Tarot of the Abyss Deck
The abyss is the source of everything. You can compare it with a kind of testing ground where new Universes, life forms are created. This is the beginning and the end, an endless supply of energy. The Abyss Tarot deck is designed to show the whole path. Talks about the formation of the spirit, gaining experience. On this path, the hero will have to know love, disappointment, pain, death and overcoming. But do not forget that all this is a fiction, a game. The abyss speaks to itself through people, animals and nature itself. It cannot be otherwise, because in perpetual motion there is a meaning. However, for a person, such an approach seems incomprehensible. That is why the cards lead the querent through all the archetypes, so that he can fix the images.
History of creation of the Abyss Tarot Deck
The deck was created by artist Ana Tourian. Previously, the author has already managed to work with the world of predictive systems. However, the Tarot of the Abyss can be considered a debut. The cards reflect an invisible reality. This is Chaos, of which everything and everyone consists. It creates worlds and destroys again. This is a game that will never end. Ana herself writes that the deck is an allegory of the void. She compares the experience of interacting with the Arcana as a dark world that is gradually illuminated by knowledge. In the black space slowly, one after another, the stars of illumination and understanding of meanings flare up. The Tarot deck itself shows the journey of the soul through the material world. All events ultimately lead to one’s own "I", grind out the strength of the spirit.
For the first time, the Tarot of the Abyss was released by the American publishing house US Games Systems in 2021. For a couple of years, the deck has become very popular. Now you can find Chinese replicas of a more affordable price segment. The tarot deck comes with a small book. In it, Ana Tourian herself describes the meanings of all the Arcana. She shows the questioner her own approach, but at the same time leaves room for creativity. The author introduces different cultures, mythology and legends. And she seals it all into one system. After all, the Abyss itself is the totality of everything. For the Absolute there is no difference between ethnic groups, age and experience. Everything comes from it and, of course, comes back after the expiration of the allotted time.
Key features of the Abyss Tarot
The Abyss Tarot deck belongs to the English school. Justice comes at number 11. At the same time, there are 80 cards in the system, not 78. The author added two alternative Arcana, which allowed us to look at the deck from a different angle. The fortuneteller has the right to independently choose which versions to work with, combine or not. The Major Arcana of the Abyss Tarot deck are quite classic at the same time. Here Ana shows Waite’s traditional ideas, albeit with a different visualization. The changes affected the Judgment Arcana. Now it’s called the Awakening. The card shows the silhouette of a girl with wings, who, like a snake, sheds her old skin. The 20th Arcana still symbolizes rebirth, restoration and new life. At the same time, the person retains the experience gained.
The Minor Arcana of the Tarot of the Abyss are plot-driven. They also echo Waite’s ideas. At the same time, the artist tried to show a variety of scenes. One gets the feeling that the images are snatched from different times and cultures. For example, the Three of Cups shows an old woman and a young girl. A hand with an outstretched bowl, by analogy, should belong to a woman in the prime of her life. This speaks of the mythological tripartite union of goddesses, the stages of life. But on the Four of Wands, a more modern image is shown – a girl blows out candles on a birthday cake. The card represents the spirit of celebration, victory and security. This is the Arcana of home, tranquility and comfort. The Eight of Cups features an African girl. She moves away from the dilapidated house. The scene appears to take place at night. The card again symbolizes mystery, hidden feelings.
The suits in the Tarot of the Abyss Tarot deck, as usual, show various manifestations of energy. Interesting alternative cards added to the system. The author duplicated the Three and Ten of Swords. The Air group was not chosen by chance. The Abyss itself represents the void. Therefore, Ana offers to look at the usual images from a different angle. So, on one Three of Swords, a scene with the usual meaning is shown. The girl releases a white bird from her palm. The second is black, located in the area of the chest of the heroine. Below are three daggers. The Arcana personifies the loss of the former meaning, disappointment. But the second version of the Three of Swords shows a man reading a book. Now the card symbolizes knowledge and experience gained from other people’s examples. On the first Ten, a dying character is drawn. Blades are stuck in it. And on the second – an elderly man and an owl. Now the Arcana does not mean loss, but gain in the form of wisdom.
All the Aces in the Tarot of the Abyss have images of people. Women can appear on Pages and Knights, not just men. At the same time, the "ruling couple" is standard – the King and the Queen. Sometimes there are no human heroes on the cards at all. Their place is occupied by birds or objects-symbols. The characters themselves belong to different ethnic groups and times. For example, a ballerina appears on the Six of Wands, and a man in medieval clothes appears on the Seven of the same suit. Such a detail can once again emphasize the qualities of the Abyss. There is no time, everything happens at once. Moreover, every story is cyclical. No wonder, the Fool comes to the World and everything starts anew.
