"Tarot of Bones" Review/Showcase | Hannabal Marie

Hello ladies and gentlemen,
Very rarely do I ever feel a connection quite as strong as I did
when I first seen this deck of tarot cards.

Tarot of Bones instantly spoke to me in a way that was more than human words.
An animal voice speaking to the animal within.
That was how I felt when I first seen this beautiful deck of Tarot cards.

Lupa, the creator behind Tarot of Bones, with the help of Sandra Swan behind the camera,
did an amazing job in capturing and displaying nature for what it truly is--life and death.

Much like the ancient bone-casting divination methods of the day, this tarot deck ties that with beautiful imagery and artwork that truly makes the person
feel one with their spirit animal messengers/guides.

Constructed in the traditional sense of a tarot deck--78 cards plus the Happy Squirrel card.
Each card has a skull or an assemblage of bones arranged in such a way
that can only be described as "art."
But more specifically, each of the majors and the courts are associated by a specific "type" of animal.

And what really made me love this deck the most was the interpretation behind the card meanings and the representation of the images shown. For example--the emperor card shows a goat skull on top of a pile of rocks and gems. It can represent the battles he has won. He's vigilant and proud. The card can be read many different ways; battles he shall face, holding his own ground/fighting for what he owns, and/or gaining respect or being seen as a form of authority.

Each card, again, not only tells the story of what they represent but also proves it with great artwork.

The Major Arcana--fool, Magician, High Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant & Lovers.

Major Arcana--Death, Temperance, Devil, Tower, Star & Moon.

Major Arcana--Chariot, Justice, Hermit, Wheel, Strength & Hanged Man.

Major Arcana--Sun, Judgment & World.
Also included: Happy Squirrel. Much like an oracle card, most decks don't include this card. I'm happy that T.O.B did! 

I felt very connected to this deck, as I mentioned above,
mostly because I feel so connected to nature and all the animals.

I also happen to be in love with thrifting and the whole recycling the materials around you into a marvelous work of art. Not a lot of people are into the whole "Vulture Culture" scene (working with dead animals) but I truly see beauty in remembering your loved ones even after death. To value them so much that you want to memorialize them in such a way that only shows respect and beauty.

Minor Arcana: The Wands.

Minor Arcana: The Pentacles. 

Minor Arcana: The Swords. 

Minor Arcana: The Cups.

The artist herself, Lupa, is someone of worthy praise.
After looking through her profile and researching about the person behind the bones, I have come to truly respect her as not only the person behind my tarot deck but as a person in general.

"We live in a time and place of convenience; everything is neatly packaged and sanitized, and we acquire our food, shelter, medicine and other needs with relative ease. In the process, we have lost touch with where these things come from, where in the earth, water and air they have originated. We forget that we are Animalia Chordata Mammalia Primates Hominidae Hominini Homo sapiens sapiens–in short, the last remaining human ape. And in our forgetting, we have enacted some great atrocities on our planet, our fellow beings, and ourselves.

Lupa signed my copy of The Tarot of Bones Companion Book! Thank you so much!
"May The Bones Speak The Truth!" <3 

Through my art, I am a voice crying out in this silicon and concrete wilderness we’ve built for ourselves. I use three-dimensional sculptures as statements on the problems we face, pairing aesthetic attraction with harsh realities. But I also invite others to seek solutions, offering relationships with sacred artifacts and the transformational rites they may incite in one’s life. I draw on the tradition of the wunderkammer, the cabinet of natural curiosities that serves as a personal museum, to encourage people to bring reminders of the nonhuman world even into their very homes. And I write about it all, through pixels and pages, sharing my path with whoever will walk it with me, even for a little while."
-Lupa

My Companion Book & Deck! 

That statement above is one of many things I have come to love (and quote) about her.

She is not only just an artist with a tarot deck, she is a human being that is so much more than some average everyday person. She is more open, more alive and so much more "living" than most of us roaming this planet and for that, I will cherish my deck forever and cherish the creator behind it.

This has to be my favorite deck this year! The art, the bones, everything! 

I collect tarot cards, I do.But this is, by far, one that has truly taken my breath away.
Not only because of the impressive imagery behind the arcane but the creator is just as beautiful as the deck!

I can't wait to actually pull my reading from this deck. I will need to do it before 2018 is over! 

I do have to mention that, unlike the standard tarot deck, I highly advise beginners to study the guide she provides for purchase before trying to practice using this deck. It can be a bit hectic to understand from first glance with every card just having a single roman numeral and a picture for reference. With no visual clarifications and hardly no mnemonics to help, it might be a bit bothersome in interpretations. She does have the guide, as I mentioned, but if you don't purchase the book and only buy the deck, you will have some trouble in understanding unless you are already well educated. She does, however, provide a link on the box the deck comes with to where each cards meaning/interpretation means which can be viewed HERE!

The book is so detailed and thorough! 

The reason behind not including a little white book with the deck is because it would use up unnecessary resources. Which I understand completely. So, the link works as a digital LWB, which I highly advice beginners to perhaps print out one-by-one and put into a manifestation or write down.

The backs of the cards are just as detailed and beautiful. 

I feel so wonderful touching these. it's going to be like casting my own bones! 

But if you can afford both the deck and the paper-back guide, I would definitely advice in making both of the purchases merely because Lupa went to such a great extent to include everything into the guide. Explaining the bones, herself as the author of the book and creator of the deck and well as a detailed section of the lore of the animals and their bones--it is such a great addition to everything.

I am in love with color selection, it really gives off an earthy feel. So beautiful!  

I am entirely and completely in love with my bones! 

I plan to do a personal tarot reading soon on my blog, perhaps even a YouTube video if I find the time, as well. I just love this deck and as someone who enjoys animal magic, shamanism and green witchcraft, it's a must for my collections!
xoxo

If you'd like to purchase yourself a deck or the guide, you can find them HERE!