✳ Oracolotto
He who dreams of drinking wine may weep when morning comes; he who dreams of weeping may in the morning go off to hunt. While he is dreaming he does not know it is a dream, and in his dream he may even try to interpret a dream. Only after he wakes does he know it was a dream. And someday there will be a great awakening when we know that this is all a great dream.
And when I say you are dreaming, I am dreaming, too.
Zhuàngzi
✧ Preface
Have you ever woken up feeling like there is a word, at the tip of your tongue, in a language you don’t quite understand?
It’s the same feeling you may have felt when a dream has left too quickly once you woke up, like a regretful lover. You grasped and reached but it was gone and you have forgotten something so fundamentally important that your stomach has caved into itself.
This deck of oracle cards invites you to go back into that cave, that pit, to the start of that word. Tarot and oracle cards are always tools for self-exploration, but the Oracolotto will guide you to explore deeper, into the subconscious realm of your dreams.
Oracolotto includes twenty-one cards and one guidebook. The cards follow the paved journey of Tarot’s major arcana, but do not be fooled by the numbers, as they will not give you insight into the path. You do not need any previous knowledge to use these cards, only the ability to dream and a soul, yours or other.
The Oracolotto cards present illustrations of collective dream archetypes, as delineated by Neapolitan tradition. While the cards symbolically follow the traditional Tarot journey from the fool to the world(minus the Emperor), they are based on the Neapolitan art form of the Smorfia, intended not as the grimace but the dream interpretation method.
The Smorfia is an ancient art form in which symbols and archetypes from a person's dreams are analysed and converted into numbers. To use the Smorfia, one would thus recall every event, person and object that appeared in their dream, and then use the extensive list of dream archetypes to find the associated numbers. This may be used to find out the meaning of your dreams or, most commonly, to find numbers to play the lottery (Ricciardone, 1987; Zezza, 1835).
In this case however, the archetypes were used as a story telling device, an exploration tool for imagination and self-discovery. You may chose to use these cards in the two ways I have imagined, or create your own.
- The first, and the one I recommend, asks your soul to sit with the cards, ask them a question, read the answer in the following pages and find a language for new or old feelings.
- The other way I have imagined requires you to keep the deck next to your bed, or wherever you sleep. Once you wake up, while the dream is still supple and alive, reach for the Oracolotto and try and find the cards that resemble the dream most closely. This way you may give a language to the unformed and find on the cards apparent truths.
There is a possibility, that you have read thus far because you wish to remember your dreams and connect to your subconscious, but feel like you cannot. You may almost never recall your dreams or think that they are random. If this is your case, I recommend that you use the Oracolotto in the first way I have described, as the subconscious seeps into our daily thoughts and feelings anyways. The deck may help you find these patterns.
You may also choose your own path, disregard what I said and make your own game, read old or future dreams or even play the lottery. The tools are now in your hands.
✧ How to care for the Oracolotto
You may have been told that objects do not have spirit and have believed it. If you have, I suggest you tuck the inner skeptic into bed and let the curious child out to play for the following sections. You see, the Oracolotto, like any Tarot or Oracle, does not believe itself to be an objects. In fact, it thinks that no object is just a thing, but most exist in the spiritual plane as well. As such, all objects have a soul, a spirit that connects to yours.
This particular one, the Oracolotto, has a playful and deep soul. It asks to be cared for as if it was a living thing, more a plant than a pet. It asks to be touched, used, cried on, laughed with. Most importantly, it asks for a place to rest every night. I would also recommend, at your discretion, to free negative intention from the cards if you stumble upon it. This may happen if you do a reading for someone who turns out to have bad intention, or just a very heavy painful load. It may also happen if you use them alone in a moment of intense sadness or anger. In these cases, I recommend finding a way to release these feelings from the cards, by leaving them out to breath, or holding them in your hands while thinking positive thoughts.
✧ How to Do a Reading
Set an intention to begin. You or the person you are reading for will ask a question, out loud or in your mind as you shuffle the cards. You then have two options: either spread them out or fan them, and choose one card at a time with your dominant hand; or place the whole deck on a surface and run your fingers alongside it until you feel like splitting the deck and picking a card. Do it however you wish, the important thing is that you let your intuition guide you to a card.
Lay it in front of you ( the "How to Lay Out the Cards" section follows). Turn the card over and feel, hear, see, and intuit its meaning in relation to your question. Refer to this guidebook for interpretations. If you give readings to others, it is always a good idea to keep a record of your own readings, as messages for others do usually weave together with those for you. Sometimes cards will"jump" out of the deck while you’re shuffling. These cards are trying to get your attention. They're part of your reading, or perhaps the entire reading. In any case, know that they're important messages to be heeded.
