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Title: The Elysian Tarot
Creator: Lucia Dami
Publisher: Independent
Number of cards: 78
Card size: 4.75 x 2.75 in
Box size: 5.25 x 3.25 x 2 in approx
Guidebook pages: 151
Purchased or gifted?: Review copy provided by Lucia Dami
Absolute favorite card: Two of Arrows
Other favorites: (in order from most beloved): Queen of Coins, Fortune, The Devil, Muse of Cups, Elysium, The Sun, The Hanged Man, The Hermit
Notable detail: Gold foiling on card faces
Season: Winter
Sabbat: Imbolc
Sign: Pisces
Element: Spirit
Deck compliment:
Collective Pull: Eight of Coins

P.S. Lucia has been so kind to offer free shipping on all orders with code SPIRIT.

Indulge Yourself

First Impressions

Lucia Dami does this incredible art called Sacred Portrayals that I have been following for years. I would LOVE to see her Sacred Portrayals as an oracle deck but in the meantime, she’s made a tarot, this tarot. When she reached out to tell me about it, I was over the moon. And when she reached out again to offer a review copy, I was even more excited and readily said yes. And on the first pass, it looks like an incredibly well made product. I have many decks from publishers and independent artists and I will say, not all of them are the best quality. I hate to say it but many independent artists charge an exorbitant amount for a subpar product. I have produced an independent deck so I know how challenging it can be but I also know how much it costs and often the cost—sometimes as much as $100 or more—isn’t justified especially for creators using full AI to create it. But this deck is beautiful and the packaging is well done and the price is still relatively low for an indie deck. So far, so good. Let’s dive deeper.

The Packaging

The box is super sturdy and the two pieces fit together like a glove. They’re almost too tight, that’s how closely they fit. I wouldn’t say the texture is full velvet but it’s pretty close. It has a nice feel to it and it has gold foiling throughout the box which is a feature you’ll find all throughout the deck. There’s printing inside the top and bottom of the box and everything including the cards is done in black, white and then gold foiling.

The cards have the same texture as the box and are a good thickness. Not too thick but definitely not thin either. And the cards feature gold gilded sides. Overall, it's well made and I believe it will stand the test of time.

The Guidebook

The guidebook cover has the same texture as the box and cards which I find unusual. It’s definitely nice though just not something you see too often. The book is completely in black and white but you do get a nice line drawing of each card. Inside the guidebook you will find:

An introduction which is in several parts
Can tarot tell my future?
Using the guidebook
A pre-reading ritual
Four spreads which Lucia calls constellations
And the card meanings
Along with a few things in the back

I always appreciate a guidebook that says more than just “tarot can help you divine your most burning questions.” Many of us, even myself at times, have been drawing from the same playbook when it comes to writing what a tarot does. So much so, I’m always pleasantly surprised when I see something more which should be standard not the norm. I know I've been ranting about this in many reviews lately but I just keep getting this sense of staleness and mediocrity in decks. Almost a bare minimum effort just for the sake of saying “I made a deck.”

So I really appreciate thoughtful inclusions like Lucia’s explanation of how she came to tarot, how the Elysian Fields inspires her, and why certain aspects of tarot have been updated for her deck. It’s not a lot and it doesn’t need to be. But just a little bit of the motivation behind a deck really makes a difference in my opinion. At least it does for the people who are serious about their tarot practice. Who want to learn and be their best selves. Those people will take the time to read these things and will get a lot out of it I’m sure.

I love the part about whether or not tarot can tell the future and I think Lucia has a really great perspective on it. She uses a map metaphor, saying that tarot can tell you where you’re likely headed based on your current journey but you turn or change directions at any moment too. So your future isn’t set in stone therefore tarot cannot tell you what your future is for certain, but it can certainly advise you. This is a really good way of putting it. I think so often, many people want to know their future so much that they forget to live in the present.

For each card, you will find a card meaning and then some keywords that are assigned to either the medicine or the shadow. For the minor arcana cards, you will see that each of the court cards is associated with a deity. The King of Cups for example is associated with Poseidon.

Theme

The writer, Alexander describes this deck as being a series of universal symbols and archetypes which reflect humans' connection to nature. It’s supposed to highlight the natural cycles we humans experience throughout life while also showing the ways we have been influenced by the natural world. To simplify things, the theme is basically what we have all known all along. That humans reflect the natural world and vice versa. That we are not separate from the land in which we live but that the rules and ideas that have governed human society have in no small part been born out of the cycles of the natural world.

The Artwork

The artwork is very much aligned in Lucia’s style as you might expect. The cards are black but if you look closely, you can see a brownish, charcoal texture which gives the appearance of a night sky. And then all of the cards are drawn in white line art but what really stands out is the gold foiling on every card. And not just little bits of gold here and there but a truly dramatic and stunning display of gold elements. It’s like watching stars twinkle at night which I’m sure is intentional.

My favorite card is the two of arrows which is traditionally known as the two of wands. I love seeing the rabbits going in two separate directions as well as the arrows themselves. I love this interpretation of this card which is all about having to make a decision between two parts. It can often feel like going in opposite directions, being pulled both ways and having no clue what to do. And the presence of the rabbits in motion makes it feel even more dynamic as if the choice is an emergency.

“As an ode to those ancient storytellers, it felt right to name my Tarot cards after their Elysian Fields (the paradisiacal afterlife of Greek Mythology). Especially when the night sky had become my own version of heaven on earth.”

I love that the wheel is called Fortune and that it isn’t a wheel. Instead, it features a palmistry hand which kind of gives the feeling that this is more about fate than anything else. The guidebook entry mirrors this but offers up an additional meaning. It says so much is still without our own hands which makes the hand in the image even more potent.

