This deck has a quite different and in some cases refreshing new outlook on the tarot.  Coming from a more Zen-type attitude, the Experimental Tarot places a lot more emphasis on what is oriented around the self.  This would not be a deck for using to read for clients.  However, especially since the enclosed booklet, which is quite thick for these types of booklets, contains affirmations and meditations for each card, it is good for personal pathworking.

The artwork in the cards is quite modern, having been designed with CorelDraw software.  It appears to be a combination of clip art and actual generated artwork.  The work itself is quite good.  Many familiar figures are present here, for example, Hillary Clinton is heavily implied in the Empress card, without naming names.

The size of the cards is smaller than standard, making them quite comfortable in the hand.  Shuffling is easy as well.  The deck contains the standard 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana.  Several of the Majors are renamed to be more appropriate to the deck's flavor: The Creator instead of the Magician, The Virgin instead of the High Priestess, Choice instead of Lovers, etc.

The Minor Arcana suits have been renamed as well, to represent the Elements instead of symbolic items.  The Suits are Water (Cups), Fire (Wands), Air (Swords), and Earth (Pentacles).  The Court cards are Mother, Father, Son and Daughter.  Card titles are presented in both English and German, and on the sides of the pictures there is a keyword, which is also presented in English and German.

There are two technical errors in the deck.  On the card of the Virgin, the keyword in German and in English are on the wrong sides of the cards from all the rest of deck.  And on the Aeon card, the keyword Synthesis is misspelled as Sythesis.

Other than that, the deck has an excellent presentation and I really liked it a lot.  It reminds me of a sort of halfway point between the Osho Zen tarot and some of the more modern decks like the Tarot of the Spirit.

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also by Samvado Gunnar Kossatz
The Colman-Smith Tarot

Review Copyright 1998 by Gina M. Pace