Den Elder

Steele Wizard Tarot... a tarot deck created and self-published by artist, author, renown tarot enthusiast and reader of 30+ years, Pamela Steele. The website is at :Steele Wizard Tarot and there is a link there, where you can view the entire deck of cards.

The sturdy outside box is burgundy, sized 4 1/2" wide, 1 3/4" deep, by 7 1/2" tall. The comprehensive, and substantial book is 110 pages, 4" wide by 7" tall... read page 9 for advice on shuffling this deck and the individual cards are displayed in color for their entries.

This is a Rider Waite clone, for the most part, with readily recognized depictions and your current interpretations can apply right out of the box. Additional cards have been added, with this deck having 28 majors and 60 minors.

The 88 cards are on a substantial, glossy, card stock, 4" wide by 5 1/2" tall. The coating quickly limbered up with use and after the first day or so, had stopped sticking although remained slightly 'slick' to my hand. On close inspection, this coating is superior and I believe will be lasting.

The back of the cards is a reversible design of double Celtic dragons in silver tones against the black background. This allows for Reading the deck in reverse, if you wish to.

The art is on a black background, done in soft watercolor pastels, with better than average art rendition capability, that was very well done indeed, even excellent for the majority of the cards. I love nice colors and this deck made me ecstatic in the tasteful use of color, in appropriate manner to the card's meaning.

There is tastefully done nudity on a few cards but nothing vulgar, in my opinion; and I am a bit of a prude. However I'd be attentive to younger Readers and mindful of individual child/youth and age appropriate sexuality.

These color depictions and how they are rendered against the black background make them 'pop' forth and aide your Reading ability, no matter your skill, to grasp an intuitive meaning much faster and easier than your average deck. I have never seen such success of this application, in any other deck.

The four suits are ordered as Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles; Pips run Ace to Ten; and Suits, have an extra depiction with Page, Maiden, Knight, Queen, and King. The new position of Maiden speaks of "potential for growth" in Wands; "creative potential" in Cups; "potential leadership abilities" in Swords; and "potential scholar or teacher" in Pentacles. The nice curving borders are Wands/Orange-Yellow, Cups/Grey-White, Swords/Blue-White, and Pentacles/Brown-Tan.

The additional Majors follow #21. The World and are -- #22. The Weaver, "your destiny is manifest"; #23. The Universe, "the ability to directly access the Creative Forces of the Void"; #24. Truth, "recognizing your Life Truth"; #25. Soul Twins, "Self-knowing and acknowledging Self"; #26. Evolution, "experiencing creation"; and last #27. I Am, "We Are All One." The borders of the Majors are a crystal per side; upper corners are in lovely spiritual blues; and lower corners in intuitive yellow and a nice self-awareness orange border around the yellow.

Ms. Steele writes in the Introduction that, "These cards were designed to give more clarity in the reading." She later comments, "The Steele Wizard Tarot is designed to function as an intermediary for communication between the various aspects of Self. This helps the individual function as a Whole Being."

I am telling you flat out, Pamela Steele knew what she was doing and she accomplished her goal. Go buy this deck!

Review by DenElder, Tarot Consultant with 40+ years experience.