The Beautiful Rebellion PDF 1

The Beautiful
Rebellion Tarot
Guidebook
by
Robin L. Cole
Third Edition
Copyright © 2021 Robin L. Cole
All written rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing, 2018

TABLE OF
CONTENTS
1 The Deck 3
2 The Artists 8
Edward Burne-Jones 9
John Collier 10
Francis Bernard Dicksee 11
Herbert Hames Draper 12
Hermann Hendrich 13
Arthur Hughes 14
Edward Robert Hughes 15
William Holman Hunt 16
Edmund Blair Leighton 17
Frederic Leighton 19
John Everett Millais 20
Edward John Poynter 21
Valentine Cameron Prinsep 22
Dante Gabriel Rossetti 23
Anthony Frederick Sandys 24
John William Waterhouse 25
3 The Major Arcana 27
4 The Minor Arcana 50

Suit of Cups 51
Suit of Pentacles 66
Suit of Swords 81
Suit of Wands 96
5 The Spreads 111

3 Card Spread 112
9 Card Diamond Spread 113
Muse’s Message Spread 114
Matters of the Heart Spread 115
About the Author ?

1
This Deck
The Creation of The Beautiful Rebellion
It occurs to me—ever in hindsight, which unfortunately seems to be my usual way of doing
things—that I went about creating this deck backwards. Or maybe following my intuitive nature
when it comes to tarot is what made it work, even if it caused me some mild panic when I realized
I’d have to try and write a sensible guidebook? Who knows.
Let me try to start this ramble at the beginning.
I have always been a big fan of medieval art, especially that of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s: the
Pre-Raphaelite, Romanticism and Aesthetic periods. There is something about the beauty of art
created during that time that touches my soul, evoking deep and powerful emotions. Those
paintings speak to me on an intuitive level unparalleled by any other, and thus has always held a
special place in my heart.
When I decided to tinker with creating and printing a tarot deck—in preparation for that far off
day when I hoped to finish painting my own—the first thing that came to mind was, “Oooo,
Waterhouse! I’d LOVE to have a Waterhouse art deck!”
I don’t know if it’s possible to be a classic painter fangirl, but if it is? I’m totally a Waterhouse
fangirl.
So that was what I set out to create. Over the next few weeks I gathered together seventy-eight
cards’ worth of images, all pulled from the works of John William Waterhouse. The process was a
joy, rather than the chore I feared it might be, and the whole experience made my little tarot-loving
heart sing with glee.
Only…in the end, I found that it just didn’t work. One of the problems one can run into when
creating a deck out of already finished, non-tarot-based artwork is that sometimes the images just
doesn’t evoke the card meaning upon sight—and that is exactly what was happening with my
creation. I really had to reach to make some of those beautiful Waterhouse paintings “fit,” and I had
my doubts.
Despite that, I was determined to see it through. (I wanted that Waterhouse deck, dang it.) I even
went so far as ordering a printing of a prototype deck. It was gorgeous! Holding a real deck of my
own creation was a breath-taking experience. However, in the end I found my doubts had been well
founded: it didn’t read as smoothly as I needed it too. There were just too many cards that didn’t say
the right things to me once I saw them to use.
Needless to say, I was bummed. Hella bummed. I had had such a fun time putting that deck
together, and my enthusiasm for the idea of it had not waned. I still wanted to make it work,
somehow. I put the idea of the shelf, along with that prototype deck, and let the idea simmer on the
back burner while I went about my business for the next month or two.
3
As the holidays approached that year, I found myself wondering what I could get my tarot-loving
bestie for a Christmas present. She had expressed a love of my original Waterhouse creation at the
time I received it, and I found myself wishing that it had been up to snuff so that I could make her a
copy as well. Knowing it was lacking, I realized it would need an overhaul of some sort before I
would consider it shareable with others. That lead to me wondering, “What if I were to expand the
deck beyond Waterhouse, to include other artists of a similar style?”
Ding, ding, ding!
I had a winner. In that moment, The Beautiful Rebellion tarot deck was born.
While this deck started out as that small passion project, it quickly grew into an even bigger, more
beautiful labor of love. Once I realized the scope of art I was going to have to comb through to find
the perfect pieces to include in the deck, I delved into researching artists. It took few months of
combing through quite a few galleries filled with beautiful medieval paintings to discover the ones
that I felt resonated most closely with the meanings of the each tarot card. In the end, I found that I
had created something bigger and more beautiful than I had ever imagined possible. I strongly feel
that each and every painting featured in the finished deck strongly encompass the spirit of what I
was searching for.
I am an unabashed tarot enthusiast, if not an out-and-out collector. It’s possible that I’ve been
called a tarot slut (lovingly) before and didn’t disagree with that assessment in the slightest. I have
been studying and reading tarot for over twenty years. I own a wide array of decks. I read
professionally. And—yes—I am constantly purchasing new decks as I fall in love with their art.
Tarot is just “my thing.”
There are other decks that I love deeply and share an unparalleled intuitive relationship with—
Cila Conway’s Intuitive Tarot and Kim Krans’ Wild Unknown immediately spring to mind—and there
are others that I enjoy solely for their art but prefer not to read with—but this deck? This deck
touches me deeply. Completely. Silly as it may sound, there may have been a few tears when I
shuffled through the final version. (And I may or may not have spent that first night physically
cuddling with it as I watched television before bed.)
And that final version? It was the fifth version that I had printed. I would not settle for anything
but perfection.
Once I saw the cards in action, what had started off as a project that I intended to keep between
myself and one or two tarot buddies became something I felt the strong desire to share with the
world. I had no clue how I was going to make that happen, however. I’m just your average indie
urban fantasy writer—which is to say only one or two steps removed from the “starving artist”
stereotype. I certainly didn’t have a clue how to expand into independently publishing a deck of
cards! Boxes and guidebooks and all that—yikes! I hadn’t the first clue how I was going to make all
of those elements come together.
Yet, that didn’t stop me. Every time I tried to push the idea out of my mind, it popped back up--
forcefully. Everything kept pointing to a “go” so I decided it was time to give it a shot. I’d made
4
miracles happen for myself on weirder ideas in the past.
Coming up with a name for this particular project was hard. Throughout the creation process I
had just been calling it the “Pre-Raphaelite Deck” in my head. Not only was that a rather boring,
hard to spit out kind of name, but it also wasn’t accurate as only a small portion of the art was
technically part of that genre. I wracked my brain over many a cup of coffee to come up with
something more fitting; worthier of the magnificence of the original art.
The ode to the Pre-Raphaelites persisted and, ultimately, helped to name this deck. Their art
movement was linked to a social reform rebellion during their time, when England was experiencing
mass industrialization. I felt the defiant passion of the artists in my soul. Maybe my years of indie
publishing—of working my side hustle, of following what feels right to me no matter the cost—
came into play just a little bit here, but when the name The Beautiful Rebellion came to mind, it just felt
right.
As I had different versions of the deck printed throughout the creation process, I experimented
with a few different card stocks. I wanted this deck to be durable and easy to shuffle above all else.
I’m a riffle shuffler by nature (though I have added some overhand to my routine over the years),
and I needed this deck to be something that could withstand a good, hard shuffle. (Giggity.)
I briefly considered gilding and foil and all those lovely extra touches that have become so
popular in tarot decks these days—but decided not to go that route. Personally, I’m not always fond
of the way gilt edges wear, and I was afraid the same could be said of too many foiled touches. I
wanted a deck that would last the test of time—and on top of that, there was the cost. I understand
why indie decks cost so much now (it is not a cheap process, and time consuming to boot!), but I
wanted to keep The Beautiful Rebellion as reasonably priced as I could. So, the glitzy touches never
even made it to the test phase.
I was thrilled when I received the third test version of the deck in a 310gsm French casino quality
card stock. It shuffled like a dream no matter what way I used and had enough slip to glide against
itself easily, without being so slippery that the cards would shoot all over the place. The linen finish I
chose was perfect for the look I was going for, harkening back to the original canvas look of the
paintings, and it had a satin gloss to it that I just fell in love with.
While original test versions of the deck were borderless—which I loved—I didn’t care for how
the font showed up on some cards. I really wanted to keep the font and color consistent, and some
cards were just either too dark or too light for the original, dainty white script text to show up well
across the bottom of each card. I tried a few other ways of adjusting the titles (by adding a banner or
name plaque behind them) or a subtle faded black border—but in my heart, this deck was always
meant to be borderless. Adding a frame or name plaque hemmed in the muse and took away from
the breathtaking beauty of the images.
I changed the font to a bolder, easier to read style and went with a pale yellow that showed up
well across the board. (There is one very stubborn card that is a shade off of the others—it was the
bane of my existence during this creation process but I loved the image too much to throw it away!)
I made peace with the fact that sometimes the title would be on the top of the card instead of
consistently across the bottom.
5
With those changes, the cards themselves were finally complete and I was over the moon with
how they turned out. The next hurdle I faced was packaging. I—like most tarot lovers—have a love
of a good deck box. However—I’m a bagger at heart. Every single deck that falls into heavy rotation
gets a bag, and only a few of the really nice boxes get kept for display. I wanted to provide the best
of both worlds.
By now you know I’m an indie girl at heart. What you will now also learn is that I’m a crafty gal
too. I like a hands-on approach to my creations—and I wanted the box that housed The Beautiful
Rebellion to be a work of art equal to its contents. Handmade was the way to go. Each tuckbox is
assembled and decorated by me, by hand, and I hope you find it as beautiful and fitting for this deck
as I do! Inside the box, a red jute drawstring bag is also provided for those who prefer to bag their
decks. The choice is yours!
Then I realized the final step in completing this deck would be to write a guidebook. That was
the moment I realized that I might have gone about creating this deck backwards. I’m no stranger to
writing, but I write snarky, irreverent first-person urban fantasy—and, honestly? That’s pretty much
how I talk in real life too. Trying to find the proper “voice” to write this guidebook in scared the
beejezus out of me. How could I write tarot prose worthy of such beautiful paintings as The Magic
Circle and Lady Godiva?!
Obviously, I gave it my best shot because you’re here reading this now. I felt I needed to. While
this deck certainly has its roots in the traditional Rider Waite Smith tarot structure, I wouldn’t go so
far as to call it a “traditional” deck. You will not see cups on every card in the cups suit, nor a single
pentacle in the its suit either. You will not find The Beautiful Rebellion’s Hanged Man inverted, hanging
from his ankle like he is in so many decks, or a heart pierced with blades for the dreaded Three of
Swords.
Rather, the images I chose for these cards were based not only on my personal understanding of
the card meaning, but also by the emotions and intuitive hits that the artwork invoked within me. I
strove to capture the feeling of each card rather than adhering to strict symbolism. My gut said that
many would understand where my heart had been when choosing each image, but my brain said, “Not
so much. Take them along on the journey with you. Make them see what you see.” And here we are.
Along with the card name and any applicable numbers, the title and date (when available) of the
painting are featured in this accompanying guidebook. A full color image of the card is also
provided. You will notice that some of the images are larger and include other figures or details than
are not present on the printed tarot card, such as the additional figures on the Ten of Pentacles or
Nine of Swords. For those larger landscape style paintings, I isolated the part of the original that
spoke to my tarot reader’s soul and included just that part of the image on the printed card.
I have also included a quote that I found resonated particularly well with each card—almost as if
the card is speaking to you. Keywords are then listed, for times when you might feel stuck and in
need of a little nudge toward better understanding. Below that you will see a section I’ve called
“Curator’s Notes,” which is what I feel I have become in creating this deck. In those notes I will be
adding my personal take on the card and the image used. Feel free to read them for additional input
or ignore them completely—it’s up to you.
6
I went with a PDF guidebook again to pare back costs, but also because I had yet to find a printer
who could do the guidebook I had in mind justice. In my head, I see a beautiful hardbound art book—
and that costs more than I wanted to charge. Rather than produce an inferior book, I thought it easier
to go this route and allow people to decide if they wanted to print their own copy of the guidebook
(easily inserted into a 3-ring binder or spiral bound at a local copy shop). Some of us love guidebooks
and refer back to them frequently; others read them once and never pick them up again—and still
others find them a complete waste of time and don’t ever use them at all. Whether or not this
guidebook gets used is totally up to you.
A hardbound, expanded guidebook may become available for purchase separately in my Etsy shop
later on, for those interested in such a thing. In the meantime, for those who are new to tarot or who
want to be able to use the deck “out of the box” without having to download/look at this PDF, I also
included a printed key wood cheat sheet with each deck for quick referral.
And now you hold the finished product of this year long journey in your hands.
At its heart, I believe that tarot is a deeply personal, transformative tool. If you don’t agree at all
with the keywords and meanings I attach to each card, that is perfectly fine by me! Listen to what
the cards say to you. Let the art within these cards impart their wisdom when you need it most,
sparking your deepest intuition.
A final note here, before we move on to the meat of the guidebook. Let’s take a moment to
address reversals. You won’t find specific reversal meanings for each card, as I personally do not use
them. I feel the tarot contains enough light and shadow within its original structure and does not
need negative meanings added to additional cards.
When a card does pop up “reversed” in my deck, I take that to mean one of two things: that card
is crying out to me, asking for special attention, or it is a blocked energy that needs to worked on.
Please feel free to read reversals in the way you are accustomed to, if they are meaningful to you.
And that’s it. I’ve yammered on enough; it’s time to talk about the artists who made this deck
possible and the cards within. I hope you enjoy this deck and find its beauty gracing your days for
years to come.
Enjoy The Beautiful Rebellion!
7
2
The Artists
This deck would not exist without the amazing artists in the following pages.
I am an art nerd, but by no means an expert. I do love to read art history books and have spent
many days wandering around museums, but before I started putting together this deck, I did not know
very much at all about the lives of the artists themselves.
I do love to read and wanted to know who the men were behind these beautiful, intuition
stimulating paintings, so I dove on in and tried to learn a little bit about each of them. Some of them
were quite easy to find information on, but others I could find comparatively little information on.
Again, my expertise is only by way of what the internet can tell me. If you would like to learn more
about any of the men behind the paintbrushes, I urge you to do your own research and learn more.
In following pages you’ll find some brief artist biographies, as well as a listing of which of their
paintings are contained in this deck, and on which cards they appear.
A Note on Inclusivity
If there is any shortcoming of this deck, I fully recognize that it is in its lack of inclusivity. These
paintings were taken, quite frankly, from a body of work created solely by white men. While they were
all incredibly skilled in the arts, they certainly had their shortcomings that stemmed from the attitude
of the times they lived in.
Pre-Raphaelite artist glorified the feminine form in their art style, leading to very few male figures
bring featured in this deck. More often than not, the men are secondary to the women in the paintings,
if they appear at all. (Immediate contradictions to this statement come to mind with The Hermit or
The Wheel—but this is an exception more than a rule.) Therefore, many traditionally male figures are
represented by females in paintings with what would be considered typical “masculine” energies
(strength, confidence, forthrightness, etc.). That makes The Beautiful Rebellion an extremely feminine
energy deck, despite my best intentions. While that does not bother me in the slightest, I do understand
that some might find it off-putting.
Equally off-putting might be the lack of people of color throughout this deck. Again, this is simply
a case of that being what was created at that time. While I do understand that this is a problem for
some, it was one of the unavoidable pitfalls of working with classic paintings from the that particular
time period.
I hope you are able to overlook these shortcomings and appreciate this deck for what it is and was
meant to be: a showcasing of classic Pre-Raphaelite art when married to the meaning of tarot.
8
Edward Burne-Jones
(August 1833 – June 1898)
Edward Coley Burne-Jones was a British artist and designer closely

associated with the later phase of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. He
worked closely with William Morris on a wide range of decorative arts
and was a founding partner in Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co.
He was born in Birmingham in August of 1833. Despite difficult

financial circumstances in his youth, he was sent to Oxford in 1853,
where he began studying theology, intending to train for the priesthood.
However, his interest was quickly turned to art first by Morris, a fellow
student at the time, and then by Rossetti, who remained the decisive
influence on him throughout his life. It was also during this time he
discovered Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d'Arthur, which would prove to be an incredibly influential work
in his life and art.
The artistic works of this first period were primarily pen-and-ink drawings on vellum, of which the
Waxen Image (1856) is one of the earliest and best examples. His first sketch in oils dates from this
same year. It wasn’t long before he became a key figure counted among his own artistic heroes, and
his strange, visionary art began to change the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood itself. With his influence,
the focus of the group began to gravitate away from its earlier concentrated realism into more stylized
paintings.
The scenes and creatures of his paintings are not those of this world—rather, they are themselves
their own reality. A beautiful, medieval reality that harkens back to a day long gone—or maybe a
romanticized time that never really existed at all.
Works that are included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