Alternatively and if applicable, you may choose one card and place it on your altar or under your pillow at night to bring in deeper understanding.
✧ How to Lay Out the Cards
.One Card Spread
A single card can be used for several purposes:
- Draw a card in the morning for guidance about what you need to know that day.
- Draw a card after you ask a question. The one you pick is your answer.
- Draw a card to help further explain your dream.
.Three-Card Spread
A three-card spread can also be used in a couple of different ways:
- Draw three cards representing what you need to know in general terms.
- They may represent the past, present or future.
- Or answer questions about three issues, such as career, love and friendship.
If you wish to find a more fleshed out narrative, you may choose to do bigger spread. Information about those can be found in any book about tarot or online.
✧ Dream well!
Sum. table
| o.g. major arcana | english oracolotto | neapolitan oracolotto | symbols | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | the fool | the cofffee | 42 | 'o ccafè | A cliff-edge or precipice (leaving safety behind), Sunshine (positivity, action, embracing life), A dog or animal helper (because you are not alone, you are supported), A small bag (travelling light, taking only what you need), A wand, held lightly (you have access to magic, even if you don’t know how to wield it yet),Flowers (purity, beauty, lightness of spirit) |
| 1 | the magician | the two old unmarried women | 66 | 'e ddoje zetelle | Four suits or four elements (access to resources), Magic wand (channelling ‘magic’ energy from the Universe), Pointing to the ground (making something tangible, earthing your energy), Lemniscate / infinity sign (transcendence), Flowers (growth, visible manifestation of life force),Yellow and red colours (passion, life, energy) |
| 2 | the high priestess | the bride | 63 | 'a sposa | The moon (intuition), Water, especially still water (emotion), A veil (a division between worlds, or layers of consciousness), Scripture or text (wisdom, learning), A temple (a place of spiritual devotion), Blue and purple colours (serenity, spirituality, peace) |
| 3 | the empress | the mother | 52 | 'a mamma | Plants growing (fecundity, growth), Crops (abundance, richness), Hera symbols (peacock, pomegranate, cow), A crown (power, being in charge), Pregnancy (fertlity and birth), A river (feelings in motion, flow) |
| 4 | the hierophant | the church | 84 | 'a chiesa | Key (initiation, unlocking secret wisdom), Pope-like figure (a conduit between worlds, a translator), A teacher (passing on of wisdom) |
| 5 | the lovers | the upside down | 69 | sott'e 'ncoppa | Roses (love!), angel (transcendence, choosing a ‘higher path’), Any two or more parts creating a whole representing a sense of completion |
| 6 | the chariot | the bird | 35 | l’aucelluzzo | Armour (doing battle), Black and white creatures pulling the chariot (focusing opposing energies), Riding without reins (driving forwards by sheer force of will), The chariot itself (movement), Crescent moons |
| 7 | strenght | the breasts | 28 | 'e zzizze | Lemniscate / infinity sign (transcendence, magical powers, tapping into something higher), Lion (the ‘wild beast’ within us, anger, lust, etc), A woman taming a lion (love and gentleness overcoming that wild beast),White clothing (peace, innocence),Flowers (love, care, beauty) |
| 8 | the hermit | the crying | 65 | 'o chianto | A lamp (inner wisdom guiding you),A staff (leaning on knowledge and wisdom),isolated places in nature (solitude),Hooded cloak (devotion to study) |
| 9 | the wheel of fortune | the set table | 82 | 'a tavula 'mbandita | The four elements of earth, air, fire and water, and the four ‘fixed’ signs of the zodiac (and thus the entire zodiac), a wheel – or other rotary symbol – representing the ever-turning nature of life. |
| 10 | justice | the lament | 60 | 'o lamiento | Scales (balance, fairness), Sword (rational thought, cutting through confusion), Symmetry (logic, structure), Thrones, crowns, robes (power and status) |
| 11 | the hanged man | purgatory's souls | 85 | ll'aneme 'o priatorio | Hanging upside down (independent perspectives, your own truth), Halo or other magical symbols (transcendence, enlightenment, inner peace) |
| 12 | death | the speaking dead | 48 | 'o muorto che pparla | Skeletons (death), Shedding skin (change).The grim reaper (change is inevitable, and is coming),Sunrise (rebirth, a new day), Flowers (renewal) |
