Ghost and Spirit
Ghost and Spirit
Ghost and Spirit
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in Italy
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Introduction
I grew up in a small New England town
where 18th century houses stood against a
backdrop of thick, deciduous trees. I played
in those woods and never doubted that they
possessed supernatural energy. I believed in all
manner of spirits and saw faces in the trees and
“little people” hidden in the garden. I believed
that ghosts did in fact roam the streets of my
historic town.
A sensitive child, I picked up on energies
that were part of my surroundings and tran-
scribed my “fantasies” onto paper. It brought
to physical life what my intuition already knew
about the spirit world.
Why are we fascinated with ghosts and
spirits? If they aren’t real, then why do they
persist in our consciousness? Ghost stories and
tales of the supernatural can be found around
the world and many cultures still propitiate
spirits as part of their belief system. The pos-
sibility that somehow our essence continues
even when our bodies do not is a compelling
idea.
Ghost lore has been the subject of fascina-
tion since ancient times. Our attitudes about
how we reconcile life and death, honor the
dead, and prepare for the afterlife are steeped
in tradition. There are cultures that convene
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with the spirit world as a means of assuring
abundance for the living. Many types of ghosts
appear in various guises throughout the world.
They may manifest during different phases of
transition between the land of the living and
the land of the dead.
Ghosts and Spirits Tarot includes ghosts
and spirits from legend and lore. Plucked
from many sources, they represent an array
of ethereal beings found around the world.
Some are "friendly" while others are down-
right terrifying; but all are part of an anthro-
pological landscape and a relevant aspect of
our humanity.
The deck has the standard 22 majors and
56 minor cards. Each card is accompanied
by a brief synopsis along with divinatory
meaning and symbols. The descriptions are
brief summations based on research and my
own particular input. I have also included a
special bonus card for questions that require
deeper reflection. Let the ghosts and spirits
talk to you and help you dissolve the barriers
between conscious constraint and objective
inner reflection. Ghosts and spirits are often
messengers trying to tell us something and
it’s my hope that Ghosts and Spirits Tarot
provides a conduit for further communication
and understanding.
—Lisa Hunt
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Major Arcana
0 • The Fool (Leshy)
Leshy are wood spirits inhabiting the dark
forests of the Baltics. These shape-shifters
can assume many guises and range in tem-
perament from malevolent to mischievous.
They are elusive and difficult to detect, but
can lead the unwary traveler astray with their
ability to mimic sounds. Entering a forest
can be analogous to entering the unknown
terrain of the unconscious. The tangle of
branches indicates the challenges that lay
ahead. The faces in the rocks illustrate the
gamut of emotion and life lessons that await
us. The dog is aware of the supernatural
presence and serves as an intuitive guide for
the carefree individual.
Divinatory meaning: Maintaining a sense
of adventure helps carry you through the chal-
lenges ahead. Preserve a child-like optimism as
you explore new paths, but bear in mind that
anything can happen along the way.
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conscious and unconscious. In essence, the
merging of all layers of consciousness symbol-
izes wholeness and self-awareness. The spirals
indicate the transference of energy from one
form to another. They also reiterate the cyclical
nature of life and afterlife.
Divinatory Meaning: The human psyche
hosts limitless knowledge about the universe
and the omnipresent energies around us. You
can access messages beyond the veils of imme-
diate recognition if you open up channels of
communication with the mysteries that lie just
beyond limited perception.
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11 • Justice (Snow Ghost)
The Japanese Snow Ghost whirls through
snow gusts and appears to mortals as an ethe-
real spirit of the cold. Her icy touch could spell
death for the fatigued traveler. Holding two
spheres denoting balance, Snow Ghost emerges
from the unconscious in the form of one’s con-
science. Her light of virtue and mellifluous flow
of drapery contrasts with the misdeeds that
often originate from a repressed shadow.
Divinatory meaning: Bad karma will
follow a bad conscience and rear its ugly head
when you least expect it. Always bear in mind
that your actions can have a rippling effect. Be
just and fair and think about the impact your
decisions will make on others.
16 • T
he Tower (The Fall of the House
of Usher)
In Edgar Allan Poe’s horror story a sym-
pathetic friend visits Roderick Usher, who is
suffering from a mental disorder. Usher’s twin
sister Madeline wanders about in a trance-like
state. Usher tells his friend that she has died,
so together they place her in a vault. During
a violent storm a crash is heard below, and a
door flies open revealing the ghastly sight of
his bloody sister. She collapses on her panic-
stricken brother, who dies under the weight of
fear. The friend flees and watches as the house
crumbles into a heap. The house is a metaphor
for mental turmoil. Anguished faces can be seen
in the rocks, walls and sky, indicating that all is
not what it may seem. The sudden crash of the
structure destroys illusion and forces change.
Divinatory meaning: Disaster may be head-
ing your way. You will be forced to confront the
sudden changes that will be thrust upon you.
18 • T
he Moon (Aeneus’ Journey to
the Underworld)
A prophetic dream sent Aeneus to the
underworld in search of his father. The journey
is filled with both hope and horror as he bears
witness to the suffering of the punished as well
as the blissful afterlife of the rewarded. He
eventually finds his dead father Anchises who
reveals Aeneus’ fate as founder of Rome. The
underworld is symbolic of the unconscious and
houses both our greatest dreams and biggest
fears. The underground passage displays faces
of both tortured souls and enlightened beings.
We must decipher the messages that will assist
us on our journeys.
