The Babylonian Tarot

[1] Kovacs, M.G. (trans.) The Epic of Gilgamesh, 4.

Reviews

...For a fine and different tarot set, look at Sandra Tabatha Cicero's Babylonian Tarot (073-8707163, $29.95), an original design and concept based on ancient Babylonia, perhaps the root of Western magical traditions. Here is the only tarot deck based on the Babylonian mythos, holding the traditional zodiacal, elementary and planetary associations with some added embellishments. An accompanying guidebook provides detailed card insights and instructions.

Aeclectic Tarot Review by Bonnie Cehovet

The "Babylonian Tarot" is an 83 card deck that follows traditional lines, with the addition of five cards. The card "Genesis" has been added to the Major Arcana. It carries no number, and has no attribution. It represents time and space beyond words and number - the birth of the Universe. The card "Kerub" has been added to the court cards of each suit, and represents Spirit.

The four suits are Wands, Cups, Arrows (Swords) and Disks (Pentacles). The four court cards are Kerub, King, Queen, Prince (Knight) and Princess (Page). The structure of the Major Arcana remains the same, with the addition of Genesis. Strength carries the number eight, and Justice the number eleven.

This is the only deck that is based on the cosmology and legends of ancient Mesopotamia. The name of the deck comes from its primary city - Babylon. Babylonian culture - their way of life, style of writing, and religious customs, evolved through the Sumerian influence in the Mesopotamian valley. In working with this deck, we need to remember that the Babylonians were basically an agricultural people, and that their view of the relationship between gods and humans was very much that of parent to child. There existed an hierarchy of gods: cosmic gods, underworld gods, city gods, nature gods, and personal gods.

The companion book to this deck, "A Guide To The Babylonian Tarot", is very to the point. Cicero presents the historical background for the deck, and then presents the cards themselves. Her presentation is text only, without the use of scans. The God represented in each card is discussed, followed by upright and reversed meanings. While no "attribution" is given to Genesis, Cicero has included upright and reversed meanings.

In the section on card spreads, Cicero has developed two new spreads that are specific to this deck: "The Babylonian Universe Spread", which is a six card spread; and "The Rosette of the Gods Spread", which is a ten card spread. There are no sample readings given. There is an excellent Appendix giving esoteric correspondences for the Trumps, Pips, and Court Cards.

The cards themselves are 3 1/4" by 4 5/8", of high quality, sturdy, glossy card stock. The backs show a 1/2" blue border, with a lighter blue center. A winged, four-legged figure with a human head is shown on each end of the card, placed so that it would be impossible to tell if the card had been drawn in the upright or the reversed position.

The card face shows a 1/4" white border, followed by a slender red border. The Major Arcana title, followed by the god represented, is printed across the bottom of the card in gold lettering. The number and suit of the Pips are printed across the bottom of the card, in gold lettering, along with keywords for the card. The Court Cards show the title and suit printed across the bottom of the card in gold lettering, followed by the God represented.

The artwork in this deck is rather primitive, with an intense use of color. There is some nudity, which, while not inappropriate, would not make this an acceptable deck for use with children, and would have to be used with discretion with adult clients.

There were several cards that I felt drawn to, amongst which was Genesis - quite a thought provoking card. Cicero describes this card as portraying the birth of the universe and the generation of the primeval gods. The head of an ancient deity appears in profile in white at the top of the card. behind him we see a storm filled black sky with vibrant red lightening bolts. In the tumultuous sea below this we see a fetus, representing the first of the gods to be born. A dark card, indeed!

The keywords on the Four of Cups (Mixed Blessings) fascinated me, as they give the card a more positive feeling than it usually carries. The theme of this card was taken from the Babylonian epic "Erra and Eshum". The background of this card is a light blue. In the middle of the card, we see a golden egg shape. At the top of the egg we see the elderly god Marduk facing away from the reader, essentially turning his back on his past glories, and his greatest accomplishments. Four vessels are shown in the foreground: two fluted libation cups and two ceramic pots, signifying mixed blessings. In the center we see the cuneiform numeral two.

The Ace of Wands is shown in vibrant reds, yellows, greens and blues. The wand in the center of this card is the double-headed lion scepter that represents the Goddess Ishtar. The Wand is surrounded by an aura of flames in green, yellow and red. You know that there is power here!

As a professional Tarot reader, I like to see the card of Temperance come up. In this deck, we see Temperance as represented by the Tree of Life. The Tree is located in the center of a garden, in this instance with a winged disc above its apex. The background here is lavender and blue diamond shapes, bringing in a feeling of Spirit.

