I saw the Tarot Chimera in a video deck review by The Hermit’s Cave (which can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNgJl9mCgDY&t=770s ) and was immediately smitten. I loved the designs, the quiet play of light and dark, the drawings that were at once arresting and intriguing. For a lot of the cards, they reflected the emotion or intent, even if it didn’t contain the symbolism of each card.
I’ve always loved tarot decks that delved into the shadows a little to see what could be found. The Shadowland Tarot, The Wanderer Tarot and Carnival at the End of the World Tarot and The Starman Tarot are great examples of decks that ask you to look at the darker elements of life and show you where you can find the light.
Naturally, when I saw the Tarot Chimera, I knew that it was perfect for me.
Created and curated by Nitasia Roland, Tarot Chimera features the breathtaking art of French Symbolist artist Odilon Redon (1840–1916). It is styled in the RWS framework and the artwork by Rendon is surreal and haunting, but so incredible.
Redon was a well-known artist and symbologist who dealt with the speculative, loved symbols and the magic that they contained. Roland writes about her journey with Redon his art in her expertly written guidebook. She thought the art naturally lent itself to a Tarot deck and she is not wrong. The art by Redon is just breathtaking on its own, but when paired with a card number and meaning, it adds depth to the art. The images give new meaning to the cards, and I found myself getting blissful lost within the cards.
Roland has written an incredible guidebook that takes you on a journey of its own. She talks about Redon and what called her to his art and how his art reflects the shadowy dark part of our psyche. Her card meanings are spot on, not just in meaning, but she tied the art to the card beautifully. She took me on a journey within myself. I always look at the cards first and then sit with the guidebook, but she has designed something that works in sympatico with each other. You can read with the cards on their own, but the guidebook helps take you to places you may not have expected or normally associated with the cards.
Weiser has done an incredible job in quality. The cardstock is top notch, and the gold gilding is superb. It’s a linen cardstock that shuffles so beautifully and it’s only got a tiny bit of a glaze to it, and this helps the art pop even more than it would have. It’s a beautiful deck to overhand or riffle shuffle with. This is a sumptuous and surprising deck.
This deck of cards made me feel like I was walking around in the spirit and psyche of its creator and seeing parts of myself reflected back at me. I can’t wait to get lost in the shadows of the Chimera and find out what they have to say to me.
Card of the Month: 7 of Cups
The world around us is full of turmoil, so it’s a good time to look within to give you time to breathe. You are being given an opportunity to look at the parts of yourself that you have kept in the dark. When you close your eyes, it can be difficult to find your way in the dark. Take time to look at the different treasures you can see.
Though there may be some difficult things to take in about yourself, remember that all the parts of you, even those that you’ve kept in the dark, deserve love. When you look within, you may not recognize the parts of yourself that you’ve kept hidden, but they have never stopped believing in you.
Find the inner child and look within yourself with wonder.
Spirit of the Wolf 