Greetings!
In your hands, you hold tarot cards - a variation of the Major Arcana. And I am their author – Klára Sedlo, nice to meet you. For those who don't know me, I am a painter living and working in Prague. I like to work with dreams, the subconscious mind, and I am also a synesthete. My work is a mixture of surrealism and symbolism, spiced with a love for mysteries and everything that transcends our world. Besides, in our family, we a long tradition of card reading in the female line. But, strangely enough, no tarot reading!
How is that possible? Because all the women in our family worked with traditional playing cards. My grandmother taught me how to play the canasta card game, when I was about eight. I've used these readings on and off and I've continued using them. But it wasn't the same. "Everyone finds their own way of interpreting; it comes with time." my grandmother used to say. But I'm a very visual person, I think in symbols and images, and the two-color cards just didn't work for me. After all, as a synesthete, I also translate feelings into visual images. And so, who would have thought, I didn't find my way of interpreting, but I found a completely different set of cards.
I held my first tarot card about 10 years ago, when I was a student at the Academy of Fine Arts. At the time, I was sitting on a chair in the school studio, trying to read on a table dirty with paint. And that was it. And that's how I gradually became a professional painter, laying out cards for friends and acquaintances. After all, it's not that unusual - artists have a foot in the same realms as fortune tellers, witches and magicians. That's why I'm glad that after many years it was finally time to make my own cards.
The motifs you see on the cards are originally oil paintings. The creative process was very intuitive. When I created the first "tarot" image, I stood in awe for a moment in front of the easel, and then said "Heureka! This is what's been nagging at the back of my mind for months and it had to come out." Every time I create, I feel like the ideas for paintings just sort of flow out of my mind and hands. But in this case, that feeling was many times greater. And so it was with every other card. I enjoyed each stroke, and each scene flowed onto the canvas directly from my subconscious like a wild river. Some canvases were 20 × 20 cm, others 100 × 100 cm. Some square, others vertical.
Originally, this series was intended "just" as an exhibition of paintings - with a catalogue. However, in the course of creating, it was clear that there had to be a deck of cards. Not a catalogue, but actual folding cards. The paintings will therefore stay together even after they're scattered in private collections and serve their aesthetic purpose. This deck is right in front of you. And the booklet you are reading is important. You should definitely read it before you skip to the "card meanings" section. I will try to share in it everything that I consider important when working with my cards.
I'm overjoyed that a deck of tarot cards could come out in this form. Thanks to all the collectors, fans and supporters of my work, and thanks to all of you who have bought the cards - without all of you, the edition would not have been possible. To all of you I hereby dedicate my card work with gratitude.
With love
Klara
Practically to begin with
The interpretation of a card always depends on the question, but also on the position of the surrounding cards. The list in this booklet provides a guide and suggests several possible interpretations from which the card can be understood. However, the suggested interpretations can be changed and adapted depending on the nature of the question and the position of the card in the interpretation. It is possible to choose one or more of the meanings that the card symbolizes, or to interpret it in a different way (for example, the Animal card may symbolically represent your pet instead of strength; the Vampire Bite card may not in all cases refer to a loss of energy - for example, it may point to the handsome man who was dressed as Dracula at a party).
If you're a complete beginner, and this is your first deck of card readings, I recommend familiarizing yourself with classic tarot readings and card interpretation first (there are plenty of tutorials online).
Keep in mind that compared to the classic tarot, my interpretation cards contain only 28 cards. Thus, an expanded major arcana. Which, compared to the 78 cards of a standard tarot deck, limits the number of combinations that can come out. This needs to be included in the preparation of the interpretation and ideally interpreted with fewer cards (3-6). If you need to ask an extended question, I recommend doing a new interpretation, not adding more cards to an existing one. (In short, interpreting 10 cards at a time won't quite work here.)
About the interpretation
As with any other card interpretation, follow your feelings and, above all, your intuition. Interpretation with tarot cards is a game of associations. The cards do not determine your destiny and do not tell you if she/he is “the one" or if you will get married. Don't ask for fatalistic answers. You are having a dialogue with the cards. "Scary" cards like Death or Lightning are not scary at all, if you can read them.
