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!
What an amazing assortment of beautiful backs this month! Left clockwise: Nemeth Tarot (by Jonasa Jaus), Oracle of Visions (by Ciro Marchetti), The Mythical Creatures Tarot water colored version by Baba Studio, Broken Mirror Tarot Marseille Edition, and The Ravenswood Academy The Swords Women Tarot
It is time, I think, to try my hand at the dreaded pip and Marseille decks. I have to be completely forthcoming, I do not have a traditional Marseille deck; but I have several pip-ish decks with Marseille meanings, and one deck which uses Marseille meanings but has fully illustrated images that correspond with a myth (hello beautiful Nemeth!). I personally have struggled with pip decks because I do rely so much on imagery to guide my readings and understanding of the cards. I’m not exactly a subtle person, so these aren’t the decks I tend to reach for. Lets see if I can fix that by getting acquainted with this month’s cards!
My one oracle deck this month is my old and trusty Oracle of Visions deck. I don’t have a Marseille based oracle, or really an oracle of numbers (yet!) BUT this one was really calling to be picked up with the rest of the beautiful decks. This was my second oracle I purchased and certainly is one of my most used and I think it spoiled me concerning what most oracle decks are all about. This one in particular is really dense, multifaceted, and I will say, it’s not really a “nice” tempered deck!
The other four decks, the Swords Woman, the Broken Mirror Marseille, the Nemeth, and Mythical Creatures are all stunning Marseille-esque, 10/10 cardstock, gorgeous decks that sit on my shelf collecting dust. I do have a few historical pip decks, but those are for another month. On to the draw!
Ooftda! Well, for a month of learning pips, there aren’t any pips to be seen. Boo.
Okay, so lets start with the oracle, we have 25, titled Misleading Illusion, Confusion. What appears like magic is simply the magicians slight of hand. There’s a tick at play, but it only works when you’re looking the right (wrong) way. What false perspectives do I have? What is misleading me to think one thing and it’s another? Oh boy!
Interesting! Our swordswoman Nawi, from the Mino military unit of women in Dahomey. She looks ready to win a battle and her key words (Providence, War, Triumph) agree! Interesting we see war references. Traditionally the Chariot also means self discipline and will power, progress and accomplishments, but in this card (an also the next) it appears like we are heading out to the fray rather than returning from it.
The Broken Mirror Marseille spat out two cards, The Chariot again (in case I didn’t get the memo the first time) and the King of Staves seeming to protect the back of the Chariot rider. The Chariot seems like he is directing his horses onward, his flag held aloft. The horses are still yet, so we are at the cusp of an adventure. Behind the rider is the natural born leader full of confidence and vigor, the King of Staves. He waits patiently at his pavilion in the rose garden, ready to attend and use his might and words.
Just these four cards already I see the need to stand up for what I hold as truth and address the lies that come my way; while it may feel like a battle, and I must treat it as such, I also have to keep my wits about me and use my fiery, confident and diplomatic side. I have to do the hard thing. Not all battles take place on the field.
This Two of Cups (or in this deck II de Cunchas)[Future Stacy would like to point out that past Stacy not only had never used this deck before this draw, but also was on the struggle bus with Covid -brain and realized after hitting the publish button that the Cunchas suit is actually pentacles and NOT cups which would explain much of the ensuing confusion; in any case with traditional Marseille the two of pentacles can have meaning as correspondence, gifts, financial partnership, or a secondary partnership–so read with The Lovers I’d think of these two cards indicating making a business choice based on passion!] is the only traditional pip card I drew, and ironically it is from the illustrated Marseilles deck, the Nemeth Tarot! The referenced story is Galina Pitos de Ouro, or, (after quite the amount of digging) the story of the Golden Hen and her seven chicks. There seems to be quite the variety and local variance of this story, but the tldr version I came across is a Moorish princess wished to marry a man and her father forbade her and also enchanted her to become a chicken, but she had SEVEN golden chicks (like Ouro, the metal, gold). At night she’d escape with her chicks. There are references to the constellation Pleiades (which apparently is sometimes referred to the hen and chicks), harvest, tides, flowing water, and luck. Which seems like a positive read on the card but then there’s the gnarly looking snake twisting around the hen and chicks–is it protecting them or planning to harm them? What is illusion and what is really happening? It reminds me of the ouroboros or the endless snake eating it’s own tail, also, OURO!
And then, we end with The Lovers. While there are cards that do feel VERY similar to the RWS, I do have to admit from reading Mahony’s accompanying book to this deck, and just absorbing the beautiful artwork, this particular card seems to have a heavy emphasis on choosing the hearts desire against common wisdom. Neither the knight nor the mermaid can adapt to the other’s environment, so how ever can they over come their situation? There is a head and heart conflict, of which neither choice offers happiness.
Oh boy oh boy, what a tumultuous monthly reading! There is trickery afoot, and I’m called to bring it to light using all my means, but then I will also have to decide, follow my love and pay the consequences (and maybe get turned into a chicken), or follow wisdom which warns me away. But then again, are things really as they seem? Mysterious!
How about you? What do the cards say is in for you this month? Do you read Marseille? What do you like about the system?
“This Space is for You” is this decks mantra. Acquired 2020
It is a special time I think when one of the decks I chose for my monthly theme also is also the next deck that I was planning to write a review on! Without gilding the lily, let me share my beloved (The) Spacious Tarot!
It is really easy to see pictures or a walk through of a tarot deck online and then think to yourself “yes, that’s perfect!” and by the time you get a physical copy in your hands you are feeling a little awkward, because you have a beautiful deck in your hands that you have no idea how to use and you must again struggle through learning the cards and the certain “flavor” each artist and deck seem to have. But for me, even though the art is very sparce and simple, and even though the minors tend to be a bit pip-ish, I instantly was able to fall into a natural cadence when using this deck.
Overall: 9/10 I’m forgiving the card quality in lieu of everything else it does right. I love the concept that the card puts you in the driver’s seat by removing all people and framing most cards as first person view. I believe this concept had been done prior to The Spacious Tarot (and it certainly has been done many times over since TST), but this deck in particular really commits to the sense of place.
I guess my review draw had a lot to say! Yikes!
The images are perfect if very non-traditional. I’m usually a maximalist when it comes to symbols in cards, but the art here is simplistic and to-the-point. There’s a lack of classic symbolism that is replaced by very modern and scientific driven thought that demands you to pay attention and rethink all you know about Tarot while still following the traditional meanings. This deck is nature-centric in a realistic sort of way that is just shy of brutal (like we see in the Brady Tarot) without being too cuddly and sweet. Animals are the representatives of the court cards and feel perfectly at home with the deck at large. This is a very grounded deck with quite the scientific leaning, that somehow also has a certain dream-like feel that hits home for me (maybe its the first person view) .
Those edge chips tho…
Card Quality: 2/5 Amazingly, for the price, these are not excellent cards. They immediately started chipping at the edges–and this is the second edition in which the creators intended to fix the chipping problem. I do like the size of the cards, they’re squarer and have a nice solid feel and are quite thick. The heft of the deck with the additional 22 expansion pack is pushing the limits of what I can hold, but I manage with my small creepy-doll hands. The cards are quite stiff in hand, which is different compared to all the super lux cardstocks now on the market, but due to their nonstandard size I kinda like how this deck is very distinct feel in the hand—I know it like a good friend’s handshake! The deck, the expansion pack, and the two Little White Books fit perfectly in the box.
