Tarot of Vampyres Deck
Dark romance attracts people of a certain nature. These are those individuals who are not afraid of loneliness, but crave it. After all, only alone with yourself you can see your own strength, accept it and learn how to manage it. The Tarot of Vampyres deck offers a journey into the infernal world, beautiful and terrible at the same time. The result of this adventure will be the acquisition of new knowledge that will help you look at yourself with different eyes. After all, breakthroughs in life are somehow connected with internal struggle. It is only important to remember that as a result, a person must gain wings that lift him above the ashes of past losses.
History of creation of the Vampyres Tarot Deck
The author of the Tarot of Vampyres deck is Ian Daniels, an American artist and illustrator. Each project of this talented man is closely connected with the theme of mysticism and esotericism. Daniels’ favorite motifs are ghosts, fairy-tale creatures and other infernal characters. Already having such rich experience behind him, the author decided to release his own deck in 2010. Ian also wrote an accompanying book, which he called Phantasmagoria. This is a reference to a German horror story collection. In fact, this literature immerses the viewer in the Gothic world and talks about its laws.
However, the Tarot of Vampyres is not an attempt to scare the audience. On the contrary, Ian writes in his book that these cards simply help to face their phobias. Only the full acceptance of the shadow side will help to gain a resource, energy. If you run away from your fears all the time, then you can lose confidence and balance inside. The image of a vampire here means immersion in Darkness for the sake of a spiritual search. Only a combination of bottom and top, divine and demonic will lead to the desired goal.
The book from the author of the Tarot of Vampyres deck describes his own vision of the world of Darkness. Here is information about working with reversed Arcana. Daniels also talks about the key images of the deck, offers specific spreads. The main idea is the theme of accepting the unconscious, the manifestation of one’s negative traits for the sake of subsequent transformation.
Key features of the Tarot of Vampyres by Ian Daniels
The Tarot of Vampyres deck is made in the English tradition. Most of the Arcana here are very similar to the classic ones. Strength comes at number 8, just like Rider-Waite. The main plots have been preserved, the message in them has remained the same. Only the world itself has changed. The querent is invited to descend from heaven and enter a new dimension. Cemeteries and castles are filled with moonlight. The heroes encountered on the way are laconic, closed. They are both intimidating and eye-catching at the same time.
If we consider the Major Arcana of the Tarot of Vampyres deck, then we can again draw parallels with Waite. It all starts with the Fool. Shown here is a dark-haired youth rising from the grave. He spread his arms towards a new destiny. The wind ruffles his hair, and a black raven soars in the sky. Yes, the scene, the character and the color scheme are definitely different from the classics. But, if you think about it, you can find common ground. Still, the main message remained the same – openness to the world, willingness to step into something unknown, the first step.
The Minor Arcana of the Tarot of Vampyres are also made in Waite’s traditional motifs. The changes affected the names of the four suits. Now they have become Grails, Skulls, Knives and Scepters. There are innovations in court Arcana: Pages are replaced by Daughters; Knights became Princes and Kings became Lords. However, the hierarchy is preserved, so there is no confusion here, as in Crowley. The characters in this group are very colorful. They reflect different types of appearance, character, so it will be easy for the querent to draw an analogy with real people.
Style and symbolism of the deck
The author of the Tarot of Vampyres deck made the cards very colorful, although gloomy. The dark background perfectly emphasizes bright colors. Scarlet roses, pale skin or golden scepters – all this harmoniously fits into the overall composition. At the same time, at the bottom of all the Arcana there is a frame with Gothic patterns, on which the name is written. All cards have an astrological correspondence. You can read about this in detail in the Phantasmagoria book by Ian Daniels. An attentive querent will catch the eye of pentagrams, crosses, as well as zodiacal symbols.
All suits of the Tarot of Vampyres deck have a certain symbolism. So, the questioner can see goblets with blood, greenish tints, romantic motifs on the group of Grails. This is the same sphere of feelings, emotions. On the Knives, athames, chains, butterflies are shown, which corresponds to intelligence. The suit of Scepters in the Vampire Tarot deck is made in scarlet tones, plants and panthers appear here, symbolizing passion. And the group of Skulls is simply replete with human skulls, as the name suggests. Here they symbolize the knowledge and experience gained during life.
Interpretation of the Vampyres Tarot cards
In general, the interpretation of the Tarot of Vampyres should be done based on the symbolism of the cards. Yes, the traditional meanings according to Waite will partly help to understand the meaning. However, the Tarot of Ian Daniels still has differences. The final prediction will be built around the shadow side of the issue. Therefore, the cards initially expose, albeit bitter, but the truth. So, melancholy and despondency are shown with the help of the image of a mermaid on the Five of Grails. Fears and internal blocks were embodied in the Demon chained on the Eight of Knives. The author pays great attention to body language, so you should pay attention to the postures, facial expressions of the characters.
Also in the Tarot of Vampyres there are images of totem animals and birds. Wolves, crows, panthers will reflect the characteristics of the situation or a particular person. But still, most of the images here are shown through the prism of something dark and mysterious. No wonder the author chose mysterious castles, ancient gardens and centuries-old forests as a background. You can compare all this with the backstreets of the psyche, with everything that is forgotten or deliberately suppressed.
What questions is the deck suitable for?
The Tarot of Vampyres spreads are best for viewing something negative. This also includes situations related to magic, witchcraft. After all, the characters themselves are very reminiscent of witches and sorcerers. They perform rituals, invoke or cast out spirits. Often a ram’s skull appears on the cards – a symbol of the receptacle of dark forces. Therefore, the Arcana of the Tarot of Vampyres deck will perfectly reflect the presence or absence of magic. From them, you can understand exactly how to remove or cast spells. All this applies to curses, love spells, backlogs for wealth.
Also, fortune-telling on the Tarot of Vampyres will help you deal with internal blocks. The deck reflects the unconscious part of the mind, gives the key to it. The most intractable problems can be closed if you follow the advice of the cards. However, the fortuneteller may have difficulties with the analysis of everyday situations. Still, the deck is dark. It is not designed for viewing something superficial. Spreads for business and career growth should be perceived as work on your blocks. The usual approach in the form of a standard prediction for the future is not appropriate.
Who are the Tarot of Vampyres cards for?
The deck of the Tarot of Vampyres will appeal to lovers of Gothic culture. After all, the images here are replete with gloomy aesthetics. This is a certain lifestyle, which is not limited only by appearance. Loneliness, love of art, spiritual growth – all this is hidden behind a facade of bright makeup, tattoos and exquisite outfits. Separately, mythical creatures can be noted. Mermaids, Demons, Succubus will definitely appeal to fans of medieval fairy tales. Well, and those who are attracted by the work of Ian Daniels.
If we talk about the technical side of the issue, then the Tarot of Vampyres deck is more suitable for practitioners who are used to the Crowley system. Still, the court Arcana here are significantly different from Waite. In order to correctly calculate their energy, it is worthwhile to first work with the Thoth Tarot. For beginners, the scenes and characters can be difficult to read. Therefore, this deck should be taken separately, not too much comparing with the traditional one. Still, the cards already suggest the presence of some experience. But everything is possible if you constantly interact with the deck. To develop meanings, it is worth writing down predictions and then comparing them with real situations.