Review: Steele Wizard Tarot

Steele Wizard Tarot
Author: Pamela Steele

Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing, October 2023

Description: 88 cards, 192-page guidebook, box with magnetic closure lid.

Card Size: 3 x 5

*3rd Edition, previously self-published in 2006 and 2010

"As “a picture is worth a thousand words,” the Steele Wizard Tarot speaks the “language of the soul.”"

The Steele Wizard Tarot is based on the traditional Rider Waite deck, but includes 10 additional cards: six Major Arcana cards: 22 Weaver, 23 Universe, 24 Truth, 25 Soul Twins, 26 Evolution, 27 I AM and four Court Cards - the Maidens. Two cards have been altered: 13 Death to Transition and 15 Devil to Materialism. 

The Steele Wizard Tarot is printed on thick, high quality card stock, producing a 1 5/8-inch-thick deck. I found the deck a little hard to shuffle, hand over hand, but not impossible. 

The Steel Wizard Tarot contains a soft, feminine energy. The images are relatively simple and yet very detailed. The pastel coloring creates a calming effect. The bottom borders contain the card title and are color-coded: Major Arcana - Purple, Wands - Yellow, Cups - Teal, Swords - Blue, Pentacles - Dark Orange. 

The 22 Weaver is one of the extra Major Arcana cards. The coloring of this card is amazing: the calming blues, the vibrant greens, the striking purple of the rug, and the simple brown of her tools. The Weaver card is definitely one of my favorites. These colors combine to create a simplicity within a detailed image.

The Steele Wizard Tarot is a lovely set of cards. Each card presents its own unique vibration through coloring and detailed images.

The Guidebook covers the basics of Tarot reading - Tarot Ethics, Caring for your Cards, Using the Court Cards, Reading the Cards, and more. 

The Card Spread section is especially interesting, providing simple to advanced layouts. The eight card spreads range from the simple one card layout to the twelve card Celtic Cross Extended Spread.

The Major Arcana cards are covered as a whole and then individually. Each card is presented by number and name, a phrase, the card image, a detailed description of the card, guidelines, reversed meaning, a quote from the "DragonSteele Meditations" by Reverend Den Elder, and a space for notes. 

The Minor Arcana cards are separated by suits. Each suit is introduced as a whole, including elemental aspects and the associated Zodiac signs. Each card is presented by card name, image, a phrase, a detailed description of the card, guidelines, reversed meaning, and a quote from the "DragonSteele Meditations" by Reverend Den Elder.

The guidebook closes with words from the Wizard - Pamela Steele, The Elder Futhark system, acknowledgments, and testimonials.

The Steele Wizard Tarot is an impressive deck and would make a nice addition to any Tarot shelf. I would recommend it to beginners and advanced readers. 

If you prefer a traditional 78 card Tarot deck, you have the option to remove the extra cards, and still have the experience of this vibrant deck, although the extra cards do add a nice element of accuracy to the readings. 

If you already own a previous edition of this deck, go to Brandy Rachelle's website for a detailed comparison of the three different editions.

Grab your copy at  Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing.

(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing)

Review: Swagatam Tarot

Swagatam Tarot

Author: Pankhuri Agarwal

Artist: Aishwarya Ravichandran

Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing, June 2023

Description: 92 cards, 200-page guidebook, box with magnetic closure lid.

Card Size: 3 1/4 x 4 1/4

*Reprinted and Revised, June 2023

"Welcome to the Swagatam Tarot. The word Swagatam means “welcome” in Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages in the world. Based on Indian culture combined with the philosophies of Hinduism, the rich and unique images of this 92-card deck invite you to explore concepts of healing and self-exploration that have been around for centuries."

The guidebook begins with a short introduction. "This deck is based on Indian culture. It contains healing and lifestyle concepts that have proved to be of importance to well-being over many centuries. In this deck you will find details on how to use these for your personal benefit..."

The Swagatam Tarot introduces an extra suit - Smoke, which represents the element of Ether. The Minor Arcana has been grouped by numbers. For example: the Aces are represented by mudras or hand gestures, and the Eights are represented by Trees. The Major Arcana deals with traditional Indian concepts of well-being. 

Two spreads, Elemental Spread and Lifestyle Spread, are given to guide you in using the deck.

The Major Arcana are presented with a full-page card image, card number, keywords, reversed, and meanings of the illustrations. 

As you can see, the keywords and reversed keywords are based on traditional Tarot meanings. The paragraph covers the traditional Indian concept of the illustration. The author suggests, "The Major Arcana deals with traditional concepts of well-being but are applicable to every person worldwide!" 

After a brief overview of the suits and how to use the gestures, the Minor Arcana cards are grouped by number, with a full-page image of the first card, the group, its representation, and a short summary of the group as a whole.  

