Women's Wheel is a personal and community enrichment oracle deck and tool kit designed by the Heart Temple and Chain Assembly. These tools unmask the feminine archetypes and inspire women by engaging awareness of their cyclical nature.
Our project is based upon 28 Feminine-Centric Archetypes that tie into the seasonal growth of all women. These archetypes are illustrated on the oracle card set and are represented in the wheel printed on the cloth. Within that overall seasonal wheel, there are seven paths that can trace a woman’s growth from one archetype to another within the wheel.
As each archetype exists within both a Shadow and a Light manifestation, we are including an enamel coin to represent this duality. As an additional symbol of growth, our set includes four seeds- each tied to a season and used for exploring the randomness of the wheel as they are thrown.
Lastly, and the main element of this pledge, is the book, which details each archetype and how it interacts with its sisters/daughters/mothers, how it grows and how it evolves, as well as tons of activities that aid in self-reflection, sisterhood, and communal exploration. The theories present within this project exist as both a tool for self-help and for strengthening the bonds within your sisterhood.
To offer our project at multiple price points, we have four levels: the book in digital and physical forms, the core set, and an option for the Limited Edition collection at a discount. There is also an option for wholesalers that will allow volume discounts on multiple copies of the book or core set.
For those who don’t want to deal with shipping or just want to dip their toes into the practice.
1x Digital Download of the manual in PDF and/or ePub formats
This option comes with the book that explores the archetypes, their place in the world, and the seasons they explore. Includes a digital download of the book.
1x 100-page manual defining the theory, archetypes, interactions, activities, and practice behind the Women’s Wheel
1x Digital Download of the manual
The core set lets you take your Women's Wheel practice outside of the theory described in the included book and into a physical practice that you can use to explore your community engagement more closely. This box set includes all of the items that are part of our theory behind the Women’s Wheel. The $62 price point consists of the following items:
28x Oracle-Sized card set of the archetype cards in a custom tuck box
1x 100-page manual defining the theory, archetypes, interactions, activities, and practice behind the Women’s Wheel
1x Silk fabric print of the Women’s Wheel archetype map
1x Double-sided enamel metal coin
1x Custom-designed box
1x Digital Download of the Women's Wheel Book
This set includes a tuck box and 28 Oracle-sized cards. They are 89mm x 146mm (3.5" x 5.75") in size and 350gsm thick. The cards have a matt varnish finish on them and feature printing on both sides.
This cloth features a full-color dye-sublimated print of the Women's Wheel. The silk-like polyester fabric is 200gsm thick and has hemmed edges for added durability.
This metal medallion features 6 colors inlaid with hard enamel on both sides. It is 45mm in diameter (1.77 inches) and 5mm thick (0.197 Inches).
Want to go even further in your exploration of the Women's Wheel? This $111 set adds upon the Core Set with the following items:
4x Randomly selected 4”x6” Archetype postcard prints
1x Randomly selected 8”x10” signed random archetype print
2x Archetype icon Sticker sheets
1x Custom Journal
1x 18"x18" Signed Poster
Please note that all of the above items are also available as add-ons, although selecting this option grants you a discount of 48% off the add-ons if selected individually. You can learn more about these specific items in the "Add-Ons" section.
Would you like to carry the Women’s Wheel in your store? Select this option and your $150 pledge will be applied to an order of at least 10 units (any combination of Core Sets and/or Books) purchased at a volume discount of 40% off of MSRP. We’ll reach out to you individually to coordinate shipping and the payment of the remaining balance.
In addition to the Core Set ($62 value), you also become a member of the Women's Wheel Group.
This 4-month membership to the “Women’s Wheel Group: Cycling as a Revolutionary Woman” is led and facilitated by Melissa Elizabeth over Zoom every other week beginning after folks have received their sponsored set. These bi-weekly groups will dive deeper into discussing each of the archetypes and their shadow aspects, fostering new patterns and healthy belief systems to realize the healthy, vibrant, and connected individual you came to be.
Each of these add-ons are designed with the intent of deeper exploration of the Women's Wheel philosophies and extending our relationship to the illustrations. If you are looking for an All-In pledge, check out the contents of the Deluxe Set. If you want to pick and choose which items to include in your pledge, then this list of add-ons is for you.
$22
Want an additional copy of our book? Have a group of women that you want to join you on your journey? Great as gifts! Please note that one book is also included in the Book (Phywical), Core Set, and Deluxe Set.
$10
These postcards are 4”x6,” 18-pt paper with a soft-touch coating on the front. Each order receives four randomly-selected archetypes, one for each season.
Please note that this item is also included in the Deluxe Set.
$15
This print is made with archival-quality luster paper and is signed by the artist, Nick Ribera.
Please note that this item is also included in the Deluxe Set.
$10
These two sheets feature the iconography of the 28 archetypes in both light and dark configurations, resulting in 56 total stickers. These can be used during journaling exercises or just for fun. The sheet measures 8”x10.”
Please note that this item is also included in the Deluxe Set.
$20
This A5-sized journal is similar to a traditional mole-skin journal but is made with vegan leather and features the Women’s Wheel art printed and embossed on the cover, along with gilded edges and a dot pattern on each page.
Please note that this item is also included in the Deluxe Set.
$40
This 18”x18” full-color poster features the same art on the silk spread that is included in the Core set. It is signed by both Melissa Elizabeth and Nick Ribera of the Heart Temple and Chain Assembly, respectively. Please note that this item is also included in the Deluxe Set.
