Review by Sheri Harshberger
Pythias Sacred Geometry Tarot self-published by Katenia Keller, www.kateniakeller.com
Right now, the Pythias Sacred Geometry Tarot is a self-published Majors-only Tarot deck created by Katenia Keller that has been available for a few years through her website, www.kateniakeller.com. This is a very unusual deck. Many times when someone mentions the word "Tarot," thoughts go to the more traditional Marseilles or a Thoth or a Waite-Smith, which are comprised of images or scenes on their respective cards. Many readers have come to associate key words with these images as we become used to the cards, or as we learn to use them. What if you were to take those key words and create abstract paintings using sacred geometry to represent them? You would have something very interesting and unique. If you did, you might have something like the Pythias Sacred Geometry Tarot.
This 22-card Majors-only deck is one of the most thought provoking decks I've come across in a long time. Not having the usual visuals that I have come to associate with the more traditional Tarot cards has really pushed my envelope and I find it mesmerizing.
The Pythias Sacred Geometry Tarot comes packaged in a very cool square box that contains the deck and companion booklet. The deck is a 4 inch square. The box opens on a flat side with 4 flaps, looking like the petals of a flower opening. This is the Majors only version of Keller's deck, so there are 22 cards. The cardstock is very stiff, it isn't impossible to riffle shuffle them, but it isn't easy. This isn't a problem because the cards fit very nicely in the hand so a hand shuffle is easy. A reader can also spread them out on a table or reading surface to mix them. There are no upright/reversed positions. The backs of the cards feature what looks like a starry night sky. The colors of the card images include reds, oranges, greens, blues and greens.
There are no titles, numbers, borders (unless they are part of the design) or writing on the card images, the reader is treated to a full image on each card. The cards follow the traditional 22-card Major Arcana structure of a traditional Tarot, but are not titled with the traditional names. The names of the cards refer to the "ethereal" nature of the Major Arcana position. For example, the card that would correspond to The Lovers in a traditional deck is titled Love in this deck. While I think all of the cards are great, but Illumination (the Tower in traditional Majors) and Unity (the World) really stand out. The imagery of Unity, with the snake coming around full circle and consuming its own tail…what a great way to show a completion to the spiritual journey through the Majors.
At first, the cards may seem daunting because they look very different to what is considered a traditional Tarot, however, working with the booklet and thinking about what the key ideas of each position in the Major Arcana while thinking about the card images can bring profound results. It's almost like the reader is forced to think about the nature of each card and not the image of the card at all. I found I was experiencing the cards in a non-visual way…ironic and cool!
Everything associated with this deck is good quality and the companion booklet is no exception. The little bound book is soft cover and bound. It includes card meanings and two techniques to read with the cards, a 1-card spread and a 5-card spread. I can really see using this deck with a traditional deck to add spiritual depth to a reading as well as using this deck for readings on its own. It's uses will be greatly expanded with the addition of Keller's recently completed Minor Arcana cards, which will make a 78-card deck. I would recommend this deck to anyone interested in something different and something that can be used to take spiritual exploration to another level.