The Tarot Tarts

Tarot Over Tea: #Dark Academia Tarot

January 12th, 2025

Obligatory warning: mild nudity in the cards.

This is a delightfully creative and excellent fall/winter Tarot tag developed by Tarot Geek on Tarotube (see original video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BKfUbLnVjM) that uses concepts from the Dark Academia aesthetic as themes to apply to our tarot decks. So, full disclosure, I actually really like the Dark Academia trends and I love me a new twist on “gothic” lifestyle, so I have been chomping at the bit to do this tag! BUT! I’ve been waiting for a specific deck to arrive because I SO BADLY wanted to include it in this list! I have it in hand, so now I get to have some fun!

1. Secret of the Library: The deck that captivates you with its mysteries and hidden depths.

Sola Busca Tarot

This deck continues to puzzle me even though I’ve had it for a very long time and I even was gifted a book about the deck to help me unravel it. It certainly is proof that esoterica is very much a product of its time and, like memes, probably makes a lot more sense to the person who was alive when it was first produced. I don’t really believe I’ll ever fully understand this deck, nor will I ever be proficient at reading with it. Nevertheless, I still regularly pull this deck from the shelf to ponder over it, or even attempt a reading for myself.

2. Inkwell and Quill: A deck that inspires you creatively, like the pages of an old leather-bound journal (your muse deck).

The Citadel Oracle and Tarot of the Abyss

Well, the prompt does say inkwell AND quill! I find these two decks drastically deviate from the typical tarot and oracle, but they also incite my imagination in a way no other decks do! And they do so in very different ways.

The Citadel Oracle is ultimately a deck of archetypes, but those you typically find in fantasy/medieval stories. I personally find this just a delightful way to think of archetypes, and it’s always a surprise to see the simple yet intriguing art on the cards. This deck really gives me space to interpret the name and role on the cards, and it pairs well with just about all of my decks in my collection, so it ends up being a bit of a workhorse.

The Tarot of the Abyss is in a way polar opposite in that it’s oddly specific in its complex card depictions. But, this deck really distills the emotional meaning of the tarot in a very potent sort of way that hits me in the feels every time I use it, even when I end up doing a rather “mundane” reading for myself! I always am left feeling like there is more to tarot that I’ll ever be able to learn after using this deck.

3. Eternal Autumn: A deck that captures the melancholy and beauty of fall, embodying the bittersweet nature of change.

Heartwood Tarot

The month of December was the first real stint of time I spent using this deck and it still feels very new and strange to me. That said, there is something so dream-like about this deck that sets it apart from other decks Three Trees has made. It is beautiful, like all their decks, but it’s very (aptly) haunting. I think “melancholy” is a perfect descriptor for Heartwood! And the nature of decay and change are apparent everywhere in every image. The feeling of entering darkness in the transition from fall to winter seems to be a central theme we see over and over again in these cards in a variety of different ways.

4. Philosophers Stone: A deck that aids in mental transformation.

The Terra Volatile Tarot

This was the deck I was waiting for. I held off purchasing this very strange, five-minor arcana deck (that is a blend of RWS, Thoth and Marseille systems!) for SOOOO long because I was really worried the standard size cards would be too small for my eyes to appreciate all the details. I JUMPED out of my chair when I saw the preorder for their large collector edition this past summer. Though it did not turn out to be what the creators hoped, I was still stoked to get a copy and let me tell you what, I’m so glad to have this (ridiculously) huge deck, and the wonderful companion book.

The creators of this deck, in case you are unfamiliar, are very inclusive of esoterica from around the world, so every time I draw a card and read the book I do feel like I’m learning and improving my tarot. The edition of a fifth minor arcana (Vessles, representing aether, or the spirit of self) also really makes me use my noggin when drawing from this deck!

5. Candlelight in the Shadows: A deck that is ideal for reading by candlelight late at night.

The Nameless One

So…I have a lot of decks I could slot into this category. And, I was determined not to pull out The Nameless One for this tag. But. Well, I can’t help myself. I am an insomniac, and I do read tarot at night when I can’t sleep (I actually do many of my readings when I can’t sleep), and I do more often than other decks, grab this deck if I wake up in the wee hours and can’t go back to sleep. I just love it’s versatility, it is straightforward, but you get SO MUCH from reading the book too. It very witchy without being “kitschy” and the art is beautiful and very natural feeling. I’m a little embarrassed I have all these other awesome decks, and I keep showing y’all this one.

6. Ghosts of the Past: A sentimental deck

The Bloody Tears Tarot

I was such a wanna-be-goth kid when I was in middle and high school! This deck would have been teen me’s perfect deck and I love it for that! It seems to encompass a gothic story in its images and there are various people who reappear in multiple cards over and over. The time and place are very fluid and undefined (could be anywhere from early medieval to early modern judging from the clothing), and the whole “story” is seems a bit fast and loose with the details, but I love it all the more because that’s how teen me would have made such a deck.

7. Scholarly pursuits: A tarot deck you use to study, learn, and gain a deeper comprehension of the cards.

The Mary El Tarot

This deck is so complex, beautiful, wild and in a league of its own. While I struggle with it, I still am determined to learn it and become a reader who can use it!

8. Moonlit Daydream: The deck that reminds you of forgotten fantasies that linger in your head at midnight.

Gothic Literature Tarot

I was a dumb dumb and passed this up on its Kickstarter campaign because I wanted to see all the cards. I liked what I saw, but I was being stubborn and wanted to see ALL THE MINORS. Mostly I remember passing on the The Literary Tarot Kickstarter a couple years ago and I felt like I dodged a bullet because it was a rocky production and I mostly don’t agree with the choices of books they put with many of the cards—what can I say, English was my undergrad. BUT! I do LOVE in this deck the character choices for the majors, and while the minors are rather simple, the major characters do reappear in the minors and I love the general ghosty spooky vibes this whole deck has. It is very romantic and dark and a little disturbing and I’m here for it.

9. Wuthering Heights: A deck that stirs intense emotions, like a gothic romance novel.

Bohemian Gothic Tarot

I mean, is there anything that needs to be said for this one? This contradictory deck has BIG feelings whether it be silly or sad.

10. The Ivy-Covered Tower: This deck evokes the spirit of your most beloved mentor.

The Woven Path Tarot

Perhaps my favorite college teachers was my Advanced Literary Studies professor. But his niche of studies was old English. And he had an unwavering passion for stories of all kinds, spoken in all voices. He perhaps was the reason that I made it through my rigorous degree path. He helped me remember why it is I love to write and read, and he also taught me how to think about and enjoy stories that I normally wouldn’t bother to read. This deck, with its multitude of artists and individual card stories reminds me of him and how he went about in the academic world.

11. Golden Sunset: Which deck reminds you of the last pleasures you get to endure during the summer’s waning hours? A liminal deck.

Golden Wheel Tarot

This deck is really a gem in the tarot world. It is so beautiful and has such strong end-of-harvest vibes that I sometimes find it difficult to use it in the winter because I am longing for the summer days after using a reading with it. It gives very distinct readings. The art is “folksy” and a bit historic, which hearkens to that feeling of a time gone past where life was simpler (of course, we know this is an illusion, but one we can still play pretend and enjoy). While this is a RWS deck, there does feel like there is a sort of depth and complexity in the art that brings it beyond a simple clone deck.

12. Whispers under the Oak Tree: Which deck makes you think of the timeless truths that lurk and hide in the depths of our souls?

Blood Moon Tarot

I could not help but immediately think of my beloved Blood Moon Tarot for this final prompt. Personally, this deck feels like it represents my (and human’s) base-nature. It is a very primitive-feeling sort of deck, and it does tend to read heavy-handedly. Every card’s emotions are amplified and the meanings seem to be reduced to their essential basic form. This isn’t exactly a “kind” deck, which, I tend to think of oak trees as “kind” in the way they support many organic forms of life, but this deck does not in any way mask the truth. Like an oak’s wood, there’s a hardness to it, but also a sort of timelessness.

