The Tarot Tarts

October 2026 Decks

October 15th, 2026

I don’t know about other Tarot enthusiasts out there but I start October deck planning in, say, JUNE, and I never end up keeping the decks I think I’m wanting to use! But, needless to say, in peak spooky season I’m stoked to work with my favorite Halloween/Samhain decks and it takes a bit of force to make myself use newer decks that aren’t just the veterans of my shelves.

I had to at least include my beloved Silver Acorn Tarot with several new decks. I have already explored the Four Courts Tarot in an earlier monthly decks this year, but I loved it so much I needed its whimsical colors and fantastical creatures this month as well. I’ve had the Tarot of Famous Witches since spring and it’s such a spit-fire deck that I’ve been waiting to use it in earnest until this month. Though the Kickstarter was REALLY late in delivery, it was worth the wait and extra shipping; it’s a gorgeous deck with serious attitude which makes it fun to use. The Wild Providence Oracle Deck was kinda an unexpected win for me as I’m not a huge oracle buff but this one really scratched a witchy itch, you’ll see. And then the Elegy of Black Lichen Tarot. This was a deck I was super hesitant to back on KS as it gives me uneasy feelings. I so far though really liking using it! It kinda reminds me of an apathetic True Black Tarot in that it’s really eerie, but it also doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a really interesting deck, but certainly not for everyone.

Sides: The Wild Providence Oracle Deck. Top Row: Tarot of Famous Witches (Major and Minor Arcana), Silver Acorn Tarot. Bottom Row: Four Courts Tarot, Elegy of Black Lichen Tarot (Standard Edition) Appropriately spooky backs.

Some oracles are deep, introspective, in possession of absolute TOMES of a guide book (ahem, looking at you Renais Tarot), and then there are others that are just straight shooters. This one you don’t really need the guide book for, but it’s a nice little edition anyways. The two cards for this month are “Moon Bathing” and the “Gift of Hades.” Moon Bathing, an ancient practice which I think has a lot of modern takes in various pagan and other religious contexts, is recognizing our inner sensuality and practice self-kindness. Each person has much to be proud of but we are pressured to ignore these accomplishments of ours–now is a good time to recognize my own. The Gift of Hades is a reference to how Hades “tricked” Persephone into eating pomegranate seeds thus securing her yearly return to the underworld (winter). This classic memento-mori (remember you must die) image asks us to recognize that the things that are most precious to us are the ones that will fade into cycles of life and death. We must carpe our diem (apparently we’re practicing Latin today) to feel fulfilled in life, which is such a complimentary card to the Moon Bathing sentiment. Okay, take time to feel in yourself and care for your self and enjoy the things that matter in life.

The Tarot of Famous Witches has this funny hybrid vibe of the RWS and Marseille systems. It feels very punk. Of course, the Silver Acorn is just to-die-for cute so it’s kinda a funny pairing with the two of them. This Eight of Cups (which, much to my chagrin, actually has NINE cups in the picture!) with the cups in the lady of the lake’s hair seem rather tangled up–emotions are tangled and you want to get away from them. Perhaps with the nine cups it seems on the outside like you got everything you could wish for when in reality you really gotta get your ducks, er, cups, in a row. In rides our cheerful romantic Knight of Cups! Ah ha, we have a new alighted passion with the Ace of Wands! As if you didn’t have too many cups already that you’re looking to de-tangle from, you now have this romantic figure bringing with them the flame of passion. So, with our self care and seizing the day we have some emotional complications that an outside party seems to either interrupt or somehow shift how we are feeling them from wanting to escape to wanting to grab that wand. Hmm…

The Four Courts gave me two pentacles in this draw. The 8 and the 9 reversed. And then the Black Lichen doled out the Page of Swords reversed. This Eight of Pentacles is a very traditional RWS take on skilled labor and hard work. There is a challenging moment ahead that’s going to take effort and concentration and put your abilities to the test. Something that really keeps drawing me to this deck is the incredible facial expressions of the characters–this fairy seems pretty annoyed and pissed off! When have I done enough already?!? The Page of Swords reversed typically to me is “putting the cart before the horse” or thinking ahead of yourself too quickly and not pacing yourself. Then we have a 9 of Pentacles in reverse—I feel like my success is fragile. Perhaps this is a warning to not get too ahead of myself, to slow down and think things through carefully, to go back to my foundations and make sure I’m doing things the right way. Together, though it feels like a slog, hard work takes significant time to yield the results we want, so don’t try to rush things even if you’re feeling totally done with a situation.

Geez, this month is a see-saw of feelings for sure! That’s probably why there is the flanking oracles reminding to be present in myself and practice self love and self gratitude and live in the moment. Both the Eight of Cups and the Eight of Pentacles stacked on one another suggest a frustration and an action needing to be taken. Then we have the charming Knight of Cups busting in on the scene with his romantic whimsy, and the Page of Swords letting their head get ahead (hehe) of themselves. We finish with a powerful spark and a tentative contentment, but there seems to be a warning that more work is needed! There is diligence (oh where is the Knight of Pentacles when I need him?) that is required to push through our temporary happiness and to grow that spark.

Just for fun and practice, the runes came out. This month I dropped them on the cards and realized I need to use my little rune stones to prevent denting my cards!

The Fehu rune, representing “wealth” much in the sense of the pentacles suit as in worldly materials, community clout, fertility, creative energy and generosity, dropped dead on the Moon Bathing card. There is much for me to gain by taking care of myself this month and I’ll see payback for the efforts I put into it as well. I like that!

Nauthiz, one of the runes I have a great deal of difficulty understanding, fell on both the Ace of Wands and the Nine of Pentacles reversed. It could perhaps be simplified as a rune of “need”, but it speaks of having to endure hardships. It’s the patience and resilience and the struggle towards a goal. It’s the hard motivators we have to face in life. While this really isn’t the kind of thing I want to see in a draw, it does verify that my “ends” with the Ace of Wands and the Nine of Pentacles do need work and they are only the start of the process. *sigh*

Well, how about YOU lovely readers? What decks do you like using for October? What has your cards been saying this month?
September 2026 Decks

September 20th, 2026

Top: Sublime Thresholds Tarot, Sublime Thresholds Oracle. Bottom: Great Lakes Tarot, Horses Tarot, The Lantern a New England Folk Oracle 1: By Land

Hello! Happy September and welcome to the start of spooky season! We are finally getting some much needed rain in my neck of the woods, and I’m enjoying taking the cozy day to write and play with Tarot decks. It’s gonna be a weird month of deck choices for me. Sometimes I end up with a bunch of decks that I really want to include in a monthly deck series, but I struggle to place them in a theme, or they simply don’t pair well with other decks I have in my collection. I have several at the end of this summer that I’ve been wanting to focus on but can’t seem to fit anywhere, and I decided that it was well past time to get them into intensive use! As I started reading with them, a theme I saw emerge was “decks with a sense of place,” or in other words, they do an excellent job at transporting you into a specific world–but all of these worlds are drastically different! It’s like reading multiple fantasy books at the same time; you get a bit of world-building whiplash.