• St. George and the Dragon VI: The Princess Tied to a Tree (8 of Swords)
• The Last Sleep of Arthur in Avalon (4 of Swords)
Image credit: A portrait of Edward Burne-Jones by his son Philip Burne-Jones, 1898
9
John Collier
(January 1850 – April 1934)
John Collier was a British artist who came from a talented and
successful family. His father (a Member of Parliament, Attorney
General and, for many years, a judge of the Privy Council) was
created the first Lord Monkswell. He was also a member of the Royal
Society of British Artists, he himself having studied art in Munich
and Heidelberg
He painted in the Pre-Raphaelite style, and became one of the

most prominent portrait painters of his generation. Among the
sitters for his portrait paintings were Charles Darwin, Professor
Huxley, and the Dukes of both Cornwall and York. Other subjects
included two Lord Chancellors (the Earl of Selborne in 1882 and the Earl of Halsbury in 1897); the
Speaker of the House of Commons, William Gully, (1897); senior legal figures: the Lord Chief Justice,
Lord Alverstone (1912) and the Master of the Rolls, Sir George Jessel (1881).
A copy of John Collier’s Sitters Book, made in 1962 from the original in the possession of the
artist’s son, can be consulted in the Heinz Archive and Library, National Portrait Gallery. This book
was written by his own hand and records of all his portraits.
Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

• Clymenstra After the Murder (Justice)
• In the Forest of Arden (The Fool)
• Lady Godiva (The Chariot)
• Lilith (The Devil)
• Queen Guinevere’s Maying (4 of Wands)
• Priestess of Delphi (The High Priestess)
• The Laboratory (2 of Wands)
• The White Devil (King of Swords)
Image credit: John Collier by his first wife Marian, née Huxley, 1882
10
Sir Francis Bernard Dicksee
(November 1853 – October 1928)
An English painter and illustrator, Francis Bernard Dicksee was a

member of a noted artistic family. He was initially trained by his father
before entering the Royal Academy schools. Amongst the visiting
lecturers who trained him were the famous senior academicians and Pre-
Raphaelite painters Frederick Leighton and John Everett Millais.
Dicksee is best known for his paintings depicting dramatic literary,

historical, and legendary scenes, but he also was a noted painter of elegant,
highly-finished portraits of fashionable women in his time. These society
paintings helped to bring him material success and they were widely
acclaimed by their subjects.
Dicksee painted The Funeral of a Viking (1893; Manchester Art Gallery), which was donated in 1928
by Arthur Burton in memory of his mother to the Corporation of Manchester. Victorian critics gave
it both positive and negative reviews, for its perfection as a showpiece and for its dramatic and
somewhat staged setting, respectively. The painting was used by Swedish Viking/Black metal band
Bathory for the cover of their 1990 album, Hammerheart.
Dicksee was knighted in 1925 and died in 1928.

• Cleopatra (King of Wands)
• La Belle Dame sans Merci (Knight of Cups)
• Leila (King of Pentacles)
• The End of the Quest (9 of Cups)
• The Two Crowns (6 of Swords)
Image credit: by Unknown photographer. © National Portrait Gallery, London

11
Herbert James Draper
(November 1863 – September 1920)
Herbert James Draper was born in London and educated at Bruce

Castle before moving to the Royal Academy Schools. In 1890 he
travelled throughout Europe, spending time in Paris and Rome before
settling in London and marrying.
He specialized in paintings that depicted mythological events, much

like the subjects that his friend and neighbor John Waterhouse was also
attracted to.
In the mythological subject area his paintings include, as well as The

Lament for Icarus, Ulysses and the Sirens, The Kelpie, and The Vintage Morn.
In later years, as the public tastes changed and mythological scenes became less popular, he
concentrated more on portraits. This resulted in a lucrative society portrait painting practice, and his
aristocratic sitters included the Duchess of Abercorn.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to find much information about Draper the man. However, it is a
matter of record he attended the funeral of Waterhouse, his close neighbor, in 1917. We also know
that his painting The Lament for Icarus was purchased by the Chantry Bequest in 1898 and in 1900
Draper was awarded a gold medal at The International Exhibition in Paris for the same painting.
He exhibited works each year from 1887 until shortly before his death in 1920.

• A Young Girl by a Pool (Page of Cups)
• The Lament for Icarus (Death)
Image credit: by Unknown photographer.

12
Hermann Hendrich
(October 1854 – July 1931)
Hermann Hendrich was born in the vicinity of the Kyffhäuser,

Germany. At a young age he served an apprenticeship to a lithographer
and showed evident talent, leading him to later take a job at a Berlin art
institution where he had to lithograph oil paintings.
In 1876, he visited Norway to further his art studies and wound up

staying for a few years, starting a job as painter in Amsterdam. In 1882 he
married and the newlyweds took their honeymoon trip across the pond
to visit Hendrich’s brother in Auburn, New York.
While Hendrich had been unsuccessful in his quest to have his works
exhibited in Europe, in American he was able to exhibit his paintings for the first time. After some
initial sales, the remaining number of pictures on hand was bought by a single art dealer. Using the
money he earned from that sale, Hendrich then made a study trip through the USA.
To further his education, he returned to Germany in 1885. His later works were often characterized
by an effort to represent not only the objective image of the subject but also by trying to reveal a
deeper, more esoteric truth. The Kaiser himself bought a painting from Hendrich in 1889, an event
that would be a highlight in his artistic recognition. He died 1931 in Schreiberhau in an accident.
Hendrich was another artist I was able to find depressingly little on. He seems to have been virtually
forgotten by the contemporary world. A considerable number of his paintings were destroyed during
the last world war, and many of his early paintings—those sold during the years he spent in the USA—
remain missing from the public eye today.

• Ride of the Valkyries (The Tower)
Image credit: by Unknown photographer.

13
Arthur Hughes
(January 2832 – December 1915)
Arthur Hughes was born in London. In 1846 he entered the art

school at Somerset House, his first master being Alfred Stevens.
He later entered the Royal Academy schools where he met John
Everett Millais and Holman Hunt, It was through his association
with them that he became one of the Pre-Raphaelite group of
painters.
His first picture, Musidora, was hung at the Royal Academy

when he was only 17—quite an achievement for one so young! He
contributed almost annually not only to the Royal Academy but
later also to the Grosvenor and New Gallery exhibitions.
In 1855 Hughes married Tryphena Foord, his model for April Love. They had five children, one
of which, Arthur Foord Hughes, also became a painter. He was the uncle of Edward Robert
Hughes, whose works also appear in this deck.
Hughes died in Kew Green, London in 1915, leaving about 700 known paintings and drawings,
along with over 750 book illustrations. Following the death of his wife Tryphena 1921, their
daughter Emily had to move to a smaller home, resulting in a shortage of storage space. Tragically,
she had her father’s remaining preparatory sketches, and all his private papers and correspondence,
destroyed.

• Sir Galahad - the Quest of the Holy Grail (Knight of Swords)
Image credit: self portrait painted by Arthur Hughes
14
Edward Robert Hughes
(November 1851 – April 1914)
Edward Robert Hughes was a nephew of the Pre-Raphaelite

painter Arthur Hughes, under whom he studied until he entered the
Royal Academy Schools. Some of Hughes’ acquaintances included
the English artist and designer Edward Burne-Jones and the poet
and novelist George Macdonald.
Hughes showed at the Royal Academy from 1870 to 1911 and

was represented at the first Venice Biennale in 1895. He also
exhibited regularly with the Royal Watercolor Society, becoming an
Associate in 1891; a full member in 1895; and Vice-President for two
years beginning in 1901.
Around 1902, Hughes worked as a studio assistant for the elderly painter William Holman Hunt,
whose eyesight was failing. Under the direction of Hunt, Hughes helped the artist on his final, and
largest version of The Light of the World, at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
For several years Hughes he was employed as a teacher of evening classes at London County
Council. He lived in London until 1913 when he moved to St. Albans. He died on April 23, 1914 at
his cottage in St. Albans, Hertfordshire after being struck with appendicitis.
Hughes worked mainly in watercolor and gouache, painting symbolist subjects and obscure literary
themes, often Italian in origin. He is also well known for his slightly idealized portraits of women,
executed in red chalk. His works display the meticulous observation of nature associated with the Pre-
Raphaelite movement.

• Bertuccio’s Bride (Knight of Swords)
• Idle Tears (5 of Cups)
• Star of Heaven (The Star)
• The Weary Moon (The Moon)
Image credit: albumen carte-de-viste, 1870s, by Maull & Co., NPG
15
William Holman Hunt
(April 1827 – September 1910)
William Holman Hunt, one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite

Brotherhood, was born in London in 1827. He attended the Royal
Academy Schools in 1844, where he met Millais and Rossetti.
Hunt's works were not initially successful. In fact, he was widely

criticized in the art press for his works’ alleged clumsiness. He achieved
some early note for his intensely naturalistic scenes of modern rural and
urban life, such as The Hireling Shepherd and The Awakening Conscience—
but it his religious paintings that he became famous for. A devout
Christian, Hunt decided to visit the Holy Land in 1854, to see for himself
the subjects of the religious subjects he intended to paint.
The first tangible results of this journey were two paintings: The Scapegoat and The Finding of the
Saviour in the Temple, which was exhibited nationally, to great acclaim, in 1860. Hunt’s famous painting
The Light of the World—featured in this deck at The Hermit card—was considered to be one of the
greatest Christian images of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
He eventually had to stop painting because his failing eyesight could no longer achieve the quality
that he wanted to present in his painting. His last major works, which included a large version of The
Light of the World, were completed with the help of his assistant, Edward Robert Hughes.
Hunt was awarded the Order of Merit by King Edward VII in 1905, just a few years before he
passed. He died in 1910.

• The Light of the World (The Hermit)
Image credit: Self-portrait, 1867, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

16
Edmund Blair Leighton
(September 1852 – September 1922)
Edmund Blair Leighton was born in 1852, the son of a promising

young artist, Charles Blair Leighton. His father died in 1855 and later
his mother sent him off to a boarding school in St. Johns Woods. At
age 12 he attended the career-oriented University Collage School.
After some time working in the tea business he was able to save
enough money to pursue the artistic training he had always longed
for. He started taking night classes at the South Kensington School
of Art, and later, had some instruction at the Heatherley's School of
Art before gaining entry to the five-year program at the Royal
Academy of Art School in 1874.
Leighton Exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy from 1878 through 1920. Early in his carrier
to earn some extra money, Leighton made illustrations for the noted publisher Cassell & Co., as well
as such magazines as Harper’s Bazaar.
In 1885 he married Katherine Nash, with whom he had two children, Eric James Blair Leighton,
who also attended the Royal Academy School of Art, and Sophie Blair Leighton, who married the
famous British civil engineer Sir Harold John Boyer Harding. Although Edmund Blair Leighton was
elected to the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 1887, he was never voted in as an associate of the
Royal Academy.
His career hit its peak in and around 1900 with his most famous works of Godspeed being painted
in 1900, The Accolade in 1901, The End of the Song in 1902, and Vox Populi in 1904. He continued to
paint other great masterpieces for many years, with less and less large scale works as he neared the end
of his life. He died on September 1st 1922.
Although his name is not commonly known, his most famous works are among the most widely
recognized paintings of the period. Godspeed and The Accolade can be seen on posters, cards, and other
works all around the world. They are often used as the epitome of medieval iconography. Though he
may be best known for his medieval compositions, he also painted a large number of nineteenth
century costume pieces which share similar subject of male female interaction and romantic gesture.
When one looks at his entire body of work as a whole, it is clear that he captures a certain quality that
reaches the core of human emotion.

• A Stolen Interview (3 of Wands)
• Accolade (Ace of Swords)
• Duty (9 of Wands)
• Faded Laurels (Wheel of Fortune)
• Farewell (6 of Swords)
• God Speed (7 of Wands)
• My Fair Lady (10 of Cups)
• Stitching the Standard (8 of Pentacles)
17
• The Charity of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary (6 of Pentacles)
• The Dedication (2 of Swords)
• The Shadow (Knight of Pentacles)
Image credit: Kara Lysandra Ross, E. Blair Leighton: The Prominent Outsider, The Epoch Times, August 18, 2011.
18
Frederic Leighton
(December 1830 – January 1896)
Frederic Leighton was born in 1830 in Scarborough, Yorkshire.

His father—a medical man—retired shortly after his birth and the
Leighton family spent the next twenty or so years traveling around
Europe. Young Leighton was a natural linguist, and was soon fluent
in French, German, and Italian.
After receiving an education in many European cities throughout

his youth, Leighton moved to Rome in 1852. His dedication to his
art and the scope and ambition of his own painting won admiration
and respect from his fellow artists, including English novelist
William Makepeace Thackeray, French novelist George Sand, and English poet Robert Browning.
Leighton’s career was always cushioned by this family wealth; his father paying him an allowance
throughout his life. Leighton’s parents were uncertain about his choice of career as he wrote in a letter
in 1879; “‘My parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing, but, strongly discountenanced the idea of my
being an artist unless I could be eminent in art.”
So he did. Leighton’s painting Cimabue’s Madonna, shown at the Royal Academy’s exhibition in
1855, was bought by Queen Victoria. It marked the beginning of a new age in England, where the
grandeur of scale and forms of classical Greek and High Renaissance extraction were used to embody
subject matter.
In 1869 he was made a member of the Royal Academy and in 1878 he became its president. In
1878 he was knighted, in 1886 he was made a baronet, and, on the day before he died, he became a
baron, being the first English painter to be so honored.

• Clytie (Judgement)
• Faticida (Queen of Swords)
• Wedded (The Lovers)
Image credit: Self portrait of Leighton (1880)

19
John Everett Millais
(June 1829 – August 1896)
John Everett Millais was born in Southampton in 1829, the son

of John William Millais, a wealthy gentleman from an old Jersey
family. He was sent to Sass’s Art School and won a silver medal at
the Society of Arts at the age of nine. In 1840 he was admitted to the
Royal Academy Schools as their youngest ever student, winning
another silver medal in 1843 for drawing from the antique, and then
a gold medal in 1847 for his painting The Tribe of Benjamin Seizing the
Daughters of Shiloh. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1846,
with Pizarro Seizing the Inca of Peru.
At the Royal Academy he became friendly with fellow student

William Holman Hunt, and contributed with Hunt and Dante Gabriel Rossetti to the Cyclographic
Society. In 1848 the three helped form the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. His first Pre-Raphaelite
painting was Isabella, which he exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1849. Millais became the most
famous exponent of the style. His painting Christ in the House of His Parents generated considerable
controversy, and he created the painting perhaps best known as the embodiment of the school, Ophelia,
in 1851.
However, by the mid-1850s Millais was moving away from the Pre-Raphaelite style and developing
a new and powerful form of realism in his art. His later works were enormously successful, making
Millais one of the wealthiest artists of his day. He was made an Associate of the Royal Academy in
1853, and a full member in 1863. In 1885 he was created a baronet and in 1896 was elected President
of the Royal Academy but died shortly thereafter in London. He is buried in St Paul's Cathedral.

• Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind (5 of Pentacles)
• Little Red Riding Hood (Page of Wands)
• Mariana (The Hanged Man)
• Ophelia (3 of Swords)
• Peace Concluded (10 of Pentacles)
• Saint Stephen (10 of Swords)
• Speak! Speak! (9 of Swords)
• The Farmer’s Daughter (Ace of Cups)
• The Rescue (8 of Wands)
Image credit: National Portrait Gallery (Great Britain)
20
Sir Edward John Poynter
(March 1836 – July 1919 in London)
Early in his career Edward John Poynter studied in Rome, where he

met Frederic Leighton, his greatest single artistic influence. He then
moved to Paris in 1855. On returning to London, he became involved
on book illustration. In 1865 he produced his first really successful
picture, Faithful Unto Death, which featured a Roman sentry staying at his
post in Pompeii as Vesuvius overwhelmed the city. This dramatic
painting was probably never bettered by Poynter throughout his whole
long career.
It is said that, given the from the subjects of some of his paintings
(such as King Solomon and King Solomon’s Temple), and his association with
Kipling, that Poynter was a Freemason. Prints of his painting The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King
Solomon are said to be found in many Masonic Lodges around the world.
Poynter became an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1869, at an unusually early age. Much of
the rest of his life was devoted to the Academy, and in 1896 he succeeded Millais as President of the
Royal Academy, narrowly defeating Briton Riviere in the vote. He was president for the next two
decades.
From the turn of the century Poynter’s paintings declined in numbers, as his main priority was
running the Academy. He lived to see the death of classicism, and the total eclipse of his own artistic
standards, as well as those of his contemporaries. He adopted the approach of ignoring new
developments of which he did not approve.
Sadly, one of the last duties of the eighty-one-year-old president of the Royal Academy was to
attend the funeral of John W. Waterhouse.

• Faithful Unto Death (5 of Swords)
Image credit: Edward Poynter (Alphonse Legros)

21
Valentine Cameron Prinsep
(February 1838 –November 1904)
Valentine Cameron Prinsep—also known as Val Prinsep—was the son

of a senior Indian Civil Servant, Thoby Prinsep, and his far more extrovert
wife, Sara. He was brought-up at Little Holland House in London, where
his mother kept the most interesting artistic salon of the day, frequented
by the likes of Dickens, Tennyson, Browning, Rossetti, and Carlyle. In the
famous words of Sara Prinsep, G.F. Watts “came to stay three days; he
stayed thirty years.”
Though his father had hoped his son was destined for the Indian Civil
service, it was there, under Watt’s influence that the young Prinsep
decided to become a painter. He became an Associate of the Royal
Academy in 1878, and a full member in 1894. He was Professor of Painting at the Academy from
1901 until his death in 1904.
In 1857 Prinsep painted one of the murals in the Oxford Union with Rossetti and his friends, and
he remained very close to Rossetti for the next few years. In 1904 he wrote his reminiscences of this
period for the Magazine of Art.
In the mid 1860’s, Prinsep built his own house in Holland Park Road and became Frederic
Leighton's next-door neighbor. The friendship between them took him away from the Pre-Raphaelite
movement, and he began to paint more aesthetic subjects in rustic or eighteenth-century dress, such
as Home From Gleaning or A Minuet.
It is widely felt that Prinsep did not achieve his true potential. His mentor Watts felt that he just
did not work hard enough. His paintings are held to be very uneven in quality. He was, though, an
important figure in the Victorian art world.

• Il Barbagianni The Owl (Page of Swords)
• La Revolution (5 of Wands)
• The Gamekeeper’s Daughter (Ten of Wands)
Image credit: Portrait of Prinsep by Alphonse Legros, British Museum

22
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
(May 1828 – April 1882)
Dante Gabriel Rossetti was born in London in 1828, the son of

an Italian immigrant family. The Pre-Raphaelite poet Christina
Rossetti was his sister.
Dante decided to become an artist early in life and enrolled in

the Royal Academy Schools, but did stay long. He moved on to
study for a short time with Ford Madox Brown, before meeting
and studying under William Holman Hunt. His friendship with
Hunt, and his subsequent meeting with John Everett Millais, were
the major factors in the creation of the Pre-Raphaelite
Brotherhood.
In the early 1850s he met Elizabeth Siddal, the model for Millais’s famous painting Ophelia. She
became his lover and, after an on-off relationship, he married her in 1860. At the time of their
wedding, Elizabeth—often called Lizzie—was said to be very ill, likely with tuberculosis. In 1862,
after the still birth of their child, Lizzie committed suicide by taking an overdose of laudanum. The
grief-stricken Rossetti had a manuscript version of his poems buried with his wife.
Following the death of his beloved, he moved to a house in Cheyne Walk, where he lived for the
most of the rest of his life. He lived in a curious fashion, with many wild animals in his garden. In
the late 1860s, he had his wife’s body exhumed to recover his poems. Many say that this act was the
first clue that all was not well with his mental state, which ultimately destroyed him.
In later years, Rossetti became increasingly obsessed with Jane Morris, the wife of his friend
William Morris. For most of the last twenty years of his life, his pictures were of lone women,
sumptuously colored, in luxurious, but often claustrophobic surroundings. Most of these pictures
had as their model, a stylized Jane Morris.
In the 1870s Rossetti became addicted to chloral (a narcotic) and alcohol. When Jane Morris
terminated her association with him, his mental state—and health—quickly declined. He died at
Birchington-on-Sea at Easter in 1882.

• A Vision of Fiammetta (The Empress)
• La Ghirlandata (Queen of Pentacles)
• Sibylla Palmifera (Queen of Wands)
• The Beloved (The World)
Image credit: Portrait of Dante Gabriel Rossetti c. 1871, by George Frederic Watts
23
Anthony Frederick Sandys
(May 1829 – June 1904)
Anthony Frederick Sandys was born in Norwich. His surname was

originally “Sands.” He added the ‘y’ later.
Sandys trained at the Norwich Art Union, and in the early 1850s
moved to London. It would appear that he left his wife in Norwich
and did not return to her. He famously parodied Millais’ controversial
painting Sir Isumbras at the Ford, with his drawing The Nightmare. This
brought him to the attention of the Pre-Raphaelites, who,
surprisingly, were not offended.
In the 1860s he lived with Rossetti, at his house in Cheyne Walk.

He was probably the best draughtsman amongst the Pre-Raphaelites and was a supremely naturally
talented artist, in the same league as Millais.
The rejection of Medea by the Royal Academy in 1868 seems to have had, not surprisingly, a
profound effect on Sandys. He never became a popular painter during his time. He painted little in
those years, and the dominant influence upon his art was the influence exercised by lofty conceptions
of tragic power. There was in it a somber intensity and an almost stern beauty which lifted it far above
the ideals of the crowd.
The Scandinavian Sagas and Le Morte d'Arthur gave him subjects after his own heart. The Valkyrie
and Morgan le Fay represent his work at its very best.
Sandys died in London on 25th June 1904.

• Morgan le Fey (Ace of Wands)
• Queen Eleanor (King of Cups)
Image credit: Portrait of Frederick Sandys by his father Anthony Sands, 1848.
24
John William Waterhouse
(April 1849 –February 1917)
John William Waterhouse was born in Rome. Both his parents were
artists. It is interesting to note however that little is known about his
personal life today, considering he died in 1917, beyond his being an
active member of the Royal Academy. What is known about him indicates
that he was a shy, private man. He left behind no diaries or journals and it
was his friend William Logsdail who eventually wrote his memoirs.
There is little doubt that Waterhouse is among the most popular

Victorian Artists (and is also—as you know by now—this curator’s
personal favorite). Many of his paintings have become icons of feminine
beauty recognized the world over. They have the power to transport
viewers into a romantic world of myth and legend.
However, like other Victorian artists, Waterhouse was neglected through much of the 20th
century and only today is he being acknowledged as a crucial inheritor of the “Pre-Raphaelite
legacy.”
Waterhouse became an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1885, and a full member in 1895.
Around 1900 he and his wife moved to St John’s Wood, evidence of both increasing prosperity and
the desire to be part of the artistic community. He was a teacher at the St. John’s Wood Art School
between 1892 and 1913, a school which sent more students to the Royal Academy than any other
preparatory institution.
In 1917 Waterhouse died of cancer, but he had carried on working virtually to the end of his life,
as evidenced by the two very late pictures bought by Lord Leverhume, still on show at the Lady
Lever Gallery to this day.

• At Capri (6 of Cups)
• Circe Invidiosa (Temperance)
• Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses (Queen of Cups)
• Cleopatra (The Emperor)
• Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May (2 of Pentacles)
• Gathering Almond Blossoms (9 of Pentacles)
• Gone, but Not Forgotten (8 of Cups)
• Household Gods (The Hierophant)
• In the Peristyle (Page of Pentacles)
• La Fileuse (The Sun)
• Mariamne Leaving the Judgment Seat of Herod (Strength)
• Pandora (Ace of Pentacles)
• Spring Spreads One Green Lap of Flowers (7 of Pentacles)
• The Crystal Ball (7 of Cups)
25
• The Danaides (3 of Cups)
• The Magic Circle (The Magician)
• The Remorse of Emperor Nero After the Murder of His Mother (4 of Cups)
• Thisbe (7 of Swords)
• Tristan and Isolde (2 of Cups)
• Windflowers (4 of Pentacles)
Image credit: H.S. Mendelssohn (Hayman Selig Mendelssohn) 1848–1908
26
3
The Major Arcana
The Major Arcana is the heart of the tarot. These cards (sometimes also called the “trump cards”)
form the foundation of all tarot decks. The Majors consist of twenty-one numbered cards and one
unnumbered card (the Fool), representing a journey toward spiritual self-awareness.
The Beautiful Rebellion follows the Rider-Waite Smith system more than any other, though I would
not consider it a traditional clone deck. The Major Arcana in the Rider-Waite system depict the
various stages or life we go through and events we encounter as we search for greater meaning and
understanding in our lives. In this way, these twenty-two cards all hold deep, meaningful lessons that
affect us again and again throughout our lives.
The Major Arcana cards are important messages which we should pay special attention to in
order to progress further on our spiritual quests. Think of these cards as carrying more weight than
those of the Minor Arcana; the big picture events that shape and change our lives, where the Minors
are the more day-to-day occurrences we experience.
When a tarot reading is predominantly made up of Major Arcana cards, expect life-changing
events that will have long-term influences.
27
0
The Fool
“In the Forest of Arden” by John Collier
c.1892
Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the
difference.
~Robert Frost
Keywords
Beginnings • Innocence • Simplicity • Purity • Spontaneity • A leap of faith • Taking a chance •
Trusting in the unknown • Pursuing a dream • Blind faith • Acting on impulse • Inner child •
Potential
Curator’s Notes
When I decided to expand this deck to include
artists other than John Waterhouse, I was unsure
that I would be able to see this project through to
completion. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to
find enough paintings that ‘fit’ the tarot system I
knew and loved… And then I stumbled upon In the
Forest of Arden. There was my fool—complete with
motley—shaking his scepter at me for being a
doubter! Touché.
The Fool is the 0 card in the tarot: a number of

unlimited potential. This gives him the ability to
come at the beginning or the end of the Major
Arcana—and I feel this image fits that perfectly. In
In the Forest of Arden, we see a seasoned fool
lecturing a young girl. Perhaps he is telling her the
tale of the journey he has just been on; maybe he is
giving her advice for journey she faces ahead—or
maybe the truth lies somewhere in between.
This card reminds us that we can be the Fool at

any stage of life. We never stop learning; changing;
growing. When one road ends, another opens up
before us and gives us a new beginning.
28
1
The Magician
“The Magic Circle” by John Waterhouse
c.1886
Now is the time, now is the hour.

Ours is the magic, ours is the power.
~The Craft
Keywords
Personal power • Skill • Concentration • Control • Ambition • Willpower • Resourcefulness •
Alchemy • Inventor • Visionary • Conjurer • Illusionist • Scholar • Tools of the trade
Curator’s Notes
The sword, the wand, the cup, the pentacle—The
Magician has it all. She is the bridge between the
world of the spirit and the world of humanity; a
conduit of willpower made flesh. Unlike the High
Priestess, who has a natural, effortless connection to
Spirit, The Magician is someone who has worked
for her magical chops. She’s read the books,
attended the workshops, experimented with
different paths; all in the effort to harness her
personal power and use it to her best advantage.
Is there magic afoot in this card? Certainly! But

it’s the magic of a learned mind; a keen and
determined will. The Magician makes things happen
according to her plan and would never move
forward in haste.
I chose Waterhouse’s The Magic Circle for The

Magician for this very reason. This painting evokes,
in me, the image of witches and sorcerers of old,
chanting carefully memorized incantations over a
carefully assembled brew in their cauldron;
conjuring up the proper energies to imbue their
spell with power.
29
2
The High Priestess
“Priestess of Delphi” by John Collier
c.1891
Make your own nature, not the advice of others, your guide in life.
~Oracle of Delphi, 83BC
Keywords
Intuition • Imagination • Insight • Spirituality • Divine feminine • Feminine energy •
Esoterica/Occult • Dreams • Past Lives • Meditation • Understanding • Wisdom • Self-sufficiency •
Instinct • Mysteries
Curator’s Notes
The oracles of old immediately spring to mind
when I think of The High Priestess, so this card
choice was pretty much a no-brainer. In 8th century
BC the Delphic Oracle, a chosen high priestess of
Apollo, was the most prestigious and authoritative
oracle among the Greeks. She was likely one of the
most powerful woman of the classical world as a
whole. People came from all over Greece and
beyond to have their questions about the future
answered.
Who better to represent The High Priestess?
Like the Oracle, The High Priestess in the tarot

is our connection to the divine feminine; a deep
inner knowing that taps into something mysterious
and primal. She speaks to the intuitive nature that
lies buried within all our souls. Her words of
wisdom come to us through dreams and
meditations; emerging in strong gut feelings when
our instincts tell us to make decisions without our
rational minds knowing why.
Her messages are powerful and brimming with

insight. We need only still ourselves and listen.
30
3
The Empress
“A Vision of Fiammetta” by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
c.1878
Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.
~Doreen Virtue
Keywords
Femininity • Mother Nature • Activism • Abundance • Fertility • Prosperity • Manifestation • Peace •
Motherhood • Caring • Nurturing • Health • Compassion • Sensuality
Curator’s Notes
The Empress is the ultimate feminine force, the
embodiment of Mother Nature herself. She is
abundant and beautiful; thriving and causing others
to thrive around her. She is the power of
motherhood and compassion. Creation and
creativity spring forth from her well of
manifestation. She changes and grows with each
new phase of life; always flourishing anew, always
retaining her alluring beauty.
To capture the sensuality inherent in The

Empress, I chose A Vision of Fiammetta by Dante
Gabriel Rossetti. This painting is of Italian writer
and poet Giovanni Boccaccio’s beloved and muse.
Fiammetta (which m means “little flame” in Italian)
was a recurring character in a number of Boccaccio's
works, including The Decameron.
Several scholars of Boccaccio believe that the

character of Fiammetta was based upon a real
woman, Maria d'Aquino, a Neapolitan noblewoman
whom Boccaccio fell in love with.
31
4
The Emperor
“Cleopatra” by John Waterhouse
c.1887
If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all other cases observe it.
~Julius Caesar
Keywords
Masculinity • Control • Power • Authority • Protection • Professional • Glory • Victory • Routine •
Autonomy • Assertiveness • Order • Structure • Rigidity • Possessive • Determination • Rising to the
challenge
Curator’s Notes
Where The Empress represents wild growth, The
Emperor is all about structure, order and
regulation—potent forces to balance out the free-
flowing abundance of The Empress. He makes
order out of chaos, creating concrete plans that
he—and others—can then follow on to glory. His
authority is unquestioned, and he has a firm hand
on the reins of control.
While The Emperor also represents pure

masculinity, I found Cleopatra to be a perfect
representation for this card. Waterhouse captured
her calculating authority perfectly in this painting.
She was the last of a series of rulers called the
Ptolemies who ruled Egypt for nearly 300 years.
During her rule, she oversaw a vast empire that
included Egypt, Cyprus, part of modern-day Libya
and other territories in the Middle East.
Though her romantic involvement with other

historical figures like Julius Caesar and Mark
Antony have been immortalized in art, music and
literature for centuries, she was beholden to no
man. A number of ancient records and recent
historical research tell us that she was a sharp-
minded, multilingual, female ruler who affirmed her
right to rule Egypt and other territories with her words and actions.
32
5
The Hierophant
“Household Gods” by John Waterhouse
c.1880
Tradition is tending the flame, not worshipping the ashes.

