I pulled out my Motherpeace Tarot deck the other day and was amazed to realize that I have never written a review on it.  I’ve written reviews on so many other decks, it’s truly odd that I’ve never written one on the Motherpeace.

My First Tarot Love

Most Tarotists have a special deck; one that carried them into the world of the Tarot.  A deck that made them feel comfortable and confident reading for others and unlocked its mystery in a spiritual/emotional gratifying way.

In 1984, Motherpeace was all that and more to me. While studying the Motherpeace, I had also become a serious student of Yoga, taking several classes a week, and the writings of Carl Jung.   When I stumbled into the Motherpeace discovering images of Yoga positions, references to Jungian psychology, and feminism, I felt as though I had found a multifaceted tool that could be used to adjust and aerate the deep recesses of my soul.

Yes!  I do tend to wax poetic about the Motherpeace!

I spent months studying and playing with this deck.  I read and reread Vicki Noble’s book several times until I felt like I had a solid grasp on her material.

In the spring of 1985, I had a brainstorm to offer readings to women using the Motherpeace. I posted ads up on bulletin boards offering my services at parties.  Within a surprisingly short time I was getting invites to women’s functions and parties around Toronto.

It was so gratifying to read the Tarot from a feminist perspective!  I was soon teaching this Tarot in evening, College continuing education classes.  For several years I taught this feminist deck at senior centres where women flocked with excitement and participated enthusiastically with stories of their own experiences of discrimination and connection to the Goddess. It was one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of my life.

Vickie Noble has Profoundly Impacted the Psyches of Millions of Women

The Motherpeace Tarot with its focus on the Goddess and matriarchy was a very unusual product back in the early ‘80’s.  It’s difficult to imagine today just how rare, revolutionary and enlightening Vicki’s work was at that time.  I’ve often wondered throughout the years if Vicki Noble realizes what a profound impact she has had upon the psyches of women.

Because these feminist teachings were sandwiched in a Tarot format many women were attracted to the work for its enticement of play and pleasure and garnered incredible consciousness raising almost surrendipitously.

The Motherpeace Tarot cards are round which affords the reader broader and more creative options for interpretation than square cards do.  Square cards can only be placed upright or reversed but round cards can be used like a dial – if it’s turned down too low, the energy is slow and perhaps even blocked.  If the “dial” points to the right, the energy of the card may be overbearing or in some situations extreme.

The Motherpeace will Prevail for Generations

The names of the cards were changed in many cases to a more feminine foundation. For example, The Hermit is the Crone and the Hanged Man is the Hanged One.  It is in her feminist perspective of the card’s meaning where Vicki shines the most brilliantly.  The Emperor is patriarchy and I continue to interpret the Emperor from this perspective to this day.  The Hierophant is the traditional religious leader who oppresses feminine values and her unique spiritual voice.  This interpretation of the Hierophant continues to influence my interpretation in a reading.

The court cards have been renamed to reflect family identities such as Son, Daughter, Mother with the Shaman at the head of the tribe. This was quite a shift from the traditional royal names given to the court cards. The meaning applied to these family members has also been changed to reflect a more matriarchal interpretation of the energy.

The artwork done primarily by Karen Vogel is childlike, colourful and positive. When observing the Motherpeace images, my Tarot students would often comment on how delightfully engaging and uplifting the imagery was to work with compared with some of the darker imagery seen in the more classic decks.  Vicki’s interpretative work also guides the Tarotist to read in a positive and constructive fashion.  This deck is empowering to women and fosters feelings of strong personal agency and appreciation for the feminine in general.

For people teaching a Goddess course this set should be on their reading list and for those Tarotists who are tired of the traditional deck or wish to explore an alternative approach to Tarot, you will find this work deeply satisfying and provocative.  It’s not easy, simple or superficial.  Be prepared to dedicate many hours to learning this deck well.  Vicki’s book accompanying book will challenge you to think about the sacred feminine and what it means in your life.  You won’t come away unscathed.

If you are already a tarot reader, the Motherpeace will alter your relationship to the Tarot more profoundly than any other deck on the market.  Motherpeace generated a wave of conscious awareness across the globe whose ripples continue to flow to this day. In 2013, Motherpeace celebrated its 30^th anniversary and continues to sell thousands of copies yearly.  Like anything that is true and honourable it will prevail for generations.