Have you done this tag? Do you have a deck that feels like it falls beautifully into the Dark Academia trend?
December 2024 Decks

December 11th, 2024

Left to right, starting from bottom left corner: Anna.K Tarot indie second edition, The European Goddesses and Spirits Oracle Deck, Heartwood tarot, Förhäxa Tarot (aka The Enchanted Förhäxa Tarot), The Slavic Legends Tarot

Nudity and salaciousness portrayed in the cards ahead. So much for a G-rated Holidays draw!

This December I want to really slow down with my decks and focus on doing thoughtful readings. It is very dark, and a stuck-indoors time of year here, so I wanted that to be reflected in my deck choices. I’d say the theme of this month is “cozy and introspective,” perfect for the winter season! So, grab a warm cup of tea and hunker down for a looong winded reading!

The Anna.K Tarot, despite its huge feelings and emotions, is a very cozy deck to me! It is a straight shooter, uncomplicated, honest, and kind. If there was a deck that had “hobbits of the shire” feel, it’s totally this deck. I also get strong feelings of family and community from this deck which I think are on point with the holiday season.

European Goddesses and Spirits Oracle Deck is a bit of a wild-card choice I made for this month. I didn’t have a deck dedicated to Goddesses (seeing as it isn’t something I intentionally practice or utilize when I use Tarot), but I backed this on Kickstarter because I LOVED the art and I loved that the author made a full sized book covering myths about these Goddesses. For a month of slowing down, I figured it might be worth taking the time to learn about a few of them! Sadly, I am traveling and I forgot the big book, so I’ll have to rift off of the smaller guidebook that partners with the deck.

The newest deck from the fantastic Three Trees Tarot indie creators and publishers, the Heartwood Tarot is very moody compared to their other creations, and I haven’t had the opportunity to use it much. I’ve been waiting in anticipation to really dig into it! This deck definitely fits the “introspective” part of this month! It has a dark fairy tale vibe, almost haunted house (well, cottage) feel. Except, all the cards are from the point of view of the critters that live in the abandoned cottage! This is a very unusual deck in my collection.

The Förhäxa Tarot has been an old-faithful deck for me since it first came out. It definitely has some strong matriarchal vibes and an intuitiveness about nature that really draws me in. The art style is very different from anything I have in my collection so it does stand out as rather unique on my shelf. It’s very busy with a lot of imagery, so it isn’t an “easy” deck to just pull out willy-nilly, but the cards all leave a very strong impression! It is one of those rare decks that even though I’ve used it a lot, every time I mindlessly flip through the cards, I see something new and different. I do tend to pick this as a winter deck because the seasons are represented, but more importantly the bright colors are uplifting on grey days.

Did anyone read Jan Brett books as a child? I did, and I still have several of them. I bring them out for the holidays and page through them, and like magic they bring me back to being a kid on a cold winter’s evening looking at the beautifully illustrated images under the colored lights of the Christmas tree! The Slavic Legends Tarot deck reminds me of those beautifully illustrated books. Not only is the art folkloric and intricate and colorful and gorgeous, there is a story told with each image. Slavic Legends is the perfect deck when you want to really sit with an image and think about it!

Enough reminiscing, onward with the draw!

So, I drew this in a different order than I am going to read it. I drew an oracle first, then the Anna.K, two jumpers from the Slavic Legends, a card from Heartwood, and two jumpers from Förhäxa. Given what the oracle card is, I decided to read this in a wheel form (center, 12oclock and clockwise).

I knew when I drew The Norns that this was not going to be the monthly draw I was hoping for (but lets be real, are they ever?!?). The Norns are Nordic Goddesses who, similar the Greek three fates (Moirai), decide a person’s destiny and path in life. In a way, it’s a very fatalist point of view–the fates, or Norns, have total control over a person’s life so your individual “choices” have little to do with the outcome of a situation. The guidebooks key word is “Acceptance” or in other words, accept that there is a whole lot out of your control. Your situation isn’t necessarily a direct relation to your own actions. The way the art is done here (have I mentioned I absolutely DIG the art of this purple edged deck???) it also makes me think of the three cycles of women–Maiden, Mother, Crone–of the cycles of change, and the three graces (or, at least their foil!).

XV The Devil and the Five of Cups—OOFTDA! So, I almost always think of The Devil as control, or desire for control. Ah, makes sense following the Norns. To control ones destiny (which we are preemptively reminded we don’t have control over that), to control by manipulation others, to have control over getting one’s desires, etc. This particular Devil really seems to heavily lean into the excess of desires with lots of lust going on; lust for others, for wealth, for food and drink, for battle, yeesh. I think these actions are misguided attempts to control one’s life, but ultimately become lack of control when done in excess, which in turn can lead to addiction. Interestingly, there’s actually a lot of people in this orgy of desires card, usually The Devil is portrayed with three figures in a card.

And followed up by the beautiful but pensive Five of Cups. I have to admit, I get some Star energy out of this Five of Cups! I love how the Maiden seems to have a gown made of moss that is growing out of the forest floor! She’s stuck in her wallowing! How long has she sat here mourning the loss of her cups? I also like how though the maiden has lost three out of her five cups, the reflection of the cups in the water make it appear like the loss is far worse than it actually is in reality. I can’t help but wonder if she disentangled her gown from the forest floor if she could just, you know, wade into the pond to get her cups? Maybe because they are filled with swamp water she doesn’t want them any more, I dunno.

Taken together, I’d say that so far this is a warning that excess on one’s part can lead to a loss on another’s. This can be one person (or persons) lusting and taking too much and a different individual loosing out (and perhaps blaming themselves when it was out of their hands) OR this could be read as a self reflection; I have taken excessively in one part of my own life, and now I feel loss in the other, or if not loss, a lack of wholeness and feeling like I’m missing out. The feeding of the lust doesn’t fulfill the soul. The loss is real but also part of an illusion–it is made out, or felt, to be greater than it actually is, and perhaps I am lingering in the loss too much and not being proactive enough. The relation between the Devil and the Five of Cups might not be apparent given how we have a determined fate seen in The Norns. Or perhaps this rise from the high in The Devil and fall into the Five of Cups is predestined? Lets keep looking:

Ooooh! Two Tens, the Ten of Fire (Wands) and the X Wheel of Fortune. I could not help but at this point in my drawing of the cards think of a cycle, hence the desire to have this read in wheel-fashion. With the XV and the 5 we had twenty, and now twenty again which brings about thoughts of Judgement–how are these two situations judged? How are they both related to Judgement? Hmm….

This fairy in the Ten of Fire is (according to the delightful book) saving dragon’s eggs. It clearly is a thankless chore, and it is an active card! The fairy looks over-burdened, tired, and we are unsure if they can get back up. It seems like dire straights, with volcanoes in the background, burning dragon eggs, and too much in the basket all at once! But I remember in the five of cups, how the water makes the cups and loss greater than it actually is. What can this fairy do? Will they solider on, give up, or something else? Must they bear this burden all on their own? What will you do when your feet are to the fire? At least we have some movement and action after the immovable, lamenting Five of Cups. What is your end goal with this toil? Does your work and suffering define you as a person?

X Wheel of Fortune: this is a very passive and quiet Wheel of Fortune. It is perhaps a good reminder that things change, even with no one to see, while mice sleep. Change is the only sure thing in the world. Is there Karmatic destiny after all the struggles in the first cards? Or is life just a teeter-totter of ups and downs? What change will happen?

I’d also like to take a moment and compare the XV The Devil to it’s opposite card, 10 Wheel of Fortune: The actions in The Devil are short lived and unsustainable in the long term. Change will happen no matter what! That for sure is a safe bet if one is considering that all is predetermined and out of ones hands! Also, if we take the fifteen from the devil plus the five of the Cups minus the ten of the Fire and minus the ten of the wheel we land at 0, or the Fool, the beginning, much like the clock striking midnight or 00:00 in the Wheel of Fortune card. Perhaps this is a marker of starting over?

