Denizens of Earth Guide
When I first set out to create a tarot deck, I had no overarching theme in mind. My original vision for the deck was actually far more macabre and dark than it turned out. As I moved through the cards, the symbolism, and themes that I loved were far more gentle, and based around nature, plants and animals. I was halfway through the deck when the idea of "denizens of earth" came to me.
Denizen: an inhabitant or occupant of a specific place.
The minor arcana are represented by animals and plants, and the major arcana are represented by a mixture of animal headed, plant headed human figures and symbolic imagery. It wasn't until I completed the deck that I realized that I hadn't included any fungi, or reptiles or amphibians. It's not a flawless representation of life on planet earth, but I love viewing tarot from the perspective of all life, not just human ones. Below are the meanings for each card as well as anecdotes about creating them and what their symbols are.
Denizens of Earth Major Arcana
zero. the fool
This was the first card I created for the Denizens deck, and it's still one of my favorites. The fool represents innocence, the beginning of a journey. My little fawn is curled up in the grass, full of potential. Behind them is the geometric figure "the flower of life". Seen in many ancient culture’s art and sculptures, it is supposed to represent the seven days of creation. It also mimics the process of mitosis and the creation of life.
one. the magician
The magician represents manifestation, turning ideas into action, and inspired use of resources. There are a lot of human bodied, animal headed gods and mythological creatures in ancient cultures. I liked the contrast between acknowledgment that the major arcana depict human constructs for emotions and natural processes that are far more animalistic in nature. The falcon is purposeful, and decisive.
two. the high priestess
The high priestess is connected to intuition, the subconscious and her own instinctive knowledge. Her orchid head represents her existence in her own mind ruling her action. She balances the moon representing intuition and a geometric figure representing intrinsic knowledge. This card took a few iterations for me. The first version of her head was an iris, but I liked the connection to p. amabilis, the moon or moth orchid.
three. the empress
While both the magician and the high priestess are traditionally represented by a male magician and female priestess their roles are more about feminine or masculine energy. The empress and the emperor are the physical form. The empress is the female body, life giving, nurturing, a vessel. No matter if you chose to have children or not, having a female body will define aspects of your life. Her belly is ringed with the seed of life, precursor to the flower of life.
four. the emperor
Partner to the empress, the emperor is the male form. For my emperor I chose to represent him as an androgynous figure. He has the head of a lioness and a body which could be seen as male or female. The emperor represents discipline, authority, and social organization. His sacred geometric figure shows a sphere held in the confines of a triangle, illustrating control.
five. hierophant
A hierophant is a person, who interprets sacred mysteries or esoteric principles. In Pagan and Wiccan traditions, deer takes on numerous aspects of God during the harvest season. My hierophant appears before the seeker as a guide to the mysteries they are attempting to unravel. He sits in his own bubble, apart from the world, although still connected to it.
six. the lovers
The lovers card has been an often misrepresented one. Although it can mean a romantic or sexual relationship, it can also mean a connection to another human being. To illustrate that, my "lovers" are two genderless hands reaching for each other in the void. Behind them is a simple Metatron's Cube, which symbolizes the journey of energy throughout the universe, and balance within the universe.
seven. the chariot
The chariot means movement, forward momentum, action. My chariot is simply feet, walking with purpose, their legs turn into branching trees above them. Although action can be viewed as its own event, it's the fruits of that activity you look towards. It's not just the movement, it's what you hope to accomplish with your momentum.
eight. strength
This card was again one of the first I created and had to be reworked later to help it better fit with the remainder of the deck. Originally the little daffodil headed figure was wearing a dress, but as my deck moved toward unclothed ambiguous bodies, I changed that. They hold open the mouth of a much larger tiger, showing that strength does not have to come from a position of dominance or loudness, it can also be quiet and gentle.
nine. the hermit
Originally the deer headed elder depicted on card five was the hermit, but it didn't really fit. After reflecting, the hermit to me is more about withdrawing into oneself. Introspection and self-care are the best ways to get back in tune with your own desires, goals, and needs. I represented this simply as a brain, floating in space guided by the light and intuition of the universe. The hermit is about finding your way internally.