The Hanged Man is associated with the god Tammuz, a god representing growth and new life. He is also called the "divine shepherd" and the "bridegroom". In this card, we se an upright figure, dressed in white with his hands thrown up in surrender, with galla demons on either side of him, ready to take him into the underworld.

From here we go to the Three of Disks - a card of very gentle energy. The keyword for this card is "Work". In the lower half of the card we see the Goddess Uttu, hard at work. The symbol for the name "Uttu" was also used to mean spider. In the lower right hand side of the card we see a friendly looking spider - her sacred animal. At the top of the card we see three circles. In the top circle we see the graphic of a lion-fish. In the two circles below it we see the "goat-fish" symbol of Capricorn. Done in yellows, greens and blues, this would make a wonderful card to take into meditation.

The card of the Emperor, associated with the god Marduk, struck me as very funny. He is a god of thunder and tempest, and this card certainly exemplifies that energy. Marduk was also a gifted healer and magician. The predominate colors here are reds and yellows. Marduk is shown as a mature male, energetically striding off to battle. (He is striding to the left hand side of the card, which is the past, which is something to think about.) His feet are clad in golden sandals, and he wears a red robe, with his sword across his waist. In one hand he carries a lightening bolt, in the other his symbol of the "marru", or triangle-headed hoe. In the background we see a double set of golden wings.

I found this deck easy to work with, even without knowing the "story behind the story" (the story of the god depicted in each card). I would not recommend this deck for someone who is not familiar with the basics of Tarot, but as an additional reading deck, or for collectors, this would be a good deck to keep in mind.

Bonnie Cehovet is a professional Tarot reader with over ten years experience, holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and is certified as a Tarot Educator with the American Board For Tarot Certification. Bonnie has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association, is co-founder of the World Tarot Network, and Vice President (as well as Director of Certification) for the American Board For Tarot Certification. She has had articles appear in the 2004 and 2005 Llewellyn Tarot Reader.

Amazon Review by F. Presson "Freeman"

I saw a preview of this deck over two years ago when I met Chic and Tabatha at a festival. My wife and I have been waiting for it ever since. I suppose the delay may have had to do with producing the book, which is well-researched and documented and a joy to read.

The artwork on some of the cards is primitive in the technical sense, which gives them an austere and ancient feel. In many of the cards, this style gives way to a more elegant and detailed style of drafting. The coloration is simple and pleasing, inviting the inner eye to roam the landscapes of the Ancient Near East. Some of the figures are directly reproduced from ancient art and some are the artist's own interpretations; where I am familiar with the represented deity, I have been extremely pleased with the interpretations, so I am sure she has been more than fair to the ones I don't know. I am really looking forward to exploring this deck thoroughly.

This is an 83-card Tarot: there is an extra Trump called Genesis and an extra court card in each suit called the Kerub, representing the element of Spirit.

Only a very few of the attributions of deities to functions seem arbitrary to me (Siduri, Lady of Brewing, for the Star, for example), whereas most of them are knock-you-on-your-butt dead right. It is clear from the attributions and depictions that Tabatha Cicero is VERY well acquainted with the Dingirrene of ancient Mesopotamia indeed.

I remember that when Lili and I went to the preview, we were apprehensive, because it would be so easy to do a hack job on this. About three slides into the presentation we were both grinning and doing our best not to disrupt the presentation with joyful noises unto our Lords and Ladies and hostess.

Now, I personally don't know how in the world she could have missed the obvious idea of putting Ningishzida in as the Kerub of Arrows, if not some more prominent role, but at least the famous votive cup of Gudea, dedicated to Him, is featured on the Ace of Cups.

The representations of Ishtar and Ereshkigal deserve special mention. The artist obviously felt very much at home with them, and rendered them in such a way that to the discerning eye, their _melam_ is present. You need a fair amount of nerve to draw a picture of Ereshkigal, Queen of the abode of the dead, at all, so I hope the Lady likes her picture (this is, of course, the Death card, one of the few truly forced choices).

Aeclectic Tarot Review by rosyelf

This is an interesting deck with some unusual features. There are 83 cards instead of the usual 78; there is one extra card in the Major Arcana and 4 extra Court cards within the Minors. Arrows replace the more traditional Swords whilst Disks replace the Coins/Pentacles.

