DECK REVIEW: Today's Journey Tarot

Today’s Journey Tarot

Expanded Dimensions

Artist: Christopher Wilky

ISBN #: 978-0-7643-3905-9

$24.99 USD, paperback

“Today’s Journey Tarot” consists of artistic renderings of aspects of everyday life of the 20^th – 21^st centuries.  The images are intricately detailed and I recommend for the first few uses of the deck that you use a magnifying glass.  The images are obvious and easy to  discern, but in order to truly appreciate all the work that went into creating this deck you will want the ability to see the finer details in the background of the images on the cards, but a magnifying glass is not necessary to your use of this deck.  Perspective plays a large part in every card giving the images on “Today’s Journey Tarot” a nice 3-D effect.

Scenes of everyday life to which we can all relate are included.  For example, featured on the box is the 9 of Air (fears, worries, nightmares).  This is a depiction of a woman seated at her kitchen table.  Her head is thrown back with a look of worry on her face.  Her check book pen, and 9 bills rest on the table in front of her.  She is clearly overwhelmed.  Most of us can completely relate to how she feels.   Death, a bridge we must all cross at some point, is illustrated as a bridge (also depicted on the box lid).  Another common experience most of us have had at one time or another either in person or on TV we’ve seen a runner proudly carrying the Olympic torch.  The 6 of Fire (victory, success) depicts this image.   On the 3 of Earth, a card of creativity, we see a man admiring the paintings in an art gallery. Once again, this is an activity in which many of us have participated at one time or another.  The artist, Christopher Wilky, included a self-portrait of himself as the man on this card, which I thought was a very nice personal touch. 

 

Suits are named for the elements that they represent.  Wands are Fire, Swords are Air, Cups are Water, and Pentacles are Earth.  The court cards are renamed Child (Page), Youth (Knight), Mother (Queen), and Father (King) to reflect the modern nuclear family.  Aces in “Today’s Journey Tarot” are called Ones. 

The cards of the major arcana are each renamed with a keyword traditionally associated with that card.  The major arcana are named as follows:

Fool = Beginning, Magician = Manifestation, High Priestess = Wisdom, Empress = Creativity, Emperor = Law, Hierophant = Tradition, Lovers = Union, Chariot = Control, Strength = Fortitude, Hermit = Guidance, Wheel of Fortune = Life, Justice = Karma, Hanged Man = Choice, Death = Transition, Temperance = Discernment, Devil = Materialism, Tower = Intervention, Star = Meditation, Moon = Intuition, Sun = Illumination, Judgment = Awareness, and World = Completion.  As with the minor arcana, the major arcana cards are illustrated with various scenes from everyday life.

The guide book and cards are the same size, 2 7/8 X 4 7/8”.  The guide book has 96 pages.  Card interpretations are accompanied by a 1 ½” black and white image of the card. Interpretations consist of keywords, a brief explanation of the image, and what the card would mean in a reading.  Interpretations for reversals are not included.

Colors are bright throughout the “Today’s Journey Tarot.”  Major arcana cards are bordered in purple, the color of the element of Spirit.  Fire (Wands) cards have a red border, Air (Swords) cards have a yellow border, Water (Cups) cards have a blue border, and Earth (Pentacles) cards have a green border.  This makes immediate identification of suits and major arcana quite easy, even for beginner readers.  Depictions of scenes from a typical everyday life also aides with interpretation and I would definitely recommend “Today’s Journey Tarot” to beginners.

Packaged in a 5 ¼” X 3 ¼” X 2” hinged box with magnetic closure, “Today’s Journey Tarot” is typical of Schiffer’s superior packaging of their decks.  The card stock is extremely sturdy and covered with a laminate so the box won’t show any signs of wear or tear for a long time to come.  The compact and sturdy packaging makes this an ideal travel deck and the additional investment of a tarot box or bag is unnecessary.  “Today’s  Journey Tarot” is a deck with mass appeal and is easy to use, so even beginners will enjoy it and find it useful.  

Nefer Khepri, Ph. D., R. M-T.

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