“The true Tarot is symbolism; it speaks no other language and offers no others signs.” —A. E. Waite
Tarot Disassembled is a full seventy-eight-card tarot deck that deconstructs and reexamines the traditional symbolism found in the classic Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck. Utilizing a bright color palette and simple, bold graphics, each card reveals a pattern created from a fresh arrangement of the traditional symbols.
One of the most unique tenets of this deck is the almost complete absence of human representation. This allows the user of the deck to connect with the symbols in a completely intuitive way, free from any pictorial narrative around gender, skin color, age, size, ability, or any other human constructs. (There are only four exceptions to this rule in this deck: The Hanged One, The Tower, Judgement, and The World. In each of these cards, the positioning of the human figure is so inherent to the meaning of the card that a simple wooden mannequin-style symbol was used.)
Tarot Disassembled can be used and enjoyed by seasoned tarot readers and complete novices alike. The simplicity of the symbols makes it a great first deck for a newbie, while the complexity of the visual information makes it a great deep dive for a pro.
Digging into the research for Tarot Disassembled has been like going on a walk in the forest and discovering that every tiny rock and leaf holds hidden treasure underneath. The reverence and fascination of the tarot has only been compounded by discovering the layers upon layers of meaning each individual symbol holds.
Reviews:
“This deck is incredibly unique and genius” —Brandy Rachelle, cohost of Keepin’ It Symbol podcast
“Tarot Disassembled is an exciting new way to work with the Tarot. Jennifer Cooper Steidley created the deck by isolating the traditional RWS symbols and rearranging them in a bold and colorful pattern on each card. This has the effect of liberating the symbols from time and place, allowing the reader to freely construct new meanings and stories” —TarotArts
“This vivid, solar-hued reimagining of Rider-Waite-Smith swept me off my witchy feet at first sight! What’s brilliant about this deck—aside from the eye-catching colors—is its ability to break each card down into symbolic pieces devoid of people or human characters (except for an artist mannequin contained within a few cards only). This adds a sense of intuitive freedom that might sometimes be lost with the detailed human elements common in most tarot systems.” —Calling Corners