#you can just make a tarot card

[linka-from-captain-planet]

Briala and Celene - The Lovers, in their adventuring gear because I didn’t want to draw dresses

[shorthaltsjester]

the mighty nein - critical role

this is a place where i don't feel alone. this is a place where i feel at home.

[mercurymacaroons]

arrives 15 min late with a latte

......sup

[baalzebufo]

THE WEIRD AL-CANA - THE MAJOR ARCANA, INSPIRED BY WEIRD AL YANKOVIC SONGS

---

ho-ly shit, this actually got finished. this was so much work for something that is so incredibly niche, but im so happy with it. this was SO MUCH FUN to come up with, to think of songs for each card, to slip in silly references and make my little border designs... thank you so much everyone else who has been enjoying these posts!

tumblr wouldnt let me upload the full-size stitched canvas so I had to shrink it a little, so if you want to see all the individual cards at their full size PLEASE look at the individual posts on my blog HERE! this was the first time I ever got the tumblr warning that a photo was just too big, haha.

this post also goes out to everyone on the weird al side of tumblr- yankoblr, y'all have brought me so much joy in such a small amount of time with your posts and memes, even though i just got here and started randomly posting one day. i went from being very self-conscious about what i considered an 'embarrassing' interest to wholeheartedly goofing and it feels great. keep being silly no matter what guys

stay weird, y'all :)

[perilegs]

i know astrology is fake but i'm not too keen on how a lot of people on this website seem to be clowning on it as a hobby a bit too hard. i swear the woman who thinks it's neat how she and her friends with the same sun sign are all similar isn't trying to say that you are who you are born as and there is nothing you can do to change it. it's a hobby. an interest. what happened to finding meaning and joy in the small things. does it affect you if someone enjoys tarot reading or crystals. does it make you upset someone has interests that they enjoy.

[sainz100]

Fernando Alonso arriving on Media Day ahead of the 2024 Singapore GP | 📸 by Denzyl KY

[pastafossa]

Using Tarot To Help You Write

Right ok, so I’ve wanted to do this for a bit - there are vague references to tarot in my story TRT and I’ve answered a few questions about how I use the RWS-style tarot to write but now I have a little bit of time while I wait for my laundry to dry. So let’s get into it.

If you’re looking for another tool in your writer’s kit, you could strongly consider adding a box of tarot cards to the bag. Set aside, for a minute, what you’ve heard about it. Set aside any spiritual aspect, telling the future, the ‘OoOOOooOOh evil’, or even the ‘DRAW DEATH MEANS DEATH’ you see in movies. Instead, strip it down to its base.

Tarot is about telling a story.

(Below: Oak, Ash, & Thorn Tarot)

From a storytelling perspective, the first 18 cards of the RWS style tarot, known as the Major Arcana, essentially tell the Hero’s Journey as the Hero sets out on an adventure and searches for knowledge. There’s disaster, love, temptation, and wise people they meet along the way before eventually finding enlightenment at the end of their journey. The Major Arcana contains major archetypes and themes present through so many stories. When you add in the rest of the cards in the Minor Arcana - the other 56 cards, encompassing a variety of emotions, archetypes, figures, and various life events you might run into - you’ve got something perfect when you want to introduce new elements to your story. I keep a small deck on my desk and use it frequently when creating random OCs, plotlines, or problems for characters to solve.

And before you go, holy shit Pasta that’s a lot to take in, using tarot for your story doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need to have 20 years of tarot experiences, you don’t need to be an expert, you don’t need A Great Gift. You don’t have to know about tarot at all, really. You just need one thing:

The right storytelling deck.

More below the cut.

Look, there are a million styles out there, some that focus heavily on storytelling imagery and some that focus more on symbols; some that feature animals or nature, and some that focus on people. I generally lean towards animal-based decks since I’m more familiar with animal/nature imagery, body language, and symbolism, but in reality the best deck to use for writing is simply the one you’ll actually use. If you’re drawn to one, go for it. That being said, if you’re looking for something to use without needing to get into all the symbolism of each card, I generally recommend using a deck in which all cards, including the Minor Arcana, depict a scene you can examine - aka, one that plays up a story rather than a straight up symbol. Let me show you an example with three decks.

