Runic Tarot Deck
Snow-covered fjords, golden-haired goddesses and ruthless gods – all this is an integral part of the culture of the North. A place where winter almost always reigns cannot give birth to the weak. But this power must manifest itself not only in character, but also in metaphysics. The Runic Tarot deck is like a modern Futhark received by Odin. It combined the wisdom of antiquity and the flexibility of modern realities. After all, Valhalla is still waiting for new heroes.
History of creation of the Runic Tarot Deck
The Runic Tarot is another great deck by Jack Sephiroth. The artist is also known from the Heaven and Earth cards. He managed to earn the love of practitioners and therefore decided on a new mantic system. The deck was first published in October 2021. The main idea was to create something extraordinary and exclusive. The fact is that runes are already a separate magical branch in themselves. These are sacred signs that, according to legend, the Scandinavian god Odin bestowed on people through his sacrifice.
The combination of Tarot cards with the runic system was really something new. Now soothsayers do not need to painstakingly study the ancient signs, be interested in the mythology of the North. The Runic Tarot is a kind of illustration for secret symbols. The book by Jamie Elford, which comes with the Arcana, will help to deal with them in more detail. It gives brief explanations, plunges into the atmosphere of the sacred world of the deck.
The Avvalon-Scarabeo publishing house gives practitioners a chance to explore a new reality. A full-fledged accompanying book is not at all like brief MBCs. There are explanations for the runes, individual staves. Even beginners will be able to understand the message of the cards if they study the information offered. That is why the Runic Tarot captures more and more new hearts. It combined beauty and individuality with magical vibrations. Tree Yggdrasil, Norns, Hel – it is not at all necessary to know what lies behind these names. The energy of the deities will capture and lead along the right path.
Key features of the Runic Tarot
The Runic Tarot continues the traditions of the English school and Arthur Waite in particular. Strength goes under number 8, Justice – 11. The Fool again remained without a numerical designation. The suits of the Runic Tarot deck repeat the "classics" – Cups, Pentacles, Swords and Wands. In general, the author tried to keep the structure familiar to everyone, but transfer it to a completely different dimension. The place of action is Valhalla, i.e. paradise for vikings. This mysterious world has its own laws.
To deal with them, you can consider some of the Major Arcana of the Runic Tarot deck. On the Fool card, Freyr is depicted with his companion – a wild boar. According to legend, God gave the ship to his beloved, although he was needed for a great battle. There is a reference to emptiness and trust in the world. And on the Empress card, Frigg, the goddess of fertility, is shown. Keys hang on her belt, the rune of Berkana is drawn on the spinning wheel. Again, the author tried to combine the meaning of the standard archetypes with the gods of the North.
The Minor Arcana of the Runic Tarot deck show more mundane scenes. The concept again refers to Waite, only the characters and landscapes change. The main feature of the deck is its character. The world of Valhalla is strength, resilience and fearlessness. These motifs are especially visible in some charts of the minor group. For example, on the Five of Wands, instead of the standard competition, the fortuneteller observes the scene of the burning of the girl. Thor’s hammer hangs around her neck, which speaks of faith in the pantheon of gods. She dies for her valuables, never kneeling before the invaders.
The court Arcana of the Runic Tarot also copies from the "classics". Everything is familiar here – Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings. Each character reflects his element. But on the three cards of the Pages, young girls are shown instead of guys. Such a move can be considered equating women to brave warriors. They are in no way inferior to the muscular heroes of the Elder Edda. On the contrary, in some moments the ladies take with their cunning and ambition.
Style and symbolism of the deck
The Runic Tarot deck itself is made in muted shades. You can consider the choice of palette as a tribute to northern nature. Here summer is very short, and winter erases all colors for a long time. Most of the characters are also pale-skinned and fair-haired. Each card shows a certain scene, at the top there is a numerical designation of the Arcana and the symbol of the element. And although the suits remained traditional, the visualization has changed. Cups are represented by horns, Pentacles by shields, Swords by short blades, and Wands by wooden staves. On the Major Arcana and court cards there is a signature made in stylized letters.
At the same time, the Runic Tarot attaches great importance to sacred symbols. Here and there, individual signs, ligatures or staves are visible. They duplicate the meaning of the card, which is already clear from the picture. On many Arcana there are images of animals and birds. Roosters, dragons, horses, owls are certain totems that reflect the nature of people and events. They are the protectors of the gods, their faithful companions.
Interpretation of the Runic Tarot cards
Fortune-telling on the Runic Tarot deck assumes a preliminary acquaintance with the Northern tradition. Knowing certain myths will allow you to better understand the message of the cards. However, this is not a prerequisite. The deck was originally conceived as a textbook, a conductor of information. Therefore, you can work exclusively with images and numbers. Over time, the questioner will notice that he began to understand the mysterious signs. Indeed, at a subconscious level, each symbol will be associated with a certain picture.
At the same time, the Runic Tarot should be read strictly according to the main idea of the author. Still, this system has differences precisely in the message of the cards. The reference to Waite is not entirely correct in this case. It is best to study the book that comes with the Arcana. If this is not possible, then the querent needs to check the prediction on real events. This approach will help not to get confused in the world of the Scandinavian gods.
What questions is the deck suitable for?
The Runic Tarot is a fairly neutral tool. It doesn’t seem to be on the dark side or the light side. This middle ground is a plus. The spreads of the Runic Tarot deck allow you to view various situations – from love and career to magic. Arcana reflect both everyday things and metaphysical things. The interpretation will depend on the original request. Fortune-telling on this deck will help to understand the internal settings, true desires. The cards will indicate a reserve of strength, they will teach you how to use what is given correctly.
Also, the Runic Tarot deck will become an assistant in the sphere of the unknown. The cards will show exactly how the magical effect lay down, how the signs work at the level of reality. Thus, you can find out whether it is worth doing a love spell at all, removing a curse, or attracting good luck. Arcana will reflect all the pitfalls, show the presence or absence of protection on the object of influence. The subtle world with such a deck will become an open book for the querent. It is only important to be able to correctly interpret the information received, not to confuse the runes.
Who are the Runic Tarot cards for?
Foremost, these cards are suitable for those practices that work in the Northern tradition. The Runic Tarot deck will turn into a real mentor, leading along the path of Strength. It will help to choose the right decisions, avoid pitfalls. Thus, a constant "dialogue" with the Arcana will forge the spirit. After all, the red thread in all Scandinavian mythology is preparing for a certain Ragnarok – the last battle between the forces of good and evil. That is why steadfastness and fearlessness are praised here.
Of course, the Runic Tarot is also suitable for those people who want to study the older and younger Futhark. You can use these signs even without much dedication to the nuances of mythology. Many practices combine runes with black magic, shamanism. It all depends on the skills, the ability to mix energies. The cards themselves will clearly show the manifestation of the impact. Also, the deck will definitely appeal to fans of Jack Sephiroth’s creativity. After all, all the images here are quite realistic, have their own unique style.