So now I’m thinking of the path I tend to take when I myself succumb to my own inner Devil: self pity, followed by throwing myself into my work excessively as if this will be my penance for my shortcoming! But there is change, what happens?

What a beautiful Two of Water! I love this take on the Two of Cups; with true authentic relationships there is little that can’t be done. Though these mermaids’ seem to flow from different sources and they are pulled in two different directions, they still can make a real connection and celebrate the beauty in life! They can share the same lovely pond in harmony and not be in competition for its resources. How can I cultivate my sense of space to ensure everyone has enough? (As juxtaposed with the excessive Devil?)? How can I cultivate my relationship with others to ensure security for all?

And with the lovely Six of Coins I feel as if we’ve come full circle to the Devil. Rather than spending our wealth on desires, we are now giving it to others in need, or conversely, receiving wealth when we feel we have nothing. The winter landscape is beautiful but barren–there is nothing to be had, and the man has nothing to offer, but a queenly lady in an ornate house thinks nothing of giving. How do we combat lust and greed? Perhaps to give without expectation–without a direct idea of investment but rather as a means to change (perhaps to create safe space for all to exist like in the Two of Water). There is something here that does catch my attention–they lady gives but it seems to affect her not at all with all her wealth. Again, we go back to the “actual vs perceived loss” and I should ask myself how much have I actually lost? How much does one really need to live a good life? How do I see myself in this card as the giver and what can I give to others? How do I see myself as the beggar? What do I need others to give me for me to feel satisfied and fulfilled?

Seeing as my goal this month is to be more thoughtful in my readings, lets go ahead and go the extra mile and compare the cards on the left and right edges. The Six of Coins we can compared to the Five of Cups, maybe we can think of it as generosity vs sorrow. Well, we know sorrow doesn’t “solve” generosity, but being generous can help heal sorrow (especially self pity). Then we have Two of Water and Ten of Fire–harmony with others vs an arduous solo task. Asking for the help of others (which is seen in both the Two of Water AND the Six of Coins) can relieve the burden of trying to do a difficult task by one’s self. Where in my life do I need to ask others for their assistance? This vulnerability and honesty can cultivate secure relations with others.

Well, I guess this draw came closer to A Christmas Carol than I had intended! Perhaps one way to read the whole spread is the realization of actual wealth vs perceived wealth. When you are in possession of actual wealth it is easier to give rather than take. Rather than describing wealth as something that fulfills desires, instead we can think of it as the ability to better our world. Wealth is found in the cultivation of good, wholesome relationships and connections and the understanding that change is ever constant even if we personally don’t feel its immediate effect.

Wow. What do the cards say you all are working on in December?
Tarot over Tea: An oldie but goodie #Twenty One Tarot Questions

December 2nd, 2024

Oh my gosh. I’ve done it again. A much too many decks. My desk almost looks as messy as my neighbor’s construction!

Nudity in the cards ahead! You’ve been warned.

This is an old tag I realize I actually wrote when it was first very popular on TarotTube (um, TWO springs ago!) but I never ended up publishing it because I didn’t have the time to take pictures. C’est la vie. Well, better late than never! For funsies, I’ve chosen NEWER decks in my collection rather than the same twenty old guard decks I use over and over in tags (though a few did eek through, sorry). This is too excellent and fun of a tag to let fall by the wayside!

1: What is the deck they’ll have to pry out of your cold dead hands?

The Victorian Romantic Tarot Special Large Edition. Okay, though this deck can sell for very good money I never will let go of it! I have no reason to hold onto it, I have the smaller edition I use regularly. But, I just adore getting lost in the big images. This deck is just so ridiculously beautiful I am so lucky I was able to snag a special edition of it, even if I have no real “reason” to have it.

2: What’s your guilty pleasure deck?

Along a similar vein, Forgotten Legends Tarot was a deck I at first convinced myself I didn’t need seeing as I already have way-too-many myth and legends themed tarot decks. Alas, I ended up purchasing a copy before it goes OOP (I don’t think we’re quite there yet, but soon) and I love it just as much as I do all the others. It’s a cool deck!

3: What’s the deck you wish existed?

A really great, breath of fresh air, LOTRs decks with completely illustrated minors and NO PIPS!

4: What deck would you give to a new reader?

The Moravia Tarot was a left-field purchase for me. I have always wanted to like the Ethereal Visions deck because I actually am enamored with the idea of simplistic decks, but I have always found EV…really lack-luster. The Moravia is a very muted, pastel, feminine, fairy-holo-pink gilded, anime style Art Noveau RWS with the most beautiful angels, that isn’t quite a clone but is simple, modern, beautiful, with just a touch of esoterica to make it feel like a real bona fide Tarot deck. It’s easy to read and easy on the eyes without being too “soft” in content (I mean, check out that Eight of Swords!).

5: What deck do you want to get along with but it just never clicked?

The Lover’s Path Tarot. I got this in conjuncture with a Kickstarter Tarot book set and I’ll admit, I am rather underwhelmed by both. But, the deck is everything I like in a Tarot: specific theme, water color art, a little old-timey feeling, myths and stories, interesting shape and…I cannot tell you why, I don’t like this deck! I’m going to keep it until February and see if I can use it in a romantic setting and if it will grow on me, but this may be a deck that gets re-homed, along with the books.

6: What deck do you only keep for the art?

True Black Holo (5th) Edition. Okay! I am SO attached to my OG True Black deck that I literally never reach for this deck. But it’s beautiful. And on occasion when I have a party to impress, I’ll take it out.

7: What deck did you buy because everyone else did?

The Witches Garden Tarot. My friend had this deck a while and I was fascinated by it! I wanted to try it too! It’s a solid deck for sure, but it isn’t a deck I reach for consistently. But, it does something special that no other deck I have seems to do—witches AND gardens! I think I particularly like that it allows me to pair my various plant related oracle decks easily with it.

8: What deck is over your head or just baffles you?

Tea Oracle Steeping in Magic. I backed this on Kickstarter before I decided I was completely against AI decks. I like the CONCEPT of this deck, but I want this to be actual human made creation. I wish there was more “meaning” baked into the art rather than having to rely on the guide book, which, at times is really baffling.

9: What deck surprised you?

The Riderless Tarot. This little horsey RWS clone is so sweet and kind! It’s a deck I reach for when the world is really feeling down and I need a gentle hand. It really speaks to my inner horse girl. Its a very playful deck and feels quite honest, even if it’s really very nice.

10: What deck doesn’t really work for you but you keep it because it’s a collectible?

Well, my truly collectible decks I do actually use—I cannot justify the cost otherwise! But a technically (but not-really) collectible deck that I almost never use but love to look at is the “museum quality” Visconti de Modrone Tarot. I imagine this is true for a lot of people who own this deck!

11: What deck is your favorite gilded deck?

I am IN LOVE with the color scheme of the new Mystic, Augur & Sage Oracle. I have always wanted a copper-edged deck, but the flaky Seed and Sickle Oracle really let me down. The combination of the other jewel tone colors in MA&S just makes the copper POP! This is a totally rad deck and I cannot wait to showcase it in a monthly favorites!

12: Which deck do you love – but hate the card stock?

Tarot Landscapes. This deck is so intriguing to me, and is one of those decks I spent hours with when I got it in hand. In other words, I spent a lot of time fondling it. But, the card stock, while thick, is very cardboard feeling, inflexible, and awkward in hand. I really want this on a linen, ultra flex core like the Moravia.

13: What deck gives you the willies?

The Nemeth Tarot. This deck repeatedly gives complex, specific, spookily accurate readings (most honestly I didn’t even realize how dead on it was until the thing happened) for both myself and my friend when we use it. It also, well, just has a certain hauntingly beautiful vibe. Don’t get me wrong, I adore this odd little deck, but it is not a deck I pick up and use lightly.

14: What’s your favorite deck for shadow work?

I’m not sure if the Tabula Mundi Tarot is my favorite shadow work deck, but it is one that I’ve been using consistently since exploring Thoth back in June. This deck is a hard hitter and the cards constantly reference each other back and forth so it is really easy to get deep into the cards quickly and go places you didn’t know needed exploring.