ten. the wheel
The wheel is intended to represent the cycle of life, the rotation of the seasons, the rise and fall of the sun, the moon, and the tides. It shows us that we are all connected to the same journey. The planets are inscribed on a human hand, showing that we are bound to the cycle, but that we also have agency over our role in that cycle. We can't stop the moonrise, but we can choose what we do during it.
eleven. justice
Justice and card twenty judgement are very closely related. Justice is earthly, human laws, mankind's version or attempt at truth. It's represented by a human figure with a wild rose head, wielding a sword. Human labels, laws, societal truth have their place in our lives. It is not a final or absolute truth though. Hopefully it is guided by a righteous north star, and serves to bring balance to a community.
twelve. the hanged man
This design was one that came easily, I created it in one sitting, and never altered it. Even when I went to add color, I loved the first version I came up with! A monarch butterfly stands on its chrysalis, free of it, but not yet ready to fly. The hanged man is change, not necessarily the decision to change, but that moment between the decision and action. The hanged man is breaking free, seeing the world or your life from a new perspective and being on the cusp of a change.
thirteen. death
Death is always a fascinating card to me, I look for it first when browsing new tarot decks. The way that an artist chooses to represent death is very telling about their own perspective of mortality. Sometimes it's a frightening specter, sometimes merely a peaceful grave. My design shows a serene skeleton, at peace, with pansies growing all around. Death can represent mortal death, but also the end of something, the closing of a chapter or season.
fourteen. temperance
Temperance means balance, finding equilibrium in all matters. My temperance card shows the brain and heart halved together. So often imbalance comes from a disconnect between desire and logic. You can know objectively that a behavior, a vice, a person in your life isn't healthy, but your heart can continue coming back to it. The seed of life is split on either side, representing the need for balance to have a whole being.
fifteen. the devil
The devil card is so misunderstood, especially in the Judeo-Christian tradition that symbolizes the devil as an evil entity leading you astray. The devil is hedonism, your base instinct, it is unbridled desire. The devil is your alter ego, open and confident in what you want. My devil design is a feminine figure poised for action, led by her open poppy head and guided by the pentagram star above her.
sixteen. the tower
The tower represents a sudden change, great upheaval. My design shows a figure, their head turned one way, the body another, chest torn open, guided by another Metatron's Cube. The tower isn't necessarily a calamity or disaster, it's a sudden and unsolicited change. Although big moments like this are startling, they can provide the opportunity for awakenings that we would otherwise not have received. I wanted my hare headed figure to show that although they are in turmoil they are reflecting, and choosing how to take this change.
seventeen. the star
The star is hope, light, purpose, belief that you have a place in the universe. The star's sacred geometric shape is rounded all the way out as to make a circle, representing the wholeness of finding your place in the universe. The star can also represent spirituality, whatever your beliefs might be, the star is your understanding of your role in the ethereal world.
eighteen. the moon
The moon is intuitive, as explored in the high priestess card. The moon can also represent repressed desires, illusion or anxiety. The moon only shines because of the light of the sun, it is a reflection and a reversal of that light. The moon in my deck is accompanied by a hawk moth, a nocturnal creature and also drawn to the light.
nineteen. the sun
The sun is a difficult thing to illustrate in a minimalist black and white style. It doesn't have a form exactly, it's light, a ball of energy burning in the sky. So I chose to represent it with a sunflower, all that light turned into life, and mimicking the shape of the sun. This card represents warmth, success, positivity, the purest form of happiness.
twenty. judgement
The counterpart to justice, judgement is universal truth. It is karma, the laws of the universe, not of man. In ancient Egypt it was believed that after your death, the god Osiris weighed your heart against a feather, if it was lighter you were led to the afterlife. If it was heavier however, it was thrown to the ground and devoured. There was no hell for the Egyptians, just non-existence. Even if earthly justice deems you righteous, the weight of your own guilty conscience can be a far more serious judgement.
twenty one. the world
The world card is the last of the major arcana and represents... well the world. It means completeness, accomplishment, being whole. For this card I chose a simple depiction of Earth. In staying with the motif of the deck, our world is our planet Earth and completeness is living in harmony with all the denizens of it.