The Tarot of the Orishas is a spiritually enhanced deck that draws from the ancient Yoruba culture of Mother Africa. Unlike traditional Tarot decks, this system incorporates Orishas, who are known as emissaries of God, into the Major Arcana. The deck offers unique insights into various aspects of life, including communication, relationships, and personal vitality. Understanding the specific meanings of cards like Eshu provides a deeper connection to spiritual guidance and practical decision-making.
The Spiritual Foundation of the Tarot of the Orishas
The Tarot of the Orishas is distinguished by its inclusion of Orishas in the Major Arcana. These figures are considered emissaries of God, with origins tracing back to the primordial Yoruba culture. The deck is beautifully illustrated, adding to its personal and spiritual value. The Major Arcana cards in this deck represent significant spiritual figures and life lessons.
Eleggua: The Opener of Doors
Eleggua is the Orisha who "opens and/or closes all doors" and is always honored first. He governs the crossroads and decision-making. Eleggua is one of the Warrior Orishas, alongside Oggun and Ochosi. His colors are red and black, or black and white. In Catholicism, he is synchronized with figures such as St. Anthony, St. Jude, St. Nino de Atocha, the Infant of Prague, or the Lonely Spirit, depending on his specific path.
Eshu: The Playful Trickster
Eshu represents another aspect of Eleggua. Olofi/God endowed Eleggua with a "dark" side to fight against evil. Eshu is known as the playful trickster, and to "tempt" Eshu is to tempt fate itself.
Obatala: The King of the White Cloth
Obatala is known as the "King of the White Cloth," representing the incarnation of God on Earth who carries out divine will. He rules over peace, intellect, and calmness and resides in the mountains. In Catholicism, Obatala is synchronized with Jesus of Nazareth, Our Lady of Mercy, St. Joseph, and the Sacred Heart. His color is the purest white.
Chango: The King of Justice
Chango is the Orisha who owns thunder, fire, and lightning. He is the King of justice, a proud warrior, and protector. He is synchronized with St. Barbara or St. Michael the Archangel. Chango loves to dance and is popular among female Orishas, namely Oya and Ochun. His colors are red and white.
Yemanja: The Mother of All
Yemanja is the good, nurturing Mother of All, known as the Star of the Sea and Queen of the Oceans. She is synchronized with the Blessed Virgin Mary under titles such as Our Lady of Regla and Our Lady of Lourdes. Her colors are white and blue.
Ochun: The Ruler of Love
Ochun is the sister-orisha of Yemanja. She owns rivers, lakes, and streams. She rules over love, beauty, marriage, and money (gold). Her special color is yellow.
Eshu Tarot Card Meanings
The Eshu cards in the Tarot of the Orishas provide specific guidance on communication, vitality, and relationships. These cards can appear in various positions, offering insights into current situations or potential outcomes.
Eshu (General)
The general Eshu card is closely related to jobs and professional life. It signifies progress in one’s work, abundant productivity, and profitable advertising campaigns. It suggests that a message will be well-received and that tempting and practicable offers may arise. The card indicates vitality. However, when badly influenced by other cards, it can indicate unemployment, lack of work, fatigue, tiredness, and loss of energy. It may also warn of incorrect interpretation of messages and misunderstood communication.
Eshu 2
Eshu 2 represents a virile man full of vitality, knowledgeable about life, yet possessing the innocence of a small boy and the experience of an old man. Time seems not to affect him, and his energy is constant. This card suggests working untiringly and persistently to attain goals. It may represent a poet. To communicate with this energy, one must leave internal fears aside and acknowledge precious gems in the heart. The card governs the male genital organs and has high psychic content, potentially warning of danger or imbalance in this field.
Eshu 3
Eshu 3 represents a loyal and faithful personality. It signifies a good companion, partner, or friend who will help along the path started. Like Eshu 2, this card governs the male genital organs and possesses high psychic content, warning of potential danger or imbalance.
Eshu 4
Eshu 4 focuses on written and oral communication. It signifies fraternity, association, or lodge membership, fostering a fraternal and community feeling. The card indicates an abandonment of material things toward spiritual things.
Eshu 5
Eshu 5, when badly affected by other cards, warns of infidelity, coolness in relationships, lack of sexual appetite, emotional upset, laziness, and lack of energy.
Other Orisha Cards
Beyond the Eshu cards, the deck includes other significant Orishas that influence readings.