Just enough context to not be completely pipish.
Readability: 5/5 with the caveat this is not a beginner/starter deck. I don’t know if this deck just click for me, but there’s something really out-of-the-box with the images portrayed. Some of the minor arcana at first glance felt pipish, but once I sat with them, the “story” unfolded so sweetly that I quickly stopped thinking of them as pips. I could definitely see this as a total hit or miss deck though, either it speaks to you or not, I kinda doubt there’s many who’d fall in the middle ground with this one.
This is certainly not an easy starter deck, though the book/s is/are very good, concise, and thoughtful. It would be difficult picking this up with no RWS experience, though I do think this is an excellent deck to learn the next step beyond simple meaning memorization.
*A NOTE ON THE EXPANSION DECK: Many historic tarot decks had more than just the 22 major arcana cards, and included additional cards of virtue, alchemy, elements, etc. The later printed expansion deck was an additional 21 card deck to act as these additional cards. In keeping with the theme of the deck, they added the zodiac, the elements and some thematically on-point virtues. I personally think that you can read with the deck perfectly fine without the expansion, but I also love the additional cards. They match the rest of the deck perfectly so you don’t have to worry about recognizing them from the backs. I will say that the art of the expansion pack is slightly more intricate and finished feeling, but it doesn’t bother me at all.
Some favorites…
Art: 10/5 Just plain old stellar. It’s definitely a “style” of art, but I love the rich colors and when you lay out several cards there’s something magic that happens to tell a story. The artist really paid a lot of attention to color and meaning when planning each card. There’s a lot of well-developed thoughts in each image that while they come off as simple, there’s quite a bit of nuance. I feel like this deck is a testament that art doesn’t need to be fussy and complicated to be complex.
Favorite Card: There are so, SO many. I am head over heels for The Lovers, Page of Cups, Judgement, The Hanged One, too many to list! The Majors really bring their A-game to the table.
Least Favorite Card: 5 of Pentacles–I get the idea, and I don’t think it’s gruesome, but something never sat well with me with this card.
Card I Identify As: The Guardian (Queen) of Wands
The deck Identifies me as: The Guardian (Queen) of Wands. I get major Shadowscapes Queen of Cups vibes with this card, though I cannot say how or why. I think of this particular Queen of Wands as “The Storyteller” the way the salamander seems to speak over the campfire.
Season: Late winter/early spring there’s a sharp crisp newness with this art.
Boxes It Checks: Unique, Bright, Meditative, Shadow Work, Self Focused, Honest, Simple, Landscapes, Personal
Similar Decks: The Star Seeker Tarot, Location Spirit of Space Tarot, Tarot Landscapes (another new deck I highly recommend if you’re into this sense of place vibe)
Top row left to right: BabaBarock Tarot of Prague (2024 reprint), The Spacious Tarot (second edition), TarotLandscapes. Second Row, The Endless Oracle, City Labyrinth Tarot, Fantasy Garden Tarot. Bottom, (the) Flow Tarot.
Card nudity warning!
I wisely was planning on a much needed break after Esoteric (Thoth) June studies, and was positively ready to move on to something a little more light-hearted. June was a challenging month even outside of my Tarot adventures so I am also really hoping July will be a little calmer and slower (haha, well one can hope, right?). Typically I have my “theme” of the month chosen well in advance, but this one stumped me. I was thinking “wacky” decks seeing as I have quite the backlog of decks that don’t seem to fit any particular grouping. But, after I picked out decks that I’ve been really wanting to work with and then other decks that I though would compliment them, I found my theme!
July’s deck theme for me is ‘decks of place.’ These are decks where the place/location we see in the image is very important for the card’s context. This feels like just the cool glass of water my soul needs after some serious self-reflection with the Thoth decks! I ended up picking more decks than usual for this month, but what can I say, I feel inspired! It also helps that three of the decks I consider myself very familiar with so I can focus my time on the newer decks instead.
If you ever wonder if I’m incapable of making the tarot cards straight in the images…you are correct. I am incapable! But, my office “helpers” don’t exactly make it any easier, though they do have a great sense of humor!
I gotta admit, the backs don’t really match at all, but they all look really rad this month!
Wow, I love how the colors work so well together in this one! There’s a lot of yellows and complimentary blues going on. I did draw these in a bit of a weird order so lets break this mess down a bit:
The Endless Oracle is my only non-tarot deck this month, but I think it’s pretty clear why its here! This is a deck that is specifically about space and how space flows from one area to another. I’ve waxed on about this deck more than necessary in this blog so there’s not much more I can say other than I love this deck and how the images create a story between each other.
Here we have the cave which when traveled through opens up into the fields. You’re moving from the dark inner world to the expansive outer-world. Looking from the inward thoughts and thoughts of self to the outside. Where is your place in the big vastness? What will you find out there? What did you learn in your journey that has prepared you for now?
The Spacious Tarot is probably one of my top most-used decks I own. I think I haven’t really had it in a monthly focus deck just because it is a bit of an old hat for me, but the theme of the month was too on par to not include it in my choices and the images are just amazing.
I won’t lie, The Spacious Tarot’s High Priestess is one of my favorites. The shell holds a little part of the great ocean and in that little part you see the moon and stars reflected out of it. You hold the truth in yourself already. You have the inner knowledge and vastness and depth of the world. If you allow your intuition to shine to the surface, you will know the answers. Though you are an individual and small in the face of the great ocean you still are a part of it. Now is a time to be, enjoy the ebb and flow.
I was SO happy to get The Tarot of Prague delivered this morning! I was hoping it would come so I could include it in this months decks! This deck is weird, wacky, kitschy, and classic Baba Studios. It also takes all it’s images from various places in Prague which gives is a definite personality of space, and artistic flare.
We have The Star. Part of why I love Baba decks are the incredible guide books that can be purchased to accompany the decks, and the guide explains the myth and chosen reading(s) of the mysterious palindrome which is written on the pillar behind the women, which is also featured as part of the motif on the back of the cards. Of course, in the RWS The Star is the hope card, but more so, you are receiving the things like encouragement, moments of peace, wellness, etc. that give you hope, though the good and bad. Because you are experiencing optimism, you have the fuel to go after your dreams! Have faith things will turn out how they need to be. Like the High Priestess, we have the image of the stars in the water–you see the truths now for how they are.
Both Fantasy Garden Tarot and City Labyrinth Tarot are created by Dmytro Ryzhak (as is the Bloody Tears Tarot), and besides the incredible Bic pen artwork, this artist creates amazing sense of space and place in his drawings! The Garden Tarot takes a step back (literally!) on it’s view of the scene, and the figures become small as the situation and garden takes center view. The City tarot paints a picture of New York (and select other cities) with the hustle and bustle and our individuals seem right at home in the scene.
We have the Three of Pentacles (which, to be honest, the Three of Pentacles and the Three of Cups have been haunting me all through June so its only insult to injury at this point to have the Three of Pentacles TWICE in the same reading) and The Emperor. You have a project, and you need a skilled hand to help you out and show you the ropes. On the surface things look easy, but they always take more work than you think! Don’t leave things half done–properly finish them! You are going to be in the position of a leader in this project, you call the shots. You gotta bring your A-game to the table, be decisive, but also stick to your goals and your own personal work style. Look things over carefully before committing. Make sure others in the group project are satisfied with the results. So far, I’m getting “your inner light/dreams will lead you to the path of getting sh*t done.”
