Tarot of the Divine: Yoshi Yoshitani

Product Information

The companion guidebook provides insight into how these fables from around the globe support traditional tarot imagery and themes.

The print quality is superb – the integrity of the delicate colour schemes is brilliantly reproduced, and the fine lines and detail have been maintained. There are no misprints, no colour bleeds, and no blurring.The other strange error is The Nightingale, which the LWB says "Denmark, Danish Folk Tale" but the book says "China, Danish Fairy Tale." The imagery is Chinese and the story takes place in China, so it appears the book is correct but the LWB is wrong. The Six of Swords represents leaving behind tumultuous waters for a future that is calm and promising. After being imprisoned by her own father, Danae and her young son Perseus escape. Perseus will eventually grow to defeat the gorgon Medusa. The artist, Yoshi Yoshitani, utilises a broad pallette contrasting strong deep colours such as teal, dark turquoise, deep blu, against pale and delicate colours like apricot, buttery yellow, pale green, and adds highlights and pops of rich crimson, fiery reds, and bold oranges. This tarot set is based around the Rider Waite system. The box is so lovely, not too big and bulky, simple, and the texture is really nice. Using a simple ribbon pull to get the cards out. The cards are sturdy, smooth and nice to work with physically. Tarot of the Divine The idea of linking fairy-tale folklore and the Tarot is very interesting. These phenomena have a lot in common. Legends and fairy tales are the concentration of the wisdom of our ancestors. This is a collection of symbols and archetypes, ideas about the world, about good and evil.

Opening this tarot is like entering into a fairy tale. You set about laying out the cards and find they whisper in sing-song voice. “Once upon a time,” entrances the High Priestess as she opens her book to read to you. “In this story, YOU are the fairy godmother,” declares The Magician as they wave their wand. “Here be dragons!” cautions The Devil. And on, and on, they go into the “happily ever after,” with The World. Yoshi Yoshitani’s style is distinctly commercial with a strong element of graphics – the images are quite flat, with delicate line work, and surprising, fine detail which gives a poignancy to many of the images. The artwork strongly reminiscent of picture books and cover art, and brings to mind childhood books of fairy stories. While the images do depict mythical beings and familiar fairytale characters, they are presented in such a way as to recall Pamela Coleman Smith’s classic illustrations. The Emperor is the ideal father figure. A warrior and conqueror, King Arthur rules over his kingdom and his sometimes-unruly knights with a just and firm hand. He unifies the fractious, defends the weak, and lends his knowledge and understanding to all his subjects.Each card is reproduced in full colour and afforded the same amount of space and information. The corresponding myth or fairy tale is listed directly under the illustration, as well as its country of origin, and a clarification as to whether it is a fairy tale, a myth, saint or deity. Beneath this is a description of the qualities each card embodies and what the fairy tale or myth represents. This is followed by a few keywords for both upright and reversed divinatory meanings – which are very much in line with traditional interpretations.