Tantra Tarot by Urania

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Submitted By: Amanda Horton on 05/06/2006
Review of the Tantra Tarot by Leah Levin and Bertram Wallrath

This deck and book set links the traditions of Tarot and Tantra, illustrating how these two diverse paths can combine to provide enlightenment and pleasure for the seeker. The set comes attractively packaged in a sturdy vinyl cassette-type case. The cards are large (3-3/4” wide by 5-5/8” long), with a glossy finish, and are thin enough to shuffle easily, but sturdy enough not to tear or fold. The generous size lends itself to full appreciation of the rich colors and lush detailing on the Majors, Court Cards, and Aces. Regrettably, the pips are unillustrated, bearing only the background color relevant to the suit and the appropriate number of suit symbols. Card backs are decorated with an intricate color drawing of Shiva dancing with his Shakti on a golden background, and would reveal reversals on facedown cards. A double border in caramel and gold, with titles in German, surrounds the card images. The set includes a 192-page book (in German) with black and white illustrations, card descriptions and meanings, a detailed explanation of Tantric philosophy, and instructions for six spreads and two games.

In this deck, Justice is card 8, Strength card 11. The Suits and elemental correspondences are Wands/Fire, Cups/Water, Disks/Earth, and Swords/Air. Court cards are Princesses, Princes, Queens and Kings. Illustrations are mostly drawn from East Indian mythology and Hinduism, with unclad humans taking part in the racier cards.

Because of the card quality, and the obvious care with which this set was crafted, I wanted so much to love this deck. However, I can’t say I do. While I found nine or ten of the illustrated cards absolutely beautiful, such as the Star and the Wheel, there were two dozen or more (not including the cards showing sex acts) that I found rather off-putting, the majority of these being in the Courts. I understand that Tantra views death as a part of life, but I experienced a profound disconnect between the meaning and the illustration of various cards, such as the Queen of Wands. This queen is described in the book as “a gorgeous woman dancing under an arc of flames,” without mentioning the fact that she is also trampling two tiny humans underfoot, and grasps a wand upon which several human heads have been impaled by way of decoration. Several other of the Courts cards feature dismembered body parts, as well. And I found the choice of illustration for the Queen of Cups odd, to say the least, as it seems to depict an individual with a beard and mustache.

Although the cards in this set disappointed me, I found the book to be exceptional for its clarity of expression and its ability to convey complex ideas in a few well-chosen words. The book begins with a short history of Tantra, an analysis of the roots of the word itself, and a listing of the various mysteries, philosophies, and practices that the term has embraced down through the centuries. The authors emphasize that, although most people today think the term “Tantra” refers only to various sexual positions, Tantric philosophy actually encompasses mysticism, alchemy, religion, magickal formulae, and instructions for rituals. This is upheld in the deck by the fact that out of 78 cards, only five depict carnal acts (and I, for one, will never look at The Tower in quite the same light again). In addition, although Tantra may contain certain religious elements, Tantra is not in itself a religion, and may be practiced by anyone, regardless of his or her beliefs; what is most important is the desire for enlightenment and the discipline of ritual.

Section One continues with concise but detailed and very clear information on the modern belief principals of Buddhism, Shiva and Shakti, Tantra and the Kabala, Tantra and death, the three forms of Tantra currently practiced, fundamentals of the Tantric life, the body, Kundalini, the Chakras, and the Tantric ritual.

Section Two covers theories of the origin of the Tarot, common elements between Tantra and the Tarot, its uses, and different methods of interpretation. An explanation of elemental correspondences and dignities and a very handy chart outlining the elemental correspondence of each Trump are included. The book also outlines a very practical method of getting to know the cards. Detailed and clear instructions for six Tarot spreads are included in this section, two of which are specifically related to Tantra and one intended for study and meditation. This section also includes two charming games to play with a lover, one in which cards from the Trumps, the Swords, and the Cups are drawn and interpreted as cues on how to undress and pleasure each other, and one that uses the four Aces to signal to a partner a specific love-favor one would like to receive.

The book concludes with card descriptions and meanings. I especially appreciated the card meanings given for the Trumps and the pips, which are clear and to the point, and which I feel could easily serve as a beginner’s guide to the key points of each. Meanings given for the Courts, however, are inconsistent and inadequate, with some bordering on straight prediction and others simply descriptive of the character type indicated. This was disappointing, as the authors clearly have the ability to explain complex ideas in simple language, yet the Courts are left once again as the vague, indecipherable stumbling block many Tarotists feel them to be.

I would not particularly recommend this set for the beginning Tarot student, as most of the images do not bring to mind the traditional Tarot meanings. But for those interested in East Indian art and Tantric philosophy, this set would be a fascinating addition to a Tarot collection.

3 of 5 Stars!

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