15: What deck do you love in theory but not in practice?

The Zerner Farber Tarot aka The Enchanted Tarot. I freaking LOVE the art in this deck. I have two different editions, I love it so much. But, I struggle to fluidly read with this deck. I often feel quite whelmed by all the textiles and prints, and as a result I tend to shy away from it when I’m searching for “the right” deck. I think I need to revisit this deck soon seeing as I’ve grown in my reading style and abilities since I last took it out in a monthly deck selection (and barely used it!).

16: What deck would you never use to read for someone else?

The Last Unicorn Tarot. I’m rather precious about this deck which has become a deck of inner child work for me. That said, I don’t really believe in “not” using a deck. So for the right person and situation I’d use it. This isn’t exactly a deck I’d bring with me to a meeting with friends though.

17: What deck would you never use for yourself?

The OG RWS, its such a mean deck! I wouldn’t use it for others either unless someone specifically asked for it.

18: What deck could you NOT bring yourself to buy?

The non-lenticular versions

I chose ultimately not to back the Exile Tarot and Monsoon Tarot Lenticular Editions that were recently on Kickstarter—I have all three of these decks in their regular form and while I ADORE the imagery, I really didn’t much care for the lenticular form of either. I like being able to have them all side-by-side!

19: What’s your favorite pip deck?

Swordswomen Tarot Cards. I’m not a fan of pip decks, but I love me some rad lady sword-fighters! Also, the backs are just gorgeous.

20: What deck slaps you with the truth?

5¢ Tarot. She’s a cold-hearted b*tch wrapped up in a cute facade. I love this deck.

21: What’s the deck that got away?

The Anna K Tarot. Many times I passed on this deck (because I didn’t it was “pretty” enough, geez I was a loser) and then it finally went out of print. But Lady-Luck recently smiled on me and it is now CAPTURED and in my collection and much beloved!

Phew! That’s a lot of decks! Have you done this tag? Did you do it last year? How have your tastes changed in Tarot since then?
Deck Review: The Light Seer’s Tarot

November 25th, 2024

Mass Market edition. A popular, bubbly deck. Acquired 2020

Nudity warning: bare chested devil-man lurks below!

Overall: 7/10 There’s a reason everyone and their mother has this deck. It’s bright, it’s lighthearted, it’s RWS, it’s not very esoteric, it does an okay job at representing various people, and it is probably the least offensive deck I own. If you want a deck that you can safely use with anyone, this is that deck.

This deck is a nice deck. I do like it, it’s a Steady Eddie deck that I can bring with me anywhere and use to give anyone a Tarot reading. But, its not my favorite.

I won’t lie, it took me a while to warm up to these cards. Personally, I feel this deck is a bit too nice and fluffy (and crunchy), but I’ve come to appreciate the soft mood the Light Seer’s has to offer. This deck has a rich sense of emotions, and they are much more accessible than some of my other “big feelings” decks. The colors really scream “summer” vibes, but I find that I tend to reach for this deck in the cold dark winter when I’m in desperate need for a sweet, flowery feeling reading. It’s funny how that works.

The fact is, it is too much of a happy deck and that prevents me from reaching for TLST more often for my personal use. While there is difficult emotions and pain here (the three of swords is pretty strong!), and introspection there, it is vastly overshadowed by all the joy and “good vibes” and some of the cards really fall flat for me . I do feel like this is an unbalanced Tarot in that regard, but hey, some days you need all the happy you can get.

Card Quality: 4.5/5 These are thick and good! Very impressive for the price. Wish the mass market came green gilded, I for sure would have paid extra.

The challenging cards I think are done well in this deck–much emotion! So pensive, very wow!

Imo, some of the challenging cards that fall a little flat for me.

Readability: 4.5/5 I could see this being an absolute beginner’s deck. I have to say, while I like the light/shadow concept the LWB provides, I don’t necessarily always agree with the author’s interpretations, and I very rarely reach for the booklet. But, I don’t struggle to have my own intuitive meanings of the cards either. There’s such a playful, whimsical attitude that makes it easy to want to work with this deck.

Because it’s so light feeling, it doesn’t necessarily provide the opportunity to delve into more difficult subject manner. While the three of swords definitely is the hardest hitting card of the deck, even then it has a connotation of healing and mending the pain and heartache (which honestly is great compared to the standard three of swords). The ten of swords and the tower on the other hand totally numb the harsh pain the cards typically display.

Art: 4.5/5 This is by far my happiest deck I have. It’s very modern, bright, pretty, and feel-good. I’m a total sucker for the rich jewel tone colors here, and I wish I had more decks that were really committed to color like this deck. I will say that in regards to representation of various people, ages, and body types, I feel like The Unfolding Path did it better, but there are still many people present in this deck, though they all do feel rather “classically” beautiful.

Favorite Card: I really like the 6 of Cups! Right in the feels. I also really enjoy the Justice Card and the action in the Knight of Swords, the playfulness of the 4 of Wands, and the clever interpretation of the Page of Swords.

Least Favorite Card: The Tower. This is a people focused deck, and I feel it was a cop-out to portray a cute squirrel rather than a stressed out human. This is a gentle deck; too gentle with The Tower.

Card I Identify As: I have to admit, while there’s a lot of cards I really enjoy in this deck, I haven’t found a “me” card yet.

The deck Identifies me as: The Chariot

Season: Summer or Winter when you desperately need some summery feelings!

Boxes it Checks: Bright, Positive, People-Centric, Happy, Modern, Diverse, Personal, Watery, Colorful

Similar Decks: I think the Superlunaris Tarot is a true sister deck. There’s an onslaught of modern feeling tarot decks and I don’t have the space to list them all here but some notable similar modern decks: The Sasuraibito Tarot, This Might Hurt Tarot, The Slow Tarot, The Numinous Tarot, The Unfolding Path Tarot
November 2024 Decks

November 22nd, 2024

Starting at the left, clockwise, Le Tarot Arthurien, Forgotten Legends Tarot, Asphodelon Mythos Tarot, The Oracle of 11, Legendarium Tarot

When the season is turning noticeably darker, I love returning to the stories I was read as a kid, or read as an adult, or stories in general. I love to read, but often I find I am too busy in the long summer days to linger in a book. Late fall really gives me that chance that I crave. With the anxiety of the tumultuous elections in the USA, I more than ever need a place of solace and stories are that for me. It shouldn’t be a surprise then that one of my favorite “themes” in the Tarot world are decks about stories, or that tell stories, and I wanted to dedicate a whole month (at least!) to decks that are all about myths and legends. I may need to return to this theme seeing as I have so many decks that fit this category!

Look at the variety of gold edging! And the “helper” doing her best to keep out of the way!

This month I wanted to choose decks that are not only myths and legends, but of those decks, ones I’ve used the least. Almost all of these are a year or less in my collection so I’m pleased to get the chance (and challenge!) of really digging in deep to get to know them better.

At the top is the The Oracle of 11, made by the brilliant Ambi Sun, who is the creator of my much beloved Oriens Tarot. This oracle deck is representing South East Asian stories (I believe it was originally called The Oracle of SEAS). This enchanting deck really packs a wallop, as you’ll see shortly. The art is of course just stellar, but I will say that the colors of the card faces are quite a bit darker than the backing and box suggest. In any case, this is a really different and fun deck to use!

The Legendarium Tarot gave me two jumpers for this month. This deck so surpassed all expectations I had of it! It’s very clear that D&D had a huge influence over the card images and keywords, and it deviates at times rather drastically from the RWS, but it’s structure and general “Fool’s journey” is delightful and fresh. I could easily see traveling with this deck for months on end and never getting bored of it! This is a total “cool kids” deck. The art is quirky, charming, and a very interesting nod to traditional Marseilles Tarot and playing card art. The creator is the same who made Tarot of the Golden Wheel and currently has another Kickstarter deck, a sister deck to Legendarium, that is just wrapping up it’s funding! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/montenzicollabs/the-clouds-of-destiny-tarot

The Forgotten Legends Tarot was a last moment purchase. I knew of it for a while, and like many many decks I admired it from afar and told myself I already have Yoshi Yoshitani’s Tarot of the Divine. The art between the two decks are very similar, and obviously the theme of legends and myths is exactly the same, but Forgotten Legends is muted in color pallet and overall has a rather darker tone in many of the cards. I was so surprised when I got it in hand how very different it feels compared to the Divine, and I absolutely love it. It is certainly much more Euro-centric in its choices of myths and imagery, but this deck is very complex, and is a perfect, moody winter deck.

