The deck

Seventy-eight cards, one page each

How each card tends to speak in a written tarot medium sitting. Not a fortune engine. Not a mosaic of occult pictures. A guide you can read in daylight, then place one honest question with Mama Maria.

Major arcana

The twenty-two

Structure of a life, not a costume. From the Fool’s first step to the World’s closed circuit.

Minor arcana

Wands

Heat, work, initiative. What wants a task.

AceAce of Wands TwoTwo of Wands ThreeThree of Wands FourFour of Wands FiveFive of Wands SixSix of Wands SevenSeven of Wands EightEight of Wands NineNine of Wands TenTen of Wands PagePage of Wands KnightKnight of Wands QueenQueen of Wands KingKing of Wands

Minor arcana

Cups

Bonds, feeling, appetite of the heart.

AceAce of Cups TwoTwo of Cups ThreeThree of Cups FourFour of Cups FiveFive of Cups SixSix of Cups SevenSeven of Cups EightEight of Cups NineNine of Cups TenTen of Cups PagePage of Cups KnightKnight of Cups QueenQueen of Cups KingKing of Cups

Minor arcana

Swords

Mind, conflict, the cost of a true sentence.

AceAce of Swords TwoTwo of Swords ThreeThree of Swords FourFour of Swords FiveFive of Swords SixSix of Swords SevenSeven of Swords EightEight of Swords NineNine of Swords TenTen of Swords PagePage of Swords KnightKnight of Swords QueenQueen of Swords KingKing of Swords

Minor arcana

Pentacles

Means, craft, the body of a life.

AceAce of Pentacles TwoTwo of Pentacles ThreeThree of Pentacles FourFour of Pentacles FiveFive of Pentacles SixSix of Pentacles SevenSeven of Pentacles EightEight of Pentacles NineNine of Pentacles TenTen of Pentacles PagePage of Pentacles KnightKnight of Pentacles QueenQueen of Pentacles KingKing of Pentacles

The twenty-two

Wands

Cups

Swords

Pentacles

A card is a sentence. The letter is the sitting.