| 13 | temperance | the warm soup | 68 | 'a zuppa cotta | Non-gendered angel (transcending the duality of gender), One foot in the water (testing the water, blending elements of earth and water), Water – being poured and in the landscape (intuition, feeling), Sunrise (a new day, a new start), Two cups (love),Flowers (natural renewal) |
| 14 | the devil | the little devils | 77 | 'e riavulille | Chains (bondage), Nakedness (vulnerability, poverty of spirit), Hellish imagery (a spiritual prison), A devil or demon (inner demons), A key (freedom), Upside-down pentagram (materialism) |
| 15 | the tower | the stormy weather | 83 | 'o maltiempo | Lightening (a sudden shock, disaster, destruction), A tower (the old establishment, the old way), Falling people (fallout, harsh consequences) |
| 16 | the star | christmas | 25 | natale | The water bearer (Aquarius), Nakedness (being vulnerable, but feeling safe), Pouring water (soothing emotion), Stars (guiding lights), Cups (containers of emotion) |
| 17 | the moon | blood | 18 | 'o ssanghe | Howling dog and/or wolf (your wild nature), Crab or lobster (messages from the subconscious rising to the surface), Sea, water (intuition, emotion), Mountains in the distance (a journey), The moon (intuition, hidden realms, inner wisdom), A mask (deception, obscuring the truth) |
| 18 | the sun | laughter | 19 | 'a resata | Warm, yellow rays of sunshine (life force, energy), Sunflowers (growth and renewal), A naked child or person (simplicity) |
| 19 | judgement | the gossiping woman | 43 | onna pereta fore 'o barcone | Horn (hearing a call), Angel (transcendence, call coming from ‘above’), People, birds or other things ‘rising up’ (the soul transcending, lightness) |
| 20 | the world | the good wine | 45 | 'o vino bbuono | A dancer (pure self-expression), Flags (movement and joy), Wands (magic), Circles (wholeness, completion, cycles) |
| 21 | saint mary | 8 | a' maronna | ||
| 22 | saint anna | 26 | nanninella | ||
| 23 | sant' antonio | 13 | sant'antuono | ||
| 24 | saint dominic | 37 | o'monaco | ||
| 25 | san gennaro | 75 | pulecenella | ||
| 26 | santa patrizia | 74 | a' rotta | ||
| 27 | santa lucia | 5 | a' mano | ||
| 28 | san michele | 12 | e'surdate | ||
| 29 | santa teresa d'avila | 72 | 'a maraviglia | ||
| 30 | // | ||||
| 32 | san francesco di paola | o' capitone |
✳ 42. the coffee
.keywords: beginnings, unformed potential, taking a risk, answering a ‘call’, trusting in the universe, overcoming self-doubt, embracing uncertainty.
Coffee is brewing, yet to be poured on the empty cup on the counter. A spiritual guide sits patiently, urging you to begin, while the sun shines outside a closed window. On the side, enormous snowdrops have blossomed, indicating the first tentative steps of spring.
While the Coffe is number 42, this card comes before the others. Like an unhatched egg it contains all the potential for the journey. The cup is empty, but you are urged to pour it, to drink it and to being the journey. A spiritual guide urges you forward. Like the prophet Muhammad who was given coffee(قهوة) by the Archangel Jibreel, you are also urged to begin.
The Coffee upright in a reading tells you it is now the time to be naive and courageous. Set on a new adventure and do not worry about the consequences. It is time, the coffee is ready.
Reversed
If the Coffee appears reversed, it is a warning. The coffee will spill and it may burn your or others. Be cautious about disregarding the consequences of your actions. Your eagerness for freedom and new beginnings may have harmed others of yourself. Now, you are being asked for consistency and patience. There is a time to be brave and to set off on new paths, and a time to be reliable and patient-wisdom lays in knowing the difference.
✳ tarot correspondence: 0. the fool.
✳ zodiac correspondence: all signs, the universe.
✳ 66. the two spinsters
.keywords: magic, manifestation, setting intentions, directing energy consciously, willpower, concentration, having all the resources you need.
Two old women stand before a table, one pointing to above and one below. Their eyes glow with mystic powers and if they have appeared in your dreams you may feel their power radiating. This is particularly powerful card. While looking at it, reject what you have been told about the emotional loneliness of spinsters and focus on their ability to spin a magical web. These women are appearing to you at an important time, at the moment when you may choose your own path. You are now fully able to manifest your desires. The Spinsters are showing you the power you hold and asking you for intense concentration. There is power in your focus and dedication, now is the time to channel all your resources to achieving what you wish.