Left: Mystical Cats tarot; Middle: Oriens tarot; Right: Children of Litha tarot

These all depict the same card: the Seven of Swords, meant to depict deceit, theft, betrayal, lies, and trickery. The middle card relies a little more heavily on symbolic meaning (the black widow spider, which ‘betrays’ when mating and uses a sticky web - symbolizing a potential trap), whereas the other two cards show an active scene (Card 1: OH NO HE’S GONNA STEAL YER MOUSE WHILE YOU’RE NOT LOOKING; Card 3: YOU LOVESTRUCK DIPSHITS, TURN AROUND, THE SNAKE’S EATING YOUR EGGS). I’ve found cards like Card 1 and Card 3 are faster and more convenient for storytelling, because you’re basically presented with a scenario/characters/a situation right off the bat, whereas a symbolic card is more open-ended and might require some digging unless you’re already fairly familiar with the symbolism. If you’re going to get a deck that depicts people instead, I recommend looking for a deck that’s diverse. Humans come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and having a deck that reflects that (something like the Modern Witch tarot) is valuable for storytelling. So if you’re picking a deck to help you write, look for:

Decks that use scenes/storytelling imagery for all cards

Decks with imagery/body language you can easily read at a glance

If you’re looking for a deck with people - decks with a diverse range of body types, ethnicities, sexualities, and genders

A deck with imagery you actually like, otherwise you won’t want to use it

‘Ok, so let’s say I’ve found a deck, or I already have one. What does using tarot for fic even look like?’

Let’s do two quick readings for two writing scenarios you might use this for! This will also show you can be as complex or as simple as you need to be. These are also the two scenarios I use tarot for most when writing - character construction, and plotline construction. First I’ll use the Children of Litha tarot, which uses a moderate amount of storytelling imagery. Then I’ll use the Mystical Cats tarot, which is probably the most story-heavy deck I have, imagery-wise. That way, you can see how construction gets a bit easier depending on how scene-heavy a deck is.

Scenario: I need an original character for this chapter or scene! Quick, draw three cards!

Quick reading: she’s very gentle but there are also two tigers inside her and one of them wants to kill you, especially if you fuck with her pet birds

More complex reading - Personality, Flaw, Backstory:

Card 1 - Personality: This character is someone who’s unafraid and bold in their kindness even when faced with danger, and they know when a gentle touch is needed. They believe strength is found not in being cruel or violent but in responding with love. This usually works out for them, to the point that even Scary People (TM) seek this character out, knowing they’ll find love and affection. Alternatively, this character is one half of the Brooding Rough One Loves The Gentle Soft One trope. Whatever works for you!

Card 2 - Flaw: Despite all that, the gentle character’s got a temper, and it exists in direct conflict to what they believe about strength, thus producing cognitive dissonance. This is someone who’ll dodge conflict to avoid showing their temper, but eventually that repression’s going to blow up into a real fight and it’ll be messy.

Card 3 - backstory: This temper and conflict avoidance is due to some tragic incident in their past that left them deeply wounded. It’s one reason they’re so gentle, but there’s a lot of lingering anger and trauma. These wounds are not healed, and if you look deep enough, you’re going to find blood.

Depending on how important this character is, you could add even more: a card for a strength, a card for a challenge they need to overcome to grow as a person, their family dynamic, etc. Again, you can make it as detailed or as simple as you need.

PASTA NOW I NEED A LITTLE PLOTLINE FOR CHARACTERS TO SOLVE. Quick, draw four!

Quick reading: holy SHIT your characters gotta move fast, cause there’s a pissed off dude out there who wants revenge NOW and is ready to fuck up a *shuffles cards and draws* religious temple of peaceful cat loving monks, one of whom is the one that fucked up Angry Dude in the first place WHEN HE WAS A BABY WITH HIS MAMA, PLOT TWIST OH NO, IT’S PROBABLY THAT ASSHOLE STEVE IN THE BACK OF THE THIRD CARD, LOOK AT HIM LOOKING OFF INTO THE DISTANCE.

More complex reading - Theme, Problem, Setting, Solution:

Card 1 - Theme: As you can tell from our cat with zoomies, your protagonists are on a clock. The theme here is urgency, it’s speed. Things will start off with a bang and they won’t have much time to slow down. This’d be good for a one shot or a chapter.

Card 2 - Problem: look at that cat, they’re so ANGRY, they are PISSED, someone did them dirty and they’ve been stewing over it for a while. They can’t stop feeling that betrayal no matter how much they try to lick it off shake it off forget about it. They want REVENGE for what was done to them and they’re gonna cut someone up.

