture wise and are easy to shuffle with my big man hands. :-) The art work is also pleasing to the eye. Very well done all around. This is a unique deck, and those who are used to using a 78 cards tarot will either love or hate these cards. Cartomancy is a different beast, more blunt and to the point with most questions. And again, since I'm using these to learn, and do double duty with play they're perfect for me. These cards work for me just fine. I enjoyed them so much that I bought the smaller playing cards/cartomancy set by the author. Very nice work here, :-)

These cards are beautiful. The artwork is simply stunning; I especially love the cards with cats on them. The artist is very talented. The card stock is thick and appears to be very durable, which I love. They're bigger cards than many of my other decks, which is both good and bad, since I enjoy how easy it is to see the details in the artwork but feel it will be difficult to find a box the right size for them (I typically hand decorate boxes for each of my decks and a standard deck fits nicely into most craft boxes). The book is only somewhat useful... I do wish they had dedicated a full page to each card in the deck and given more details about how to read each card. That would have been important to me since this deck is more of an oracle deck than an actual tarot deck, in my opinion. It's still lovely and well worth the money, in my opinion.

LOVE the presentation/box, the size of the cards, the color, the guidebook (yes, really), the concept. I admit that I ordered this primarily because I was wondering how the 53 card tarot concept would work. I tried to find an explanation of it on the artist's website, and because i didn't find it, I decided that I was $10 worth of curious, so I went for the preorder and forgot about it. For the price, I really expected a poker size deck. These are smaller than the large size Thoth, but still on the large side, and wider than more tarot cards. Personally, I love this, and I wish more decks came in these dimensions. The art is colorful, nicely busy, and really not my usual style at all, but that's good. When I first got the deck in the mail I thought "oh, it's cute, it's too cute," and I was planning on giving it away within the week. However, this deck surprised me by being an AMAZINGLY clear reader from the get go. Painfully on point. A word on the guidebook--if you're the kind of reader that doesn't have their own card meanings yet, then maybe you won't like it. Personally I find the vivid presentation aesthetically pleasing, and I'm thrilled with the short card meanings. I find few things more tedious, in the world of tarot, than paragraphs and paragraphs of useless text rehashing the same old meanings. I throw out a lot of guidebooks, and I've been reading for long enough that I'm comfortable enough in my own meanings, so the quick but fresh quips in the guidebook are quite nice for me. However, if you want an exhaustive LWB, look elsewhere. Anyway, for $10?! These are a steal!

I have had this rather unusual, quirky, and beautiful deck for a little over two weeks now. In that time I have already begun to recognize cards, and am able to pull meaning from the readings in many cases without even consulting the book. Readings for myself, and for others, have been spot on, and easy to explain, without a lot of the more esoteric meanings of the traditional tarot decks, which mean very little to me, and even less to the people I tend to read for. All in all this is the best tarot deck I've ever worked with. I've always had trouble with Tarot decks, problems like them refusing to read for other people, without turning into a mess of completely unintelligible garbage, or just answering my own questions instead of the ones put to them about others. So, I turned to Oracle cards, specifically the Faeries Oracle, and had wonderful success with those. Then, I felt led one day to give that deck to a wonderful friend, leaving me only a completely unusable deck, at least in my opinion, called The Wildwood Tarot. Then, one day, I order the RWS deck, and that night felt a huge push to cancel the order. While doing so this deck popped up as a recommendation for me, and, on a whim I bought it. I can honestly say, without a doubt, that is the best decision I have ever made in regards to a deck of Tarot cards. If you don't mind non-traditional decks, and having to learn new associations and such, I urge you to please give this deck a try! I don't think you will be disappointed!

I like the idea of this Tarot deck but I think I'd prefer a playing card deck that is playing card size or only a centimeter or two bigger. These are almost too big for my hand and I certainly can't use them for a lot of games. They're both stiff and thin enough that they'd bend under proper use. I handled one wrong and bent the crap out of it without meaning to. When I say thin I mean that I think this level of stiffness requires even more thickness so the cards don't just buckle under stress. If they were more supple they'd spring back but they aren't. I really don't get the concept of a playing card tarot deck that isn't portable, flexible or a smooth enough shuffle to use for playing card games. It feels like getting a wooden ball masquerading as a bouncy ball.

First the box is soooo good!! Card stock is amazing,they shuffle so well!! Images are so vibrant detailed. This isn't a deck for beginners because major arcana cards are put into minor arcana(thus reducing number of cards to 53). It might be confusing and tough to get used to it at first. But once you are comfortable with this,you will love it!! Its so good that now it has become my "go-to" deck for any queries. I'm loving it! Glad that i got one..if you are bored of RWS and its clone decks,try this..its amazing! No regrets whatsoever..♥️♥️♥️

I wasn't sure what to expect from this deck. The art is unique and beautiful. The cards are big, more like an oracle card deck. The cardstock is thick and seems like it would hold up well. The simple guidebook is in full colour and gives a few words on each card - just enough. The author has combined some of the major and minor arcana cards to make it a 53 card deck (rather than 78), but this is made pretty clear from the artwork and by thumbing through the guidebook. I was really looking forward to using them. Just shuffling through the cards they had a lovely energy to them. However, my deck arrived missing the '0' card (the fool/joker) which is a pretty important card to be missing! Unfortunately I have had to send mine back. I plan to pick up another copy, hoping for a complete deck this time!

Unique & très original - Collector✨ (En anglais, aisé) Petite Traduction via caitlinkeegancom Créatrice : - Le tarot a généralement 78 cartes, mais ce jeu en a 53. - Comment ça marche? Les jeux de tarot traditionnels comme le jeu Rider Waite Smith ont 78 cartes: 22 arcanes majeurs et 56 arcanes mineurs. - Le Tarot Illuminé a 52 cartes comme un jeu de cartes à jouer standard. Le Joker (qui correspond à The Fool) est la 53ème carte. - Dans Le Tarot Illuminated, les arcanes majeurs sont combinés avec des cartes spécifiques des arcanes mineurs. Pour déterminer quelles cartes seraient combinées, j'ai utilisé la correspondance numérologique et ma propre intuition, basées sur la recherche des significations traditionnelles des cartes. Le tarot illuminé a des crics, qui correspondent aux pages du tarot, mais n'incluent pas les cavaliers. Ces cartes sont créatives, intuitives, grandes & de Qualité Supérieure. Retrouvez également, The Illuminated Playing Cards, by Caitlin Keegan, un double deck, tout aussi Fabuleux. (dernière photo) A vous d'apprécier✨

Quando si parla di "tarocchi" si intende un mazzo di carte formato dagli arcani maggiori (Folle, Mago, ecc) e da quelli minori italiani (coppe, spade, ecc). Per questo motivo gli Illuminated Tarot non sono tarocchi, perché si tratta di un mazzo di carte francesi. Bè, certo... di tutto rispetto! Sono disegnate in modo particolarissimo, con illustrazioni bidimensionali coloratissime in uno stile tra il naif e il surreale. C'è anche un bel libretto a colori con i significati e tutto il resto. Per questo merita 5 stelle.

手元にくるまで時間が掛かり不安になりましたが、コロナの影響だそうです。お店へ連絡すると、大変誠実なご対応で信頼出来る方が運営なさっていると感じました。 カード自体も大変気に入りました。トランプに大アルカナが一部意味が含まれていて、他のタロットとは違い面白いリーディングができそうです。 個人的に個性的なものが好きなので、大切にしたいと思いました。 絵柄も好きです。