Reversed
If the Spinsters have appeared reversed, is is a sign that you are ignoring your own powers. You no longer see two crone magicians who have chosen the path of spiritual power but instead two unmarried older women. Do not be fooled. The power is in your hands, your potential lays dormant underneath your doubts and lack of self esteem. Trust in your ability, trust the Spinsters to weave you back to an active role within your own life.
✳ tarot correspondence: 1. the magician.
✳ zodiac correspondence: gemini & virgo.
✳ 63. the bride
. keywords: intuition, subconscious, higher wisdom, knowing something you can’t explain, stillness, meditation, spell-work and ritual.
The Bride sits in silence in an underground cistern, two eyes closed and a third one opened. Upon her head two crescent moons hold the globe. She is alone, but does not appear to be waiting. The Bride is a figure of divine wisdom, feminine mystery and intuitive knowledge. She is the guardian of the unconscious and she is meeting you. By receiving this card you are being gently led deeper, or asked to go deeper. To artists, she is the representation of creative potential. The bride has little care for the material as her powers lay in the true nature of emotion. Let your intuition lead the way, quiet the chatter of the rational and logical.
Reversed
If you are facing a reversed Bride, is is an indication to examine where you are ignoring your gut. Perhaps you have let your thinking mind run loose or have not been listening to your gut. You have even be overvaluing other's opinions or acting too hastily. Whichever is it, it may be time to be still, reflect and meditate on your intuition.
✳ tarot correspondence: 2. the high priestess.
✳ zodiac correspondence: cancer & pisces.
✳ 52. the mother
.keywords: maternal figure, familiar love, abundance, life force, strong protection, dignity.
The Mother sits on a throne in the middle of the river of life force, a crown upon her head a sword in her hand. In this iconography she is Juno, Roman goddess of marriage and family. As such, she sits near a pregnant cow and a peacock eating a pomegranate. Around her nature thrives. She is the embodiment of femininity and the bringer or life and growth. Her energy is both nurturing and fiercely protective. She is appearing to indicate that she is looking after you and your growth. She is abundant and as such so will your expression be, both creative and sensual. Deep fulfilment awaits.
Reversed
The Mother has appeared reversed. Juno's warlike nature is more active than her nurturing side. Your seeking of protection is keeping your from true love and joy. You were guarding yourself, and while you were in the right to do so, it is now time to let your shield down. Your emotional crops are thriving, you have put in the work. Let go of your war, lean into joy and love.
✳ tarot correspondence: 3. the empress. ✳ zodiac correspondence: libra.
✳ 84. the church
.keywords: belief systems, ancestry, study, tradition, conformity, learning about the past.
A priest stands in front of you, one hand to invite you and one towards the divine. On his shoulders sits a church, the door slightly ajar. On the bottom, you may see keys. The Church cards beckons you inside a mysteries sacred place. In Christian belief, a church is not only where religious community meets but seat of Divinity itself. I invite you to the Church card as such, and disconnect it from its Christian imagery. It stands in the place of any established social structure, spiritual tradition or source of ancestral knowledge. It is a teacher, a leader, a guru of past memory. If the Church has come up in your reading, its indicating a need for deeper meaning or knowledge. Will you use your key to follow the paved road and find out who paved it and who walked it before you?
Reversed
The Church is upside down. Its integrity is questioned, the status quo stumbles. The pressure of conformity weighs heavy, others' belief systems hang above your head. This card is now urging you to move. Tradition can be a teacher or a jailer and in this case, it is trapping you. It may be time to shake your ancestors wishes away and start anew, upon a path you paved yourself.
✳ tarot correspondence: 4. the hierophant.
✳ zodiac correspondence: taurus, libra & capricorn.
✳ 69. the upside down
- .keywords: love (of all kinds), making heart-centred choices, compassion, partnerships and relationships, equilibrium, harmony.
Two hands reach for each other, the space between them filled with light and eyes. Around their wrists roses are growing. There is an obvious story being told, of two souls meeting in companionship. However, this is a card about balance and choices too. The Upside Down is a reference to love and the two sides of a coin. When this card appears it speaks of love and strong bonds. It is asking you to choose love, to make heartfelt, loving, compassionate choices. The Upside Down is a simple card, asking you to choose. Listen to your heart and follow it.
Reversed
Due to the nature of this card, up is down and down is up. However you pull this card, it is showing you both the Yin and the Yang. In this case, however, a sourness is prevalent. The eyes look away, giving you space to work out and identify within yourself why a committment has turned sour. Your inner voice is unbalanced. Use your heart for your choices and seek out harmony.
✳ tarot correspondence: 5. the lovers.
✳ zodiac correspondence: gemini.
