To purchase
a Reading with the Symbolon Deck,
just click
on the link here . . . Symbolon
Readings
Symbolon
Cards
by Peter Orban,
Ingrid Zinnel, and Thea Weller
© 1994
Just like many others
before me, I was under the impression that the Symbolon deck was a Tarot
deck when I first saw it. However, this is not a Tarot deck at all.
There are a number of cards that bear a resemblance to particular cards
of the Tarot, especially in what may first come to your mind upon looking
at them. But even though there are 78 cards in the Symbolon deck,
it's still not a deck of Tarot cards. There are no major and minor
arcana cards; there are no court cards, nor are there the traditional pip
cards you see in Tarot that are numbered from Ace to Ten. In fact,
these cards have no numbering, titles, or labels on them at all.
It is considered a "game of remembrance." It is designed to help
us remember past issues and/or things that are hidden deep inside which
have been prevented from surfacing as they needed to -- perhaps even over
a period of years or even decades. That is an essential point to
keep in mind about the Symbolon deck -- that it is an oracle of "remembering."
The introduction of
the booklet that comes with these cards indicates, "For
those who prefer a psychological approach, you might say the power inherent
to the images helps raise the unconscious into the higher levels of consciousness.
In this sense, the game is also a form of therapy. This -- and the
way in which questions are asked -- distinguishes the game from any other
placed with a deck of 78 cards."
The
Symbolon deck can be viewed as a therapeutic psychological tool for self-actualization.
Each card is like an archetype which represents a specific aspect of the
personality -- perhaps an element that has been repressed. When these
elements are remembered and integrated into the present experiences of
our conscious awareness, we can achieve wholeness of the self. That
is the idea of this card set.
This
oracle can make you think on a profound level in your interpretations.
It offers guidance for whatever troubles you, and the cards will reflect
the information that you need to address in order to find those answers.
Sometimes the way through a problem will hold no easy answers, so be prepared
for that. But if you want to fully overcome and conquer a problem
issue in your life, it's worth paying heed to the advice offered from this
oracle. Sometimes you literally do have to face your personal demons
in order to get to the other side that holds more promise for you.
And that's not easy to do, but in many cases, it is necessary.
This
deck is not one that is geared to finding out specifically what is going
on in someone's life, but it can show where a person is emotionally with
a situation. You can use this oracle to find out what is bothering
you . . . or what is on the mind of someone else that they may be troubled
about. Thus, it is not a true-to-form divination deck, but the insights
of "remembrance" are very useful.
This
deck uses astrological symbols on the cards which can provide hints into
the meanings for those who understand at least some of the basics in astrology.
However, an astrological background is not necessary to utilize the Symbolon
cards. Most of the card images in themselves give you a valuable
perspective and impression of the deeper meanings associated with each
card. And that is an important intention of this deck -- to look
at an image, and spark the memory of how you feel about what you are seeing
on the card.
What
initially drew me to the Symbolon deck -- at a time in which I also had
the misunderstanding of it being a Tarot deck -- was the attractive art.
Because there are a number of images that one can easily relate to themes
in the Tarot, I can see the reason for the common mistake to classify this
deck as Tarot. The scenes of the cards are detailed and colorful.
What
I found to the be hardest task with this deck was in trying to find the
correct card image in the back of the booklet in order to find the corresponding
page number for that card in order to read about its meaning. I designed
a "cheat system" for easier use of this card set. I printed on the
back of each card the corresponding page number in the booklet. After
some use and familiarity of these cards, you may not need to look up every
card that comes up in a reading. But being able to find the information
quickly if you need to reference it is far less cumbersome than searching
the black and white card images at the back of the booklet to find the
correct page numbers for the cards.
For
those who like to explore past life lessons and situations, this deck is
also geared toward that use. In whatever way you need to remember,
this deck holds that very purpose. It can be for issues of the past
that you need to bring to the forefront at this time in your life . . .
or it could relate to past life emotions or experiences if you want to
go in that direction with the cards.
The
cards measure 3-1/4" x 4-7/8". The back of the cards are done
in gold with a thin black border. The word "Symbolon" is printed
on the upper half of the cards, and a basic image of two figures embracing
is connected to the Symbolon word. The cards are not designed to
be used with reversals, so inverted cards are not explored in the booklet.
Of course, from my exploration of this card set, one can design uses that
are suitable to their individual needs, even if that means incorporating
reversed concepts into a reading. I usually do read with reversed
cards in most decks, but for the Symbolon deck, I stay with the intended
usage of upright cards. And I really enjoy how the card images themselves
speak volumes about the concerns and questions being brought to this oracle.
Although I've emphasized that this is not a Tarot deck, if you have experience
with the Tarot, you will likely see many connections with certain cards
of the Tarot, especially in terms of the Major Arcana archetypes.
The
Symbolon deck is very much worth getting to know. The images of the
cards have much to say if you contemplate on them . . .whether you are
familiar or not with oracle systems. I would definitely recommend
this deck to anyone who is experienced with the Tarot and other oracle
card systems. This deck lets you take a new perspective on things
. . . and lets you remember what you need to if you'll open your mind to
those lessons that are available.
Velvet
Angel
 |
The
Symbolon Deck
This
deck is currently out of print.
However,
you can check with Amazon associate sellers, as it may be offered as used
or new from individuals.
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