I was gifted the beautiful Le Tarot Arthurien for Christmas last winter, and I’ve used it through out the year but have held off including it in a monthly deck collection. I adore this beautiful and emotionally evocative deck and I must say that Ana Tourian really is becoming one of my favorite deck makers. I was hoping that I’d be able to acquire the English version of the book that accompanies this deck, but I don’t think its been published quite yet.

And finally, the Asphodelon Mythos Tarot, a deck that has been long in the making. I bought the majors from the artists personal shop years ago and was so stoked to see that she decided to finish this awesome Greek inspired deck! I’ve had this deck for most of this year but really haven’t used it all that much so I’m really enjoying the discovery time I have with it! I really like that there are certain myths I know quite well, but others that are totally new to me, albeit this means that when I sit down with this deck to do a reading I need to budget a little more time in case I get sucked down a story rabbit-hole!

This month I did my monthly draw with my Tarot friend and I wanted to take the opportunity to share with the small audience I have on here how she really helped me become more engaged with my cards and think of my reading with fresh eyes. Like with any art, it’s easy to get stuck in a formulaic structure that works well for you, but this can limit your growth when you neglect to try new things. This is a great example of how you can choose to make your reading more creative, and become more engaged with your cards–include your friends in your draw!

So, I’ll first give a short version of my first reading with these cards as seen above, then we’ll talk about Val’s hot take!

We open with the month’s theme represented by the Puteri Walinong Sari story–a beautiful princess has so many suitors due to her looks and power, and she isn’t really interested in marrying them. She herself is an accomplished martial artist, so veils herself and says that she’ll marry the suitor that is able to fight and beat her–well, of course she kicks all their butts! Then a humble man from out of no-where talks to her and, you know, takes a real interest in her. He too is a martial art mat-rat and they inevitably decide to spar and he is winning! In a last ditch attempt she removes her veil and stuns him with her beauty and is able to defeat him and *poof!* he disappears! It is said she was whisked away with him to a far away mountain top and is reunited with him, neither ever seen again.

So, from this I get the “true beauty is within” but also “don’t settle for less.” There’s a lesson of needing to fight the good fight to get what you are worth. Expect there to be resistance. Huh.

Then I have the Two of Coins with the keyword “Rope-Walker” and the Ace of Cups with a charming Nereid. Though you go through this time with a knowing grin, you are playing a balancing game. Things are not as easy as they may appear to others. Nevertheless, you must keep your eyes (see that creepy eye on the chalice? ) and heart open for the genuine and true (similar vibes to our oracle card I think).

And then we end with a pretty exhausted 10 of Wands, a jousting 5 de Batons (Wands), and the cute Page of Cups. You have much bounty but to harvest it is a great chore and perhaps too big for one person, but you have no choice but to persevere. There is a challenge, and neither party is ready to take it on, though there is a “winner,” both knights have no tack and are certainly falling off their mounts. And we end with Hebe, who is carrying the ambrosia of the Gods. You are tasked with an important responsibility, but this doesn’t require you to leave your child self behind–see the world through the eyes of a child, let yourself play and try to find joy and meaning in what you do.

Now, my friend took these cards and did something really simple but interesting with them and pointed out some visual cues:

She pointed out in the oracle card, we have two figures, male and female, who are clearly warring with one another, but we know in their story they end up as dearest lovers.

We see the jester juggling in the Two of Coins the sun and moon, two drastically opposing forces.

In the 5 of Wands, we have on the left the chestnut-horse rider the 10 of Wands (also in warm brown tones), and the opposite black-horse rider is paired with the black haired Page of Cups. She explained that if it was her draw, she sees the Chestnut-riding knight the work-a-holic person fighting the childlike play that is the Black-riding knight.

But, we finish with a mermaid, who is, despite all natural order, is a half human and half fish–two opposites that seem impossible to get along, combined to something new and fresh. So, how can you (me) think of taking these two different approaches to responsibility and marry them together into something that is strange, but beautiful and new? How can you integrate these two parts of yourself harmoniously?

Wow! I was so taken by this interpretation! You can see how just thinking of the cards and what they depict in a different way can completely set a different tone with a draw. I feel like both readings are spot on for me this past month, and I was so pleased I had her with to look deeper at imagery and think critically at the whole of the draw!

How about you? Do you read Tarot with friends? What new ideas do they inspire in you?
Deck Review: The Dark Mansion Tarot

October 24th, 2024

4^th edition and large matte edition. There’s a reason for all the hype. Acquired 2020

This deck just makes me happy. I brought it out unexpectedly for some October fun, and realized I need to review it. It would be a very strong contender for “you can only keep one deck which, one it is?”

Overall: 10/10 You know that friend you love to go drinking with (even though you don’t really drink)? The one that unleashes your inner party-goblin? The one that’s so witty and yet retains such a coquettish innocence? That’s The Dark Mansion Tarot. Super personable and intimate, this is a delightfully fun deck that, while it doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, it definitely holds its own as a unique tarot on the market.

I really really thought I would not like this deck and I did not jump on the bandwagon to buy it until it had been already well into its fourth edition print (gilded edges, glossy finish) and I’d watched a dozen videos of it being used. I didn’t much care for the black edging (I was going through a shiny phase, okay?) so I was thrilled to see they had a gold edge finish, but I didn’t realize the card finish was glossy until it arrived on my door step! That disappointment lasted all of two seconds before I fell head over heels for this deck.

I like it so much than when they offered a matte large edition nearly three years later (NOT to be confused with the rose-petal finish of the first special edition printing) I snatched one up immediately, so this will be a review of both of these decks, because I think they both are excellent quality.

I tend to find that I bring this deck with me traveling more than any other deck. It’s the “read all” deck I own. It’s the “I don’t know what I’m gonna need reading, so I bring this deck.” It’s happy to talk on any query and give a solid, well-rounded reading no matter what. It isn’t offensive, petty, over-emotional, and has a great balance of feminine and masculine energies.

Card Quality: 5/5 I got the fourth edition which is glossy af and I wasn’t too happy about it but the cards are top notch nonetheless. But, the colors are OUT OF THIS WORLD with the glossy version, and it’s a breeze to shuffle. The box also comes with gold foil accents

The large matte edition is gorgeous too, with gold painted edges, with a finish that is soft and gives the cards an almost antique-y feel. Compared to the gloss finish, they are much harder to shuffle, but the larger size also makes them a bit cumbersome. That being said, I LOVE the larger images where I can see minutia detail that gets a bit lost in the sauce of the smaller cards.

The skeletons are just an absolute mood throughout the deck! They crack me up!

Readability: 5/5 There is no guide book because you don’t need one, the images tell all the story you need. There are some changes to meanings of cards; for example, there’s a heavy emphasis of risk, and balance as well as planning in the two of wands that I think is an improvement, but I feel like this deck does RWS better than the RWS (burn me at the stake).

Art: 4/5 The art is out-of-this-world-quirky, and cute, lush, full, story driven, cohesive, everything I personally look for in a deck BUT it’s all a bunch of white people.

Favorite Card: The Eight of Swords–this is the card that told me I had to have this deck. It really scratched an itch. It doesn’t do anything no body hasn’t done before, it simply just does this card very, very well. And, a side note, this has the BEST eight of wands! Now that’s how you do and eight of Wands, folks! And The Moon, I really am hypnotized by this moon. This moon is a force to be reckoned with.

Least Favorite Card: None, there isn’t a card in here that doesn’t belong.

