Ostara Tarot Deck
In spring, the world itself seems to rejoice. It gets rid of the snow cover, the animals come out of hibernation. A new season begins, giving warmth and successful hunting. For people, this time symbolizes hope for a better future. New love, career growth, traveling, learning something useful – all this seems to be easily achievable in the spring. The Ostara Tarot is an attempt to look at the world through rose-colored glasses. This is a bright deck that reflects not only natural cycles, but also the flow of spiritual energies. It teaches balance and harmony, tunes in to a certain wave. And for those who will resonate with the cards, the deck will give the key to the secret knowledge hidden in existence itself.
History of creation of the Ostara Tarot Deck
The Ostara Tarot is an ode to awakening to life. The very name of the deck refers to the holiday of the spring equinox in Scandinavian culture. This period was considered the true beginning of the year, the turning point when nature wakes up and blossoms. The authors of the Tarot cards were four girls – Molly Applejohn, Krista Gibbard, Eden Cooke and Julia Iredale. They studied at the same institute of arts and were fond of mysticism. The main idea of creating the deck was the desire of Canadian artists to create a mantic instrument associated with natural processes, archetypes of animals and birds, and the merry Ostara holiday itself. The person here is just inscribed in the general context, but is not the main figure.
The spring equinox marks the exit from a certain hibernation. The Ostara Tarot deck reflects subtle energy, beauty and harmony. At the same time, she combined four approaches at once, differing in different styles. Krista Gibbard worked on the Swords, Julia Iredale on the Wands, Eden Cooke on the Cups, and Molly Applejohn on the Pentacles. The groups differ in drawing styles, as well as characteristic animals. The girls worked together on the Major Arcana. Therefore, the major group turned out to be diverse, but echoing the main message of the deck. The first edition was in 2020. Mariya Olshevska worked on the card back.
Key features of the Ostara Tarot
The Ostara Tarot deck consists of 78 Arcana. It belongs to the English school and continues the tradition of Waite – Strength comes at number 8. The court group is standard: Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings. At first glance, the cards are very simple and understandable. However, closer work with the deck makes it clear that the Arcana are quite specific. The ideas of Arthur Waite are taken as a basis, but the authors have brought a new meaning to each card. In part, you can call the deck an oracle. You need to be very careful and take into account the symbolism in order to correctly understand the information. The Ostara Tarot seems to invite you to take a walk in a green grove, and then the paradise turns into a huge labyrinth. The answers to all questions are hidden here, but only for those who are pure in soul.
For example, consider the Major Arcana in the Ostara Tarot. The Fool has a red-haired witch flying on a broom in the sun. The movement occurs from right to left, which means retrograde, a return to the origins. The laces on the heroine’s shoes are untied – an indication of carelessness and lightness, lack of responsibility. The High Priestess features a cute blonde woman holding a pomegranate. Her face is covered by a mask with compound eyes and insect antennae. The floors of the dress resemble the wings of a moth or butterfly. The same image adorns the box of cards. The High Priestess acts as a symbol of the deck itself, denoting a secret.
The Minor Arcana of Ostara Tarot are also divided into four standard groups. Each of them has a different drawing style. Some motifs refer to Waite, while others have their own meaning. For example, the Eight of Pentacles depicts an owl forging coins. The image is reminiscent of the same hard worker from the classical system. But on the Ace of Cups, two main characters in rabbit masks appear at once. They rejoice in something, pouring a drink into a cup. The image here is more like the Three of Cups. At the same time, there are no people on the Ace of Swords at all, only a lone white mouse on the hilt of the blade. Below is a skeleton.
The approach of the artists to the court group is interesting. All the Kings in the Ostara Tarot deck do not show men, but animals or fantastic creatures. The Lord of Pentacles is Pan with long antlers adorned with gold chains and rings. On the King of Swords, the protagonist is shown in the form of revived oriental armor. He is so unapproachable that he literally merged with his armor. The King of Cups features an elk with human arms. At the same time, a burning candle and a bowl of red liquid appear on the card. The designation of the Arcana goes against the classic. This is described in the accompanying book.