Sandra Tabatha Cicero, who both painted the images for the deck and wrote the handsome (though not unwieldy) companion book, is well known in magical circles. She is a Senior Adept in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and has been involved in creating other Tarots, namely THE GOLDEN DAWN MAGICAL TAROT and THE GOLDEN DAWN ENOCHIAN SKRYING TAROT. Having tried the former of these several years ago, and having failed to "bond" with it, what made me pick up THE BABYLONIAN TAROT? Simply, it is much more based on mythological themes, in other words, the deities, demons, monsters and legends of ancient Babylon, widely considered to be the oldest civilization on Earth. I love mythology and mythology, springing as it does from archetypal experience, goes along very well with the Tarot, each enhancing the other. The Babylonian mythology is every bit as complex as the Greek, for example, and much less familiar. I won't remember all the gods overnight, nor the monsters with whom they do battle, but they are beautifully depicted on the cards (in a simple style based on ancient Babylonian images found in temples and so on) and described eloquently and never pompously in the book. Cicero is clearly steeped in the legends and landscapes she explores so well.

So, why the extra cards? The extra Major is Genesis, a powerful card aiming to evoke the primordial seas and mists out of which the gods themselves were born. Because it suggests a time even before the concept of "zero", it is not numbered. Cicero interprets it as "A new beginning. Commencement of a completely new outlook or phase of life." As for the 4 extra Court Cards, there is one for each suit and each of them depicts a Kerub. A Kerub is nothing like a Western cherub, though the words are clearly related. The Kerubim in ancient Babylon (which was a city; the surrounding area being known as Mesopotamia) were powerful spirits, generally protective but fierce if necessary. They were sometimes known as "the Sages and, according to ancient Babylonian belief, they existed even in the time before the Great Flood. In this Tarot deck they are: Lion-Headed Spirit (Wands), Eagle-Headed Spirit (Cups), Human-Headed Spirit (Arrows) and Human-Headed Bull (Disks). I thought at first that they would simply be an exaggerated form of the Ace card, in other words, embodying the essence of each suit. As such, I wondered if they were really necessary. After consideration, I came to the belief that they are. Cicero has them function in a more powerful and rather different way to the Aces-the Kerub of Cups, for example, means "Love of the Divine. Spiritual love and purity." I find these cards some of the most striking, visually-speaking, of any in the entire deck ; carved as enormous statues at the entrance of temples, they must have been awe-inspiring indeed. It would be a moving experience, I believe, to draw a Kerub in a reading.

Do I have any criticisms? Not really. I find the 6 of Cups rather lacking in the sense of childhood and nostalgia that the 6 of Cups usually carries; it depicts two people drinking what is presumably wine, and also two lovers (naked but not graphic). Nothing wrong with it, of course, just not quite what I was expecting. But Cicero's knowledge of Tarot iconography is second-to-none and I didn't expect to find, nor did I, any "gaffes."

This deck would appeal, I believe, to various sorts of people. I know little of the Golden Dawn tradition but I presume its enthusiasts will be drawn to this deck because of its creator. Anyone who likes mythology and finds it a helpful approach to Tarot will, like me, find this deck a real treasure. The cards are tastefully painted and not cluttered. It is not a deck specifically designed for children, and the book is in places rather sophisticated (though never downright obscure) but I think the older child could certainly use this deck with benefit. If you totally hate borders in any form, you will probably reject this deck (they are simple white borders; personally, I find them unobtrusive), and people who similarly hate keywords won't be entirely happy, either. But it is a well-considered and wise Tarot which should have a broad appeal.

Rosyelf is a poet, holistic therapist and mum of 3 smallish children. She's also mad about Tarot, especially unusual decks. After living in Hungary and in Scotland she is now back in England for the foreseeable future. Art and the natural world are her other passions. She is a great cat-lover.

Aeclectic Tarot Review by Solandia

The Babylonian Tarot is the third deck from Sandra Tabatha Cicero, a senior adept of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Her first two collaborations were the Golden Dawn Magical Tarot and the Golden Dawn Enochian Skrying Tarot, while her latest deck is the first to be based on the deities, legends and magical symbolism of ancient Babylon. In Sandra’s view, Babylon lies at the very foundation of the magickal tradition.

"The Babylonians provided us with humanity’s earliest written records of social, intellectual, and religious expression. Theirs was a long and rich history of human innovation and advancement, progress and set-backs, hopes and fears, successes and dreams. It is this rich source of knowledge that inspired the creation of Babylonian Tarot, correlating many of the major deities and legends of Mesopotamia to the wisdom of the tarot."

