Review – The SON Tarot

The SON Tarot

by Christopher Butler – 2012

Schiffer Publishing Ltd.

ISBN:978-0-7643-4227-1

Mysticism, Meditation, and Divination for Gay Men

78 art card Tarot deck – 22 Major Arcana, 56 Minor Arcana
Four suits of Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles
16 Court cards – King, Prince, Knight, Herald
Strength is VIII and Justice XI
Based on the Rider Waite and Golden Dawn traditions
Cards are approximately 3.5″ x 5″
Borderless
Fully illustrated 207 page companion booklet
- Three visualization exercises
- Three sharing exercises
- Three spreads with instructions and diagrams

Sturdy cardboard storage box with hinged lid.
Card backs are reversible, however there are no “reversed” meanings.

Most of the Major Arcana have kept their traditional names except for:

The High Priestess = The Mystic
The Empress = The Bountiful

Most people find the Court cards (of any deck) among the hardest to read. In Butler’s description of these 16 cards he broke each into 5 aspects. Let’s take a look at the Herald of Swords (Page of Swords) as described within these aspects.

As an Elemental Force: He is matter carried within the atmosphere. He can be the great sand storms across the desert.
As a Role Model: Crowley referred to this elemental combination as the materialization of ideas. On a practical level, this shows the Herald to be a student or researcher.
As a Lover: As always, the Herald represents a youthful state regardless of physical age. This is a man beginning his quest for knowledge and understanding. Such men make challenging lovers as it is difficult for them to submit to the moment without resorting to introspection.
As Ourselves: Despite the drawbacks of this personality where intimate relationships are concerned, his strength is his ability to detach where necessary. We experience the positive side of this character whenever we become able to step aside from our troubles and see our circumstances objectively enough to formulate solutions.
As a Shadow Character: Dust in the atmosphere can also act to conceal light from the sun. On the same level, the dark side of this character is his ability to veil the truth. Swords are a weapon and this man can cause strife and division through a combination of deception and concealment. (excerpts from pages 158-159)

Author Note

“Maybe you’re a gay man opening this book and exploring these cards. Alternately, you could be a Tarot reader with a number of gay male clients. Whatever the case, this deck and book set is for you. Through its dreamlike, colorful images, The Son Tarot opens a door to a world where gay men can explore their relationships, friendships, sexuality, and just as importantly, their spirituality. The book is written to guide you through these images, giving you the tools to perform a variety of readings and encouraging you to forge your own ways of exploration. Written by a gay man for other gay men, this is a creation from the heart. It’s a celebration of true masculinity and an invitation to experience that amazing quality enshrined within yourselves.”

Here are a few more examples from this beautifully expressive deck.