The Renaissance Tarot

Discover our exclusive tarot deck

Psychic Science Renaissance Tarot

These new designs reflect the 15th century Italian Renaissance origins of the tarot and incorporate the themes and structure of the influential 17th century Tarot de Marseilles.


Psychic Science presents

RENAISSANCE TAROT

Standard tarot size, superior card stock
Presented in an elegant purple velvet bag


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The Annotated Renaissance Tarot

As an aid to interpretation, the Renaissance Tarot is now available in an annotated edition. Each card in this edition includes four keywords, together with its principle and suggested advice for both upright and reversed orientations.


Like the original edition, the full 78-card deck is standard tarot size, printed on superior card stock, and presented in an elegant purple velvet bag.


The Annotated Renaissance Tarot
The Annotated Renaissance Tarot Layout

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Tarot Wizard Online Oracle

We are now proud to present The Renaissance Tarot as a free online interactive oracle.


Tarot Wizard Online Oracle

Tarot Wizard

The Trumps

The 22 Renaissance Tarot Trumps are numbered according to the Tarot de Marseilles traditional sequence, but use the modern esoteric names for certain cards (e.g., the traditional 'Pope' is renamed 'Hierophant').


The following table is a guide to the interpretation of each trump, including typical indications when the card is upright and reversed.


INTERPRETING THE TRUMPS

#TITLEUPRIGHTREVERSED
0THE FOOLINNOCENCENAIVETY
ITHE MAGICIANARTFULNESSINEPTNESS
IITHE PRIESTESSWISDOMIGNORANCE
IIITHE EMPRESSSECURITYINSECURITY
IIIITHE EMPERORCOMMANDTYRANNY
VTHE HIEROPHANTFAITHDISBELIEF
VITHE LOVERSLOYALTYINFIDELITY
VIITHE CHARIOTFORCEFULNESSAGGRESSION
VIIIJUSTICEBALANCEIMBALANCE
VIIIITHE HERMITHUMILITYSECRETIVENESS
XTHE WHEEL OF FORTUNEFORTUITYMISFORTUNE
XISTRENGTHENDURANCEIMPOTENCE
XIITHE HANGED MANATONEMENTPUNISHMENT
XIIIDEATHTRANSFORMATIONDEGENERATION
XIIIITEMPERANCEMODERATIONSELF-DENIAL
XVTHE DEVILENTRAPMENTDEPRAVITY
XVITHE TOWERADVERSITYRECKLESSNESS
XVIITHE STARHOPEFULNESSDESPAIR
XVIIITHE MOONREPOSEOBLIVION
XVIIIITHE SUNJOYFULNESSJOYLESSNESS
XXJUDGEMENTREVIVALHIBERNATION
XXITHE WORLDFULFILLMENTDISAPPOINTMENT

The Tarot Suits

Etteilla is believed to be the first person to propose that the four tarot suits are connected to the four classical elements of the Ancient Greeks. Etteilla associated Batons with Earth, Cups with Water, Swords with Air, and Coins with Fire.


In the teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the elemental associations for Cups and Swords remain the same, but those for Batons (or Wands) and Coins are reversed.


The Renaissance Tarot has adopted the Golden Dawn's attributions for the suits, which are now almost universally accepted by tarot users as being the most rational and meaningful.


SUITS & ELEMENTS

SUITELEMENT
WANDSFIRE
CUPSWATER
SWORDSAIR
COINSEARTH


The significance of these attributions for tarot interpretation is that each element is traditionally associated with different aspects of human experience. The elements are also directly correlated with the four functions of consciousness recognized in C.G. Jung's theory of psychological types.


ELEMENTS & ASSOCIATIONS

ELEMENTJUNGKEYWORDMEANING
FIREINTUITIONWILLPurpose, Intention, Drive
WATERFEELINGHEARTEmotions, Sentiments, Attachments
AIRTHINKINGHEADMind, Intellect, Rationality
EARTHSENSATIONBODYSenses, Physicality, Material needs

The Pip Cards

The ten numbered cards in each suit represent different aspects of the corresponding elemental principle, or different ways in which the energy of that element is expressed.


These aspects or energies reflect the esoteric meanings traditionally attached to the ten numbers, which remain essentially the same for each suit. The number system used in the Renaissance Tarot derives from astrological, Kabbalistic, Neoplatonic, and related ideas found in 15th and 16th century Renaissance Magic. It is no coincidence that this was the very period when the tarot was spreading throughout Europe.


In this system, the ten numbers correspond to qualities associated with the classical planets (including Sun and Moon) and related astrological concepts.


