Mystical Women's Tarot Review
Mystical Women's Tarot - A Deck of Fearless Femmes
Just picked this deck up at a local bookstore, Mystical Women's Tarot A Deck of Fearless Femmes - created by Author Cécile Roumiguière. It immediately caught my attention with it’s substantial size, and luxurious looking box. Stamped with gold accents, it perfectly matches my personal ascetic preference (notice how well this deck matches my website’s color scheme).
This “Witches Tarot” continues it’s elegant style inside the box with a generously full-sized book and 78 thick, high quality cards edged in gold.
Flipping through the deck, the cards feature beautiful and interesting artwork by illustrator Benjamin LaCombe. This deck is based loosely on the Rider Waite Tarot, starting with card 1 Histrio, (The Magician) featuring Lilith.
“Lilith reigns over card number one: the Magician. She is the beginning, aleph, alpha. She opens the game and invites you to play. This is a very powerful card associated with beginnings, re-evaluations and shifts. Lilith looks to the future, including its unknowns and risks.”
Lilith feels a bit like the Magician and the Fool rolled into one. She is described as a rebel struggling for freedom, evoking rebellion and defiance. Her story is that was born of the same clay as Adam, but she was banished and struck out on her own finding power and strength through her struggle. This card also carries it’s own unique energy of re-evaluation and shifts.
The Major Arcana
Most of the Major Arcana are represented by illustrated female characters. I was drawn immediately to these 3:
Dæmon (The Devil) portrayed by the archetypal wicked witch Maleficent, of Sleeping Beauty, the seductress of desire and persuasion.
Justitia (Justice) La Lechuza, a witch who was murdered and returned from the dead as an owl to exact revenge.
Imperatrix (The Empress) is Circe, a sorceress of formidable beauty who encourages freedom and tenacity.
The Major Arcana finish with Demens (the Fool), who is Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the west.
There are 2 cards in this deck that feel a bit different from the rest. For some reason Luna and Mundus are drawn in a flatter, style. The rest of the cards look like paintings, these are more like ink drawings. Luna is also featured on the cover of the guidebook.
Usually design inconsistencies like this bother me, but in this case it does not. These cards represent the Moon and the World, and they seem important, so having them stand out a bit just feels right.
Mundus, (The World) is depicted in sepia tones, as Da Vinci’s Vitruvian man, only it is a woman. Like all of the cards it is bordered with symbols for added depth of meaning.
Drawing six cards from the Major Arcana for a quick reading, here’s what the Mystical Women's Tarot had to say…
Carrus (The Chariot) The Eye Tree encourages you to put your best foot forward. The Imperator (The Emperor) Jingo reminds you to tap into your strength to achieve the goals inside you. No one doubts your leadership or authority. Number 13 (Death), is Frida Kahlo, speaks from the grave:
“Don’t let old wounds, or values you don’t share, hold you back. Leave them behind so you can move on.”
Temperantia (Temperance) Kyoto encourages you to find balance, manage your desires and learn what is good for you, in spite of what others may say.
Judicum (Judgement) is young Frida Kahlo as a child. With her horn she declares, “Don’t be afraid of changes! Celebrate! Turn your suffering into art!”
Last we have Vis (Strength) Carmen was a Roamni woman and witch, a true femme fatale, who was killed by her lover.
Be who you are. Dance and enjoy life. Fearlessly follow your passion, obey no one, as death is preferable to subservience.
This reading suggests you step forward with confidence and let your inner strength bring your goals to life. Your leadership is clear. Release old hurts and values that no longer fit. Seek balance, and temper desires to discover what truly serves you beyond others’ judgments. Embrace change, turning pain into creative fuel. Live boldly! Celebrate life follow your passion, and refuse to be anyone’s servant.
The Mystical Women's Tarot guidebook
The guidebook is not tiny. It’s very nice to have a deck which comes with a full-size book, that I can actually hold comfortably, and text that is big enough to read without squinting. Each of the Major Arcana receives 3 full pages: text and a colorized image, (red and black, not full color).
Mystical Women's Tarot Guidebook
The Guidebook offers a good in-depth description and interpretation for each card, including some lore about each of the characters chosen for the major arcana roles.
The Minor Arcana
The only disappointing part of this deck is that the minor arcana are represented by pip cards. I was looking forward to seeing the way the suits and court cards were illustrated, so finding pip cards was a bit of a let down for me. They are lovely though. The suits are Pentagramma (Pentacles), Virgæ (Wands), Calices (Cups) and Lunæ (Moons).
Minor Arcana - Pentagramma, Virgæ, Calices and Lunæ
Mystical Women's Tarot Minor arcana pip cards in the suit of Pentagramma
These minor arcana each have a short interpretation in the guidebook which translates roughly to the Rider Waite Tarot. Chalices hold elixirs and potions, Love potion anyone? Wands are the witches tool of course. Pentacles are protective talismans, magical symbols. Moons are the element of air, evoking ideas, thoughts and spirits.
Court Cards of the Mystical Women's Tarot
The court cards have an unusual spin on them. They are Corvi, the Crow (Page), Cati, the Cat (Knight), Araneæ, the Spider (Queen) and Serpentes, the Serpent (King) and it is important to note that there is no hierarchy among them. They are four animals that are the witches companions, representing different qualities.
Corvi of Calice is a hopeless romantic, Cati of Calice is in search of her soulmate, Araneæ of Calice listens close and can hear, and Serpentes of Calice is wise and knowing, but also can manipulate.
The animal companions of each suit have their own unique meanings, to learn them all you’ll have to get your own copy of this lovely deck.
🌒🐍🌘
This site contains affiliate links.
We may receive a small commission from purchases made.
