The Dreampower Tarot/Book and Cards [Paperback]

I have read the tarot for 30 years now. Many decks with books have come and gone but this deck has had the most major impact on my readings and path. Stuart Littlejohn's illustrations are unforgettable and R.J Stewart's methodology is impeccable as it is far-reaching that is to say, reaching on the emotional, physical and the spiritual plane all at once. I usually never go by the book except for the recommended layout...most of it is intuited by the illustrations and positions. The book isn't all that bad it just didn't seem that necessary for me.

This is a special tarot pack without peer.

The Dreampower Tarot is one of those that one must have a special attraction to seek out. It is quite hard to find at a reasonable price. The book alone is way overpriced and not useful without the cards. This would be a 5-star tarot if the pips were not so genuinely visually unappealing. Still, it is highly recommended for the serious student, psychic or non-traditional practitioner, and collector.

That said, if you feel a strong draw to this tarot, the 38 illustrated cards are extremely powerful, and the system created from a deep practice. These cards can be read intuitively, but study of the book is valuable as the symbolism is quite specific and subtle in some places. Stuart Littlejohn did an outstanding job of creating the images for this tarot, and Stewart's understanding is precise, but also allows room for additional personal associations to share the same space in a manner that is unlike any other tarot I own.

The images are exceedingly resonant, and this is one of the few tarots with a strongly Celtic root that resonates powerfully with me. Most such tarots are exclusively pagan or wiccan, and strongly so, which does not attract me. The Dreampower is different, because Stewart is deeply engaged with Celtic mysteries, but the paintings for this tarot are more broadly archetypal. The cards images seem to occupy that space of the true mystic where all paths are one, even though the aesthetic does resonate with pre-Christian Celtic culture. Still, this tarot is nothing like his Merlin Tarot, which is widely appreciated, but clearly limited to a specific cultural orientation in its concepts.

The courts and trumps are traditional, but completely different, if that is possible. They all have new names, and the cards are unlabeled. RJ Stewart has a website for the deck, but the best explanation is on the tarot section of "lelandra" which maps all the innovations and correspondences of the Dreampower in relation to all the esoteric tarots of the English tradition, including Wirth. The relevance of William Gray's teaching is especially clearly shown.

This tarot is oriented toward dreamwork, and its illustrated cards are exceptionally compelling. The pips are a disappointment, because they are illustrated with a single suit symbols and numbers, much like the Maddonni Tarot. This is unfortunate, because the delineation and conceptual structure of the 40 pips in the book is very good. They simply aren't good visually. The Maddonni's pips are more appealing, and neither has the visual value of a Marseille-style pip.

the images advertising this deck are deceiving, they make it appear far better than it is. Most of the cards are nearly blank and very boring. The book is alright, nothing too amazing. I have to admit, i regret purchasing this item