You can kinda tell already by the backs that we have several “spaces” that these decks inhabit!

I’m slowly but surely warming up to Oracles. Up until this year I’ve really felt like I’ve had to force myself to use my pretty Oracle decks but now I actively have started to reach for them. It has taken me years to feel comfortable using them and I’m starting to appreciate the more free form they offer a reading. I choose to have two oracles this month, the partner oracle to the Thresholds Tarot and the first Oracle of The Lantern Oracle duo, 1: By Land.

The Lantern gave me the sweet and lovely woodpecker. We have several species where I live but I am most partial to the little downy woodpecker which this image reminds me of (if you’ve been reading for a while you may have put together I love birds and am a sucker for bird decks, I do not deny it). I agree with the keywords opportunity, diligence, attention, but would like to add persistence, and the concept of believing in your observations. There’s something really hopeful about downy woodpeckers; they stick around through the harsh winters where I live only because they fully believe in their ability to get the nutrients they need even if no one else can see it. Maybe there is something coming to me, or there is something that I require, and I only need to trust my gut and use my persistence to pursue it.

The card from the Sublime Thresholds Oracle I drew is Demeter. Demeter is a goddess of the harvest (nourishment) but in this painting she has lost her daughter to Hades. The crops wither and die in her grief and there is fall and winter. Immediately I think of natural cycles, but also searching, loss, waiting for the metaphorical Spring, and the ability to persist tough times. Together this seems a clear image of yes things are hard, yes you may feel loss and disconnect and wondering if it will get any better, but you have the natural skills to make it through the difficult times.

I’m not used to Oracle cards giving such a clear upfront picture! But the Tarot still gotta have their say:

The absolutely hilarious Horses Tarot (I’m not inclined to give early reviews of decks, but this one may be the exemption to the rule), we see a man riding a horse off into the clouds (of delusion?) and reaching out to a giant ethereal hand. By itself I definitely see this Seven of Cups as a wishful thinking card at best! I’d ask myself what delusions have lead to the Demeter card of loss, but INSTEAD I look onward to the next card–

From the Sublime Thresholds Tarot I drew the beautiful 10 of Pentacles. Here is a hand from above reaching to a hand below! What?!? My “fanciful” thinking isn’t nearly as insubstantial as I think! Using that woodpecker’s innate knowledge I suppose. I love this 10 of Pentacles–is the garland being given upwards or downwards? We are helping each other. What is it that I’m reaching for that I only need to ask to receive? How can I “help myself” get what I’m searching for? Being a 10 card also indicates a happy and fruitful home, the ultimate fulfillment of the pentacles suite which in these tough times I’m totally here for!

Then the Great Lakes Tarot gave me a Monarda punctata (Spotted Horsemint or Spotted Bee Balm). I’m glad that most of the plants in this deck are easy for me to identify because I DO NOT have a guide book! This is a native plant of central North America that is not only great for a variety of locations and you’ll often see in the wild, and is incredibly beneficial for the pollinators, it also is a very popular garden native that makes beautiful fragrant blooms. It is often one of the first native plants a person might be brave enough to include in their home garden. As an ace of wands I see it representing the first step to starting something new, something that I’m passionate about.

If I follow the “story” thus far there is something that seems nebulous and at first glance outrageous that I’m reaching for but when I simply ask I’m being given the first steps to take! It’s a sign of hope and validation that what I seek isn’t a totally crazy idea.

And just for fun this month I drew a few rune coins to see what I’d get. Please be patient as my rune reading is still a undeveloped skill! (If y’all have any good literature you’d recommend for me to get good at runes please do let me know!)

The first rune is Dagaz, a new dawn so to speak (one thing I love about the Wonderland rune coins is the images that accompany the runes help me remember the meanings!). It speaks of enlightenment, awareness, a breakthrough, completion, stepping forth into a new part of life, renewal (Demeter), hope, optimism and positive change, usually with personal growth. I see this rune as a combo of the Judgement and World card in the Tarot.

The second rune is Kenaz, which I’ve heard referred to as “torch” (ahem, Ace of Wands, anyone?). This is the rune of the hearth, the creative well source, craftsmanship, illumination, play, art, inspiration, enlightenment. Something that will light your path ahead.

These runes seem to speak of moving forth bravely in a new and exciting direction!

Together this reading for September is truly positive! It starts out by acknowledging the hard times that are being endured but it makes a suggestion that what I seek is easily within reach and I only need to take the initiative to grasp it! There’s serious growth that will be happening for me this month.

What about you? How has spooky season started for you?
Deck Review: The Fyodor Pavlov Tarot

September 18th, 2026

Mass Market on left, indie on right. Indie acquired 2021, mass market 2022

*Obligatory Nudity Warning

Overall: 10/10 In my humble opinion, the Fyodor Pavlov is THE BEST strictly RWS deck in my collection. I do not like using the traditional RWS and Fyodor Pavlov Tarot is the deck I reach for instead, which means it gets a lot of mileage on it and I do actually use both of these decks regularly. The mass market is a deck I use to draw cards at the beginning of the year for a month by month set-aside readings, and the indie stays on the shelf ready to be called into action. Of course, what makes the Pavlov so wonderful (its inclusivity and candid artwork) is what would most likely to turn some people off of the deck; but, realistically these people are not reading my posts anyways. However, it should be noted that this is not a deck that I necessarily will bring to a group of strangers for doing readings. Friends, all the time. All of my Tarot friends have this deck now. But reading for strangers, not so much any more. I hope that one day that might change and this can be in my bag wherever I go.

It was NO easy task to obtain a copy of the indie deck after it became available post-Kickstarter fulfillment. I am so grateful that they came out with a mass market because it is just too good to be a hard-to-acquire deck. I had to get a US Games copy just because I love this deck so stinking much. The mass market does not disappoint at all, and honestly unless you are just a hardcore collector there’s no need to get the indie version.

Of all my decks the indie Fyodor Pavlov Tarot is by far the most quick to respond to a question (it starts leaping out as the question is still forming–I read primarily with jumpers so this initially was quite frustrating) and the quickest to call you on your shit. I didn’t like the amount of cards that came out (twice) during a reading, and each time I reshuffle to do a redraw, the deck spat out the Seven of Swords. So now I take whatever it sends out my way and try to humor the idea of gratitude. The mass market has a gold gilding on the edges that keeps the cards a bit more under control but I don’t find it any less sharp of a reader nor any less poignant. Perhaps it feels a little less quick to judge though!

