Astral Tarot

Astral Tarot - astrology and anthropomorphic animals within RWS

Some tarot decks add astrological symbols to existing imagery. This deck takes another route: it replaces the court cards and pips with animals, and lets the astrological structure sound through in backgrounds and attributes.

Federica Casagrande draws the images, Malapuella writes the astrological interpretation. The system follows the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, which means the numbering, order and basic meanings remain recognizable. What changes is the imagery: where you would normally see human figures, here you find animals representing the elements.

How the animals are divided

Each element is assigned an animal group. Wands show lizards and amphibians, Cups sea creatures, Swords birds, Pentacles mammals from primarily Africa. The Major Arcana retain human figures, which creates a clear division between the archetypal and elemental layers.

The choice for anthropomorphic animals works well if you are interested in animal symbolism or if the human RWS imagery does not speak to you. It remains a tarot deck: the structure, meanings and reading method are no different from a classic RWS deck.

Astrological layer

The guidebook by Malapuella explains how the cards connect to planets, signs and houses. This is not a new idea, many tarot decks make this connection, but here it receives explicit attention in both image and text.

If you already work with astrology, this deck offers an extra layer to read with. If you do not work with it, this remains a fully usable RWS deck.

Draw a card during a new moon or full moon and read the astrological notes in the guidebook alongside it. It gives direction to what is playing out at that moment.

About Federica Casagrande and Malapuella

Federica Casagrande is an illustrator who draws with attention to detail and atmosphere. Her style lets fantasy and realism flow into each other.

Malapuella writes and explains the astrological connections in this deck. Her texts in the guidebook are practical and focused on application.

Specifications

• Number of cards: 78
• Size: 70 x 120 mm
• Language: English (cards and guidebook)
• System: Rider-Waite-Smith
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
• ISBN: 9780738778709
• Illustrator: Federica Casagrande
• Author: Malapuella

Questions we often get

Are all cards animals or only the Minor Arcana?
Only the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana show human figures, as in a classic RWS deck.

Do I need to know astrology to use this deck?
No. The cards work without astrological knowledge too. The guidebook offers extra context, but you can simply read the deck as RWS tarot.