Review by Terri Clement
The Star Road Map: Divination Beyond Time & Space by Patricia Padilla & Marlena Freelove
Published by Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., www.schifferbooks.com
ISBN: 978-0-7643-4222-6
According to the Mesoamericans we all are traveling along the Star Road (Milky Way) entering the belly of the universe. Reflecting the mysterious and profound relationship that the Mesoamericans have with the cosmos, The Star Road Map was designed to assist us on that journey.
This set has 78 cards but would not necessarily be considered a Tarot. The deck has a concept of the Major Arcana as Mesoamerican deities as the archetype image, with meanings that are adapted to include the Mesoamerican world view. There are no court cards or suits, instead you will find Days (20 cards), Four Directions (4 cards), Over world (13 cards), Underworld (9 cards), and Intercession cards (9 cards).
The set comes in a large heavy cardboard box with magnetic closure with a blue ribbon pull tab and stays.
The card edges are a little rough and a bit “fuzzy,” however this should work itself out with use. The over-sized cards measure in at 3 ½” wide x 5” tall and the deck is 1 5/16” thick making them a bit difficult to riffle bridge shuffle. The images are printed on thick card stock with a shiny lamination.
The card back is not reversible friendly, but features a beautiful Aztec/Mayan style mandala using bright greens, oranges and pinks inside of a ¼” shadowed border which is also Major Arcana card number 19 - Stillness.
The card fronts have a ½” black border. The images are all outlined in different colors. The Major Arcana are numbered in the upper right corner, inside of the outline the title of the card is centered on the top and bottom in the border. The Day, Four Direction, Overworld and Underworld cards have the card name centered on the top border and is numbered inside the outline in the lower left corner, these cards say “Day,” “Directions,“ “Overworld,“ or “Underworld” in the lower left border to signify which category they are. The Intercession cards have the card name centered on the top of the card and “Intercession” centered on the bottom.
The Major Arcana card 1 is Magus - Quetzalpapalotl. This card features a beautiful Mesoamerican mask on a black back ground. The Key word is Transformation. The Goal “is to dance with the physical world as though you realize that you have the power to transcend any obstacle. Use your power for evolution and enlightenment. As you allow your wings to unfold, be conscious of where the newfound mobility can take you.
Overworld card 9 is Patience on a blue circle sits on a turquoise background. Inside the circle is a yellow line under 4 yellow dots. The companion guide says the Energy of this card is “budding, forward movement, and new life.”
The Underworld card 3 is Familial and refers to a time period of 41 million years. The Key is “walking upright, use of tools, boundaries, and family identity.
The 208-page companion book contains a lot of information about the Mesoamericans and reads almost like a text book in places. For those who are drawn to this culture, the End Notes and Bibliography contains a great number of sited sources that could be used for additional reading.
There is a smaller black and white image of each card along with a variety of interpretation such as Energetic, Key, Time Period, Power, Goal, Light, Shadow to name a few.
The book gives 3 sample readings featuring a 1 card reading, a 3 card and a 6 card reading. It mentions a full reading using all 78 cards, but does not go into detail about how to do this.
Those Tarotists who are drawn to Azteca and Mayan art and culture will find this deck a beautiful addition to their collection. For those unfamiliar this set will require some study to feel comfortable.