Please note about a third of the mass market deck (with the gold edges) is not present in this picture, it’s currently in use. The decks are about the same thickness.

Card Quality: 4/5

Mass market on the top row. Indie on the bottom.

Independent Version: Okay, so, real tea; the printing on the cards is NOT stellar–there are visible lines where the original printing wavered in ink along the background and for whatever reason they reproduced these lines. And…the cards KINDA smell bad at first; I’m guessing this was lingering ink smell and has since dissipated since opening, thank goodness. That being said, the material the cards are made of is out. of. this. world. I have many decks with a matte linen finish but this deck feels like NOTHING I own; the cards are slippery, and ultra-bendy and happy to jump all day long and yet they’re matte and smooth and pleasing to the eye and the colors are SUPER saturated, and delightfully vintage, so I’m considering the line bungle a quirky feature and not a bug. Also, I KINDA want red edges. I may have to edge them in a dark red myself. The indie version is slightly taller and narrower than the US Games.

The lines. How they bug me. MM on the left, indie on the right–you can see the indie has a slightly cooler hue.

Mass Market: It bugs me that the printing errors in the lines of the cards were NOT fixed when US Games released this deck! They still retained the linen finish but it isn’t nearly as slippery. The colors are a bit lighter so the line problem isn’t as visible. The edges are gilded with a pleasant gold and it isn’t irritating in hand at all to me.

Readability: 5/5 As easy as any RWS out there. A person with zero Tarot experience can pick up this deck and use it as a learning deck. Since the images are modernized I’d argue that it speaks more clearly to my personal sensibilities and is easier to read with than a copy of the OG RWS. I know, cut out her heart! The book written by Pavlov is SUPER interesting and down to earth and sassy as hell too. You really can’t go wrong with this deck.

Usually one of my least favorite cards, I do love me an anatomically correct heart!

Art: 5/5 I first was attracted to the tattoo-inspired artwork. Its gorgeous. I love the look of classic tattoo art, and I loved the idea of them as a Tarot deck, but I hadn’t found a deck until this one that particularly spoke to me despite there being a bit of saturation of this type of deck on the market. Then I quickly became fascinated with the different sexual identities of the various card images and how some of the gender and age and ethnicity roles flipped in the deck (hello Feminine Looking KNIGHTS I’M HERE FOR IT!) and then I was really taken by the sparse, brilliant use of colors (I’m still getting used to the wands as green, but the red swords make sense to me) and then–then I had to hunt down this deck. There is something really wonderfully freeing with all the various kinds of people being portrayed and its rather liberating for me, a heterosexual reader who ought to think more fluidly about her own inner feminine and masculine traits.

Favorite Card: I mean, The Knight of Swords, because of course, but there’s a BUNCH in this deck. All the knights are stellar. The Lovers is truly excellent. I really like the hot take on the Hermit. The booby-licious cannibalistic Empress is amazing. The Six of Cups is so darling and precious, the Ten of Pentacles is lovely.

Least Favorite Card: I don’t dislike ANY cards, but my least favorite is The Five of Swords, just because I’m not a huge fan of the traditional RWS card, but there isn’t anything WRONG with it.

Card I Identify As: The Knight of Wands

The deck Identifies me as: It likes to call me the Knight of Wands and the Empress (accurate).

Boxes it Checks: Diverse, RWS, LGTBQ+, Tattoo, minimalist, minimal colors

Similar Decks: The Starspinner Tarot, The Modern Love Tarot, the Bonfire Tarot, The Tattoo Tarot, The Eight Coins Tattoo Tarot, Next World Tarot, The Lost Hollow Tarot, The Numinous Tarot

Seasons: An all-seasoner!
August 2026 Decks

August 24th, 2026

Left to right, The Lighthouse in the Fog Tarot, Coastal Curiosities pocket edition, The Dreaming Waves Tarot (french edition), Folkloric Waters Tarot, The Dreaming Waves Oracle

It’s been a while since I did a monthly theme of an elemental energy. Probably the element and corresponding minor arcana that I struggle with the most is the moody, emotional water/cups energies. Touchy-feely stuff can be hard for me, and Tarot is often a window I can use to connect with my own emotions. Luckily I LOVE water themed Tarot decks, so I have plenty to build a solid monthly selection from! I have used The Lighthouse in the Fog extensively and it’s become a favorite deck of mine. Coastal Curiosities and The Dreaming Waves Oracle are also decks I’ve used quite a bit and I’m very comfortable with, but the The Dreaming Waves Tarot (a unicorn deck for me I finally was able to find a used copy I could afford) and the absolutely gorgeous Folkloric Waters Tarot are both very new decks to me and I’ve really enjoyed using them this month.

I’ll admit, the Coastal Curiosities is the odd one out when it comes to back design in this selection!

When I was beginning my journey in learning how to read Tarot, I was always frightened by getting two dramatically different leaning cards together, such as this Three of Swords from The Healing Waves Tarot and the Ten of Water (Cups). These seem opposite vibes. When I draw the Three of Swords I think immediately of the heartbreak of knowing the truth. When I see the Ten of Cups I think of emotional fulfillment and equanimity.

Together I suppose can be read a multitude of different ways, so I dig deeper into the images. In the Three of Swords we see arrows piercing a shattered egg. This to me means that there is a dramatic sad ending to something that hadn’t even started. Then following, a beautiful ship confidently cuts out of a storm under a rainbow in this Ten of Cups–you’re emerging from a dark time into something great, even magical! As I read the three first, followed by the ten, together I see this as there is a horrible premature ending to something I’m very hopeful for, but I’m healing and going forth to an even better adventure. Where I’ll end up, I don’t know. Oft.

The Lighthouse in the Fog gave me two cards for this month, the Nine of Wands and XXI The World. Unlike the rather juxtaposed first two cards, this one is much more typical in a reading–stick to your guns and you’ll get everything you wanted and the conclusion you seek. But this deck is not at all a typical RWS with the imagery chosen. Our Nine of Wands character almost looks a clown with wide, scared eyes as they gaze at something we cannot see. You feel unqualified for the task and it frightens you. Then in The World, we see an embodiment of the ocean as a goddess-like image holding a bubble in her hands that encompasses a ballerina with faint wings. I see this as being in the flow of the universe and having it “give you wings;” let everything around you support you as you go forth and fly. Together, I read this as though you are frightened, know you are rocking it and on the right track.

