Paperback Guidebook with cards set, 112 Pages, Published 2017

ISBN: 978-0-7643-5282-9

Review by Lou Siday, TAROT TECHNIQUE

Now, I normally prefer modern decks that stick to the original Rider-Waite imagery, such as The Modern Witch Tarot deck by Lisa Sterle. This is just my own preference. I like how easy they are to read, and I find the up-to-date images pretty cool!

Because of this, I really didn’t know how I was going to feel about the Ostara deck. This deck brings in traditional themes around nature and the wilderness with a fairytale, fantasy-style artwork. The name Ostara actually refers to the spring equinox, and this definitely sets the vibe of the deck. The imagery feels old-school and whimsical, and you feel there is an energy of awakening and renewal with the deck.

It is created by four artists who live in Vancouver; Molly Applejohn, Eden Cooke, Krista Gibbard, and Julia Iredale. I love how the deck is a collaboration, and this makes me excited to see the eclectic mix of styles and ideas!

So, what did I find out when I unboxed it and connected with it?

Initial Thoughts

Firstly, the boxing of the deck is beautiful. It comes in a beautiful green-blue box that feels pretty magical when you hold it in your hands. On the front is the image of the High Priestess card. It comes with a magnetic lid, and you open it up with a red ribbon. As I store my Tarot decks in their boxes, it was really nice to see a deck that has had a lot of thought put into its packaging.

On the back of the box is a little paragraph about the intentions of the deck. It asks us to open up to the natural world and identify with our relationship with the Earth. This is a really nice touch and really sets the scene of the deck. Inside the box is two piles of cards and the guidebook on top.

The artwork is not really my style, but this is merely down to my own personal taste. The artwork takes on more contemporary themes throughout compared to the traditional Rider Waite cards. It’s pretty and full of fun mythical beings and depictions of a fantastical world. Still, it’s just not my style.

However, I was keen to dive deeper into the deck and try out readings.

The Guidebook

Ostara Tarot Deck Guide Book

Most Tarot decks come with an accompanying guidebook that explains each card. For me, this is a pretty important part of the deck. It allows us to understand each card more and get to know the creator’s take on the Tarot.

The Ostara Tarot deck guidebook is pretty nice. It doesn’t include any spreads, which some guidebooks do. However, it contains keywords and a nice description of each card (both Major and Minor Arcana). The description includes a short bit about the artwork on the card and how they have interpreted the theme of the card and a more general meaning. It also includes the reversed meaning.

The Cards

Ostara Tarot Card THE KING

The cards are medium-sized and feel pretty sturdy. They are gilded with silver on the edges of the cards, which is a nice touch, but I think this caused the cards to be stickier. At first, some of the cards were stuck together, and I found them difficult to shuffle. However, they soon became easier to work with.

All the cards follow the traditional names and themes of the Rider-Waite, with fresh imagery and ideas. A lot of the key symbols are in the illustrations of each card. For example, the scales are on the Justice card. However, some of the cards do differ vastly from the traditional depictions. I enjoy this as I love discovering fresh takes on Tarot; however, this may be difficult for those who are new to Tarot cards.

The cards include images of animals, nature, and mythical beings. There is a whimsical, magical vibe to the cards with earthly colors and tones. Rabbits snuggle up together, and owls work hard. Foxes explore meadows, and the Kings of the deck are adorned with antlers.

I really like the backs of the cards, depicting a bird’s skull with roses flowering out of it. It really does give you that sense of renewal and hope that grows throughout the deck.

Key Cards

When getting a new Tarot deck, I like to first look at how they portray my favorite cards and see what cards stand out for me when flipping through the deck.

Of course, The Fool is the first card of the deck and a pretty significant one from the Major Arcana. It represents the start of a journey, and as every new deck is a journey, let’s look at how the Ostara Tarot deck portrays the Fool!

We see a girl on a broomstick flying upwards toward the sun, surrounded by birds. She is the Fool, venturing blindly on her adventure. The colors and artwork are sublime, and you do get the feel of the meaning of the card through its imagery.

One of my favorite Tarot cards is the Tower, another card from the Major Arcana. This is because it used to crop up all the time when I first started reading Tarot, and it took me ages to fully understand what it was trying to tell me and why the card isn’t actually as scary as we might think!

In the Ostara Tarot deck, the card is pretty similar to the traditional depiction of the Tower. We see a burning tower in front of the full moon, and birds scattered around. The sense of destruction is within the card, but the birds give you the sense of hope that comes with the Tower.

My favorite card in the Osara Tarot deck is the Six of Coins from the Minor Arcana Coins or Pentacles. It shows us a mermaid providing for her fish friends, and sharing her wealth. In the ocean, there is a flow of energy, with everyone getting what they need. This is the general meaning of the Six of Coins, and the depiction of this in the Ostara deck is absolutely stunning.

Reading With The Ostara Tarot Deck

Ostara Tarot Deck

So far, the Ostara Tarot deck is pretty impressive. I definitely like the artwork more than I thought, and I love exploring the imagery of each card. So, I thought I would do a reading with this deck and see if I connected with it!

I conducted a simple past, present, and future reading with the Ostara Tarot deck. In the past position, I received the Moon card. I thought this was pretty interesting, as I have suffered massively from anxiety and doubt in the past. I consulted the guidebook, which told me that I needed to call upon my dreams in order to guide my way. I definitely did this when suffering from doubt and self-esteem issues!

In the present position, I received the Page of Wands. This is a card of creativity and new beginnings, so I felt good about getting this as my present card. Recently I have begun a journey toward inner peace and happiness. However, there is a long way to go!

In the future position, I received the Ace of Coins. This card suggests prosperity and an upcoming change in regard to an existing goal. I related to this meaning, and it made sense in regard to my life.

Ostara Tarot Deck Review Conclusion

I really enjoyed this Tarot deck and the beautiful artwork on the cards. It isn’t really my style, so I was pleasantly surprised at how well I connected with it.