Hot New Tarots and Oracles at the INATS-West Trade Show

Well-known wizard Oberon Zell-Ravenheart in his booth at the trade show. Oberon's preferred method of divination is the Tarot, and his favorite deck of all time is the Robin Wood Tarot.

By Melanie Harris

I just got back from INATS-West, the International New Age Trade Show held in Denver each June. The show brings together retailers, wholesalers, publishers, and artists in an opportunity to flaunt their own stuff and check out the latest offerings of the visionary community. There was so much to see, so much great stuff and so many cool people to meet, that I decided one day at the expo was not nearly enough. I attended the event on both Saturday and Sunday, and it was one of the most well spent weekends I can remember.

The new and upcoming Tarots and oracles displayed at the trade show were a diverse mix, reflective of the ongoing merging of many esoteric paths and interests. The Tarot community has a lot of great products to look forward to this fall, and with several fantastic decks just released, it’s prime time to hit the bookstores and get yourself a little treat to tide you over.

Available right now from U.S. Games Systems, Inc. is Patrick Valenza’s Deviant Moon Tarot, a deck with a surreal style that is just downright cool. The characters portrayed in the cards all have moon faces, simultaneously whimsical and mischievously wicked. Patrick was at the show signing limited edition prints of his artwork, and he was clearly humble yet delighted about his success. “This is an awesome new experience,” he said. “I’m meeting so many great people. I’m having a great time!”

The Deviant Moon Tarot is available now, and can be ordered from the U.S. Games website or by following the link from Patrick’s website, www.deviantmoon.com.

part2

Enchanted Oracle by Jessica Galbreth and Barbara Moore. Published by Llewellyn.

Llewellyn Publications has some great stuff for us, as well. The Enchanted Oracle, to be released in September, is a 36-card deck featuring goddesses, sorceresses, and faeries styled by fantasy artist Jessica Galbreth. The oracle comes with a faerie pendant, a pouch, and a book by Barbara Moore, a familiar friend of the ATA. The style is dark, mystical, and witchy, the sort of artwork that enchants the senses and invites the reader to embrace their own magical and intuitive powers.

Also from Llewellyn is the Mystic Dreamer Tarot, with art by Heidi Darras and a companion book by Barbara Moore. This deck is stunningly executed, based on the tried and true aspects of the Rider-Waite, and brought into a modern context with updated symbols and imagery that speak to today’s cartomancers. The Mystic Dreamer Tarot will be released in September, and preorders for this deck or for the Enchanted Oracle can be placed at the Llewellyn website, www.llewellyn.com.

Rachel Pollack is at last publishing a follow up book to her popular Seventy-eight Degrees of Wisdom. The book, Tarot Wisdom: Spiritual Teachings and Deeper Meanings, will be published by Llewellyn this November.

part3

A card from the Oracle of the Dragonfae by Lucy Cavendish. Published by Blue angel Gallery.

Australia’s Blue Angel Gallery booth featured the Oracle of the Dragonfae, a just-released card set by Lucy Cavendish. This deck is a bit darker and deeper than the usual faerie fare, featuring creatures known as the Dragonfae, believed to be the protective kin of humans. The collaborative work of several artists, this deck is already proving itself to be a top seller.

Also from Blue Angel Gallery is Tanya Graham’s Dog Wisdom and Cat Wisdom card sets, featuring super-cute photos of our beloved animal friends with inspirational words such as “courage” and “confidence” printed on each card. The Editor at Blue Angel Gallery, Tanya has a true love for animals, and her belief that our furry friends have much to teach us inspired her to create these cards.

From Toni Carmine Salerno, the founder of Blue Angel Gallery, comes a new edition of the Angels, Gods, and Goddesses Oracle, a beautiful deck that invokes a feeling of serenity and a comforting, healing energy. All of these oracle decks are available at the Blue Angel Gallery website, www.blueangelonline.com.

Mandala Books and Earth Aware Editions featured at the show an interesting set called the Oracle of Rama: India’s Ancient Oracle, by David Frawley. Brenda Knight, the publisher’s Director of Sales and Marketing, talked about how she looks for something different and unique in oracle cards, sets that have a strong visual connection that pulls the reader into that realm. With gorgeous, mystical artwork depicting India’s Gods and Goddesses, the Oracle of Rama fits the bill. It can be ordered at www.mandala.org.

