INDEX English Italiano ... Espanol FrancaisROMANTIC TAROT (x If love is a carriage, romanticism is the horse that draws it along secret roads, guided by the breath of the lovers. This deck of Romantic Tarot does ex- actly the same thing: it guides the carriage along the roads of love. Each individual card transmits emo- tions, clarifies doubts, and gives the lovers advice. To do so, it chose to set its own esoteric message in a precise historical period — the late nineteenth century and dawning of the twentieth century — in four European cities considered to be the ideal set- tings for romantic love: Venice, Vienna, Rome, and Paris. Hence, amidst aristocratic balls, midnight rendezvous, love affairs that lasted one night or a lifetime, passions and jealousies, the Romantic Tarot guides us through the wonderful book of love, con- veying emotions, revealing secrets, and suggesting solutions. Each of the 4 suits of the Minor Arcana were as- sociated with the city that, more than any other, is in keeping with its symbolic and allegorical value. So the Chalice cards, which represent positive senti- ments, but when reversed can reveal dark or hidden sides, are set in Venice, and their colour is the colour of the city of the eternal carnival: golden yellow. The Wand cards, always associated with strength and ambition, find their ideal setting in Vienna and their myriad shades of blue are the colour of the waltzes of love they represent. The power of money and enterprise lies instead within the Pentacle cards. So the Rome of popes and aristocracy, of commoners and street urchins, is the 3city of this suit, where even the most romantic love still keeps its feet on the ground and its head on the bottom line. Its colour is green. Finally, the energy and vitality of the Wands closes this circle, with Paris as the ideal stage and the red of the flowers tossed to the ballerinas of the Moulin Rouge is the dominant hue of libertine and plea- sure-seeking love. In the same way, the 22 Major Arcana were associ- ated with corresponding cities and colours, so that the symbol and the allegory they contain are evident at first sight: Chalices — Venice - yellow, the duality of sentiments, Swords — Vienna - blue, pride and ambition, Pentacles — Rome — green, the common sense and personal gain, Wands — Paris - red, the superficiality of the amorous passion. Chalices — Venice, romantic and ambiguous. With its never-ending carnival, Venice is an illu- sion. The lovers hide behind a mask - Water and feelings - The dominant colour is yellow. Pentacles — Rome, romantic and instinctive. Amidst the ruins of the Eternal City, shepherdess- es, peddlers, harlots, aristocrats, and youngsters all play with love — Earth and nature — The dominant colour is green. Wands - Paris, romantic and vivacious. Gallantry strides across the most intriguing stages of Europe of the Belle Epoque and the star is de- sire - Fire and personality — The dominant colour is red. 4Swords — Vienna, romantic and coquettish. Swirling waltzes and crossed blades for ambitious and daring dames and knights — Airs and intellect — The dominant colour is blue. The reading Each card of the Romantic Tarot has a meaning and an autonomous divinatory force. However, to read the Romantic Tarot with greater profundity, it is possible to put two cards near each other and have them talk to each other, put them next to a personal object of the man or woman to whom the divinatory attention is directed. Here is an example of a reading: Shuffle the cards and cut them as you prefer. Then take 4 cards from the deck and arrange them in a cross around the personal object of the person to whom the divinatory attention is directed, as in the diagram on page 2. 1: illuminates the dark sides of the sentimental past. 2: reveals what, of that past, continues to live hid- den in you or in the other person. 3: indicates who will be able to help you under- stand. 4: offers practical advice or indicates a path that can be travelled. After having interpreted the first four cards, con- tinue drawing cards until you find a Major Arca- num, which must be placed in the centre, or in the same position occupied by the personal object. Be- 5fore turning over the card, concentrate a moment on the person: the Arcanum will reveal what you can expect from your own heart and suggest what action to take. Major Arcana 0. The Fool — The Dandy. Blinded by love, he doesn’t think and goes on his way, irresponsible and jovial, in total abandon, relying only on his instincts. Enthusiasm. I. The Magician — The Illusionist. Diplomacy is a gift that is not to be underestimated. Even a lie helps those who know what they want. Willpower. Il. The High Priestess — The Grand Lady. Secrets fuel the fire from under the ash. Knowing is hav- ing, because those who know never have doubts. Wisdom. III. The Empress — The Lady of the Ring. Grace and kindness can do much for the gentle soul. Those who know how to substitute seduction for strength win. Generosity. IV. The Emperor — The Gentleman. Now, resolu- tion is necessary. Constancy wins. Love letters have value only for the heart on the road. Determination. V. The Hierophant — The Prince of Faith. Some- times you need to forgive. Spiritual peace quells passions and opens the door to intelligent love. Self-control. VI. The Lovers — The Embrace. One must never be ashamed of his weaknesses. Passion, before burn- ing, is a delicate dew. Recognising each other. VII. The Chariot — The Countrywoman. Dreams 6are pushed ahead of hope. Nothing can stop