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Cosmic Slumber Tarot Review
This Cosmic Slumber Tarot review is for a deck created by graphic artist and writer Tillie Walden. You may never have heard of her, but there’s a very good chance she will eventually become a household name.
There is an award given yearly to cartoonists/graphic artists. It is the comic industry’s equivalent to the Academy Awards. It is called the Eisner Award, and Walden was the youngest ever winner of it in 2018.
Now 25 years old, she has created six graphic novels:
Additionally, and of more interest to tarot readers, she has created the Cosmic Slumber Tarot Deck. Even if you’ve never touched a graphic novel, you are very likely to find this deck compelling. Walden’s friend Beth Fisher, who is a “Tarot Expert,” apparently collaborated on the deck creation.
Artwork
As you might expect with a graphic artist as a designer, the Cosmic Slumber Tarot artwork is beautiful. Done in a watercolor type of style, the gentle colors and lyrical drawings are beautiful. They are reminiscent of the art from Studio Ghibli: “My Neighbor Totoro,” and “Spirited Away.”
The deck is loosely based on the Rider Waite. As such, it will not be unfamiliar to those who have been reading for some time. Nor will it be inaccessible to relative newcomers to tarot.
The deck does evoke a dreamlike state somehow which is obviously what Walden was trying to do. The colors are soft yet manage not to be pastel for the most part.
Nomenclature
This deck is basically named and set up like the Rider-Waite. The suit of wands is called the suit of torches in this deck. Otherwise, the rest of the suits are the same.
As many “indie” decks do these days, there are additional cards developed for the deck. Here there two new cards: The Morning and The Night. As a quick flavor of their meaning this is a brief explanation. Consider how morning offers a fresh start and a new beginning while night offers escape and respite.
Card Stock
The Cosmic Slumber Tarot cards measure roughly 3.5″ x 2.25″ x 5.5″ which is about average. They are on heavy, high-gloss stock with beautiful colors. Even the backs of the cards are colorful and vibrant.
Accompanying Book/Booklet
The so-called “Little White Book” (LWB) in this deck is neither white nor little, it’s hardcover and in color. For those of us beginning to struggle with reading the small type may prove an issue.
It is worth the struggle. The definitions are thought provoking and emotionally evocative. There are flashes of insight here that are going to be beneficial for every reader and every “sitter” for a reading.
The only quibble I had, however, was one that some of my colleagues who have this deck share. There is nasty looking cardboard spacer in the box that holds the book and cards. It’s an ugly spot on this otherwise brilliant deck.
Despite the magnetic clasp on the box (a nice touch) the hassle with the spacer meant tossing the cardboard box right away and into a wooden tarot box they went.
I have heard enough complaints on that that when (I suspect not if) they do another printing of this, they will likely fix it.
Using the Cosmic Slumber Tarot Cards
The Cosmic Slumber Tarot cards are very easy to deal which is something I appreciate. They will stand up to heavy use and the colors are so rich and vibrant you’d really have to try to get them to fade. Seriously. This deck will stand up to years of use.
Having said that, I would still recommend storing them in a box like the one I use which I reviewed at an earlier date and can be seen here if you are interested.
I think this deck would be particularly useful for the big, ephemeral questions like: “What does the universe want me to learn next?” However, the cards were accurate when subjected to some of the more “normal” readings that I do every day.
Cosmic Slumber Tarot Recommendation
The publisher (Liminal 11) and perhaps Walden and Fisher themselves posed the question in their descriptions of this deck: “If the Universe were to sleep, where would her dreams lead?”
Where, indeed? It is a very deep question and I believe this wonderful deck offers a myriad of ways to answer that question. It can, of course, answer many other questions.
I still think our tarot definitions are the best to work with but there is enough useful information in the accompanying book that its interpretations will not let a new reader down.
I feel confident in highly recommending the Cosmic Slumber Tarot deck not only for other professionals, but also for someone who is a complete newcomer to the tarot and reading.
The Cosmic Slumber Tarot Review by Deborah
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