The Healing Waves Oracle gave me my favorite card that I haven’t ever drawn before: The Whale’s Song. It speaks practically to how a whale’s song not only travels for a very long distance and time, but how much it tells about that whale. This cards speaks to our ancestors, our family, our past, how these have shaped us, but also and the ripple effect our actions have on the world around us that keep going. It speaks to opening lines of communication with others, even those we haven’t seen for a long time. There’s an interesting “action–effect” at play in this reading so far.

The Coastal Curiosities Produced the “Nurture” and “Submerge” card. Both of these speak to living in the moment and caring for yourself. Nurture is fairly direct (which I love about this oracle deck) about taking care of your (and your loved ones) immediate needs and how this is an act of kindness. Submerge is a little more about self discovery, learning as a way to heal, being resourceful in what you have.

These three together have a heavy emphasis on self care but through a road of letting things that have been put into motion happen naturally.

This month has challenges that are heartbreaking and scary, but there is reassurance that I’m on the right track and things are going to turn out in ways I cannot imagine! There seems a reminder to stay grounded in myself care and keeping those important in my life close. Hmm, I do have to say that thus far it has been a very challenging month! How has your August been so far? What have your cards been saying?
July 2026 Decks

July 17th, 2026

Clockwise from the top: Fractals of Nature Oracle, Renais Tarot, Dream of Nile second edition, The Citadel Deck, The Jolanda Witch Tarot

*Nudity warning in the cards ahead

It’s time again for a month of focus study on the Thoth system! Last time I did a Thoth intensive month I delved into some pretty intensive reading decks (as in, I actually had to read the companion books in earnest). Since then I’ve become less scared of the system and found a few Thoth decks that felt a little more, well, interesting to me! Both the very feminine Jolanda Witch and the Dream Nile Tarots feel accessible without coming across as “water-down Thoth” for a RWS reader.

My goal this month is to start using the Thoth system more intuitively, though both of these decks have excellent guidebooks that I will be using. Along with these Tarot decks I wanted to pair them with some oracle decks that, like the Thoth system, at first glance look simple but are layered and complex. The Citadel is probably my favorite Oracle I own, and the Renais and Fractals of Nature are relatively new to my collection but feel appropriate pairings for the Tarot decks (the three of them also look grand together as you’ll see).

I saw and used the Jolanda Witch Tarot nearly a year ago before purchasing recently, and I was really taken with how well it reads. I typically think of Thoth as very fiery and aggressive decks, but there’s something extremely earthy and grounded with the feminist tilt of Jolanda that really makes her an exceptional deck to use and I’ve been absolutely in love with it this month. I drew the middle card first, then the left and right so that is how I’ll read this.

One of the hard things in reading Tarot is how deeply personal things are often stirred by the images on cards. It’s part of the magic, I think. I know a lot of Tarot readers in the public sphere take the leap and make generalized readings for their audience, but I like to share my own readings so folks can watch how I structure the thought process (maybe this is useful, I know I like it when readers do that for me). The problem with sharing your personal readings is, well, it’s personal! I’m going to take a leap here and share that this 21 The Universe is quite meaningful for me as it reminds me of a dream I had about ten years ago, of swimming in space with humpback whales. It was a wonderful dream and a tranquil, freeing feeling. This was during an intense time in my life when I was leaving an incredibly abusive relationship and this dream helped me look forward to being free from that harm. So when this was my first card, I sat up an listened! Here I see a personal integration with the world, both physical and spiritual. Giving and taking in measure. Freedom in radical acceptance. Things working out. Alright.

Following that I drew this incredibly meditative Four of Swords, which has they key word “Truce.” An old man is floating under a starry dome supported by the four swords (sharp points embedded in the ground)–reflect before action. Is he a monk or a sword’s master? Now is the time to think and plan.

Thirdly I drew 0 The Fool and what a brave, if oblivious, Fool it is! Off they go into the world, content with their pipe and oud strapped on their back. Who knows who is a friend or who is an enemy; they have no expectations but are totally capable of entertaining themselves! I also get some pie-piper vibes from this card–the fool being their authentic selves draws all sorts to them, a highly charismatic individual.

I see these three cards as indicating that I’m in the “flow” of the world at large, I’m thinking ahead and if I stay true to myself I’m able to overcome anything. Lets see with the rest of the draw if it turns out this positive!

The Dream Nile is just a beautiful deck and it feels so balanced and calming, though having used it this past week it is a bit of a heavy handed reader and does feel strongly Thoth. Starting in the middle again we have the 7 of Air (Swords, or I guess in this case spears). Immediately I see an ascent into the light, but also a confusing ascent from the dark, or decent into the dark. I see the need to discern truth in a confusing, tense situation. There might be purposeful deceit at hand, but there is only the slim stave that divides the truth from the lie. In my mind, I think “its always darkest before the dawn” and the idea that one needs to endure discomfort before you see results. We also see a moon lighting the arch, but then there are stars which also bring light though you may not immediately notice.

II The Priestess came after, and Isis is just gorgeous isn’t she? Again, the sickle moon motif. There is deep intuition at play, listening to one’s inner wisdom, paying attention to symbols and dreams. Snakes and lotuses, images of healing and spiritual knowledge adorn her.

And then I drew the 6 of Water (Cups). A basic concept we all learn as children is sharing is caring. You share, I share, we share together in community. Together we are better than alone. I have things I can give and things I am in need of, now is a time to build those mutual bonds with others and reinforce that bond with the people already in my circle who I think of fondly.

The three together I read as: There is a challenge ahead and it’s outcome is balanced on the edge of a knife–it may seem as if there isn’t a difference but there is–only careful discernment can see the outcome. Use your inner intuition and the personal connections you’ve made to help guide you!

It was at this point I was wondering if I just shouldn’t have stuck to the two Tarot decks this month.

Well, the Renais “Tarot” out of Cocorinna studio in Greece is a delightful historic Tarocchi style deck that doesn’t follow any of the modern “Tarot” standards but adheres to Renaissance philosophical ideas. I’ve used this deck only a little and I am still puzzling out how to best use it in my own practice, but I adore the historic illustrations. Right away I see that the woman is playing her hand pipe which looks very similar to the Fool’s and she also has additional instruments at her disposal (like the Fool!). This immediately makes me think of utilizing my own arts and being resourceful with the skills I have at hand. Seeing as she has a beautiful swan with her (and I think of the Fool’s plethora of critters in their vicinity) I am getting the sense of taking pleasure in the work at hand and doing it with friends (ah-hem, 6 of Water). The variety of instruments makes me think of trying different things, see what sticks, enjoy the exploration.

To the left of Music is The Citadel’s Wise One. Such a title suggests time tested methods, but I love the picture of a hand plucking at a plant which is different that the others. This makes me think choosing the right remedy for the ailment or trouble. Reflection before action again.