Before you get into interpretation, here are a few points that I think are essential for working with interpretive cards. These are not dogmatic tarot precepts (although you will probably hear many of them from most people who work with tarot). They are my advice and guidelines on how to approach this deck.
WARNING:
Cards or any other similar unloading techniques are no substitute for professional help! If you are having problems in your life, consult a professional, seek help.
0 - Fool I
Description:
We see the archetype of the Fool in a more or less classical depiction. The dog prances by the man's side, while the man with the bundle over his shoulder, walks out into the world.
Symbolism:
The card symbolizes joy, carefreeness, a journey towards new adventures. The Fool can be seen as someone who moves freely through the world and is not influenced by the expectations of others - after all, throughout history, it was clowns and fools who were allowed to say anything, even to the king. The card may therefore symbolize just such freedom.
Reversed:
In the reversed position, we may see an exaggerated archetype of the Fool. In this case, the Fool I symbolizes, for example, possible naivety or thoughtless behavior. It can also be interpreted as recklessness or rashness. But at the same time, in the reverse position, we can read the card as the exact opposite of itself – e.g. the absence of freedom and joy.
1 - Fool II
Description:
In my deck, you won’t find a Mage card. Instead, there is another Fool (like Mitelli, who has two Pope cards in his deck). This Fool II has several eyes on the hem of his dress. The dog does not jump at his side but pulls at his clothes as if to play or to take his human companion out of his thoughts. Fool II, in his pure view of the world, is beginning to see more than ordinary people, aware of his freedom and possibilities.
Symbolism:
The Fool II symbolizes imagination, creativity, effervescence, ideas that may look crazy at first sight. He is a symbolic step, a transition from the easy freedom symbolized by Fool I to the creative and vital freedom. While Fool I happily exists here and now, Fool II transforms that energy into creativity and creates his future. The card can also be interpreted as the ability to create one's life, to take one's existence into own hands, to develop spiritually or to develop creatively.
Reversed:
The reversed card can be read, as in Fool I, as an incentive to keep our feet on the ground (perhaps we fly too much in the higher realms?). However, reversed Fool II can also symbolize the absence of imagination and freedom, i.e., its opposite. If we interpret Fool II in this way, imagine him in a situation in which he is not the creator of his life or he is unable to create.
2 - Janara (High Priestess)
Description:
The name of the card is based on the legends of the witches in Campania, known as Janare. My connection to card number 2 (High Priestess in the classic tarot) with these women is purely intuitive. On the card we see a woman who, is preparing a magic potion in the moonlight - but figuratively we can talk about any spell as the potion. As with most cards, we only see one eye of the character - the other is on the magic cauldron. Therefore, Janara's sight is a combination of an earthly and otherworldly sight. Unlike the Fortune Teller, which we'll get to later, Janara symbolizes pure spirituality, magic, and the higher realms.
Symbolism:
Like the High Priestess, Janara symbolically brings us back to our intuition, our inner power, and to magic. It symbolizes the power and energy that transcends us, spiritual experience, witchcraft.
Reversed:
We can read the reversed card as a lack of connection to intuition, for example, to the self. It can also be interpreted as a suppression of the aspects mentioned in the classical position of the card, the loss or absence of spiritual experiences, the desire to find such experiences, the search for a higher meaning or uncertainty, loss of faith. Or also magic and spiritual connections that we cannot see.
3 – Panning for the Sun’s gold
Description:
We see a person who sees the reflection of the sun in a bowl of water. The sun's rays are directly touching the surface, connecting the bowl to the sky, creating an unprecedented treasure under the person’s hands.
