Wayward Dark Tarot

 

In the imagery of the Wayward Dark Tarot are the archetypes and symbolism of Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot deck, mirrored and modified into a chthonic afterlife evoking the beautiful and the macabre.

 

Familiarity with the Thoth Tarot will give you additiona appreciation (and likely, additional critiques) of the Wayward Dark Tarot, but isnot needed to get started. With abbreviated meanings in this guide book serving as an accessible starting point and the full PDF(downloadable at pixeloccult.com) giving more intricate details, the Wayward Dark Tarot is meant for all levels of readers.

 

There are many ways to use a Tarot Deck. It can be for card games like tarocchini, occult purposes like divination, and in pursuing improvement through self-reflection and self-work. There is no right and wrong wayto use your deck, just so long as the way you use it is a way that works for you.

 

That said, there are some things to be aware of with the Wayward Dark Tarot. Most notably, the suits have had their physical objects removed and instead refer purely to their elemental associations:

Wands → Fire

 

Cups → Water

 

Swords → Air

 

Discs → Earth

 

This booklet provides a simple starting point for each card,meant to help new readers make the most of their deck. More experienced readers may want to read through the PDF for a more in-depth breakdown of the symbolism in each card.

 

Since this booklet is aimed at the beginner, I'd suggest leaving the upright/inverted and dignities systems for later. When you're ready to get involved with more, an internet search on how to read using dignities will be helpful! Or you can stick with the upright/inverted system that is popular with RWS decks, depending on your preference.

 

For many, Tarot is a lifelong study and readings can get very involved, so don't feel too self-conscious about starting with simple foundations and going from there. We all have to start somewhere and build over time.

My depictions follow closely my specific artistic interpretation of the cards as described in Crowley's Book of Thoth with an eye toward maintaining the magical underworld themes that the Wayward Dark inhabits. I've done my best to edit my take on these cards into a cohesive whole that pays tribute to their source while maintaining their own aesthetic that doesn't merely clone the existing deck.

 

Major Arcana

The Major Arcana represent the strongest archetypes in Tarot. In a reading they could be considered spirit, major life events, karmic influence, and the larger plot points in our personal stories. In the artwork itself is the associated Hebrew letter for each card. At the bottom is the relevant roman numeral, card title, and its planet/sign/element. For this booklet,I've added the Hebrew letter in () next to the planet/sign/element.

 

0 - The Fool - Air (Aleph)

"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Well-defined Themes-Creation, potential,

innocence, new life, growth, fun

Ill-defined Themes - Recklessness,wasted

potential, distraction, fear, lack of awareness

 

I- Magus -Mercury (Beth)

"Our mind is capable of passing beyond the dividing

line we have drawn for it. Beyond the pairs of

opposites of which the world consists, other, new

insights begin."-Hermann Hesse

Well-defined Themes - Capability, competence,concentration, communication, channeling energy Ill-defined Themes - Tricks or illusions, removed from reality, distractions, hampered communication

 

II- Priestess-Moon (Gimel)

"Ithrow a spear into the darkness. That is intuition."

-Ingmar Bergman

Well-defined Themes - Intuition, the subconscious,an inner guide, a period of self-reflection, internal change

IIl-defined Themes - A shallow view, ignoring your intuition, a rejection of feminine energy, lacking spirituality

 

III - Empress - Venus (Daleth)

“If we are to strive as human beings to gain more wisdom, more kindness and more compassion,we must have the intention to grow as a lotus and open

each petal one by one. "-Goldie Hawn

Well-defined Themes - Fertility, growth,beauty,nurturing, relationships, empathy, love, nature IIl-defined Themes - Vanity, emotional damage,self-hatred, disconnect from spirituality

 

IV- Emperor - Aries (Tsade)

"There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of

our tiny world. To me, it underscores our

responsibility to deal more kindly with one another,

and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the

only home we've ever known."-Carl Sagan

Well-defined Themes - A fair leader, life experience, self-discipline, logic, systematic problem solving, self-sacrifice