To the right is VII (7) from the Fractals of Nature. This is another deck that I really am intrigued by the concept of yet I am unsure of how to use it in my practice. The accompanying text around the edge of the card says “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the end in safety, but to live in fullness along the way.” I like how the accompanying guide book alternatively puts it: “There are time when caution feels like wisdom, and times when it quietly narrows the world.” Hmm, there seems to be a theme here in the whole draw juxtaposing wisdom with the Fool’s energy of Carpe Diem.

Lets look at the whole draw together. In the right column we have the Four of Swords (Truce), The Wise One, and II The Priestess, so a strong sense of using one’s inner mind and self to make judgements. The right column we have The Fool, “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the end in safety, but to live in fullness along the way,” and the 6 of Water (Cups), which seems to ask acting in the now, against perhaps the “safe” path forward to aid our relations and provide a giving, reciprocal environment. Then our middle column we have The Universe, Music, and 7 of Air (Swords). We are in the flow of the world right now, we feel the rhythms of the world and we can see what things really are. Now that is a deep reading for a month! There is much work ahead to do!

How about you? How do you like to read your Thoth? Do you follow strict structure rules or are you a more intuitive reader? What are your rhythms in the universe right now?
Deck Review: The Blood Moon Tarot

July 10th, 2026

The Uninhibited Deck, Indie (out of print) acquired 2021, Mass Market Edition acquired 2026

*Mild nudity warning and mild disturbing images in the cards ahead

Tarot has been incredibly popular the past few years, and it has, at least in recent history, had a habit of flowing in an out of the mainstream culture. There seems to be a correlation between Tarot popularity and social, political, and world uncertainty and upheaval. In a very simplistic way this makes sense; Tarot can be used as a “means” to predict the future for an individual, thus making them feel empowered in a world that is in flux and lacks stability. Of course, Tarot can also be used as a tool of self reflection, a study of the mind and culture, an experiment in the esoteric, as well as a “poor man” art collection (I want to heavily emphasize the quote marks as Tarot decks are far from cheap), and many other purposes.

Top in red is the mass-market, black with the borders in the indie version

Overall: 9.5/10 I am of the personal opinion that several Tarot decks will define the 2020’s decade and the Blood Moon is one of them. I was thrilled to see it launch into mass market as its one of those decks that everyone ought to have access too even if the deck isn’t necessarily for everyone.

Sometimes the art in Tarot asks you to use your mind and really think, but this deck asks you to use your body. For me, this is the deck I pull out when I need to feel something, perhaps things that I cannot understand. It reminds me a lot of the concept of embodied imagination/dream work. This is a raw, visceral deck. This deck will haunt you, and yet I find it impossible to have the cards image memorized. Every time I use this deck there is something new I find. In many ways I feel like this deck is like an accessible variation of the Mary-El, though it is not nearly as explicit nor cold hearted nor as concerned with being esoteric as the Mary-El.

If you feel particularly connected to mother nature on a primal level, I feel like this deck really would speak to you. Its equal parts sensual, joyous, and terrifying. Everything seems exaggerated and magnified and the cards have much to say, so I can see if you’re new to tarot this might feel a bit overwhelming.

Card Quality: Indie 4/5 The cards out of the box stuck horribly together and even felt a bit gritty, and worse of all WERE OUT OF ORDER (so so much stress), but after a through shuffle and reordering, they function beautifully. They are a semi-matte finish with heavy gilded edges that easily glide over one another, and handle very well even though they feel stiff. They also smell so damn good! The box is gorgeous too, but I’m not counting any points towards it.

Mass Market 5/5 When I have two editions of the same deck I rarely plug one edition over the other, but the Mass Market is a clear winner between these two as the cards are borderless and bigger and you can see MUCH more of the image than in the Indie editions. The soft red edging on the MM is lovely in the hand and I prefer the thinner linen ultra flex cards even though I don’t believe they have a core. I will say, the color in the MM on the linen does appear a wee bit more muted as is common on linen cardstock.

Readability: 3/5 To me this is a solid intermediate edging into advanced deck that demands intuition and a really solid grasp on the 78 card structure of a standard Tarot from the Fool’s journey through the majors to the progression of the numbered minors and a good grasp of the courts’ role. The Indie version lacks a significant guidebook (unless you fork out a hefty sum for the big art book) while the mass market has nearly the same book included in the kit. The minor’s are not the traditional “wands/cups/swords/coins” but rather “skins/songs/dreams/honey,” but it’s always been intuitive to me which suit they refer to. The meanings of individual cards does mirror the RWS system loosely, BUT the sensibility is quite a bit removed from your standard RWS clone. The cards are much more focused on primal drives rather than strictly the human experience, so this took me quite a while of using the deck before I started to “get” it. There also isn’t a silver lining–the swords becoming a suit of “dreams” and fear, really shook me and still takes me aback at times and I just love it!

Some favorites

Art: 5/5 The art work speaks for itself. The meaning of the cards is so intrinsically linked with the general “feel” of the deck’s system that it’s hard to speak about the Art and Readability separately. The art is stunning–I feel like a very rich art collector with this deck. The artist did not shy away from making the viewer uncomfortable though, and in many ways The Blood Moon reminds me of the Mary-El Tarot, though I feel the Blood Moon is kinder and a little less personal. One of my most FAVORITE THINGS about this deck is the inclusiveness of the people seen in the art. It feels natural and not forced like in some other decks. The backs are absolutely stellar and I’m glad the MM didn’t change the design. I had a feeling when I first acquired this nearly unknown deck that it was destined to become a cult-classic and I think I was right in my guess. I cannot decide if this is a fantasy deck, and earthy deck or a sci-fi deck–it’s something of all of these.

Favorite Card: I like all of the cards, but this deck has to have the best Fool I’ve ever seen. I also love the suit of Songs and Dreams.

Least Favorite Card: It took me many years to feel comfortable with the pentacles with the little sprouts growing out of the character’s mouths! I find them charming now but, man, it took me a while!

Card I Identify As: The Fool

The deck Identifies me as: The Chariot

Boxes it Checks: Earthy, embodied, dreams, pagan, fantasy, sci-fi, witchy, sensual, primal, dark, nature

Similar Deck: The Mary-El Tarot, The Witches’ Wisdom Tarot, Ask The Witch Tarot, The Lubanko Tarot, The White Fly Tarot, Tarot of the Silicon Dawn, The WTNV Hayworth Tarot, R.Black Tarot, The White Numen Tarot (there’s some similar vibes and concepts between these two decks)

Season: Early Fall with warmth and color
June 2026 Decks

June 2nd, 2026

Summer Tarot, The Botan Tarot (2nt edition), Great Lakes Oracle, Trail of Mind Tarot, Peter Rabbit Tarot

After a fiery May deck selection, I started to feel nostalgic and wanting to slow down a little. It probably doesn’t help that the world feels unstable and in flux right now, so I’m craving something reliable, light hearted, and fun. Schools are finishing their season and kids are ready for summer vacation. Schools Out for Summer! is my theme this June and I picked decks that hearken back to the feelings of my youth when I absolutely LIVED for summer vacation!

