I was absolutely delighted recently to receive not only Telekiad’s Star Trek Tarot with the tutorial book, but also the majors only Animated Series deck, the spread cloth and the crystals set! Best day ever!
The founder of Telekiad is Mark ‘Adam’ Baum, a first-generation Star Trek fan. Telekiad first began with handmade decks for friends, and by 2020 they had started an online store for the launch of their first licensed product line. It is obvious that these cards were made as a labour of love and made for fans of Star Trek by fans.
The cards of the Star Trek Tarot are matched each with one of the original episodes, with two extra cards representing the pilot episode. The art on these cards is even more detailed and beautiful in person, than viewed on the site! And the cardstock is fabulous! Wonderfully matte with the perfect thickness and the coating allows smooth shuffling. Each card has a lot of information on it, but it does not intrude into the image itself. Information included is the traditional card name and a keyword, the suit symbols are varying Enterprise silhouettes, there are symbols representing esoteric Tarot associations and each Star Trek episode title, order, stardate and episode date are included.
The Star Trek Tarot can be used by those experienced with tarot as well as those who are complete beginners. For example, by just using the keywords you can begin to learn the deck easily. While the cards mostly do not reflect traditional tarot imagery, experienced readers will already know the card’s meaning, and those who have seen the episodes may immediately understand the card’s meaning. Regardless, the guidebook ‘Card Trek’ also makes it possible for anyone at all to use this deck.
Card Trek is definitely one of my favourite guidebooks ever! It is chock full of information with an incredible amount of details. Not only does it include a history of tarot, but also includes the instructions how to play various tarot card games! There are some example spreads and of course detailed explanations of each card, including information about the episode in the series that card represents. All this makes for a fabulous deck that has multiple layers of meaning. The guidebook also includes an appendix where you can see quickly on a single line the dates, symbols and keywords for each card, and after that a page which shows what each symbol is associated with.
The Animated Series deck is a major arcana only deck, matching each of the 22 cards with the 22 episodes. The animated series was a wonderful continuation of the original series and so I really love these cards. The backs of the cards are the same as TOS series deck, and therefore, you can mix and match the cards and will be able to do so as well with forthcoming decks. Each of these decks comes in a sturdy box with the Starfleet delta insignia.
Telekiad also has a really lovely spread cloth with a lovely texture texture as well which features an image of the Hubble Variable Nebula, and the border consiting of Telekiad’s esoteric associations glyphs.
And the last item I have to share here is a new offering from Telekiad, a crystal set consisting of 7 crystals. Each was picked to match the colours used in the decks:
“Matching Telekiad's Major Arcana cards, Black Obsidian is traditionally viewed as an intensely protective stone, helpful in forming a shield against physical and emotional negativity. It's also said to help one shed emotional blockage and promote qualities of strength, clarity and compassion, and to help find a true sense of self.
Matching Telekiad's suit of Rods (Energy), Red Carnelian is considered a stone of self-esteem, said to help its bearer develop and maintain a healthy self-image and to be more outgoing and sociable. It can also be an excellent aid to help those who are seeking to rebuild their self-esteem after a setback.
Matching Telekiad's suit of Cups (Emotion), Blue Aventurine is said to encourage its holder to step up and take personal responsibility for themselves and their future. It is considered to be very calming, to help one stand tall and serene and to be less affected by outside influences.
Matching Telekiad's suit of Blades (Intellect), Green Aventurine is said to provide strength, confidence, courage and happiness, renew one's optimism for life, and guide one to take action to acquire what they want in this world. This stone can help urge one to get out of their comfort zone and take on new opportunities.
Matching Telekiad's suit of Coins (Work), Yellow Aventurine is a symbol of peace, hope, and prosperity, said to bring gentle delight to one's life. It should remind us that wealth and wisdom should always walk hand in hand.
Matching Telekiad's Bonus cards, Purple Lilac Jade is considered a stone of happiness, joy and humor, helping one release self-limiting beliefs, along with other self-imposed limitations, and open up to the natural and effortless abundance the universe provides.
And, like the “dilithium crystals” that channel the warp energies of starships, White/Clear Quartz is said to amplify energy by absorbing, storing, releasing and regulating it. It is considered a master healer that can aid concentration and memory and is often used with other stones to enhance their abilities.”
The Star Trek Tarot and the Animated Series deck are not just novelty decks, these are cards which work with varying levels of meaning and understanding. They provide information which goes deep into the query or issue and with that gorgeous cardstock, they are a joy to use! Thank you so much Adam and Telekiad for sending me these wondrous items!
To purchase and for information on the upcoming Next Generation deck, as well as to find out about events Telekiad may be attending, visit their website. You’ll also find links to their various social media.
Comments