ASTROLOGICAL NUMEROLOGY

#IMAGEKEYWORDMEANING
1SOURCEPOWERSeed, Essence
2SKYEMERGENCEAppearance, Unveiling
3SATURNSURENESSSteady, Controlled
4JUPITEREXPANSIONLarge, Noble
5MARSSTRENGTHCombative, Energetic
6SUNVITALITYRadiant, Optimistic
7VENUSHARMONYGentle, Loving
8MERCURYDIVERSITYQuick, Versatile
9MOONCHANGEChangeable, Instinctive
10TERRA
(Earth)		REALIZATIONSolid, Settled

The assignment of Sun, Moon and planets in this system is not abitrary, but directly reflects the relative speeds at which the planets move through the zodiac signs, as viewed from Earth (Saturn being the slowest, Moon the fastest, and Sun midway). This was the basis for the geocentric model of the celestial spheres developed by Ptolemy (c. 100 – c. 170 CE) and famously illustrated by Peter Apian in his 1524 book Cosmographia.


Ptolemaicsystem-small
A representation of the Celestial Spheres (Peter Apian 1524)


Ptolemaicsystem-small
A representation of the Celestial Spheres (Peter Apian 1524)


The numerical sequence (3-9) of the classical planets also corresponds directly with those in the series of planetary magic squares constructed by the Renaissance scholar and occultist Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa (1486-1535) whose highly influential Three Books Concerning Occult Philosophy were published in 1531 and 1533.





The Agrippa planetary magic squares
The Agrippa Magic Squares (1533)


The Court Cards

In the Renaissance Tarot, the four Court Cards in each suit represent expressions of four archetypal social roles - Father, Mother, Bachelor, and Youth (Child).


It is important to note that these roles can be adopted by anyone, irrespective of gender and age. The King, Queen, Knight and Page do not, therefore, only apply to (or necessarily imply) a male or female person, or to someone who is older or younger.


In some tarot spreads, one of the court cards (called the Significator) is removed from the deck at the beginning of the reading and placed face-up on the table. The Significator card is chosen based on the inquirer's personality, current role or situation.


THE COURT CARDS

CARDARCHETYPEMEANING
KINGFATHERAuthority, Support
QUEENMOTHERProvision, Nurture
KNIGHTBACHELORIndependence, Maturity
PAGEYOUTH (CHILD)Innocence, Potential

Interpreting the Suits

The Renaissance Tarot interprets each of the suited cards by combining the meaning attributed to its value with that of the element and associations of its suit. The following examples will help to explain how this is done.


  • The ACE OF WANDS combines the POWER represented by the ACE (Source) with the WILL (Purpose, Intention, Drive) represented by WANDS (Fire). It therefore indicates the principle of VOLITION and the power of the will.
  • The FOUR OF CUPS combines the EXPANSION represented by the FOUR (Jupiter) with the HEART (Emotions, Sentiments, Attachments) represented by CUPS (Water). It therefore indicates the principle of GENEROSITY and the expansion of emotional concern.
  • The EIGHT OF SWORDS combines the DIVERSITY represented by the EIGHT (Mercury) with the HEAD (Mind, Intellect, Rationality) represented by SWORDS (Air). It therefore indicates the principle of DEBATE and the diversity of opinions.
  • The QUEEN OF COINS combines the idea of PROVISION and NURTURING represented by the QUEEN (Mother) with the BODY (Senses, Physicality, Material needs) represented by COINS (Earth). It therefore indicates the role of CUSTODIAN and the manager of property.

If a suited card is reversed, this generally indicates the opposite of its upright meaning. For example, if the FOUR OF CUPS is reversed, this indicates a contraction of emotional concern.

The Wands

The following table is a guide to the interpretation of each card in the suit of Wands, including typical indications when the card is upright and reversed.


INTERPRETING THE WANDS

CARDPRINCIPLEUPRIGHTREVERSED
ACE
of WANDS		VOLITIONPower
of the Will		Incapacity
of the Will
TWO
of WANDS		INTENTIONEmergence
of Motive		Concealing
of Motive
THREE
of WANDS		RESOLVESureness
of Purpose		Uncertainty
of Purpose
FOUR
of WANDS		VISIONExpansion
of View		Contraction
of View
FIVE
of WANDS		DRIVEStrength
of Endeavor		Weakness
of Endeavor
SIX
of WANDS		ENTHUSIASMVitality
of Zeal		Dullness
of Zeal
SEVEN
of WANDS		CREATIONHarmony
of Design		Disunity
of Design
EIGHT
of WANDS		CHOICEDiversity
of Objectives		Uniformity
of Objectives
NINE
of WANDS		RENEWALChange
of Direction		Fixation
of Direction
TEN
of WANDS		SUCCESSRealization
of Goals		Failure
of Goals
PAGE
of WANDS		SERVANTSupporter
of Cause		Opponent
of Cause
KNIGHT
of WANDS		HEROSeeker
of Glory		Evader
of Glory
QUEEN
of WANDS		DEFENDERProtector
of Mission		Deserter
of Mission
KING
of WANDS		LEADERSource
of Guidance		Absence
of Guidance

The Cups

The following table is a guide to the interpretation of each card in the suit of Cups, including typical indications when the card is upright and reversed.