The Summer Tarot is reminiscent of a slice of life anime, and I am doing this deck a bit of disservice because when it is read with a multi-card spread, it does really give the impression of being a manga! It’s a very sweet, modern, uncomplicated, loosely RWS deck that really is very underrated in the Tarot community. The Botan Tarot (Botan, or 牡丹, is the Japanese word for peony), while somewhat similar in “style” to the Summer Tarot, is rather serious, a bit in the weeds, somewhat prickly, and drop dead gorgeous. June is rose and peony season where I live and I feel as if this deck exemplifies my two most favorite flowers I look forward to all year, even as a kid. Growing up, my family spent a significant part of the summer on a lake, and the Great Lakes Oracle is perfect for my favorite place in the world! The quirky Trail of Mind Tarot is an art style that looks like old 8-bit video game images and as a kid I often played my Game Boy when I couldn’t be outside. I wish my old Game Boy Color (yes I’m dating myself here, leave me alone) had such beautiful images as this deck! And finally, I was raised on Beatrix Potter, which perhaps explains my irrational love of British Isles literature. I’m not one to get franchise based tarot decks, but this is an exception to my general rule as its so whimsical and cute!

The Magician and Temperance! This Magician is clearly an artist–he has many varied ideas and he is capturing them into reality! From the practical to the nonsensical, he doesn’t care, all creative thoughts deserve attention from him. He is in his flow zone, letting all the creativity come out and making it real so he can look and interact with it.

Temperance has been haunting me since last winter and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Interestingly, the Magician has his back to Temperance who also has her back to him. She sits on the shore of a calm dark sea and holds a black bowl and a white bowl. This makes me think of the yin-yang, a balance. She is totally unhurried unlike the frantic Magician. Are these two supposed to be two sides of the same coin, or does this Temperance need to temper the Magician? Is it a warning that though there seems an endless creative potential it must be measured and paced?

Aw! The Great Lakes Oracle gave me the lovely Forget-Me-Nots card. A card of recalling, remembrance, nostalgia, memory, endurance. Temperance is looking at this, keeping my creativity seated in my memory and nostalgia.

*Sigh* Y’all ever ask your Tarot deck a question, like for example, “What should I balance in my life?” and then it tells you “Balance.” Thanks Tarot. I love the Trail of Mind Tarot’s rendition of Temperance as a shishi odoshi fountain. What flows in, flows out. What goes up must come down. As above so below. Patience, rhythm, peace. With the Forget-Me-Nots flanked by two Temperances I get the sense that I should carefully use what I remember and know–not everything in the past was totally good nor was it totally bad. Remember both in equal portion.

Then we end with dear squirrel Nutkin and his friend working on a project together in the Three of Pentacles from The Peter Rabbit Tarot. I’ll need assistance with a project if I wish to build it up. Paired with Temperance I see this as while I need to dedicate time working with others I need to balance that with other aspects of life, like peaceful solitude watching a shishi odoshi, or enjoying the pleasures of life.

All together, I see this a month of grounding myself in the realities of the past, and harnessing this into creative endeavors, dividing my energy into personal projects and community work with others. A lovely June indeed!

What does your month look like? Do you like to slow life down a little in the early summer?
Deck Review/Inquiry: (The) Sola Busca Tarot

May 20th, 2026

Trigger warning: very unflattering nudity and disturbing images ahead. You have been warned.

Lo Scarabeo Sola Busca Museum Quality edition (acquired 2021) alongside the book The Game of Saturn

So. I considered not reviewing this deck. I suspect many Tarot enthusiasts have some edition of this deck in their collection and do not talk about it probably for the same reason as I am hesitant to write about it in a public sphere. I am by no means equipped to speak about this deck with any authority as I neither have the education nor research background to attempt to summarize such a historically significant deck that has perplexed countless people and clearly had such a profound affect on legendary Tarot artists, like Pamela Cole Smith. But. I do think that this deck is not talked about enough. What I can share is my personal experiences owning and using and falling down rabbit holes with this deck, and some musings I have in general about the importance of historical artifacts like the Sola Busca. I won’t be “scoring” this deck like normal, other than the production quality, as this deck has more than proven its worth as a social artifact in the Tarot and historical community.

3 of Swords (look familiar?), 8 of Batons, Queen of Cups

Overall: I think this deck is an incredible object because, I personally believe, it sums up the Tarot. It is strange, it is an amalgamation of imagined esoteric images from a past world, and wrapped in (for it’s time) contemporary references while also completely undermining the establishment. And it’s clearly making an attempt to pass knowledge about profound truths into the future. It has a specific niche audience that seems to be of the occult “in group,” though at it’s core it is a card game, but clearly due to the effort of the artist, it is also a representation of how humans understand life in 78 condensed, critical images. It is sacred, it is profane. And, many people try to explain it but no one really knows what is going on. In other words, it’s completely unhinged and baffling and so, so intriguing which is what I believe Tarot, at the end of the day, is.

While there isn’t concrete proof that Pamela Cole Smith saw the Sola Busca Tarot on display in a museum, we know pictures of it were at a museum near her at the time the Rider-Waite Tarot deck was created and it is generally agreed upon that the Sola Busca was a muse for Smith. I would also argue that this deck affected decks throughout history, as you can see The Fool here is an image most related to the classic Marseilles Tarot which came almost 200 years after the Sola Busca. The 10 of Swords looks a whole lot like the Rider Waite 10 of Wands, the 6 of Coins (er, shields?) looks a whole lot like the 8 of Pentacles, and the 3 of Batons as well as the 3 of Swords seen above look very much like the RWS 3 of Swords, don’t they?

I don’t have a particular laundry list of Tarot pet peeves like many collectors and Tarot enthusiasts tend to have, but I do have one thing that really gets under my skin. It has nothing to do with decks actually but rather a purposeful misinformation in Tarot literature. There are SEVERAL well known books about Tarot that I have purchased (as they are the books everyone reads), but there is a critical statement that makes me put the book down, scan the back of the book for any reference marker for the Sola Busca, and ultimately has lead me to giving the books away without further reading. And that common lie in the tarot community, typically is along the lines of “The minor arcane ‘pip’ cards were not fully illustrated until (more modern date associated with a particular Tarot artist who illustrated the pips).”