Babylon was an ancient city built in Mesopotamia, the 'Fertile Crescent', in what we now know as the Middle East. It was one of the oldest cities of man, dating back to more than 4000 years ago. The Mesopotamians were a deeply religious people, the practice of magic playing an important role in their religious expression, and are perhaps best remembered for their experimentation with one of the earliest known systems of writing - cuneiform, wedge-shaped marks pressed into clay. Elements of their mythology that have survived and been passed down through later religions for thousands of years.

The full deck of the Babylonian Tarot has 83 cards: 23 trumps and 60 minors. The extra card in the trumps is ‘Genesis’ and is un-numbered and stands for the absolute beginning or starting point. The other 22 trumps are illustrated with a Babylonian deity: Marduk as the Emperor; Ereshkigal, the ‘Queen of the Great Below’ as Death; the Hanged Man is illustrated by the god Tammuz; Gilgamesh, said to have built the walls of the city of Uruk, is Strength.

The suits of the minor arcana are Wands, Cups, Arrows (Swords) and Disks (Pentacles) and each have an extra card in the form of Kerub, the court card linked with Spirit. The cards occasionally suggest certain Thoth or Rider-Waite images, but the minor arcana imagery is mostly unique to this deck. Unlike some Golden Dawn decks that have pip-style cards in the minor arcana, here the suit scenes are generally of Babylonian life illustrated in a formalised style, with the suit symbols arranged over and around the card.

The companion book of 190 pages is quite obviously designed for a reader already very familiar with Tarot cards. There is a brief introduction to the deck from Sandra Cicero on Babylon and the deck’s design, followed by the card meanings. This section has a description of the deity or scenes in reference to Babylonian myth and history, followed by keyword meanings (no card image, however). While the information on each card is fairly succinct, a lot is packed into the space.

There are also two original spreads in the book; Babylonian Universe, a six card spread, and Rosette of the Gods, a ten-card spread. The appendix holds the trump, pip and court card correspondences and charts, and finally a bibliography for further reading on the ancient culture.

I knew very little about the Babylonian world before working with this deck, and I found doing a spread and using the companion book for more information on the symbolism, an effective way of learning about the Babylonian myths, deities, beliefs and culture. I would recommend this deck for the occult student with an interest in ancient history and civilisations, or for the more experienced reader looking for something new that still has a sound background in Western ceremonial magick.

Review by Dragonswood.org.uk

...This is the third Tarot deck by Sandra Tabatha Cicero, a senior member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Her first two decks were the Golden Dawn Magical Tarot and the Golden Dawn Enochian Skrying Tarot. The Babylonian Tarot is a new and unique deck based on the 4000-year old legends of the deities, legends and symbolism of ancient Babylon. In Sandra’s view, Babylon lies at the very foundation of the magickal tradition, with Babylonian mythology being as complex as Greek mythology, but much less familiar. This is an interesting deck with some unusual features. Instead of the usual 78 cards, there are 83; one extra card in the Major Arcana and 4 extra Court cards in the Minor Arcana. The suits of the minor arcana are Wands, Cups, Arrows (Swords) and Disks (Pentacles) and the extra card is a Kerub, the court card linked with Spirit. Some of the images, especially in the Minor Arcana occasionally suggest influences from the Crowley/Harris Thoth deck. The companion book to this deck, "A Guide To The Babylonian Tarot", is very helpful and to the point. The author gives the historical background for the deck, and then presents the cards themselves. The Deity represented in each card is discussed, followed by the meanings. In the section on card spreads, there are two new spreads that are specific to this deck: "The Babylonian Universe Spread", which is a six card spread; and "The Rosette of the Gods Spread", which is a ten card spread. The book concludes with an excellent Appendix which gives esoteric correspondences for all of the cards. I found this fairly deck easy to work with, even without knowing the story of the deity shown in each card. I would not recommend it to beginners who are not familiar with the basics of Tarot.

Review by Tarot Garden

Summerian mythos provides the basis for this incredible new deck/book set by Sandra Tabatha Cicero -- co-creator of the famous Golden Dawn Magical Tarot. The deities and culture of this influential civilization elicit a new and deep understanding of the tarot archetypes. Whether you're interested in comparative cultural studies as expressed through the medium of tarot, early influencers of the Western Magickal Tradition, or a reading deck with a fresh perspective, The Babylonian Tarot will be a perfect addition to your deck library.