✳ 35. the bird
.keywords: focused action, self-belief and confidence, commitment, drive and determination, hard, passionate work, assertion.
A chariot flies across a starry sky with two half moons. Inside it, a man dressed in Roman armour with the head of turtle dove looks straight at you, welcoming you with one hand. This is the card of control and victory. The Bird has control of his own fate but it will help you with it too. It directs you to assert your will with mastery, careful practice and self-discipline. It reminds you of your own courage and your strength, an encourages you to direct your energies towards the stars.
Reversed
When reversed, the Bird is spinning further and further out of control. It may be due to an attempt to control too much, or an underdeveloped assertiveness. Loosen the reins, redirect your chariot. Some things are beyond your power to change and some others are just waiting for your confidence and hard work. Assess which is which and begin riding.
✳ tarot correspondence: 6. the chariot.
✳ zodiac correspondence: cancer.
✳ 28. the breasts
.keywords: inner strength and courage, dignified resistance, emotional labour, heart.
A naked woman covered in flowers looks to the side, casually taming the lion in front of her. Behind her, a natural landscape opens up. Do not be fooled by her gentle appearance, for she is not effortless. Her strength lies in her heart as this is the card for Breasts. Emotional weakness is discarded as patriarchal concept, as the Breasts are showing you a dignified taming of the wild through your heart. Emotion can steady your demeanour and your inner strength powers you. This indicates positive emotional labour of your own ferocity and expression of pure emotional strength. Go to towards your own chest, to the place of pain, anger, greed, and fear in your life. Acknowledge where these things live within you and own them, pour love all over them.
Reversed
The lion is now overpowering as the Breasts appear upside down. This is an indication of weakness, your strength feeble as your self-confidence lessens. Your emotions are no longer a power but an overwhelming force that you cannot control. Do not let anger or pain dictate your choice, find your strength once again.
✳ tarot correspondence: 7. strength.
✳ zodiac correspondence: leo.
✳ 65. the crying
.keywords: introspection, solitude, retreat, working things through on your own, claiming space and time for you, self-guided or guided study.
A figure cries in a cocoon underwater, wrapped in a cape of their hair and algae. They are holding themselves, as their tears make their way up. A light shines from their hands. This figure is in deep introspection. The Crying card is not a negative card, regardless of your own view of tears. It indicates a need for comfort and solitude. It is asking for a moment of introspection, the only thing that may lead you to true self discovery. Once you have expressed your pain and truly felt it, you will gain better understanding.
Reversed
The tears fall upon you as the Crying card is reversed. You have relied on yourself too much and over-isolated. The cocoon has served its purpose, now the time for solitude is over. You may let others in or leave your safe space altogether for the time for crying is over.
✳ tarot correspondence: 8. the hermit.
✳ zodiac correspondence: virgo.
✳ 82. the set table
.keywords: positive luck, change, predictions and prophesies, feeling like something is ‘destined’ to happen, an interconnected bigger picture.
A table is set with plates spelling out the ancient names for tarot and wheel. In the center of the table you can see water, soil, air and fire. Around the table sit the four fixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Three eyes, symbolising the three Fates oversee the table. This is an incredibly auspicious card to pick. Like the table, your destiny has been set, the tempo will crank up as your personal vision develops into reality. This card is asking you to accept your fate, but also take responsibility for it. The table is set but it is up to you to serve.
Reversed
The Set Table has been turned the wrong way. This indicated elements outside your control that are spinning your fate. Luck has not been on your side and you may have found yourself unhappy with your circumstances. Take a moment to analyse what could have happened, are these elements toying with your luck internal or external? Is there someone to blame, if yes, who is it? Whatever you find, trust that the Table will be set again, and out of darkness a new light will be born, informed by your discoveries.
✳ tarot correspondence: 9. the wheel of fortune.
✳ zodiac correspondence: aquarius, leo, taurus & scorpio
✳ 60. the lament
.keywords: truth, logical thought, objectivity, binary thinking, justice, fairness, balance, accountability, social justice principles, intersectionality.
A woman, justice, walks the steps out of darkness, a lament distorting her face. In the Lament, you can see justice wearing white, carrying a sword on her waist and holding scales, with a heart on one end and a brain on the other. Her blindfold stays on as her piercing eyes penetrate through the truth. It is her cry for truth, her lament, that propels her forward. This card calls out to you. Every action has an equal reaction but it is often expression of injustice that brings justice forward. It is the Lament that leads to balance, believe that your expression of injustice is worth sharing.
