Deck Review by Lalia Wilson
This deck was created by Margaret Ann Lembo, and is published by Findhorn Press in 2020, a division of Inner Traditions. A review copy was provided by the publisher.
The cards are 3 ½” by 5”. The 44 cards and the 128 page explanatory book come in a sturdy cardboard box suitable for permanent storage. Each card is bordered in a color related to its chakra and gemstone, and has two sides. One side has the gemstone pictured and an explanation of the vibration of that stone and your soul purpose. The other side has several related affirmations. Because there is different information on both sides of each card, there is no way to make a blind draw unless you close your eyes.
Lembo has broken down the 44 vocations into a smaller set of eleven archetypes which each group four vocations. One of the archetypes is Art which in turn has the vocations of Chef, Composer, Stylist, and Visual Artist. Stylist is featured on this page, with the stone Pink Calcite, and the affirmation on the reverse, one of three, “I have a creative eye [for] bringing appealing style to myself and others.”
Also pictured here is Emergence Caregivers with the stone lapis lazuli. Emergence caregiver is part of the healing archetype. One of its affirmations is “I assist people who are challenged by changes.”
Our third card to illustrate this deck on this page is Accountant, with its stone citrine. Accountant is part of the Finance archetype. An affirmation for accountant is “Prosperity abounds in my life.”
Both sides of three additional cards from this deck are shown on the Tarot Scopes page.
My first thought when I opened this deck is that it is something that would be used to give readings to 15 year olds who were making life choices. At the same time as students are getting vocational tests and academic tests, this could be used to assist in career planning for a lifetime. (We’ll ignore what some parents might think.) Since I’m not fifteen, and you probably are not either, how useful can this deck be? Well, it turns out that you can use these cards for a number of other things, a card for a day, a card asking “Who can help me with …?” A card to add on to your current work identity. For example, Stylists need Accountants and Accountants need Stylists.
The pairing with a vocation and a gemstone is also highly helpful. You might be able to increase your effectiveness in your current vocation by carrying a gemstone, or putting one on your desk, or otherwise being creative with the gemstone. At the end of the book there is a long list of additional vocations corresponding to these same minerals and gemstones.
Lembo shows a variety of uses in one-card, three-card, and five-card spreads. You can always use these cards as your draw of the day, or as a clarifying card in a tarot reading.
I recommend these cards to anyone who advises others through cards or otherwise. The affirmations are quite useful and apply to everyone. So if you are an accountant and you draw the Actor card (shown on the Scopes page), even though you are far from an actor in personality, the affirmation “I am authentic and confidently show my true colors to others,” may be exactly what you need at that time.