~Gustav Mahler
Keywords
Tradition • Religion • Orthodoxy • Ritual • Beliefs • Morality • Hierarchy • Conformity • Structure •
Service • Establishments • School/Education • Learning • Advice • “Book Smarts”
Curator’s Notes
The Hierophant represents tradition in every
sense. There is an inherent warning toward
becoming too rigid in our thinking—adhering to the
old without giving thought to the new—embodied
by this card. (Especially for those of us one spurned
by organized religion.) Religion springs to mind first
upon seeing this card, though it can also remind us
that tradition and its rewards come to us in many
forms: structured learning, taking the advice of our
elders, seeking to serve our communities, or
maintaining the rituals and beliefs that speak to our
hearts.
Here in Household Gods, we see two women

tending to the household shrine, making offerings
to their family’s deities. In ancient times, many
homes had a household altar where the family could
interact with the goddesses and gods on a personal
level each day.
This beautiful sense of tradition brought the best

of The Hierophant’s energies to mind, reminding
me—and I hope you as well—that there is beauty to
be found in routine, when it is tended to with
intention.
33
6
The Lovers
“Wedded” by Lord Frederic Leighton
c.1882
I would rather die of passion, than of boredom.

~Vincent van Gough
Keywords
Choice • Decisions • Passion • Fervor • Dedication • Trust • Commitment • Duty • Balance •
Affection • Attraction • Union • Partnerships • Connection • Marriage • Soulmate
Curator’s Notes
The Lovers is a card people often immediately
think of in a romantic (or sexual) context. However,
I often think of it first in terms of a profound
choice being made. (Because, really, what choice is
more profound that choosing to share your life—
and body—with another human being?)
So yes—the card can be speaking of romance

and passion; but it can also be asking you to
examine issues of trust, or to seek a place of balance
when tempers run high in a relationship,
remembering what brought you together in the first
place.
Leighton’s Wedded screams of that kind of deep,

dedicated partnership to me. Love isn’t all about all-
out desire and getting down and dirty. Though in
my opinion it can—and should—be sometimes!
Other times, just leaning into the casual embrace of
your soulmate it all you need to remind you that
you have made the decision to share all that you are
and all that you will be with another person, and
that they share that back with you in turn.
34
7
The Chariot
“Lady Godiva” by John Collier
c.1897
In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.

~Deepak Chopra
Keywords
Movement • Progress • Travel • Hard control • Willpower • Focus • Drive •Ambition • Self-control
• Discipline • Determination • Confidence • Going the distance • Success
Curator’s Notes
Lady Godiva is said to have been a 13th century
English noblewoman. She had appealed to her
husband again and again to repeal the taxes he had
levied against the people of Coventry, but he
resolutely refused her. She eventually wore him
down and, weary of her entreaties, he said he would
only grant her request if she would strip and ride her
horse through the streets naked. Lady Godiva took
him at his word and rode through the town clothed
only in her long hair.
The legend of Lady Godiva—while likely false or

greatly exaggerated—speaks to the struggles we
must sometimes willingly submit ourselves to in
order to move forward in our lives. Sometimes the
road ahead of us promises to be hard and is littered
with pot holes we’d rather avoid—but we know we
have to walk it anyway. The very struggle of moving
forward is in itself a valuable part of our journey.
The Chariot reminds us that we have to walk out

path with focus and determination, keeping control
of not only the horse we ride but of our egos as
well. Without self-control, our efforts may be for
nothing and the success we reach hollow. It is up to
each of us to determine where our future leads.
35
8
Strength
“Mariamne Leaving the Judgement Seat of Herod” by John Waterhouse
c.1887
The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.
~Ernest Hemingway
Keywords
Inner strength • Soft control • Patience • Compassion • Courage • Reconciliation • Endurance •
Calm • Grace • Vision • Taming • Willpower • Leading by example
Curator’s Notes
Mariamne is a heroine known in both Jewish and
Christian traditions. Her 37 BC marriage to the
Judean king Herod the Great united his family with
the deposed Hasmonean royal family and helped to
legitimize his position.
Unfortunately, her sister-in-law, Herod’s sister

Salome, became jealous of her own husband’s
admiration for the Mariamne. She told Herod that
Mariamne was planning to poison him, and in a
mad rage he had her tried by men of his tribunal.
Though she was innocent, and insisted so, they had
her condemned to death.
Strength comes from within, much as it did for

Mariamne, standing condemned before a council
that was stacked against her. Courage is the
watchword of this card for me, and the vision of
Mariamne standing firm on those steps (with a nod
to the traditional lion showing up in the corner,
carved in stone) speaks of the soul at the core of
this card. Sometimes we will win our battles, and
sometimes we know we are bound to lose—but
how we handle ourselves and the demeanor we
project to others is always up to us.
36
9
The Hermit
“The Light of the World” by William Holman Hunt
c.1851
I looked in temples, churches, and mosques. But I found the Divine within my heart.
~Rumi
Keywords
Withdrawal • Solitude • Isolation • Introspection • A light in the dark • Guidance • Discernment •
Self-awareness • Faith • Spiritual awakening • Soul searching • Looking within • “Me” time
Curator’s Notes
The Hermit stands alone and whether he is
depicted deep in a forest grotto or high atop a
mountain, one thing always remains the same: he
holds the lantern to light his way.
For me, the Hermit is not complete without that

lantern; that light, that beacon in the dark. It lights
his way as he retreats to his quiet, hidden place—
and it also offers us a bead of light to follow, when
our own path seems lost.
The Hermit knows where we must go to seek the

spiritual pinnacle and he is ready to share his
knowledge with others. While his path may not be
our path, he is more than willing to share his tips
and tricks for finding your way through the woods,
and his lantern is there to relight your candle should
the way forward prove too dark.
37
10
The Wheel
“Faded Laurels” by Edmund Blair Leighton
c.1889
If there is no struggle, there is no progress.

~Frederick Douglass
Keywords
Chance • Winning/Losing • Karma • Fate • Destiny • Irony • Unexpected change • Adaptation •
Luck • Opportunity • Uncertainty • Cycles • A turning point •
“What goes around, comes around”
Curator’s Notes
One day we’re on top—like the younger man in
the background, reaping the rewards of fame and
fortune as he wins the hearts of his crowd—and
then, suddenly and from seemingly out of nowhere,
we find ourselves dumped on our bottoms like the
older minstrel. Someone or something sneaks up
and steals our thunder, leaving us all but forgotten;
out of luck and money and all the other nice things
we came to take for granted when we were riding
high.
Like the older man in the Wheel of Fortune, we

will all see the day when our luck falters. The Wheel
keeps on turning and being at the pinnacle never
lasts forever. Before we know it, we’ll find ourselves
down on our luck and all of our hard work will
seem to have gone out the window—if we fail to
plan for just such an occasion.
It’s up to us to think ahead and have a plan B

“just in case,” just as it is up to us to decide if our
spill off the Wheel is the end of that particular road.
Is fate telling us it’s time to give up? Or is this
change of fortune a reminder that we need to back
up, dust ourselves off, and try again?
38
11
Justice
“Clytemnestra” by John Collier
c.1882
Law and justice are not always the same.

~Gloria Steinem
Keywords
Rules • Reason • Responsibility • Fairness • Honesty • Truth • Cause and effect • Self-examination •
Consequences • Detachment • Equality • Balance • Equilibrium • Legal affairs
Curator’s Notes
Clytemnestra, in Greek legend, was the wife of
Agamemnon, commander of the Greek forces
during the Trojan War. In Aeschylus’s play
Agamemnon, part of his Oresteia trilogy,
Clytemnestra is driven to murder her husband to
avenge the death of her daughter Iphigeneia, whom
Agamemnon had sacrificed for the sake of his
success in the war.
A harsh mistress to appear on a Justice card?

Perhaps—but talk about a case of the scales being
balanced! There is a strong sense of cause and effect
at play in Clytemnestra’s legend and the imagery
created by John Collier spoke to me on a deep level.
Her expression holds no joy, no gloating—rather,
her grim countenance speaks only of a hard deed
being done; a soul avenged however distasteful the
act might be. In her eyes she had a responsibility to
seek revenge for her daughter—and she did.
Justice is often depicted as a card of black and

white—but when taken into a personal context, as
tarot cards often are, there are many subtle shades
of gray—and only an individual can decide where
their moral line falls.
39
12
The Hanged Man
“Mariana” by John Everett Millais
c.1851
If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.

~Thich Nhat Hanh
Keywords
Sacrifice • Stasis • Waiting • Letting go • Restriction • Delay • Reversal • Crossroads • New
perspective • Decisions • Divination • Prophecy • Acceptance • Reflection • Observation • Calm
Curator’s Notes
The character of Mariana is from Shakespeare’s
Measure for Measure. When her dowry was lost in a
shipwreck, she is unable to be united with her love,
Angelo, and longs to be reunited with him.
In the painting we see autumn leaves scattered

on the ground, representing the passage of time.
Mariana has been working at some embroidery and
pauses to stretch her aching back. Her prolonged
wait for Angelo is suggested by her pose.
Mariana is forced to wait—just as the Hanged

Man does, in her desire to be reunited with the man
she loves, with the understanding that there is no
certainty in tomorrow. The situation is currently
beyond her control, so she must seek to fill her time
with busy work to keep her from worrying about an
outcome she cannot effect in the current moment.
It is only through letting go and seeking new

perspective that we can come to see the truths that
might be starring us right in the face, lost in the
cacophony of modern day life. By pulling back,
paring down, and seeking a new way of viewing the
world we can embody the Hanged Man mission.
40
13
Death
“The Lament For Icarus” by Herbert James Draper
c.1898
Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.
~Mahatma Gandhi
Keywords
Rebirth • Transition • Transformation • Change • Endings • Beginnings • Separation • Elimination •
Loss • Grief • Closure • Liberation • Renewal
Curator’s Notes
In Greek mythology, Icarus is the son of the
master craftsman Daedalus, the creator of the
labyrinth that housed the Minotaur. Unfortunately
for them, King Minos of Crete was a paranoid sort
and after the labyrinth was created, he had them
imprisoned in a high tower so that they couldn't
reveal his secrets to anyone.
Daedalus then constructed them two pairs of

wings from fallen feathers and wax, knowing it was
their only escape from the high tower. He warned
Icarus to be wary of flying too low—where the sea’s
dampness would weigh down the wings—or too
high, lest the sun's heat melt them. Icarus,
exhilarated by flying, ignored his father's
instructions not to fly too close to the sun and the
wax in his wings melted. He tumbled out of the sky
and fell into the sea where he drowned. Daedalus
was struck with horror but could do nothing to save
his son.
Death is a card of transition. It symbolizes both

endings and beginnings. Sometimes we accept the
change gracefully; other times we rally against it
even if we know it is futile. Like the sirens in this
card, we may sing a lament for what we have lost—
but we must also be like Daedalus, who lived on despite his tragic loss.
41
14
Temperance
“Circe Invidiosa” by John Waterhouse
c.1892
Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.

~Keith Urban
Keywords
Balance • Moderation • Patience • Harmony • Compassion • Flow • Cooperation •
Emotions/Feelings • Communication • Caution • Blending • Merging • Healing • Connection
Curator’s Notes
Circe is a Greek goddess of magic, though she is
sometimes considered a nymph, witch, or sorceress.
By most accounts she was the daughter of the sun
titan Helios and Perse, one of the three thousand
Oceanid nymphs.
She was widely renowned for her vast knowledge

of potions and herbs—and in this card we see her
representing Temperance, holding the vessel and
carefully mixing her potion with the pool of water
below her feet.
Temperance asks us to be patient and consider

the timing and precision required to bring our
actions for fruition. Sometimes we have to let the
situation around us evolve at its natural pace,
carefully nurturing the flow in whatever way we can.
After all, all great potion masters know not to

rush the making of their wares, lest they add too
much eye of newt and ruin the spell!
42
15
The Devil
“Lilith” by John Collier
c.1886
‘Tis one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall.

~William Shakespeare
Keywords
Temptation • Addiction • Self-indulgence • Willful ignorance • Helplessness • Depression • Bondage
• Slavery • Materialism • Anger • Resentment • Repression • Compulsions • Obsession • Lies
Curator’s Notes
Lilith is one of the most notorious demons in
Jewish mythology. In some sources she is said to be
the original woman—the first wife of Adam, created
even before Eve, banished and rejected by God
because she was smarter than Adam and would not
obey his commands. In other tales, she depicted as
not only a spirit of darkness, but also as a figure of
uncontrolled sexuality. (And they couldn’t have a
smart woman enjoying her sexuality back in the
good ol’ BC times, now could they?)
No matter the myth you ascribe to her, Lilith’s

name literally means “the night,” and she embodies
the emotional and spiritual aspects that darkness
holds for humanity: terror, sensuality, unbridled
freedom; the unknown. She felt fitting for the Devil
card here, where so many of our darker emotions
and urges come forth to play.
How the Devil comes into play in your life is all a

matter of perspective. Is Lilith appearing to tell you
that you’ve been wrapped up too tightly for too
long, and that its time to get in touch with your
primal needs? Or, have you gone too far into self-
indulgence that now those around you have begun
to see you as a wanton demon that needs to be
stopped?
43
16
The Tower
“Ride Of The Valkyries” by Hermann Hendrich
c.1906
Humanity learns true lessons only in cataclysm.

~Daniel H. Wilson
Keywords
Disaster • Upheaval • Sudden change • Life-altering event • Disruption • Reversal of fate •
Misfortune • Accident • Divine intervention • Humiliation • Pride • Liberation
Curator’s Notes
Oh, how I love this card. I mean that not only for
the art chosen—though I do! —but also for what the
Tower represents. Many view the Tower with
trepidation—as I once did—but now I view it in a
fonder light thanks to time spent in shadow work
with this card.
The Tower is a life-altering event, and often it can

be unpleasant—but I prefer to see the energy of this
card in the sense of an oncoming, hurricane-like
storm (like we see here in Ride Of The Valkyries),
rather than a lightning strike. Lightning destroys,
knocking us down to our foundations—but so does
a powerful storm. And after the storm passes, with
all its wind and rain? We are washed clean; ready to
start anew.
In Norse mythology, the Valkyries were a host of

divine women who watched over the battlefields,
bringing those who fell bravely over to the afterlife
and hall of the slain, Valhalla. Like the Tower, these
women ushered fallen warriors on to their next life;
forever changed and cut off from the world of the
living—yet able to enjoy the spoils of Valhalla. If we
view the Tower as offering us liberation from the
out-lived aspects of our lives and a welcoming into a
new phase of life, it no longer seems so scary.
44
17
The Star
“Star of Heaven” by Edward Robert Hughes
Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.
~Desmond Tutu
Keywords
Hope • Renewal • Optimism • Generosity • Humility • Inspiration • Serenity • Spirituality • Faith •
Calm • Peace • Healing • Wishes • “Opening your heart”
Curator’s Notes
The Star brings renewed hope and faith after The
Tower has shaken us down to our foundation. Once
we’ve endured the upending of everything we knew,
we are asked to begin again; to heal and adapt, and
to move on into the next phase of our lives—guided
by the light of The Star.
There were two cards in the running for The

Beautiful Rebellion’s Star card, and the beautiful work
of Edward Robert Hughes won by a small margin.
The other work being Waterhouse’s St. Joan, which
holds no actual star in its image, but a look of
innocent faith and hope on Joan’s face that struck
me to the core.
In the end, my gut said this pivotal card needed

to have a star physically represented, and the image
of a graceful woman wreathed in a crown of bright
stars felt right.
45
18
The Moon
“The Weary Moon” by Edward Robert Hughes
The shadow is the greatest teacher for how to come to the light.
~Ram Dass
Keywords
Intuition • Imagination • Dreams • Fantasies • Illusions • Visions/Prophecy • Mental illness • Psyche
• Shadow self • Shadow work • Subconscious • Emotions • Fear • Confusion • Deception
Curator’s Notes
The Moon is the card of intuition, dreams, and
the unconscious. There is a lot of internal energy to
be found in this card, as we look deeply into our
psyches and take stock of our emotions. There is an
element of confusion—being lost in the dark—or
deception—shadowy people in our lives that we
distrust— to this card but more often I find the
darkness the Moon is asking us to take a good, hard
look is that which exists within our minds.
For our Moon card we again turn to Edward

Robert Hughes, who painted such beautiful
nighttime scenes. I am a big fan of shadow work—
getting deep down into the soul muck to root out
the cause of our darker emotions—and I love the
curvaceous form of a woman forming the moon
itself, her face hidden as she contemplates the
unknown.
She holds all the tools we need, if we are ready to

cut away our fears and illusions, seeing through to
the deep truths that lie within.
46
19
The Sun
“La Fileuse” by John Waterhouse
c.1873
Every moment is a fresh beginning.