Reversed
When the Lament appears reversed it indicates a flawed system, an hidden truth or bias. This injustice may have been committed against you or by you, but however it happened the scale are not balances and soon they will be as someone faces consequences. It also begs for a re-establishing of a balancing perspective on your side. Look at the issue from both sides, hear the Lament.
✳ tarot correspondence: 11. justice.
✳ zodiac correspondence: libra.
✳ 85. purgatory's souls
.keywords: passivity, cost, holding back, patience, allowing events to unfold, meditation and mindful practice, inner peace, self-acceptance, overcoming ego
A man dangles, his foot loosely tied with rope, his wings closed by his sides, his braid falling beyond sight. Next to him other people hang, in the same situation. What we see are Purgatory's Souls, intended as the souls of people who are in a state of temporary punishment and purification as they have died in a state of grace but are not yet ready for heaven. Let the souls be of inspiration to you, in their state of acceptance, as it is not their work that will send them to heaven. They are, just like you, ready for peace and joy. What you must do now is fully succumb to your situation, release. You see, if the soul was to trust the flow of events and let go, he would realise he had wings all along. A brazen metaphor, a simple reminder that it's not time to struggle for control. Trust the universe, trust yourself and let go.
Reversed
As Purgatory's Souls appear reversed, they tell a different story. They are not hanging but anchored to the soil. You are pulling yourself further down, digging your heels in on a decision that has to be made. Your inaction now is pointless, it will just delay the inevitable. The souls already can fly, the punishment has been lifted and yet here you still are. You must face your inner turmoil to move on.
✳ tarot correspondence: 11. the hanged man. ✳ zodiac correspondence: pisces.
✳ 48. the talking dead
.keywords: the ending of a cycle, letting go and saying goodbye, ritual to honour change, not resisting, honouring the seasons of life.
A deer's skeleton lays on a blooming prairie. Close by, another deer looks into the sun that is rising above the hills. The Talking Dead card is a deeply sensitive one, invites a gentle approach. It does not symbolise necessarily literal death but more so a positive harbinger of change. The death has already happened, and the deer's spirit is ready to move into the coming day. The Talking Dead tells you it is time to let go of old habits, ways of thinking and of the buried. This is the only way to allow for more rewarding patterns. Resisting change will not bring you joy at this stage, you must embrace transformation. There is no other way, a profound experience is awaiting you, let the resting lead you.
Reversed
If the card is reversed it appears that the Talking Dead is being forced still. Changes are frightening you and you may be resisting them. Your life is now stagnant, the sunrise is eternal as the sun never reaches the sky. Trust that change will lead you wherever you need to be. It is not a matter of avoiding what has happened, but rather of learning to live with what it brought in the hope that better things lay ahead.
✳ tarot correspondence: 12. death. ✳ zodiac correspondence: scorpio.
✳ 48. warm soup
.keywords: balance, harmony, blending of dualities, seeking the middle path, not making extreme decisions, taking a non-binary attitude, testing the waters, self-care, grace, gentleness.
A large, winged, genderless dark figure stands in the sea. On their forehead shines a triangle enclosed in a square, representing that humans are bound by the Earth and natural law. The figure is taking water from the sea but as they pour it into the bowl, it transforms into a bowl of steaming soup. This card gives insight into the nuances of balance. Wherever something is taken, something else must be given. The figure is taking from the sea to deliver you the Warm Soup. See the figure as if it was keeping a close eye on how well you handle dualities. Keep to the middle path, do not make extreme decisions. You may someone who tends to have a peaceful nature or someone who swings between extremes. Either way, now is the time to test the waters of gentleness, give back what you have been given and ask for what was taken.
Reversed
The Warm Soup now pours upwards from the ladle. Something has been thrown off balance in your life. The coming times require meticulous care of balance. Equilibrium has to be restored once again. The costs may be too high for what you are receiving from the universe. You must reconsider your choices, find the weak point that has thrown off the balance and adjust it.
A ✳ tarot correspondence: 13. temperance.
✳ zodiac correspondence: sagittarius.
✳ 77. the devils
.keywords: bondage, addiction, materialism, destructive behaviours, harmful cycles, choosing to get free, or choosing not to get free, confronting fear, committing to your own freedom.
Above a reversed pentacle five little devils dance naked, holding a chain that leads to a circle of light containing a key. The Devils symbolise what keeps us bound and trapped. It is a small circle that contains you, a metaphorical jail to which you do not yet have a key. This card cautions you against finding blame, and refers instead to that which is constrained by ourself, our subconscious and direct choices. Do not let ideas, people or situations absorb you so intensely that it causes you to ignore other relationships.
