Why Voyager Tarot ?

  What really grabbed my attention at the beginning of my first Tarot reading with Patricia was the deck she used. I'd been expecting to see ancient symbols of Castles, Kings, Swords and such on an obscure dusty old deck .What I saw instead on these beautiful Voyager cards  before me was completely unexpected. Medieval European symbols and obscure  meanings were replaced with modern vibrant images and photographic collages that were immediately recognizable to me. Even the back of the cards was new and relevant . "That is the cross section of human DNA" Patricia explained about the dancing images on the cobalt  backs - Wow ! I was intrigued. As the reading progressed I saw and understood what Patricia said about the cards and their relationship to each other and to me.The cards painted a clear picture of my life .They all made sense to me and I saw my life with all its myriad challenges , trials and victories in them as well as paths to take me "onwards and upwards"

  There are probably thousands of different Tarot decks in print or in collections today. Everything from the Rider-Waite "traditional" Tarot deck to Baseball Tarot, Transparent Tarot and countless others. For a while I collected them as miniature galleries , however I always returned to Voyager Tarot. Why? Because other people could also see into the images just as I had that first day 16 years ago. Voyager Tarot is anything but dark and obscure. It is light accessible and relevant to our busy 21st Century lives. We don't need a translation to understand them because the symbols in Voyager have the same intimacy for us today as our dreams.

  I asked James Wanless, the brilliant creator of this gorgeous deck about the genesis of Voyager Tarot.
"I wanted to create a big Roadmap to aid people today " James said "I didn't want to depict images from medieval european nobility but a multi-cultural 20th Century deck that people could use and identify with now.
I didn't want court cards but family cards just as we all have in our lives. So I replaced the King, Queen, Knight and Page with Man, Woman, Child and Sage because these are the archetypes everyone understands and lives with."

I asked James "Was that why you replaced Discs (or Pentagrams) with Worlds  and Swords with Crystals?” "Yes" James replied “after all who even knows what a Pentagram  or Disc is or has a Sword today? However we all immediately understand
the meaning of Crystals or Worlds".

Another striking aspect of the Voyager Tarot Deck was its imagery and color. Each card is a collage of photographic images symbolically linked to the cards meaning . James explained "Everyone has a different perspective on each Major or Minor Arcana and different images on these cards collectively become more universal. So each Major Arcana card in Voyager has a major, recognizable piece of sculpture featured and this is surrounded by complementary images. Minor Arcana cards are also collages each centered on a theme and its suit ( Worlds , Wands, Crystals and Cups ) in it's imagery . Each minor card also has a descriptor i.e. Fulfillment , Preserver etc. to give guidance , sometimes ironically to the cards focus "

  Now what finally caught my attention was the name Voyager Tarot! “How did you get this name  James " I asked? “I’d always , like you , been a traveler" he explained " and so when I was in San Francisco in the 80's about to escape into a flotation tank I noticed that its name - "the Voyager" , which was about taking a journey inwards , was identical to the name given to the  spacecraft "Voyager" , then departing Earth and taking an outer journey. Both these "Voyagers" were universal and both relevant!  Eureka - The cards were named."

  James had to leave and resume his busy life preparing to go to Japan to discuss using the cards to train Japanese businessmen as to how to blend business with intuition using his cards.
        I thanked him then as I thank you all now.
      May your journeys be splendid and your paths enriching.
         Lloyd and   www.onthepathtarot.com

Why haveTarot Reading ?

I'll never forget my first Tarot Reading. It was in 1994 in beautiful Montecito California. Patricia greeted me , sat me in her parlor, served tea , chatted and then we prepared to begin .We cleared the "energies", breathed deeply asked for guidance ,clarity and other qualities to "come forth" and began . I started blindly picking , or should I say was guided towards specific cards from her stunning deck.I picked ten cards "randomly" from her "Voyager" deck which lay face down on her silk covered table. After she had placed my chosen cards in a "spread" ,or preselected layout , she began reading or interpreting the meaning of all these cards. I was captivated and at the very least surprised. As she talked it was as if lights were being lit under each card one by one . They seemed to glow with validation and Magic .I was transfixed as her reading and the cards danced together and beautifully told a narrative of my real life . I was hooked !


I'd always loved Magic and with this , the first of many many readings , I watched and heard Patricia masterfully blending magic with two other great loves beauty and symbols to create a picture of my current Life and powerful guidance forward. I heard and saw my opportunities my challenges and my strengths revealed before my eyes and felt the soothing flow of hope seep into my consciousness.
After perhaps dozens of readings by Patricia and others I purchased a deck took a class in Tarot and began gingerly reading the cards first for myself and later for family , friends and within a year for phone clients. Tarot had changed my life , answered many questions and guided my business and private life. I was grateful and wanted to repay the treasures that Tarot had given me.

I was the "Fool Child" setting out on my Tarot journey . I was open , naive but brimming with trust and faith . I knew the universe and it's agents were with me quietly applauding my quest and sending me signposts on my journey.
So why should you have a Tarot reading ? What makes Tarot different and most importantly why have a Reading - of ANY sort?
Let me begin at the end. A reading is really just guidance for you (the Querent or the "one asking the question" ). I'm sure you asked Dad , Mom , friends and others for guidance in your Life for anything from how to change a light bulb to homework to even that girl or guy .You'd be crazy not to. What would these people be in your life for other than to help each other.
A reading is no different except the advise or guidance comes from a professional who has made this his / her specialty. Any good guidance is valuable if it comes from a different source and perspective. In navigation you can only know where you are from knowing three other points , it's called triangulation . Personal guidance is no different except the points are not geographical but inter-personal. You need to hear it from a different perspective. As has been said "How can you tell where you're going if you don't know where you are "!
A "Reading" whether - Tarot , Astrology , Numerology or other is different because the guidance comes from a higher source. It's sort of like climbing a tall tree to see where you are on your path . You have a view of the layout - beyond where you are standing. You can see the bigger picture .
So why Tarot and not other "guidance" systems ? Well for one it is instant. There are no calculations or obscure learning . Secondly you participate and see , or hear it happening before you ! You are not merely a recipient of this guidance but an engaged participant to the synchronous wisdom which grows and evolves before your eyes. Finally , for this blog (keep posted twice weekly for more) You are deeply engaged by your subconscious as the symbology in , particularly the Voyager deck , is recognized and acted on deeply , ofter beyond or beneath your conscious knowledge. Tarot is Magic and you are an active player in its thread , you weave the tapestry of your life as you participate . Each of the 22 "Major Arcanas" 16 "Family Cards" and 40 other "Minor Arcana" relate to aspects of you and your life , often in that misty world just below your consciousness and when seen in context can then awaken glory in you.
Finally and most importantly Tarot is fun ! Join me as we grow and frolic in its fields . Join me as we weave our way up our path to the Summit.



Namaste Lloyd