~T.S. Elliot
Keywords
New beginnings • Opportunities • Joy • Happiness • Friendship • Unions • Liberation • Success •
Vitality • Warmth • Wellbeing • Positivity • Stability
Curator’s Notes
No creepy little naked kids on The Sun card for
me, thanks! (Seriously—why do so many decks have
children on their sun cards? Maybe it’s meant to be
a sign of new beginnings, but—honestly? Children
in art—especially naked ones—are just…unsettling.)
Anywho, The Sun is a message of optimism; the

dawn that follows the darkest night. I wanted the
bright, joyful energy of the Sun represented in this
card—and I easily found that in La Fileuse. Seeing
that woman dressed in a stunning yellow gown,
stepping from the darkness of the curtained space
behind her and into the lighted room screamed
“Sun!” to me.
La Fileuse, which I believe is French, translates to

The Spinner. The woman we see here is a woman
getting ready to do her work; to seize the day and
make her wares to sell at market. The modern day
#girlboss movement is one that is near and dear to
my indie heart, so seeing the connotations of a
woman making her way in the world—striving to
hone her craft, reaching for success—just made me
fall deeper in love with this Sun card.
47
20
Judgement
“Clytie” by Lord Frederic Leighton
c.1895
Spiritual awakening is awakening from the dream of thought.

~Eckhart Tolle
Keywords
Rebirth • Regeneration • Resurrection • Inner calling • Spiritual awakening • Absolution • Rewards •
Progress • Revelations • New purpose • Karma fulfilled
Curator’s Notes
In Greek mythology, Clytie was a water nymph;
the daughter of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. She
was the lover of the sun god Helios, but he
eventually deserted her to pursue Leucothea, the
daughter of Orchamus. Clytie was enraged and told
Orchamus about the love affair, who then
sentenced his daughter to death. Clytie thought that
the death of Leucothea would make Helios return
to her, but he never forgave her for causing
Leucothea’s death.
Realizing the error of her ways and what her

jealously had driven her to, Clytie lay naked for nine
days on the rocks; staring up at the sun, without
drinking or eating. On the ninth day, she was
transformed into a flower, the heliotrope, which
turns towards the direction of the sun.
Is this the Clytie that Leighton painted? Perhaps.

Perhaps not. But the message of repentance and
facing the mistakes we have made ring true in both
cases. It is only once we face our pasts that we can
greet our future, being reborn into our new role, as
Clytie was reborn into her flower.
48
21
The World
“The Beloved” by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
c.1865
It always seems impossible until it’s done.

~Nelson Mandela
Keywords
Completion • Culmination • Accomplishment • Success • Connection • Fulfillment • Growth •
Travel • Freedom • End of a cycle
Curator’s Notes
We are the world, we are the children…
In all seriousness though—we are. The world is

made up by billions of souls all traveling their own
paths; seeking their own forms of success and
completion. The World card not only signifies that
we have reached those achievements and are now
enjoying a sense of fulfilment—and who doesn’t
want that? —but also reminds us that we are not
alone at any step along the way.
We all start out as The Fool—full of innocent

faith—and experience the hero’s journey for
ourselves. We endure hardships and challenges
along the way but come out better for having
experienced them on the other side; made stronger
and wiser than when we first started on our journey.
The World is an end, but it is not the end. It’s just

time for us to start off down another path…
49
4
The Minor Arcana
The Minor Arcana consists of four suits—Cups, Pentacles, Swords, and Wands. Each suit
corresponds with a different element and is representative of different aspects of our day-to-day
lives.
Each suit in the Minor Arcana consists of fourteen cards: ten numbered cards (from Ace
through to Ten) and four Court Cards (the Page, Knight, Queen, and King). The numbered Minor
Arcana tarot cards reflect everyday life situations that are less earth-shattering than the Major
Arcana, while the Court Cards reflect personality-types or actual people present in our lives. I also
find it helpful to remember that the Court Cards may be asking us to embody the traits of that card,
and therefor list keywords for them that are in adjective form.
My Minor Arcana is where we buck tradition a little. I tapped into the energy and emotion of
the Minor Arcana, but very few of these cards will feature the traditional Minor Arcana symbols.
Though you might find some chalices in the Cups suit and flowers in most of the Pentacles, there
are no actual pentacles to be found and only a handful of actual swords. In the Courts, my Kings?
They’re all ladies.
Sorrynotsorry.
I hope the intuitive meaning of these cards shines through and helps you connect with the suits
on a deeper, more intrinsic level than you may have felt with other decks.
50
The Cups
Water • Emotions • Intuition • Relationships
51
Ace of Cups
“The Farmer's Daughter” by Sir John Everett Millais
c.1863
Openness and softness of heart is your home.

~John de Ruiter
Keywords
Emotional growth • Openness • Intuition • Creativity • Potential • Affection • Good news • New
love
Curator’s Notes
The Ace is a symbol of possibility; of a longing
for fulfilment not just emotionally but also
spiritually. The opportunity to seek what will make
us happy might be right before us—but will we
reach out and take it?
There is an innocence and underlying current of

romance to the Suit of Cups, for me. In this young
farm girl, I see all that possibility and creativity; the
innocence and longing for something more. Is she
happy with where she is in life, or is she a
daydreamer?
Is she thinking of the charming young farmhand

from down the road as she goes about her morning
chores—or is she daydreaming about a dashing
knight sweeping her off her feet and carrying her
away to a dazzling new life where she never has to
work another day?
52
2 of Cups
“Tristan and Isolde Sharing the Potion” by John Waterhouse
c.1916
True love cannot be found where it does not exist, nor can it be denied where it does.
~Torquato Tasso
Keywords
Harmony • Partnership • Union • Cooperation • Communication • Romance • Commitment •
Marriage
Curator’s Notes
The legend of Tristan and Isolde is the tale of
two lovers fated to share a forbidden but undying
love. Scholars of mythology believe that the legend
originated in western France, and that over time it
became part of the mythology of medieval Europe.
Their legend—with its emphasis on a love that
cannot be denied even when it leads to tragedy—
has appealed to artists since medieval times, as it
does to me.
The Two of Cups is a card that shows us the

power of two becoming one. This can, of course, be
a romantic relationship—as that of Tristan and
Isolde—but it can also be applied to other
important partnerships and relationships that have a
lasting effect on our lives.
What comes through most in this card, which is

also my reasoning for choosing this painting to
represent it, is that the connection happening here is
strong and unified, even in the face of adversity.
53
3 of Cups
“The Danaides” by John Waterhouse
c.1903
Many people will walk in and out of your life. But only true friends leave footprints in your heart.
~Eleanor Roosevelt
Keywords
Friendship • Celebration • Toasts • Sisterhood • Gatherings • Reunions • Sharing • Joy
Curator’s Notes
Friendship, sisterhood, chosen family—all of
those come to mind when I look upon the Three of
Cups. It is my personal favorite card in the Minor
Arcana.
What can I say? I’m just a Three of Cups type of

gal. I love my friends deeply and fiercely, and always
see our coming together—in good times and bad—
as a reason for celebration.
The painting here features of Danaides, the

daughters of the Danaus, as told in Greek legend.
His daughters did not lead happy lives under their
daddy’s thumb, so I see them here working together
and feel that sense of harmony that can be found
even in crappy situations when true sisterhood
exists.
Nothing can beat the love, support and

compassion you can find among soul sisters.
54
4 of Cups
“The Remorse of the Emperor Nero After the Murder of His Mother” by John Waterhouse
c.1878
We must accept infinite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.

~Martin Luther King Jr.
Keywords
Apathy • Boredom • Withdrawal • Disinterest • Disappointment • Self-absorption • Missed
opportunities • Reevaluation
Curator’s Notes
The first word that comes to mind when I think
of the Four of Cups is “Meh.” (And then my brain
goes into the Last Midnight lyrics from Into the Woods,
“You’re not good, you’re not bad, you’re just…
nice.”)
The Four of Cups is a card that just isn’t happy.

It’s not angry either—and that’s the problem.
Instead of acting from a place of passion or from
desiring change, it instead becomes a moment of
stasis where we wallow in dissatisfaction, feeling
sorry for ourselves.
Waterhouse’s The Remorse of Nero After the Murder

of His Mother depicts the Roman emperor Nero,
whose reign was known for its lavish splendor and
luxury. We see Nero reclining on a couch,
surrounded by opulence: fine clothes, finely
embroidered pillows, golden bowls—and yet he
looks apathetic.
Rather than enjoying the beauty around him, he

longs for more and ignores what he already has—
and if that isn’t the Four of Cups self-centeredness
coming through, I don’t know what is!
55
5 of Cups
“Idle Tears” by Edward Robert Hughes
It’s better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret.
~Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Keywords
Loss • Regret • Self-blame • Guilt • Doubt • Looking back • Wallowing • Unexplainable sorrow
Curator’s Notes
Where the Four shows us that our dissatisfaction
may largely be our own fault, the Five of Cups
presents a more poignant loss—and reminds us that
there is a time when we simply need to let go.
When we get caught up in the past and find

ourselves unable to move on, we miss out on the
new opportunities that could present themselves in
our lives.
In Idle Tears, we see a woman lost in her bitter

memories from the past. Whatever her loss, it is
time for her to move on. If she were to close the
book and look up from the dusty pages, she might
see the sun shining brightly outside her window—a
reminder that there is always a new dawn, and a
new path waiting for us beyond it.
56
6 of Cups
“At Capri” by John Waterhouse
c.1889
What heaven can be more real than to retain the spirit-world of childhood?
~Beatrix Potter
Keywords
Nostalgia • Naivety • Childhood • Simplicity • Innocence • Idealism • Regression • Sanctuary •
Memory Lane • Rose colored glasses
Curator’s Notes
In this card we see two young girls—perhaps
sisters—whiling away a warm summer day in a lush
garden beside a fountain. One braids her hair, the
other gazes at herself in a mirror.
The Six of Cups brings with it a sense of

nostalgia; a longing for the simpler, care-free days of
our childhoods. In this painting, I see that sense of
innocence and timelessness. The two girls relax and
pamper themselves; not seeming to have a care in
the world. Wouldn’t we all love to have a day such
as that again?
Funny aside here. There is an alternate name for

this painting, or so I’ve seen. Some call it “The
Toilet.” Not sure why; didn’t really look into that one
too much to be honest. I think the idyllic At
Capri sounds much nicer (and it appears to be the
more widely accepted title—whew)!
57
7 of Cups
“Crystal Ball” by John Waterhouse
c.1902
Fantasy and reality often overlap.

~Walt Disney
Keywords
Wishful thinking • Fantasy • Imagination • Possibility • Choice • Thrill seeking • Avoiding reality
Curator’s Notes
Illusions, daydreams—or portents of truth? Who
knows what you’ll see, when you gaze into the
depths of a crystal ball.
With the Seven of Cups, there is a risk of wishful

thinking. Sometimes we want something to be real
so badly that we start connecting dots that aren’t
there—and in the end?
That harms us more than helps us. The Seven

warns us to separate what reality from fiction—
much like the woman who tries to divine her future
in the crystal ball.
Its up to us not only to decipher what we see in

that crystal, but to decide which path is best for us
to take moving forward.
58
8 of Cups
“Gone, But Not Forgotten” by John Waterhouse
c.1873
Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.

~Alan Watts
Keywords
Separation • Abandonment • Resignation • End of a cycle • Walking away • Letting go • Moving on
• Soul searching
Curator’s Notes
For me, the Eight of Cups is a card of leave-
taking. Something in our lives has changed; ended,
lost forever. We are no longer able to follow the
path we once did—even if we still want to—and
there is no choice but to start exploring new
options.
In Gone, But Not Forgotten we see a heart-breaking

sense of sorrow. She has experienced a loss that has
irrevocably changed her, but she also realizes that it
is time to move on. She cannot mourn forever.
Moving on with her life and seeking happiness will
not tarnish the love she has lost. It will always
remain deep in her heart, a cherished memory after
the pain has faded.
(When updating The Beautiful Rebellion for its

third edition printing, I briefly considered this as
one of the cards I might change. A friend told me
she saw “Edith Crawley” in this card’s image, and I
fell in love with it all over again as a huge Downton
Abbey fan. There is that forlorn, lost woman trying
to decide how to find her place in the world vibe in
this painting that I just cannot not thinking of her as
Edith now!)
59
9 of Cups
“The End of the Quest” by Frank Bernard Dicksee
c.1921
The key to being happy is knowing you have the power to choose what to accept and what to let go.
~Dodinsky
Keywords
Happiness • Wishes fulfilled • Realizing dreams • Reaching a goal • Security • Comfort • Prosperity •
“The Good Life”
Curator’s Notes
Is it here—that moment we’ve wished for;
waited for?
Much like naked baby Sun cards, I hate smug, fat

fellow Nines. Nope; not for me, thanks.
There are other ways to show we’re almost at the
end of an emotional journey—and I believe I’ve
done so here with The End of the Quest. We see a
knight returning to his lady, asking for her hand in
marriage.
All he has worked for, toiling away at war;

seeking fame and fortune to build their house upon
has finally come to fruition. All he needs now is for
her to say yes, to be his bride and make him the
happiest man in the kingdom…
60
10 of Cups
“My Fair Lady” by Edmund Blair Leighton
c.1914
The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is to love and be loved in return.
~Moulin Rouge
Keywords
Fulfillment • Hopes • Dreams • Harmonious home • Marriage • Soulmates • Love • Happy family •
Perfection
Curator’s Notes
…and she said yes to the dress!
The Ten of Cups embodies so many wonderful

emotions: joy, fulfillment, love. Most of all love.
(Que the release of doves and harp music here!)
This card rarely shows up for me unless its

speaking of a romantic relationship or about
family—and that is perfectly okay by me. I love the
idyllic state of perfection and good fortune this Ten
brings to mind.
I also feel that Leighton’s My Fair Lady—with its

beautiful bride approaching her groom—captures
the breathless joy of that moment perfectly.
61
Page of Cups
“A Young Girl by a Pool” by Herbert James Draper
Some of us are born star chasers. Off this world, sweet lavish dreamers.
~Conny Cernik
Keywords
The Dreamer • Naïve • Creative • Caring • Gentle • Shy • Sensitive • Idealistic • Clairsentient
Curator’s Notes
Young, innocent, idyllic—but with a mercurial
heart that demands to be expressed, the Page of
Cups is a herald of new creative endeavors.
Like the other Court Cards in her suit, she is in

touch with her emotions and has a deeply resonant
intuition, even if she doesn’t know how to interpret
its messages quite yet
The serene image of this young girl next to a

pool of water touched my heart. She embodies the
innocent sweetness of the Page of Cups, so at peace
in nature as she daydreams about the days ahead.
62
Knight of Cups
“La Belle Dame sans Merci” by Francis Dicksee
c.1901
The sweetest pleasures are those which are hardest won.