Card 3 - Setting: Ah, a peaceful, sunny place where everyone’s just chilling. Everyone’s happy. Maybe a religious place, say, a church or a convent or hell, a nudist retreat. Either way, no one knows what’s coming. Except (and this is why scene cards are so fun)... for STEVE there in the back. Look at him. Everyone’s relaxing in the sun but he’s staring out into the distance. He knows. And just like that, Steve’s the In Hiding person who betrayed our Problem - Steve the Asshole isn’t a part of the Sun card’s meaning, but a storytelling scene card lets you stretch like this and have fun.

Card 4 - solution: Clearly the only person who can stop Bad Person... is their MAMA (or potentially his siblings). Maybe a character goes to find the Problem’s mother and brings her to the church to talk the Problem into giving up. Maybe the protagonists desperately tell the Problem that your family wouldn’t have wanted this, even if that family was hurt - the Empress is generally very nurturing and loving, so that’s a fair bet. Either way, the solution to the Problem is their family.  

Once you get the hang of this, you’ll start to find other ways you can use it. I’ve used it for creating quick or more complex or more randomized characters, for creating plotlines and character arcs, for a few of Jane’s cases in TRT. You can use it for backstories, for settings, for problems and solutions, for deeper themes to explore with your characters. Hell, if you want some practice, you could literally go through the Major Arcana and write one-shots dealing with each card’s theme. Ultimately the possibilities are endless, whether you want to construct a detailed plotline or if you just have a new character you want to randomize or flesh out a bit.

In short: go get yourself a deck and have some fun!

[coriander-candlesticks]

I've felt like I should check in with Apollo the past few days and finally managed to clear enough space on my floor to feel alright with breaking out the tarot deck again so I did! Lit his candle, said as as formal a prayer as I could muster beforehand, asked Hermes to help with communication, the whole shebang. For further context: I've been wanting to ask Aphrodite something specific (also via tarot, it's the most grounding tool I've got) but I only have the one deck at the moment and, while I've used it to ask Hermes about things in tandem with Apollo, and Aphrodite introduced herself via it (with a card that also introduced Apollo), I wasn't sure if it would be cool for me to use it to ask her specifically something not in direct tandem with Apollo. I mentioned that in the prayer but also said that that might be a question for a different session, since trying to get an answer to that (on top of the general "hey how are we doing/do you have anything you want me to learn") might muddy my ability to understand the message.

Cue twelve cards falling out of my deck/poking out while I was shuffling. I usually pull ~3 cards on top of whatever falls out, but I ended up not feeling like it was needed. Seven of them fell out face-up, too.

Despite having some concerns about whether all of the cards were "supposed" to be pulled, it was pretty coherent! And covered quite a few things I've been thinking about recently, including sorting out anxiety vs a warning/displeasure, a follow-up of a card that was the focus of my last pull, and a reminder to look at outside/intellectual sources to combat the whatever-the-fuck-my-brain's-on. There were four cards that fell out face-up together in a pile: a card I associate with Apollo at the front and one associated with Artemis (the Moon) at the back, with cards related to unity & growth in the middle. I'd had a pretty bad experience attempting an offering to Artemis last month and have stepped back and avoided asking her for anything or specifically invoking her in prayers/offerings/etc. since (except for once when it involved a pregnant friend b/c it seemed odd and tbh a little disrespectful to ask Apollo for help and not her as well) because I took it as a sign that she didn't want me to work with her. I'm also aware, though, that that bad experience could have just been a meltdown/panic attack. Regardless of whether it was either of those two things, a "hey slow down" warning, or a combination, it was nice to have some clear reassurance & an official introduction. It's also significant, I think, that part of the Moon card's message is about not letting anxiety/"self-deception" (direct from the guide) cloud your intuition. I've been wanting to burn the candle I dedicated to her for a few days now- it's possible that was a sign from her as well.

As far as the deck-use question...the first card that fell out was the Empress (face-up, reversed). My initial thought was that it was a "no", but I decided to look at the meaning in case it wasn't that which was. probably a bad idea. It freaked me out a bit because I couldn't figure out what it was referring to. I ended up using my alphabet oracle tiles for a makeshift yes/no system after finishing with all the other cards and got clear confirmation that my instinct was, in fact, correct.

All in all it was really cool?? By far the most cards I've had in one pill iirc, and a good lesson in identifying how my intuition works.

