About the Glastonbury Tarot
Notes by
The Glastonbury Tarot, consisting of a full 78 card set and accompanying book, was commissioned by Gothic Image Publications, and was published by Gothic Image in Europe and Australia, and Samuel Weiser Inc. in the USA. It is now out of print and available only as used sets (search Amazon or elsewhere on the web for them). The divinatory meanings and symbolism correspond to traditional tarot sets, and the suits are Staffs (Fire), Chalices (Water), Swords (Air), and Vesicas (Earth). The original oil paintings are in vibrant colours, and depict the symbolism of the tarot in the context of the history and mythology of the Glastonbury landscape and figures. Many of the paintings were modelled by local people, who were specifically chosen because, to me, they represented the energy of the image.
The Glastonbury area is rich in story and myth, and encompasses all of the archetypes to be found in the tarot. By many, this area is considered a sacred place, and the heart centre of the world. Glastonbury is a melting-pot of cultures and philosophies, visited by pilgrims from all over the world, and this is reflected in the paintings and text, which draw on figures and stories from the Pagan, Christian, and Druid traditions.
For myself, as the author and illustrator of this set, working on The
Glastonbury Tarot was a profound journey. It took almost two years to
complete, starting with the paintings, in sequence as much as was possible,
and culminating in the book. I found that it was a magical process. I
dreamed all of the images before painting them, and found that I was drawn
to paint strangers as well as friends. During the process of preparing the
paintings, I discovered that people I saw on the street and approached to
model for particular cards were actually embodying that energy in their
lives at that time! Each painting drew a corresponding energy into my life, and reminded me to look at each card as an aspect of myself, and of all of us. Some of my experiences were entertaining and amusing, others were painful to work with, but all of them taught me that the full diversity of life-experiences is there to reveal that the journey of the soul, which is the crux of the tarot, is a thing of beauty and magnificence.
I hope that you will enjoy your online reading with The Glastonbury Tarot, and that you find it helpful.
THE UNFOLDING OF THE GLASTONBURY TAROT
All of the paintings in The Glastonbury Tarot emerged, fully formed, from dreams. I have always found that where there is a creative focus, it spills out into other areas of my life. My dreams are filled with images, which I sketch out roughly when I wake, then put onto canvas later on. To me, the essence of a painting is whether it has 'soul', whether its message is pure and clear, and contains a life-force of its own. And the true test of this is how it manifests in my life, either in the form of insights into the symbolism of the image, or as a process of understanding the nature of the mind more clearly. Very often, the energy contained within the image makes itself felt externally during the process of being absorbed in the painting.
Every image in the Glastonbury Tarot had its effects on my life - some of them beautiful, some painful, some amusing. Each card has a personal story behind it, as well as the story of the symbolism. It was interesting to find that when friends modelled for the cards, the energy of that image also manifested in their lives, and for that reason, I did not use models for the more challenging cards in the tarot. Six babies were conceived after I had painted their parents, which was possibly the most powerful external manifestation, and a 'baby warning' ended up being given out to people before they modelled for me!
The paintings took 20 months to create, after extensive research into the history and mythology of the Glastonbury area. The book itself took only two weeks to write, because I had already lived through the symbolism of the images and knew them intimately. I love the combination of writing and painting. When painting, it feels very intuitive - the image is there in my mind, and the process of transferring it to canvas is like a meditation; no distractions through thought, merely a state of oneness with the energy of the image, a feeling that develops more strongly as the colours are mixed and applied. Writing is more cerebral, with mental connections fizzing about and bouncing onto the page. To me, both feel like a form of play, and though a lot of energy is expended, it does not feel like hard work. Another aspect of writing is the free flow of ideas, which create links, and form associations with aspects not previously considered.
I personally view the tarot as a tool for self-understanding, rather than for fortune-telling. Each of the cards are an illustration of an aspect of the psyche and of life, and a reading can show you where your focus lies at this point in your life, what direction that energy is leading you in, and what lessons and gifts are present in your current situation. If we can understand ourselves and our own motives, it helps to make us more tolerant, compassionate, and understanding of other people. This view led me to create tarot images that gave pointers on how to work with the energy of each card. The images are very simple and colourful, in order to generate an instant intuitive reaction which gives a sense of meaning to the image, making it easier to connect with and interpret.
Lisa Tenzin-Dolma