~Giacomo Casanova
Keywords
The Lover • Romantic • Charming • Imaginative • Generous • Sensual • Sentimental • Moody •
Volatile
Curator’s Notes
How wonderfully romantic is Dicksee’s La Belle
Dame sans Merci? Enticing her love—perhaps teasing
him just ever so slightly—as she leans in for a kiss…
There is a wonderfully idyllic, sweet vibe to this

painting that speaks of this Knight’s dreamy,
amorous energy. She has power over this man, so
smitten with her, and she knows it—but it would
never occur to her to abuse it.
Charming, curious, expressive—the Knight of

Cups possesses the most feminine energy of all the
Knights. She would prefer to be a lover rather than
a fighter, and always chooses to listen to her heart—
even if her head is telling her otherwise.
She trusts her gut and seeks to deepen her

connection with the artistic urges within her soul.
She knows there is more to her journey but it does
not intimidate her one bit.
63
Queen of Cups
“Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses” by John Waterhouse
c.1891
There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.

~Rumi
Keywords
The Listener • Feminine • Intuitive • Emotional • Nurturing • Psychic • Spiritual • Warm-hearted
Curator’s Notes
The Queen of Cups is represented in this deck
by the beautiful work of John Waterhouse. His
painting depicts a scene from The Odyssey where
the sorceress Circe is confronted by Ulysses.
Ulysses’ reflection can be seen in the mirror

behind Circe’s throne, and one of his crewmen,
magically transformed into a pig, is beside Circe’s
feet. She holds her wand and chalice aloft. Clearly,
she is an enchantress not to be trifled with—she is
in her element and comfortable with her power.
No intuition out there is more on point than that

of this Queen. She is a magical woman down to her
toes and she knows it.
Her connection to the unknown, the

subconscious, is rivalled only by the High Priestess.
I like to think of them as sisters; both powerful,
though the High Priestess may be older, wiser;
better taught. Like her older sister, she urges us to
listen to our inner voices and follow our hearts.
64
King of Cups
"Queen Eleanor" by Anthony Frederick Sandys
c.1858
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.
~Jimi Hendrix
Keywords
The Peace-keeper • Calm • Caring • Sympathetic • Supportive • Diplomatic • Considerate
Curator’s Notes
Eleanor of Aquitaine—the subject of Sandys’s
painting—was one of the most powerful and
influential women of the Middle Ages. Before her
death in 1152, she become the queen of France, the
queen of England, and led a crusade to the Holy
Land.
Eleanor also established the legendary Court of

Love, where it is said she encouraged a culture of
chivalry among her courtiers that had far-reaching
influence on the literature, poetry, music and
folklore of the day. This Court was reported to have
attracted artists and poets, and to have contributed
to a flowering of culture and the arts.
And who could be more supporting of the Court

of Love than the King of Cups? He represents a
kind, compassionate leader; one who values
creativity and chivalry. He is no push over, but also
not too proud to be seen shedding a tear while
watching a moving play.
65
The Pentacles
Earth • Finances • Home • Career
66
Ace of Pentacles
“Pandora” by John Waterhouse
c.1898
It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.

~Tony Robbins
Keywords
Manifestation • New ventures • Abundance • Wealth • Investment • Inheritance • Windfall
Curator’s Notes
Pandora, the first human woman created by the
Greek gods, was endowed with beauty and cunning.
He then had her delivered to Prometheus’ foolish
younger brother Epimetheus as a bride. Zeus gave
Pandora a jar (often mistranslated as a box) as a
wedding gift.
When she opened the jar, a swarm of evil spirits

was released into the world, to plague mankind
forever after. When Pandora slammed the jar shut
only one spirit—that of hope—remained behind, a
single blessing to ease mankind's suffering.
We never know what potential lies within our

own Pandora’s Box until we open it—much like the
journey we are being asked to step out upon in the
Ace of Pentacles. In this card we are being asked to
let our dreams out into the world, so they may
manifest your goals.
This can be a very scary thing if you are unsure

that this new venture will pay off—but until you
turn your ideas into something tangible, you’ll never
know...
67
2 of Pentacles
“Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May” by John Waterhouse
c.1909
Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great.
~Orison Swett Marden
Keywords
Progress • Prioritization • Adapting • Balance • Optimism • Time management • Ups and downs
Curator’s Notes
While the Ace of Pentacles represents the shiny,
fresh stage of a new business venture, the Two
represents getting down to brass tacks.
Work takes work; there’s no two ways about it.

Following our dreams means doing the legwork,
because there is no one out there who can—or
will—give our dreams as much energy as we can.
Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May was inspired by

the 17th century poem “To the Virgins, to Make
Much of Time” by Robert Herrick, and I found its
opening verse to vibe with my understanding of the
Two of Pentacles:
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,

Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying.
68
3 of Pentacles
“A Flower Stall” by John Waterhouse
c.1880
Problems can become opportunities when the right people come together.
~Robert Redford
Keywords
Teamwork • Cooperation • Collaboration • Learning • Mentors • Growth • Laying the groundwork •
Material growth
Curator’s Notes
Teamwork lies at the heart of the Three of
Pentacles. Like the women bartering together at The
Flower Stall, this card reminds us that sometimes we
need help to complete our work, no matter how
skilled we are in other areas. Don’t forget that you
can draw on the knowledge and experience of your
peers when needed.
The overall message of the Three of Pentacles is

an encouraging one, promising that if we continue
to work toward our dreams—and ask for help when
we get stuck instead of giving up—we will make
progress toward our goals.
You need to do work that is satisfying to you and

that you can be truly proud of. Persistence,
determination, and effort are going to pay off.
69
4 of Pentacles
“Windflowers” by John Waterhouse
c.1902
You need self-control in an out-of-control world.

~James C. Collins
Keywords
Saving • Security • Conservation • Preparation • Practicality • Control • Paring back • Self interest
Curator’s Notes
The winds of change are blowing—and if we
don’t heed the warning of the Four of Pentacles, we
might find ourselves regretting it later.
While it is not a good thing to be overly

concerned with our finances and material
possessions, it is equally damaging to be a wild
spender, never showing concern for the future or
the balance on our Amex card.
In Windflowers, we see a woman who is walking

through a field, her sleeves blowing in the wind—
and her armful of carefully picked blossoms in
danger of being whisked away if she is not careful.
This image warns of a need to consider the

world around us and gage which way the wind is
blowing. Forewarned is forearmed, and we can
blame no one but ourselves if we didn’t heed the
warnings the Universe was giving us.
70
5 of Pentacles
“Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind” by John Everett Millais
c.1892
If you are going through hell, keep going.

~Winston Churchill
Keywords
Isolation • Hardship • Worry • Depression • Unemployment • Poverty • Sudden loss
Curator’s Notes
The title of Millais’ painting comes from one of
William Shakespeare’s poems:
Blow Blow thou winter wind

Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude…
…Though thou the waters warp,

Thy sting is not so sharp
As friend remember’d not.
The Five of Pentacles is a card of adversity and

loss. Hard times have come; our fortunes have
turned and left us feeling alone and uncertain of the
future. Like the woman in the painting, we might
feel we have been left to suffer, out in the cold.
However, stopping in the middle of nowhere—

giving up—only compounds our suffering. If we
keep heart and walk a little farther, we might find
that there are people right around the bend who are
willing to help.
There is always a solution or a way out; we just

need to seek it.
71
6 of Pentacles
“The Charity of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary” by Edmund Blair Leighton
c. 1895
The heart that gives, gathers.

~Marianne Moore
Keywords
Generosity • Charity • Assistance • Sharing • Support • Kindness • Gifts • Financial flow
Curator’s Notes
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, depicted in
Leighton’s painting, was a pious princess who later
became an early member of the Third Order of St.
Francis. Elizabeth was married at the age of 14 and
widowed by 20.
After her husband’s death she sent her children

away and regained control of her dowry, using the
money to build a hospital at Marburg where she
herself, and her companions, cared for the sick. She
became a symbol of Christian charity after her death
at the age of 24 and was canonized in May 1235.
The world could use more of such charity. The

Six of Pentacles is a card that represents our lives
are currently in a balanced state. Our finances are
comfortable, our homes are secure, our ventures are
prospering—but the Six also stands to remind us
that there are always others whose lives are not in
such a state. There is always someone out there who
is less fortunate than us.
Like Saint Elizabeth, we would do well to

remember that, whether it’s time or money, we all
likely have something we can give to help many
other peoples’ lives just a little bit better.
72
7 of Pentacles
“Gathering Almond Blossoms” by John Waterhouse
c.1916
The fruit of your own hard work is the sweetest.

~Deepika Padukone
Keywords
Perseverance • Hard work • Forethought • Gestation • Cultivation • Thriving • Efforts vs. Rewards
Curator’s Notes
The almond is a species of tree native to
Mediterranean climate regions of the Middle East,
from Syria and Turkey to Pakistan, although it has
been introduced elsewhere in the world. Almond
trees are the first tree to blossom every year and yet
they are the last to bear fruit.
That symbolism works well with the Seven of

Pentacles, which urges us to put in hard work; the
kind of efforts that yield long-term rewards.
This isn’t a card of get rich quick schemes or fast

turn arounds—the Seven is going to take its time
putting out dividends, but they will be the kind you
are glad you put the work into down the road.
73
8 of Pentacles
“Stitching the Standard” by Edmund Blair Leighton
c.1911
With extraordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable.
~Thomas Foxwell Buxton
Keywords
Apprenticeship • Education • Talent • Effort • Craftsmanship • Positive potential • A bright future
Curator’s Notes
Stitching the Standard depicts a woman on the
battlements of a medieval castle putting the
finishing touches to a standard featuring a black
eagle on a gold background. In a time of peace, the
woman has taken her needlework into the daylight
away from the bustle of the castle.
The Eight of Pentacles is the card of

apprenticeship; a time of learning new skills and
taking care to hone our skills. There is a
concentrated determination that can be felt in this
card, like the woman carefully tending to her
needlework under the midday sun.
The Eight asked us to take our new endeavor

seriously, for we have chosen this new path
consciously and now it deserves all the energy we
can dedicate to it.
74
9 of Pentacles
“Spring Spreads One Green Lap of Flowers” by John Waterhouse
c.1910
Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.

~Wayne Dyer
Keywords
Success • Abundance • Resources • Prospering • Harvesting • Better than expected results
Curator’s Notes
Like the blooms being gathered by the woman in
Spring Spreads One Green Lap of Flowers, our harvest is
ready to come in. Some decks choose to give this
card a feel of luxury and excess, but I have always
seen it as the very last step before we bask in our
success; when we are so close to reaching the end
goal that we can almost taste—but we haven’t made
it just yet.
Instead of basking in “almost,” the Nine reminds

us that we need to stick to the plan and see it all the
way through. 95% isn’t good enough! Knuckle
under and harness the self-discipline that has grown
within throughout the suit of Pentacles and that
dream will come true.
75
10 of Pentacles
“Peace Concluded” by John Everett Millais
c.1856
Home is the nicest word there is.

~Laura Ingalls Wilder
Keywords
Happiness • Peace • Family • Stability • Permanence • Status • Contentment • Security
Curator’s Notes
Hearth, home, family—now this is the payoff of
the suit of Pentacles. The Ten of Pentacles shows a
family gathered together, at rest, showing the
importance of their bonds.
Together they feel safe and comfortable, even in

the face of the unknown, because they know they
always have one another to rely upon.
Beyond the family ties, the Ten of Pentacles is a

card of fulfilment; especially financially. We
followed that dream—which may have seemed so
scary at first—and saw it through to the end. We’ve
built something solid; something important;
something we can look upon with glowing pride. A
sustainable future lies before us now, and isn’t that
just about the best thing ever?
This success is something that will last the test of

time.
76
Page of Pentacles
“In the Peristyle” by John Waterhouse
c.1874
The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.
~B.B. King
Keywords
The Student • Responsible • Reliable • Steadfast • Practical • Studious • Hardworking • Loyal
Curator’s Notes
Our Page of Pentacles shows a young girl feeding
her family’s chickens early in the morning. She is a
doer; a helper who wants to earn her parents’ praise.
She yearns for responsibility and a chance to prove
herself.
She has the desire to try new things. She is filled

with the innocent wonder of a child who believes
she can become anything she sets her mind to and
reminds us that we are never too old to become the
student yet again.
Learning a completely new way of doing things

might seem scary to those of us who are set in our
way, but if we embody the Page’s unfettered
wonderment, we may find the world has much more
to offer us than we ever dared dream.
77
Knight of Pentacles
“The Shadow” by Edmund Blair Leighton
c.1909
Tradition: how the vitality of the past enriches the life of the present.
~T.S. Elliot
Keywords
The Builder • Conservative • Traditional • Efficient • Methodical • Trustworthy • Respectful
Curator’s Notes
There is a sense of perfectionism around with
the Knight of Pentacles. A lot of her pride rides on
how people perceive her, so she is not about to let
anyone hold her back from seeing her idea comes to
fruition—and she’ll give them what-for if they dare
voice doubts about her competence.
There is never a doubt in her mind that that
everything she undertakes will by anything but a
rousing success—so don’t try to tell her otherwise.
(Okay, maybe she’s a little bit on the stubborn side
too.)
She knows what she wants, when she wants it,
and has very strong opinions on how it should be
done. She never leaves a job unfinished and takes
every one of her promises very seriously.
78
Queen of Pentacles
“La Ghirlandata” by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
c.1873
Nurturing has the power to transform people’s lives.

~John C. Maxwell
Keywords
The Homemaker • Nurturing • Motherly • Generous • Stable • Sensory • Prosperous • Down-to-
earth
Curator’s Notes
As an indie girlboss and wife, I envy the woman
who can effortlessly embody the Queen of
Pentacles’ energy. They have the drive to work full-
time jobs, take care of the children, keep their house
clean, and still find a way to make it to Zumba
classes three nights a week. That is SO not me! I can
barely get off the couch on my rare Sunday off!
This Queen is also the beautifier, in addition to

being the homemaker. She has a very warm,
motherly energy and prides herself on making her
home not only stylish but also a welcoming
sanctuary for any in need of comfort—but don’t
mistake her for a push-over.
She puts the “momma” in “momma bear!” (I

actually picture the woman in this card as being a
sort of glammed up Molly Weasley, ready to jump to
her family’s defense when they’re threatened.)
79
King of Pentacles
“Leila” by Frank Bernard Dicksee
c.1892
Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.

~Henry David Thoreau
Keywords
The Provider • Successful • Materialistic • Practical • Responsible • Authoritative • Wealthy
Curator’s Notes
If there was ever someone secure in their
personal power, it would be the King of Pentacles.
Represented in The Beautiful Rebellion by Dicksee’s
beautiful Leila, this King is the ruler of her own life,
and likely of those whose lives cross hers.
She is the grand matron; the provider for the

manse. Does she need a husband to provide for
her?
Hell no! Her sharp mind has brought her to a

place of material wealth and security. She has all she
needs and more—and she’s not shy of showing it!
80
The Swords
Air • Ideas • Convictions •The Mind
81
Ace of Swords
“Accolade” by Edmund Blair Leighton
c.1901
A breakthrough is a moment when the impossible becomes possible.

~Tony Robbins
Keywords
Break through • New idea/plan • Potential • Clarity • Inspiration • Fortitude • A fresh start
Curator’s Notes
There are many stories considering the origin of
and inspiration for Leighton’s Accolade, although
none have been confirmed beyond agreement that
it depicts an accolade, a ceremony to confer
knighthood.
In the painting, the ceremony is being performed

by a young queen with the knight bowed before her
feet in a position of submission and fealty—
accepting this great honor with grace and dignity.
The Ace of Swords implies that we are being

given great power, in the form of a breakthrough
(an “A-ha!” moment) or a flash of impressive
insight. Like a sword—or even a knighthood!—the
power of this breakthrough can be double-edged.
It is us to us to use its energy with care and

responsibility, so that we do not harm others by
abusing our power.
82
2 of Swords
“The Dedication” by Edmund Blair Leighton
c.1908
Nothing is so exhausting as indecision, and nothing is so futile.