Another one of my favorites is the Devil card. I love that the figures seem to be a couple of some sort. They’re holding hands and a string is wrapped around them both. I love this so much because my perspective of the devil has changed drastically in the past 18 months. When I really started doing deep dives in preparation for writing my own tarot deck, I came to view the Devil in a much more positive light. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve pulled the devil card as either my life purpose or my guiding light and it used to piss me off. But now, I have come to truly appreciate the deeper meaning. That your shadow side doesn’t have to be destructive, especially when you’re willing to take responsibility for your own actions. This couple isn’t falling apart. It's as if they made a conscious choice to be paired for better or worse. The light version of the devil is understanding the consequences of your actions whereas the shadow is playing the victim. But you get to decide which version of this card shows up for you.

I will say that this is one of those decks I think you have to see in person. I don’t think my photos did the cards justice in capturing the details of the gold foiling. There is a lot of gold which at times, didn’t register on my camera at all. So if you like this deck even a little, then I’d highly recommend buying it because it's definitely most stunning in person.

And as a reminder, Lucia has offered free shipping with code SPIRIT.

Own The Elysian Tarot

Reading With this Deck

I’m going to be really honest with this section and tell you that I’ve been struggling to read with this deck. Not because anything is wrong with it. I’m having a personal disconnect from my intuition this week. Neptune is sitting right on my moon for those of you who are into astrology and I think it’s taking its toll on me. I’ve tried to pull cards not just from this deck but from several others and I can’t seem to get a solid read. So it just wouldn’t be fair for me to write a review on what it's like to read with this deck knowing my readings aren’t solid at all for the time being.

Collective Pull

I pulled Eight of Coins for you. The Eight of Pentacles arrives with a simple truth: you’re not in the dreaming phase anymore. You’re in the becoming phase. This is the card of deliberate effort—late nights, steady practice, unglamorous repetition. The part of mastery no one sees but everyone envies once you finally arrive.

When it shows up, it’s telling you that what brought you this far won’t take you further without refinement. You may need new skills, deeper study, or a higher level of focus. Even the naturally gifted have to train. Even the talented must choose discipline over convenience. Like the maiden carving out time for her craft, you’re being asked to invest more of yourself if you want to evolve.

It’s about consistency, patience, and being willing to fail forward. You might have to redo something a dozen times or stay committed even when you’re tired. But this isn’t struggle—it’s shaping.

And if you’ve already been doing the work? This card is your confirmation. Keep going. The results are closer than you think.

Season, Sign, Element and Sabbat

I chose winter for the season. The deck is quite minimal. The dark background of twinkle of gold reminds me of a night sky and while of course night exists in every season, darkness feels most at home during winter. Making this deck a great choice for working with darkness as a ritual element. Not so much shadow work but the comfort and nourishing nature of darkness. I went with Pisces for the zodiac sign. Pisces is the ruler over imagination, fantasy and dreaminess which are qualities I associate with this deck. It has a magical, ethereal feel to it that matches the softness of Pisces. Pisces is also the last winter sign so darkness is associated with Pisces in that way as well as with dreaming and fantasizing.

I chose Imbolc for the sabbat for much the same reason. I have always believed Imbolc is the most solitary of the sabbats or at least supports solitary work the most. Imbolc occurs in the dead center of winter when cold and harsh weather reduces social activities and encourages us to stay inside both physically and spiritually. This is a time when we have to make our own magic if you will and something about the gold and the nature of the designs feels very self-focused. Perhaps I’m influenced by the artist’s Sacred Portrayals here but I think that same energy carries over.

And I chose Spirit for the element. I mean, look at this gorgeous deck. No other element would do. There is an obvious connection to “other” in this deck. Another world, another time, a soul being lit up for the world to see. It's a magical deck full of light and shadow and I just feel this was the obvious choice.

Who is this deck for?

This deck is for the person who actually cares how a deck is made. The one who’s tired of paying premium prices for flimsy indie productions, AI masquerading as artistry, or creators cutting corners because they know people will buy anything labeled “tarot.” If you’ve become increasingly picky about quality—and honestly, rightfully so—this is a deck that will earn your respect.

It’s also for readers who appreciate intention in design. The night-sky palette, the charcoal texture, the dramatic gold foiling that actually feels purposeful rather than ornamental. This is for someone who notices those choices and understands what they evoke. Someone who likes their decks minimal, but not empty. Clean, but not sterile.

This deck will also resonate with anyone who loves myth, especially readers drawn to Greek symbolism and the way ancient storytelling shapes modern intuition. The renaming of the cards, the palmistry hand in Fortune, the deity-aligned courts isn’t for a reader who wants strict RWS clones. It’s for someone who enjoys when a creator makes thoughtful, myth-rooted updates that actually mean something.

Deck Companion

This might seem like a weird choice because aesthetically, they don’t match at all but I went with the Queen of the Sun Oracle. The energy just felt very similar to me. The sun felt like it matched the gold foiling but it also felt like a compliment to the night time influence of the Elysian Tarot. So while they may not look pretty together, I think they work really well together and ultimately, that’s much more important than aesthetics.

You can see my review of the Queen of the Sun Oracle here.

Buy Queen of the Sun Oracle

Thanks for reading. If you're ready to move beyond collecting decks and into actual seasonal practice - the kind that changes how you move through your days, not just how your altar looks - The Unfolding is where that work happens.

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Here, we focus on real emotions and not just poetic ones. We work with things like exhaustion, resentment, loneliness and the feeling of shrinking. We acknowledge our experience while taking steps to transform them into empowered emotions such as groundedness, having a sense of direction and real—not performative—gratitude.

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