Symbolism:
The figure in the painting is enthused by the reflection, the play of the world and the magic of the moment. I conceived the scene as a symbolic representation of the search for "treasures" in everyday life - moments that are ordinary but precious if you stop and allow yourself to experience them. The card can therefore refer to the joy and happiness of such moments - of beautiful little things that we experience during the day, such as a sunset or good coffee. Sometimes, these moments are just small grains, but they are, I would say, grains of gold: the more we pan for them, the richer we become. If we want to focus on the symbol of the bird and the water, we can read them as a symbol of flow and freedom.
Reversed:
The reversed card can be interpreted as a symbolic incentive to slow down and a true experience of a fast-paced moment. It can also point out something that we overlook because of our haste.
4 - Angry Man
Description:
A man walking with a brisk stride, fire spitting from his hand and smoke rising behind him. We see a frown on his face.
Symbolism:
The card can be interpreted as a symbol for any great emotion - positive or negative, which grows within us and that fills us up.
Reversed:
In reversed position, the card can signify being overwhelmed by emotions or ignoring them. It can also be interpreted as emotions that tend to overwhelm us, or sometimes as negative emotions (depending on the position in the interpretation).
5 - Fortune Teller (High Priest)
Description:
In classical tarot, the High Priest and High Priestess are complementary - like the Emperor and Empress signify the masculine and feminine element. In my tarot, women take the place of both. But the duality is still there - while Janara represents the almost priestly approach to magic and spirituality, the Fortune Teller embodies magic in everyday ordinary experiences. She's not a priestess, but she can read cards and apply their interpretation to everyday life.
Symbolism:
The card can symbolize any everyday magic, anything we perceive as magical or miraculous. It can also be interpreted as a symbol of our daily rituals, which seemingly have little meaning, but which make the day better, and of course, as a symbol of the fortune teller – a person who can be of help to us. The fortune teller can also invite us on a journey - a journey towards magic and towards understanding ourselves, a journey at the end of which the Fortune Teller becomes Janara. Interesting is also the symbolism of the interpretation that the Fortune Teller presents - the Lovers card is the main card, followed by the Sun (below) and the Empress (above, in the palm of the fortune teller's hand and not fully visible). We see 10 cups laid out on the deck. Therefore, we can think about this deck as a hidden interpretation (in this case we interpret the cards of the Fortune Teller according to the classical tarot, not according to this overview).
Reversed:
The card in the reversed position can symbolize the absence of magic described above. A desire for anchoring or, like Janara, a desire to find oneself and one's power. In this position, we can focus more on the circle around the Fortune Teller, which is more evident upside down. It is located at the top of the card as a sort of halo - symbolically, it can point to a desire for protection, or a spiritual connection to a positive higher energy. However, the reversed card can also be interpreted as, for example, excessive rationality or, conversely, a quite distinct belief in the miraculous and magical, charlatanism, deterministic belief in fate or defeatism. As always, it depends on the position of the card, on our question and what we intuitively perceive as the meaning of the card.
6 - Couple (Lovers)
Description:
In the painting, we see two figures merging into one. The line of the two figures is fluid, as if they are dancing together in a rhythm.
Symbolism:
The card can be interpreted as the classic ‘Lovers’ tarot card- that is, a couple in love, being in love, a partnership or a heartfelt friendship. It can also be interpreted as questions of the heart, our emotional relationship to something (work) or someone (a friend, a partner), or in interpretation with other cards it can carry the meaning of a conflict of heart and mind. It can point to our strong emotional connection or emotional involvement in a given area.
Reversed:
In the reversed position, the card can be interpreted as, for example, listening too much to feelings at the expense of reason. It can symbolize so-called "rose-colored glasses," a foolish infatuation. It can also refer to recklessness or indecision (not only) in emotional matters.
7- Carriage
Description:
While on most classic cards we see the Carriage as the triumphant vehicle of the warlord, on my cards, it's more of a carriage to make the journey. Visually, however, it is primarily based on the classical depiction of the chariot in the Tarot de Marseille and the later Rossini Tarot (18th century).