These two “pips” look pretty darn fully illustrated to me. The surviving example of the complete Sola Busca deck was finished around 1491. That’s not actually that long after the Tarot craze hit Italy earlier in the 15th century. But the reality is, after countless historians have researched this deck, it’s card “meanings” and purpose largely elude us even though its clear that this deck is truly steeped in the esoteric, occult references of its day. What really gets me is when these same books which seem to not give attribution to the Sola Busca, also tend to mention later in their text that Pamela Cole Smith likely SAW photos of the Sola Busca on display at a museum which explains the similarities of much of her art (like the fully illustrated pips) with this deck. I find this infuriating.

Do these not feel like cards you’d draw out of Ussi’s Pagan Otherworlds Tarot?

Card Quality: 2.5/5 Perhaps one day I’ll invest in a higher quality version of this deck. They’re okay, glossy, thin, flexible. Prone to chipping. Slightly wider than a standard Tarot and quite a bit taller, these cards feel big in my small hands but not completely unmanageable. The colors on the card are fantastic and do feel “original,” though I’m sure much work has been done to reproduce the images of the museum specimens to an incredibly high standard. The speckled backs feel rather lackluster when given the startling images, but it seems these are the actual backs to the cards, so points for historical correctness.

For anyone who has never looked into the Sola Busca before, it is notable in its extremely pagan, alchemic, and heretical imagery in the cards, which at the time were typically illustrated with Renaissance Roman-Catholic imagery.

My understanding is the historic Sola Busca is a complete deck of colored 78 cards; the Sola Busca was a deck made with etched metal plates, and later painted. These cards look exactly like I’d expect cards made this way to look.

It’s beautiful…

It’s uncomfortably ugly and shocking…

It is gratuitously violent…

Readability: Oh Boy/5. Imagine making a Tarot deck for your friends that is comprised of memes, but these memes that have taken on specific meaning to just you and your friends. But also, you and your friends probably are in a weird cult of memes and you do some really odd and not socially acceptable stuff on Friday nights. Oh and you and your friends are probably fabulously wealthy and have a lot of political clout. Now image someone 535 years later finds your deck and has decided they are going to do a Tarot reading with it. That’s what it’s like trying to read with the Sola Busca.

The book that comes along with the deck is…almost practically useless. Peter Adams in his book The Game of Saturn attempts to tackle the Sola Busca card references. He has some pretty solid historical evidence for many cards, and also make some conjectures, some guesses, and frankly I think he must’ve gone mad in his research (I would’ve) because there some pretty wild conspiracy theories in this dense book. I have slogged through the whole book (which took me several years). It’s one of those things where the more you learn the more you understand how little you know. I certainly cannot say that I “get” this deck, but rather I have come to have an appreciation how Tarot links art, history, literature, politics, culture, and our deep personal understanding of the world, together. Is The Game of Saturn book worth getting? If you are like me and so enamored with the Sola Busca and are willing to read some of the most off-the-charts weird, and dry, history, then yes it is. If you want to be able to “read” with the deck, then you might want to save your money. Or maybe not. Here is a great review of the book: https://www.thequeenssword.com/the-game-of-saturn-decoding-the-sola-busca-tarocchi-review/

An excerpt of Fiore dei Liberi’s grappling with the sword techniques from his 1409 fight manual Fior di Battaglia, juxtaposed with Sola Buscas 1491 Ace of Swords.

Art: There is almost nothing that can compare with the Sola Busca’s historic art as it clearly inspired many other Tarot decks, and it seems to be the first of its kind. It’s difficult for me to relate to it, as I don’t know the characters inside and out and I am not a part of that culture, but all characters are incredibly human feeling, even more so than many modern decks with “perfect” people. There’s also a density of the images in the cards and its easy to really get lost in the sauce of what is happening, who is named, why is this happening, etc. That being said, I really enjoy looking at this deck compared to other examples of art from that time. Above and below are some images from a copy of a historic fight manual and you can see the consistencies with the Tarot imagery as well!

This card (The Knight of Swords) gets me. At face value it looks like the hairy Knight is protecting his exposed quarter (the back, rear left) as one would practically do when fighting from the saddle. But. His strong hand should be under the cross of the sword, but we see he is actually left handed, then we look again and see that it isn’t clear which quarter he is defending, or perhaps he is about to deal a rather ham-fisted blow to something in front of him, but THEN we see he has no reins! Nor a saddle. It’s not a great idea to ride into a fight with no reins, nor to be wielding a weapon two-handed from the saddle, and THEN we notice that the sword scabbard is on the left which means he’s right handed and isn’t holding the sword as we expect and THEN you go look at the other knights and they too don’t have riding tack and you are left wondering why, as knights and their livery would have been well known and understood by the artist so what do they mean about it, and frankly this is how the whole deck behaves.

Favorite Card: It changes, but this King of Cups really makes me feel like the person is gazing out at me and I wonder if its a portrait of the artist.

Boxes it Checks: Renaissance, Historic, Occult, Graphic, Alchemical, Pagan

Similar Decks: Any of the historic Italian decks that are reproduced on the market, Alchemical based decks, decks that have a niche in-group with deep historic lore; the Nemeth Tarot comes to mind, Terra Volatile, Tarot des Ambiguïtés
May 2026 Decks

May 12th, 2026

Far right deck is Botanica: Full Bloom, which is a Tarot with an additional oracle mixed in.

May this year really started off with a BANG! Not only did the full flower moon land on Beltane/Mayday, but we will also have a blue moon at the end of this month as well. In that spirit, I chose decks this month that have serious chutzpah! I know it’s not exactly the deep theme I typically search for (kidding, kidding) but I felt the need to get decks out that have BIG personalities and bold artwork. You might recognize a couple, but largely these are decks I’ve used very little of so it will be a learning month for me! Also, in all honesty, I should perhaps call this the month of great guidebooks as all these decks have superb guidebooks, even the LWBs!

The oracle in the center, Mystic, Augur & Sage, is relatively under-represented in this blog as I reach for it very often. I’m honestly not a huge fan of oracles in general as I struggle with lack of structure, but this one is a gem in my collection.

From this deck I drew 22: The Tree of Life. To me this gives strong, Grandmother Willow/Hierophant vibes. There’s a troll or goblin hiding in it’s roots, a crown of blooming flowers, and it holds a celtic style coin with three running critters. When I see this image I think of the interconnection of everything, from abstract ideas to the physical realm of nature to even humdrum economics. The books speaks to ascending spiritually from being grounded in reality. It speaks to cycles of nature and rest and growth and seeking enlightenment.