You see, this is the problem I have with including too many decks to work with at once: they have a relatively simple message to tell me and they just end up repeating themselves!
Me: “Cards, tell me what I need to know this month!”
Cards: You already know what you need to do, just go ask others for a little help and get it done!
Me: “Hmm, so mysterious! Clairfier cards…”
Cards: I dunno how clear I can be lady…
I was so intrigued by Tarot Landscape that its one of the few mass market decks I’ve purchased this year. I have to say it thus far hasn’t disappointment me at all. The images are simple but so color saturated. There are also a lot of unexpected images for various cards which is refreshing! The box and card stock leave a lot to be desired but I think that this is one of the best MM decks I’ve purchased in a very long while and I cannot wait to use it.
This image of the Three of Pentacles is quite different than our classical RWS (like seen in Fantasy Garden). This one looks at how the old must decay to bring about nutrients and abundance for the future. How is your old helping you live now? How can you use things of the past to shape a better future?
I’m not a huge fan of photo decks but I fell head over heals for the Flow Tarot which is focused, of course, on water imagery. This is a really cool deck, that has interesting but sensible key statements which remain positive without being too touchy-feely.
I have to say, there are quite a bit of water based images in this draw with the juxtaposing High Priestess with the internal water, the Star pouring the water outwards, and now the drop of water creating a ripple into the world–what an evocative image for The Magician! We end the reading with a call towards action (not too unlike the Emperor); make some (little) waves!
Though I jest about the simple message repeated several times over in this draw, there is a complexity and nuance here: You are transitioning from the inward facing world towards the external actor–you have learned thy-self, cultivated an optimism, and have the past experience to take on more challenging undertakings with others and make it a reality. You are the boss of your world and are equipped with the knowledge to know the right decision, so get out there and do what you set out to do!
Well, if that isn’t an uplifting reading I don’t know what is!
How about you? Do you have a deck that creates an incredible space?
Signatesignatemeremetengisetangis romatibisubitomotibusibitamor. Consider this your message from the universe to stop and smell the roses this July!
When does summer start for you? Is it at the solstice (Happy Solstice/Litha!)? For me it’s when the first roses start coming out which this year was SO early! The above photo was taken several weeks ago now. Despite the long days, all the additional demands on time have left little hours to spend sharing tarot with the world. Most years my tarot usage tends to tank in the June/July/August months, but though I haven’t posted, there still has been a monthly theme, which is Esoteric June! Or specifically for me, Thoth June!
I have a lot of reading material this month!
Though I did this monthly draw about a week into June, I took a much needed vacation and like most things I plan for this month, they tend to run away on me! I’ve known of the Thoth system for nearly as long as I’ve been practicing tarot. I will admit (because I know I’m not alone in this boat) I had the impression of the Thoth system being “intimidating”, “complex”, “esoteric”, “symbolic”, “Gnostic”, “ritualistic”, “weird”, and now being more than half a month into working with two Thoth decks (the Tabula Mundi and the Mary-El), I have to say…the system doesn’t disappoint! All these things are true! More importantly, these things are outside of my comfort zone, and I’ve really come to realize that I’ll need to continue my studies beyond just this month to become any good at reading a Thoth deck. BUT! You gotta start somewhere! I only have these two Thoth specific decks, but seeing as Thoth has quite a bit of astrology included in the system, I also pulled out my old trusty Oracle of the Radiant Sun to accompany my draws (as if I didn’t have enough complex cards to learn!)
Top row The Tabula Mundi Tarot, bottom row The Mary-El Tarot, side Oracle of the Radiant Sun
Seeing as I’m only using three decks this month, I did the draw a little differently. Top row is “this month,” bottom row is clarifier for the card above, and oracle cards are “outside forces/situations.”
Oooftda! That’s a lot in one spread! Okay, lets break it down:
So, in The Tabula Mundi, the artist reuses images all over the place and it makes the deck damn interesting! The Decans cards (which are basically zodiac cards), are not really described in the book but are complex composite images of related cards. This one the Justice card (which is 8 in the Thoth) and the Three of Swords cracked urn on top of a blue fire pit (which turns out is a reoccurring theme this month when reading the cards) and the diamond of the Four of Swords, a crossed Two of Swords. You’ve experienced a past of division and sorrow. Rest and recuperation is needed to re-balance the scales this month. When they tip one way, they must eventually tip the other. You will find who you are is not the summation of your past experiences, but how you chose to deal with those experiences.
Part of this re-balancing is learning to grab life by the horns! Or, er, grab the lion by his snake-y tail! Lust, so evocatively named, often is also described as passion. When you can master yourself in the presence of what makes you passionate, you will be unstoppable. While this is similar to the RWS card Strength, I feel this image really embraces your passions rather than taming them. Be your own best friend! Let your passions lead you in your life! Don’t be afraid to grab on!
Okay, I won’t lie, I find this Four of Disks is weird af. I get reminiscent “Green Man” vibes, and for some reason Tom Bombadil from The Lord of the Rings comes to mind. The TM author described this card as the power of material wealth and stability but warns it needs constant attention and “vigilance.” Money is meant to be used to go about our daily lives, but it also must be replenished and stored for when needed. How can you help that store grow this month? Is there an opportunity available to make a good investment? A fortress is only as good as the person behind the walls–what is worth protecting in your life and what are you wasting time and efforts on? Focus this month on building a support structure for your passions you’re following! They do not need to be exclusively separate from money-in and money-out!
Okay! On to the clarifiers! I’m feeling honestly like I should have drawn fewer cards!
I’ve always had a love/bamboozled relationship with The Mary-El. I got it years ago and struggled and struggled to use it. But it’s so beautiful. I think having it as an accompanying deck to the Tabula Mundi, which feels simpler and “easier” to me, will be a great way to ease into this rich and complex deck.
The 6 of Disks pairs with the Decans of Libra. One is black and white, stark, right and wrong, having to choose, righteousness vs injustice, the other is a blend of all, something beautiful and indescribable. What has happened has made you perfect as you are. You don’t have to choose, you are ready to have it all. Marrying different ideas, some that may even appear at opposition, creates magic and enlightenment. Don’t be afraid to integrate different approaches. Now is a time where anything is possible!
Stunning death is paired with Lust–how could it be any other way! With the end of one season begins a different one. Don’t be afraid to let the past fall away and become something even better. Carpe Diem! You must live in the now, the past is gone and tomorrow is not guaranteed.
And here is our first reappearance of the Three of Swords, paired with the Four of Disks. The Thoth Three of Swords isn’t all that different from the RWS Three of Swords. In this image, it seems as if neither the heart nor the roses are having undue suffering! Make sure what you chose to protect and strengthen is not a reaction to sorrows. Loss and heartache are unavoidable.
Oh boy! I had to laugh; this oracle cards could not have given me a better summation of “themes I know” ahead of me this month! Without getting too personal, lets do a quick overview:
I’ll find myself in the public-eye and having to be larger than life; while this is something I go through pains to avoid, I can capitalize on the opportunity to share ideas and projects I’ve been working on, make myself known, and also gain some recognition for efforts that are typically invisible to others.
