Shelf one

The Cards

Each card in my deck is painted rather than printed — abstract on purpose, so you can see your own life in it. Beneath each one sits its classical arcana, the old meaning it still answers to.

The Hermit — Madam Moira's painted Lantern Bearer, a luminous figure carrying a small light through deep burgundy darknessThe HermitIX · also called The Lantern BearerGuidance carried, not given — the courage to walk first and let others follow the glow.The Lovers — Madam Moira's painted Crossroads card, two luminous paths diverging through warm shadow and deep burgundy darkThe LoversVI · also called The CrossroadsA choice that cannot be halved — one road cannot be walked without setting the other down.The Empress — Madam Moira's painted Garden card, soft abundant forms blooming out of warm amber light against deep burgundy darkThe EmpressIII · also called The GardenTending, not forcing — what you are patient with will bloom, on a season not entirely of your choosing.The High Priestess — Madam Moira's painted Silent Bell, a still form surrounded by deep shadow and a faint ring of amber light, as if a sound is about to be bornThe High PriestessII · also called The Silent BellWhat is heard only in stillness — the truth that rings when every other voice has fallen quiet.Strength — Madam Moira's painted Anchor, a heavy dark form held in still amber water, abstract and calmStrengthVIII · also called The AnchorNot the force that overpowers, but the weight that holds when everything above the surface is moving.The Moon — Madam Moira's painted Two Moons, twin pale discs above dark water, one reflected and one real, abstract and dimThe MoonXVIII · also called The Two MoonsTwo lights where there should be one — and no way to know, yet, which of them you have been following.The Star — Madam Moira's painted Open Hand, a pale open palm rising out of shadow beneath a single faint point of lightThe StarXVII · also called The Open HandWhat is given without closing the fingers — hope small enough to be real, and steady enough to last the night.Temperance — Madam Moira's painted Chalice, a luminous cradling vessel of light held in deep oxblood shadowTemperanceXIV · also called The ChaliceWhat pours through you is changed by the vessel — patience is a kind of alchemy.The Hanged Man — Madam Moira's painted Nightbird, pale wings opening like a chevron out of deep burgundy darknessThe Hanged ManXII · also called The NightbirdA knowing that keeps its own hours — sight that only arrives when you stop struggling.Death — Madam Moira's painted Rain, pale falling lines of light drawn through a deep oxblood darkDeathXIII · also called The RainA sorrow that clears more than it darkens — what is let through leaves the ground softer.The Hierophant tarot card — Madam Moira's painted Well, a robed figure kneeling beside a stone well filled with gold light beneath a hanging bucket, on abyssal burgundy darkThe HierophantV · also called The WellThe water was here before you and will be here after — the only question is whether you lower the bucket.The Chariot tarot card — Madam Moira's painted Compass, a hand holding a glowing brass compass above a dark sea of rocks while a tall ship sails into gold lightThe ChariotVII · also called The CompassDirection is not the absence of rocks — it is the willingness to keep the needle honest among them.Judgement tarot card — Madam Moira's painted Owl, a gold-lit barn owl watching from a blossoming branch while a black cat stalks a mouse in the lamplight below, on abyssal burgundyJudgementXX · also called The OwlSomething in you has been watching all along, and it has already reached its verdict.The Tower — Madam Moira's painted Storm card, a single gold lightning bolt splitting a burgundy sky above a small hooded figure on a dark cliffThe TowerXVI · also called The StormAn upheaval that clears more than it destroys — the truth arriving faster than you wanted it.Justice — Madam Moira's painted Mirror card, a gold oval mirror holding a single flame while veiled figures stand watching in burgundy darkJusticeXI · also called The MirrorA truth about yourself you have been glancing away from — the mirror asks you to look.The Emperor — Madam Moira's painted Roots card, a standing figure whose body opens into a vast gold root system beneath and branching light aboveThe EmperorIV · also called RootsWhat quietly holds you up — origins you rarely look at, still feeding what grows.Wheel of Fortune — Madam Moira's painted Hourglass card, a vast glowing hourglass of gold sand with a seated hooded figure watching it fallWheel of FortuneX · also called The HourglassTime itself — what will not be hurried, and what has less of it than you thought.The Devil — Madam Moira's painted Key card, a gold key hanging above a keyhole of blazing light with a small robed figure standing before it in burgundy darkThe DevilXV · also called The KeySomething has been waiting to open — the lock has always been on your side of the door.The Fool — Madam Moira's painted Threshold card, a dark-robed figure standing before a tall