Major Arcana

Resurrection

Ted enters the cave, and is astonished to see the Phoenix, which had been dead and burnt to ashes, rising up in a glorious rebirth.

We need to get a little philosophical here, to explain what is happening. If you have encountered the Tarot before, you will be aware that most traditional decks name this card Judgement, and often contain imagery of the dead being called to the Last Judgement before God, the supreme divine being, to determine their fate in the afterlife. This concept is understood in the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), and is related to the ancient Egyptian narrative of the weighing of the soul upon bodily death. On the other hand, the Dharmic religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism) propose that, after death, the soul is reincarnated in a new body. All these beliefs share the common theme that the final outcome will depend upon the choices and actions of the human being during their earthly life.

When designing this deck, we chose the term Resurrection to encompass the various worldviews. The intention is to bring out the idea that, although the life of the subject is about to undergo a dramatic reshaping on a mental and spiritual level, they are nevertheless basically the same person who is being given a new and different dimension to their ongoing life.

There are similarities to the Death card, which also represents a radical change of circumstances. The main difference is that, while the events portrayed by Death can come as a shock or a surprise, the Resurrection card may indicate the reward for continuous, positively directed, effort. As a result, there may be a justifiable pleasure in a successful outcome.

Divination

Complete change of personal outlook. Rejuvenation, renewal, final accomplishment after long effort. Radical changes to life pattern, usually for the better. Joy in achievement, wonderful things are happening. Spiritual awakening, new spiritual direction.

For experts

• Hebrew letter Shin ש
•  (Mother letter: Element Fire 🜂)
• Tree of Life Binah to Khokmah

You can see these cards at their best in the finished deck of Ted’s Tarot. Buy it here.