The Unicorn Tarot

As child, I spent a good deal of my time with my Grandmother.  She was a Wiccan and did magic a lot, but at the time, I did not think of it that way.  It was not until I was older and after her passing that I considered my Grandmother a Wiccan.  I always had an extreme interest in everything about her and what she did.  She had an obsession with unicorns that intrigued me.  I recently found a Unicorn Tarot Deck and had to purchase it.  I only use it for personal purposes, and I keep it very close to me.  The deck stays beside my bed at all times.  When I went home for Thanksgiving break, I left the deck at my apartment so it would be safe, but when I came back, the deck was gone.  I was upset for a few days this week because I tore the apartment apart looking for it.  I couldn't help but cry.  Last night I got out my book of shadows and did some charms and blessings, mainly things for good luck and finding lost items.  Well, tonight I was insistent on finding those cards.  I went into my bedroom and searched everywhere.  When I was done, I looked beside my bed where they were supposed to be, and there they were!!! They were sitting on top of my book of shadows.  I know this isn't a matter where I didn't notice them in front of my face.  I had wrote in that book last night and put it there myself.  I knew the cards were not there before.  I am just so happy they are back!!  This whole ordeal just made me want to talk about The Unicorn Tarot in general and unicorn myths.

I was online and was reading some reviews on The Unicorn Tarot.  A good deal of those reviews were negative.  People were complaining that unicorns have nothing to do with Tarot and they make a mockery of it.  I strongly disagree.  If you are a reader, then having a deck that is personal and meaningful makes the cards more powerful.  People also said that having a mythical creature on the cards ruins their reputation and gives into the idea that the cards are just a game.  That, to me, is crazy.  The "Devil" can be thought as a mythical creature, but he is a major member of the cards.  Also, The Tower card is personified, making it "fairy-tale"-like.  It just pissed me off that people would be so narrow-minded about a topic like this.  I love my Unicorn Tarot, and it follows very nicely with the Rider-Waite deck, so I personally don't see an issue.  Enough ranting.  Let's talk unicorns.

Unicorns were first heard from by the Greeks and not just in mythology, in history as well. They were the most important imaginary animal of the middle ages.  Unicorns were thought of to be extremely wild but still have grace and purity.  They were often associated with the virgin.  Some legends say that their horns, made of an element called alicorn, have the power to be a cure of sickness.  Until the 19th century, belief in unicorns was widespread among historians, alchemists, writers, poets, naturalists, physicians, and theologians.  Whether they are a story book creature or not, they hold a mythical and powerful element of magick that intrigues people, including myself.  Unicorns have references from many cultures.  There is even biblical mentionings of the mysterious creature.  They are still used for crests and symbols.  Also, the only way to trap a unicorn was by using a virgin to lore it in.  They are so many legends and variations of those legends, nothing can be completely certain.  Unicorns are a great symbol for magick, youth, love, spirit, and hope.  I do not see the harm in them or The Unicorn Tarot.