Summary for As Above:

As Above is the first deck in a two deck set for The Book of Shadows Tarot Kit. Each deck is designed to work on its own as well as in tandem with its partner deck. This volume, As Above, is a unique deck using the structure of tarot to explore the beliefs of the pagan worldview. It is both a teaching deck as well as a powerful and insightful divinatory tool. Here is a video created by Lo Scarabeo that takes a peek into the creation of this fascinating new tarot system.

Actual Review: Because this is a rather special deck and because I created it, this review will be a little different, a little more personal.

In 2008 I spent some time in Italy with the good folks at Lo Scarabeo. They asked me to create a deck, or rather a pair of decks. The set was to be called The Book of Shadows Tarot and was to be comprised of two separate decks. Beyond that, they had no requirements. I was free to do whatever I wished within that framework.

A key spiritual belief of mine is: As Above, So Below, so I decided to use that as my organizing theme. The first deck, As Above, is a non-RWS deck that represents the theory and teachings of Wicca. The second deck, So Below, is a RWS-based deck that shows how the magic of Wicca (for I believe that all of Wicca is Magic…although not necessarily the same as Witchcraft) is experienced by Wiccans in every day life.

Creating the first deck was a huge challenge. I worked within the structure of the Major Arcana and four suits with fourteen cards each. I kept the archetypal core meanings of the Majors fairly closely to RWS. The Minor Arcana, however, are not at all related to the RWS. For all of those who say all I make are RWS clones, well, here is my best effort at something completely uniquely mine.

As Above is a tarot deck designed to hold and express modern Pagan spiritual teachings. Pagan beliefs are broad and hardly unified, but we will discuss that momentarily. The Major Arcana cards represent some of the basic tenets while the Minor Arcana thoroughly explores elemental energies while providing foundations for further studies in the areas of astrology, the faces of the Goddess, the magic of the physical realm, and various forms of divination. Because each card is a portal into vast realms of knowledge and experience and because space in this book is limited, each section includes a reading list of excellent texts for further studies.

Here, I'll introduce you to some of the things I like best about the deck. The first is Key V. In traditional tarot, it is called The Hierophant, and in some Pagan decks, The High Priest. I call it The Book of Shadows, a book where Pagans write down their tradition, which is an ever-evolving experience, always growing, always changing, always dynamic.

Early on in the tarot’s history, the Major Arcana cards were not numbered. However, we are now quite accustomed to putting numbers on these cards. This provides a number of benefits. For example, many readers like to incorporate numerology into their readings. Others consider the numerical sequence as a variation on the Hero's Journey (a concept popularized by Joseph Campbell and, in tarot circles, is called the Fool's Journey, a phrase first used by Eden Gray). As for me, I think one of the most practical aspects is so that beginners can easily find the card they are looking up as they first learn tarot. Mundane, perhaps, but from a beginner's standpoint, it is very much appreciated.

Following this useful tradition, the Major Arcana cards in this deck are indeed numbered. However, the Major Arcana cards are in groups that do not relate to the numbers printed on them. Instead, they are divided into different classifications that illustrate various aspects of Pagan beliefs.

The Major Arcana cards in this deck follow the archetypal ideas expressed in traditional tarot decks but express them from a pagan point of view. In this way, the deck becomes an educational tool that a beginner can use to form a foundation for further studies. It is also an excellent reading deck that will resonate with the pagan soul.

The first five cards represent very basic core beliefs. These are the essential aspects upon which all else is built. These include The God, the Goddess, the World, the Elements, and the Summerlands.

The second section includes the Wheel of the Year and eight Sabbats that make up the pagan calendar.

The third group consists of the tools and experiences of the practicing pagan, such as initiation, Book of Shadows, and spellcasting.

In fact, here are all the Majors in their groupings listed by their traditional names and their BOS names in parentheses:

1. A Pagan Framework
XXI, The World (The World)
III, The Empress & IV, The Emperor (The Goddess & the God)
I, The Magician (The Elements)
O, The Fool (The Summerlands)

2. The Circle of Life
X, The Wheel (The Wheel of the Year)
XVIII, The Moon (Samhain)
XIII, Death (Yule)
XVII, The Star (Imbolc)
XIV, Temperance (Ostara)
VI, The Lovers (Beltane)
XIX, The Sun (Litha)
XV, The Devil (Lammas)
XI, Justice (Mabon)

3. The Pagan Experience
IX, The Hermit (The Path)
VIII, Strength (Spellcasting)
V, Hierophant (Book of Shadows)
VII, Chariot (Transformation)
VXI, The Tower (Warnings)
XII, The Hanged Man (The Circle)
XX, Judgement (Initiation)
II, High Priestess (Wisdom)

The Court Cards for the As Above, the first deck in the Book of Shadows Tarot, does not have traditional court cards. Instead, we have the Elemental, Maiden, Mother, and Crone.

