Review By Terri Clement
Dreaming Way Tarot by Rome Choi, illustrated by Kwon Shina
Published by U.S. Games Sytems, Inc., www.usgamesinc.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-57281-712-8
ISBN-10: 1-57281-712-7
Looking for something familiar, yet different in your Tarot? Then this might be the deck for you. Polka dots, checkers, stripes, plaids and funky hats make up the costumes in this contemporary deck. The Dreaming Way Tarot brings an out of the ordinary look but is still recognizable as a Rider Waite Smith style of Tarot.
This deck arrives in a fold top box is sealed in plastic along with a 40-page Little White Book. The card edges are a bit sharp upon first handling and are printed on a thicker card stock. The deck is a bit stiff to shuffle, even though the cards themselves are flexible. The shuffling issue will easily work itself out with regular use. The cards have a light lamination and fan beautifully.
Strength is numbered 8 and Justice is numbered 11. The suits are Pentacles (material), Wands (fire), Cups (water) and Swords (air). The courts are Page, Knight, Queen and King.
The cards measure 2 ¾” wide x 4 ¾” tall. The card faces have a white border on the top and sides that measures 1/8” and the bottom border is ½” wide that houses the card name along with Arabic numbers for Majors. The card backs are reversible and are done in greens, oranges, yellows and browns and remind me of the beads that people used to hang in doorways.
The Empress in this deck gives the feel of old time, lowland Scotland. It features a crowned, pregnant blonde woman in a wheat field wearing a white under-dress with a red and orange tartan. Though she is dressed simply, she carries authority.
The LWB says “The Empress plays the role of assisting and taking care of others rather than leading others. As the life-giving earth mother, she reigns over the bounty of nature. She encourages abundance and luxury. The Empress card relates to pregnancy and birth.”
The Devil card shows two naked people bound by chains to a winged, horned, red-headed woman who is bound in what appears to be a straight jacket.
The LWB says “The Devil card holds the key to the agony in your mind, which is caused by obsession. You can not feel free until you release yourself from your emotional entanglements and your dependence upon others. Your mindless pursuit of power and pleasure is leading you down a dark path. Facing the unknown brings you back to the light.”
The Sun card shows a baby crawling out from underneath several sunflowers towards a lollipop on what looks like an imaginary tree limb in the clouds.
The LWB says “You cannot hide anything under the bright sunlight. This card means clearness and illumination. You can help others easily as you know what you can and cannot accomplish. Therefore, you gain their trust. You’re ready to fully realize your potential.”
The Little White Book gives a brief introduction followed by interpretations of the Major Arcana with an upright and reversed meaning. This is followed by a small segment about the characteristics of the suits and numbers, then interpretations for the Minors. The final pages of the LWB include the Dreaming Way Five-Card Spread.
This deck can easily be used right out of the box by anyone with a RWS background. The Dreaming Way Tarot would be great fun to use with those in artsy communities such as theater and Renaissance enthusiasts.