Hi Simon! Yes, the companion book is worth it! It contains Bruno’s original writings on the meanings and symbolism behind each card composition. It’s full color, 163 pages and I got a lot out of it because he describes what is happening in each scene. It’s a fascinating read and it added a lot to my interpretation of the cards! He talks a lot about the props used, the people in the photos, how the figures reappear in different cards, etc. Here, for example, is a description of the Ace of Cups. He says the ace of cups imagery is a nod to the Rider Waite interpretation of the card as it incorporates familiar elements, including a vessel, that brims with water, a burst of smoke, and a divine hand that conducts the scene. The wishing well was hand sculpted from reclaimed wood, foam, and dried mosses. It first appeared in Immersi, which is an earlier artwork that was created for my sleep paralysis photo series. Highly recommend! Not to tempt you, but he also has gorgeous spread cloths and other beautiful, high quality items on his site. Back to say that there is also an ebook version of the companion book for half the price, if that is more appealing (plus no shipping costs!).
Love the music you choose for what I consider to be an Ingmar Bergman movie in a box deck! I believe this was photographed on Long Island, hence the water.
I like how the faces are hidden. Personally, seeing real human faces has been my one barrier with some photography decks. But by being faceless, it does slant your interpretations towards an eerie-ness. Thanks for sharing!
I love this deck! I feel very blessed to have been gifted it for my birthday. I don't have the companion book and I honestly don't think I'll need it, as I get already so much out of the deck. The following you need only read if you want to see me gushing on how well this deck works for me..... It works so well for dream interpretation, for getting clarity, finding out about one's own inside and to drop away all the decor of our external life experience and expectations, turning the inside out and making that visible. I use it for example for story telling/ creative writing: to explore the motives, hopes, fear, unconscious, secrets, expectations, flaws and strengths of a character, and also the more irrational and instinctive side, the "package" they carry around from the past that they might not be aware of, but that is influencing their actions and reactions, and then bit by bit shows through during the story, the subtle signs and hints and foreshadowing, the charakter traits and experiences that can make a person to an obstacle for themselves and the potential to overcome these, the wrong turns taken, the wrong goals chosen and the realisation and recalibrating. Becoming one who doesn't merely react anymore but is actively consciously responding. To climb out of that hole / raise (there are so many good climbing/raising cards in that deck) . At first stumbling from being blind by all these coverings, at last being covered because not being anymore dependent on eyesight to see the truth, the deeper level development and evolution, that the story is taking, ( and the protagonist and antagonist etc. too). Some of these concepts can also be applied to when reading for oneself. Long story short: The people are all covered and blindfolded and bound, but I find that deck very revealing and uncovering and freeing.
Thanks for sharing! Having so many with their heads covered with a cloth and something tied around the necks is a bit too much for me, but I'm so glad you shared them.
I love the Somnia, and while I felt I could read it without the guidebook I decided to purchase it to get some more insight into the imagery. I'm currently deep diving a few of my decks and this is up next I think. The cardstock is beautiful and I'm seriously considering the illustrated edition.
It is indeed a haunting deck, great for Halloween time. I can almost feel and hear the water moving in the chariot and hermit cards and feel the smoke and flames from the lovers and high priestess cards. FANTASTIC choice of music 😱which really added to the theme of the deck. A first class combination👌🏽
i have the deck and after getting it, I got the book. In the book he does go into how the photo was developed and his thoughts about how the card represents his life. I'm glad I got the book and it wasn't such a hit to the budget as I purchased it later.
As a fellow photographer I pre-ordered as soon as I discovered this deck. Sadly I just can't use it... but the new 'illustrated edition' with digital art versions of his gorgeous photos looks fab. In fact once I rehome the 1st I'll get the second. And yes, the digital version of the companion book is worth the price. . The deck's origin story is interesting- done during lockdown, expressing his experience dealing with night terrors (not just nightmares). Shot with hand-made props, along the shore of Long Island NY.
I bought the deck & book a few weeks ago. I absolutely love the deck. For me there is none like it, yet it still holds to the RW system. The book I would highly recommend. It is really insightful, to the point of me reaching for it when using the decks for readings, which I don't usually do with books with the way I read Tarot. The book is also so well made and a large size true quality. The guidebook is a perfect companion for the deck in my opinion!
I am so pleased that you managed to get this deck, shame you couldn’t have spent longer in Watkins though. Every time I go there I always think of that first time that we met outside there, I also feel like I have known you a lifetime too which is lovely 🥰 I so want to get the Illustrated version of this deck now too! 😍❤️
Hey there is an ebook for the deck and for me it was perfect. There is not a ton of information in but he does explain the scenes and gives context to what the image is showing. It is a small book and I’m not sure it would be worth how much the physical copy would cost but the ebook is affordable and you wouldn’t have to pay for shipping.
I saw you picked this up and I’m so glad you did. Originally it spooked me but now I pair it with something else to soften it a bit. I paired it with Shining Tribe this morning.
I bought the PDF version of the book. I've gotten a lot from reading intuitively but the book has added a lot - for example It points out the lemniscate between the pails in the 10 of cups. And even if i read the card differently, i appreciate knowing the context.
