I used to have a habit of doing a divination on each of the sabbats. I've used a few tools for it: flipping quarters to get I Ching readings, and even the oblique strategies garden here on E2. I resurrected this habit a couple days ago, at Samhain, with this deck as my new divination tool.
The deck is a pandemic project by Nicolas Bruno, a NYC-based photographer. From the accompanying booklet:
Through this series, the tale of the classic Tarot is told through the mediums of photography, sculpture, costume design, and dream journal recordings. Various characters and symbolism from sleep paralysis experiences are woven together to express the diverse themes within the Tarot.
The conception of The Somnia Tarot began during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, and was completed in late November of 2020. Each photograph was created within the marshlands and shorelines of Long Island, New York. The characters within the series are portrayed by self portraiture, my family members, and close friends.
This is a really beautiful deck. Also a very dark deck. The landscapes are desolate and cold; the interiors dark. All of the figures are faceless: veiled, draped, or turned away. In some cases - notably the court cards for the suit of Wands - they're downright creepy.
I do my readings as much as a meditative exercise as a divination, and the imagery portrayed on the physical card is as important as the book-meaning. These cards, with their veiled and shrouded figures, liminal landscapes, and precisely composed symbols, I find deeply evocative and suited to my mind.
https://somniatarot.com