Symbolism:
The card symbolizes embarking on a journey (whether allegorical or a journey in the physical world). It refers to everything that we have gathered through experience, which can now help us move forward. It can symbolize a journey both simple and complex. The crouched figure visually integrates into the shape of the carriage and becomes part of it, and at the same time, it symbolizes the fact that we don't always have to pay attention - sometimes we can let ourselves be driven and just steer the direction. The card can also refer to a crossroad - each horse is looking in a different direction.
Reversed:
The reversed card can symbolize stagnation, inability or fear to move forward. But it can also symbolically express obstacles in the path of the Carriage. It can also be read as indecision at a crossroads. Alternatively, as the (also desirable and correct) waiting for further developments before moving on.
8 - Quarrel over a Shoe
Description:
A group of people is sitting around a fire. The figure on the left does not have a shoe - it blames the figure sitting opposite for its loss. It clasps her hands together as if saying "but please". The third person, in the middle, pretends not to be concerned and looks sadly into the flames.
Symbolism:
The figures on the card symbolize discussion, debate or even quarrel, but they also symbolize compromise, clarification, justice (the Quarrel over a Shoe card partly represents the meaning of the Justice card.)
Reversed:
This card can only be read in one position - it has no reversed meaning.
9 - Hermit (Time)
Description:
We see a man with angel wings - the depiction is related to tarots from the 16th and 17th century (e.g. Mitelli's tarot), where the original Hermit is often depicted as an old man or monk, with a staff or wings. My Hermit is surrounded by a frame of cracked stone from which heads protrude, sticking out their tongues. This head can also be seen on the Running Tower card.
Symbolism:
The frame around the figure symbolizes youth - the faces from the Running Tower card are carefree and eternally cheerful. Hermit, on the other hand, walks calmly away - away from us, towards the landscape. His stance and stride symbolize a turn inward, to oneself, to "hermitage" and contemplation. The hermit has seen and experienced much; he sees life with different eyes - he recognizes the essential things; he becomes aware of values. He does not carry a staff, as in the standard depiction, but what he considers important from the mixture of life. The card may symbolize wisdom, knowledge, a mature world view, but also old age (whether physical or emotional), or fatigue.
Reversed:
The reversed card may signify a warning, for example. Do we isolate ourselves too much from our surroundings? Is the card pointing to someone who is behaving just like the Hermit and perhaps languishing as a result? The reversed card can also put emphasis on its meaning - the Hermit is experiencing a sense of old age that is passing into a sense of fatigue, exhaustion, or disconnection from the environment.
10 - Wheel of Fortune
Description:
The wheel of fortune is usually depicted as a wheel on which a woman sits - sometimes with a handful of coins, sometimes with a whole pouch. My Wheel of Fortune shows much more mundane and ordinary concerns - i.e., sustenance (bread, animals), the life-giving sun and balancing it all together.
Symbolism:
Unlike the classic tarot card, which refers to money and the favor of fortune, the Wheel of Fortune, refers to the auspicious course of things, a wheel that spins and balances in a way, so that we can be happy. The card can point to the issues involved in such a course of things - our efforts to find true happiness (a situation or a place where we feel truly happy). The meaning depends very much on the relation to other cards and where it lies in the interpretation.
Reversed:
The reversed card can be interpreted, for example, as an attempt to balance multiple aspects in life, juggling too many balls, seeking true happiness (Is what we think makes us happy really what makes us happy?), a coincidence, or a situation that is "like a lottery" - the outcome depends on chance and cannot be predicted.
11 - Animal (Strength)
Description:
A mighty blue Animal sniffs a fragile plant as the rain begins to hail. Behind the Animal, we see a mighty tree.
Symbolism:
The card tells us that strength can take many forms - physical strength, but also mental strength. The ability of plants to grow, endure, and withstand rain. Strength as stability or the willingness to change things for the better. Strength as the courage to show emotion. Whatever our strength, we can think of the Animal as a symbol to find our strength within ourselves.
Reversed:
The reversed Animal can be interpreted, for example, as too much strength that is not properly directed, or not directed to the right area. It can also be interpreted as a situation where we see something as a strength, but it is more of a weakness.