Well, would you look at that. I normally do my monthly draw the night before the new month begins and I write it down in my notebook so when I have a free moment I take pictures and write up my notes for this blog. It was quite the surprise to see an actual Hierophant come out of the charming Four Courts Tarot, and even more so when it’s in another tree form. What about trees am I needing to learn from this month? I am planting several trees this month to replace my long gone apple trees, but there seems to be something important here. In this tree, I see a strong teacher, a sleeping knowledge that is old, old, old. What story or practice of old must I turn to this month?

And, to add to this theme, from the Botanica, I drew one of the oracle cards, and the final card of the deck, Anachronistic Fruits & Megafauna. “Everything good comes to an end, but there is still more on the other side,” says the key quote. Seasons and cycles again. This image features an extinct megafauna with some fruit from that time which we still have today thanks to luck and human cultivation. These ancient fruits relied on the megafauna to disperse, and many have gone extinct when the megafauna went extinct. These “anachronistic” fruits had their dispersal methods drastically interrupted, so had to do something new and innovative to survive. This is such an interesting card to pair with the two Hierophant-esque trees! What tradition of old needs to adapt to the new? Something good in my life is coming to an end, but I can take important things from this experience and apply learned knowledge and traditions to move forward to something new and good. Wow, this is really hitting some key notes for me after my challenging April month!

The Wonderstruck Tarot was a Kickstarter deck I backed at the very last minute and am I glad I did! This deck has a modern focus on femininity and strength in very mundane senses, but it packs a wallop! It has extremely colorful images overlaid with glittery foil but the art itself really steals the show. This may be my favorite 7 of Cups in my entire Tarot collection. She is grocery shopping, and there are an overwhelming amount of things to choose from but she has a limited budget–what is best for her needs and how can she tell? Not everything hold something worthwhile. What does your heart truly want? See things as they truly are, not how you wish them to be. The book, while simple, is perhaps one of my best Tarot guides I have.

And we end with the impressive and uniquely on-guard King of Swords from the incredible Bohemian Cats Theater Tarot out of Baba Studios. This King is a leader who sets aside his emotions to act rationally, justly, and fairly. He has high standards and is incredibly self disciplined and always uses rational thinking. He knows when to attack and when to defend and when to do nothing. His crown is also a helmet—he lets his accolades defend him. Unlike many traditional RWS King of Swords this one has his sword drawn and is ready! He isn’t afraid to get off his throne and do something! I have many choices in front of me right now, some of substance and some not so much. I need to channel my King of Swords to see the deep truth of these choices and use rational thinking to discern the reality of the situation and I need to not be afraid of taking action to move to the next step!

Together, there is a cycle coming to and end, things to be learned by those that have come before me in order to grow beyond this ending and ascend to the next stage of my life. Ahead there are so many different things! But I need to chose to have a clear head, integrity, and a willingness to act! I also see the King of Swords defending the Tree of Life—what profound connection and truth needs my defense? Woah, what a month! Anyone else’s cards say something similar for this May?
April 2026 Decks

April 21st, 2026

Clockwise from noon: Tarot Yokai: le voyage de l’ame et les espirits japonais, Seasonal Fox Day (bronze edition), Tarot from the World Behind the Veil, Oracle Lumi Air, Victorian Faery Tarot, Seasonal Fox Night (bronze edition)

April is consistently one of my most challenging months, and this one has been no exception. I also have always thought of April as a month of tricksters, probably because the weather where I live has a tendency to be swinging between extremes during this time–the flowers are starting to bloom but we still get snow! The sun is finally becoming intense but then we get days of showers. Its a roller coaster month. So I wanted to return to my roots and have a good old theme this month of tricksters. I’ve done it before many times but I always have great decks to use for this theme.

The two Seasonal Fox Tarots are old hats in this blog and I continue to adore them as the years pass. The Victorian Faery is also a deck that has popped up a couple times in my monthly decks, and though I often feel quite ambivilant about it, it does deliver good readings. Tarot from the World Behind the Veil is a new Kickstarter release from an artist I adore (she made the Yōkai Tarot, yet ANOTHER trickster-esque deck!) that I’m looking forward to using. And both Oracle Lumi Air and Yokai: le voyage de l’ame et les espirits japonais are both French decks I’m looking forward to really delving into!

We open up with the 1 Le Goupil, or The Fox. But, rather, the old french variation of Fox. His key words are Action, Energy, and Will. This gives me strong Magician vibes doesn’t he! We see the fox mid-pounce, we do not know the result of his action. This month is defined by the first step, the action of agency. Exerting ones self in the world.

Paired with le goupil we have II The High Priestess. She makes me think of Queen Titania, the fairy queen from A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Above her dangles a pomegranate, a throwback to Persephone’s story and a nod to natural cycles. She is marching away from us as if she does not know we look on, but she holds a book open to a page so we can see what is written. We now know what we need. The High Priestess usually is about inner intuition, knowing things innately and being in tune to the rhythms of cycles and nature.

(Fun note, the Magician in The World Behind the Veil is a fox man!)

Together I see this as having faith in one’s self, to think and to act accordingly. To know that there is no such thing as permanence and all things are constantly in flux and now is the time to take action with what we know. Trust my gut and if I have doubts, seek the written form and additional wisdom.

Wow! I pulled from from The Seasonal Fox Tarot Night the Fool Card with a rising sun. Then from the Day edition, the Sun card! I feel together these are a reiteration of the first two cards–do not fear striking out boldly on a new journey even if it seems on its face foolish and you are not sure of what will happen, you are heading in the right direction!

I then have two cards of tension ending my draw. From the Victorian Faery I have the Five of Winter/Swords—but this is an interesting Five of Swords isn’t it? This hedgehog is standing up to the fairies beating it, while the other goes on defensive mode. Certainly this is a card of “stand up for what is right even in the face of overwhelming adversity” but I also see that the hedgehog in the defensive position is not going to easily escape this situation. Use action rather than defensiveness.

The Tarot Yokai gave me The Moon card. This moon is sooo interesting to me. The story in the guide book is about Katsura Otoko, or literally the man in the moon. He is a handsome man that looks at those who gaze upon him and enchants them. The moon card speaks about trouble discerning truth from reality–here with the handsome man, it makes me think delusion, illusion, anxieties, a situation where the truth is hiding.

Together, I see as my action lead-journey being fraught with having to defend myself and also needing to see through illusion and seek truth. Lets take a larger look at the whole draw:

The Fool is juxtaposed with the Five of Swords–my leap into the next journey will not be appreciated by some and I should expect a reaction and possibly attack. The Sun is juxtaposed with the Moon–interesting! I think “illuminating that which is existing in the dark.” All together, April is a month of upheval, of taking action with what I know is truth, and working through the friction I will face when I take the first steps on this journey and shining a light into a place that has been hidden.

Active month! How about all of you? What did your April draw say?