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The Greenwood Tarot: Pre-Celtic Shamanism of the Mythic Forest
A journey of exploration into the symbolism and legend of the mythic forest.
- GenresTarotNonfiction
118 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1996
2 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Mark Ryan
8 books12 followersThe multi-talented Mark Ryan first became famous as 'Nasir' in Robin of Sherwood (British cult-series from the mid-1980s).
He also starred in major musicals in London's West End (like 'Evita').
He has written for DC Comics, and for Harper Collins (The Greenwood Tarot), as well as online publisher ComicMix ('The Pilgrim').
He's also an accomplished swordfighter, responsible for the choreography of the fights on 'Robin of Sherwood' and as sword trainer to Clive Owen and Keira Knightley for 'King Arthur'.
He also starred in major musicals in London's West End (like 'Evita').
He has written for DC Comics, and for Harper Collins (The Greenwood Tarot), as well as online publisher ComicMix ('The Pilgrim').
He's also an accomplished swordfighter, responsible for the choreography of the fights on 'Robin of Sherwood' and as sword trainer to Clive Owen and Keira Knightley for 'King Arthur'.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 12, 2011
I give this five stars on the strength of the Chesca Potter's art itself which communicates so deeply. Chesca Potter wrote a book interpreting the cards which can be obtained directly from her, and in my opinion, is the better book. Potter's images on the cards are sublime, extraordinary, timeless. This is my first choice of decks, though I own many. You can find some of the images from the deck online -- every card is outstanding. Potter truly was inspired when she created this magnificent opus.
January 10, 2016
I'm a bit of an accumulator of Tarot decks - the imagery and history of older decks fascinates me and the way some modern decks approach this can be equally enthralling. The Greenwood Tarot is a bit of a rarity - the Major Arcana play very fast and loose with the original order and the (not actually all that ancient!) Wheel of the Year is used as a foundation for the structure and symbology of the deck (though not without a certain amount of pushing and squashing on the part of the accompanying text).
The art (by Chesca Potter) is five stars - it's unusual, evocative and very different from the increasingly generic and highly figurative art of a lot of modern decks. I don't think it would appeal to everyone. It's rooted in British and European folklore whilst drawing on elements of Shamanism animism. It's a deeply felt, clearly pagan deck. The accompanying text, by the actor Mark Ryan, is well-meaning but inclined to psychobabble. Too often he drops into depth psychology cliches and it began to feel like I was reading the same commentary over and over again as I waded through the section on the trumps. There's a different commentary available online attributed to Chesca Potter which is very different and worth searching for, however. Potter, unfortunately, has vanished and that means this deck is likely to remain out of print.
The art (by Chesca Potter) is five stars - it's unusual, evocative and very different from the increasingly generic and highly figurative art of a lot of modern decks. I don't think it would appeal to everyone. It's rooted in British and European folklore whilst drawing on elements of Shamanism animism. It's a deeply felt, clearly pagan deck. The accompanying text, by the actor Mark Ryan, is well-meaning but inclined to psychobabble. Too often he drops into depth psychology cliches and it began to feel like I was reading the same commentary over and over again as I waded through the section on the trumps. There's a different commentary available online attributed to Chesca Potter which is very different and worth searching for, however. Potter, unfortunately, has vanished and that means this deck is likely to remain out of print.
February 29, 2016
I love the mystical depth of Chesca Potter's art, especially the Queen of Wands card depicting the hare. The cards are wonderful for meditation as well as for insight.
December 21, 2009
This is the only deck I have ever been able to use, never having read the accompanying book. I found Chesca Potter's illustrations both inspiring, and full of hidden depths.
The deck uses what might be termed pre-Celtic {?} British religious symbols, such as images of animals, landmarks, gods and goddesses, and imagery including the Green Man and other symbols from pagan artefacts. The four suits are Wands, Arrows, Cups and Stones, each aligning to a different season and element on the Wheel of the Year, around which the deck is based, so the book explains.
The major arcana is also different in that some cards have been changed from the normal format and not just in name, but meaning. For instance, The ancestor takes the place of the Heirophant, The Archer replaces the Chariot, Balance is there instead of Temperance, The Greenwoman instead of the Empress, The Greenman as the Emperor, The Blasted Oak as the Tower, and there are a few other surprises, too.
The artwork is extraordinary and I am sorry that this deck is no longer in print. It is a great loss.
The deck uses what might be termed pre-Celtic {?} British religious symbols, such as images of animals, landmarks, gods and goddesses, and imagery including the Green Man and other symbols from pagan artefacts. The four suits are Wands, Arrows, Cups and Stones, each aligning to a different season and element on the Wheel of the Year, around which the deck is based, so the book explains.
The major arcana is also different in that some cards have been changed from the normal format and not just in name, but meaning. For instance, The ancestor takes the place of the Heirophant, The Archer replaces the Chariot, Balance is there instead of Temperance, The Greenwoman instead of the Empress, The Greenman as the Emperor, The Blasted Oak as the Tower, and there are a few other surprises, too.
The artwork is extraordinary and I am sorry that this deck is no longer in print. It is a great loss.
July 17, 2008
I was getting ready to sell off some old books, and was stunned to see that this ranges from $454 to more than $800 on Amazon! I'm listing it for sale on Craigslist at $430, but if anyone here is interested, please contact me.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews