Copyright 2006 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

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U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC.

179 Ludlow Street, Stamford, CT 06902 USA
203-353-8400 Order Desk 800-544-2637 FAX 203-353-8431

www.usgamesinc.com

Introduction

anessa Tarot has taken its inspiration from

several areas of contemporary pop culture
including female role models from the small
and large screens of television and cinema,
life-like fashion dolls, and heroines from comic books. In the same way that dolls encourage
imaginative role-playing, Vanessa Tarot provides scenarios for examining our fantasies,
fears, decisions, desires, and choices. The sassy
but sage characters of Vanessa Tarot playfully
reinterpret female roles, occupations, and
social stereotypes from the housewife to the
witch, and the princess to the scientist. With
humor, glamour, and an attitude of adventure,
this charming deck invites readers to explore
life through the fanciful imagery of tarot.

~3~

Major Arcana
0 ~ THE FOOL: this enlightened lady is ready
to take risks. She packs her things, leaves certainty by the side of the road, and hitchhikes
for a new adventure.
Meaning: beginnings, potential, the start of
a journey, taking risks, release of pretensions,
following instincts. Reversed: recklessness,
lack of caution, inactivity.
I ~ THE MAGICIAN: an enchanting chick
makes creative use of her practical magic.
Meaning: expressing creative energy, commencement of an endeavor, actions with
confidence, willpower, ability to affect actual changes. Reversed: inaction, indolence,
blocked energies, movement towards less positive views.
II ~ THE HIGH PRIESTESS: an exotic woman reflects on the mysteries of the desert night.
Meaning: the subconscious, hidden truths,
secrets, inner reflection, solitude, intuition.
Reversed: movement from withdrawal to interaction, sharing of secrets, ideals turned into
~4~

praxis, refusal to heed to intuition.

III ~ THE EMPRESS: a sensual woman luxuriates in the abundance about her.
Meaning: fertility, abundance, passion,
nurturing, a mother figure. Reversed: low
productivity, dispassionate action.
IV ~ THE EMPEROR: a powerful leader
delivers a potent speech to her subjects.
Meaning: rules, laws, stern action, forcefulness, structures, authority, strong will.
Reversed: compassion, but also indecision,
lack of willpower, vacillation.
V ~ THE HIEROPHANT: a Sunday school
teacher points the way to piety.
Meaning: culture, tradition, spiritual knowledge, teachings, orthodoxy, traditionalism,
conforming to norms. Reversed: unorthodoxy,
refusal to let society set rules, also gullibility.
VI ~ THE LOVERS: a happy couple emerges
from their wedding ceremony.
Meaning: relationships (not necessarily
romantic), fulfillment, commitment, trust.
Reversed: something amiss in relationships,
~5~

jealousy, distrust, resentment, or inability

to connect with a partner.
VII ~ THE CHARIOT: a determined woman
drives toward victory.
Meaning: success, self-confidence, triumph,
strong-willed, decisive, pursuit of ambitions,
goal-oriented. Reversed: weak, indecision, easily persuaded, delayed successes.
VIII ~ STRENGTH: an adventuress explores
the nature of strength.
Meaning: inner-strength, means other than
physical force to achieve goal, courage, resilience.
Reversed: emotional weakness, self-doubt.
IX ~ THE HERMIT: a contemplative lady seeks
answers in the solitude of the night.
Meaning: knowledge acquired from isolation and self-reflection, temporary withdrawal
from social circles, self-pursuit of endeavors,
also insights gained from maturity. Reversed:
ending isolation, resuming contacts with the
world, also childishness.
X ~ THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE: a glamorous
showgirl presents the ups and downs of fate.
~6~

Meaning: circumstances and factors beyond

ones control, events happening despite logical
expectations, the turn of a wheel, changes from
one state to another. Reversed: stagnating situations, inflexibility regarding changes, things
getting out of hand.
XI ~ JUSTICE: a clear-sighted judge renders
her verdict.
Meaning: a just decision (not necessarily
in ones favor), a call for fairness and honesty,
impartiality. Reversed: bias, injustice with the
querent as either a perpetrator or a recipient,
inequality.
XII ~ THE HANGED MAN: an apple picker
takes a break and tries to see the world from a
new perspective.
Meaning: reversal of outlook, changes in
attitudes, paradigm shifts, also insights gained
from new activities. Reversed: conformity,
easily swayed by external influences.
XIII ~ DEATH: an intrepid young woman
reminds us of lifes ultimate possibility.
Meaning: changes, the (symbolic) death of
~7~

something lead to birth of other experiences,

transitions. Reversed: something blocking
or resisting the imminent change, inactivity,
lassitude.
XIV ~ TEMPERANCE: a bar babe concocts
the ideal mix.
Meaning: self-control, mind and emotions
balancing each other, moderation, calmness in
dealing with issues, choosing the middle way
between two extremes. Reversed: extreme action, overreacting, lack of self-control.
XV ~ THE DEVIL: an enthralling temptress
holds her lover in bondage.
Meaning: bondage and oppression, sexual
tension or repression, a situation where one
cannot move about freely. Reversed: emancipation, recognizing and turning back from
ones self-made bound, or leaving an oppressive situation.
XVI ~ THE TOWER: kitty tumbles off the
tower of her pride.
Meaning: upheaval, fall from pride or certainty, devastation, breaking of foundations,
~8~

chaos, but may also reveal something unexpected from the breakage. Reversed: delaying
the inevitable, hopeless preservation at the face
of destruction, prolonged turmoil.
XVII ~ THE STAR: a young starlet dips into
the waters of hope during the dark night.
Meaning: hope, the promise of renewal,
brightness, suggests a more positive outlook
on things, serenity. Reversed: doubts, leaning
to feelings of fruitlessness, clouded and troubled thoughts.
XVIII ~ THE MOON: a modern lady is ready
to consume ancient mysteries.
Meaning: intuition, dreams, illusions
seemingly real, the unknown, the mysterious, a strong influx of emotions, events and
factors beyond ones sights. Reversed: opposing intuition, emotional breakdown, possible
alcoholism.
XIX ~ THE SUN: a free-spirited young girl
joyfully greets the dawn.
Meaning: success, joy, discovery, clarity, a
deepening or grounding of relationships, op~9~

timism. Reversed: doubt, uncertainty, satiety,

lack of immersion.
XX ~ JUDGMENT: a woman is awakened by
the angel of opportunity.
Meaning: awakening, acceptance, facing
inevitable situations, change, awareness of
change in ones life, transformation. Reverse:
refusal to accept changes, procrastination,
vacillation.
XXI ~ THE UNIVERSE: a young beauty
beams with well-deserved pride.
Meaning: fulfillment in many aspects of ones
life, a time to celebrate ones achievements, culmination, also the start of yet another journey.
Reversed: inactivity, lack of drive to achieve
ones goals.

~10~

The Minor Arcana

ACES
Four spirits representing their elements, signifying the fullness of their suits, as well as
beginnings and opportunities one can either
take or just leave untouched.
WANDS: creation, activity, start of financially rewarding projects and ventures,
enthusiasm, energy. Reversed: languidness,
lack of control with ones energies or creative
inf luences.
CUPS: love, start of an emotionally fulfilling relationship, joy, happiness. Reversed:
unfulfilled emotional needs, false emotions,
distorted perceptions.
SWORDS: clarity of thought, triumph, force,
potential campaigns for personal victory, but
also responsibility and seriousness. Reversed:
anger, aggression, misinterpreted threats.
COINS: a pursuit for a meaningful life, rich
but not worldly, contentment. Reversed: financial difficulties, greed.
~11~

TWOS
From immersion to actual practice, a continuation of things started. A lady in contemplation, a meeting, and two balancing acts are
represented in the cards.
WANDS: contemplation of a current situation may lead to discovery, also a turning
away from the physical world into other levels of abstraction, in this case represented by
chemistry. Reversed: giving up present venture
for another endeavor, revelation as opposed to
discovery.
CUPS: friendship, delight in another, love,
the deepening or affirmation of a relationship.
Reversed: doubts between people, infatuation.
SWORDS: a precarious balance, shutting out
the external world to concentrate. Reversed: loss
of balance, which may lead to undesirable affairs.
COINS: carefree juggling of consequential
affairs, keeping projects and activities in motion, general enjoyment in living life. Reversed:
frustration, exhaustion from multitasking, lack
of drive to continue current endeavors.
~12~

THREES
From the continuation aspect of the Twos, the
Threes offer an end to a cycle, which yields
products. The cards show a lady in expectation, three women in a party, a stricken girl,
and a seamstress at her craft.
WANDS: a pregnant anticipation, seeing
rewards from past efforts coming into the horizon, bringing a more stable current outlook.
Reversed: loss of confidence about a project
or outcome, a looming sense of uncertainty,
and also indicates a time to seek help from
other people.
CUPS: rejoicing over ties with companions, emotional teamwork, give and take of
help and support, love and concern in the
company of friends. Reversed: disappointment in people close to you, mistrust, withdrawal from personal circles.
SWORDS: loss, sorrow, but also acceptance at the face of emotional decrepitude.
Reversed: avoidance or unwillingness to confront sad emotions, denial.
~13~

COINS: idealization of ones efforts onto a

more spiritual level, not only doing ones best,
but finding fulfillment in ones accomplishment. Reversed: distraction, mediocrity, lack
of drive for ones craftthis may involve ones
occupation or current preoccupation.

FOURS
Structure and composition, and sense of order
permeate the Fours. The cards depict women
in contexts of harvest time, a coffee shop contemplation, winter convalescence, and being
surrounded with ones material wealth.
WANDS: merriment, reaping the rewards
from past collaborations, agreement and unity
between ones relations and other social circles,
Reversed: similar interpretations, though on a
more superficial level.
CUPS: contemplation or even indifference
to something being offered, idleness from too
much pondering. Reversed: awakened from
meditation into action.
SWORDS: a retreat from both temporal
~14~

and intellectual activity, isolation and a time

of aloneness, healing. Reversed: reemergence
into the world, strength and vigor for the world
is regained.
COINS: worldliness, assurance gained from
ones reliance on structures involving the
material components such as work or weath,
finding comfort in material possessions, may
even indicate greed and a unwillingness for
sharing ones abundance. Reversed: sharing,
seeking contentment outside material circles,
but also financial uncertainty and instability
with its consequences.

FIVES
Facing actual events in life (not just idealized
themes), involves harsh realities such as competition, pessimism, disappointment, defeat,
and destitution.
WANDS: friendly and healthy competition,
sportsmanship, cooperative attitude towards
group efforts and tasks to foster team spirit and
enhance input, creativity, energy and progress.
~15~

Reversed: competition becomes more harsh

and cruel, and the friendly rivalry turns into
doubt and jealousy.
CUPS: lossbut not to the extent that
everything else is spent, so there is hope for
some form of restoration, some things are lost
but one refuses to consider what remains, pessimism and looking at lifes challenges negatively. Reversed: recovery from sorrow, optimism introduced again into ones life.
SWORDS: being disgraced, being put to
shame, defeat, despair. Reversed: defeat occurs
but the focus is redirected toward more positive and constructive channels.
COINS: destitution, misery, loss of property,
suffering, and anxiety from thoughts of reduced
finances. Reversed: widening ones horizons and
considering the suffering of other people to put
ones privileged life into perspective.

SIXES
The Sixes introduce a new form of abundance
that manifests itself in both positive and
~16~

negative aspects.
WANDS: victory, confidence from external
motivations, receiving affirmation and praise
for ones efforts. Reversed: doubt, uncertainty
in ones abilities, unrecognized victories.
CUPS: happiness and delight in the simple
things in life, nostalgia, finding joy in remembering and rediscovering ones childhood and
youth. Reversed: stagnation with past achievements and happy memories, but may also mean
a shift into a more future-oriented outlook.
SWORDS: travel, journey, but on a more
solemn and severe manner, discovering the
world but with a slightly stern perspectiveas
if being restricted in some form while on such
a voyage. Reversed: a more carefree, less-restricted state in discovering things.
COINS: charity, someone influential entering the picture to give aid, but may also
hint at superficiality or insincerity on the part
of the giver. Reversed: too much pride to ask
for help even during trying times, no visible
avenues for potential assistance in the immediate future.
~17~

SEVENS
The Sevens hint at lifes realities, but also offer
situations which could lead to victory: being
aggrieved may turn to triumph, dreams may
translate into reality, finding victory in stunts,
and the possibility of harvest.
WANDS: the friendly competition of
the Fives becomes more serious, being
besieged but holding aggression back by
also using aggression, temporary victories
achieved at great cost. Reversed: loss of nerve
during tense situations, being snowed under
by problems.
CUPS: imagination, dreams conjure up
various possibilities. Some may become reality if you consider the feasibility. Caught up in
building castles in the air. Reversed: making
choices, rendering dreams into actuality.
SWORDS: theft, subterfuge, finding pleasure in cheap thrills, recklessness, some level of
immaturity. Reversed: caution, restraint.
COINS: resting after completing hard work,
waiting for remuneration from ones efforts,
~18~

taking a break with the assurance that the work

one has done will still continue to progress.
Reversed: stress, dissatisfaction with what one
has accomplished, seeing failure.

EIGHTS
The Eights relate to activities leading to fulfillment of ones objectives. In this deck, they
involve flying broomsticks, a nighttime journey, a knife-throwing act, and metalworking.
WANDS: moving towards goals, optimistic
and promising prospects for a particular project, directing movement towards particular
targets. Reversed: delay, lethargy, sloth, the
energy to move towards goals is dissolved.
CUPS: leaving certain goals behind to pursue
others, realization that some things have to end
in order to begin different journeys, hints of uncertainty involved in pursuing a new endeavor.
Reversed: vacillation, or at least hinting that its
not yet time to leave a particular situation.
SWORDS: mental state of helplessness,
believing in self-created hindrances, building
~19~

imaginary hurdles or at least overestimating

their impact. Reversed: practicality in dealing
with tight situations, taking action instead of
being held back by fears.
COINS: pleasure in work, repetition of tasks
in order to perfect skills. Reversed: impatience
and haphazard work.

NINES
Nines deal with matters primarily at the core
of each suit, and form the final stages to complete before the conclusion of the Tens. The
cards show a woman keeping wands at bay, one
content with her cups, a woman waking up to a
backdrop of swords, and a lady luxuriating in a
garden with coins.
WANDS: dominance, enforced order, having
ones way with plans but sacrificing a lot in the
process, being weary and exhausted from the
demands of such an ordeal. Reversed: the querent may finally give in to all the pressures that
have been kept at bay, the attitude or outward
appearance that things are not overwhelming.
~20~

CUPS: happiness, feeling of satiation, pleasure

and satisfaction, good times. Reversed: to seek
contentment beyond the superficial pleasures, to
yearn for deeper significance in ones relations.
SWORDS: agony and sorrow, waking up
from a bad dream to find the malice still very
real, dwelling on the harshness that has occurred. Reversed: to find healing from and
movement beyond grief, an attitude of positive
change in the face of anguish.
COINS: satisfaction and contentment in
ones material possessions and what one has
achieved in life, remaining unaware that possessions and achievements have less value when
experienced alone and unshared. Reversed:
disorderly attitude towards achieving goals,
especially relating to property and wealth.

TENS
Events and endeavors end to make way for new
beginnings. How things end, however, may not
always be pleasing. One might feel overburdened by finances or personal responsibilities.
~21~

WANDS: being oppressed by an excessive

workload, a sense of acceptance and resignation in taking on all ones problems, continued
difficulties, responsibilities not growing any
lighter. Reversed: emotional exhaustion, seeking out a way to ease ones burdens.
CUPS: a celebration of family, contentment
in the relationships one has established and
nurtured through the years, finding joy in the
home. Reversed: lack of recognition or appreciation for ones family, superficiality.
SWORDS: being subject to cruelty, feeling
demoralized and broken, experiencing complete lack of mercy from the hand of another,
the anticipated turmoil has finally arrived.
Reversed: a shifting of paradigms in dealing with problems, more caution in treading
through a trying time.
COINS: property, inheritance, financial
security, wealth, but also having too much
to fully appreciate the abundance. Reversed:
attaching deeper meaning may jeopardize
financial security.
~22~

PAGES
The vitality, rawness, and potential of youth are
portrayed in the four Pages, drawn as an enthusiastic adventurer, a wistful dreamer, a valiant
would-be hero, and a curious young discoverer.
WANDS: eagerness and fervor to try new
pursuits, a certain playfulness and fearlessness
in facing new adventures. Reversed: stagnation
from indecision, possibly being forced by peer
pressure to conform.
CUPS: being dreamy and wistful, finding
delight in ones reveries, one who oftentimes
is found happily daydreaming. Reversed:
inaction, being stuck in castles in the air
when the situation calls for action. It could
mean another extremeimpulsiveness.
SWORDS: vigilance and boldness, courage
rooted in ones purity and innocence. Reversed:
a heart almost always disquieted, loss of drive.
COINS: curiosity and inquisitiveness, valor
on another levelin discovering the world and
being engrossed by it. Reversed: being unfocused or sidetracked, regimentation.
~23~

KNIGHTS
The Knights relate to that part of development
involving the transition from youth to adult,
coming of age, passage, thrills and adventures,
messages of love, bravery and nerve, practicality and responsibility.
WANDS: being full of optimism, courage,
travel, new experiences, conquering ones fears,
one who surmounts every obstacle thrown in
his or her direction. Reversed: setbacks temporarily delay ones pursuitsbut not for long.
CUPS: relationships in transition, anticipating or being enamored by the prospect of
love, perhaps also failing to take loves risks.
Reversed: entering easily into relationships, a
certain rashness, but also moving away from
dreaminess into action.
SWORDS: courage to pass through and
withstand uncertainty, confidence, a steadfast
and uncompromising attitude towards ones
goals. Reversed: imprudence, being obstinate,
stubborn, and maybe even resorting to violence to achieve goals.
~24~

COINS: level-headedness, having a helpful

and practical attitude, dependability, and one
who has no problems accepting responsibility.
Reversed: accepting responsibility begrudgingly, finding ones life too ordered and boring,
thus a desire to escape from it.