12 - Architect (The Hanged Man)
Description:
The card depicts a person who has their foot stuck in an arch of bricks. More bricks are seen lying around.
Symbolism:
The Architect is a paraphrase and extension of the Hanged Man card. Just as the Hanged Man in the classic tarot is found in a situation, from which he cannot escape, the Architect is caught in a similar trap. And like the Hanged Man - by the foot. However, The Architect can do something about his situation. He can rearrange the arch and free himself. On the card, he starts to remove the bricks from the building, abandoning the sense of helplessness and stagnation. Gradually, he dismantles the situation he seemingly had no control over.
Reversed:
The Architect is unaware of his options or his situation, so he adds more and more bricks to the arch, trapping himself more and stagnating. With his foot under the building, he will be unable to move. The arch itself may not be primarily his creation, but he does not realize that as an Architect he can rebuild the structure and gain freedom.
13 - Death
Description:
In the scene, we see the grim reaper dressed mainly in bright and cheerful tones. The black here is just a fragment of the typical grim reaper cloak. At the same time, he is holding a colored scythe. You may know the Death card from classic tarot cards - it's one of the scary ones. I often hear the phrase, "I hope I won’t get the scary Grim Reaper." And while I try to explain that the Death card isn't about physical death, its ghostly appearance is difficult to mitigate. That's why I've tried to conceptualize Death differently - so that it still commands respect and the impression of a determined character, but in a more cheerful way.
Symbolism:
Death signals the end of a stage and the transition to a new stage, which can be (and is) ultimately a rather positive event. I have often encountered the interpretation "Something we no longer need must 'die' in order to make room for new and beautiful things." This is probably what I identify with most in the card. My Death card has a cheerful, yet resolute feel to it. It seems to say, "What must end will end. But don't worry. Something new and better will come." Death in bright colors is not evil, nor is it an enemy. It symbolizes necessary change.
Reversed:
In the reverse sense, we can read Death similarly, but the change/transformation can be read as more fierce, vigorous, or very important.
14 – Temperance
Description:
A figure pours water from a cup into a goblet. Like the figure from the Fire card, she sits in nature, surrounded by greenery in a cozy space amongst the trees and leaves.
Symbolism:
Like the Fire card, this variant of the classic Temperance card refers to calming. Unlike Fire, however, it points to patience and calmness in relation to the outside world rather than to the path to one's soul. Although the sky is bright, it has stars - a symbol of hope and a promise for the right direction or the ability to navigate a situation. It retains its classic tarot meaning - moderation, patience, peace, harmony, rest, working together on something. The person in the scene sits back and lets things flow, not forcing the pace.
Reversed:
In the reversed position, the seated figure on the card may experience inactivity, too long of a wait or stagnation.
15 - Devil
Description:
The card shows a devil walking through the countryside. Rather than the Devil from the Tarot, it depicts the devil from classic Czech mythology. It shows us a righteous, but also very tricky and dangerous demon. He came out of hell onto the earth in search of those he can tempt and burn their souls in flames.
Symbolism:
The Devil as I think of him points to human weaknesses - the things we falter in and that potentially harm us. The horned figure on the card looks for anything it can take advantage of. Envy, dishonesty, indifference, laziness, avarice, gossip, self-centeredness, simple shortcuts to happiness like indulgence or addiction. These are all fertile ground for the Devil to thrive on. In my rendition, the Devil says, "Watch out!" The Devil symbolizes unhealthy patterns, perhaps nurtured and overlooked, and says, "Don't feed me." It can also symbolize a difficult situation (which is a situation created for the Devil). (Let's imagine it like they do in fairy tales - You know, the Devil enters the chaotic part of the story and lurks to see who he can tempt, offering a quick solution to the problem for only but a soul. The card can symbolize a similar situation, which seems to be waiting for the arrival of a horned visitor.)
Reversed:
In the reversed position the symbolism of the card is similar to the Devil from the classical tarot. It can be interpreted as a symbol of power, force, addiction, attraction, but it can also symbolize abuse of power, exploitation, or self-destruction. In some specific cases, the card can be interpreted as a temptation that will be avenged.
16 - Running Tower
Description:
The Running Tower is a continuation of the classic Tower tarot card. It shows a smiling tower dodging lightning and dancing on a stormy field.
Symbolism:
Let's imagine that we are the figure in the painting. We are in a dangerous situation, but we aren’t fully aware of the danger. Perhaps our recklessness commands us to dance through the lightning. But beware! Our armor is not so tough. The heart (the most important thing) is fully exposed and at the mercy of the outside world. Possible interpretations: The Running Tower is about dancing between lightning. The figure in the painting feels like none can hit it - and although it may indeed be very lucky and dance through the storm, it's a reckless act. A reckless "I can do it!" may not always pay off.
Reversed:
In the reversed position, the card may mean: We will dance the same dance over and over again without change. If change for the better is possible in your life, don't be afraid to take advantage of it.
17 - Hope (Star)
Description.
While the person in the painting sits hunched in the dark, a star shines in the distance, pointing the way out - towards happiness and contentment.
Symbolism:
Despite first impressions, the Hope card is a strongly positive card. It symbolizes light in the darkness, finding a way out, calming, positive feelings. Protection, help, a loving attitude. Coming to terms with oneself, acceptance or understanding something that will lead to a better tomorrow. Coming out of something stronger, succeeding.
Reversed:
The reversed card may indicate: The character may not see their star in the darkness. They need to find it.
18 - Moon
Description:
On the card we see a figure that is making a wave-like motion around the Moon - it is influenced by its energy and undulates along with it. In contrast to the Sun card, we see no sharp points here.
Symbolism:
How can we interpret the card? For example: intuition, emotion, strength and perseverance, magic, change of circumstances by our own doing, smooth change, making life our own, returning to nature, finding our inner rhythm. Unlike the Sun, the Moon's rays don't burn the skin. Yet they affect us, subtly, even unconsciously, and the whole planet is governed by them - just look at the tides. This aspect is also symbolized by the card. The moon is a symbol of slow and smooth change, where we tune into our intuition, our soul, and change our lives gradually for the better. If we were to interpret the card as advice, it may be telling us: "Tune into your intuition, follow the steps, don't be hard on yourself.”
Reversed:
The card does not have a reversed meaning. Whatever position it is laid out in, it reads the same because it has no "top" or "bottom".
19 - Sun
Description:
The sun is a great helper - thanks to its power we can live, grow plants and enjoy beautiful days. But what happens when we get too close? As the figure in the painting discovered, it can burn us.
Symbolism:
How can we interpret the card? For example: rationality, logic, thinking, thought work, reasoning without intuition. It can symbolize drastic change - changing things at once, but also doing something by force. The Sun on the card for me personally symbolizes enthusiasm, passion, strength, desire, the need to do something and to change – that is positive energies, which, however, when absorbed too much, can burn the individual. (When creating the card, I often thought about my need to create and work, which grew into workaholism two years ago. At some point then, my enthusiasm and zeal led to a turning point and the realization that I couldn't continue "by force" anymore. I needed to learn to take time for myself – that, eventually, led to a smoother flow of energy and better work with my creativity. This is my personal symbolism of the Sun. Yours, of course, may be a little different or completely different.)
The symbolism of the card could be summarized as follows: Great power must be used wisely; just as we use the sun's rays for growing food, warmth and beautiful moments, we also protect ourselves from the heat. In the context of interpretation, it can also be thought of as advice, "Be aware of how much energy you give to what."
Reversed:
The card does not have a reversed meaning. Whatever position it is laid out in, it reads the same because it has no "up" or "down".
20 - The Experience of Human Life (The Last Judgement)
Description:
The card depicts a woman who is surrounded by many disparate things. In some parts, she even transforms herself. The whole piece, however, makes sense. Cimaruta - a traditional Italian protective amulet - at the bottom of the image indicates that the person in the scene is protected and that all will be well. The eyes symbolize the ability to see multiple things at once and the number of lives one has seen - life stages, experiences.