their advance. It is important not to change course. Con- viction. VIII. Justice — Balance. The poor person is often selfish. Instead, those who love freely are rich and worthy of being loved. Responsibility. IX. The Hermit — The Loner. Solitude makes will- power stronger. Collect ideas one by one and take the road of love. Concentration. X. The Wheel - The Departure. Destiny is propi- tious. The case distributes advantages: ask some for nothing, ask other for the bill. The time of love is fickle. Change. XI. Strength — Futile efforts. Violence can do noth- ing against gentility. The romantic soul is always the strongest. Commitment. XII. The Hanged Man - The Trials and Tribula- tions of Love. Sacrifice is necessary when the cause is great. Those who dream must know they are dreaming of clouds. Suffering. XIII. Death — Undying Love. For those who have no regrets, nothing changes and everything changes. Maybe the wind of the passions will die down. Starting from scratch. XIV. Temperance — The Chalice. The art of know- ing how to adapt is always useful in love. To do so, however, you must be compassionate of your neighbour’ misfortunes. Healing. XV. The Devil — The Stripper. In even the most sin- cere happiness, there is always something perverse. You are wandering in the wilds of peril. Passion. XVI. The Tower — The Collapse. When hearts soar quickly on high, they know what they are risking. 7Catastrophe awaits the irrational and the ambi- tious. Breakdowns. XVII. The Star - The Shining Star No one is alone when the stars are shining: it is necessary to have trust in the celestial forces that reward courage. Hope. XVIII. The Moon - The Secret Kiss. Tender and cruel is the fantasy that dips the tips of the arrows into the poison of illusion. Hiding is to no avail; whims should be satisfied. Spells. XIX. The Sun — The Hour of Truth. The time has come to face the truth. The things of love become clear. The light will be long-lasting. Clarity. XX. Judgment — Beyond the Threshold. It is time to decide: either the mind or the heart will win. If there has already been a choice made in the past, it must be followed. The point of arrival. XXI. The World — Union. The veils fall, the truth is revealed. It was a long road, but worthwhile be- cause now is ecstasy. Completeness. Suit of Chalices — Venice Ace — Baptismal font. Something is born and it will be grand. The road ahead now seems winding, but the decision was made long ago and must be fol- lowed through. Feelings. 2 — The toast. The sea is rough with change and crashes against the stony cliffs of the heart. Soon the storm will cry to the rocks to become flesh. Affinity. 3 — The house of love. The body is happy when it has what it wants. The mind suffers when it un- derstands what is missing. Balance must be found. Happiness. 84 — The betrothed. Just one more tile, the last one, and the great mosaic will be complete. One last effort and the door to pleasure will open. Boredom. 5 — Venetian quarrels. The peace of night time must end and will end. This is why you end the game and take away everything you can. Regrets. 6 — Wine and beautiful women. Too many melodies have remained on the score. But when love leaves something behind, sooner or later it retraces its steps to retrieve it. Nostalgia. 7 — Kissing the hand. In the darkness of night, ev- erything has the same colour and the same form. A light is needed to feel unique again. Illusion. 8 — Waiting. Love is timid. You must grasp it now or you will lose it. When the flame quivers, you must close the window. Return. 9 — The lovebirds. In the fog of distraction, it is dif- ficult to decide. But willpower does not fear the blankets of smoke. Perhaps you will lose some cer- tainties, but you will find them again further on. Gratification. 10 — Serenity. The boundless world of space and time of fables is not for you. The gates protect what is yours. Happiness. Knave — A slave of love. Love is necessary to bring the light back into a lost smile. Kind words are needed to radiate happiness. Innocence. Knight — Hold your cups high. Those who play against themselves lose and win at the same time. In love, gain and loss are two sides of the same coin. Art. Queen — The lady of the dance. Lay down the arms of love in front of the truth: no betrayal has ever won the battle of the heart. Sincerity. 9King — The Moor of Venice. The wings of love are strong and, following the warm wind of desire, lift you to great heights. In eternal darkness, they tremble with joy. Experience. Suit of Pentacles — Rome Ace — The copper coin. This is the moment of wait- ing: just look around. It should suffice to seek love among many loves! Solidity. 2 — Innocent games. What does not yet exist, cer- tainly will be. Nothing escapes change. Everything is a moving wave, easy and happy, crazy and in love. Balancing. 3 — The wanderer. Something powerful governs thoughts and even instincts. It is useless to resist when love has the force of love. Artistic expression. 4 — The shepherdess among the goats. The most pow- erful chains are not of iron, but of air. They tighten around the neck without leaving marks and crush- ing willpower. Cupidity. 5 — The harlot. All doors have a key, even the great door of love. Whoever finds the key has the right to enter and become the owner of everything. Need. 6 — The painter. Sometimes it is better to abandon the old road and venture into an unknown world. Therein lies the difference: in looking at a world that you have never seen before. Sharing. 