Masonic Tarot

See card images of the Masonic Tarot

By Jean Bouchard
Tarot Deck - 78 Cards - Published by Grimaud 1987

Review by wolfen045

I love the art work. In the Major Arcana, the figures on the cards are very abstract. I find this gives my imagination a lot to work with. My favorite cards are strength where the woman opening the lion's mouth is also a pillar. (The soft peach tones make it less geometrical than it sounds.) Another of my favorites is the Star, where the woman is smaller than is usual and the signs (and orbits) of the seven classical planets are shown behind her.

I cannot pretend to be an expert on Masonry and its symbols, but the LWB (which is printed in French and German as well as in English) gives enough details as to intrige me, without leaving me feel overwhelmed. As Bouchard points out, Tarot and Free Masonry came into exsistance at the same time and in, roughly, the same part of the world. The Cultural forces of the time, caused both to develop a similar symbolic "Alphabet." Bouchard also says the tarot does not deal with symbolism, it is a symbolic Alphabet in and of itself, so I find that the extra Masonic symbols give the cards an extra layer or richness for my/ the imagination to work with.

I really find this deck very beautiful. A great many of the cards are gilded, which I think gives the deck a real rich (pun intended) feel. I also like the fact that the small cards are pips, rather than being illustrated. With a knowledge of the Golden Dawn's esoteric titles for each card, and the added masonic symbol added to some of them, I find I have no problem using this deck for a reading. In fact, I find it to be very accurate for my personal readings. (I have never used it to read for another person.) The only drawback I find to this deck is that the cards are fairly large and somewhat awkward to shuffle. I think any one with a love of beautiful decks and a vivid imagination, would really enjoy the Masonic Tarot. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.