doorway of gold light with a pale luminous figure waiting inside itThe Fool0 · also called The ThresholdThe door has been open for some time. What you call hesitation is the crossing already beginning.The Sun — Madam Moira's painted Ember card, a single small flame at the centre of concentric rings of warm light with many shadowed figures kneeling around it, hands open toward the glowThe SunXIX · also called The EmberThe light is smaller than you expected and warmer than you remembered. It is enough to gather around.The World — Madam Moira's painted Veil card, heavy crimson curtains parted on a column of gold light with a crowned figure above and its mirrored, inverted reflection belowThe WorldXXI · also called The VeilThe curtain parts and there is no stranger behind it. Only the whole of what you have been becoming.The Magician — Madam Moira's painted Maker, a working hand over a table of tools in deep burgundy and goldThe MagicianI · also called The MakerEverything required is already on the table; the question is whether you will pick it up.Ace of Wands — Madam Moira's painted Fire & Will, a blade of living gold fire rising through abyssal burgundy dark between two figuresAce of WandsAce · also called Fire & WillThe first heat of a wanting you have not yet admitted is a wanting.Six of Swords — Madam Moira's painted Bridge, a pale span crossing dark water under gold lightSix of SwordsSix · also called The BridgeLeaving is not the same as escaping; some crossings are made slowly, and sad.Eight of Cups — Madam Moira's painted Path, a road half in gold light and half in shadowEight of CupsEight · also called The PathSomething good is not the same as something yours; the road is half lit and still yours.Tides & Cycles — Madam Moira's painted wave, a silver arc of water returning against deep burgundy darkTides & Cycles— · also called Tides & CyclesWhat returns to you in waves — what you have already lived once and are living again in a new key.The Thread — Madam Moira's painted golden strand running through deep burgundy shadow, connecting what seemed separateThe Thread— · also called The ThreadThe thread running through your choices — nothing here is as random as it feels.The Feather — Madam Moira's painted feather drifting through deep burgundy shadow, catching a thin line of amber lightThe Feather— · also called The FeatherWhat wants to lift from you — a weight you have been carrying that is asking, gently, to be set down.The Nest — Madam Moira's painted nest cradled in deep shadow, a small warmth held against the burgundy darkThe Nest— · also called The NestA small kept thing — a warmth you have been guarding, whether you knew you were guarding it or not.The Loom — Madam Moira's painted loom of crossing gold threads emerging from deep burgundy shadowThe Loom— · also called The LoomThe pattern you are weaving without noticing — the same shape returning through different days.The Horizon — Madam Moira's painted far line of amber light dividing deep burgundy dark from a paler distanceThe Horizon— · also called The HorizonWhat is only now coming into view — a shape at the far edge that will grow as you walk toward it.The Flame Keeper — Madam Moira's painted hands cupped around a small steady flame in deep burgundy darknessThe Flame Keeper— · also called The Flame KeeperDevotion — the small faithful act, repeated, that keeps something alive in you no one else sees.Three of Swords — Madam Moira's painted Pierced Heart, three golden blades standing through a deep red heart above a kneeling figureThree of SwordsThree · also called The Pierced HeartThe truth arrived, and it hurt; the hurt is not the enemy — the pretending was.Nine of Swords — Madam Moira's painted Sleepless Room, a figure sitting up in bed by one candle beneath nine hanging golden swordsNine of SwordsNine · also called The Sleepless RoomThe swords are hanging, not falling; the room is dark, and the dark is doing half the work.Ten of Cups — Madam Moira's painted Full Table: many silhouetted figures gathered close around one long table, lit only by a lamp and small candles at its centre, beneath a glowing arched windowTen of CupsTen · also called The Full TablePlenty that only becomes real when it is shared — a table already set, and people already at it.Four of Pentacles — Madam Moira's painted Locked Purse: a hooded figure curled over a heavy purse held tight in both hands, spilled coins on the ground and faint figures standing apart in the darkFour of PentaclesFour · also called The Locked PurseA closed hand around what you have — a fear of losing that costs more than the loss would.Seven of Pentacles — Madam Moira's painted Harvest Hand: a figure leaning on a long tool, head bowed, before a climbing vine hung with golden pentacles in a dark burgundy fieldSeven of PentaclesSeven · also called The Harvest HandA harvest coming due — what you tended quietly is nearly ready, and not ready today.Ace of Pentacles — Madam Moira's painted Seed Coin: a single glowing pentacle half-buried in dark earth with a small green shoot rising beside it, a sower and