Witchy Tarot Deck

by
~*~Velvet Angel ~*~

Witchy Tarot

~*~ This deck is especially fun at Halloween time and can be used for any question you have in mind.~*~

Deck by Laura Tuan; Art by Antonella Platano

The Witchy Tarot is a very attractive deck, filled with bright colors and interesting scenes in the images. This deck is also called "Tarot of the Modern Witch." Author Laura Tuan designed the deck with the teenage girl in mind, specifically teen witches learning the craft. With that said, I should state that one does not have to be a witch, believe in witchcraft, or be a teenager to use these cards. I am not a witch, but I still find this deck fun to use at Halloween time. It brings out the creative side in my own thought processes. I see this Tarot presentation as offering a new angle on some of the cards and their meanings. But not all readers do; it's a matter of personal preference. Some readers need for things to stay serious . . . others, like myself, enjoy a bit of deviation from routine and tradition every now and then.

Although the deck is geared toward the teenager, showing many images of youth . . . that young girl (or young person) still resides within us all, regardless of our actual age in years. Thus, the cards can seem like a fairy tale or a storybook, and certainly the images themselves are what create that feeling within the Witchy Tarot deck.

The girls depicted in the cards wear the style of clothing that is popular among many teenage girls -- halter tops, mini skirts, bikinis, ankle bracelets, etc. It is intended to be a combination of the elements of traditional witchcraft with the contemporary life of a teen . . . although I am not sure that those who do practice the craft would entirely agree that it properly portrays this.

The Tarot suits have been modified to fit the theme of Witchy Tarot. Cups are Cauldrons, Wands are Flames, Swords are Broomsticks, and Pentacles are Boulders. The court cards are also quite different. In this deck, the King is known as Trial, the Queen is Goddess, the Knights are Moons, and the Pages are called Celebration. Each card name is shown in six languages with English presented at the top left of the card.

The basis of this deck for me personally is a fun approach to Tarot. It's not a deck that I will use frequently, but October and Halloween are the times I will most likely have it out to use in readings.

I would not recommend the Witchy Tarot for new Tarot students. Although the colorful and delightful images are inviting, the images do stray too much from traditional Tarot imagery. A Tarot newcomer could easily get the wrong impressions regarding basic meanings for the cards. For example, the 5 of Pentacles is a card normally associated with impoverishment, not having what you need, although help is usually available that you are either overlooking or too proud to ask for. In the Witchy Tarot, the 5 of Pentacles (Boulders) displays a young couple embracing. This would give the impression of the meaning normally found within the Lovers card or the Two of Cups. Here is why you have to take your knowledge of Tarot and combine that with the images in this particular deck so that you can be creative but still come up with valid responses.

Another example is in the Strength card (numbered 8) and Justice (numbered 11) from the Major Arcana. As others have noted in reviews of the Witchy Tarot, the image of Strength seems much more fitting for the Justice card and vice versa. Whether this was an error or whether it was intended, I do not know. For those who read the cards through imagery, this can certainly put a twist on the message when one of those cards make an appearance in a reading.

There is some minor nudity in this deck, including some scantily clad young ladies, but overall I would not say there is any more nudity than in a traditional Tarot deck. However, the skimpy clothing could be offensive to a few, I'm sure. It's a matter of preferences and personal taste.

The beautiful cards are glossy -- but this gloss does not "stick" like some glossy-coated cards tend to do, especially when brand new. These cards have a shiny and smooth appearance to them.

The question is often brought up as to whether a deck of this nature can actually render a "serious" reading that provides useful information. That depends on the reader, because some readers can't feel even a little bit serious with a deck like this one. However, I do feel that you can get useful information from the Witchy Tarot. Tarot does not have to be something that is so totally serious that we fail to enjoy it . . . it can and should be fun in addition to helping us gain meaningful insights.

If you have some background and knowledge in Tarot and are looking for a creative approach to Tarot, then the Witchy Tarot can be fun to use. This might not be a choice one would select on a regular basis, but it's certainly a fun approach in the theme of Halloween fun . . . or just when one is in the mood for something fun and different.

Number of Cards in Deck: 78 (22 Major/56 Minor)

Size of Cards: 2-5/8" x 4-3/4"

Included with deck: Instruction booklet, title card, publisher card

Major Arcana:
Fool, Witch, Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant, Lovers, Chariot,
Strength, Hermit, Wheel, Justice, Hanged One, Death, Temperance,
Devil, Tower, Stars, Moon, Sun, Judgement, Universe

Suit Names: Flames (Wands), Cauldrons (Cups), Broomsticks (Swords), Boulders (Pentacles)

Court Cards: Trial (King), Goddess (Queen), Moon (Knight), Celebration (Page)

Back Design of Cards: