The Cloisters(97)

Unstable, chaotic, otherworldly. When the tides and currents are resisted, this can cause instability or an unwillingness to make peace with or understand deeper meanings. It can also signal a brittleness of mind or will.



13

DEATH

MORS (ORCUS)

SCORPIO

PLUTO

The figure Orcus sits on a throne. Next to him sits a three-headed hydra. The landscape is barren and dark, signaling eternal night. Only in the sky above him does the constellation Scorpio, its long tail sweeping the horizon, offer illumination.

Transformation and transition. The quality of a phoenix rising from the ashes. But also, as part of that transformation, loss of the familiar. An immersion in the new, sometimes the uncomfortable. Intensity and incisiveness. A card signaling a change of seasons.

Stagnation. Bitterness or ruthlessness. An unwillingness to change or regrow. Jealous, secretive, or suspicious. Stubbornness to the point of danger. Vengeance and grudge holding.



14

TEMPERANCE

TIATEMPER (VIRTUS)

0

VENUS

According to Aristotle, Temperance was the most important of all virtues. Temperance is here shown as the leader of the virtues, dressed in a white dress, pouring water from an urn into a catch basin.

Moderation and harmony. A need to see both sides, to balance desires and wants. And in that, also a mixing and alchemy. The ability to bring two disparate elements together in compatibility.

Overindulgence or rigidity. Disharmony. Tension or blockage. An inability to mix or pour water from the urn. A freezing of forward progress. An inability to broker peace or work with others.



15

DEVIL

BOLUSDIA (JANUS)

0

PLUTO

In this case, the Devil is personified as Janus, the two-faced god. Janus stands with his two faces showing. On one side of the card is lightness and joy and on the other, darkness and sorrow. Janus stands below an arch at the edge of the earth.

The taboo. Bondage, restriction, failure. Easily becoming enthralled or obsessed with others. Passion and the wilderness. A space outside of usual human interaction or inhabitance, whether real or imagined. Sexuality.

Release through chaos. Trickery. The ability to see and recognize the forces of bondage and restriction for what they are. Anxiety. A need to confront the darker forces in your life.



16

TOWER

RESTOR (VULCAN)

0

SUN

At the bottom of a tower, we see a bearded man standing and working in a fire. However, the fire has spread to the structure itself, and the sky beyond is dark.

Unexpected or sudden change. A reversal. Release or abandonment of old ways of thinking, relationships, or interests. Fierce clarity or rebellion. A dramatic departure.

A signal that the time to rebuild has arrived. A period of reflection and construction. A warning that resistance to change is present but is unnecessary. Imprisonment.



17

STAR

ELLAST (AURORA)

0

VENUS

A woman dressed in a deep blue dress stands on an orb, suspended against a dawn sky. She reaches a hand up in the direction of the only remaining star left in the blue heavens.

Hope and renewal. Inspiration. Personal or divine enlightenment. Fulfillment on a deep and powerful level. A sense of calm. This card can signal smooth waters in your personal, professional, or emotional life.

Pessimism or skepticism. A loss of hope in others, the world around you, or yourself. Alienation or a feeling of being unskilled and clumsy. The feeling of being disengaged or uninspired.



18

MOON

NALU (LUNA)

0

MOON

A woman, dressed in a white robe, holds a crescent moon in the palm of her hand and stands suspended in the night sky. Above her, a circle of moons, signaling all the moon phases, is visible.

Fear or illusion. Deception. Not all is as it appears, and the truth is hidden. This card is a warning. An indication that there is falseness, trickery, or double-dealing in your sphere of influence. This may be in relation to those you surround yourself with, or internal, psychical.

The sensation of recognizing falseness or trickery. Small, inconsequential mistakes that are easy to move beyond. A reversed Moon card can mean you are struggling to assimilate something new into your life or identity. A reminder to record one’s dreams.



19

SUN

LOS (SOL)

0

SUN

A putto holds the sun aloft in a golden sky. He is not the traditional representation of the sun, but rather a child. He is nude, save for a cloud. Above the sun a white eagle, the insignia of the d’Este family, flies.

Positivity, success, abundance. A great return. Satisfaction or contentment. If not yet present, this card is a signal that a positive sea change is imminent. A sign of renewal or laying bare. Professional accomplishment.

Unwarranted pessimism. An inability to see the future, or clouded judgment. A warning that your decisions should not be trusted, as you are in the dark. A delay en route to success.



20

JUDGMENT

CIUMGUIDI (CERES)

0

EARTH

Judgment is represented as Ceres, who stands in a golden wheat field and holds a cut sheaf of wheat in one hand and a scythe in the other. In the sky above her, the morning star is visible.

A moment of accounting. Taking stock. Assessing. Shrewd clarity. It can signal forgiveness following deliberation. A clearing of personal conflicts, either within oneself or with others.