a standing figure faint in the distanceAce of PentaclesAce · also called The Seed CoinA small thing planted — worth little today, and everything to the season it becomes.Six of Pentacles — Madam Moira's painted Two Hands: one figure reaching down to let glowing coins fall into the open palm of another, six pentacles suspended in the dark between themSix of PentaclesSix · also called The Two HandsOne hand gives, one hand receives — and tonight only you know which is yours.King of Swords — Madam Moira's painted One Who Decides: a crowned figure haloed in faint gold, both hands laid flat on a table holding scales, a blade and a cupKing of SwordsKing · also called The One Who DecidesThe weighing has to end somewhere, and someone has to live with the cut.Queen of Cups — Madam Moira's painted Keeper of the Hearth: a seated woman in deep red robes beside a low fire, a shallow cup held in one hand, candles burning behind herQueen of CupsQueen · also called The Keeper of the HearthWarmth that stays warm because someone tends it on purpose.The Leap — Madam Moira's painted card of beginnings, a figure stepping off a dark edge into warm gold lightThe Leap0 · also called The LeapThe step taken before the ground is proven — faith instead of certainty.The Iron Chair — Madam Moira's painted card of order, a plain straight-backed seat standing empty in warm shadowThe Iron ChairIV · also called The Iron ChairOrder that holds whether or not you sit in it — and a seat that waits to be claimed.The Old Door — Madam Moira's painted card of tradition, a worn wooden door in a dark wall with gold light at its seamsThe Old DoorV · also called The Old DoorWhat was handed to you — and whether you pass through it or only stand where you were told.The Quiet Hand on the Lion — Madam Moira's painted card of gentle courage, a small pale hand resting on a great animal's browThe Quiet Hand on the LionVIII · also called The Quiet Hand on the LionPower that never needed force — the hand laid softly on what others would fight.The Rider — Madam Moira's painted card of movement, a horse and rider crossing dark ground under gold lightThe RiderKnight of Wands · also called The RiderMovement already begun — you are further down the road than you have admitted.The Messenger — Madam Moira's painted card of news, a young figure carrying a message through warm gold shadowThe MessengerPage of Cups · also called The MessengerA message on its way — a first word that will ask something of you when it lands.The Cup Offered — Madam Moira's painted Ace of Cups, a single chalice held out in gold light against deep burgundy shadowAce of CupsAce of Cups · also called The Cup OfferedA cup held out toward you — and the question of whether you will take it.The Cups Pouring — Madam Moira's painted Two of Cups, liquid gold moving between two vessels over dark red groundTwo of CupsTwo of Cups · also called The Cups PouringWhat pours between two vessels — nothing lost, only carried from one shape into another.The First Blade — Madam Moira's painted Ace of Swords, a single upright blade catching gold light in deep shadowAce of SwordsAce of Swords · also called The First BladeA clean cut — a truth that hurts less spoken plainly than kept another season.The Keeper of the Flame — Madam Moira's painted Queen of Wands, a figure guarding a small burning light in cupped handsQueen of WandsQueen of Wands · also called The Keeper of the FlameA flame you have chosen to keep — small, demanding, and yours to feed whether anyone sees it burn.The Golden Child — Madam Moira's painted Six of Cups, a small radiant figure in full daylight gold against warm redSix of CupsSix of Cups · also called The Golden ChildAn unguarded gladness in you — the part that does not need to be hidden to be safe.The Hanged Man — Madam Moira's painted Inverted Tree, a gold-rooted tree hanging crown-down in deep burgundy darkThe Hanged ManXII · also called The Inverted TreeA pause you did not choose — and what only becomes visible once you stop struggling against it.The Devil — Madam Moira's painted Loose Chain, a gold chain hanging open and unlocked against deep burgundy shadowThe DevilXV · also called The Loose ChainA chain that was never locked — a hold you keep by not looking at how loosely it sits.The Moon — Madam Moira's painted Towers and the Dog, a pale road running between two dark towers under a burgundy nightThe MoonXVIII · also called The Towers and the DogThe road that runs between two towers in the dark — much of what frightens you there is only the hour.Judgement — Madam Moira's painted Trumpet Over Water, a gold horn sounding above dark water in deep burgundy lightJudgementXX · also called The Trumpet Over WaterA call sounding over deep water — something in you is being asked to rise and answer for itself.The World — Madam Moira's painted Wreath, a closed gold garland ringing an open centre against deep burgundyThe WorldXXI · also called The WreathA circle closing — an ending that is not a loss, but the shape of a thing finally whole.

✦ More cards are being written down, one candle at a time. ✦