IIl-defined Themes - Failing to meet goals, an overly dominant or controlling figure, rebellion against rules and structure, seeking to take rather than give

 

V - Hierophant - Taurus (Vau)

"Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling

of a vessel."-Socrates

Well-defined Themes - Tradition, rules,

regulations, learning, mentorship

Ill-defined Themes- Blind obedience, bureaucracy,controlling mentors, over-reliance on structure and tradition

 

VI-Lovers-Gemini (Zayin)

"Iwanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there,unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go

black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet."-Sylvia Plath

Well-defined Themes-Choice, consequences,relationships, love, connection, self-love, attraction,

desiring union

IIl-defined Themes - Unequal and strained

relationships, lacking self-love, lacking

relationships, imbalance, internal conflict

 

VII - Chariot- Cancer (Cheth)

"If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can

believe it, then I can achieve it."-Muhammad Ali

Well-defined Themes - Overcoming adversity, self-

discipline, success and victory, courage, goal

achievement, contemplation

Ill-defined Themes - Conflict, recklessness, lack of focus, unable to connect to or achieve one's goals in life

 

VIII-Adjustment-Libra(Lamed)

"So be sure when you step, step with great care and

greattact. And remember that life's a great

balancing act."-Dr.Seuss

Well-defined Themes - Taking stock,karma,

decisions and consequences, clear vision,balance,what gives life meaning

Ill-defined Themes - Unbalance in life, refusal to change, meaninglessness in life, lacking fulfillment

 

IX - Hermit - Virgo (Yod)

"Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people.“-C.G.

Jung

Well-defined Themes - Fresh insight into a situation, illumination, soul-searching, wisdom,

knowledge, sharing what you've learned

Ill-defined Themes- Becoming too isolated, being

self-absorbed, keeping too much to yourself,

ignoring others, being out of touch

 

X-Fortune-Jupiter (Kaph)

"If one did not have at least a little luck, one would never survive childhood. But luck can be spent, like money; and lost, like a memory; and wasted, like a

life."-Catherynne M. Valente

Well-defined Themes - Change, optimism,

adaptability, self as the stable center in chaotic times, unexpected opportunity

IIl-defined Themes - Bad luck, powerlessness,stress, lack of control over external events,cautiousness, helplessness

 

XI - Lust-Leo (Teth)

"Let all of life be an unfettered howl."-Vladimir

Nabokov

Well-defined Themes- Desire, passion,accepting of animal nature, courage, sex, self-acceptance Ill-defined Themes - Lack of passion, mismatched sex drive that is a detriment to your life, struggling with sexuality, reckless actions, mindlessness

 

XII-Hanged One- Water (Mem)

"It is the confession, not the priest, that gives us

absolution."-Oscar Wilde

Well-defined Themes- Redemption of a

transgression, letting go of guilt, giving to others,

sacrifice in pursuit of self-fulfillment

Ill-defined Themes-Self-punishment, guilt, self-sacrifice in detriment, spiritual manipulation, non-action for too long of a period

 

XIII - Death - Scorpio (Nun)

"We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the

odds and live our lives so well that Death will

tremble to take us." -Charles Bukowski

Well-defined Themes - Transformation, change,letting go of that which doesn't serve you, crisis,difficult personal growth

Ill-defined Themes - Resisting change, stagnation,unresolved issues, feeling trapped or stuck

 

XIV-Art-Sagittarius (Samekh)

"I see the world on the edge of a blade. Without

balance, it will fall."-Victoria Aveyard

Well-defined Themes- Balance, moderation,

tranquility, calm, coordination, patience

Ill-defined Themes - Unbalance, conflict, excesses,

stress, tension, impatience, haste, competition

 

XV- Devil - Capricorn (Ayin)

“There are all kinds of addicts, I guess. We all have pain. And we all look for ways to make the pain go

away."-Sherman Alexie

Well-defined Themes - Restriction, attachment,overly focused on the material, sexual attraction Ill-defined Themes- Compulsion, addiction,feelings of being trapped, aggression and

dishonesty

 

XVI - War, AKA Tower - Mars (Pé)

"Perhaps in the world's destruction it would be

possible at last to see how it was made."-Cormac

McCarthy

Well-defined Themes - Destruction of stability and a re-alignment of a fundamental understanding, a time of crisis and turmoil, difficult emotions, a sudden reversal of fate, upended expectations IIl-defined Themes - Fight and conflict, resistance to change, remaining in a toxic situation or environment, prolonging difficult times and situations, repeating cycles without learning from them,mental breakdown

 

XVII - Star - Aquarius (Hé)

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts.

Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts.

Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me...

Anything can happen, child. Anything can be."-Shel

Silverstein

Well-defined Themes - Inspiration, fulfillment, joy,love, encouragement, hope

Ill-defined Themes - Loss of hope or faith,scepticism, disconnect from the self, joylessness,lacking fulfillment

 

XVIII-Moon-Pisces (Qoph)

"These woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep,

and miles to go before I sleep."-Robert Frost Well-defined Themes - Deception, feeling lost or directionless, the hidden self, repressed memories or feelings

Ill-defined Themes- Depression, unhealthy mental states, especially over a long period of time, a lengthy directionless period, meaninglessness

 

XIX-Sun-Sun (Resh)

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer."-Albert Camus Well-defined Themes - Abundance, joy, success,confidence, illumination, positivity, simplicity, new perspective, clear sight

IIl-defined Themes - Lacking enthusiasm,

pessimism, difficulty seeing what to do and

maintaining positivity, a difficult situation,

joylessness, lacking perspective

 

XX-Aeon-Fire (Shin)

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a

bud was more painful than the risk it took to

blossom."-Anais Nin

Well-defined Themes - Life changing experience,a major decision, a time of deep change, growth, and new understanding, spiritual expansion

IIl-defined Themes - Mental blocks keeping you

from making positive decisions, repeating

destructive cycles without learning from them,

negative choices, blocked growth

XXI- Universe - Saturn/Earth (Tau)

"Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes

nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life. Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.Make your mistakes, next year and forever."-Neil Gaiman

Well-defined Themes - The completion of a major project or journey, taking control of your own fate,enlightenment, finishing

Ill-defined Themes-Procrastination,being enslaved by the material, refusing to accept an end of something, lacking closure, not being able to finish a project, spiritual stagnation

 

The Court Cards

The court cards are the second classification of cards. I have leaned into the elemental associations for these cards, as it felt the cleanest and perhaps most direct way of relating to them.Each court card has its suit's element on the left,the title/rank of the card, and the element associated with the title/rank on the right. Knights are associated with fire, Queens with water,Princes with Air and Princesses with Earth, and so the Knight of Fire is, for example, a double fire element, the Prince of Air is a double air element,

and so on.

 

Princess of Fire (Earth of Fire)

"The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt."-

Sylvia Plath

Well-defined Themes- Confidence, excitement,freedom,non-conforming, ambitious, impulsive Ill-defined Themes - Vengeful, shallowness,cruelty, unruly, temper

 

Prince of Fire (Air of Fire)

"Waste no more time arguing about what a good

man should be. Be one."-Marcus Aurelius Well-defined Themes - Honesty, integrity, a turning point, energy, enthusiasm, generosity, loyalty,IIl-defined Themes- Cruel, vain, arrogance, self-importance, recklessness

 

Queen of Fire (Water of Fire)

"Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your

flames."-Rumi

Well-defined Themes-Self-discovery,power,strength, beauty, independence, goal-oriented,active

Ill-defined Themes- Quick-tempered,tyrannical,domineering, jealous

 

Knight of Fire (Fire of Fire)

"Talent is a flame. Genius is a fire." -Bernard

Williams

Well-defined Themes - Activity,generosity,

fierceness, impulsiveness, pride

IIl-defined Themes - Cruel, bigoted, brutal, evil

Princess of Water (Earth of Water)

"Keep your electric eye on me babe, put your ray

gun to my head. Press your space face close to

mine,love. Freak out in a moonage daydream, oh

yeah!"-David Bowie

Well-defined Themes - Romance, kindness,

daydreaming, depth

Ill-defined Themes- Shallow, indolent,

disconnected

 