Reversed
The Devils being upside down immediately reveals the bondage, you are aware of your own chains. The unhealthy and trapping dynamics in your life are finally emerging to the light. Caution, as this does not imply freedom but may entail further temptation to crawl back into your own trap. This is a time that needs your complete attention, use your newfound awareness to open the chains, escape your metaphorical jail. ✳ tarot correspondence: 14. the devil.
✳ zodiac correspondence: capricorn.
✳ 83. the storm
.keywords: revolution, disaster, shock, mourning, blowing apart old structures, demolition of the status quo, toppling systems of power, potential, rebuilding after disaster, a blessing in disguise as a disaster, rehabilitation, regeneration.
An ancient pine tree towers in the night. Above, the all-seeing Storm is unleashing lightening, cutting the tree down as birds escape. The Storm, as the name suggests, is a complicated card to receive. It indicates a profound disruption, a complete reset of the known. The situation may seem grim at times, but it is fundamental that you understand that the change that will be brought is undeniably ultimately positive. You may not believe me at first, as the event that this card indicates is a demolition and toppling of a structure that can feel quite devastating. However, new growth will come from this and the old cannot last forever lest it become decrepit. Remember well that when the Storm appears in front of you, you are not the tree but the doves escaping.
Reversed
In this situation the Storm that topples the pine tree is coming from within. The issue is within your response to the situation, your worries within your own head. Your perception is bringing you great pain. Take care not to become a vortex of negativity, you must be mindful of your own feelings and take responsibility of how your responses affect you and those around you.
✳ tarot correspondence: 15. the tower. ✳ zodiac correspondence: scorpio & aries.
✳ 25. christmas
.keywords: hope, love and support, coming home to yourself, self-care, healing, being true to yourself, being guided by your intuition, integrity, honesty,a positive new start or new vision.
A Christmas tree sits lit by candles, next to a window. On the windowsill sits a still warm cup of cocoa, framed by the view of an enormous star illuminates the snowy field. Christmas is a card of hope. A time of renewal, comfort and homely-ness lays ahead. It is now time to leave the hard times behind. The star shines alone through the window, filling the landscape with positivity and opportunity. It is
✳ tarot correspondence: 16. the star.
✳ zodiac correspondence: aquarius.
✳ 48. blood
.keywords: shadow work, getting in touch with your wild nature, listening deeply to your intuition, secrets, signs and symbols, non-rational, witchcraft, magic and spell-work, lies and deception, deceiving yourself, wearing a mask.
A wolf drinks from a pond of blood. Close by, a wild dog turns away from the pond to face the moon that illuminates all around them. A crab floats on a leaf, rising from the subconscious. The Blood is telling you that all is not what it seems. Unsettling as a nightmare can be, this card allows your inner wildness to be seem. The Blood represents witchcraft, spell-work and occult arts of any kind. Do not be fooled by the blood, as nobody in this figure is harmed. The moon shines its silvery light on the elements within reality that are dishonest and manipulative. Uncomfortable questions have to be asked and it may by just someone just mad enough to think of them. Things are strange, it is okay to feel disorientated. It is not time for answers now but for wild magical practice.
Reversed
When reversed, the Blood shows a moon shining in the front. The inner confusion is clearing. However, you may find find yourself deprived of a mask you are not ready to let go of. Manipulation has been exposed, wether you were the victim of perpetrator. While things will soon be lighter, now they will first be heavy. Mental health struggles as the truth comes forward and you initiate a process of complete honesty with yourself.
✳ tarot correspondence: 17. the moon.
✳ zodiac correspondence: pisces.
✳ 19. laughter
.keywords: positivity, saying yes, joy, practicing gratitude, success, things coming together, life’s simple pleasures, allowing yourself to simply be, connecting to a dynamic life force.
Two children laugh in harmony on a horse, holding each other and a waving flag. The sun shines on them and sunflowers are growing around them. Laughter is an undoubtledly positive card. It represents enthusiasm, growth and victory. Your good choices will pay off, you will laugh again soon as victory is so close you may taste it already. Joy will fill your heart and life will once again seem light-hearted and effortless.
Reversed
Laughter is reversed, but do not panic. Victory is just not as close as you thought it would be. A setback has brought you back into a quieter place. There is a key element missing before you may achieve that state of perfect joy. The effort will now need to be given to finding once again things that make your heart swell up with joy, the things that make you walk so light you feel you may just fly away. Follow them and soon Laughter will come back.
✳ tarot correspondence: 18. the sun.