The Elementals are pretty self-explanatory, and represent the Elementals of Air, Water, Earth, and Fire. The Maiden, Mother, and Crone cards represent the waxing, full, and waning aspects of each element. And so, you see, they are not like the Knight, Queen, and King.

Here are a few details of the Earth court by way of example.

The Maiden of Earth takes her place among the new blossoms of the field. She brings a sense of lightness and gratitude, a joyful appreciation and celebration of everyday blessings.

The Mother of Earth takes her place as Mother Nature, providing a rich harvest. She nourishes our bodies and our souls with the best of Her creation.

The Crone of Earth lays the Earth to rest. Even the Earth must regenerate, and there is a time for everything in this life, including death.

The numbered Minor cards represent different elemental aspects of the pagan universe. The suit of Fire focuses on the wisdom and energy of the heavens and as such depicts astrological wisdom. The suit of Water balances the mostly masculine energy of the planets with various faces of the Goddess. The suit of Air explores different methods of accessing Divine wisdom and guidance through various divinatory methods. The suit of Earth reveals magical sources found on our planet.

Deck Attributes
Name of deck: The Book of Shadows Tarot, Volume 1: As Above
Reviewer's Byline: Barbara Moore
Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
ISBN: 9780738735641
Creator(s) name(s): Barbara Moore
Artist(s) name(s): Gregorz Krisinsky, Simone Gabrielli, Franco Rivolli, Peotro Scola di Mambro
Name of accompanying book/booklet: The Book of Shadows Tarot
Number of pages of book/booklet: 154 pages, all in English
Author(s) of book/booklet: Barbara Moore
Available in a boxed kit?: Yes Are there extras in the kit? What are they?: An empty space for The Book of Shadows Tarot, Volume 2: So Below
Magical Uses: All magical purpose, including education
Reading Uses: General
Theme: Paganism
Tarot, Divination Deck, or Other: Tarot
Does it follow Rider-Waite-Smith Standard?: Yes
Does it have extra cards?: No
Does it have alternate names for Major Arcana cards?: Yes, see full review above
Does it have alternate names for the Court Cards?: Yes, see full review above
Why was deck created?: To explore the blending of Tarot with Paganism in a way that stretches Tarot and brings a unique perspective.

Summary

The Book of Shadows Tarot is the first deck in a two deck set. Each deck is designed to work on its own as well as in tandem with its partner deck. This volume, As Above, is a unique deck using the structure of Tarot to explore the beliefs of the Pagan worldview. It is both a teaching deck as well as a powerful and insightful divinatory tool. 

In-Depth Review

In 2008 Barbara Moore spent some time in Italy with the good folks at Lo Scarabeo. They asked her to create a deck, or rather a pair of decks. The set was to be called The Book of Shadows Tarot and was to be comprised of two separate decks. Beyond that, they had no requirements. She was free to do whatever she wished within that framework.

A key spiritual belief of hers is: As Above, So Below, so she decided to use that as her organizing theme. The first deck, As Above, is a non-RWS deck that represents the theory and teachings of Wicca. The second deck, So Below, is a RWS-based deck that shows how the magic of Wicca (Barbara believes that all of Wicca is Magic…although not necessarily the same as Witchcraft) is experienced by Wiccans in every day life.

Creating the first deck was a huge challenge. She worked within the structure of the Major Arcana and for suits with 14 cards each. She kept the archetypal core meanings of the Majors fairly closely to RWS. The Minor Arcana, however, are not at all related to the RWS. 

As Above is a Tarot deck designed to hold and express modern Pagan spiritual teachings. Pagan beliefs are broad and hardly unified, but we will discuss that momentarily. The Major Arcana cards represent some of the basic tenets while the Minor Arcana thoroughly explores elemental energies while providing foundations for further studies in the areas of astrology, the faces of the Goddess, the magic of the physical realm, and various forms of divination. Because each card is a portal into vast realms of knowledge and experience and because space in this book is limited, each section includes a reading list of excellent texts for further studies.

Here are some of the interesting features of this deck. In traditional Tarot, Key V is called The Hierophant. In some Pagan decks it is called The High Priest. Here it is called "The Book of Shadows," a book where Wiccans write down their tradition, which is an ever-evolving experience—always growing, always changing, always dynamic.

Early on in the Tarot’s history, the Major Arcana cards were not numbered. However, we are now quite accustomed to putting numbers on these cards. This provides a number of benefits. For example, many readers like to incorporate numerology into their readings. Others consider the numerical sequence as a variation on the Hero’s Journey (a concept popularized by Joseph Campbell and, in Tarot circles, is called the Fool’s Journey, a phrase first used by Eden Gray). On a mundane level, numbering the Major Arcana allows beginners to easily find the card they are looking up while learning Tarot. 

Following this useful tradition, the Major Arcana cards in this deck are indeed numbered. However, the Major Arcana cards are in groups that do not relate to the numbers printed on them. Instead, they are divided into different classifications that illustrate various aspects of Pagan beliefs.