Prince of Water (Air of Water)

"We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and

developing our wings on the way down."-Kurt

Vonnegut

Well-defined Themes - Hidden passion, giving,creative, intuitive

Ill-defined Themes- Selfish, unreliable, secretive,volatility

 

Queen of Water (Water of Water)

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be

understood. Now is the time to understand more,

so that we may fear less."-Marie Curie

Well-defined Themes - Intuition, control over and understanding of emotions, communicative,meditative, calm

Ill-defined Themes-Disconnected from reality,distorted understanding, overly-influenced by others, depression, loss of self

 

Knight of Water (Fire of Water)

"Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like

water.If you put water into a cup, it becomes the

cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the

bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.

Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water,my

friend."-Bruce Lee

Well-defined Themes - Loving, generous,

supportive, spiritual, intuitive, open, warm

Ill-defined Themes - Fickle, overly emotional,

unreliable, unfaithful, insecure, impractical, shallow

 

Princess of Air (Earth of Air)

"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing

its best day and night to make you like everybody

else means to fight the hardest battle which any

human being can fight and never stop fighting." -E.E.

Cummings

Well-defined Themes-Clever, outgoing,

aggressive

III-defined Themes - Vengeful, destructive,

conflict-driven

 

Prince of Air (Air of Air)

“Iam so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying." -Oscar Wilde

Well-defined Themes-Intellectual, philosopher,creative,independent, questioning

Ill-defined Themes - Blocked creativity,

undeveloped ideas, scattered thought, lacking in emotion and empathy

Queen of Air (Water of Air)

"All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated, and well supported in logic and argument than others." -Douglas Adams Well-defined Themes - Unbiased intelect,directness, clarity of thought, logic Ill-defined Themes - Being critical, emotionless,judgement that blocks understanding, emotional hang ups, clouded thoughts and unclear logic

 

Knight of Air (Fire of Air)

"I am a brain, Watson. The rest of me is a mere

appendix."-Arthur Conan Doyle

Well-defined Themes - Clear insight, quick work,transition, setting emotions aside and thinking logically, mental sharpness, restlessness Ill-defined Themes - Uncaring, inability to express feelings, cyclical damaging relationships, inability to stay in one place

 

Princess of Earth (Earth of Earth)

"The clearest way into the Universe is through a

forest wilderness."-John Muir

Well-defined Themes- Benevolence,

straightforwardness, productiveness,

accomplishments,growth,nature, peaceful,

empathy, support

III-defined Themes- Disconnect from self and nature, impracticality, barrenness, closed off,lacking growth, stagnation

Prince of Earth (Air of Earth)

"If you trust in yourself...and believe in your

dreams... and follow your star... you'll still get beaten

by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy." -Terry Pratchett Well-defined Themes - Hard-working,focus,building, responsibility, practicality, goal-oriented,competence, reliability

IIl-defined Themes - Stubbornness, emotionally distant, insensitive, boring, dull, out of touch

 

Queen of Earth (Water of Earth)

"The earth laughs in flowers." -Ralph Waldo

Emerson

Well-defined Themes-Practicality, security,nurturing, loving, comfort, prosperity, compassion,growth,fertility

Ill-defined Themes-Lacking fulfillment, unhealthy,barren, cut off from emotions, lacking support

 

Knight of Earth (Fire of Earth)

"The poetry of the earth is never dead."-John Keats Well-defined Themes-Work ethic, patience, in tune with themselves and nature, reliability,stability, support

Ill-defined Themes - Dull, predictable, lacking intelligence, materialistic, lacking interest,stagnation

 

The Small Cards

The small cards represent insects, objects, and

other minor creatures in the Wayward Dark.The Aces follow the organization of the court cards in their layout, as they represent the link between the court and small cards. The other small cards have the associated roman numeral over top of their suit on the left, the card title in the middle, and then the associated astrological/planetary symbolism on the right.