[sachermorte]

xiv temperance

[rayne-the-neutrois-nerd]

Out of curiosity, what kind of rituals do you do when it comes to reading your tarot cards? Cleansing, how you read/interpret them? Do you document your readings? I've been reading tarot for a little while but it's always just a fun little side thing where I shuffle cards, pull them, and use the book the deck came with to interpret them as best as possible. I do occasionally cleanse them, too, but I'm curious about your rituals?

Okay so one thing about me is that I suck at regularly cleansing my tools with like, other things. I know I should probably smoke cleanse them with some incense or moonlight or whatever, but I also have 15 decks total and man that's a lot of work and I also do not have the windowsill space for it. I also have... cats that like to jump up into said windowsills and will 100% knock them down.

Usually I just cleanse as I use them. My method is just putting them back in order and then doing a big shuffle. I do this weird way of shuffling that I made up because my hands are too small to shuffle normally. I'll include a video... gif... or something below but basically I like, hold them in one hand, loosely bring up cards with two fingers on my other, and keep doing that, switching between putting them right side and reversed into pile until I'm left with one card. I put it to the side. Then I pick up the big pile again and repeat. I only do this when getting them shuffled around when they're in order. It's time intensive but it puts that intention of "okay, be shuffled and ready for use" into it.

Heres a really bad video of me doing this:

I mostly just document my monthly readings because I've been lacking on keeping up my tarot practice, but if it's a big spread that I do, I'll usually at least write it on a piece of loose paper with the cards I drew, what the cards mean, and then a little like, summary of me piecing it all together.

With interpretations and meanings I do a few different things. I have a doc with like, a big mish-mash of all the meanings and such that I've read in books, online, etc. It's mostly just keywords though, but it's good if the deck I'm using didn't have a guidebook or if I think said guidebook sucks (I have one that has a sheet of paper that I absolutely hate the interpretations of). Usually though, I start by reading the guidebook that comes with the deck I'm using and that's the meaning I usually go with, though sometimes I don't feel the meanings really fit. Then I look at my big list of keywords and see if any of those really stand out to me for the card in the position in the spread. And if that doesn't work, or if my intuition is really screaming at me, I'll just look at the card, look at the imagery, take into account the suit, number, etc, and then see what words pop up then. Maybe it's a color that stands out and I'll think of words that work with that color, or its the mood on the figures face, etc.

Here, lemme do an example. This is the official D&D Tarot Deck licensed by WOTC (I bought it before I knew all the drama)

It's a shitty picture but this is this decks version of the 4 of Swords. The card is usually associated with rest and recouperation and I think this deck really shows this well in the D&D setting. They look like a group of travellers who are taking a short rest, which is perfect imagery for the card. I'd look at this and think "Okay for this part of the spread, imagine taking a short rest from it. Let a couple of those spell slots come back." Or if it's in a placement of things to avoid, it could mean be weary of resting for too long and getting too stagnant.

[witch--tips]

🎱 WITCH TIP 🎱

You can do divination with ANYTHING. Playing cards, dice, cloud shapes, a magic 8 ball, flipping to a random page in a book, casting random trinkets/charms, stones from your front yard, shuffling a playlist, picking up a crumpled leaf and looking at the shape it makes, ANYTHING.

[green-eyes-and-orange-ties]

click the picture for a slightly better quality image

17. The Star

Upright: renewal, hope, end of a destructive period Reversed: disconnection, despair, overwhelmed by challenges faced

A far too detailed reading of this card below

The star appears in a time of vulnerability as you have to be open to believing in more than what has been. In traditional decks (and here) this vulnerability is depicted by having naked figures. The one large star represents the core of Cam's being, which comes across as hopeful and warm even after suffering a great loss (at least to me it does). Cam's bow is unstrung, to show whilst capable of destruction/violence they are unwilling.

Traditionally this card depicts running water to show the flow of the unconscious and the conscious and that they need to be in balance with one another. Water didn't fit so here the universe/night sky is flowing between Cam and Dagger seeking balance. This card is also about balancing practicality with intuition, I think Cam and Dagger could balance each other nicely. Where as Cam's body language is very open (for honestly), Dagger's is much more guarded and she is gripping her weapon ready to use it.

