The Devas of Creation – the deck

Review by Jennifer Uzzell (summarised from the review on Aeclectic.net)
I first encountered the Devas of Creation at a workshop with the author and artist, Cilla Conway. She had laid the cards out in a spiral with ‘the void’ at the centre, and the images made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
I saw at once that they are intended to represent creation; the explosion of pure consciousness and potential into time and space, which strongly resonates with me through my interest in Eastern spirituality and, in particular, Kashmiri Shaivite Hinduism where Shiva represents absolute undifferentiated consciousness (The Void) while his consort Parvati represents the extension of that potential into the manifested universe.
I was therefore delighted to find that this idea, rather than being just my own personal reaction, was shared by the author. Her name for the cards, ‘The Devas of Creation’ is a reflection of the Sanskrit names given to semi-divine beings, meaning ‘the shining ones’.
This is not a tarot deck but a set of 72 oracular cards, divided into two sections, one representing pure energy – elemental beings of immense power and presence – and the other depicting the physical universe, from the cosmos itself down to the level of cells and quantum particles, before reverting to the void. The other section is devoted to the ‘devas’ themselves. The unmanifested energies are named as they appeared to the author. Some identify themselves by names (such as Uriel) whereas others remain more mysterious (such as the enigmatic ‘Witness’).
The colours are bright and dramatic and the art is nearly, but not quite abstract in many cases. The humanoid figures are there, but only just, dimly perceived. For me, the abstract dimension allows the images to speak directly to the emotional and intuitive mind rather than the rational. They suggest ideas, connections and emotions, which can change day-to-day.
The book that accompanies the cards suggests associations that the author has encountered in working with the cards, but space is given for the user to note down their own experiences and encounters and to develop for themselves a dynamic relationship with the beings depicted.
I use the cards in meditation and contemplation, although they can also be used for personal readings. Research into some of the cards that I felt a particular connection to opened up new levels of meaning that I had not previously considered.
I am not a regular tarot user but the immediate emotional impact the ‘Devas of Creation’ had on me attracted me to them and for personal meditation and in daily spiritual practise I find them to be very useful… always drawing me deeper in.

Jennifer Uzzell is a Druid with a strong interest in Hindu and Buddhist spirituality. She is currently studying for a PhD in the Study of Religion with Durham University and co-owns a rather unusual funeral home with her partner.

I don’t normally post comments from people who buy the deck, but Tilia’s feedback somehow resonated with me so I asked her if I could post it. (She said yes.)
‘just to let you know that my Devas arrived safely last Thursday. I wanted to write back sooner, but then I’ve decided to let my impressions settle. As soon as I flipped through the cards I was stunned by their beauty and eloquence. Not that I didn’t know what to expect, but the art itself and the reproduction on the cards is far more beautiful then I’d expected. In the last week it’s been my sole deck I was working with and it brought me some new angles on a situation I’m in. Pretty clever those Devas. It found me in a perfect moment of life. 
Thank you Cilla for 72 inspiring pieces of the purest art.
With love, Tilia
Thank you, Tilia – your comments somehow cover all the aspects of the Devas that I feel are most important!