 

Ace of Fire (Spirit of Fire)

“The artist must create a spark before he can make

a fire and before art is born, the artist must be ready to be consumed by the fire ofhis own creation."-

Auguste Rodin

Well-defined Themes - Potential, creation, energy,passion, discovery, opportunity,breakthrough IIl-defined Themes - Recklessness,thoughtlessness, low energy, executive dysfunction, difficulty beginning

Two of Fire - Dominion - Mars in Aries "Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night,and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt."-Sun

Tzu

Well-defined Themes - Planning, decision,discovery, travel, change, taking charge, moving forward,exploration

Ill-defined Themes - Lack of passion, unclear goals, lack of planning, impracticality, playing it safe, stagnation

Three of Fire- Virtue - Sun in Aries

"Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just,

then the will not care how devout you have been,

but will welcome you based on the virtues you have

lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your

loved ones."-Marcus Aurelius

Well-defined Themes - Constructive work,Honesty, Integrity, Perspective, Success III-defined Themes- Dishonesty, lacking fulfillment, Negative action, lacking perspective,unrealistic plans resulting in failure

 

Four of Fire- Completion- Venus in Aries "It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to

things."-Leonardo da Vinci

Well-defined Themes-Accomplishment,attainment, conclusion of work, stability, security IIl-defined Themes - Starting too many projects,taking on too much,imbalance, complacency,delays

 

Five of Fire- Strife- Saturn in Leo

"Knowing when to fight is just as important as

knowing how."-Terry Goodkind

Well-defined Themes- Conflict especially in the workplace or a relationship, competition, diversity

of opinion, clashing points of view

Ill-defined Themes- Impostor's syndrome,avoiding conflict too much, inability to work with others, inferiority complex, feeling overwhelmed by work

 

Six of Fire - Victory - Jupiter in Leo

"I've always been famous, it's just no one knew it

yet."-Lady Gaga

Well-defined Themes - Success, progress, public recognition, confidence, celebration, promotion IIl-defined Themes -Self-importance, egotistic, fall from grace,lacking confidence, lacking direction

Seven of Fire - Valour - Mars in Leo

"There is a stubbornness about me that never can

bear to be frightened at the will of others. My

couragealways rises at every attempt to intimidate

me."-Jane Austen

Well-defined Themes- Taking a stand, courage,challenge, strength, fighting for what you believe in Ill-defined Themes - Defending an ill-considered position, giving in to others, stubbornness, lacking courage, fighting against the odds and losing

 

Eight of Fire-Swiftness - Mercury in Sagittarius

"He taught me that if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it."-Roald Dahl Well-defined Themes-Insight, movement,

communication,completion, action, speed

Ill-defined Themes - Impulsiveness,

thoughtlessness, resisting change, procrastination,

lack of communication, impracticality, slowness

 

Nine of Fire-Strength-Moon in Sagittarius

"And once the storm is over, you won't remember

how you made it through, how you managed to

survive. You won't even be sure, whether the storm

is really over. But one thing is certain. When you

come out of the storm, you won't be the same

person who walked in." -Haruki Murakami Well-defined Themes - Standing your ground despite obstacles, flexibility, confidence in the face of adversity, pushing on past exhaustion III-defined Themes - Being overwhelmed, lacking the ability to go on, feeling drained, lacking flexibility,inability to function, overcome with doubt,drained by obligations

 

Ten of Fire - Oppression - Saturn in Sagittarius "So throw away your baggage and go forward. There are quicksands all about you, sucking at your feet,trying to suck you down into fear and self-pity and

despair."-Aldous Huxley

Well-defined Themes - An unwinnable situation,feeling trapped, being drained, blocked from a goal,needing to walk away

Ill-defined Themes-Destructive self-sacrifice,self-harm, disconnect from emotions and yourself,abusive relationships

Ace of Water (Spirit of Water)

"We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only

through our love and friendship can we create the

illusion for the moment that we're not alone."-Orson

Welles

Well-defined Themes - Creation, new relationships,new life, unconditional love

IIl-defined Themes- Vulnerability, repressing emotions, emotional numbness, disconnect from the emotional self

 

Two of Water- Love-Venus in Cancer "When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too."-