The parade of Pages! The Pages in this deck are just adorable and great in their depiction and mannerisms!

Card I Identify As: I really relate to the Page of Wands (so, so cheeky!), the Page of Swords, The Knight of Swords, and The Eight of Wands, though I do also have a deep connection with the whole numbered cups suit.

The deck Identifies me as: The Empress (for some reason? I’m quite happy about it!)

Season: early Fall through early Winter

Boxes it Checks: Charming, Friendly, Easy to Read, Humorous, Cohesive, Quirky, Cute,

Similar Decks: Le Tarot Noir, The Nightmare Before Christmas Tarot, Tarot of the Sweet Twilight, Tarot of the Haunted House
October 2024 Decks

October 21st, 2024

The work desk chaos as I’m writing the monthly decks of October–there is a cup of sanity tea buried in there!

So, October in my neck of the woods definitely has a vibe to it—not only is my particular neighborhood really invested in Halloween, it also has quite a large population of Wicca and Pagan practitioners, many of whom celebrate Samhain with vigor. One would be hard pressed to not want to get into the spooky feel of things! The weather in October typically starts to go from the balmy early fall to really cold, really quick. This sudden change often coincides with fantastic leaf colors (and don’t get me wrong, we’re getting fantastic colors this year!) and the desire to get cozy. However, as I finally get around to writing this monthly deck draw, it’s a sweltering 80F something in my office and we are maybe thinking of getting cooler in a few days. Maybe.

This is all to say, it’s rather hard for me to want to get into my typical dark and gritty decks that I start to bring out for October and the coming dark months. Both myself and by Tarot BFF decided that we will do something a little different this year, we will stick with the spook, but make it lighthearted (sorta)! For October, we’re choosing decks that are witch-themed.

From left clock wise: Ask The Witch Tarot, The Botan Tarot (second edition), The Nameless One Oracle and Tarot, Under the Oak Tarot, The Solitary Witch Oracle

It seems like the color theme this month are black, blue, and silver! Full disclosure–I actually have a lot of witch themed decks, but I wanted to pick a mixture of different flavors, and decks I haven’t used too recently, with the exception of the Under the Oak Tarot, which I used part way through September. I am not ready to put it on the back shelf just yet—I adore this deck!

I’ve had The Solitary Witch Oracle since it was first released, though I have not used it in my monthly decks at all. This is an oracle that is very gentle and kind, and I am in love with the images, though I do honestly think it’s a bit unbalanced being so nice.

To counteract that sweetness I had to include The Nameless One, a deck that I mention a lot on this blog, which, while not “mean” can be blunt and harsh and is oh-so-witchy (and it’s just one of my favorite decks so, any excuse…).

Ask the Witch Tarot is another deck that is no stranger to the monthly decks, but it is so odd and quirky that it is a great non-traditional tarot for the month that also matches the global warming trend with it’s bright, summery colors!

And finally, I just acquired the Botan Tarot end of last month and not only is it gorgeous, it has some serious magic and brings a non-European witch flavor to the roundup.

Lets review what the cards said this month had in store for me:

Well, how perfect for the witchy month to have a witch gathering! This card is pretty straight forward: you will have interactions with many of your friend group and perhaps others outside of it. You may be called to help others in a way that only you can fulfill, or perhaps you yourself need to ask others for help. There is a theme of community, empowerment through helping others, and social support. There also is a suggestion of festivities (hello Halloween!) and acknowledgment of seasonal cycles with the rabbit and the fox. What “season” do I find myself in now? How does that compare with my friends? How can I best support my friends, and in turn have them support me?

Ah. From the Nameless One I picked both a tarot card and an oracle card. The tarot card is the Ten of Branches (Wands), and if that isn’t a reference to Atlas having to carry the world I don’t know what is. This card speaks to having success but the burdens that come with it. It’s hard to celebrate when you have many responsibilities. The labor of love is a constant uphill battle. Our pretty butterflies remind us carpe diem, it’s good to put the load down every once in a while to look back at what we accomplished. And then from the oracle we have XIX The Energetic Flyer (get it? cause the birds are humming birds?). This is the second-wind card! You are full of energy and enthusiasm to begin either something new or go that last push to finish something! It warns I should be careful to direct that energy to a good outlet.

So far, these three cards together I get the sense that I’m going to have to help bear some social burdens, however I’ll have plenty of chutzpah to do it! What else do we have?

From the Ask the Witch I drew that page of wands. Here’s a curious youthful witch who is wondering how to use the tools at hand to their best advantage. Fresh ideas may spring up out of otherwise dead wood! I may start to see things in a different way, see possibilities that I didn’t before in various things or situations. There’s a bounding rabbit behind them as well, who knows where it’s going.

The Botan Tarot gave me the beautiful Star, quite a different take on the typical RWS Star! You’ve been searching a barren desert for a long time, here’s your big “sign” you’ve been looking for! This is the start of the hopeful journey—there’s no need to be lost anymore, don’t second guess yourself!

And the Under the Oak gave me the 3 of Wands, a wonderfully active and witchy three of wands at that! You’ve got the idea, try it out! It doesn’t matter if you don’t do things perfectly, try. Fail. Go back and try again. This is a card about doing, taking that first action after the first thought and plan. It probably wouldn’t hurt to be a little scientific about how you proceed; what worked, what didn’t. What do you want to try next time?

Interestingly we have two other references to rabbits (or hares, who’s to say?), both in the Page of Wands and the Three of Wands (which has two rabbits) along with the Gathering oracle card. I’m wondering if there is something that needs to be created or reproduced in my friend group?

These three together I see as motivation to take the next steps! I’m confident in my direction now I need to do the thing! The stars have aligned and all I have left is to take the first step and action. Enter with a curious and open mind.

All together, I’d say that this month I’m going to be very socially active; my calendar will be filled (seeing as I drew this twenty days ago I can attest that this was very true indeed)! It’s also a month where I’m going to try different things with my friends, share new ideas and just “go for it!”

What about you? What have the cards told you this October?
September 2024 Decks Part 2 Deck Swap!

September 23rd, 2024

My bestie and fellow Tarot aficionado Val and I chose complimentary decks for the first Spooky season month and we swapped our decks with each other for the latter half of this September! But, these are decks the other has never used! So this later part of September is totally dedicated to learning fun new decks we already know are great readers. We each chose a dark themed deck, a light themed deck, an otherworldly deck, a wild fae deck, and a super cute deck! Here are the decks my friend chose and I am now using:

Val chose The Unfolding Path Tarot (indie Kickstarter edition!) for her light tarot, an excellent choice seeing as it is so inclusive and kind! There is now a mass market printing of this deck available. For her wild fae she chose the Tarot at the End of the Rainbow, an absolute hilarious and quirky deck of leprechauns, fairies, mermaids and all sorts of mischievous woodland fae and critters! I love this deck and I’m happy I get a chance to use it. Her cute deck had to be The Kawaii Tarot, a deck I’ve watch in action being equal parts adorable and hard core merciless reader! So, I approach the cutsie backs with caution. The otherworldly deck she swapped with me is her second edition Dream Visions deck, a absolutely stunning deck I’ve used a handful of times and watched be used many many more. And for her dark deck, it is none other that the multi artist Kickstarter deck, the Corrupted Tarot. This deck for sure is a hard hitter and rather devilish to boot!

Clockwise: Corrupted Tarot, Dream Visions Tarot, The Unfolding Path Tarot, Tarot at the End of the Rainbow, center Kawaii Tarot

So, I am mirroring the draw I did with my chosen decks for the beginning of this month with Val’s decks now for the later half! The too cute Kawaii Tarot gave me the Four of Swords. Our mama sloth has her work cut out for her! She needed a break, to rest and enjoy the flowers and take a step back from the little sloths’ shenanigans! Yes, indeed I had a quantifiable very-much going on this early September that suddenly came to a halt. Many things I’ve been toiling at have reached their conclusion and now I can sit back and enjoy the fruits of my labors (or really, take a effing nap!).