Symbolism:
All the stages, memories, experiences, all the good and the bad - all come together and blend within this card. All the elements become one and form the human individual. To make the character on the card understand herself and her life better, she takes the different parts she has picked up along the way and looks at them. The card is a symbolic representation of a moment of understanding, of self-acceptance of all that has been. A looking back and a recapitulation, but not a final one. To recapitulate in this sense means rather to organize the elements before the next stage of life.
Reversed:
The reversed card can symbolize chaos that needs to be organized, too much disorder, or inner turmoil.
21 – World
Description:
We see a man holding a circular wreath. Through it we see the world - the landscape, the sky and the sun. Visually, I linked several typical representations, historically associated with the card. For example, the classic laurel wreath, in my case, the boa, is well known from (what is now probably the most classic) Rider-Waite tarot. But older cards often depict just such an opening of the world, and not only through a wreath - e.g. Rosenwald, Sforza or the Budapest Tarot (all from the 15th century). Another classic element we know, for example from the Mitelli Tarot (17th century), is a figure holding a globe. My card is a combination of several elements, and therefore the World is one of the cards that follows the original archetype quite closely (as well as the Fool or Carriage).
Symbolism:
The interpretation corresponds to the classic tarot interpretation of the World card. The card can therefore be understood as a symbol of completion, of reaching a goal, of closing an imaginary circle. The card can be seen as a reference to wholeness. Symbolically, it represents the feeling that "the world is ours" - i.e. success, life fulfillment, knowledge, completion of goals or indeed travel.
Reversed:
In the interpretation of this card, the phrase: ‘the world turned upside down’ sits well. The card may symbolize a situation that does not make sense to us and is difficult to understand within the framework of how we understand/view the world, or how we think the world should work. But it can also refer to the disembodied (inner) world of the individual – symbolically thus representing something that is missing or that has not been completed. It can also symbolize "going in circles", or something that (no longer) works - as a result of which the individual's world cannot work either.
22 - Throwing the eye
Description:
In most of the card scenes in the deck, we always see only one eye of the person - here we see two. But the other is on the ground and the person is picking it up. Or is it a third eye that the character has lost? There is also a blue sun. It's something unusual, bizarre.
Symbolism:
The scene symbolizes finding one or more parts of oneself. It may be a return to intuition, perception, or inner needs and feelings. Like the Human Life Experience card, the extra eye symbolizes the ability to see more. It is also a symbol of intuition, spiritual knowledge, working on oneself. But unlike the Experience of Human Life, the figure on the card is only picking up one element, one eye, one lost part.
Reversed:
In the reverse meaning, the figure does not collect the eye, instead, it puts it away. In this position, the card suggests the possibility of downplaying or overlooking (putting aside) one's feelings, ignoring intuition, or the need to resolve something that we may be putting off.
23 – Fire
Description:
The card shows a person sitting outside by a fire. It is night, quiet, the figure is warming its hands, surrounded by greenery and silence.
Symbolism:
Fire symbolizes the soul, which at times spent in a way similar to the card scene, can bring a better understanding of ourselves and our feelings. It can be interpreted as meditation, a quiet afternoon or a pleasant hike in nature. Something nice. Time to yourself - whether with loved ones or alone - that leads to a deeper connection with oneself. Depending on its position, the card can also mean a direct incentive to inner calming and self-healing or represent a feeling that a situation brings to us.
Reversed:
In the reversed position, the card can symbolize the need to set aside time for yourself. After all, rest and self-care are needed. Depending on the position, it can also mean a warning against ignoring your wants and needs.
24 - Fire Worshippers
Description:
Two people invoke and worship a flame – fire. They are performing a certain ritual that is fixed and has its own order.