Escape comes in many forms, from physically going to a different place, going to a different place in your mind, or using your money for escapist pleasures. This month, take time to “get away”! Its good to take a break here and there to have fun and think of new ideas and recharge. You may also find yourself in a situation where there is nothing to do other than just escape!
And Friendship. You will be extra sensitive to your friends needs and emotions. They may need you more so this month. You are used to dealing with things on your own, but perhaps now you need a good friend. Reciprocal friendships are the most nurturing and fulfilling. Escape with a friend!
Quite the dense reading! I’m looking forward to finishing this month using the Thoth decks, and with out a doubt I’ll have to return to them soon! Do you use the Thoth system? What are your decks you’re using in the lovely month of June?
From left clockwise: Boadicea’s Tarot of Earthly Delights, The Last Unicorn Tarot, The Arthur Rackham Oracle (by Duck Soup), Tarot of Echoes. Center: The Liminality Oracle
Warnings Ahead: Suggested nudity and if for some reason you haven’t watched The Last Unicorn, there are spoilers ahead. Go watch it now!
I’ve been looking forward to this month since my Tarot friend and I started Fauna March, because of course we had to cover the three “F” which about 90% of our decks fall into: Fauna, Flora, and Fay. May, kicking off with the Beltane festival seemed particularly suited for a month of strange decks surrounding fairies, elves, trolls, unicorns, magicians and all sorts of magical creatures and people.
I pick newer tarot decks in my collection that haven’t used much and because I’ve covered many of my Fay related decks already, but that means I have to work hard on my readings this month because I’m unfamiliar with all of them! At least I have used the oracle decks quite a bit!
I won’t lie, I’m in love with The Last Unicorn Tarot and I was going to grab the earliest opportunity to chose it as a monthly focus deck. This deck does an excellent job at picking the most magical elements from the movie (with a few nods to the book) and putting it to the tarot system. While the movie has a limited cast of characters (compared to the Tarot system, that is), the contexts of the card images all feel natural if you know the source material. I’ve used this deck a little bit, and I will say that it is not nearly as gentle of a reader as I fantasized it might be. I mean, the story isn’t a gentle story so I shouldn’t be surprised! The cards are just gorgeous in every way possible, and it is a deck that I can’t seem to stop grabbing off the shelf.
Ana Tourian is one of my favorite Tarot artists, and they seem to be on a roll this year with various deck releases. The Tarot of Echos positively oozes magic and welcomes its queerent into a wondrous world. This is a deck that doesn’t immediately scream “FAY!” in each card, but it does seem to embrace the magic in the individual, no matter how plain or uninteresting they might at first seem to look. It invites you to look at your own inner Fay.
Boadicea’s Tarot of Earthly Delights was one of those decks I glanced at on Kickstarter and passed by because collage decks usually aren’t my thing, but after tarot-friend gave me a little nudge to watch the flip-though I changed my mind. It is SO weird with the oddest sense of humor! I think it really feels like a creepy trickster and manages the lighthearted/profound juxtapositions; if that isn’t quintessential fay energy, I don’t know what is. It’s complex. I can already tell I may need to use this deck for a couple months before really getting into the meat of it.
The Liminality Oracle has made at least one if not several appearances on this blog before–it is a stunning deck that feels very balanced in its key words and evocative in its imagery. The subjects in the deck all very cleanly fall into the Fay category so it’s a no-brainer of an oracle deck to use this month. And, Duck Soup’s The Arthur Rackham Oracle is charming as all get out. This was my second oracle deck and I used it so much I became sick of it, so its high time it came out to see the sun again! The storybook images, the curious words and phrases make this a very dynamic oracle deck that is perfect for pairing or simply doing a daily “what do I need?” draw.
Lets see what May has in store for us:
Starting at the top are our themes for the month: Center and Courage–Defensive but Daring. Interesting! I’m already getting a similar vibe to last months.
We see our Center Fay with her feet tangled with the weeds and in muck and the crown of her head above the surface of the water while the rest of her is tugged about by the current. There are many different forces acting upon us, pulling us one way or the other. It can be hard to know what it is WE want through all the proverbial noise. This card acknowledges that there is struggle to knowing one’s self, but it is so important even in the heat of things to look into our-self to find stillness and listen to what our heart most desires. How can you align your direction with the current rather than fighting against it, is a question I find myself thinking.
And courage. Courage is a difficult thing to define, but this fresh young character is showing courage by standing their ground! Be resolute about your decisions. To be courageous isn’t about finding trouble and being brave so much as preventing trouble from disturbing your path forward. Sometimes simply “sticking to your guns” despite others pulling you away is the most courageous thing you can do. With the Center card it makes me think about “chose your path and stick to it” even in the face of challenges and “common sense” telling you otherwise.
From Boadicea’s Tarot I drew the positively overwhelming Nine of Fungi (Pentacles). This jaunty woman has what looks like a golden chanterelle as a hat–one of the most delicious mushrooms you can find! In one hand she has a man-hawk and in the other what looks like an auto-man heart. Full disclosure, I have not read the book though I do have it. This is a rare exception of a deck I want to fully explore on my own before I get the artist’s vision! But in the meanwhile I may be wrong in the imagery. Oh well; I’m having fun with it! Anyways, she has quite the fruit and wine table spread with a walled fortress town behind her. Oh and she looks like a complete badass to boot! The nine of pentacles this past month has been stalking me in my draws so I’m not surprised to see it again. You have got it all–now what are you going to do with it?
Our Nine of Fungi is flanked by Echos’ Six of Cups and Two of Pentacles. What two very interesting takes on these cards! I love this deck. In this Six of Cups I see a long lasting (perhaps childish?) dream of adventure, but now the means are at hand! The sea is right there, calling to the man from his window! Something you’ve longed for and perhaps even have forgotten is nigh! All you need to do is step outside your door and have the courage to go get it!
The Two of Pentacles is calling on the old tale of the goose that laid golden eggs. You’ve stumbled across something that is incredibly creative and can bring you wealth, but use it unwisely and you will spoil it for yourself. How can you balance pleasure with business? Where is there an opportunity to see growth beyond what you already have? Can you invest in what you see as a longed for opportunity? Hmmm…
SPOILERS AHEAD!
The Last Unicorn is a deck that, due to its rose petal finish really needs to be coaxed to produce jumpers, but today I didn’t seem to have a problem at all and three cards came flying out in one shuffle! I guess it has words to share.
The Queen of Swords does not make it immediately clear who is the queen; Mommy Fortuna or her (fatal) counterpart the Harpy? I think this particular Queen of Swords, which is arguably one of the most difficult court cards to pin down already, is perhaps the most complicated of any Queen of Swords I have ever seen. Mommy Fortuna is one of the most clever and scary villains I can think of, but she meets her downfall early in the story due to her greed and misjudgement of the Unicorn’s purity of heart an righteousness. But interestingly Mommy Fortuna is wise enough to know whats coming to her! She is incredibly crafty. But when we see how the Harpy has exercised patience for many years waiting to exact her revenge and being decisive in her freedom, it becomes clear that the Queen is the Harpy in this card. See things for how they really are–it’s easy to fall into black and white thinking, good vs evil, but reality is so much more nuanced. Be unbiased. Understand that what is right and follows your values is not necessarily seen that way by others, and sometimes that clashing of beliefs is desperately needed. See where oppression and manipulation is occurring and be a force to release those in that place. I often ask myself what is the difference between Justice and the Queen of Swords, and the Queen of Swords see’s the grey in-between situations and still acts.
The King of Wands as the Red Bull. You know what you want and need to do. Don’t let anything stop you. You are a master of your fate. Of course the story tells us how the bull is defeated, but it is only by overwhelming numbers and those who intentions shift to determination!
And Judgement. We see Schmendrick the Magician either about to change the Lady Amalthea back to a unicorn or having changed the unicorn into a woman. Either way, you and your world view are going to profoundly change. It is inescapable. Growth and change are largely out of your control, so the best you can do is embrace it fully and be ready to learn in this next stage of your life.
Taken together, these three tell me that by embracing my personal values unequivocally I will become an unstoppable force but this will profoundly change my person!
Phew! What a monthly reading! There’s a lot of concepts of being true to yourself despite resistance and outside pressures and things needing to be balanced, and chasing after things that for the longest time seem impossible. But it comes with a warning– to do so will profoundly change who you are and your world. Wow!
From right to left, A Little Rain oracle by AmbiSun (regrettable box #1), Tarot of the Witch’s Garden, The Mushroom Hunter’s Tarot, Tree Keepers Oracle, The Seed & Sickle OracleDeck(regrettable box #2)
Happy April! And may you have a foolish day!
April is a strange month for me. Always has been, always will be. Usually I like to bring out my “trickster” decks for April, but this year we’re having a bit of a shake-up! Following up Fauna March, is Flora April! I personally have several plant/botanical decks, a few which are making their second appearance on this blog because they didn’t get the attention they deserved last year.
Also, because it’s wacky April, and because we have two examples of gorgeous decks I really love but are in some really regrettable boxes, I think that I’ll have to write this month about my personal gripe and struggle with tarot deck boxes, bags, etc.
But, what do the cards have in store for this month???
Clockwise: Tarot of the Witch’s Garden, A Little Rain Oracle, The Seed & Sickle Oracle, The Mushroom Hunter’s Tarot, Tree Keepers Oracle
What a beautiful spread of colors! The cards were quite chatty this month, and honestly I was feeling a longer spread so I kept the extra jumpers when they came out in the shuffle.
The Seed & Sickle is a strange sort of oracle deck. I really really love the images in this deck, and I find it plays well with a variety of decks I own, and it’s the right balance of thought provoking without making it a completely niche oracle deck (which I tend to find most oracle decks are a bit too specific for my tastes). However, it has two guidebooks. One, Dawn, is forward thinking, while Dusk is retrospective. I’m honestly never sure which I should use!
40 Blackthorn sits near the end of the autumn plants and beginning of the winter plants. The Dawn book tells us it references Cailleach, the winter goddess crone and her unexpected ice storms. Something will take you unawares. Be ready and quick on your feet. In Dusk, we are reminded Cailleach is an ancient guardian of the woodlands and though she looks frail, she is indeed powerful. Don’t let others tell you the bounds of your abilities.
Last year when I took out A Little Rain for my monthly decks I also drew The Orchid, a card speaking to the power of social network and cultivating symbiotic relationships. Well, here it is again! Because I’m not as well versed in the plants featured in ALR, I find this deck a bit more difficult to use, but I’m determined to learn from it and use it because it is one of my most beautiful decks I own!
I wanted to see a different card so, atypical for monthly draws I shuffled until a second one came out, Protea. I knew nothing about this plant, but it is named after a Greek god shapeshifter. The seeds are remarkably resilient to wildfires. The three keywords are Rebirth, Survival, Restore. Eugh, that’s not exactly what one wants to hear for the month! Know that when times are bad or things look down, you have the strength to bounce back. So far, something unexpected will happen to take you down a notch, but with your strong social network and your inner resilience, you got this under control! Lets look at some tarot cards next:
My friend acquired Tarot of the Witch’s Garden last year and I watched her use it many times and I really loved how it reads and how gentle it is while still being firm. It reminds me a lot of my Every Day Witch Tarot, but it’s far less silly. Oh, and its gorgeous! So I got a copy for myself to try out.
We start off with the beautiful Star, which is often seen as the card of rebirth, or coming out of difficulty with a sense of quieting senses and a calming of the mind. Our lady is wishing upon a star surrounded by beautiful moon flowers which will only bloom in the dark (the book refers to them as night blooming jasmine–they are not, I’ve been lucky enough to know both flowers quite well!). A rare and beautiful albino peacock keeps her company. After all that struggle and trauma, you are finally out of it.
I really love the motion in this Eight of Wands! Most Eight of Wands are really lack-luster for me, but not this one! This is awesome! You had intentions in mind for quite a while and now is the time they are going to take off! Things are going to be rapidly happening this month, so hold on tight!
And the lovely Ten of Cups. You have done it. You will realized your dream. You have a profound sense of fullness, are satisfied with yourself and are in a blissful realization. You are content at home and are at home in your world. You’ve labored hard and now get to enjoy the fruits of that work.
Okay, this makes more sense. This month we are seeing the end of a challenging cycle where trauma happened and now finally we are seeing the seeds take root after the big fire mentioned in the first three oracle cards. Things will really start falling into place at a rapid pace and you’ll find an inner bliss you didn’t think was possible. You’ll feel at home in yourself for once. Aww!
Okay, I’ll admit that I don’t often pick up The Mushroom Hunter’s Tarot, but when I do it always makes me laugh! It is certainly a niche deck (I mean, you gotta like wild mushrooms), but it’s also incredibly playful! I read these cards left to right, that is the order they popped out of the shuffle.
The Six of Wands shows Marasmius haematocephalus also know as Red Pinwheel (or as I call them, fairy lanterns!). Despite all odds, and all the challenges, you’ve emerged victorious and successful! You’re a tough little cookie, er, fungi.
The Six of Pentacles shows Tuber borchii, the Bianchetto Truffle, or poor man’s truffle. This card reminds us that we did not reach our achievements alone, someone spent time and resources on us to get us where we are today. Now is a time to see where you can also help others and remember, what you put into something will come back to you in other ways! Between these two cards I get a strong vibe of cultivating your own success though actions done for yourself but also actions towards others. It is interesting they are both VI’s.
I love Stephanie Law’s artwork. The only problem is her cards are never big enough to see all the little details! I really love to flip through the Tree Keepers Oracle but I’ve never really focused on intensively using it (partly because I don’t always agree with the titles) so I’m hoping that this month I’ll get a lot of opportunity to do so.
You got a lot of proverbial irons in the fire! There is a lot of responsibility you are shouldering right now. Make sure to take time to rest and let go of worries. If you don’t, you’ll suffer from burn out. Change and success can eat up your time, until you don’t have any to decompress. Schedule it in, make it happen. It’s important for you to function well and to attend your responsibilities with a clear mind.
Alright, everything taken together for this month: you are emerging from an unforeseen challenge (I mean, the cards are not wrong!), and finally moving on to the next stage in your life. You’ve developed quite a strong social network and sense of self resilience! You are going forward hopeful and moving rapidly to realizing some long sought-after goals of feeling at home with yourself. You will find success and you’ll also share your success. It is a good time to practice mindfulness about when you need to give yourself rest as you keep all the things moving forward in your life.
Maybe this April will be the one to break the weird April Curse!
How about you? Do you enjoy botanical-inspired decks?
It is a balmy windyday–more like the end of May instead of the first of March!
After using Lenormand for (nearly) all my draws last month, I’m so ready to move back into the familiarity and comfort of Tarot, but I still wanted to stick with a theme for this month! I want to see what happens when I use animal-themed decks.
The Witches’ Wisdom Tarot, the Woodland Wardens oracle, the Oriens Tarot Deck, the Wild Child Tarot, Thistledown Oracle deck
I am very picky about my animal cartomancy decks. But, I also have a real soft spot for animals! I find that I have quite a few critter decks and I usually include at least one animal deck per month. But, there are still animal decks that I haven’t included in my past year’s monthly decks! So I wanted to round a couple of them up to showcase them, and see if they play well together.
I have been wanting to focus on using The Witches’ Wisdom Tarot since I first purchased it not long after it was released (in 2020 I believe). It wildly deviates from the RWS while still keeping a rough RWS structure and when I first hand it in hand, I was not ready for it. Of course, its famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) for turning the path of the fool upside down to represent the path of self discovery and union with the earth/greater universe. The minors also have a tendency to do their own thing, and the courts are completely reworked. I like this very gentle and nurturing deck, and while it’s not “exclusively” animals (as you can see, I drew a more human-centric card) there are plenty of animal guides through the cards and the book is very mindful of various animal presence.
From TWWT, I drew the Craftsman of Air–your March will entail putting ideas into practice! Try, try and keep trying until you find what works! You will have lots of study ahead. Be prepared to accept new ideas, and discard what has worked for you in the past. The path to mastery is neither straight nor linear–do not be discouraged if something fails, see it as an opportunity. Discernment and hard work should be tempered with a lighthearted approach–do not take yourself too seriously otherwise you might set yourself up for failure. There is also hints that cross-pollination between different, seemingly unrelated studies is beneficial to learning and deeper understanding (literature, astronomy, geometry, music, chemistry, biology, there’s a lot in this card!).
The Woodland Wardens oracle deck is a new face to Tarot Tarts, though I’ve had it since it was released. I find this deck is very sweet and it feels rather Tarot-esque in its numbering system/choices, but I find I don’t often reach for it, through no fault of its own.
With a clever combination of animal and plant, this deck is not only very beautiful, but also is a little pocket dictionary of flora/fauna myths (hello cross-studies!). From Wardens I drew X The Duck and Chrysanthemum, Luck. Lucky Ducky! I LOVE that the image chosen was not the classic male Mallard, but his demur, female counterpart. She is beautiful too with her iridescent wing-bars! This card speaks to not only being lucky, but cultivating luck–being kind to others, and not expecting any particular outcome are good places to start. So, I’ll have a good turn ahead of me it seems!
The Oriens Tarot is probably my favorite animal deck ever, and it has made several appearances in this blog, hence why it hasn’t been a “monthly” deck yet (though don’t be fooled, I use this deck all the time).
From this came the King of Cups, a handsome flamingo, perfectly balanced. How can I this month keep my emotions in balance while still perfectly “owing” myself? What is the right balance perhaps is an even better question. This beautiful bird is a little more than flamboyant, isn’t it? There’s a degree of trusting one’s self to achieving that sort of equanimity. This flamingo certainly does not face imposter syndrome! You as you are right now are enough–own it!
The Wild Child Tarot is just a darling deck. It is so very sweet (I feel like I’m going to say this a lot in this monthly draw!). The artist is the same who created The Healing Waves Tarot, and also the Wild Child Oracle. While the animals chosen are rather “typical” of what I’d imaging for most of the cards (whereas I’d say the Oriens is very atypical in most cards) I cannot think of a more classic Emperor animal than the majestic Ram!
Of course, the Ram and the Emperor are cards associated with the Aries Zodiac, so its a “no, duh” choice. But, I usually associate the Emperor with a fire element (hello there little salamander!), but this Emperor seems very earthy and grounded, doesn’t he? Hm, a very practical and perhaps gentle Emperor. While you will have mastery and self control of your emotions, you will also be the boss of your world. You have stability, and are the leader in your own life right now, and you carefully protect what you have. You use logic and sensibility to make decisions and you will exercise prudence to ensure you are on top of things. Also, those are some really impressive horns! You probably only need to look like you mean business to get things done rather than actually needing to exercise any sort of force.
Hmm, between The Craftsman, the King, and The Emperor, there is a bit of a masculine theme, isn’t there?
And finally, the Thistledown Oracle, from Three Trees Tarot (the same who made Oak, Ash, & Thorn Tarot). I have yet to use this deck in any seriousness, and it’s the perfect oracle deck for someone like me who has a bit of lack-of-imagination when it comes to oracles. The images are intriguing without me needing to know much context, and the key-word is simple. This sweet little oracle deck is predominantly forest and farm animals, however, like The Witches’ Wisdom, this deck spat out one of its (very) few non-animal cards and gave me a dragon card.
Silver Lining! “Every mushroom cloud has a silver lining” said Owl City. Yes, I still listen to their album! Sometimes I feel like “silver lining” should be my nick-name! I always, always, always try to find the silver lining in a tough spot or bad place. There have been points in my life where nothing was good or right and I had my work cut out to find something positive. Sometimes you make a decision that isn’t want you thought it would be, or a decision marks a split in the road and while neither is a bad choice, you lose out in some form or another. OR sometimes bad things happen and you have no ability to control them. Silver lining speaks to finding that there is something to be gained in loss, or something that happened to make YOU better and stronger, even if the immediate effect is negative. The little dragon looks out at the retreating storm that has disturbed the forest–there is a wild beauty she sees that she’d have never been able to witness if she didn’t hold on through the chaos. You will find that even the negative have a secret positive that will help you out where you are this month.
I have to say this is a fantastic reading for this month! While there’s a lot of work needed and focus, I’ll have mental and emotional balance and I have a great deal of agency at being my own “fate-maker.” I’ll see a good turn of luck, but also positive thinking which will enable me to weather any difficulties, or perhaps past difficulties will blossom into positive experiences now. In any case, a good month ahead!
What about you? Do you have a favorite animal themed deck? What does March look like in your cards?
Right to left:Black Violet Tarot, A Divine Feminine Tarot, Endless Oracle, Tarot of the Abyss, Ephemere tarot
Nudity warning for several card images ahead! I guess I have a lot of decks with naked people (face palm).
Like most of North America, we’re having a very weird winter. It’s astonishingly warm. But the strange light of January remains the same—its either very very bright, or very very dark. While we are out of the darkest month (thank goodness, dark at 4pm is really early! I don’t know how folks even further north do it), January still has days that are bleak. But, the strange flip-side is that when its cloudy, its warmer! And when the sun is blisteringly bright, it’s very cold. The thick clouds act like a blanket.
Usually for January I like returning to the stories I know and love. There’s comfort in my favorite stories, and I especially need this when we are trapped inside due to cold. Usually, I will reach for my Tarot of the Divine, a perfect deck of myths and stories with bright happy colors I crave in the stark white. However, its above freezing today, the snow’s almost melted, and frankly I’m missing winter. So, if I can’t have it outside, I’m going to try to have it in my Tarot (though, I’m not complaining *too* hard, it’s nice that my skin doesn’t get frost bitten!)!
My experiment this month is to use decks that are black and white, stark decks, with minimal color; let’s see what happens!
I’m kinda digging the various back textures and colors! I get some major mix and match tea set vibes from this one!
The Endless Oracle, by the same artist of my beloved Ink Witch Tarot (Eric Maille, https://www.ericmaille.com/store), is a deck I’ve been waiting for what seems an age to really dig into! As a myriorma deck, all cards appear to flow from one to the other due to the black bushes and trees at the edges, as if you’re walking from meadow to meadow in a thick forest at night. With little pops of color, and the same rough, charming unfinished style of the Ink Witch, this oracle seems like it will fit with most other decks. The keywords and images do invoke rather mythic and storybook settings, so perhaps my regular January theme still exists!
The Tarot of the Abyss I’ve used extensively since I first purchased it, and I typically use it in winter or darker days. I find this deck is very profound in its readings where it can tap into the inner child, and it can really get into sensitive subject matters with me. I usually save it for personal readings only for that reason. Ana Tourian (https://www.anatourianart.com/) is an incredible artist who clearly understands the Tarot system and also has a deep artistic understanding of human psychology. I suspect that this deck will really stand the test of time and continue to be a deck people buy many years down the road from now.
I really enjoyed last year getting to know The Black Violet Tarot (by Heidi Phelps, https://www.blackviolettarot.com/), a uber minimalist tarot deck that is also very earthy, grounded, prudent, and dare I say, grandmotherly? I found the experience last year very novel using such a simplistic deck, but I haven’t reached for it all that much since. I actually find I rely on lots of “stuff” in a card to read, so using this deck is a challenge, but one I’d like to revisit seeing as I really adore the quirky, almost folk style art. Despite the lux cardstock and stark imagery, I find this deck very gentle and humble. I’m excited to get it back out again and see what I can learn from it.
If The Black Violet Tarot is the humble country grandmother, then it’s fabulous youthful city sister would be A Divine Feminine Tarot Deck by Cocorrina (https://www.cocorrina.com/). This deck has been around a hot minute, but I didn’t acquire it until I added it on when I backed Cocorrina’s Book of Whispers. The black and gold is so glamorous, and the nude figures are so dramatic, this whole deck is over the top. I have barely used it but I can tell we’re going to have a fun time together!
And then, last but not least, my project deck for this month, the Ephemere tarot, by Arthur Wang (https://trueblacktarot.com/), the same artist who created my much beloved True Black tarot. I feel I have exercised great restraint in using this deck almost not at all and saved it for a New Year’s treat. Wang’s done it again and made a stunning, gorgeous deck. But, not only that, this deck’s majors are a new take on the tarot system; instead of the Fool’s Journey, we take the Hero’s journey. He has a whole web series that is being produced right now that delves into this new system structure and I’m SO EXCITED to be learning along!
Okay, all major arcana–what the heck does January have in store for me???
A group of revelers, or perhaps some sort of religious ceremony, go marching up the mountain side, their wreaths and banners bouncing merrily along. A bloodmoon, an auspice lunar eclipse, rises in the sky. Are they welcoming in the new year? Then, a lone fisher-person sits quietly along the calm banks. Do they need of space to think and reflect? Are they idle? Do they come from the procession or do they await them? Then our little creek flows into the mighty waterfall. Though you cannot see it, even single drop of water makes a difference in is ever constant progress. Strong, it ever pushes forward and waits for no one, quite the contrast of the still fisher-person. We also see no people in the waterfall, complete solitude. I see a trio of balances, social time, alone/idle time, and time to focus and get stuff done. There’s also this sense of movement, movement in a crowd, stillness, and pushing forward with purpose. Hmm, lets see what the tarot say to give us some more context.
Usually I read right to left (except when I don’t, lol), but my eyes were really caught by these two bright white cards so I had to look at them first. We first have the Seeker, (or traditionally, The Hermit). The moon is almost nothing but a sliver, and she is cloaked in a veil, but she carries a lantern and a mirror. What she seeks is both an external observation and an internal examination. What you know about yourself, you also know about the world, in a sense. How you internally project onto the world shapes how you see the world. To truly understand something profoundly, you have to look beyond yourself but also be mindful of who you are and how that affects your perceptions. What is it that you seek?
Ah, the lovely Temperance! I really love this take on XIV, so simple and truthful. Fire and water, earth and air, passion and emotion, grounded-ness and imaginative thinking, you need all to be complete and feel whole. Balance is key. Do I seek balance? You bet I do! The struggle is real!
Though I thought these two simple decks would clash with one another, they are actually rather complimentary!
I like how The Black Violet Tarot’s High Priestess is praying. She is listening to her internal consciousness and intuition. Gut feelings are a gift to us to keep us healthy and alive! They are not to be ignored, and sometimes when we are repeatedly told otherwise, we forget how to listen to ourselves. The LWB says “The High Priestess urges you to trust your instincts as you move forward–your path will become clearer as you go.” For some reason, I get major Princess Mononoke vibes from this Priestess. Between the Fisher and the Seeker, there’s a lot of internal retrospect in the draw thus far!
Well, this is truly a very dramatic Judgement! Again, we see another sliver moon. This herald also has a lovely messenger dove. A year is done, and now we move on to the next. What have you learned that will help you this coming season? How can you grow and become a better person despite your shortcomings and flaws? Even an imperfect person can have grace and move forward with their life.
Taken all together, this months draw seems to acknowledge the end of a busy year! It has a heavy emphasis of balancing of activities with others, with myself, and towards my goals along with balance in my life, rather than the “success” focus I saw last year. There’s the concept of knowing one’s self, being honest and true with oneself, and using the outside world to learn and teach me to become a better person. In a way, the only measure of one’s life is what a person has already done (you are your own yardstick), so I see this as a call to use what I’ve learned to become my best person this year! This seems like a yearly thematic draw, to be honest!
From The Book of Whispers, my January draw is concluded with the advice “Walk boldly and excitedly towards something new.” It better mean a new year, cause I have zero spoons for a new hobby!
Aka Medieval Fantasy Madness aka when your decks are done with your shenanigans.
Okay folks, I made this tarot list back in October (yes, sometimes I do get my homework done in advance!) because, well, I wanted to do something just goofy for the dark month of December! December can be hard, with the pressure and stress of the holidays, the lack of sun, and if you’re in the northern sphere, the cold might make one feel trapped indoors. SO! Where I can, I try to lighten things up, especially in my deck choices. Bring forth the Medieval Fantasy Madness Decks!
While these are not all of my medieval themed and certainly not all my fantasy themed decks, these needed to have an excuse to be on the playground together.
I like big boxes and I can’t deny! Nah, just kidding. I typically HATE big boxes, but I do have a bit of a love affair with the limited edition The Citadel: A Fantasy Oracle and The Deck of Emblems’ book-box, and I am really mesmerized by the huge limited edition Slavic Legends Tarotbox (I mean, its WOOD and they made the spine accordion-like so it can bend?!?). Also this month we have the Medieval Europe Tarot, the Förhäxa Tarot, and The Woven Path Tarot.