7 — The secret rendezvous. When life sleeps, the stars are awake. Love is a star: it begins to shine when darkness falls. Wealth. 8 — Gallantry. How many times have you tried and failed? You will try again and fail again. Your love, 10however, is expert in these things and knows what to do. Humility. 9 — Lights and shadows. Doubts and desire melt to- gether. Careful: you will either conquer your light or lose it. Your body fervently desires to lose itself in another body. Inheritance. 10 — An amorous trap. You mustn’t miss that ap- pointment. Do not tighten the laces of fortune too tight and let your heart take over. Abandon your- self and don't ask questions. Relationships. Knave — Amorous wayfarer. Is love challenging you? Accept and enter the arena. Someone is keeping your place. Opportunity. Knight — An officer and a gentleman. Work is need- ed for an ear of wheat to grow. Then at the right time, the grains ripen as you desired and must be harvested quickly. Courage. Queen - The big pot. Ask and it will be given to you. Offer and it will be accepted. The future is at the window and looks out to a sky brimming with promises. Offer. King — The solitary aristocrat. You will find what your are looking for when you lose it. You will have all the money in the world, but love will find you naked. Interests. Suit of Wands - Paris Ace — The walking stick. There is no return from the voyage you are taking. The dream fairies have opened their wings and are ready to fly with you! News. 2 — Love at the Opéra Garnier. Mould the clay of passion in your own form and give it to someone. The breath of love will bring it to life. Ambition. 113 — The queen bee. It takes courage to say yes; it takes strength to say no. From torn pride filters a new light. Expectation. 4 — The Can Can. Love calls you to the battle field: not to watch you lose, but to crown you the victor! Celebration. 5 — A marriage of interests. The heart plays and laughs only when it finds its mate. The solitary path brings no joy, only fatigue. Conflict. 6 — The gift. You were not born to live inside a prison: soon the bars will open and then you will have what you have always desired. Communicate. 7 — Meeting at the station. Pour love and someone will quench their thirst. Offer the heart, someone will feed on it. Set your table, the dinner guests are about to arrive. Trust. 8 — Amorous awakening. It seemed so far, instead it was always there, just steps away. Now nothing will be the same. Dynamism. 9 — A peek at a hidden kiss. Do not suffocate the mo- ment under an avalanche of words! Make silence scream, bodies tremble, thoughts crumble. Barrier. 10 —At Porte Dauphine. The heart guides your steps in the right direction. What will be, will be. Posi- tive effort. Knave. The man watching. See with the eyes of a blind man, listen with the ears of a deaf man, speak with the words or a mute man, but always love like a lover! Vision. Knight — The gallant rider. Help will arrive when it is needed. Do away with fears, make way for dreams. Voyage. Queen — The proprietor of the house of pleasure. Pas- 12sion and loyalty are the secrets for leaving a mark in a heart of stone. But to go beyond, a friend is necessary. Intuition. King - The great actor. Honour will come with pain, victory will be born of a defeat, certainty will sprout from a doubt. Control. Suit of Swords — Vienna Ace — The cut rose. The blade cuts doubts and de- sires. The bored heart cries with no tears because it wants to fight. Skill. 2 — The sheath. At the centre is a great desire. Cour- age is needed to tear away the veil and show your- self nude, to the passion that advances. Choice. 3 — The fixed duel. Something is ending, stricken to the heart by doubt, betrayal and, perhaps even a lie. The pain is the sign that the road is open. Loss. 4 — The Viennese waltz. Dying and being reborn many times, as many times as the circles of the waltz. A step back, two forward, and then back- wards again. Endlessly. Silence. 5 — Swan Lake. The soul cries: it was humiliated, but does not want to admit it. It regrets the time of forgiveness not granted. Duel. 6 — Sonata for four hands. Don't be afraid of a kiss. It is not a bee that stings, but a door that leads to the hives filled with honey. Passage. 7 — The courtesan. It was all ready, thought out and organised to the smallest details. Something prevented the beautiful folly from breaking free. Deception. 8 — In the Crypt of the Cappuccini. Candour and sim- plicity play tricks on the imagination. Thoughts are 13stowaways capable of arriving anywhere. Imprison- ment. 9 —In the hall of Mirrors. Happiness walked at your side. The fatality set the rules. Those who first had too much, now have nothing; those who had noth- ing, now have everything. Cruelty. 10 — Good-bye. It is time for good-byes: dispelling pain, joys, envy, and betrayal forever. The spirit leaves, abandoning the five senses between the sheets. Wounds. Knave — The slave of love. What a surprise when the destiny cannot dampen the light of love. What joy when the end is not yet ended. Intelligence. Knight — The champion and his reward. Just a little more love and the dark shadows will be dispelled. You need strength and ability to embrace the north wind. Aggressiveness. Queen — On the throne of swords. Wicked and cruel is the flame that encircles and swallows up the oth- er flame. In any case, pay attention: envy is hidden in the grass. Ideas. King — A man of honour. Even a broken sword can wound. The heart, which was bleeding from pride, is reborn, offering itself free and pure. Order. 14