~Bertrand Russell
Keywords
Choice • Indecision • Stalemate • Courage • Compromise • A crossroads • Staying calm
Curator’s Notes
The Two of Swords usually depicts a blindfolded
woman holding a sword in each hand. Her blindfold
indicates that she is confused about her situation
and cannot see a solution to it.
I chose Leighton’s Dedication for this card because

it has that conflicted feeling to it. The young man
asks for God’s blessing on his sword; eager to go off
and prove himself in battle. The woman beside
him—who I see as his mother—appears to be
praying. But what is she praying for? Is she asking
that her beloved son find the glory and rewards he
longs for? Or is she hoping that he will change his
mind and choose not to enter the fray after all?
The Two of Swords reminds us that life’s

decisions are frequently difficult. Sometimes the
consequences will be painful, no matter which path
we choose. Sometimes we must face those hard
decisions and do what our hearts insist is right—and
in others, we will have to keep silent and let another
follow their own path.
83
3 of Swords
“Ophelia” by John Everett Millais
c.1851
Each betrayal begins with trust.

~Martin Luther
Keywords
Betrayal • Painful separation • Heartache • Heartbreak • Sorrow • Rejection • Greif • Infidelity •
Release
Curator’s Notes
Betrayal. Heartbreak. Rejection.
There really isn’t much of a silver lining to this

card.
Arguably one of the roughest cards in the tarot,

the Three of Swords is just not an easy card to
behold. Something has gone wrong, striking us
through the heart, and all we can do is worth
through it.
While emotions like pain, sorrow and grief are a

necessity in the journey of life, they are never easy
to work through as they occur. It takes time,
understanding and patience.
Choosing Ophelia for this card seemed right.

Her part in Hamlet’s tale is rife with the concept of
betrayal and mistrust; secrets and lies that ruin lives
and love.
84
4 of Swords
“The Last Sleep of Arthur in Avalon” by Edward Burne-Jones
c.1898
If you have no time to rest, it’s exactly the right time.

~Mark Twain
Keywords
Rest • Recuperation • Contemplation • Retreat • Peace and quiet • Time out • Delays • Passivity
Curator’s Notes
The Last Sleep of Arthur in Avalon shows the court
gathered around a “sleeping” King Arthur, as he
rests in Avalon. A battle has sapped Arthur of his
strength, and he now rests, beyond the mortal
world, so he can recover his strength to rise again
when Britain is in need.
Staying inactive, or silent; taking some time to

put yourself first instead of doing what others
expect of you—that’s a challenge in and of itself in
modern day society!
Don’t let others bully you into feeling you don’t

need—or deserve—a rest. We all do, from time to
time, and it’s likely that yours is well overdue when
this card appears!
85
5 of Swords
“Faithful Unto Death” by Sir Edward John Poynter
c.1865
There is no knife that cuts so sharply and with such poisoned blade as treachery.
~Ouida
Keywords
Tension • Conflict • Strife • Treachery • Surrender • Instability • Dishonesty
Curator’s Notes
The Five of Swords is a card fraught with
conflict. You might find yourself having disagreed
with others, causing tension and hostility. You
might just plain be torn on how to proceed on the
issue. This card asks you to make a decision; to find
the heart of the conflict and suss out a way to solve
it. The answer you find might not wind up being
what you want, but if it is the right thing to do for
the situation? It’s time to own up to it.
In Faithful Unto Death, we see a scene set on the

last day of Pompeii, inspired by real life. During the
excavations at Pompeii in the early 19th century, the
skeleton of a soldier in full armor was discovered.
Historians of the period assumed that he had
remained loyally at his post while all the other
inhabitants of Pompeii were fleeing from the
eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
Poynter’s brilliantly painted rendition of this

scene shows the confliction in the soldier’s eyes.
Does he remain loyal to his liege and his duty,
knowing that he will die? Or does he run, saving
himself but forever tarnishing his honor?
A hard call to make—and one that distills the

very essence of the Five of Swords.
86
6 of Swords
“Farewell” by Edmund Blair Leighton
c.1922
Moving on, is a simple thing, what it leaves behind is hard.

~Dave Mustaine
Keywords
Travel • Escape • Moving on • Regretful but necessary transition • Rite of passage
Curator’s Notes
This card was one that I had many versions of in
my original test copy of The Beautiful Rebellion—but
there was something so poignant in Farewell that it
won out over all the others.
Do we know who is sailing off in that ship,

leaving the woman and child behind? No, but we
can take a good guess that it is a father and husband.
Perhaps he is sailing off to war—or maybe he is a
merchant, sailing off in search of trade to continue
his business.
Whatever the reason, sailing was dangerous in

medieval times. That woman must have known
there was a possibility that she would never see her
husband again—and that she might one day have to
explain his disappearance to her small child.
The Six of Swords is a card of regretful

transition. Something is calling us forward, forcing
us to leave the comfortable life we have known.
Often the travel is physical, and we know we must
leave something important behind in order to chase
this new life. While it may be what is best for us in
the long-term, there is always an element of the
unknown—and the sadness of saying goodbye.
87
7 of Swords
“Thisbe” by John Waterhouse
c.1909
There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to accept
what is true.
~Soren Kierkegaard
Keywords
Deception • Stealth • Curiosity • Daring behavior • Plotting • Mind games • A spy
Curator’s Notes
Thisbe is a character that appears in the work of
Roman poet Ovid. She loved Pyramus, who lived
next door in a connected house, but they had been
forbidden to marry by their rival parents. However,
they were able to speak to one another through a
crack in a wall—sneaking around the ban their
parents had put on their relationship.
The Seven of Swords is a sneaky card, full of

deception and lies, and I very much enjoy the
imagery in Waterhouse’s Thisbe here. This card
speaks to difficulty of trying to “get away” with
something. Doing something in secret is harder
than you think and only one little thing needs to go
awry and then—BAM!
The secret is revealed and a whole new can of

worms is opened.
88
8 of Swords
“St. George and the Dragon VI: The Princess Tied to a Tree”
by Edward Burne-Jones
c.1866
I am the hero of my own story, I don’t need to be saved.

~Regina Spektor
Keywords
Confinement • Feeling restricted • Anxiety • Indecision • Withdrawal • Abandonment
Curator’s Notes
The Eight of Swords shows a woman tied up,
looking defeated. Though her hands are indeed tied,
she still has her wits and could formulate a plan to
release herself—if she wasn’t trapped by her own
thoughts and perspectives. She needs only look at
the situation from a new angle.
The woman in the Eight of Swords is often seen

as powerless. She let herself get put into this
situation—shown in this image by the women
walking away from her—and has effectively let
herself become the victim waiting for rescue. Who
knows what those ladies said to convince her to let
herself be tied to the stake, a sacrifice to the
dragon—maybe they had a good reason. Maybe she
was too scared to fight back against her sisters;
maybe there was enough truth in their words to
make her feel guilt.
The fact is that she did indeed let herself to

talked into that victim mentality.
Fight against those ropes that hold you back.

Change the narrative in your head.
Don’t become a lamb lead to slaughter.
89
9 of Swords
“Speak! Speak!” by Sir John Everett Millais
c.1895
Despair speaks evenly, in a quiet voice.

~Ursula K. Le Guin
Keywords
Nightmares • Intense anxiety • Crisis • Breaking point • Doubt • Despair • Solitude • Self-imposed
isolation
Curator’s Notes
The subject of the image in Speak! Speak! was
explained by Millais’s son J.G. Millais:
“It is that of a young Roman who has been reading

through the night the letters of his lost love; and at dawn,
behold, the curtains of his bed are parted, and there before
him stands, in spirit or in truth, the lady herself, decked as
on her bridal night, and gazing upon him with sad but
loving...”
The Nine of Swords is a card of nightmares and

phantasms; of the tricks our minds play on us when
they strike us through with fear. Though these fears
seek to cripple us, it is important to remember that
the Swords are the suit of the mind, and these
terrible images are only in our heads.
It is up to us to discern truth from myth and

stop our worries from affecting us in the physical
realm.
90
10 of Swords
“Saint Stephen” by John Everett Millais
c.1895
Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.

~J.K. Rowling
Keywords
Hopelessness • Defeat • Stabbed in the back • Ultimate betrayal • Rock bottom • Time to start over
Curator’s Notes
Well… that didn’t go as planned.
Sometimes we try our hardest, plan ahead, and

do everything we can to make a situation go
right…and it still goes terribly wrong. There is
nothing we can do to avoid it; nothing we can do to
change the outcome.
The Ten of Swords is a hard stop. It is the end of

the road, and there just is nowhere to go from there.
It tells us we need to turn around, go back to the
drawing board, and try something new.
The dark, heart-wrenching ambiance of Millais’

Saint Stephen captures that raw, desolate feel that
the Ten of Swords can bring into our lives. Saint
Stephen is traditionally venerated as the first martyr
of Christianity. He knew in his heart that the Lord
would receive his spirit and that his killers would be
forgiven as they began to stone him, so he is said to
have calmly sank to his knees and “fell asleep” as
death claimed him.
91
Page of Swords
“Il Barbagianni The Owl” by Valentine Cameron Prinsep
c.1863
I don’t think I’m a follower, frankly.

~Rachel True
Keywords
The Initiator • Talkative • Curious • Quick-witted • Energetic • Restless • Hasty
Curator’s Notes
The Page of Swords is a go-getter; an initiator.
She is full of energy, passion and enthusiasm. When
a new idea pops into her head, she’s out there
sharing it with others; gathering all the pieces she
can to get a head start on it.
Her challenge, however, is keeping up that high

energy—and finishing what she’s started. As quickly
as she’s shown a passion for crocheting, she
discovers the wonders of deep sea diving—and
there she goes again. Her yarn gathers dust while
she makes friends with exotic fish.
When embodying this Page’s electrifying energy,

one must remember to keep their feet on the
ground. She’s going to encourage you to move
forward, getting those wheels in motion despite any
challenges that might stand in the way. She’s right
there beside you, getting things moving and—hey,
did you see her awesome new pet? I mean, how
cool is it to breed owls?
92
Knight of Swords
“Bertuccio’s Bride” by Edward Robert Hughes
c.1845
Be an independent thinker at all times, and ignore anyone who attempts to define you in a limiting
way.
~Sherry Argov
Keywords
The Thinker • Determined • Fearless • Chatty • Assertive • Clever • Direct • Opinionated •
Impatient
Curator’s Notes
The Knight of Swords is a self-assured
powerhouse. He—like his younger sister the Page—
is full of life and energy. While he isn’t quite as
scattered as the Page, he has a wild streak of his own
that needs to be balanced with a strong sense of
responsibility—otherwise others might think of him
as cocky or spoiled.
His biggest flaw is likely that he has trouble

listening to others who don’t agree with him. Once
he has sprung into action there can be no stopping
him—even if the warning is one better heeded than
ignored!
This Knight doesn’t give a fig about risk or “what

ifs.” He has a strong drive to win, even if his current
pursuit isn’t necessarily a game to others. He’s
clever, determined, and to her? All of life is a game.
Temper that wild spirit with a reminder that our
actions have consequences when she spurs you
know toward dangerous territory.
Winning is awesome and fun—but the glow of

glory will quickly fade if we’ve crushed others in our
single-minded quest for grandeur.
93
Queen of Swords
“Faticida” by Lord Frederic Leighton
c.1894
Sometimes you have to be a bitch to get things done.

~Madonna
Keywords
The Stone-Cold Bitch • Professional • Independent • Reserved • Aloof • Blunt • Honest • Critical
Curator’s Notes
Okay; there is no denying it—this is my favorite
card in the deck. I adore this image for the Queen
of Swords. I don’t call her the Stone-Cold Bitch for
nothing! The look on Fataicida’s face says it all.
“Mmm-hmm. Honey, you want to try telling me
that again—maybe without kissing my ass this time?”
The Queen of Swords ain’t no fool—and she has

zero patience for games. She has an innate ability to
cut through the bullshit and tell it like it is. She
thinks on her feet and has a contingency plan for
everything. No one is catching her off-guard or
backing her into a corner.
She is upfront and honest; blunt to the point

where more thin-skinned people may find her
heartless—but that doesn’t bother her.
She doesn’t have time to waste beating about the

bush, and she expects the same from others.
94
King of Swords
“The White Devil” by John Collier
c.1909
When you see a good move, look for a better one.

~Emanuel Lasker
Keywords
The Chess Player • Intellectual • Analytical • Meticulous • Forceful • Manipulative • Communicative
Curator’s Notes
The King of Swords is not a figure to be trifled
with. She is represented in The Beautiful Rebellion by
Collier’s The White Devil, a regal looking woman who
clearly isn’t afraid to use whatever means necessary
to achieve her goals.
I call this King the “Chess Player,” because she is

a symbol of intellectual power and authority,
brimming with cunning. The downside of this King
is a temptation to use her superior intellect to
manipulate others—especially when they aren’t
playing by the King’s rules.
It appears that Collier’s The White Devil is linked

to the seventeenth century revenge tragedy of the
same name by English playwright John Webster.
The story, loosely based on a real murder of an
affluent Italian noblewoman, explores the
corruption that can lie at the heart of people who
otherwise depict themselves being “white” (a.k.a.
good).
95
The Wands
Fire • Passion • Action • Creativity
96
Ace of Wands
“Morgan le Fey” by Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys
c.1863
Dream big and dare to fail.

~Norman Vaughan
Keywords
Inspiration • Potential • Action • Initiative • Optimism • Movement • Change
Curator’s Notes
Inspiration, power, creation—the Ace of Wands
is like a big thumbs up in the sky saying “Go for it!”
This breakthrough moment hits hard and fast,

filling you with inspiration and motivation. All of a
sudden a whole new world of possibility has opened
up before you; setting your soul afire with the many
promises of choice that now stand before you—
much like the beautiful Morgan Le Fay, dancing
about her apothecary as she gathers the components
to cast her spell.
Morgan Le Fay, the woman featured in Sandys’

painting of the same name, is a powerful healer and
enchantress in the Arthurian legend. The earliest
accounts of Geoffrey of Monmouth and Gerald of
Wales refer to Morgan in conjunction with the Isle
of Apples (another name for the Isle of Avalon) to
which the fatally wounded Arthur was carried off
after the Battle of Camlann.
97
2 of Wands
“The Laboratory” by John Collier
c.1895
Plans are nothing; planning is everything.

~Dwight D. Eisenhower
Keywords
Planning • Assessment • Decision • Discovery • Enterprise • Duality • A fork in the road
Curator’s Notes
Choices, choices. With the energy of the Ace
behind us, the Two of Wands now asks us to
harness that passion and decide how to apply it.
This is a time of discovery that begs for us to step
outside our comfort zones and take that first step
toward seeing our dreams realized. The Ace has
filled us with those possibilities for a reason after
all!
The Two of Wands also denotes an aspect of

planning. We need to consider our long-term goals
and, moreover, what we need to have in hand to
achieve those goals. Like the girl making a deal with
the alchemist in The Laboratory, we must be sure of
our next move before we make it.
There might be consequences to our actions, of

course, but if they will pay off in the long term,
perhaps we will find that we are willing to make that
bargain…
98
3 of Wands
“A Stolen Interview” by Edmund Blair Leighton
c.1888
The world is always open, waiting to be discovered.