Paulo Coelho

Well-defined Themes-Beginning of new healthy relationships, marriage, close friendships and partnerships

IIl-defined Themes- Break-ups,

misunderstandings, disharmony, a schism in close relationships

 

Three of Water- Abundance-Mercury in Cancer "The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for."-Bob Marley

Well-defined Themes-Shared accomplishment,friendship, abundance of emotion, nurturing others,enjoyment

IIl-defined Themes - Extravagance, lacking shared goals, stagnation in relationships, disconnected communication

 

Four of Water-Luxury-Moon in Cancer

"Boredom: the desire for desires."-Leo Tolstoy Well-defined Themes - Appreciation for what we have, stagnation of goals, boredom, materialistic goals, temporary pleasure

Ill-defined Themes - Avoiding opportunities and change, depression, stuck in comfort zone, stuck in discontent due to inability to face difficult changes

Five of Water- Disappointment - Mars in Scorpio "Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don't learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness,a rejection of the world because we are afraid it will hurt us or disappoint us."-Stephen Colbert

Well-defined Themes-Wallowing, lacking

fulfillment, disillusionment, unrealistic

expectations leading to disappointment, inability to attain a goal

Ill-defined Themes - A longer and more drawn out version of the above themes leading to longer term stagnation and depression

 

Six of Water -Pleasure - Sun in Scorpio

"Sex is an emotion in motion."-Mae West

Well-defined Themes-Pleasure experienced after

difficult times that is transformative, sexual fulfillment and/or a healthy relationship, healing, a return to happy emotions after a period of flatness or difficulty

Ill-defined Themes - Mismatched relationships,out of touch with yourself, unhealthy sexual expression, dwelling in the past

 

Seven of Water - Debauch - Venus in Scorpio "I will no longer mutilate and destroy myself in order to find a secret behind the ruins."-Hermann Hesse Well-defined Themes - Addiction, giving in to unhealthy emotions,overindulgence, negativity,self-destructive coping habits especially those involving sex and drugs

Ill-defined Themes - The same themes as above but drawn out over a longer period of time, or repeating endlessly because of inability to learn from mistakes

 

Eight of Water - Indolence - Saturn in Pisces "Participate in your life, don't just bear witness to the rain washing you away."-Thomm Quackenbush Well-defined Themes- Lack of interest in others or self, denying ourselves pleasure, lacking effort,apathy, feeling empty, lacking motivation todo anything

III-defined Themes - Depression, emotional distress over a long period of time, suicidal thoughts, a flatness of emotion, feelings of pointlessness

Nine of Water - Happiness- Jupiter in Pisces "Sometimes the dreams that come true are the dreams you never even knew you had."-Alice Sebold Well-defined Themes - Wishes coming true,attainment of what you've wanted, fulfillment Ill-defined Themes - Emptiness, lacking fulfilment,inability to succeed at your most valued goals

 

Ten of Water- Satiety - Mars in Pisces "The joy of life consists in the exercise of one's energies, continual growth, constant change, the enjoyment of every new experience. To stop means simply to die. The eternal mistake of mankind is to

set up an attainable ideal." -Aleister Crowley Well-defined Themes-Short-lived happiness,happiness attained that is now fleeting, fulfillment now edging into boredom

Ill-defined Themes - Cyclical attainment of that which does not truly fulfill you, staying in a comfortable situation that does not nurture your growth or soul, stagnation within one's comfort zone

 

Ace of Air (Spirit of Air)

"It took the madmen of yesterday for us to be able to act with extreme clarity today. I want to be one of those madmen. We must dare to invent the future."-

Thomas Sankara

Well-defined Themes - Clarity, thought,

breakthrough, insight, inspiration, vision

Ill-defined Themes - Clouded thinking, being overly aggressive, lack of will

 

Two of Air - Peace -Moon in Libra

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without."-

Buddha

Well-defined Themes - Balance, peace, weighing decisions, harmony

Ill-defined Themes - Hasty decisions, stalemate,confusion, stress, indecisiveness, lack of harmony

 