Symbolism:
The card symbolizes order and a team spirit- either the desire for such (social) order, or the delimitation of oneself from it. The symbolism can be interpreted as, for example, the need to set one's own rhythm and order in life. It symbolizes activity or work in which we may find ourselves and our purpose, or the desire to have such a point in life. It can also refer to the desire for freedom and manifestation, the need to set own rules and order for one's life. Or it can also be a release from expectations. The card may also refer to two or more people who have the same goal or are in a similar environment, having shared experiences. The card may also symbolize an inner concentration on a goal (bringing together all parts of one's personality towards one goal).
Reversed:
It can symbolize an individual who projects his goals onto others. It can also mean blindly following the crowd, dissolving into the group, or into a group goal (e.g. at work). It can symbolize the acceptance of an external order, regardless of our internal needs - for example, a social tradition that we are uncomfortable with but feel we must follow. Or also fulfilling expectations (of society, of family) that are placed on us without thinking whether we really want to fulfill them. We can also interpret it as: doing everything for the goal, losing ourselves for the sake of the result. But it can also symbolize, on the contrary, a vigorous effort to find inner freedom, to free oneself from the expectations and opinions of others, an inner rebellion against "order and rules".
25 - Little animal
Description:
A cheerful blue animal is smiling.
Symbolism:
A cheerful blue animal is smiling. It symbolizes openness and optimism, good prospects, cheerfulness. Also, a celebration, a gathering, an event that is cheerful or is generally regarded as cheerful. It also symbolizes play, singing, even childlike fun and childlike playfulness.
Reversed:
Possible interpretations are: Fun that veers into frivolity, a "Carpe diem". We can also read it as: an event that is meant to be cheerful but may be rather challenging for us, too childlike or playful attitude, too much exuberance, to break something unintentionally while having fun, a hangover.
26 - Vampire bite
Description:
The card shows the vampire and his/her victim trying to protect himself/herself from the night creature's attack. However, their throat is already bitten through.
Symbolism:
A vampire bite expresses excessive expenditure of energy, exhaustion - the symbolic vampire can be our surroundings, work or, for example, consuming fear or other feelings that drain us. It indicates a need for rest, relaxation, self-help, therapy and boundary setting.
Reversed:
It multiplies the meaning of the card. In an amplified meaning, the card can be interpreted as follows: we give so much of ourselves to someone or something that we lose ourselves. It can also refer to overworking, giving away last vestiges of energy, fatigue or things that do not give us rest - we need to rest, regain strength, solve problems. It can refer to gossip, envy or hatred that drains us. It can also mean wrongs that keep us awake or unhealthy relationship patterns that drain us. These are ways to interpret the reverse vampire bite, but there are many more, as always, depending on the position of the other cards. Nevertheless, we can consider the basic symbolic message of the scene as "Something is draining us."
(*> – The Hen
Description:
The Hen is a very specific card, and I have contemplated whether to include it in the tarot for a long time. You see, it was not created as a tarot card, but it was the first image that brought me to the whole series. The little running Hen set the direction for my brush the next few months. The interpretation of the card, perhaps somewhat different from the others, is related to this.
Symbolism:
The card (even given the importance of the image to the series) shows the Hen as small, seemingly insignificant, a mover of great things. The Hen is a random, unpredictable element entering the situation, changing it from the base. The running Hen is the daughter of chance - like a little feathered ball of lightning, she can make a difference where it is needed. It can, of course. also symbolize the Hen itself, curiosity, peculiarity, or anything connected with the breeding of feathered animals and their nature.
Reversed:
The Hen does not have a reversed meaning. It is simply a feathered creature running around the yard of life. If she has run into your interpretation, greet her with a smile, turn her over on her feet and think about who or what may represent such a small catalyst for great things, and whether such a change is desired, whether it is coming, or whether it is missing.
Klára Sedlo: Oilpainting tarot
Texts and art: Klára Sedlo
Graphic designer: Judita Košťáková
Translation: Anna Lodinová
Graphic design of the online guide: Karolina Tuzová
Cards were printed at ON-tisk and published by Klára Sedlo Studio s.r.o.
2024