Style and symbolism of the deck
The Ostara Tarot deck is very versatile. The suit of Swords is distinguished by cold shades, gloomy pictures and detailed elaboration. Pentacles have a more positive art, reminiscent of illustrations in children’s books. Here the watercolor technique was used. Cups are abstract and symbolic, as are Wands. Both of these groups are somewhat reminiscent of Crowley’s style. Each card has a white border overlaid on top of the image. At the top there are numbering in Roman numerals. Only court Arcana have signatures. On the back of the cards is a bird’s skull, through which flowers sprout. Such symbolism in Tarot Ostara means awakening to life, cyclicality in nature. The image is mirrored, framed in an ornate frame.
The main emphasis in Tarot Ostara is placed on the totems of animals, birds, insects. Every creature here has a meaning. The man himself is immersed in the world of flora and fauna, being in fact only a kind of guest. The action often takes place in the bosom of nature. The seabed, the hollow of a tree, a flowering field, a snow-covered forest – the authors showed a variety of places and climates. Sometimes pictures of cozy rooms will appear – as on the Page or the Nine of Cups. But all these places can be considered home. Somewhere people will act as owners, and somewhere animals or marine inhabitants. The symbolism here is replaced by Wiccan. It is organically inscribed in the image. For example, on the Emperor, symbols are shown on the hero’s body in the form of white tattoos. On the Three of Swords, a heart is carved into a tree. On the Knight of Cups, the constellation Ursa Major is visible in the sky.
Interpretation of the Ostara Tarot cards
The interpretation of the Ostara Tarot must be made on the basis of the images of the deck themselves. The cards come with a book from the authors. It describes the main meanings of each individual Arcana, its reversed position. Great importance is given to totems and symbols. The prediction itself should be built around the colors, facial expressions of the characters, their postures and gestures. And since the suits of the Ostara Tarot deck do not have designations, the distinction must be made according to traditional symbolism. For example, bowls, glasses, mugs are visible on Cups; on Swords – blades; on the Wands – branches of trees; on Pentacles – engraved coins.
At the same time, in order to better understand the spreads of the Ostara Tarot, you need to know the classic meanings of the cards according to Waite. The base will allow you to easily navigate the Major Arcana, the court group. Moreover, these Arcana involve working with only one position. The images on the cards are detailed and eloquent, they give a lot of hidden meanings. It would be useful for the questioner to study numerology, the meanings of numbers up to the 21st. Numbering is very important here. It gives a whole sea of meanings, clarifies the context.
What questions is the deck suitable for?
Fortune-telling on the Ostara Tarot covers many topics. This includes household issues, everything related to finances or everyday affairs. Often, the heroes will take care of their home, simple things. Also, a mantic tool is good for working out relationships, searching for your soulmate. It allows you to correlate the fortuneteller with his totem, and through this to understand your own character. After such a signification, it will be easier to find the right person, because the initial criteria have been set. The Arcana also shows the current relationship without embellishment, the future of the couple, the possibility of having children. The deck plays well on family issues.
The Ostara Tarot is also perfect for covering topics related to magic. The deck shows the available abilities, teaches you how to use them correctly, not to the detriment of yourself and others. With the help of cards, you can find out if there is any destructive effect on the querent or how positive work has fallen. Such a tool in capable hands can tell a lot. It is inseparable from natural processes, so the emphasis is on the magic of the elements, on the spirits of forests, fields or the depths of the sea.
Who are the Ostara Tarot cards for?
The Ostara Tarot will appeal to all lovers of oracles. However, for beginners, the deck may seem very complicated and incomprehensible. Even if the neophyte learns to work with it, the knowledge gained will be narrowly focused. It is better to start acquaintance with the Tarot with the classic Waite system. But experienced craftsmen will discover a very subtle tool for working on the most complex topics. The deck will appeal to fans of the naive style, as well as the creativity of the authors. Of course, girls will appreciate it. Tarot Ostara is a light deck. Even unpleasant moments she presents subtly. To fully interact with her, you need to be a person with similar characteristics.
Also, the Ostara Tarot is suitable for people practicing natural magic, those who are fond of runes or studying totems. Definitely, it should not be work with destructive energies. Although there are topics related to death in the deck, they are still presented easily, as part of life itself. Where the animal died, grass is already growing. The bones eventually turn into fertilizer. Plants will become food for other animals and birds. Life will go on. Therefore, the Tarot deck is not suitable for warlocks, dark magicians.