Search A Light In The Darkness

Wednesday 30 May 2007

An introduction to 'my old friends'



In the Merlin Tarot, elemental cards use symbols of creatures rather than the customary Sword, Wands, Cups & Coins. The overall emphasis of the Creation Vision, from which the Merlin Tarot is drawn from, is an interacting set of worlds teeming with orders of life. A major part of the Vision, namely the Celtic tradition, contains a magical world view -- often described as being 'Shamanic in modern day literature.

It is from this tradition that the suites of elemental & number cards in the Merlin Tarot are resourced from -- following the interlace patterns that are so essential to the symbols in Celtic art. In more basic terms, the interlaced patterns of Pictish & Celtic art represent a vision in which energies & worlds are woven together. Thus, is it possible to see aspects of the weaver's pattern through four orders -- these orders or modes are represented in the Merlin Tarot as follows:-

AIR: Birds - Swords, Arrows, Weapons
FIRE: Serpents - Rods, Wands or Staves
WATER: Fishes - Cups, Chalices or Crescents
EARTH: Beasts - Shields, Discs, Coins or Spheres