Style and symbolism of the deck
Ana Tourian performed the Tarot of the Abyss in a monochrome style. The author worked with pen and ink, which made it possible to add small details to the images. The absence of color has replaced the intensity of the strokes, their width. Ana masterfully coped with the task. So, lighter cards represent freedom, silence, tranquility. And the dark ones, on the contrary, speak of active processes. The author also focused on symbolism. Birds and wings often appear on the Arcana. They symbolize wisdom, life and death. The snakes are talking about the same thing. Even in the deck, images of trees prevail. The roots point to the material world, while the crown points to spirituality. In general, this approach can be considered a reference to the Tree of Life and the totality of all processes.
If we talk about the technical side of the issue, then the Tarot of the Abyss is very simple. Images do not have borders. At the bottom there is a decorative plate with an inscribed name. The shirt is decorated with an ornate ornament. Instead of white, the artist used light beige. Ink shades range from anthracite to black. The contrast of the image speaks of a conflict, a confrontation of energies. This is clearly visible on the Tower. The collapsing house falls into the abyss, illuminated by lightning. But on the Five of Pentacles, everything is dull and gray. The heroes themselves have lost hope and look at the world through the prism of melancholy and apathy.
Interpretation of the Abyss Tarot cards
The interpretation of the Tarot of the Abyss implies Waite’s work. In general, the deck repeats the classic ideas. Here the Two of Cups also denotes love, and the Ten of Wands denotes difficulties. The images themselves are quite eloquent. It is worth paying attention to the number of characters, their age and the feelings shown. The poses of the characters and their facial expressions can give a lot of hidden meanings. In this case, the prediction will not always mean several people who are shown on the card. Often, the subpersonalities of a person, his internal contradictions, can act as heroes. In order not to get confused, the fortuneteller is always entitled to draw several cards. For one Arcana, it can be quite difficult to get reliable information.
The spreads on Tarot of the Abyss can be done using an intuitive approach. Of course, for support, a beginner should take the values from the author’s book. However, with practice, each master will have their own developments. As a standard, the major group of the Tarot deck can be considered as some kind of archetypes. Court Arcana indicate specific people, their age and character. Aces symbolize a certain beginning, and Fives – half of the result, the first crisis. It would be nice to study numerology in the context of Tarot in order to get additional meanings. You can simply focus on the image and "catch" the impression, the first sensation from the Arcana.
What questions is the deck suitable for?
Fortune-telling on the Tarot of the Abyss covers a variety of questions. Foremost, the deck reflects the spiritual world well. Able to indicate the path of development, give advice regarding the study of negative aspects. With the help of the Tarot deck, the querent is able to get out of the internal crisis. Everything is illusory. Man has the right to destroy the old and build something new and beautiful. Life itself is a game. The author perfectly showed this approach with the help of a certain artistic technique. On some cards, it seems as if the questioner is himself a character in the image. The Hanged Man now has no hero. The world is initially shown upside down. On the Three of Cups, the heroines seem to be looking at the querent, because a hand with a bowl is outstretched from his side.
At the same time, the Tarot deck of the Abyss perfectly reflects material issues. The suit of Pentacles still shows poverty and wealth. Cups symbolize relationships with the second half, relatives, children. WandsWands indicate passion and motivation. Swords represent knowledge and protection, but can also speak of illness and suffering. The deck is quite versatile. It can also be used to highlight topics related to magic. The symbolism of the cards allows us to draw analogies with ritual objects, various attributes. The directions of practice are also different – from black rites to neutral and light ones.
Who are the Muse Tarot cards for?
The Tarot of the Abyss will appeal to all fans of the monochrome style. This is a very concise way to convey information through an image. However, Ana Tourian coped with the task with great talent. Even without the use of color, the author showed the various emotions of the characters, their beauty and grace. Of course, the deck is suitable for beginners. Inexperienced practitioners will be able to learn a lot from working with cards. This includes mythology and symbolism. The style of drawing at the same time requires close attention. Often the signs are not so easy to see. Working with a deck can be like solving a rebus. But this approach only fuels interest even more.
Also, the Tarot of the Abyss will appeal to those who practice witchcraft. Runes, ceremonial magic, shamanism, working with the energy of Chaos – all this illuminates the deck. Everyone will see their own in it. The cards can speak different languages. At the same time, the Arcana does not have classical correspondences with the Cabal or astrology. The apparent simplicity hides a whole sea of information. It is important to be able to find an approach to the deck, to “hear” what he is trying to say. In terms of age or gender, Tarot has no restrictions. It can be enjoyed by both women and men.