Uh, I think the Tarot gods are trying to tell me something! Both the Tarot at the End of the Rainbow and The Unfolding Path produced III The Empress. We see the wheat is ready to harvest with both these beautiful Empresses; one is certainly the lady boss and the other is the creative mother. One is vulnerable and one is protected, they are very different Empresses! Now is a good time to change gears and think about what is ready for my hands to make into something real and bring into the world. With the change of seasons comes a change of pace and a change of mindset. Build off of what you’ve already sown into the world.

From the Corrupted Tarot I pulled the very creepy High Priestess. Being the deck is about the negative meanings of cards, this one speaks to others trying to influence you through gossip, claiming to be gurus and truth know-ers when in reality they are just shutting down your intuition. Maybe what feels like insecurity is just others tamping down your inner voice. Don’t stifle your inner-voice and gut feelings–they are there for a reason!

And Dream Visions gave me the beautiful Death! For me this is really a “rebirth” card. The snake reminds me of Aesculapius’s healing staff (especially with the lovely rose), and the skull is half buried–what has ended has ended, and now its time to move on from the rest and find healing.

This is really a lovely reading! The later half of this month I’ll find some peace and a well of creative source! I’ll be challenged with others trying to sway my vision, but I will once and for all put those negative untruths to rest!

Have you ever swapped a tarot deck with a friend? What did you learn?
September 2024 Decks Part 1!

September 10th, 2024

It is September! While the hot weather screams summer, for me, this is the first month of Spooky Season! We’re going to do something a little different this month; my bestie and I, who are both avid tarot readers and collectors, will take an assortment of five decks that are drastically contrasting one another, use them for half the month, then switch these decks with each other–themes stay the same, decks change! And we’re only using decks the other doesn’t have. Lets jump on in!

The contrasting themes of the decks we were looking for are: a dark deck with strong negative meanings, a light deck with strong positive meanings, otherworldly, wild fae, and something super cute! For my dark deck I’ve been using The Lubanko Tarot, a rather sought-after visceral deck that gives me the spookies. My light deck had to of course be The Light Seer’s Tarot. Otherworldly will be my newly arrived Starborn Arcana Tarot (a delightful deck, cannot recommend this one enough). The strange and wonderful Under the Oak Tarot fills the requirement for wild fae. This is a deck I may consider doing a full month long deep dive on. And, my retro and folks-y Tarot Nova will be my cute deck! What do the cards say I have in store this month???

Upper left to right clockwise: The Lubanko Tarot, Starborn Arcana Tarot, The Light Seer’s Tarot, Under the Oak Tarot, center Tarot Nova

The Tarot Nova took many years for me to make heads or tales of this deck. I still wonder how RWS it is, but I try instead to just riff off the images and what they inspire in me. This three of wands has the three represented by the two temples of a pair of glasses and what looks like an old fashion fountain pen OR a whittling knife (but both are actually growing wands, very clever). The glasses remind me of the Harry Potter books that I enjoyed as a kid! We also look like we have either three matches or perhaps three pieces of pencils.

So full disclosure; I’ve been using these decks extensively since the start of September so I had plenty of use under my belt by the time I’m getting around to writing this. HOWEVER the three of wands I’ve pulled over and over and OVER again, so there’s a clear theme here. This three of wands: I’m looking carefully at what to do next, but I also have all the tools I need to make it happen! Use what you got.

From the quirky and charming Under the Oak is the strange 5 of Wands. Are the animals competing to impress the odd god rising from the fire or are they making a sacrifice or are they summoning or…? Hmm!

Light Seer’s gives me the beautiful 2 of Cups. Ah! A magical connection. I see–between the two, we have healthy competition! Meeting new people in a sport or other competitive hobby. Alright. Perhaps being overwhelmed but having a great support network. Learning something with another that is a bit of a struggle (like exchanging tarot decks perhaps???).

The Lubanko gives us the King of Pentacles. For this deck, this card is quite soft and bright and not seeming to seek a reaction. I feel a reiteration of the idea that you have vast and great resources. You are a master of balancing things to get the best outcome. You have stability and prosperity and no matter where you look the sun is shining on you!

The King of Pentacles is paired with The Starborn’s Magician! This Magician gives strong two of pentacle vibes, doesn’t it? You got the whole world in your hand, and you know exactly where you want to be. You get to make it happen, or be the total destroyer–your choice!

This monthly draw has some serious movement and energy! I seem to be taking the next steps on an adventure. While there is struggle, I’m amply prepared to meet it! I’ll make friends and have the potential to become the best version of myself if I play my cards right and use my sensibility!

Seems like an exciting month ahead! Can’t wait to do our deck swap!
Tarot Over Tea: # Decks that changed my mind

August 19th, 2024

Warning: artistic nudity and some mildly gory decks ahead

This introspective tag I found is by the tarottuber Exploring Tarot (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii_ClehwHwI) and it asks us to share the decks that have either changed our mind about Tarot as a whole, or decks that we have changed our mind about. I, in general, don’t purchase decks I don’t care for, so I don’t have a lot of decks that I’ve done a 180 about, but since I’m rather new on my tarot journey (I only seriously started in 2015) I have a lot of decks that have shaped my experience and understanding of the Tarot systems.

I have to admit, most of these decks have been seen on this blog before—I’m sorry, a good deck is a good deck!

1. The Shadowscapes Tarot: My Foundational Deck

Czech edition

So of course I cannot do this tag without paying homage to the deck that completely changed my mind about Tarot—I had been introduced to Tarot when I was a teen, I kinda knew a little about the RWS, and knew some of the traditional RWS cards, but at that point Tarot was more of a strange card trick/game/hobby people had, rather than a tool of self reflection. But, my friend’s favorite deck, The Shadowscapes Tarot, inspired me to start paying attention to the nuances in the cards. Being my first deck I diligently used and learned the foundations of modern Tarot, I tend to constantly relate all other deck experiences back to this one. Most importantly, Shadowscapes showed me how to relate the images on the cards to my own personal self and current experiences. Of course, in each card there’s a LOT going on, which is often a criticism of the deck (and the subsequent small size of the cards), but it was great for someone just learning the tarot.

2. The Deviant Moon: Look Closer at Discomfort

This was the first deck I was brave enough to buy even though it gave me very mixed feelings. But, curiosity won out. This deck gave me an incredible and important “ah-ha” moment: images that invoke feelings (especially negative feelings) deserve our attention and study. Those feelings can actually tell us a lot about ourselves and can be a gateway to process and understand deep and profound self-truths. This in turn, shaped how I use Tarot.

3. The Spacious Tarot: Beauty in Simplicity

For a while, I struggled to use decks that were not packed to the GILLS with imagery and symbolism. To this day I tend to favor “busy” decks. But, I finally was able to understand the appeal of a simplistic and arguably minimalist deck once The Spacious Tarot came into my life. I find using this deck very effortless. That isn’t to say it isn’t a deck without depth (not at all, this is a very “deep” reader when one wishes to go there), but rather the simplicity of the imagery speaks volumes.

4. The Brady Tarot: An Animal Deck that Felt Real

It is no secret I am an animal lover, but often I struggled with animal decks because many feel overly-gentle and “fluffy” and very unlike the complex and sometimes vicious behavior animals tend to have which is needed for their survival. I also struggle when human’s own mythos and meaning of an animal can get overly caught-up in the meaning the tarot card has for an animal. But the Brady Tarot really and truly flipped this narrative on its head. This incredible deck does not pull punches in the least and it was (and arguably still is) one of my most brutal readers. It added a level of discomfort I had not encountered in a deck and perhaps highlights the rather frivolous nature of life in a very real way. This deck demands sitting with your shock and taught me not to be so squeamish with the brutalities nature has in store.

