Okay, so I’ve been diving into the world of tarot cards lately, and I stumbled upon something pretty cool – African tarot card decks. I thought, “Why not give it a shot and see what it’s all about?” So, here’s how my little experiment went.
First, I needed to find some decks. I did a simple search. I wanted to see what kinds of imagery and symbolism were used, you know?
Getting Started
I spent a good chunk of time browsing different decks. Some had really vibrant, traditional African artwork, while others were more modern, blending African themes with classic tarot imagery. It was a total mix!
Choosing My Decks
I ended up picking two decks that really caught my eye.
- The first deck: It’s full of colorful depictions of African folklore and deities. Very traditional and it had some nice animal print.
- The second deck: This one felt more contemporary. It used traditional African patterns and textiles.
I figured having two different styles would give me a broader perspective.
Digging In
I started by just looking at the cards. The artwork on both was seriously beautiful. The colors, the details…I could have spent hours just admiring them.
Then, I read cards and compared them to the traditional Rider-Waite meanings I already kinda knew. Some were pretty similar, but others had completely different interpretations based on African culture and spirituality. It’s like, the Fool card might represent a young person starting a journey, very much like new tarot decks I’d seen before.
Doing Some Readings
I did some simple readings, mostly for myself at first, I wanted to get comfortable with the cards. Then I roped in a couple of friends who were curious. It was interesting to see how the cards resonated with them, even though they weren’t familiar with the specific African themes.
Honestly, the readings were surprisingly insightful! The imagery, even though it was new to me, seemed to unlock some different perspectives. It felt like I was tapping into a different kind of wisdom.
Final thoughts.
Overall, exploring African tarot decks has been a blast. It’s opened my eyes to a whole new way of looking at tarot and, really, at different cultures. I am really glad to finish this project.
I’m definitely going to keep exploring this. I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface! Next, I might try to learn more about the specific cultural traditions behind some of the cards. Oh, and I need a better storage box – the ones they came in are already falling apart!