Three of Air- Sorrow - Saturn in Libra

"Every man has his secret sorrows which the world

knows not; and often times we call a man cold when

he is only sad."-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Well-defined Themes -Pain over loss and separation, fears, longing, unhappiness,abandonment, melancholy Ill-defined Themes - End of a close relationship,

unresolved grief, long-term depression and sorrow

 

Four of Air - Truce - Jupiter in Libra

"In times of stress, the best thing we can do for

each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts

and to be assured that our questions are just as

important as our answers."-Fred Rogers

Well-defined Themes - A break from conflict,unresolved conflict, recuperating from stress Ill-defined Themes - Lingering conflict, unable to take time off from a stressful situation, Burn-out that you haven't recovered from

Five of Air - Defeat - Venus in Aquarius "You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself that you tasted as many as you could."-Louise Erdrich Well-defined Themes- Fear, betrayal, sabotage,past hurt affecting our present, turmoil III-defined Themes - A more drawn out betrayal that we aren't able to forgive or move on from,mental and emotional drain from previous pain in our lives, difficulty dealing with the present because of a painful past

 

Six of Air - Science - Mercury in Aquarius

"To dare to see is to steal fire from the Gods.."-

Janet Fitch

Well-defined Themes -Intellectual clarity through life experiences, trial and error, rethinking different ways to approach a situation you've had difficulty with, a new approach, thinking things through and trying again

IIl-defined Themes-Inability to learn from experience, repeating mistakes, thoughts clouded by emotion,overthinking a situation

 

Seven of Air-Futility-Moon in Aquarius "To speak of knowledge is futile. All is experiment

and adventure. We are forever mixing ourselves with unknown quantities."-Virginia Woolf

Well-defined Themes-Self-doubt, distraction,negative thinking, self-sabotage, scattered mental state

Ill-defined Themes- Appeasing others at our own expense, mental stress, compromising too much of ourselves, being overwhelmed by our own thoughts

 

Eight of Air - Interference - Jupiter in Gemini

"Nothing is so exhausting as indecision, and nothing

is so futile." -Bertrand Russell

Well-defined Themes- Indecision, too many choices, overthinking all options, wasted attention on details that don't matter

Ill-defined Themes- Inaction over a period of time,missing opportunities, delaying too long,prioritizing what doesn't matter over what does

 

Nine of Air-Cruelty - Mars in Gemini

"Self pity will destroy relationships, it'll destroy anything that's good, it will fulfill all the prophecies

it makes and leave only itself."-Stephen Fry Well-defined Themes -Self-denigration, self-harm,hateful thoughts directed inward that nonetheless harm others

IIl-defined Themes- Self-hatred over a period of time that causes pain to everyone involved, self-destructive behavior especially mentally, self-sabotage as a coping mechanism

Ten of Air - Ruin - Sun in Gemini

"Smooth and smiling faces everywhere, but ruin in

their eyes."-Jean-Paul Sartre

Well-defined Themes - Painful learning experiences, growth through a difficult time, loss of stability especially material objects, letting fear ruin opportunity

Ill-defined Themes- Painful experiences that you aren't growing from, permanent loss, self-destructive behavior brought on by personal fears,difficulties repeating in a cycle

 

Ace of Earth (Spirit of Earth)

"Opportunity dances with those already on the

dance floor."-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Well-defined Themes - New work, financial

opportunity, sustenance, tangible work, start of a new practical skill set, understanding of nature,constructive growth

Ill-defined Themes- Greed, exploitation, financial opportunity falling through, lack of spiritual harmony, overwork, lack of practical drive

 

Two of Earth- Change- Jupiter in Capricorn "We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve

that beauty."-Maya Angelou

Well-defined Themes - Learning to work within changing situations, everything in a state of flux,focus on the practical, finding calm in a chaotic setting

Ill-defined Themes - Inability to let go,recklessness in practical matters, finances out of control, change that is to your detriment

 

Three of Earth- Works - Mars in Capricorn "Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work." -Stephen King Well-defined Themes-Good omen for practical matters, reward for work, diligence, balance,following that which betters you Ill-defined Themes-Conflict at work, lacking fulfillment in work, career stagnation or indecision