Each card is presented with a full-page image of the card, the name, representation, the Keywords, Reversed, and the traditional Indian concept of the illustration. 

After reading the reviews, I really wanted to love this deck, but I couldn't connect to the images. The concepts of the illustrations seem like a snap-shot education on India. I couldn't find a way to apply the grouped representations and the concepts of the illustrations to a reading. And, the many unknown words on the cards were distracting.

I took a step back from all of this and did a short 3-card reading, focused on using the deck without all of the above. I focused on the traditional Tarot meanings, but also referred to the guidebook. I was impressed by the results and found myself incorporating impressions from the book. 

The short 3-card reading, with images of the guidebook page for each, will give you a glimpse into the cards and the concepts of the images.  

Layout: Past, Present, Future

Question: What do I need to know right now in this moment?

The past position revealed, Ten of Smoke, a card from the extra suit. Referring to the guidebook was a must to get an idea of what the card was signifying. 

Ten represents Seasons and in this case Early and Late Winter. The concept of the illustration covers what constitutes an India winter and an association with foods. The fact that the Winter card shows up as we approach the end of winter was impressive as the cold weather collapses into the past.

The keywords: much need break from trials, respite, rest, finality, peace, suggests: I may be coming out of a long winter's rest. I have definitely used this winter to find peace with things in my life. 

The present position revealed, Four of Swords. Four represent Colors (Natural Dyes), in this case Sindoor/ Kum Kum. I assume after reading the concept of the illustration section this is Red. It is produced by crushing the red seeds of the Sindoor tree fruit. Uses of the Kum Kum are included in the summary paragraph. 

The keywords: prayer, faith, trust, peace, quiet, suggests: I may have found, or am still searching for, the before mentioned peace and quiet. I do feel I'm close to figuring out how to relax and just be in the present. 

The future position revealed, Ace of Pentacles, represented by the Hand Gesture, Prithvi Mudra, which balances the Earth element. The summary paragraph mentions healing the root chakra, which was also mentioned to be strengthened by the Kum Kum.

The keywords: new beginnings, completeness, prosperity, grounding, suggests: A possible future of success in finding my way, discovering new beginnings.

Overview: What I need to know right now in this moment is... My periods of rest and search for peace are bringing me toward the moment of success in finding my way to a new beginning. I may feel like I'm struggling through this, because trust me rest is not something I do often, to the point that my body is insisting rest and not taking no for an answer, but I am almost there. The light at the end of the tunnel is very close. Have faith, send out prayers, and I will begin to see success. Doing some work with my Root Chakra may help ease the feeling of struggle. 

I recommend this deck to anyone who wants a glimpse into Indian culture, a seasoned reader looking for a change of pace, and/or deck collectors. If the images above speak to you, this deck may well be worth your consideration. 

*As mentioned above, this is a reprint of the original, which had some publication issues. When purchasing, be sure to get the new print.

Grab your copy at Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing.

(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing)

Review: The Magic of Numbers

The Magic of Numbers: Numerology's Power Revealed

Author: Lori Reid

Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing, 2023

Description: 80-page paperback book

Book Size: 5 x 7

The Magic of Numbers is an easy-to-use, simple read. The guide will give you a glimpse into the doorway of Numerology.

After a short introduction to Numerology, "Depending on the different levels of interpretation, numerology can be as easy or as complex as the practitioner might want to make it..."

Chapter One: Birthdays offers you the calculations to obtain your Destiny Number, an overview of each number, and an exercise that will open your eyes to the cycles within your life. 

"...the critical importance about your actual date of birth is that this number will reveal insights into your life cycle and into the sequences of events that are likely to occur to you throughout your life."

Chapter Two: What's in a Name? gives you the calculations and methods to obtain your Expression Number. "When decoded, the Expression Number of a name yields valuable insights into the power of its sound." Each Expression Number is explained in the personality profile. There is also a table of Harmonies showing the numbers that will be harmonious or at variance with your Expression Number.

Chapter Three: Love and Attraction gives an overview of each Expression Number in Love and In Partnership with other Expression Numbers.

Chapter Four: Work and Money offers suggested occupations for your Destiny or Expression Number with an overview of each Number at Work.

Chapter Five: Keys to the Door gives the calculations needed to find your home's personality. A House-Personal Compatibility Table identifies if your house number is compatible or discordant with your birthday or destiny number. Each House Number is explained in a Character Guide to your House.

A short Conclusion and an About the Author closes this short dive into Numerology.

"Understanding numbers opens our awareness, shows us the interconnections that govern our lives and gives us the knowledge we need to control our destinies."

I recommend this book to anyone who has the desire to take that first step into studying Numerology or if you are just a little curious about the whole aspect. 

The Magic of Numbers makes it easy and uncomplicated for you to get a taste of what the Power of Numerology is all about. 

Grab your copy at  Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing.

(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing)