• The Old Gods Tarot
• Cilla Conway
• CC3 Publications, 2022.
• £57.60
• Reviewed by Clair Telford

This is my first experience of a deck created by Cilla Conway. The box, upon first touch, feels so smooth yet the embossed gold writing stands out as you touch it to it open up. The guide book has a section separate to the cards and every card is depicted in miniature form on the inside. The cards themselves are in two trays with gold ribbon to aid removal. The cards could slip out so would need to be kept flat if you remove the bands. There is a message underneath each half that I have included a picture of. 

The cards are octagonal which is a beautiful sensation to hold, and made of very strong card stock. The Major Arcana cards have gold edges and the Minor Arcana are silver edged on the picture side. The backs are almost but not quite symmetrical for reversals if you choose to read with them that way. This deck is very special as the imagery of every Major Arcana card is packed with so many different cultures and how they relate to the card they represent. Cilla created a second Fool card for this deck as well as an extra card, the Wild Gods. As a person who uses intuition I find that you will have so much to draw upon from what you see. The suits are pip style; the colour scheme is blue for chalices, red for sceptres, green for orbs and silver for blades. The vibrant energies of the Majors and the court cards are reflective to the scenes shown.

Cilla, who some may already know from The Shimmering Veil and The Book of the Dead Oracle,  explains how she began to create this deck after reading The Old Gods Laugh, by Frank Yerby, and finding it outdated. She decided to create a connection to many Goddesses, Gods and deities the world over. In this deck we find Goddesses at the head of each suit. The pictures were painted digitally in Photoshop – this isn’t a style that Cilla would normally have used but she says she enjoyed layering the images upon each card. You can read more about how she created the deck over at Olds God Tarot

Cilla explains, “I really enjoyed researching and creating the suits, and found the interpretations were clarified by the stories that accompanied each symbol. I have, as always, followed my intuition, and sourced Internet images of chalices, blades, sceptres (staffs) and orbs (discs) whenever possible.” The guide book provides reversal meanings as well as suggested interpretations for the cards. Before giving her interpretations she explains her use of sacred geometry and numerology. So this deck really takes you on quite a deep journey of the wisdom from Cilla and how extensively she has researched the whole globe and beyond to bring together this incredible work. The guide book includes a sample reading with placements that flow into one another, and a very comprehensive section of citations and links to the cards. I don’t think there is anything that isn’t covered! 

I can only conclude by saying that it has been an honour to delve into the mind and works of Cilla Conway. She has opened my eyes to the many many Goddesses and Gods and how they fit into this journey. The whole deck has been a pleasure to sit with and look through, and to do some personal development work with. I love the idea that we are being encouraged to embrace with open arms and listen and become fully aware of what might be beyond our universe. I feel that an expansion mentally has taken place and every card has a story that makes me eager to keep going with the deck. I would recommend this for anyone who already has an interest in the subjects as it has enhanced my knowledge vastly. There is a connection that I have made and will have deep gratitude for as I continue with learning with all this deck has to offer. It is certainly a deck that could be used for meditations and working with deities if that is of specific interest to you on your path. May you long enjoy should you choose The Old Gods Tarot.