$111
Limit to 5
This individualized session will connect you with Ellie Vates over a webcam or phone and will allow you to explore what is holding you back from fully embodying your feminine wisdom. If you feel like there are some unseen forces of nature that are inhibiting the best version of your life to unfold, then this 1:1 session is for you. You’ll get straight to the heart of your matter and unlock a doorway to a new way of being.
$111
Limit to 5
This individualized session will connect you with Nick Ribera over a webcam or phone and he will walk you through the process of turning your tarot deck idea into a reality. He will consult on finding printers, collecting leads, launching your funding campaign, and selling your tarot deck beyond Kickstarter.
Once we reach and hopefully surpass our initial funding goal, we have an array of plans to utilize those additional pledges to beautify this project in many ways. With your help- by sharing our project to social media and by extending your pledges, we'll continually inch closer to making this the best project we can. The funding levels for these stretch goals will be revealed after the first day of the Crowdfunding project.
Our estimates are based on one month of finalizing the designs, one month of production, one month of shipping, and one month of buffer. As these items arrive from the various factories, we will assemble them ourselves and store them at the Fulfillment Lab, our shipping partner.
We’ve worked with the Tampa-based warehouse and fulfillment partner for 10+ previous SKUs and trust their speed and shipping. While the core and deluxe sets will be coming from them, we may ship out some of the add-ons ourselves to ensure consistency of package sizes.
Additionally, you’ll notice that your pledge to this campaign does NOT include shipping.
Because of its volatility and our lead time in this project, shipping will be charged at a later date. Once your items are ready to be shipped, you will be given a coupon code where you can repurchase your items at a 100% discount from our online store- leaving only the cost of shipping remaining.
This allows us to have the most accurate weight-based shipping rates as well as put the onus on you to enter your address correctly.
Once the coupon code and instructions have been sent to you, you will have 90 days to complete your order before we consider your pledge a donation to the campaign (thank you).
While we’ve already finished 80% of the project design, paying the manufacturers still remains. We intend for this project to be as premium as possible, and a successful Crowdfunding campaign promises that. Aside from production costs, BackerKit allows small projects like this to exist. Without it, no traditional publisher would ever touch a project like this.
More than that, BackerKit is also an incredible marketing tool. Throughout our previous 17 successful Kickstarter campaigns, we’ve grown our brands further than we ever could on our own with targeted ads on Facebook. If you ever have any questions about running your own crowdfunding campaign, feel free to reach out. We’d love to share what we’ve learned.
Anyone who has run a Crowdfunding campaign knows the following- it will start strong, end strong, and have a depressing lull in the middle. A way to help with this is to make sure your funding goal is hit as soon as possible. Backers are unlikely to pledge to a project that isn’t funded, so a strong start will put me on the best path to a stronger middle, and an explosive finish.
This project was formed after Melissa was introduced to Nick. Not only was there a lot of creative force that propelled their first conversation, it soon led to an initial podcast recording and now this Women’s Wheel project.
Nick, under his publishing name Chain Assembly, had just finished creating his third Tarot Deck and was looking to develop a more in-depth project. His college thesis was based on the writing of Joseph Campbell, so this project seemed like a perfect fit. Working will Melissa allowed him to focus on the art and product design and let an expert in her field tackle the theory.
Please note that until production is completed, none of the mockups on this page are final.
Disclosure:
As I have written it, you will see women/feminine/folks used interchangeably and in some cases men/masculine/folks used interchangeably for the sake of understanding the context of energetic polarities and in some cases specifically the qualities that are unique to folks who menstruate (or someone cycling on birth control, who may not bleed). I seek to honor all experiences and gender expression. The context of this book is intended to enhance the understanding specifically around feminine energetics and the biology of a menstruating person (past, present or future), for those wanting to receive it. If this content interests you, always approach with a sense of curiosity. Ask yourself, is there any truth to this for me? Be honest with yourself and honor that. This is where you get to develop your own intuition. Take what applies for you and leave the rest. You are ultimately the expert of your own body and this book is intended to be a tool for inquiry that adds more understanding of the biological and energetic nuances as they change through time for pre/current/post cycling folks. The only constant here is change.
Invoked in 2015, the Heart Temple organization was initiated by Melissa "Ellie" Mascaro to foster healing, freedom, connection and empowerment for individuals much like herself and her late mother. Ellie is an adult child of a mother who suffered her whole life the effects of childhood abuse that went unresolved, which led to her mother’s mental illness, addiction and later suicide. Two decades through her own healing and nearly a decade into her career, Ellie continues to serve the community as a Reiki Master, Massage Therapist, Somatic Educator, and Ministress ordained by The Sentient Temple. She is a speaker and facilitator of transformation for individuals, couples and women’s groups. Her ongoing mission is to support folks to resolve ancestral trauma, transmute old patterns and outdated beliefs in order to lead a life feeling empowered, full of joy, pleasure and connection. She believes we can resolve world problems, by healing ourselves, becoming channels of the God/Goddess within. In her leisure time, you can find her tending her garden, snuggling with fur babies, eating good food or sailing with her Beloved.
Created In 2016, the Chain Assembly brand was originally developed as a vehicle for commissioned illustrations and designs by Nick Ribera. It soon evolved into a collection of more elaborate tarot and game productions. When not working on his art, you’ll find Nick in St. Petersburg, Florida training for disc golf tournaments or playing with his wife and three dogs.
