You begin with an idea and hope that a bunch of creative strangers actually get what are trying to do, and then actually want to join you in the project.
You spend the next several weeks (or months) working closely with each artist. Ideas are exchanged. The concept grows and becomes more solid, more beautiful. You learn more about each person and what is going on in their lives. And by the end all those strangers you met at the beginning are no longer strangers.
As the group becomes more and more cohesive, so does the project, the deck you are creating together. And really, you’re creating more than a deck of cards. You’re building a whole world filled with people and their ideas, their dreams, and wisdom.
I’ve organised two collaborative decks myself, one Tarot and one Oracle. It always ends up being a LOT more work than originally anticipated. It also ends up being so much more rewarding and the finished product much more amazing than you could have ever possibly imagined at the start.
Once relegated to the “novelty” category of deck creation, collaborative decks have now come into their own. They are appearing more frequently and the appreciation for their unique qualities, aesthetic and as remarkable divination tools, is growing.
Every collaborative deck is centred on 2 main things that give it its character: The theme of the deck and the source of the group.
I was recently gifted an advance copy of the latest collab deck on the scene: The SEAMS Tarot. SEAMS stands for Southeast Asian Myths and Stories and is the work of 43 artists from 11 countries. It’s a first, that’s for sure.
The rich cultural heritage of each artist is poured into every card. And what is most extraordinary is that in addition to the folklore, legends and history behind every image is a very real and intentional connection to the symbolism and traditions of the Tarot.
You’re going to be able to read with this deck.
And while you’re at it, you’ll learn about the gods and goddesses and stories from Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, the Phillipines, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Brunei, and East Timor.
The deck comes with a PDF “booklet” that describes the meaning behind the legends and myths of each card. It then ties those legends to the meaning of the card in the Tarot.
- The Fool
Just to give one example, the deity depicted on the Fool card goes by many names, depending on the region, yet every region of Southeast Asia recognises the important role she plays as the guardian of rice.
The booklet describes in detail the role of rice in their lives and how the various goddesses manifest in the role of protector. I can’t do it justice here but it is told beautifully. It goes on to describe how as the Fool, she helps define and unite the identities of the countries through rice and how, like the beginning of the journey, Southeast Asians pretty much all start their day with some variation on a breakfast dish featuring grains of rice.
It’s really hard to express here just how rich and magical these stories are, how wonderfully they are depicted on the cards and how gracefully they dovetail into the traditions of tarot meanings and symbols.
Every card will instantly pique your curiosity to know the story behind it.
This gorgeous deck is currently on Kickstarter. You can back it today and help get it to its goal. These mysterious and magical images really deserve to be part of the family of tarot. The artists and organisers behind SEAMS Tarot have created an enchanting world and how lucky are we to be invited to join them there?
The SEAMS Tarot on Kickstarter right now:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/se ... ms-tarot-3
