Through these cards it is hoped that a deeper and more meaningful connection to the ancient Goddess and the Otherworld realm will be formed. Here it it said that this Otherworld place is Avalon, combining the realm of the Divine, the enchanted Faerie realm and the Isle of Avalon itself. But whether you agree that all three realms are one and the same or three separate realms, all have strong links to Glastonbury, "our modern-day Avalon".
It is here in Glastonbury and its surrounding sacred sites that we are able to pierce the veil of the mists that separate our earthly realm from that of myth, legend and the beyond. Weaving together the stories of King Arthur and Avalon, the tales of the faerie folk as well as sacred Divine entities, in order to bring you closer to the great Mother Goddess.
The 36 cards in this deck are separated in the guidebook into three sections, the Landscapes of Avalon, the Mysteries of Avalon and the Guides of Avalon. Although the Landscapes and Mysteries may not be your typical advisors, the guidebook does well to offers just as much insightful information and thoughtful messages for these Landscapes and Mysteries cards as it does for the Guides found in this deck.
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| Landscapes of Avalon |
Of the nine Landscapes of Avalon offered within the deck there are only two that are beyond the reach of our earthly realm, 'Camelot' and 'The Isle of Avalon'. There are also another two that are more abstract in location, 'The Holy Thorn', which can be found in any one of the Glastonbury thorn trees, and 'The Sacred Grove', also found in any grove of sacred trees. The remaining five cards are well known landmarks of Glastonbury steeped in myth and legend.
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| Mysteries of Avalon |
The Mysteries of Avalon consist of six cards, two of these are the revered objects of legend, 'Excalibur' and 'The Holy Grail'. Another two of these are concept cards, 'The Dragon' as order through strength and power, and the 'Sacred Union' as joy through growth and vitality. With the last two cards being those intangible places of 'The Mists of Avalon' and 'The Otherworld'.
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| Guides of Avalon |
It is, however, the Guides of Avalon that make up the majority of this deck with twenty-one cards featuring the individuals of King Arthur's court along with a handful of goddesses. Also included are the mysterious characters of 'The Lady of the Lake' and 'The Priestess of Avalon' alongside the elusive 'Faerie', the otherworldly 'King of the Faerie Realm' and the mystical 'White Hart'.
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| goddess cards |
Being a deck devoted to the Goddess there are six goddess cards, five of which are said to be the revered goddesses of Avalonian tradition, Cerridwen, Rhiannon, Arianrhod, Branwen, and Blodeuwedd. The sixth goddess card in this deck is for Brigid, who is linked to Glastonbury through Bride's Mound, a place in Glastonbury considered to be a liminal space and said to have been visited by Brigid in her aspect as a Saint.
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| The Chalice Well & The White Spring, The Holy Grail & Excalibur |
While there is a heavy emphasis on the Goddess within this deck, there are included a number of cards that carry masculine energies to help provide a more balanced feel to this feminine focused deck. The complementary cards of 'The Chalice Well' and 'The White Spring' as well as 'Excalibur' and 'The Holy Grail', unite both masculine and feminine energies within each pair. 'The Dragon', 'The White Hart' and 'The King of the Faerie Realm', along with 'Merlin', 'King Arthur' and his knights round out this deck nicely.
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| masculine cards |
The guidebook offers a guiding quote for each card, a message capturing each cards essence, a couple of pages of information about each card and an affirmation for each card. There are also three spreads in the guidebook, as well as a bit of information about how to use these cards. Also included is a short sentence about number allocations for the cards having further meanings and a mention on reversal cards, but nothing about these are further explained in the guidebook.
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| three-card spread |
While the messages and quotes are well thought out, inspiring and contemplative, and the affirmations empowering, I found that the general information provided in some cases felt not quite enough. In reading the guidebook I did wish for a little more about the cards inclusion in this deck, more specifically in their connection to the Goddess as stated in the introduction. Possibly a page of reference materials for further reading about this would have a nice touch.
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Guinevere & Igraine share keywords Beauty & Feminine Power The Lady of the Lake has keyword Otherworld, and card The Otherworld |
The keywords on the cards fit the style and appearance, with each keyword being relevant and connected to each cards energies, but there are the same keywords repeated for several cards. Of the 36 cards in this deck only eight have keywords that are unique, all other cards shared one or more keywords. With several cards having similar energies, it would have been nice to have highlighted their individual traits with keywords of their own, or possibly synonyms could have been used to reduce the repetitiveness.
However the true magic of this deck is found within the cards themselves, for it is within these images we experience the guidance and wisdom of this enchanting deck. Whether you return to the guidebook again and again, use it as a starting point for additional study or just read it once and put it aside, it is within the images that you will further your understand and develop your relationship with this deck and, despite my skills with a camera, in person the beautiful artwork does not disappoint.
The artwork brings the Landscapes of Avalon to life, portraying a feel of wonder and enchantment about them, that I imagine would be present at their real world locations in Glastonbury. The Mysteries of Avalon has beautifully rich artwork that conveys a depth of feeling and magical influence. But it is within the artwork of the Guides of Avalon that we are able to observe the unique characteristics of each individual so subtly and skilfully presented, revealing their wisdom to those ready to listen.
Created by Rose Inserra, with illustrations by Nadia Turner, this deck is a walk-through of the many sacred sites, myths and legends associated with Glastonbury and its surrounding areas. The vibrant colours of this deck are enhanced by the smooth, easy to shuffle cards that are housed in a quality two piece sturdy box. With cards measuring about 5in x 3.5in, and at AU$29.99, this Rockpool Publishing deck is a powerful link to a place rich in history and lore, creating a keen experience within these cards of the magic of Glastonbury itself, for those unable to visit in person.
This item was sent to me for review from the publisher. This review reflects my personal thoughts and opinions. Your opinions and experiences may differ to my own.
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