QUEENS
The feminine qualities of the Queen, represented by womanhood, can always be found in our
lives. The cards show a lady poised and self-assured, a starry-eyed lover with an amorous gaze, a
widow in her thoughts, and a woman at ease
with her wealth.
WANDS: one who is confident and assertive, possible career movement, a vigorous and
energetic lady, one who draws on, and at times
overwhelms with her sexuality. Reversed:
hints of a gentler approach with people
suggestive rather than assertive, but also may
mean abandoning certain endeavors (especially
work-related ones) because of weariness.
CUPS: romantic and passionate, caring and
~25~

sensual, intuitiveness, emotional maturity or

people who embody emotional maturity, being
at ease with ones feelings. Reversed: passion
turns into impracticality, sensuality becomes
disloyalty.
SWORDS: honesty and clarity, yet also sorrow, possibly widowhood, and one who stands
strong and firm in the face of powerful emotions. Reversed: the clarity of mind turns to
negativity in the form of being calculating and
scheming.
COINS: wealth not only in material things,
but also in cultivated relationships and experiences over the years, practicality, yet also being
comfortable with wealth, enjoying prosperity but also sharing it with others. Reversed:
aloofness, becoming removed from relations
to basic aspects of life, on physical or relational
levels, perhaps to the point of haughtiness.

KINGS
As the last card in each suit, the Kings embody
maturity and realization of ideals. The Kings
exhibit confidence in career, ability to deal
~26~

with creative and emotional challenges, ease in

governing and making judgments, and knowledge in the realms of business and finance.
WANDS: one who is confident, very attractive and even charismatic, but also opinionated
and insistent of ones views, someone who is at
ease with attention and even thrives on fame.
Reversed: the opinionated mind becomes more
tolerant of other views, taking on a broader
outlook, self-awareness turns into empathy
and compassion.
CUPS: the creative mind, one who lives out
his or her dreams, assured of ones talent and is
at ease with it, but at times can be emotionally
overwhelmed. Reversed: emotional restraint to
the point of it being unconstructive, one who
wastes away dreaming but does not bother to
turn ideas into reality.
SWORDS: strong-willed, firm in judgment,
also just and fair, intellectual brilliance, but at
times too idealistic, and may seem cold and unfeeling. Reversed: the fairness in ruling becomes
dominance and tyranny, but also may mean a loss
of confidence and inability to govern and lead.
~27~

COINS: like the Queen, one who enjoys

wealthfrom the simple things to the fruits of
ones labor, practicality but not extreme shrewdness, being comfortable and learned in business.
Reversed: being critical of ones achievements,
possibly some form of financial losses.

Reading the Cards

GAZING INTO THE MIRROR
A great way to enjoy Vanessa Tarot is one card
at a time. Each morning, as youre getting
ready for your day, close your eyes and select
one card from the shuffled deck. As you reflect
on the image, consider what it reveals about
yourself or a current situation. If you dont
quite see yourself in this scenario, perhaps this
lady reminds you of someone you know. What
do your thoughts and attitudes tell you about
the relationship?
THE TRIANGLE
Vanessa Tarot can be a girls best friend when
~28~

you have problems to solve or decisions to

make. A simple but popular spread uses three
cards to look at issues from three anglesthe
past, present, and future. After shuffling the
deck, select three cards and lay them face up
in a triangle as shown. First, consider what the
top card might indicate about your present
situation. Next, looking at the card on the bottom left, try to remember any past experiences
that may be influencing you. The last card, on
the bottom right, should help you bring future
outcomes into clearer focus.

~29~

Notes

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Notes

Notes

Notes

Notes

For our complete line of tarot decks, books,

meditation cards, oracle sets, and other
inspirational products please visit our website:
www.usgamesinc.com

U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC.

179 Ludlow Street, Stamford, CT 06902 USA
Phone 203-353-8400 Order Desk 800-544-2637
FAX 203-353-8431