I broke down and bought The Citadel (limited edition) Oracle decks, because I did love the first edition and I do think it’s a great deck to use with most of my Tarot decks. I really like the simple line art and how most of the keywords and images are quite symbolic rich. I’ve been trying to wait to use it until December, but it has sneaked out of it’s box here and there the past few months (oops) for a trial run or two. It’s just as fun as its first supposedly special edition (don’t get me started), and the cool card shapes are still as interesting as the first edition hexagonal deck. I also like the bonus sister deck that came with the limited edition, but I cannot figure out why they decided to edge them in different colors–this makes it difficult to want to use them in a combined deck. Ah well.
I had followed the scant progress of the Woven Path tarot for years before it finally hit kickstarter. I as a general rule don’t like decks with multiple artists, HOWEVER this is a notable exception because the premise of the deck is to be like a medieval tapestry, which of course might have multiple weavers, and would certainly have had many repairs by various people through time. I also think that the deck creators generally got the “medieval fantasy vibe” down just right, and there is a rich, deep tone and earthy color pallet that brings it all together. It’s a funny deck for sure in that it has strange idiosyncrasies. I’ll be really focused on getting to know it this month because it’s the least familiar of all the decks out for the December line up.
The Medieval Europe Tarot cracks me up! I won’t wax on too much about this deck because it frequently appears in lists of decks I love and adore. It’s a collage deck of Medieval (and Renaissance) European Art and it is perverse, violent, tongue in cheek, rude, and in general has some of the best shock value of all my decks. And the card stock is to die for. If The Haunted Mansion Tarot was what I wish my family was like, the Medieval Europe Tarot is a much more accurate portrayal of my family. Perfect for the holiday seasons.
The Slavic Legends Tarot is arguably one of the most beautiful decks I own, and there’s a strong winter fairytale vibe in several cards and it just has that “festive” feel to it that begs to be used in the cold season. I never feel down using this deck; it’s as kind of a reader as it is beautiful. With the intense nature themes and folksy vibes, it also fits the Yule season. I also like the large card size; I do like to have size variation during my various month decks, but I don’t have a ton of decks that are extra big.
Even though the Förhäxa Tarot is more of a fantasy/fairy tarot than “medieval,” I love using this during the darkest season of the month and it seemed to fit just fine with the other decks. It has a very feminine feeling to it (to offset The Medieval Europe’s masculine feel), but it isn’t particularly hand-hold-y. Rather, its a very brazen and bold deck! It has a strong sense of adventure, and go forth and blaze your own trail mentality.
Onward with the draw!
I may have mentioned in passing that I choose my cards via “jumpers”, or “peekers” if I’m using a particularly matte finished deck. These are cards that fall out, jump out, or stick out as a byproduct of my bad shuffling. I really like this because I am a details-person, and if I use a deck long enough, I’ll start to know specific cards from little faults or flaws, so letting them fall on their own takes me out of the equation as much as possible. Though on this blog I typically only show fairly structured draws, my daily draws are not anywhere near as formal, and sometimes I get five cards, sometimes ten, sometimes one. I’m not really all that particular. Now, for posting lovely internet pictures, I typically like to have one one card from each deck, but try as I might to get The Citadel to give me just one card please! I got two cards in a row from four different shuffles, so I finally gave up and took the two that came out the final time, which are The Aspirant and The Orator. Oh what a pair!
So, it is my personal belief that the magic of Tarot (and other cartomancy systems) happens because the images represent universal human experiences that we can all relate to at one time or another. I tend to tell people that I’m not a strong believer in the “woo” of Tarot. However, there are times when a deck just seems to call you out, isn’t there? Uh, this is one of those times.
I really love how this Oracle deck divides its cards into practical and alchemical groups: there is “the court:” achievement and responsibility, fire, where the Aspirant comes from, “the academy:” development and growth, air, home of the Orator, “the crowd:” community and hard work, earth, and “the troupe:” internal thoughts and identity, water.
The Aspirant seeks success and has all the trappings of expectations. Setbacks are seen as a negative thing. Things should just progress smoothly and learning happens on a linear rising line, doesn’t it? Oh boy does this ring true. I suffer from “not enough-ness,” even when things go perfectly, it still isn’t good enough, there was (in retrospect, of course) something more I should have been doing. I’m getting better with age at removing myself from this mindset, but it is kinda my default setting, so it creeps up on me whether I want it to or not. It can get really difficult when I hit a hard point in my learning or growing of a skill and nothing I seem to do gets me over the hump. Just yesterday I overheard a stranger say something I always tout, but seem to forget: “People think you learn when you are not struggling, but that’s completely wrong, you learn when you hit a wall and struggle.” Which leads us to…
The Orator. Of course, the card states the obvious in its key words of communication and confidence. But the book expounds that to doubt yourself is only to hold yourself back. It is okay to take the time to voice your needs, and write yourself a “script” if this will help. It’s okay to be heard and to take up space, to ask for that which will help you. I think that much of my current struggles could be solved by simply having a poignant conversation, but that seems almost insurmountable until I start to actually list out my needs which don’t seem all that complex to begin with…
And then I draw from The Deck of Emblems, The Broom. “Mundane yet vital work that must be done to support a community…sweep away complications…it may also suggest that support is needed.” Yeesh, I get the point, cards!
So I could have stopped there in my draw seeing as these two decks in no uncertain terms are telling me “just talk about it, for Christ’s sakes!” but nooo I had to draw my tarot too, because this is a monthly draw after all! So from the Woven Path I draw the nine of swords–my goodness isn’t it a pretty nine of swords? I love how the thorns of her tapestry seem to come to life and wind around her bed! Talk about the fear of something making it real! Geez, I get the point!
Then Förhäxa pulls out a card that I don’t think I’ve drawn from this deck before. This playful page seems to be mixing fire with water! She is not afraid to try something new! She is working outside of the norm and therefore she has to explore different options. The snake is her tame friend rather than a scary creature. Become friends with the fear and then the fear isn’t a terror any more. Trying something different with confidence and boldness rather than fearing an unknown outcome, I think I can say when seeing these two cards.
Oh the Medieval Europe Tarot! How skeptical does the man look in The Lover’s card? If the women weren’t there, I’d think this the Four of Cups! I’m often of a divided mind with the traditional Lovers–one of actual love and affection and emotion, and one of choices, divisions of a path. This clearly looks like “choice” to me, and our man seems rather disappointment in his choices! What do you do when you don’t like the obvious choices? He also seems to be reminded by the animals that there is only a or b, and he has an audience watching what happens! No pressure!
I like that this draw ends with The Slavic Legend’s Queen of Coins. This lady has it all–beauty, grace, flowers and wealth! She doesn’t have to make a choice! You can have your cake and eat it too. You are in a powerful position to affect your personal outcome. Approach with the attitude that you can give to others, and this will in turn help you with yourself.
This month’s draw seems to be saying “Life ain’t easy, learning isn’t easy. Being fearful will only set you back. Ask for what you want, don’t settle for less! You gotta try new things in order to progress. You got this!”
How about you? Have your decks ever had a talk with you?
The Tarot Tarts 