Given that I regularly experience deja vu, I tend to take note of my dreams and the subconscious messages that I often receive during sleep. Said to be ‘a dream carrier of messages for the soul’, Beth Seilonen’s ‘Dream Raven Tarot’ enables us to connect our dream world to our conscious world via an awesome aviary of watercolours.
Beth Seilonen
Beth Seilonen has spent most of her life living in rural Maine and after graduating with a degree in Fine Art from the University of Maine, Orone, Beth followed her dream of becoming an art teacher. She has taught in Houston, Texas, a juvenile detention centre in Maine, and following this, Beth returned back to her rural childhood home of Charlotte, Maine.
Beth has a passion for working with children and the influences and experiences which she has gained throughout her career are reflected in her light-hearted style. When Beth isn’t teaching, she can be found working on her next deck or book…
Beth grew up surrounded by nature and fuelled by her love for the arts. She first began studying tarot signs and symbols back in 1997 during her junior year at college and by 2007 Beth had created and released her first-ever majors-only deck ‘Theban Tarot’.
The diverse nature of the Tarot both encouraged and challenged Beth as an artist to convey the story of the Tarot by utilising traditional meanings without modern context. Along with the Dream Raven Tarot, Beth has also created and produced ‘The Guardian Tarot’, ‘The Bleu Cat Tarot’ and ‘Tarot Leaves’, all of which are available through Schiffer Publishing.
The Dream Raven Tarot
Printed and published by Schiffer Books/ Red Feather, The Dream Raven Tarot is a lovely, lively tarot deck that contains seventy-eight perfectly painted tarot cards featuring a range of ravens. Each card incorporates the core ideals of the tarot through modern and historical iconography and symbolism, featuring beautiful ‘bird body language’ and bold, bright colours.
Packaging
The Dream Raven Tarot arrives perfectly packaged in a medium-sized, cardboard, glossy, magnetic-close box featuring a ribbon-pull and imagery from the deck. Inside the box is a sturdy cardboard housing for both the guidebook, a Schiffer advertisement card, and the seventy-eight tarot cards which are neatly stacked in a single pile.
The Guidebook
Included within The Dream Raven Tarot is a medium-sized, 124-page guidebook, black and white-printed guidebook which includes a dedication and acknowledgment page, a contents page, an introduction, a double-page upon each of the major arcana cards offering information upon both the upright and reversed meanings of each card, a single page upon each of the minor arcana cards explaining both the upright and reversed meaning of each card, two spread examples, a conclusion page and a page detailing further information upon the creator, Beth Seilonen.
Though I often find keywords are helpful in guidebooks, the information included within this guide is simple and easy to read and understand – thus ideal for any level of Tarot reader.
The Cards
The Dream Raven Tarot is a substantially large, glossy, tarot deck that is a little sticky to shuffle at times but even with my dinky, little hands I still able to shuffle the cards if I hold them upright (portrait rather than landscape).
The Dream Raven Tarot cards feature pale green, rounded borders with centered, simple, black, titling at the bottom of each card. The backs of each of the cards are decorated with a pretty purple featuring two symmetrical, pale green ravens flying towards each other surrounded by pink swirls.
This deck is full of bright, bold, and beautiful birds which are a joy to work and to read with – this is most certainly a tarot deck suited to all ages, including very young readers.
The Major Arcana
Although the Dream Raven Tarot is a ‘bird based deck’, the imagery, suits, and titling is still based upon the traditional ‘Rider Waite Tarot’ and therefore these cards are easily recognisable. Although the major arcana cards aren’t numbered like many tarot decks, the naming of each card is still traditional and clearly printed making for a very easy read.
The Minor Arcana
The minor arcana follows the traditional four suits of the Rider Waite Tarot: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Each bird featured within this deck differs in structure and style to reflect the corresponding element of the suit.
Here is a short video-walkthrough guide that I put together further outlining and explaining The Dream Raven Tarot.
Reading With The Dream Raven Tarot
The Dream Raven Tarot is a visually vibrant, light, and refreshing read. I have spent the past fortnight reading with this deck and have found it rather enjoyable as it feels youthful, fun and fresh! Though I have yet to practice some of Beth’s spreads, I have carried out numerous single-card and three-card readings with this deck which has proved to be rather insightful.
Beth suggests that the purpose of this deck is to inspire people to firstly acknowledge the dreams that are deep within their psyche and then to strive to connect those dreams into conscious thought throughout daily life, bringing our dreams into reality.
Purchasing & Pricing Information
The Dream Raven Tarot retails for $39.99 and is available to purchase online via Schiffer or within the UK via Gazelle Book Services for £38.99. I have also found this deck is available to purchase via Amazon for only £31.99.
To Summarise
The Dream Raven Tarot is modern, mindful, and I adore the bold, bright, birds featured throughout the deck. Though modern, the Dream Raven Tarot is based upon traditional concepts from the Rider Waite Tarot and is therefore easy and very enjoyable to read. Though it is quite a ‘large and loud’ tarot deck, The Dream Raven Tarot is charmingly cheerful and ideal for any age and any level of Tarot reader, so dream on!
For further information upon The Dream Raven Tarot or alternative Red Feather/ Schiffer products visit www.schifferbooks.com
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Product Rating
Disclosure: I was sent the above product for the purpose of this post however all opinions are my own.