~Dejan Stojanovic
Keywords
Preparation • Forethought • Patience • Assistance • Accepting help • New horizons
Curator’s Notes
New opportunities loom before us, asking us to
take a risk. Expand our horizons—travel, start a
new business, take a new class, learn a new
language—something that pushes us outside of our
static day-to-day norm. Changes and challenges are
ahead, but the Three promises you are ready to
tackle them.
The choice of painting here might seem odd at

first, but I find the interplay of characters in A Stolen
Interview fitting. The young maiden knows she is
breaking the rules, talking over the garden wall while
her chaperone sleeps—but she longs for the
excitement and change the young man brings.
She knows there is no reward in staying safe in

her solitary routine.
99
4 of Wands
“Queen Guinevere's Maying” by John Collier
c.1900
Celebration is my attitude, unconditional of what life brings.

~Ranjeesh
Keywords
Celebration • Harmony • Stability • Homecoming • Contentment • Pride • Hope for the future
Curator’s Notes
I have always seen the Four of Wands as the four
walls of a stable, happy home. In numerology
(which I am far from an expert on), the number
four represents stability, so that might be why I’ve
always had that correlation.
Those four walls offer security, safety; a place to

retire to when life outside gets a bit too hairy. The
Four also brings a sense of celebration, when we
can rejoice in our good fortune. All around, it’s just
a good card.
Collier’s Queen Guinevere’s Maying shows the

young queen on a May Day procession, showered
with the love of her people on a sunny spring day.
This idyllic scene very much captures the warmth
and gaiety at the heart of the Four of Wands for
me, giving us a sense of the peaceful interlude that
this card promises.
100
5 of Wands
“La Revolution” by Valentine Cameron Prinsep
c.1896
Where there is fear there is aggression.

~Jiddu Krishmanurti
Keywords
Conflict • Competition • Disagreement • Strife • Chaos • Aggression • Arguments
Curator’s Notes
Here we go again with the conflict.
The Five of Wands indicates that there is

something standing in your way right now. The
situation is fraught with tension and you are finding
it difficult to move past it—everyone is talking, but
no one is listening. It’s the very definition of a futile
argument.
Tempers have flared and side have been drawn.

The outcry is so loud that no one can hear what is
being said. There is no value to the conflict we are
currently embroiled in when everyone just wants to
fight, and no one wants to listen.
Instead of throwing yourself into the thick of the

fight, the Five reminds us that it’s a good time to
take a step back and get a cooler head before we try
to move forward yet again.
101
6 of Wands
“The Two Crowns” by Frank Bernard Dicksee
c.1900
Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay its price.
~Sun Tzu
Keywords
Triumph • Victory • Pride • Achievement • Recognition • Rewards • Leadership • Moment in the
spotlight
Curator’s Notes
All hail the conquering hero!
The battle has been won and you’ve come out on

top. Public recognition of your glory is at hand—as
it is for the prince on the card—and its finally time
to reap the spoils of your hard work.
The Six of Wands is the victory card, as we see in

The Two Crowns. In The Two Crowns Dicksee shows
us a medieval prince returning through the gates in
triumph on a white horse; gazing up at a crucifix
held aloft in the crowd.
This is probably the card I feel most closely
resembles the traditional Rider-Waite tarot image.
There is no doubting that our prince has been
victorious.
102
7 of Wands
“God Speed” by Edmund Blair Leighton
c.1900
You will either step forward into growth, or you will step backward into safety.
~Abraham Maslow
Keywords
Challenge • Rivalry • Resistance • Valor • Tenacity • Stamina • Protecting what’s yours
Curator’s Notes
The Seven of Wands represents a struggle that
arises after an initial period of peace. Yes, you won
the battle—but the war rages on, and you are being
called to the field once more. This time, the struggle
you’re about to face is more about maintaining your
current position rather than seeking new victories.
Leighton’s God Speed depicts an armored knight

departing to war and leaving his beloved. He may
not want to fight but knows that he must. He has
loved ones and a home to protect.
His beloved likely does not want him to go either

but understand the necessity of it as she ties a
reminder of her love around his arm as he departs.
103
8 of Wands
“The Rescue” by John Everett Millais
c.1855
It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.
~Roy E. Disney
Keywords
Swift change • Travel • Speed • Action • No hesitation • Courage • Thinking on your feet
Curator’s Notes
The most prominent keyword of the Eight of
Wands is speed. Something is happening and it’s
happening NOW. Time is of the essence and
there’s no time to second guess yourself or to drag
your feet. Go, go, go!
The Rescue depicts a fireman rescuing three

children from a burning house, their mother
reaching out for them—a poignant reminder of
those snap decision moments where we have no
time to waste. Millais had witnessed the death of a
fireman in the course of a rescue before deciding to
do this painting.
At that time in history, the fire brigade had only

recently changed over from small private companies
that were dedicated to the protection of property to
a solidified public institution charged to protect life
first.
104
9 of Wands
“Duty” by Edmund Blair Leighton
c.1883
The price of greatness is responsibility.

~Winston Churchill
Keywords
Experience • Persistence • Responsibility • Stoicism • Resilience • Test of faith
Curator’s Notes
Sometimes it seems like the problems never end.
The Nine of Wands is that last minute setback

that throws a wrench in our plans. We don’t want to
deal with it—in fact, it might be the very last thing
on the planet we want to face—but there is no other
choice. It’s time to put on our big girl (or guy)
panties and handle the unpleasant business.
The upside of the Nine is that it also reminds us

we are right there. SO close to success. It really
would be a waste for us to give up at the last hurdle.
Like the aging King in Duty, weary of defending

his kingdom against rivals; who would rather play
his lute and relax, we know it’s something we must
do if we want to continue on. Letting our dreams
crumble now would be heartbreaking.
105
10 of Wands
“The Gamekeeper’s Daughter” by Valentine Cameron Prinsep
c.1875
It’s the things we carry silently within ourselves which are the heaviest burdens.
~John Mark Green
Keywords
Blocked paths • Overwhelm • Feeling lost • Exhaustion • Oppression • Taking on too much
Curator’s Notes
The Ten of Wands shows us reaching the end of
a cycle—but unfortunately, we then find ourselves
saddled with more responsibilities and
commitments than we might have planned for.
These responsibilities may quickly become a
burden, dampening out passion and putting a heavy
weight upon our shoulders.
Like the Gamekeeper’s Daughter, we know we

have to bring home our heavy load of kindling to
keep the family hearth going on cold nights—but
there is a long way left to go, and our shoulders
have already begun to ache.
It’s time to stop and assess where you are in life.

It might be time to rethink the next step in our plan
or to prioritize the tasks ahead of us to avoid
overwhelm. It can be a huge bummer to get this far
and realize the end goal wasn’t everything you
hoped it would be—but that doesn’t mean we can
try again.
106
Page of Wands
“Little Red Riding Hood” by John Everett Millais
c.1864
You were once wild here. Don’t let them tame you.
~Isadora Duncan
Keywords
The Free Spirit • Exuberant • Bright • Outspoken • Feisty • Impulsive • Theatrical • Dynamic
Curator’s Notes
The Page of Wands embodies an energy similar
to that of the Fool in that she is a free spirit
heralding in new beginnings. While young and
untried, she has boundless exuberance and a passion
for life that is undimmed by her age.
There might be danger out there in the world at

large but it does not concern her—she is too busy
having a wonderful time exploring the forest
beyond her back door, making friends with the
rabbits and naming the flowers. Who better to
represent that impish spirit than Little Red Riding
Hood?
The Page also brings with her the desire to

express ourselves and to celebrate in our
individuality. Her light-hearted energy encourages us
to try new things without fear, recapturing our
child-like innocence as we explore the depths of our
creative urges.
107
Knight of Wands
“Sir Galahad—the Quest for the Grail” by Arthur Hughes
c.1870
I am a wanderer passionately in love with life.

~Aleksandr Kuprin
Keywords
The Wanderer • Passionate • Adventurous • Motivated • Unpredictable • Competitive
Curator’s Notes
Like the strong, resolute faith of Galahad in his
quest to find the Holy Grail, the Knight of Wands
is committed to his goals and makes sure that his
ideas become actions.
This Knight has the most heart of all the

Knights, and his courage to move forward toward
his goals without hesitation is something others
often envy about him. He has unshakable faith and
passion, and is not afraid to leave the safety and
comforts of home and set out on a quest if it is line
with his ideals.
The downside to the Knight of Wands is that his

passion can sometimes consume him, like the
flames the Wands suit represents. This can work
against him, as he might to rush into things without
considering the negative impact his actions could
cause—both on himself and on others.
His wildfire needs to be tempered with a solid

plan so he can take more calculated risks, instead of
being consumed by zealous behavior.
108
Queen of Wands
“Sibylla Palmifera” by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Life is the flower for which love is the honey.

~Victor Hugo
Keywords
The Poet • Flirty • Vivacious • Inspirational • Social • Demanding • Strong-willed
Curator’s Notes
The Queen of Wands is our poet; a vivacious,
personable woman full of creative energy. She
enjoys being the center of attention and basking in
the company of friends and compatriots.
She has high aspirations and wants the world to

know it. Her talent and determination go hand in
hand, giving her a fierce resolve to meet her goals.
Rossetti’s Sibylla Palmifera features an ancient

prophetess who bears the palm of victory. In 1866
Rossetti had also written a sonnet to accompany the
picture, later known as “Soul’s Beauty,” part of
which says:
Hers are the eyes which, over and beneath,

The sky and sea bend on thee,—which can draw,
By sea or sky or woman, to one law,
The allotted bondman of her palm and wreath.
109
King of Wands
“Cleopatra” by Frank Bernard Dicksee
c.1876
The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.
~Steve Jobs
Keywords
The Visionary • Virile • Admirable • Courageous • Assertive • Proud • Bold • Goal-oriented
Curator’s Notes
Yes, Cleopatra joins us again!
Before you roll your eyes at my weird fangirling,

let’s think about what the King of Wands
represents. This is a figure of pure fire energy; the
kind that gives us the power to change the world to
fit our vision.
This King is a natural-born leader; goal-oriented

and not at all hesitant to crack the whip to get her
minions to do her bidding. That might sound off-
putting, but instead people naturally gravitate
towards this King as they know she’s the real deal.
She will get things done and then will get done fast.
If that isn’t Cleopatra…well, I’ll eat my hat.
110
4
Spreads
Some people love spreads, others not so much.

I, personally, love them. As a largely intuitive reader, spreads are essential for me. They create
the framework that allows me to understand a card’s message. It’s my loom, if you will, and only by
knowing where a certain card has fallen can I spin the narrative the cards are trying to tell me.
As such a spread aficionado, I felt I had to include a few of my favorites here. The first two are
very simple, being the readings I use most often when a more question-oriented spread doesn’t
come to mind. These are workhorse spreads that can be used for any question, with any deck: a 3-
card spread and a 9-card diamond spread.
The other two spreads you will find contained in this guidebook are more specialized spreads
that I designed with The Beautiful Rebellion in mind. I feel the beauty of the art featured in this deck
speaks to the soul and, in that way, it is very much suited for two particular types of readings: those
dealing with creative energies through your Muse’s Message and those that deal with Matters of the
Heart.
111
3 Card Spread
The Three Card Spread is one of the most versatile spreads to be used in conjunction with
tarot. Those three simple cards can quite literally stand for a dozen different things, framed to suit
any sort of question.
• Past / Present / Future

• Situation / Action / Outcome
• Idea / Challenge / Advantage
• Mind / Body / Spirit
• Strength / Weakness / Balancing Factor
• You / Relationship / Partner
• Pros / Cons / Best Option
• Option 1 / Option 2 / Option 3
Using this general template, you can think about any question until you come up with three
positions that will help you interpret the advice you received the best. The sky is the limit when it
comes to customizing this spread!
112
9 Card Diamond Spread
This spread is my go-to default spread, in much the way the Celtic Cross is standard for many
tarot readers. I find these nine cards can be applied to most questions to help see where it has its
roots, how it is affecting the present day, and what can be done to move forward.
1. You
2. Below/Unconscious factors
3. Above/Conscious factors
4. Past
5. Future
6. Blockages
7. Key to those blockages
8. Advice from the Universe
9. Your next move
113
Muse’s Message Spread
Who better to inspire us than these masters of such beauty?

As a writer and artist, I often find my creativity getting tangled up with reality and in need of a
boost to get me back on the right path. This spread is perfect for cajoling your muse, identifying
creative blocks, and moving forward with stalled artistic projects.
1. What creative energies surround me right now?

2. How can I best channel those creative energies?
3. What energies are blocking my creativity?
4. How can I overcome those blockages?
5. What is the potential outcome of me following my muse?
6. What source can I turn to when I am in need of inspiration?
114
Matters of the Heart Spread
Ah, love. Has anything else in the world ever caused us so much joy—and so much misery?
Almost everyone wants—at one time or another—to know how their relationship will play out,
or to catch a glimpse of what their lover might be thinking or feeling. Its human nature to wonder;
to feel insecurity when our hearts are held in another’s hands and hope to rectify it.
Unfortunately, I strongly feel that trying to gain insight into a person who is not present for—
and consenting to—a tarot reading is a big gray area when it comes to ethics. I frankly avoid
relationship readings for that very reason.
My solution?
This spread. Matters of the Heart helps to clarify how you are viewing both your relationship and
your partner’s role in it. With this fresh insight, we can attempt to better understand how blockages
might be removed and what root issues are causing any current miscommunications.
1. The root of the situation.

2. You in this relationship.
3. How you see your partner in this relationship.
4. Your issues in the relationship.
5. What you think your partner’s issues are.
6. What is the biggest blockage present between you?
7. What can be done to improve the relationship?
8. Potential outcome if advice is followed.
115

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The Beautiful

Copyright © 2021 Robin L. Cole

All written rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2018

3 The Major Arcana 27

4 The Minor Arcana 50

5 The Spreads 111

About the Author ?

Let me try to start this ramble at the beginning.

Ding, ding, ding!

Enjoy The Beautiful Rebellion!

Edward Coley Burne-Jones was a British artist and designer closely

He was born in Birmingham in August of 1833. Despite difficult

Works that are included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

He painted in the Pre-Raphaelite style, and became one of the

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

An English painter and illustrator, Francis Bernard Dicksee was a

Dicksee is best known for his paintings depicting dramatic literary,

Dicksee was knighted in 1925 and died in 1928.

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

Image credit: by Unknown photographer. © National Portrait Gallery, London

Herbert James Draper was born in London and educated at Bruce

He specialized in paintings that depicted mythological events, much

In the mythological subject area his paintings include, as well as The

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

Image credit: by Unknown photographer.

Hermann Hendrich was born in the vicinity of the Kyffhäuser,

In 1876, he visited Norway to further his art studies and wound up

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

Image credit: by Unknown photographer.

Arthur Hughes was born in London. In 1846 he entered the art

His first picture, Musidora, was hung at the Royal Academy

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

Image credit: self portrait painted by Arthur Hughes

Edward Robert Hughes was a nephew of the Pre-Raphaelite

Hughes showed at the Royal Academy from 1870 to 1911 and

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

Image credit: albumen carte-de-viste, 1870s, by Maull & Co., NPG

William Holman Hunt, one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite

Hunt's works were not initially successful. In fact, he was widely

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

Image credit: Self-portrait, 1867, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

Edmund Blair Leighton was born in 1852, the son of a promising

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

Frederic Leighton was born in 1830 in Scarborough, Yorkshire.

After receiving an education in many European cities throughout

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

Image credit: Self portrait of Leighton (1880)

John Everett Millais was born in Southampton in 1829, the son

At the Royal Academy he became friendly with fellow student

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

Image credit: National Portrait Gallery (Great Britain)

Early in his career Edward John Poynter studied in Rome, where he

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

Image credit: Edward Poynter (Alphonse Legros)

Valentine Cameron Prinsep—also known as Val Prinsep—was the son

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

Image credit: Portrait of Prinsep by Alphonse Legros, British Museum

Dante Gabriel Rossetti was born in London in 1828, the son of

Dante decided to become an artist early in life and enrolled in

Works included in The Beautiful Rebellion:

Anthony Frederick Sandys was born in Norwich. His surname was