The Mythic Tarot deck is themed around Greek Mythology. With all kinds of stories from Greek Mythology converging in both the Major and Minor cards, it makes sense that this is the deck to have if you are a big fan of Greek Myth. Conversely, it also makes sense that this deck is not for those who aren’t fond of Greek myths. But, if you are looking to get a great head start into the subject, and especially via the route of the Tarot, then it is an absolute must to have this deck with you!

Greek Mythology has played a very important part in the development of the Western Psyche. Simple common words (psyche included) owe their origins to these Greek Myths. And the Mythic Tarot does an absolutely fantastic job of bringing all of the elements that are integral to these myths – the intriguing stories, the stellar star cast, and the interwoven plot lines – all together into these wonderful cards.

The Mythic Tarot deck is a joint creation by Juliet Sharman-Burke and Liz Greene, and the cards are illustrated by Tricia Newell.

The Cards

The cards of the Mythic Tarot deck are very easy to hold on to and shuffle, being 4.5 inches wide and 7.75 inches tall. The backs of the cards are reversible, which makes it simpler for when I use them in a reading. I love how they are easy to handle during readings.

The Book

If you buy the Mythic Tarot Kit, you get a deck and a very nice book along with it. The book is a lot more than your standard LWB (Little White Book) that comes along with other decks. It is detailed and chock-full of information about the cards – the characters on the cards, and their stories, and how it all falls into place on that particular card.

This book really makes a lot of sense for those who have not acquainted themselves with Greek Mythology, and can serve as a primer / introduction into the topic. Not only does the book relate the stories connected with the characters on the cards, but it also talks about what the whole image means on both an inner level, and on a divinatory level.

The WorkBook

If you are truly interested in taking your study of the Mythic Tarot deck even deeper, then the Mythic Tarot Workbook is the way to go! This book isn’t available with the Kit, and you will have to purchase this separately.

The Workbook uses a variety of exercises that will help you get a deeper understanding of the card. There is a detailed explanation of each card, with  space for writing down your notes of the exercises that have been given for the cards.

My suggestion: spend some time with the cards and the book first, and then buy the book and work with it to go deeper. 🙂

The Majors

The Major Arcana cards in the Mythic Tarot Deck aren’t numbered – though they do bear the standard card names on them. However, in the book, Justice is referred as the card that follows the Chariot, and Strength as the card following the Wheel of Fortune. Their ordering is also a bit different – if you choose to follow the ordering that the book presents them in.

The images on the Major Arcana cards feature the key players of Greek Mythology. Here’s a quick list:

• The Fool – Dionysos
• The Magician – Hermes
• The Empress – Demeter
• The Emperor – Zeus
• The High Priestess – Persephone
• The Hierophant – Chiron
• The Lovers – Paris judging the beauty contest between Hera, Aphrodite and Athene
• The Chariot – Ares
• Justice – Athene
• Temperance – Iris
• Strength – Heracles
• The Hermit – Cronos
• The Wheel of Fortune – The Moirai / The three Goddesses of Fate: Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos.
• The Hanged Man – Prometheus
• Death – Hades
• The Devil – Pan
• The Tower – Labyrinth of King Minos being struck down by Poseidon’s lightning
• The Star – Pandora
• The Moon – Hecate
• The Sun – Apollo
• Judgement – Hermes
• The World – Hermaphroditus

What I truly love about the Majors is that by the time you are done reading / learning about them, you will not just have a firm grasp of some of the key players of Greek Mythology, but also have a real deep understanding about the origins of most of the archetypes present in the Major Arcana of most standard Tarot decks.

The Minors

Each of the suits of the Minor Arcana feature an important story from the Greek Myths. As it stands, there are more stories in Greek Myth than I can ever completely know. But the deck creators have chosen their stories well, especially since they fit so beautifully with the flow of the energy of each of the suits! The suits and their stories are:

• The Suit of Cups – Eros and Psyche
• The Suit of Wands – Jason and the Argonauts
• The Suit of Swords – Orestes and the curse of the House Atreus
• The Suit of Pentacles – Daedalus

Each of the stories is a lesson in itself, and the cards and the description in the book really makes the whole story come alive.

Cards That I Liked

I truly fell in love with all of the cards from the Mythic Tarot Deck. But here are a few that have become embossed in my mind for a variety of reasons.

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 I love how the Empress (Demeter) has been rendered in this card – pregnant, and standing among her growing crops. Also, love the way that her crown looks a lot like a fort. The way I see it, this seems to symbolize the fact that growth on all levels is essentially linked to her, and to Nature Herself. Any  kind of growth that goes against the laws of Nature will not sustain itself.

The Hermit (Cronos) is usually one of the cards I check to make sure I want to buy a deck or not. And boy, do I love the Hermit card from this deck! You gotta love how Father Time stands there with the light in his hand, with the scythe and crow on his shoulders, his face hooded.

These two are by far my favorite cards from among the Major Arcana.

Now, lets have a look at the cards from the Minor Arcana.

From the Suit of Wands, the card I truly loved was the 8 of Wands. Not only does the image truly inspire, but it also conveys the happy, positive and ‘fast-fast’ pace of the energy that this card always brings about. Plus, you gotta love the dolphins, right? 🙂

The Ace of Swords with Athene, the Goddess of Justice standing tall with her sword in hand is a huge inspiration. I also love the way the clouds show the swirling thoughts that rise up in the air around her.

My Thoughts

The Mythic Tarot deck has a lot to offer – not only in terms of learning about Greek Myth, but also in terms of deeper understanding about the basic fundamentals and archetypes present within the Western psyche. Besides, it is a truly great deck to read with. However, it takes a bit of time to fully grasp the deeper, involved aspects of the cards and their characters – so if you are looking to start reading with it right away, it might take some time to get that far. But if you are looking to add a gem into your collection of Tarot decks, and learn a whole lot of stuff besides, then this is the perfect deck for you. Once you have grasped it completely, wielding this deck doesn’t truly seem like a hard task, though. Just so you know… 🙂

Reworked, Redrawn, Recolored, Reprinted…

If you look around in the market for this version of the deck, you will likely see it being sold for a very high price. Sadly, the original print of this deck is now no longer being printed or sold. However, due to this deck’s popularity, the deck creators came together and for its 25th anniversary, this lovely deck was reworked – redrawn, recolored, and reprinted. Even the accompanying book was updated.

So, if you want to buy this deck for yourself, you will probably be buying the new version of this deck and not the one that I have showcased in this blog post.

Buy Your Deck Now!

Your Turn

Did you agree with my opinion of this deck? Do you have any more thoughts to add to this? Do you have this deck too? Which version? Which version do you prefer? What are your thoughts / experiences / feelings about the Mythic Tarot deck?

Do share in the comments section below.