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Divinatory Meaning: You are now explor-
ing a path populated by the mysterious. Allow
intuition to be your guide as you confront the
shadows within your own psyche.
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Swords
King of Swords (Headless Horseman)
The Headless Horseman was thought to
have been a Hessian soldier decapitated by
a cannonball. Using his own severed head as
the lethal instrument, the headless horseman
struck a hapless schoolteacher named Ichabod
with a mortal blow to the cranium. Ichabod’s
horse was found, but the body of the school-
teacher was never recovered. The Headless
Horseman crosses the threshold from vaporous
illusion to physical predator. The markings
on his gray steed suggest that evil can reveal
itself at every turn. This spirit is a reminder
that mental agility is paramount as you expose
yourself to new ventures. Don't lose yourself
in daydreams but stay focused on the reality of
the potential perils ahead.
Divinatory Meaning: A powerful masculine
presence may cross your path and shake you
out of complacency. Beyond the veneer of cold
control may be someone who can offer neces-
sary clarity and insight. Use your head!
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penetrating wails. She would appear as either
a beautiful maiden or an ugly old hag. The
Banshee is one with the elements and like the
thunder that warns us of inclement weather
ahead, the Banshee’s cry is a harbinger of the
changes to come. She is the messenger of truth
and helps others prepare for the inevitable.
Divinatory Meaning: A strong female
influence may provide a needed wake up call.
She is an effective communicator who will
deliver the truth.
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grew tired of her and fell in love with another.
Despite the rejection, Mrs. Wessington
continued to hound him until she died. Mrs.
Wessington’s ghost appeared to him from
the seat of her rickshaw still asserting that it
was a “hideous mistake”. She was invisible to
everyone but Jack, who had now fallen into
fits of hysterics. His doctor was baffled and
his new love took flight due to Jack’s perceived
madness. He then lay on his deathbed, ravaged
by loss and tortured by the thoughts of the
ghost waiting for him.
The image is drained of color, reflecting the
moribund sentiments of the broken heart. The
three swords are angled, suggesting tension and
pain. The kerchief symbolizes broken promises.
Divinatory meaning: Look out for signs
of trouble and prepare yourself for heartache
and rejection. You may experience separation
anxiety and a sense of isolation.
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Nine of Swords (La Llorona)
In the “weeping woman” Mexican ghost
tale, La Llorona was once a happy woman
who had won the affections of a wealthy man
and had a family with him. But when he
abandoned her for another, she fell into a fit
of madness and drowned her own children.
Having realized her terrible mistake, her
inconsolable grief leads her to the riverbanks
where she died. Her mournful spirit continues
to cry for her lost children. Some fear that
she is capable of drowning those who wander
too close to riverbanks. The swords surround-
ing La Llorona are symbols of lingering pain
and grief. The frenetic designs of her drab
dress symbolize the fragmented soul. Like the
water-saturated garments, you feel weighed
down by a heavy heart.
Divinatory Meaning: You’re absorbing the
despair that is lingering in a stagnant pool of
hopelessness.
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Cups
King of Cups (Ghost of Hamlet)
In Shakespeare’s play, the ghost of King
Hamlet foreshadowed further tragedy as the
truth of his murder was revealed. During one
manifestation, he disclosed the skulldug-
gery of his ruthless brother Claudius and
instructed his son to avenge his death. But he
also warned him not to censure his mother
Gertrude who had impulsively and naively
married the blackguard. Instead, he instructed
Hamlet to leave her punishment to God.
Hamlet calmly holds his hands together,
symbolizing compassion. The bluish cast
connotes peace and equilibrium. The jagged
cracks in the floor reveal deceit, but the
ghost’s light ensures justice.
Divinatory Meaning: A fatherly figure
provides some insight into feelings you may be
harboring, perhaps a sign of a guilty conscience.
He reminds you to exercise compassion.
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put forth by his malevolent stepmother.
Groa agreed to help and chants nine charms,
each providing protection from the dangers
ahead. With the assistance of his dead
mother, Svipdag prevails and wins Mengloth
as his bride. Groa levitates with the full glow
of maternal power. Her cup is oversized and
close to her heart, symbolic of her copious
love and maternal devotion.
Divinatory Meaning: A loving, protec-
tive female presence will help you to connect
with your intuitive feelings. She may also
assist you in eliminating obstacles that may
be hampering you.
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Pentacles
King of Pentacles (Ankou)
The squeaky wheels of Ankou’s horse-drawn
death cart sparked fear in the hearts of the living.
Wearing a black cloak, the appearance of the tall
skeletal figure meant certain death. Like other
psychopomps, Ankou took souls from the world
of the living and carted them to the Land of the
Dead. Entwined in the roots of the unconscious,
Ankou is always there to remind us that all
things are temporary and must eventually expire.
Within the roots are the mysteries of the collec-
tive past, which hold the key to understanding
our brief time on the mortal plane.
Divinatory Meaning: Someone may enter
your life who can offer you comfort and stabil-
ity as you experience a possible transition.
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and rest before the return of lush greenery.
The golden/earthy hues impart a feeling
of warmth despite the snow. The spirit’s
elderly appearance displays her wisdom and
experience. The three withered sunflowers
exemplify the necessity of cyclical changes:
birth, death and rebirth.
Divinatory Meaning: With a pragmatic
mindset, prosperity will reveal itself in a
multitude of ways. Seek the advice of someone
who is a good money manager. Make plans for
the future.
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4
Joys
5 1 2
Fears
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