New Age Tarot

New Age Tarot
Walter Wegmüller, 1982

This deck is by the same artist who created the Gipsy Tarot Tsigane, drawn about a decade earlier. Though there are similarities between these two decks, Wegmüller’s New Age Tarot shows the maturation of his artistic skill with illustrations that are more refined and attractive

According to the booklet, Wegmüller grew up within the Rom Gipsy culture of Switzerland, where he was shown his first Tarot deck. He writes of meeting others in his travels who exposed him to the traditions and stories of many of the Gipsy tribes. He implies that he believes that the Tarot is intimately connected to the history of the Gipsies, and his text conveys his deep respect for the images. His card descriptions and interpretations, brief as they are, seem to be a mix of profound Tarot concepts and trivial folk divination.

Though the cards are average in size, they are surprisingly detailed. The Trumps, for example, each have their own border drawn into the design. There are also minuscule symbols and ornaments strewn throughout the deck. Here are two larger samples showing some of these details and quality of the drawings. The Ace of Cups has a tiny Tree of Life towards the bottom, surrounded by numbers and the twelve zodiac symbols. I’m not sure what the symbols are which run around the rim of the chalice. The Three of Coins shows elaborate ornamentation as well as labyrinth, planet and zodiacal symbols. One engaging thing about this deck is that these ornaments and symbols derive from so many cultures; perusing through the deck I see chemical diagrams and equations, symbols from alchemy, Tibet, Native America, and icons of modern culture. The whole deck has a lively, tribal feeling.

Wegmüller introduces the trumps as “a cosmic record of the traditions and life experiences of our forebears as well as of human evolution as a whole”. His Wheel of Fortune shows us this vessel of life sailing on the sea of our past, our experiences, and our subconscious. He describes it as the power of Destiny which faithfully leads us through life’s labyrinths. The Moon itself is the reservoir of our subconscious forces. He sees Trump XVIII as a regulator for these primal powers, sometimes our protector and sometimes giving rise to fears.

His commentary for The World card reads “The World encompasses everything: body, earth, food, abode, existence. It is the primal mother, echo and stage of life. The Roms say that the life of each one of us is reflected in the way we treat the earth. The World also represents all possible occupations, as expressed in the changing seasons and their colors. The World is our cradle and our tomb.”

His minor arcana are described in the styles of folk-wisdom. Their descriptions often seem to allude to cultural legends which are not explained; I can only imagine mysterious old Gipsies sharing their secrets to Wegmüller over a late-night campfire. The text for the Six of Wands reads “They guard over everything that grows and prospers, influencing the fertility of plants. They are the masters of plants and herbs and of their healing powers. The divinatory meaning is success in the use of earth and water plants. The right mental approach to all matters connected with nutrition. Rich harvest. Good fortune reaches you from foreign soil.”

The Three of Cups: “A guide through the ages. The young and their parents learn together the eternal rules of life and death. The divinatory meaning is Foundation of family or business. Be more perseverant. Religious celebrations. Setting up of new schools.”

The Page of Cups: “He can make new links thanks to an insight into life which has been given him by nature. Magician or chemist, he learns to read the secrets and processes revealed by the contents of his cup.”

Five of Swords: “Parents hand down their knowledge and talents to their children. Together they form the instinct of conscious and unconscious action. Divinatory meaning is Don’t underestimate yourself! New possibilities are opened up. Seek advice from ancestors. Depend on Reason! Obtain security in matters of inheritance.”

Once I looked closely at this deck’s artwork, I really grew to like it. The cards are packaged in a yellow box, with the main title of Neuzeit-Tarot at the top, and the English and French title translations near the bottom. This deck is shown in Kaplan’s Encyclopedia of Tarot III, page 616. It has become difficult to find as it is long out of print, although I have seen it in stores on rare occasions.

Review by Mark Filipas, 1/6/00