author + reader
The Book of Maps Vitruvian Edition is going to be a significantly larger volume book than the First Ediiton, with new chapters.
A collection of those chapters are intended to showcase the more practical side of the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot, especially how a professional tarot reader or one who reads tarot for others might be able put the deck into everyday use.
Continue reading “Reading Tarot for Others (Free Book of Maps Chapter Download)”
Spirit Keeper’s Tarot is a hand-illustrated 78-card tarot deck (with 2 additional versions of Key 0, for a total of 80 cards) inspired by late Renaissance woodcut prints, with symbology based predominantly on medieval European alchemy, Hermeticism, Zoroastrianism, astrology, the Kabbalah, Abrahamic angelology, Egyptian mythology, Sufism, and late Renaissance Christian mysticism.
The narrowly-tailored premise of Spirit Keeper’s Tarot is to transform tarot keys into calling cards for accessing a spirit world of beneficent immortals.
The artwork is original black and white line drawings done by hand, by me, in pen and ink, then digitally remastered to monochromatic sepia tones. The cards are bordered with a tea-stained parchment design.
All decks will be anointed with hand-crafted holy anointing oil made of Ceylon cinnamon, cassia cinnamon, myrrh resin, and sweet lemongrass.
Continue reading “Pre-Order Spirit Keeper’s Tarot, Vitruvian Ed.”
Redesigning the box for my deck has been so much harder than designing the first edition’s box, because I love my first edition box design. I love the symbolism, I love the energy of it, how it very much feels specific to a particular historic period, and I love how it complemented the black and white deck itself (first edition). Being so attached to it means parting with it has been the hardest part.
Specs wise, the new box will be the same as the first edition box– a top and bottom lid format, absolute matte finish, and really sturdy quality. Anyone who has the first edition might be able to attest to how freakin’ amazing these boxes are. If you’re curious, to get this quality for your tarot box, the stock is 1200 gsm. Compare that to the stock for the tarot cards themselves, which is 350 gsm.
It’s been back to the drawing board for me on account of a few cards from Spirit Keeper’s Tarot. As a rare books and art collector myself, I have some sense of considerations for what retains value of limited edition decks, and I wanted to honor those who supported me in the first edition black and white run by doing everything in my control to assure that your acquisition of the SKT first edition deck was a worthwhile investment. =)
I see SKT #2 as a sibling of SKT #1. It’s the same deck the same way siblings share the same DNA, but there are distinct physical and personality differences between #1 and #2. At least that is my hope for what you’ll be able to perceive between the two editions.
First, let’s just talk about the drawings. I’ll share with you which cards I’ve scrapped entirely, went back to a blank drawing board, and did an entirely new illustration.
Continue reading “Redesigning Cards in SKT for the New Edition”
This is the sequel follow-up blog post to “The Actual Cost of Self-Publishing a Tarot Deck” that came after “What Does it Cost to Self-Publish a Tarot Deck?” If you’re not up to speed already, then start by reading the latter link (“What Does it Cost…”) and then the first (“The Actual Cost…”).
Here I want to address the intangible costs to being an indie tarot or oracle deck creator. Oh, and yeah, be forewarned that this is a very, very long and rambling blog post.
Continue reading “The Intangible Cost of Self-Publishing a Tarot Deck”
Back in September of this year, I posted cost projections for self-publishing a tarot deck, “What Does it Cost to Self-Publish a Tarot Deck?” linked here. I think it’s worth your while to compare the projections from that previous post with the actual calculated and accounted for figures I’m providing here.
At this time we have completed packing and shipping out all sold decks and I’ve got a tally for you of actual costs. In other words, this is what I actually spent out of my pocket to produce Spirit Keeper’s Tarot and its companion guidebook, The Book of Maps, alongside an analysis of what I’ve actually earned in terms of income.
In a future post that will supplement this one, I want to talk about the intangible costs of independent publishing, everything from opportunity cost and work-life balance to the cost on your mental health and wellness. For now, this post will be about actual calculated dollars and cents only.
Continue reading “The Actual Cost of Self-Publishing a Tarot Deck”
Video installment #11 in the orientation course series for the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot is a guided meditative tarot reading rendered through accessing the Akashic Records. The direct link to the video on YouTube is here or you can check out the entire course series on this page here.
In this post I’ll be documenting an Akashic Tarot Reading I did for myself, guided by Video #11. I’m using it as a case study so that it might help round out your own approach with the reading exercise and to think about how you can interpret your own results from the Records.
Continue reading “Case Study for the Guided Akashic Tarot Reading with the SKT”
As those of you who have been following these blog posts for the last half a year will have figured out by now, I’m trying to document the journey of creating and self-publishing a tarot deck, commenting on all aspects of that journey for future aspiring deck creators to reap insights from.
This post will be part comments and part photo essay. Through it, I hope to take you behind the scenes of a self-published deck creator’s process. I hope to take you on the ride of a newly printed tarot deck from what it goes through at my home before it leaves our front doorsteps to arrive at yours.
Meanwhile, I hope to initiate aspiring deck creators into the less-than-glamorous aspects of this undertaking and to begin to convey to you just how much work is involved when you commit to self-publishing your deck.
These are candid shots I’m taking with my camera phone in hopes of sharing with you, as-is, what I see through my eyes. And if you still think the lifestyle of a deck creator is glamorous, then you have a very different definition of that word than I do.
Continue reading “Behind the Scenes of the Glamorous Deck Creator”
Just a quick (well, if you consider 20 minutes “quick”) video giving some updates on the tarot deck and personal commentary. It’s been frenetic and I have miles to go before I sleep, but I wanted to address some of what’s gone on during the process of self-publishing and selling this deck, and also try to answer some questions, like, will there be a second print run, or second edition?
Second print run of the deck as you’ve been seeing it? No.
A second edition? Yes, but not until 2019 is well under way. That’s because the second edition will undergo a redesign and be cast with a different energetic imprint. Also, I want to complete everything that needs to be completed for the first print run and give myself some time to learn whatever lessons need to be learned from the first print run.
Continue reading “Updates and Comment on the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot”
When you order the Premium Package for the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot deck, book, and online course set, you will also get a digital file folder filled with selected high-res images of cards from the deck and also the original illustrations found in The Book of Maps.
I previously shared how you can craft your own tarot notecards or stickers here. This post will share how you can use those stickers to make your own altar, ritual, or just decorative candles.
So long as you can get your hands on sheets of self-adhesive sticky paper that you can then print tarot card images on, the possibilities are endless. For myself, I took two dollar store neutral white candles and made them twins by affixing the same angel sticker on both. I consecrated the stickers first by passing them through the smoke of incense. Just in terms of practicality, anointing the paper stickers or using holy water might not be a good idea. The liquid on paper– you know. The result might not be aesthetically pleasing. But you do you.
