Jamie Sawyer’s Pocket of Peers Tarot Deck is, quite frankly, a masterpiece. For those not in the “tarot know” Jamie created this 80-card deck of her tarot peers and teachers and crowd-funding the printing of the deck and guidebook.
The extra cards feature two tarot pioneers (and goddesses!) Mary K Greer and Rachel Pollack whose books are on most tarot reader’s shelves. There’s also The Study card which encourages the pursuit of knowledge.
The cards themselves are printed on heavy stock that takes some work to shuffle but will not wear out. The yellow edge around the cards looks like pollen and is very cheerful and unique. The pattern on the back of the cards reminds me of the positive aspects of tarot, the dark, and the shadows within the deck. I’m not sure if that’s what Jamie had in mind, but that’s what I think about when I look at it. I’m a very tactile person, and I like to smell and touch my cards, and these cards live up to my standards. The feel of the cards is a bit stiff, and it takes some work to shuffle, but the smooth, matte finish helps the cards glide in your hands.
With a deck like this, the guidebook must be good and make you feel included and not like you’re a part of someone’s an inside joke or that you must be part of the “it” tarot crowd. This deck delivers on both fronts. The beginning is, as Jamie notes, laid out like a yearbook and lists each person with their cards and their various social media handles or websites. This approachable layout is beneficial as you try to figure out who everyone is. One thing I liked most about the guidebook is the page for notes that accompanies each card. When I was learning tarot, my teacher made me a binder with each card printed on a piece of paper and a space for notes on the back of the page. It helped me learn, and I still reference now when I need more information.
Pocket of Peers is a beautiful deck showcasing each person in their true element with Rider-Waite Smith symbolism thrown in for good measure. I have a few friends featured in this deck and I expect them to show up and glare at me in my readings when the time comes. This is not a deck I plan to use for parties or gatherings, but rather one I’ll use for my own private readings. I do plan to bring it to NEWTS next year and get as many autographs as I can.
The deck was funded via a Kickstarter campaign and has been shipped to the backers. The deck itself will be available later this summer (2021) on Jamie’s website. I recommend this deck to those active in the tarot community or drawn to the beautiful artwork.