✳ zodiac correspondence: leo.
keywords: hope, love and support, coming home to yourself, self-care, healing, being true to yourself, being guided by your intuition, integrity, honesty,a positive new start or new vision.
A Christmas tree sits lit by candles, next to a window. On the windowsill sits a still warm cup of cocoa, framed by the view of an enormous star illuminates the snowy field. Christmas is a card of hope. A time of renewal, comfort and homely-ness lays ahead. It is now time to leave the hard times behind. The star shines alone through the window, filling the landscape with positivity and opportunity. It is
✳ tarot correspondence: 16. the star.
✳ zodiac correspondence: aquarius.
✳ 19. laughter
.keywords: positivity, saying yes, joy, practicing gratitude, success, things coming together, life’s simple pleasures, allowing yourself to simply be, connecting to a dynamic life force.
Two children laugh in harmony on a horse, holding each other and a waving flag. The sun shines on them and sunflowers are growing around them. Laughter is an undoubtedly positive card. It represents enthusiasm, growth and victory. Your good choices will pay off, you will laugh again soon as victory is so close you may taste it already. Joy will fill your heart and life will once again seem light-hearted and effortless.
Reversed
Laughter is reversed, but do not panic. Victory is just not as close as you thought it would be. A setback has brought you back into a quieter place. There is a key element missing before you may achieve that state of perfect joy. The effort will now need to be given to finding once again things that make your heart swell up with joy, the things that make you walk so light you feel you may just fly away. Follow them and soon Laughter will come back.
✳ tarot correspondence: 18. the sun.
✳ zodiac correspondence: leo.
✳ 18. the gossiping woman
.keywords: liberation, freedom, casting off shackles, laying down of old baggage, total accountability for self, integrity, honesty, forgiveness, allowing yourself to move forwards.
A woman with rollers in her hair stands on a balcony, looking down, where a swarm of butterflies is emerging from the darkness. This is a lofty card, as, like Lament and the Set Table, it carries the theme of accountability. In this particular case it talks about being honest and thorough about yourself. The Gossiping Woman sees all of you and calls you to do the same. It is holding a mirror to your entire life, successes and failure. You must face the Gossiping Woman to liberate yourself and fly towards freedom. To move forward unencumbered it requires acknowledgement of the present moment and everything that it carries.
Reversed
The Gossiping Woman now may not see you. This is an indication that you are refusing to acknowledge the hurt or pain that was caused to you and the one that you have caused yourself. However, you must own mistakes and let them be just that. When the Gossiping Woman is reversed, it is asking you to find forgiveness, for yourself and others. It will be hard work and possibly take a great amount of time, but the Gossiping Woman watches and is rooting for you to be able to free yourself of this burden.
✳ tarot correspondence: 19. judgement.
✳ zodiac correspondence: scorpio.
✳ 45. the good wine
.keywords: completion, a sense of wholeness, knowing who you are in the world, having a sense of place, feeling deeply connected to all things, reaching your goal, celebration, jubilation.
Three friends are celebrating, drinking Good Wine and dancing on the world, surrounded by a crown of vines for victory. One holds a flag and another a wand, bringing your journey to closure. This is the end of the road, the last card in this deck. The spiritual guide that brought you Coffee now has brought you here. The completion of the cycle and the celebration that comes thereafter. You have changed and grown and now the energy of wholeness shines. Soon it will dissipate as life shifts into a new beginning but for now, the Good Wine urges you to relish in your successes. One day you will surrender again to the flow and remember that you are the same person that started this journey, filled with infinite possibilities.
Reversed
The Good Wine may not be drunk yet, completion is not within reach yet. The end seemed in sight but you tried cutting corners and there is still work to be done. The result will only bring fulfilment if the effort has been thorough and earnest. Keep dreaming, keep working and soon the Good Wine will be yours.
✳ tarot correspondence: 20. the world.
✳ zodiac correspondence: all signs.
Bibliography
- Paola De Sanctis Ricciardone, Il tipografo celeste. Il gioco del lotto tra letteratura e demologia nell'Italia dell'Ottocento e oltre, Bari, Dedalo, 1987. ISBN 88-220-6066-0
- Michele Zezza, La smorfia ossia Il nuovo metodo per perdere denaro, e cervello con maggior sicurezza al gioco del lotto, Napoli, Torchi della Società filomatica, 1835.
- 莊子, 齊物論, 12. Zhuàngzi, "Discussion on making all things equal," 12. from Zhuàngzi, Burton Watson trans., Chuang Tzu (New York: Columbia University Press, 1996), 43. ISBN 978-0-231-10595-8 [1]