Review by The Occult News

Wow! If there was ever a tarot that should win an award for breathe taking beauty and remarkable history this is it. I have a lot of tarot decks and a lot of books on tarot cards and have used them for many years professionally and personally and since reviewing this deck it is by far my new favorite, it has stunning pictures with amazing stories and history to go with it and the views on Sumerians and roles described by Sandra Tabatha Cicero make this deck an instant occult classic. First of all you have 84 cards in the deck but for good reason, there are element cards for every suit and a Genesis card before the Fool and instead of having a Page and Knight you have Princess and Princesses. I very strongly recommend this deck with all honesty it could possibly be the best tarot deck ever created and even includes Qabalistic integration and more, do your self a favour, go out now and buy this deck! (-editor)

Amazon UK Review by ilonacat

This recently-published Tarot is to be commended on several points.

First, it is written by Sandra Tabatha Cicero, a world-renowned Tarot scholar and one of the few people in the world today who really are steeped in the traditions of the Golden Dawn. If this sounds daunting, don't be daunted-the book is intelligently and clearly-written, not patronizing and not obscure, either.

Second, the art work (also by Cicero), is good. The Majors and Minors are in full (but not gaudy) colour and the Minors are not simply pips-they have the symbol on them (e.g. Six of Cups) but also a small picture at the centre of the card. Personally, I find this much more satisfying than the symbol on its own.

Third, the basis of this Tarot deck is the mythology of the ancient Babylonians, so if you enjoy stories, and gods, and monsters, and so on, this will be a real treasure. I approached the deck knowing little of this pantheon-I'm delighted to be extending my knowledge of mythology AND have an attractive and well-thought out Tarot at the same time.

Ghost Village Review by Lee Prosser

Sandra Tabatha Cicero has created a remarkable tarot deck with accompanying book. A well-known artist, she has put much imagination into this work.

This is a look at magick. Faithful to the tarot tradition, the deck and book are original in concept. There are detailed descriptions of each card, and the instructions are given in a clear, concise manner. This is a pleasant, educational and entertaining look at tarot.

The work is based on the myths and symbolism of ancient Mesopotamia. Beginners to tarot will find this a fascinating approach. Experienced readers will find the cards magick in their hands immediately!

For those new to Babylonian Tarot, this is an excellent way to approach it in toto. Sandra Tabatha Cicero is a Senior Adept of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. She has co-authored with her husband several books including Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition.

For those interested in something unusual, they will find this a fine learning experience. Congratulations to Sandra Tabatha Cicero on a job well done! As an note of interest, this is the only known tarot deck based upon the Babylonian mythos. Readers interested in the ancient legends and magick of Ancient Sumeria will find this exciting reading, and study.

Review by Eva Yaa Asantewaa

My first glance at Sandra Tabatha Cicero’s unique Babylonian Tarot transported me to another time, past today’s tragic developments in Iraq, to the extraordinary and influential Sumerian civilization. Cicero’s intense imagery–colorful, fittingly vital and vibrant representations of forces of Earth and the universe--will draw you in and shake up your expectations of Tarot symbolism. The 83-card set includes an excellent 179-page book that presents detailed explications of each card–including astrological and Kabbalistic correspondences--and orients readers to Sumerian lore. It also includes two new layouts inspired by Sumerian cosmology.

Review by Roswila's Tarot Gallery & Journal (June 5, 2006)

Whenever I get a new Tarot deck I can barely wait for my first complete Look through the entire deck. Like a kid on Christmas morning, opening the gifts from under the tree, sometimes I’m not as pleased as others with the unwrapping. However, with this deck I was delighted.

The Babylonian Tarot’s images are very reminiscent of ancient Babylonian art, at Least from my non-expert point of view. They are also extremely evocative, whether one is an experienced Tarot reader or not. A friend who knows next to nothing about the Tarot Looked through the entire deck and was very engaged by it, and she is not always by the decks I share with her.

I have since used the deck to explore my night dreams.

Since its images are not familiar to me being from an ancient culture not overly exposed in our art and media - I found it particularly suitable to dream work. It may have shaken my preconceptions loose, allowing for a rather dream-Like response on my part.

One of my pet peeves is when a deck is so small that details of the art are hard to see this deck is a perfect size. Another pet peeve is thin paper stock for the deck this one is a good weight and nice to handle. The traditional 78 cards all have zodiacal, planetary, qabalistic, and elemental correspondences listed in a detailed appendix. The deck also has five additional cards (one new Major and four extra Courts).

