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Surrealist Tarot Instructions and Card Descriptions

The Surrealist Tarot was created during the summer of 2010 by the artist, novelist, and filmmaker Ari Bach. The red/green colorblind artist’s background in esoteric and occult symbolism allowed him to break from tarot tradition, coming up with his own loose system not tied to Thoth, Rider, or any other methodology. Surrealist was only the second known deck to ever use the LaVey Personality Synthesizer in its deck structure.

Tarotsmith.com delivers free tarot card reading with the Surrealist Tarot and other decks created with a primary focus on esoteric and occult symbolism. Surrealist also has its own page dedicated to free online tarot reading. And if you’re not familiar with the cards yet, you can always study the deck structure and card meanings right here on SurrealistTarot.com.

Surrealist Tarot Reading on Tarotsmith.com

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Select a Spread:


 



Or use only the 12 Core Trumps:

Spread:
   
 
Name:
   
 
Question:
   
           


Photograph of the Surrealist Tarot

The Surrealist Tarot is no longer available in hardcopy.

Thumbnail Gallery

Major Arcana

0IIIIIIIVV
The FoolThe SorcererThe SorceressThe EmpressThe EmperorThe Theocrat
  Fool   Sorcerer Sorceress Empress   Emperor Theocrat 
      
VIVIIVIIIIXXXI
The LoversThe SlaveBalanceThe HermitThe NornFortitude
LoversSlaveBalanceHermitNornFortitude
      
XIIXIIIXIVXVXVIXVII
The Hanged ManDeathSwampThe DevilsThe TowerThe Constellation
 Hanged Man      Death        Swamp       Devils       Tower    Constellation
      
 XVIIIXIXXXXXI 
The MoonThe SunBeastThe Chamber
 MoonSunBeastChamber 

Minor Arcana

      
   Wands    Cups    Swords  Pentacles*
AceAce of WandsAce of CupsAce of SwordsAce of PentaclesKether
     
22 of Wands2 of Cups2 of Swords2 of PentaclesChokmah
      
33 of Wands3 of Cups3 of Swords3 of PentaclesBinah
      
44 of Wands4 of Cups4 of Swords4 of PentaclesChesed
      
55 of Wands5 of Cups5 of Swords5 of PentaclesGeburah
      
66 of Wands6 of Cups6 of Swords6 of PentaclesTiphareth
      
77 of Wands7 of Cups7 of Swords7 of PentaclesNetzach
      
88 of Wands8 of Cups8 of Swords8 of PentaclesHod
      
99 of Wands9 of Cups9 of Swords9 of PentaclesYesod
      
1010 of Wands10 of Cups10 of Swords10 of PentaclesMalkuth
*FireWaterAirEarth*

Court Cards

      
   Wands    Cups    Swords  Pentacles*
PagePage of WandsPage of CupsPage of SwordsPage of PentaclesEarth
      
KnightKnight of WandsKnight of CupsKnight of SwordsKnight of PentaclesAir
      
QueenQueen of WandsQueen of CupsQueen of SwordsQueen of PentaclesWater
      
KingKing of WandsKing of CupsKing of SwordsKing of PentaclesFire
*FireWaterAirEarth*
  • Elemental and Tree of Life correspondences for this deck are shown merely as a general guideline for those who like to use these systems. The artist did not structure the deck around these correspondences, and would also like to add that he will never tell a reader how to manage the cards. Even the Major Arcana numbers were added only as a reference, and not according to the artist’s designs.