INTERPRETING THE CUPS

CARDPRINCIPLEUPRIGHTREVERSED
ACE
of CUPS		EMOTIONPower
of the Heart		Incapacity
of the Heart
TWO
of CUPS		SENTIMENTEmergence
of Feelings		Concealing
of Feelings
THREE
of CUPS		AFFINITYSureness
of Affection		Uncertainty
of Affection
FOUR
of CUPS		GENEROSITYExpansion
of Concern		Contraction
of Concern
FIVE
of CUPS		PASSIONStrength
of Desire		Weakness
of Desire
SIX
of CUPS		COMPASSIONVitality
of Sympathy		Dullness
of Sympathy
SEVEN
of CUPS		DEVOTIONHarmony
of Relations		Disunity
of Relations
EIGHT
of CUPS		ALLUREDiversity
of Attraction		Uniformity
of Attraction
NINE
of CUPS		CAPRICEChange
of Mood		Fixation
of Mood
TEN
of CUPS		FULFILLMENTRealization
of Hopes		Failure
of Hopes
PAGE
of CUPS		CHARMEREnchanter
of Hearts		Deceiver
of Hearts
KNIGHT
of CUPS		LOVERWooer
of Beauty		Rejecter
of Beauty
QUEEN
of CUPS		CARERPillar
of Support		Recipient
of Support
KING
of CUPS		BENEFACTORBringer
of Hope		Tormenter
of Hope

The Swords

The following table is a guide to the interpretation of each card in the suit of Swords, including typical indications when the card is upright and reversed.


INTERPRETING THE SWORDS

CARDPRINCIPLEUPRIGHTREVERSED
ACE
of SWORDS		THINKINGPower
of the Mind		Incapacity
of the Mind
TWO
of SWORDS		UNDERSTANDINGEmergence
of Insight		Concealing
of Insight
THREE
of SWORDS		RATIONALITYSureness
of Reason		Uncertainty
of Reason
FOUR
of SWORDS		KNOWLEDGEExpansion
of Learning		Contraction
of Learning
FIVE
of SWORDS		INGENUITYStrength
of Intellect		Weakness
of Intellect
SIX
of SWORDS		ORIGINALITYVitality
of Invention		Dullness
of Invention
SEVEN
of SWORDS		INTEGRITYHarmony
of Ideas		Disunity
of Ideas
EIGHT
of SWORDS		DEBATEDiversity
of Opinion		Uniformity
of Opinion
NINE
of SWORDS		REVISIONChange
of Detail		Fixation
of Detail
TEN
of SWORDS		EXPRESSIONRealization
of Belief		Failure
of Belief
PAGE
of SWORDS		STUDENTSeeker
of Knowledge		Suppressor
of Knowledge
KNIGHT
of SWORDS		MAVERICKChallenger
of Norms		Opposer
of Norms
QUEEN
of SWORDS		ADVOCATEProponent
of Viewpoint		Opponent
of Viewpoint
KING
of SWORDS		MAGISTRATEDispenser
of Justice		Fugitive
from Justice

The Coins

The following table is a guide to the interpretation of each card in the suit of Coins, including typical indications when the card is upright and reversed.


INTERPRETING THE COINS

CARDPRINCIPLEUPRIGHTREVERSED
ACE
of COINS		PERCEPTIONPower
of the Senses		Incapacity
of the Senses
TWO
of COINS		OBSERVATIONEmergence
of Information		Concealing
of Information
THREE
of COINS		INSPECTIONSureness
of Scrutiny		Uncertainty
of Scrutiny
FOUR
of COINS		PROSPERITYExpansion
of Assets		Contraction
of Assets
FIVE
of COINS		LABORStrength
of Effort		Weakness
of Effort
SIX
of COINS		PRODUCTIVITYVitality
of Construction		Dullness
of Construction
SEVEN
of COINS		COMFORTHarmony
of Being		Disunity
of Being
EIGHT
of COINS		SELECTIONDiversity
of Preference		Uniformity
of Preference
NINE
of COINS		REACTIONChange
of Response		Fixation
of Response
TEN
of COINS		PERFECTIONRealization
of Excellence		Failure
of Excellence
PAGE
of COINS		LABORERProvider
of Services		Receiver
of Services
KNIGHT
of COINS		EXAMINERTester
of Quality		Critic
of Quality
QUEEN
of COINS		CUSTODIANManager
of Property		Neglecter
of Property
KING
of COINS		ENTREPRENEURDeveloper
of Business		Exploiter
of Business



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