Upright Meaning - The Star is after card after The Tower in most tarot decks, so can signify the end of a destructive time or an end of harsh challenges that you have endured of late. These challenges may have cut to the core of your being forcing you to acknowledge who you really are, giving you a new sense of self. With this new understanding of your self you are entering into a time of important personal growth, but from a place of peace and calm. You will learn that dreams can become reality.

Now is a good time to be honest with yourself about who you want to be and make the changes needed to transform into that person. Now is the time to get rid of limiting beliefs or deceptions and live as you. During this time be open to new ideas and the possibility of rediscovery.

Reversed Meaning - The Star reversed shows up when you are feeling that there is no hope or purpose in the world. You may feel overwhelmed by challenges and uninspired by your day to day (either work, hobbies, relationships ect.). Maybe a project isn't panning out as planned and you are wondering whether it is time to cut your losses and just move on.

This card often shows up when you need to align/realign your daily life with your own core values. Take the time to step back before your burn yourself out trying to push through the challenges. Whilst everyone's version of reenergising looks different, being near water helps most people.

The Star reversed can also be a warning that if you don't take time to realign now you run the risk of being overwhelmed by challenges and collapsing in on yourself (shown by Cam and Dagger looking like they are falling when this card is reversed , compared to jumping when upright).

This is just my interpretation of the characters so it might be different to how they were intended or how others see them.

[Bonus - In romantic readings The Star can signify that you are ready to move past previous hurt and harmful relationships and open yourself up to a new person ... no comment but consider it]

[starswallowingsea]

context

for you i pulled the 10 of swords and the high priestess @izzuleos

word count: 544

content warning for leo's high school depressive episode

Leo rolls over in his bed again. He does not want to move despite the gentle orange of the sunlight peeking through his curtain with the sunrise (or is it the glow of the sun dipping back below the horizon? Leo can’t tell right now). 

He just wants to throw himself to the tides and let the ocean carry his body somewhere else. Maybe he can find a will to continue somewhere else. 

But he just stays in his bed. He brings his legs up to his chest and tries to cry, but the tears don’t come. 

He must still be out of tears from the last time he cried. 

When was the last time he drank? 

When was the last time he ate? 

His hair felt greasy and matted and he needed a shower. 

There’s a gentle knocking at the door and he wants to tell Ruka to leave him alone again, but the voice that greets him isn’t that of his little sister. 

“Uh, hey, Leo-kun. It’s me, Sena.” 

Oh. 

Leo wants to turn him away, send him home. He can’t possibly see him like this, so sad, so pathetic, hardly worthy of the title of King. 

“I know you probably don’t want to see me right now. I wouldn’t blame you if you just cursed me out to my face, but we’re worried about you.” 

There’s a pause and Leo moves to respond before-- 

“I’m…worried about you, Leo-kun.” 

Please just open up and let me take care of you, if only for a minute.

Leo doesn’t have the energy to move from his bed, but he talks just loud enough for Izumi to hear him. 

“You can come in, Sena.” 

There’s another pause before the doorknob turns and the silver haired boy enters the room. 

There are clothes on the floor and crumpled pieces of paper everywhere, but Izumi doesn’t seem to mind as he closes the door behind him and gently pads over to Leo. 

“Your sister told me you haven’t eaten in a few days. She wanted me to bring you this soup.” 

Leo shifted in his bed and sat up. 

“Thanks, Sena.” 

Leo tried to grab the bowl but his hand shook as Izumi pulled his hands away. 

“Why don’t you let me feed you, Leo-kun.” 

Leo just nodded and Izumi went and pulled up the chair from his desk next to Leo’s bed. 

Slowly but surely Izumi made sure Leo ate the soup. 

It struck Leo that this wasn’t something Izumi would have ever done before. Something so small and domestic like feeding Leo soup and wiping his chin when some of the broth dripped down his face. 

But he didn’t mind. It was just what he needed at that moment. Even in the silence, thick with problems that needed to be addressed eventually, just for a moment, Leo let himself just take in the feeling of being alive, of being loved. 

And maybe he would make it past this eventually, even if Izumi had to come back every week, every day and make sure Leo ate something, had wiped his face off with a wet towel, and took care of himself. 

Maybe that was love, and maybe Leo could let himself be loved again one day. 

[overworked-bookworm]

.

[mars-ipan]

i think the reason people get so crazy about magic/spiritual stuff like crystals and essential oils to the point where it becomes a pseudoscience is that they don’t understand that it’s more symbolism and power of suggestion than fact (and that saying that doesn’t mean that it’s completely ineffective)