Romani Tarot Deck
Dancing around the campfire, the glitter of yellow gold, colorful skirts – the first thing that comes to mind when talking about the Romani people. There are legends around the world that tell about the great power of the nomads. It is believed that they are both cursed and pardoned by the Evil One. After all, their strength obliges them to constantly move from one place to another. Gypsies are feared and respected, or despised, treated condescendingly. But no one is definitely indifferent. It would be strange if there were no corresponding deck of cards for divination. The Romani Tarot is the apotheosis of accumulated experience, a certain egregor. But this does not mean that only the elite can work with him.
History of creation of the Romani Tarot Deck
Raymond Buckland was indeed a descendant of a Romani baron. The man was fond of the occult and therefore decided to create his own deck, which would reflect the egregor of the nomadic people. And the artist Lisanna Lake helped him in this. The first edition was in 2001 in the USA. In some countries, Raymond Buckland’s Gypsy Tarot deck has undergone significant changes.
However, such circumstances only once again confirm the popularity of the deck. The author managed to convey the atmosphere in which the gypsies lived and still live. The result was an unusual vision of the Waite system. Classical motifs sparkled with new colors. The Romani Tarot is a versatile tool that is intuitive even for beginners. Therefore, the deck has become so popular all over the world, and not only among its people. Thousands of years of accumulated experience managed to be conveyed with the help of simple but vivid images.
Key features of the Buckland Romani Tarot
The suits of the Romani Tarot deck are divided into four groups – Chalices, Staves, Swords and Wheels. Earth element cards have this name for a reason. The fact is that constant movement for a nomadic people is money. The more often people travel, the more opportunities for earning they have. Staves are represented by bright scenes, Cups by the presence of a river or water cans, and Swords show winter and sharp short blades.
The Buckland Romani Tarot deck presents the Minor Arcana in the form of scenes from everyday life. They are very simple and show the usual activities of people on the lawn in front of the wagon, in the forest, or on a journey to a new place. Some plots repeat Waite, but still differ in details, setting and atmosphere. For example, the interpretation of the Ace of Staves is interesting. Here, a man rides in a wagon, and right in front of him opens a view of an abandoned estate. Most likely, the author wanted to show new perspectives, the opportunity to settle down, gain stability and security. In general, when working with this deck, you should pay attention to small details.
The Major Arcana of the Gypsy Tarot deck have been further developed. They, as usual, show collective images. And not always people will appear on them. On the Hanged Man card, the questioner sees a hare with tied paws. Such an allegory conveys the idea of the Arcana in the best possible way. And on Death there is a burning wagon, above which rises the image of a bony woman with a scythe in her hands. Indeed, for nomads, the loss of a means of transportation is a real tragedy. Yes, in time they will buy or make a new wagon. But now the old one can not be returned, because it burned to the ground.
Style and symbolism of the deck
The cards of the Romani Tarot deck are distinguished by the variety of colors used for visualization. But at the same time they are quite muffled, not screaming. Lisanna Lake did a great job with the characters. For example, on the Magician Arcana, a fortuneteller sees a beautiful young gypsy. The Page of Cups also shows a young girl instead of the standard guy. The faces of the heroines in the Romani Tarot deck are drawn in detail, the clothes also attract the eye. But the images of more mature characters are well conveyed. An old woman on the High Priestess or an elderly woman on the Queen of Wheels – their wrinkles are some kind of confirmation of life wisdom.
The symbolism in the suit of Cups is also entertaining. The Five shows a young man standing in front of water cans. Three of them lie on the ground, and it becomes clear to the viewer that they are empty. The Three of Cups depicts girls drinking tea on the banks of the river. The plot suggests associations with lightness and carelessness – standard ideas for Waite. But still, the author of the Gypsy Tarot deck managed to achieve the effect of novelty. His creation differs from many classical instruments precisely in its vivid, memorable plots, which are actually very easy to understand.
The court Arcana of the Romani Tarot deck presents in a peculiar way. For example, pairs of Kings and Queens are always here as if they do not match each other in age. Perhaps this is due to the social status of the characters. After all, a man is considered successful if he has something for his soul, and a woman – if she is simply beautiful and successfully married. However, on the Queen of Wheels, the story becomes just the opposite. Another theory is that the court actually shows the viewer blood relatives, not lovers.
Interpretation of the Romani Tarot cards
The interpretation of the Romani Tarot can be intuitive. It’s all about well crafted plots. Even a novice in the world of magic will understand them. It is possible and not to study traditional interpretations. It is also not necessary to work with reversed positions. After all, the people themselves initially guessed only on playing cards, and there a priori no inverted values were supposed. You can conduct a fortune-telling session for several positions, or for one. Since the cards are very colorful, even a single Arcana is able to give a very detailed answer.
In order to correctly read information from the Romani Tarot, you need to focus on the image. The general atmosphere of the plot, the colors used, the small details – all this will help to find the right answer. Even the Page of Swords, which is difficult for many, is quite simple to understand here. The card behind the young guy shows a poster with a sword swallower. This nuance hints at a “sharp” tongue, fearlessness, or a lie if negative positions fall out nearby.
What questions is the deck suitable for?
The Romani Tarot spreads are suitable for almost any issue. Prospects for work, health, personal life – all this is easy to read according to these cards. Just true answers pass through the prism of a free life in the bosom of nature. But if you look closely, you can understand that the same Five of Wheels with its characters sitting at the window of a rich house will show poverty; and the wagon with blades stuck into it on the Six of Swords is a forced departure.
However, divination on the Romani Tarot deck is not limited to everyday issues. The tool is perfect for questions related to magical influences. After all, the people in whose honor the cards are named, according to legend, have a special power. It consists in the ability to induce and remove damage, make love spells and create talismans for wealth. In addition, there are images of animals on the Arcana of the Buckland Gypsy Tarot. They can be read as totems or offerings to certain powers. In fact, the deck is very difficult, as it seems at first glance. However, only those practitioners who will constantly interact with her will understand her secrets.
Who are the Romani Tarot cards for?
Foremost, the Romani Tarot deck is suitable for fans of answers that are not veiled with beautiful words. The information obtained with this mantic tool is quite simple. But here brevity clearly indicates talent in terms of predictive activity. Therefore, fans of playing cards or the minimalist method of reading will appreciate the deck. It will also appeal to people living in rural areas. After all, the land on which a person lives, over time, forms an approach to life. The images of the Arcana will not always be clear to city dwellers.
Also, the Romani Tarot deck is suitable for beginners. After all, even the Minor Arcana are well drawn here, and all the plots are intuitive. For example, winter on the suit of Swords clearly hints at cold and disinterest, hard times. And the bright colors on the Staff cards indicate a warm autumn, a time to harvest, passion. Scenes in the walls of the house will testify to wealth, success. Therefore, even a neophyte will cope with the interpretation. There are no Kabbalistic or astrological correspondences here.