Pomba Gira
Pomba Gira relates to parties, weddings, festivities, and celebrations in general. It signifies shared happiness, surprises, the beginning of a courtship, engagement, marriage, falling in love, and seduction. It indicates chance, intuition, prizes, gifts, and good luck. When badly influenced, Pomba Gira can indicate a frivolous character, overly hasty decisions, opportunism, and material interests.
Ogun
Ogun signifies the triumph of spirit over matter, good overcoming evil, and intelligence exercising supremacy over brutality. It represents conquered enemies and victory in contests. Love is conjured up to reject and repeal hate. The nature represented is benevolent but strong, compelling, precipitate, and impulsive. It indicates tenacity and courage, ensuring that anything started will be brought to a conclusion without omitting details. It is associated with travels by train.
Ogun 2
Ogun 2 relates to activities and business related to metallurgy. It signifies romantic, vehement, and grandiloquent love. It connects to everything related to botany and groves, indicating vegetarian and naturistic tendencies.
Ogun 3
Ogun 3, when badly influenced by other cards, indicates a lack of valor to face dangers and inconveniences.
Traditional Tarot Structure
While the Tarot of the Orishas offers a unique spiritual perspective, it is helpful to understand the traditional structure of Tarot for broader context. The Tarot deck is divided into two main sections: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana.
Major Arcana
The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards representing life's spiritual and transformative lessons. Based on traditional interpretations: * The Fool: Upright signifies innocence, new beginnings, and a free spirit. Reversed indicates recklessness, being taken advantage of, and inconsideration. * The Magician: Upright signifies willpower, desire, creation, and manifestation. Reversed indicates trickery, illusions, and being out of touch. * The High Priestess: Upright signifies intuition, unconsciousness, and inner voice. Reversed indicates a lack of center, lost inner voice, and repressed feelings. * The Empress: Upright signifies motherhood, fertility, and nature. Reversed indicates dependence, smothering, emptiness, and nosiness. * The Emperor: Upright signifies authority, structure, control, and fatherhood. Reversed indicates tyranny, rigidity, and coldness. * The Hierophant: Upright signifies tradition, conformity, morality, and ethics. Reversed indicates rebellion, subversiveness, and new approaches. * The Lovers: Upright signifies partnerships, duality, and union. Reversed indicates loss of balance, one-sidedness, and disharmony. * The Chariot: Upright signifies direction, control, and willpower. Reversed indicates lack of control, lack of direction, and aggression. * Strength: Upright signifies inner strength, bravery, compassion, and focus. Reversed indicates self-doubt, weakness, and insecurity. * The Hermit: Upright signifies contemplation, search for truth, and inner guidance. Reversed indicates loneliness, isolation, and being lost. * Wheel of Fortune: Upright signifies change, cycles, and inevitable fate. Reversed indicates no control, clinging to control, and bad luck. * Justice: Upright signifies cause and effect, clarity, and truth. Reversed indicates dishonesty, unaccountability, and unfairness. * The Hanged Man: Upright signifies sacrifice.
Minor Arcana Suits
The Minor Arcana consists of four suits, each corresponding to an element and different aspects of daily experiences: * Wands: Linked to the element of Fire, representing creativity, ambition, and action. * Cups: Connected to the element of Water, symbolizing emotions, relationships, and intuition. * Swords: Ruled by the element of Air, representing intellect, truth, and challenges. * Pentacles: Aligned with the element of Earth, representing stability, finances, and material concerns.
Holistic Integration
Understanding the Tarot of the Orishas allows for a holistic approach to life's challenges. By recognizing the specific energies of Eshu and other Orishas, individuals can gain clarity on communication, relationships, and professional endeavors. The insights provided by these cards serve as a guide for navigating the crossroads of life, encouraging a balance between material and spiritual pursuits. The deck's connection to ancient wisdom offers a pathway to deeper self-awareness and alignment with divine will.
Conclusion
The Tarot of the Orishas provides a profound connection to ancient Yoruba spirituality through the figures of Eleggu, Eshu, Obatala, Chango, Yemanja, and Ochun. The Eshu cards specifically offer vital insights into communication, work progress, vitality, and relationships. When interpreted correctly, these cards highlight the importance of clear messaging, persistence in goals, and the maintenance of energy. While traditional Tarot structures offer a framework of Major and Minor Arcana, the Tarot of the Orishas enriches this with specific spiritual archetypes. For those seeking guidance on life's crossroads, the wisdom of the Orishas serves as a powerful tool for reflection and decision-making.