 

Four of Earth - Power- Sun in Capricorn "It was when I stopped searching for home within others and lifted the foundations of home within myself I found there were no roots more intimate

than those between a mind and body that have

decided to be whole." -Rupi Kaur

Well-defined Themes-Material stability,

confidence in work, a healthy foundation, financial security

IIl-defined Themes - Greediness, financial insecurity, materialism, inability to share yourself or your good fortune, coldness,rigidness

 

Five of Earth - Worry - Mercury in Taurus "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength."-Corrie ten Boom Well-defined Themes - A threat to one's material and spiritual security, worry that keeps you from

your present moment, anxiety over one's situation that makes the situation worse, difficulties made worse by dwelling thoughts

III-defined Themes - Inaction over a long period of time due to worry, anxieties that interfere with your foundations, lengthy instabilities drawn out over a long time due to one's negative thoughts

 

Six of Earth - Success - Moon in Taurus

"Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream."-Lao

Tzu

Well-defined Themes - Material and spiritual success, opportunity for profit, reminder of past success, financial growth

Ill-defined Themes - Reckless spending, greed,debt,financial and material struggle, poor financial control

 

Seven of Earth - Failure -Saturn in Taurus

"Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping to

transform it into a door."-Coco Chanel

Well-defined Themes- Stagnation and difficulty with material affairs, fear affecting our spiritual and financial success, inertia, learning from setbacks, repeated failures resulting in discouragement, an opportunity that did not pan out

Ill-defined Themes- Staying on with a lost cause,stagnating in a losing situation, avoiding difficulty

due to fear, not moving on from a failure

 

Eight of Earth -Prudence-Sun in Virgo "Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength,the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to

change the world."-Harriet Tubman

Well-defined Themes - Continuing with something you are working on, giving a project time and dedication, development of something fruitful over a period of time, patience, persistence,eventual material success

Ill-defined Themes - Rushing a project, focusing too much on details that don't matter,too much focus on one thing that leads todifficulties with other parts, hastiness, impatience

 

Nine of Earth - Gain -Venus in Virgo "Hurl yourself at goals above your head and bear the lacerations that come when you slip and make a fool of yourself."-Sylvia Plath

Well-defined Themes - Reward, improvement,material success after hard work,financial gifts Ill-defined Themes - Financial success that leaves others poorer, reckless spending, impending material strain

 

Ten of Earth - Wealth - Mercury in Virgo

"Contentment is natural weaIth, luxury is artificial

poverty."-Socrates

Well-defined Themes -Material wealth, financial

achievement, wealth that brings stability shared with others, achievement of spiritual and financial success

Ill-defined Themes - Miserliness, greed, financial riches but spiritual emptiness, misapplication of one's finances, wealth achieved at the expense of others

 

Practicing Readings

Readings are often performed with multiple cards and there are a variety of different spreads you can use for different situations. A popular one to perform with a new deck is an "interview spread"and you can search "Tarot Interview Spread" to find one that you like. This is a way of having a deck introduce itself.

 

Since this booklet is aimed at new reader,a simple reading you can do is a single-card draw.Shuffle your deck and draw a card. See if you can remember what the card's themes are. If you don't yet know the themes, feel free to look them up. It can take some time before you know them all by heart.

 

By doing a daily tarot draw in this way, I practiced learning and remembering the cards. Others have different ways of reading, and these readings start to become more like story translation and conversations when you include more and more cards, inversions, dignities, symbolism, spreads,

and more! I think that when you're first learning it is easy to get frustrated so try to focus on a way of reading that is fun for you, and go from there.

 

There are many great resources for you online as well, and the Tarot community is mostly a warm and welcoming group. I hope you've found this booklet helpful and I hope that you enjoy your new Tarot deck!

 

If you'd like to find me online, I am at the following links:

Etsy:https://www.etsy.com/shop/PixelOccult

Website:www.pixeloccult.com

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/PixelOccult

Email: James.Brothwell@tuta.io