5. The Broken Mirror Tarot: Seeing Things from Other’s Point of View

Fourth edition

Up until I purchased the Broken Mirror Tarot, I tried my best to ignore cardstock and hand-feel entirely, and focus my attentions only on the imagery of the cards. But this deck did two important things that shaped how I view and treat tarot: firstly, it taught me that how a deck feels in hand is, despite my most noble ideals, actually very important.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, this deck was the second that I had which was not created by a more “western” artist (of course, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, creator of Shadowscapes uses themes and inspiration from all over the world) and I could sense even though the art “felt” European in nature, the themes and general feel of the deck was very, very different than what I had experienced before. This was fascinating and really eye opening that the Tarot system can be used across culture with similar but also different imagery. There is a lot to be learned from seeing things from a different perspective.

6. The True Black Tarot: The Body Feels the Truth

The True Black was a gift from my husband, but this deck became an important turning point in my Tarot education. The imagery in this incredible deck is very evocative of the senses, not just the visual! Not only did the otherworldly perfection of the bodies that appear in this deck help me get over “oh no, naked people in the cards!” embarrassment, the imagery in this deck really demands the viewer feel the cards in a way that is outside of the norm. Look at how the wind blows through the triumphant lion’s mane and the water pelts the king of cups. What about the little, champagne like bubbles rising around the baby squid in the six of cups? What about the eerie stillness of Temperance with her long locks of hair ribbon-ing around her? These are all wonderful imaginary feelings that the cards offer to the reader.

7. The Sola Busca Tarot and the Game of Saturn Book: Tarot History is Complicated

I am a lover of history, so of course as I started learning Tarot, the history of Tarot fascinated me! Many sources told me early on that there were no illustrated pips until the RWS, which is simply not true on many accounts. There also is repeatedly mentioned that Tarot was used in the long past as a means of divination (which I think there is far too much evidence to say otherwise) but then there’s people who claim to have this old knowledge, and I’ll be frank, I think most is at best guess work. The Sola Busca is considered the oldest example of a fully illustrated deck, and there are several reproductions out there if any collector wishes to have their own copy. It’s clear that the deck had much deeper meaning in the card images than what the typical card game of the time detonates, but despite the delightful and researched theories that Peter Adams makes in his very large book The Game of Saturn, it is clear that the esoterica of the past may very well remain largely in the past.

8. The Trionfi Della Luna: There is No Reason not to Laugh at Your Cards

Where as The Deviant Moon really made me focus on getting *serious* about my tarot, the sister Trionfi reminds me that sometimes, you just gotta laugh! This deck (especially the fantastical illustrated pips version) isn’t afraid to make fart jokes, snicker in the open, and in general make totally inappropriate fun of the situation. While this would never be a deck I use to read for others (other than a tarot lover perhaps) this is the deck that taught me to lighten the hell up a little!

9. Fantastic Menagerie Tarot: Tarot Transcends Decks

For the longest time I had difficulty with “Art Decks” or Tarot decks that are made from preexisting art. Well, to be honest, I still kinda do have difficulty with them! But Baba’s Fantastic Menagerie really showed me how you can take preexisting art and make is fit into Tarot SO. GOOD! J. J. Grandville may have been a comic artist from nearly 200 years ago, but his art still hits that funny satire mark. But there was an important lesson I learned from using this deck that broadened my Tarot horizons–the themes of human existence depicted in Tarot are so universal we can see tarot “meanings” in things that aren’t even meant to be card decks. And that, if you ask me, is pretty cool.

10. Children of Litha Tarot: A Deck that’s Changed My Mind. Twice

The Children of Litha Tarot is a deck I held off buying for years and years because I was truly unsure of the art. After my friend loaned it to me for a few very good, complex readings, and waffling a bit more, I broke down and bought it.

I actually hated it, and didn’t use it for a good year.

Buuuut, after sitting down and purposefully using it and getting to learn the deck, I’ve finally come around. This is a very cool deck, even if it isn’t something I was immediately in love with. So, here’s the deck that I actually changed my mind about. Several times.

11. The Nameless One Tarot and Grimoire: Modern Esotericism Exists

There was a post on Tarot Reddit once that caught my eye. The post was something along the lines of “What Tarot decks are very esoteric?” So I offered what I thought were some particularly esoteric decks (I think I mentioned The Mary El), but the poster scoffed and made it clear that in their mind, only particularly old decks could be considered “esoteric”!

This interaction stuck in my head, and I for a while wondered if all our card esoterica came from the RWS or the Thoth, 1900’s esoteric visions.

But upon getting a copy of The Nameless One and its absolutely MASSIVE companion tomb, it became abundantly clear that esoterica exists in the modern world, having developed its own unique meanings and flavor. After all, historic Tarot, which was rooted very much in Renaissance Catholicism esoterica and imagery, has now been claimed into the modern practice of witchcraft, Wicca, and various pagan practices. We have new esotericism that is constantly evolving around our cultures.

12. The Heartscapes Tarot: I Personally Don’t Like AI Decks

I debated even posting this one seeing as the subject is so very contentious and for good reason. But, I think it’s worth talking about. This is my second AI deck (the first was The Golden Journey, a very early AI deck on Kickstarter) and its the first deck that fooled me into thinking it was human made, not AI. It wasn’t until I got it in hand and had my friend look it over that I had to admit I was duped.

Despite the glaring things wrong in the images that give this away as AI, it is a beautiful deck. But, after using it several times, my mind was made up that giving money to a product that reaps the benefit of other, real people’s hard work and does not give them due credit is, to my mind, wrong.

13. The Tabula Mundi Tarot: The Thoth System is Actually Pretty Rad

I won’t belabor this one too much seeing as I did a whole month of working with Thoth, BUT! After looking at many Thoth decks, and failing to be able to read with the gorgeous Mary-El for many years, I finally broke down and got the much more accessible (and frankly fun and trippy) Tabula Mundi deck and accompanying book. I went from feeling like I’d never learn the Thoth to “hey, I can’t wait to pick this up again!” I still have a long way to go before I feel comfortable with this system, but at least it feels attainable!

14. Anna K. Tarot: Beauty Is As Beauty Does

I am a little embarrassed about this one. I suspect that I’m not alone in this boat either. I knew of the Anna K Tarot since I started my Tarot journey in 2015–it has had several waves of popularity, and it was a common deck sold in stores (though recently it is OOP both its mass market and indie editions). But every time I looked at it I cringed at the “cabbage patch” faces of the people in the cards.

Yep, that’s right. I passed on this deck because I thought it was ugly.

Many times I watched others use this deck or watched a flip through, but I couldn’t get over the faces in these cards. Finally, just last year I held a deck in person and I realized I’d been prejudice of this art work–the faces were not classically perfect or beautiful, but they captured perfect emotion and feelings and, well, real people perfectly! This deck very quickly became one of my favorite decks to use for any reading.

15. The Last Unicorn Tarot: Tarot and the Inner Child

I am not a person who is terribly attracted to “cutesy” or “childish” decks. In fact, there are many decks that are too childish/overly cute for my personal tastes. I also only have a handful of decks that really bring my Inner Child to the surface (namely, Smoke Ash & Embers and the Tarot of the Abyss). I find that these decks tend to be too much emotionally charged to use in frequent readings for myself (Tarot of the Abyss) or tend to be a little too soft in its readings to have a completely neutral feeling deck (SA&E).

I came across the Last Unicorn Tarot several years ago (not that long after it’s successful kickstarter) and it was sold out and I talked myself into thinking that my childhood obsession with The Last Unicorn movie and book(s) ought to stay in my childhood past, with all the rest of the trauma (don’t do this folks, its bad for your health). But, this deck seemed to keep popping up in my life, I kept coming back to look at it, and even though I promise not to be suckered into tarot decks based off franchises (though will someone PLEASE make a kick ass fully illustrated LOTR decks?), I decided to try this deck.

I was shocked to find in hand this deck truly made me feel like a kid again. I had no idea how many complex feelings I had wrapped up in this story. Obviously, not everyone is like me and grew up loving and fearing this film, but I realized that it’s okay to get a tarot deck just because you have feelings about it–you don’t need to justify those feelings. AND! I also learned its totally okay to work on the Inner Child in your tarot practice!

What decks have changed YOUR mind?