The accompanying book has a wealth of information on a host of Babylonian Deities and legends attributed to the cards, many highlighted with quotes from ancient texts, and all rounded out with suggested Tarot meanings. There are also two Tarot layouts designed especially for use with this deck, and a rich bibliography filled with cites to material on ancient texts.

This is a thoroughly thought out and beautiful deck and book set. I highly recommend it.

Review by CTN (Canadian Tarot Network) (Spring 2006)

This deck comes with a book and an almost white box to store the cards in once they have been opened. All this tucks neatly into another box that opens like a gift box rather than a cereal box (much nicer).

The cards themselves are somewhat larger than your average deck. This was not a problem for me as I have longer than average fingers but for people with shorter than average fingers; you will need to shuffle the cards without having to hold them.

On the back are two winged bull-like creatures with a human head, one upright, one inverted. The drawings are very period-like.., meaning they look like they were drawn in ancient times rather than yesterday on you computer. They suit the deck’s title.

The Minor Arcana uses Cups, Wands, Arrows and Disks. There are two interesting differences about this deck: There is an extra Major card and four extra Court Cards.

All traditional decks have Major Arcana (spirit energy) and Minor Arcana (water, fire, air and earth energies) with four court cards: Kings (earth or sometimes fire), Queens (water), Princes (air) and Princesses (fire or sometimes earth). The Babylonian Tarot includes four Kerubs to represent the spirit energy within the court cards.

The extra Major Arcana card is Genesis, a card without number or attribution. As the author says, “... the card is meant to portray a time and space beyond words and numbers, ...“ (pg. 2 “A Guide to the Babylonian Tarot”)

The Major cards include the number, traditional title and then the name of the person pictured on the card as well as the astrological symbol. For example, “9 The Hermit * Anu (symbol for Virgo)”. The court cards have the name of the card and the name of the person associated with the card, such as the “Prince of Wands, Gina”. The pips have their title and a key word, such as “6 of Arrows, Relief’.

The book that comes with the deck is very interesting by itself It contains bits of history and stories from the Babylonian era. Anyone interested in Greek mythology or Egyptian mythology would find this book an interesting read as every card Sandra has chosen has a story behind it.

Joyfully, Sandra includes two spreads at the end, neither of which are the Celtic Cross. I much prefer to learn new spreads than to have the same spread included in all new decks.

There are also some interesting appendices to look at as well as a bibliography for those who want to know more about Babylon and their mythology.

This deck is simple, easy to use and quite colorful. I can honestly say I like it better than I thought I would when I saw it in the catalogue. The book is easy to understand and makes a great companion to the deck. In truth, I would have been lost without it as I know nothing of Babylonian legends (save for the story of Gilgamesh). I can easily recommend this deck to all levels of reader, beginner to advanced.

The Tarot Institute Review by John Gilbert

The Babylonian Tarot and Guide is a deck and guide I will not use for divination. I will use it for contemplation, meditation and path-working on the Tree of Life. I will treat it with all the reverence and respect of which it is definitely worthy. I don't want this deck to ever wear out by using it for divination. It's far too valuable a tool for that purpose in my opinion.

The Babylonian Tarot is a deck and guide I will recommend to all present and former Golden Dawn members. I will not recommend it as a divination deck but as the best path-working tool I've ever been honored and pleased to use.

The Babylonian Tarot is a deck and guide I will recommend to all spiritual travelers of any tradition. I will not recommend it as a divination deck but as a powerful meditation and contemplation tool for understanding ourselves. Sit quietly, breathe deeply, read the guide, concentrate on the card, close your eyes and let the card take you where you need to go to learn what you need to learn. Or, if you prefer, sit quietly, breathe deeply, read the guide, concentrate on the card, close your eyes and tell the card where you want to go and go there.

The Babylonian Tarot is a deck and guide I will recommend to all my right-wing, extremely conservative Christian friends. I will not recommend it to them as a divination deck but as a guide to the source behind all the "Christian" mythology of the Old Testament and a lot of the New Testament according to Paul. What a monumental eye-opening experience that will be - if it ever happens.

The Babylonian Tarot and Guide is a deck and guidebook for all Tarot readers to use as they see fit. You can even use it for divination. But more than that, the Babylonian Tarot and Guide is a meditation, contemplation and path-working tool the likes of which I've never seen before.

It was my honor to tell artist and author Sandra Tabatha Cicero exactly that during an interview in February 2006. You may be interested in several insights she offered about her drawing of the cards and writing of the guide.

[ John Gilbert's Interview with Sandra Tabatha Cicero]