Since I live in America I do have both the deck and the book. I even got the tshirts with death and two of swords 🤭. I ordered everything directly from his website. Definitely for introspection and shadow type of reads. Holds up to heavy shuffling too. It’s so different and yet familiar since it is RWS based. That’s really helpful when trying to understand yourself from a different perspective. Really enjoy that the images are photographs and the amount of effort that went into each card. Pretty remarkable and special deck.
Amazing deck. For some reason, maybe the flames, I was reminded of the album cover of Pink Floyd's, Wish You Were Here. The Chariot card was interesting, gave it a sense of struggle.
After watching your earlier video I wasn't surprised when this popped up😉(I'd love to visit Watkins). Had already seen some images from Somnia and really appreciated this walk through, it appeals to me. Also had a look at the illustrated version but wasn't too taken by it... can't afford it anyway😂!
As soon as I saw you pick this up I was waiting for a review. This deck gives me so many feels. I will definitely be getting it. I'm saving for Glastonbury in September but I want this now 😂 Thank-you for sharing with us Simon. What an amazing deck xxx
@the_hermits_cave Thank-you. I cant wait. Its been so long since I've been able to get there. We're staying at the George and pilgrim too. I'll be thinking of all the cavers while I'm there xxx
It is gorgeous and even though I’ve not picked it up yet I’m defo encouraging you to buy the guidebook to balance that I will soon spend £65 on a fountain pen thanks to you 😂
Beautiful Deck! I pulled my deck out to follow your walk through. I haven’t read with it yet. I think I will do a three card pull with it today. Oh I didn’t purchase the guide book.But maybe after I watch a few walk throughs with guide book 🤔🤔
I've been in a bit of a lurking slash hermit state these past few months but I have been enjoying your videos as usual ☺ I actually considered getting the Somnia Tarot for the first time only a few days ago, and now I've been seeing it (and the illustrated version) popping up in several videos 😅 So maybe it's a sign I should get it?! 😏 Haha we'll see but either way thanks for sharing! 😉😊
I just received the Illustrated edition. It comes with a little book that is a much tinier version of the big book, but the same text as far as I can tell. So IF you are going to get the Illustrated edition at all, hold off till then for the book being included. 😊
Thank you for a great walkthrough and I appreciate the art of the photography, there are a couple of images that I would buy as art. This is not a deck I would want at all. I find it depressing, a little like a Lars Von Trier Film great cast, excellent acting but essentially no redemption and energy is not vibing for me. Tbf Not as bad as a LVT film, It’s understandable as i hear it was made during lockdown and to work through/depict the night terrors of the creator but I’m not into the vibe it’s giving me. It’s a No for me. I think as a book with the images and writing on their experience would be interesting, I’d like to read that. Reading this as a deck? Interested to see how you get on Simon. 🙏🏼
What a shame your visit to Watkins was so brief! I visited there last summer for the first time and spent a couple of hours and could easily have stayed longer. As far as this deck goes, it's clearly good quality and has been very well executed, but I really don't get it.
Funny enough, I TOTALLY noticed you picked up Somnia in the video. I was in Portland over the weekend and went to look for SOMNIA (it's a Portland artist who did the deck) and last time I was in Portland I saw Somnia at one of the shops...but even there it's a bit of money, and I had already bought a couple others - they had the indie Bosche Tarot, and I wanted that one (Travis McHenry is ALSO a local PNW artist) ...I missed the shop by 4 minutes; it was closed. 😢 Ah well, next time. Maybe by then they'll have the book.
I bought the deck and the book. I am going to sell the deck and keep the book. On the screen, the images look large but in person, there is way too much border for me. I would love a borderless version. For now, the deck is going bye-bye. But I know I will enjoy looking at the book because the images are so much larger.
I did see you pick this up and I also noticed it was a really quick in and out visit lol 😆.. Not gonna lie, this deck is very triggering for me! The photography is stunning but them people all covered up in sheets, is actually really creepy for me.... 😁
@@the_hermits_cave like I see the artistic side to this deck, which is amazing, the card stock and all the details are curated to the max... but boy those images, with those faces covered by sheets and hair... dunno, just gets my shackles up. Agreed also that photographic decks and the personages therein depicted sometimes make it hard to read coz you get sidetracked by their features and stuff like that, but wow there is something really cultish about the imagery, I wanna say quasi Klu Klax Clannish for me... I kinda know that I may reading too much in it, but something in me is reacting strongly to whatever undercurrent these are bringing up for me... but I can say that there is a beauty in this artwork as well, don't get me wrong.
@@the_hermits_cave what?. Really well nxt yearcis my 60th so let's plan for that ..well in advance to suit you and Sandra..I'd love that..maybe we could include xmas fayes etc 😀
Hmm i feel it's actually a tiny bit less of a trigger now, compared to 2 years ago....but omg still scared😅 90 quid for a train ride.... Don't they do cheapo offers in your land Simon?? They do in NL. I've had some nice trips for the both of us where it had a stay at a hotel as well... Maybe UK railways don't do those?
@@the_hermits_caveI forgot to add, I have the book. It has the standard meanings of the cards, but he does give details about the process, objects, and images that he used to make the cards. It’s interesting to read about but not necessary for understanding the cards. It’s a much better book than the Pagan Otherworlds book (to give you an idea)