The Major Arcana cards in this deck follow the archetypal ideas expressed in traditional Tarot decks but express them from a Pagan point of view. In this way, the deck becomes an educational tool that a beginner can use to form a foundation for further studies. It is also an excellent reading deck that will resonate with the Pagan soul.

The first five cards represent very basic core beliefs. These are the essential aspects upon which all else is built. These include The God, the Goddess, the World, the Elements, and the Summerlands.

The second section includes the Wheel of the Year and eight Sabots that make up the Pagan calendar.

The third group consists of the tools and experiences of the practicing Pagan, such as initiation, Book of Shadows, and spellcasting.

In fact, here are all the Majors in their groupings listed by their traditional names and their BOS names in parentheses:

1. A Pagan Framework

XXI, The World (The World)

III, The Empress & IV, The Emperor (The Goddess & the God)

I, The Magician (The Elements)

O, The Fool (The Summerlands)

2. The Circle of Life

X, The Wheel (The Wheel of the Year)

XVIII, The Moon (Samhain)

XIII, Death (Yule)

XVII, The Star (Imbolc)

XIV, Temperance (Ostara)

VI, The Lovers (Beltane)

XIX, The Sun (Litha)

XV, The Devil (Lammas)

XI, Justice (Mabon)

3. The Pagan Experience

IX, The Hermit (The Path)

VIII, Strength (Spellcasting)

V, Hierophant (Book of Shadows)

VII, Chariot (Transformation)

VXI, The Tower (Warnings)

XII, The Hanged Man (The Circle)

XX, Judgement (Initiation)

II, High Priestess (Wisdom)

The Court Cards for the As Above, the first deck in The Book of Shadows Tarot, does not have traditional court cards. Instead, we have the Elemental, Maiden, Mother, and Crone.

The Elementals are pretty self-explanatory, and represent the Elementals of Air, Water, Earth, and Fire. The Maiden, Mother, and Crone cards represent the waxing, full, and waning aspects of each element. And so, you see, they are not like the Knight, Queen, and King.

Here are a few details of the Earth court by way of example.

The Maiden of Earth takes her place among the new blossoms of the field. She brings a sense of lightness and gratitude, a joyful appreciation and celebration of everyday blessings.

The Mother of Earth takes her place as Mother Nature, providing a rich harvest. She nourishes our bodies and our souls with the best of Her creation.

The Crone of Earth lays the Earth to rest. Even the Earth must regenerate, and there is a time for everything in this life, including death.

The numbered Minor cards represent different elemental aspects of the Pagan universe. The suit of Fire focuses on the wisdom and energy of the heavens and as such depicts astrological wisdom. The suit of Water balances the mostly masculine energy of the planets with various faces of the Goddess. The suit of Air explores different methods of accessing Divine wisdom and guidance through various divinatory methods. The suit of Earth reveals magical sources found on our planet.

Deck Attributes

Name of deck: The Book of Shadows Tarot, volume 1: As Above

Publisher: Lo Scarabeo

ISBN: 9780738735078

Creator's name: Barbara Moore

Brief biography of creator: The Tarot has been a part of Barbara Moore’s personal and professional lives for over two decades. In college, the Tarot intrigued her with its marvelous blending of mythology, psychology, art, and history. Later, she served as the Tarot specialist for Llewellyn Publications. Over the years, she has been active in the American Tarot Association and has spoken at Tarot conferences around the United States. Barbara’s articles on the Tarot have appeared in several Tarot publications and in Llewellyn Publications' New Worlds of Mind and Spirit magazine. She has also sat on the Tarot Journal editorial board. Barbara’s own education in the Tarot has been and continues to be broad and enlightening. She has studied under renowned Tarot scholars Mary K. Greer and Rachel Pollack, and she has taught the Tarot to all manner of would-be Tarot readers.

Barbara enjoys the challenge of giving a voice to Tarot cards and oracle decks. She has had the good fortune to write books for several decks, including A Guide to Mystic Faerie Tarot, The Gilded Tarot Companion, The Hip Witch Tarot, Enchanted Oracle and The Mystic Dreamer Tarot.

Artists' name: Gregorz Krisinsky, Simone Gabrielli, Franco Rivolli, Peotro Scola di Mambro

Name of accompanying book: The Book of Shadows Tarot

Number of pages of book: 160 pp all in English

Author of book: Barbara Moore

Available in a boxed kit?: Yes

If yes, are there extras in the kit? What are they?: An empty space for The Book of Shadows Tarot, volume 2: So Below

Magical Uses: All magical purpose, including education

Reading Uses: General

Tarot, Divination Deck, Other: Tarot

Does it follow Rider-Waite-Smith Standard?: Yes

Does it have extra cards?: No

Does it have alternate names for Major Arcana cards?: Yes, see in-depth review above

Does it have alternate names for the Court Cards?: Yes, see in-depth review above

Why was deck created?: To explore the blending of Tarot with Paganism in a way that stretches Tarot and brings a unique perspective.