From Magic Realist Press and Ascent Books distributors, we are brought the Bohemian Gothic Tarot, by Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov. We featured the Bohemian Gothic Silver Edition in our March issue, and this latest long-awaited version was released in May. The Baroque Bohemian Cats’ Tarot by the same artists continues to be popular, and either card set can be ordered at www.scbdistributors.com.

In September, Weiser Books is bringing us the Sharman-Caselli Tarot Deck, which was first published as part of The Beginner’s Guide to Tarot. By Juliet Sharman-Burke and Giovanni Caselli, the deck is a fairly traditional card set perfect for beginners. Orders can be placed at www.redwheelweiser.com.

part4

Ray Buckland and Melanie Harris at INATS-West. Ray was there promoting the Buckland Romani Tarot and his fantasy novel, The Torque of Kernow.

The Queen of Diamonds, front and back of card, from MKITKHAVI Fortune Teller of the Caucasus. Published by Canyon Oracles.

The great Ray Buckland was at INATS-West promoting the Buckland Romani Tarot and his new fantasy novel, The Torque of Kernow. The Buckland Romani Tarot truly captures the passion, romance, and spirit of the English Gypsies. “It’s so delightful to see it available again,” Ray commented as he prepared for his next Tarot reading. “So many people were asking for it. It’s so delightful to continue to show the Gypsy lifestyle.” His fantasy novel is very Tokein-esque, and promises to be an interesting series of adventures. Orders for these wonderful creations can be placed at www.galdepress.com.

Another interesting card deck I discovered at the show is the MKITKHAVI: Fortune Teller of the Caucasus. This 36-card set is modeled after traditional fortune telling with playing cards as practiced in the Georgia region of the former Soviet Union. Harkening back to some of cartomancy’s earliest roots, it’s very much worth a look, at www.canyonoracles.com.

Decks were not the only great Tarot-related items at the show. I also saw a great assortment of boxes and bags perfect for holding a set of cards. Milk and Honey Inc. has some awesome wooden lock boxes just the right size to hold a standard Tarot. Their website is www.milkandhoneyinc.com. I also liked the embossed metal boxes featured by Fool Moon Treasures. You can see them at www.foolmoontreasures.com.

In the way of video, Sedona Media offers a DVD called Lessons to Tarot, perfect for those who learn best by watching. You can check it out at www.sedonamedia.com. Witch School International was also at INATS, promoting, among other things, www.tarotcollege.com. They currently offer lessons titled Tarot 101 and Tarot Reversals, and they continue to add new classes.

For the magically minded, there are some great new and upcoming books to look out for. One is The Magic Box, by Egan Sanders. This is a fictional story about a boy who is given a magic box and asked to make a wish. He then begins an adventure that gently teaches lessons about attracting your heart’s desire. It’s a charming story infused with bits of wisdom, wizards, a forest, a mysterious wooden box, and some dearly held wishes that turn the law of attraction into a delightful parable. The book can be ordered at www.agnepublishing.com.

Another book that promises to be outstanding is Shadow Magick Compendium, the second book by Goth Craft (Llewellyn Publications, 2007) author Raven Digitalis. To be released this September by Llewellyn, the book shows readers how to safely harness the power of shadow magick and find empowerment in exploring their darker side. A gifted cartomancer, Raven was at INATS offering free Tarot readings and signing copies of his first book.

Michelle Belanger is carrying on the theme of darkness with her latest title, Walking the Twilight Path, a book that explores death, transformation, and rebirth. This is another Llewellyn title, due for release in October.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Richard Webster, a prolific author whose latest book, Flower and Tree Magic, is hot off the presses at Llewellyn this month. An avid and knowledgeable Tarotist, Richard was also offering free readings at the show.

The thing that impressed me the most about INATS-West was the great variety, the diversity of paths and the blending of traditions that has become the mark of the esoteric, Tarot, and magical communities. As our interests continue to mix and expand, so too will our vibrant communities (and our Tarot deck collections!) continue to grow.

July Reflections

Site Navigation[Skip]