A Deck for Wonder-Walking

Name of Deck: A Deck for Wonder-Walking

Author/Creator: Amy T. Won

Year Published: 2019

Artist (if different from Author):

Reviewed by: Havana @sparkledivinetarot

Type of Deck: Oracle

Number of Cards: 48

Is this a themed/character deck: No

Deck Presentation

Aesthetics: Everything about the packaging of this deck says class and elegance. The very sturdy box is hinged with a magnetic clasp but it's a smooth rose petal finish. You'll want to make sure you have clean hands when handling this box. Amy sets the mood with the phrases on the outside of the box as well as the inside cover. "Magic awaits", "An Invitation to the human experience", and "Walk in Wonder", prepare your expectations. The card stock with this deck is quite thick with medium flexibility which means the cards shuffle well but you may have to put some effort into a riffle shuffle or a bridge shuffle. The cards have the same smooth, unlaminated, rose petal finish as the box does. The size of these cards are a standard 70mm x 120mm.

Guidebook: The guide book for this deck is a fold out pamphlet with suggestions for how to use this one-of-a-kind deck. It breaks down how the deck works, the "realms" and definitions for the keywords on the cards. The 2023 Kickstarter campaign offers an illustrated, full-color journal as a companion to use with this deck.

Is this deck eco-friendly: I can't say because I don't remember the packaging this deck was shipped in.

Is this a non-human deck: Yes

Real World Tarot N/A

Are People of the Global Majority clearly represented:

How many People of the Global Majority are represented:

Is this deck representative of the Global Majority? (at least 85% People of the Global Majority):

If not, what percentage of the humans in this deck represent the People of the Global Majority:

Are there ambiguous Humans in this deck:

Which aspects of the Human experience are represented:

Review

A Deck for Wonder-Walking peaked my interest because the combination of the words wonder and walking set my imagination on a wandering journey. When I saw the paintings and artwork that make up this beautiful deck I was enchanted. Amy T. Won's watercolor paintings are transformative and perfect for the inspirational spirit of this deck.   

In the guide, Amy says this deck began as a series of daily, watercolor,  meditation which I can understand. The watercolor images have a meditative quality to them. I could stare and find myself in a trance like state of consciousness. Whole premise of the deck is very interactive. There are a couple of ways to use the deck but the beginner version suggests you shuffle the deck, lay out the cards face down, and select a card to inspire the day's wonder-walk. I'm sure Amy meant wonder-walk as a metaphor but I took it literally. I would pull a card and think about it, and the keyword on my walks. It definitely added a new layer of fun and mindfulness to my activity.   

I really enjoy it when deck creators create structured systems within an oracle deck. A Deck for Wonder-Walking has a system of Realms. Realms could be compared to suits in a tarot deck but these realms inhabit liminal spaces. The Physical Realm, The Creative Realm, The Inner Realm, The Influence Realm. Each realm has 12 cards associated with it. The Physical Realm covers keywords like flora, story, roots, and belonging. The Creative Realm includes: symbolism, fauna, play, dream, and texture. The Inner Realm covers spirit of place, the woods, intuition, wonder, and edges. The Influence Realm encompasses poetry, journey, memory, the sun, and discernment. The guide suggests seasoned users of the the deck pull a card from each realm to create an adventure. The suggestion of using this deck to create an adventure reminds me of how I've used other deck in the past to help create and write short stories or help me out of a creative block. This deck can be a stand alone deck but because it has a keyword system, I can see it working with other decks as other oracles might.  

Currently, Amy is running a Kickstarter campaign to fund an updated version of this deck as well as the fully illustrated companion journal and her newest journal, 'A Magical Night Journey'. This new journal is a collection of nocturnal themed art in the spirit of wonder-walking. Both journals expand the world of A Deck for Wonder-Walking with detailed explanations of the realms and suggestions for use of the deck. The Enchanted Explorer's club is another Kickstarter reward. This is an online guided adventure experience using the cards from the deck.  

A Deck for Wonder-Walking is a wonderful tool to add if you have a daily practice of mindfulness. If you already own the deck, the Kickstarter offers some fun ways to expand that practice and usefulness of the deck. For more information about this deck, the journals, and Amy T. Won please check out the Kickstarter campaign

Where to find a copy: www.amytwon.com/shop