The Tarot of Haunted House is a relatively new deck, created in 2018 by author Sasha Graham. It is a deck imbued with the spirit of mysticism and witchcraft, drawing inspiration from stories and films about cursed places such as "The Others," "The Shining," and "The Haunting of Hill House." The deck serves as a space where secrets are hidden, and former inhabitants are enclosed within four walls. It connects the present with the past, seasoned with secrets, resulting in a "talking deck" where the Arcana surprise with their accuracy and insight. The artist, Mirco Pierfederici, painted each Arcana by hand, creating a unique and attractive look that resembles a full-fledged comic book or horror movie. The concept is built on antipodes: love and hate, death and rebirth, lies and truth. The querent is given a chance to go into the past and resurrect everything that happened in this mysterious place, watching a movie with many characters reflecting real life with ups and downs. It is a tool for touching the secret that the mystical house hides, going on a journey through the depths of the subconscious in search of the truth, though it is important to be able to understand the difference between reality and fantasy.
The Narrative and Structure of the Deck
The Tarot of Haunted House follows the traditions of the English school, consisting of 78 cards. The Fool is without a numerical designation, and Strength is the 8th card. The Major Arcana show the hero’s path from a slightly unusual angle, presenting the search for oneself and the encounter with difficulties through a mysterious story. A recurring motif involves a young, beautiful girl running along the coast to a lonely house on the edge of a cliff. Her gaze expresses fear, though it is unknown what she is running away from; perhaps she wants to escape the captivity of the enchanted estate, but she moves in circles. Upon arriving at the house, she meets the butler, who serves as the archetype of the Magician. The heroine then gets to know all the inhabitants of the strange estate, who can be positive, like the Empress, or negative, like the Devil. Notably, the Strength card shows a mirror reflecting the character himself.
The Minor Arcana take the viewer further into the deck's world, showing querent gardens, moonlit hills, secret chambers, and many new characters. The main character continues her journey here. The suits are standard: Cups, Swords, Pentacles, and Wands. However, the characters depicted belong to different planes of existence. On the Water group (Cups), bright angels and helpers are shown. On the Air group (Swords), cruel demons appear. On the Fire group (Wands), charming vampires are depicted. On the Earth group (Pentacles), ordinary people are shown. This creates a dynamic where the living side by side with the dead, and it is not always clear whether the querent sees a real person or only a ghost from the past. This detail adds a mysterious flair to the deck.
The Minor Arcana are often described as brighter and more diverse than the Major group. For example, the Seven of Pentacles depicts a girl looking at a bush with roses, with engraved gold coins hidden between the branches. She has pricked her finger on sharp spikes, and the allegory suggests that to get a harvest, she must wait for the fall when the rose bush has faded. This indicates the need to wait for results. The Two of Wands is quite mystical, showing an Ouija board designed to contact ghosts; an open window represents readiness for a new experience and the arrival of new energy. The Six of Cups refers to the classics, showing a girl holding out a cup to a little girl, symbolizing childhood, purity, and the past. All Aces in the deck have an elemental symbol: a red candle on the Wands; water in closed palms on the Cups; a sharp blade on the Swords; and a gold coin on the Pentacles.
The court Arcana are worked out in detail. On the Pages, all heroes are female, which differs from the Waite deck. The Knights are depicted without horses but have wings and patron creatures. Ghosts from the royal couple are similar in appearance, making it easy to see a couple in the heroes. Many of the Tarot Arcana are inspired by Arthur Waite, with scenes like the Five of Pentacles, Nine of Swords, and Seven of Cups very reminiscent of the classics. A distinctive feature is the very mystical context in which the characters are immersed.
Style and Symbolism
The style of the Haunted House Tarot is mysterious, achieved largely through the color scheme. The artist used dark shades, and the full moon appears on many cards. If the action takes place in a room, the mystical atmosphere is supported by the fire of candles or the living flame of the fireplace. Mirco Pierfederici created a gothic image for many ghosts, evident in the make-up and scarlet dress of the Death Arcana. The interior of the house itself is quite old. The deck does not use usual computer graphics; instead, the hand-painted nature conveys a unique atmosphere.
Suit Characteristics
The deck maintains the standard suits of Tarot: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Each suit is associated with specific elemental themes and characters:
- Wands (Fire): Associated with the element of Fire, the cards in this suit depict charming vampires.
- Cups (Water): Associated with the element of Water, this suit shows bright angels and helpers.
- Swords (Air): Associated with the element of Air, this suit features cruel demons.
- Pentacles (Earth): Associated with the element of Earth, this suit depicts ordinary people.
This classification highlights the "living side by side with the dead" concept, where different planes of existence interact within the cards.
Purpose and Application
The Tarot of Haunted House is suitable for the most confusing situations. It helps to find the perpetrators of a crime, even if the events happened a long time ago. For these Arcana, the concept of time is fluid; the past intersects with the future. The deck can be used to call on a dialogue of deceased friends or relatives and is perfect for contact with haunting ghosts. It helps find answers to important questions and can provide support from angels or demons, depending on the abilities of the questioner. The deck is capable of identifying destructive programs and the operator of such actions.
Generally, the Tarot of Haunted House is great for dealing with negativity of any kind. The deck carries a dark energy, which is beneficial for viewing such situations. The cards easily show various negative character traits and weaknesses of the querent, while simultaneously providing a way to overcome them. They also assist in finding one's own path to wealth and fame and overcoming obstacles. Often, the problem may be a specific person or the environment as a whole; in any case, the Arcana highlights negative points that should be removed.
This deck appeals to lovers of gothic dark cards. Magicians, sorcerers, and seers will find the Arcana an excellent tool in their work. It also attracts fans of comics and the work of Mirco Pierfederici. The beautiful characters, dramatic scenes, and mesmerizing landscapes captivate the viewer. Working with the deck, it may seem that the querent is watching a film about the main character’s journey through a strange house. Step by step, she discovers its secrets, meets ghosts, and tests herself for strength. The path ends with the World card, showing the key that was finally found, suggesting the heroine might be the mistress of the estate.
The deck is suitable for creative people who are in search of themselves and are not afraid of difficulties. Each problem tempers an already strong character. However, beginners in the world of predictions may get confused with this deck. It is important to take into account any information from the cards, even if it seems strange, as such trifles can suggest a way out of the most difficult and confusing situations. Paying attention to the numerical designation of the Arcana is also crucial, as it gives hidden meanings that help in the search for truth.
The Artist and Author
Sasha Graham, the author, has created works imbued with the spirit of mysticism and witchcraft. She was inspired by stories and films about cursed places to create this deck. Mirco Pierfederici, the Italian artist, helped in the creation, painting each Arcana by hand to convey a mystical atmosphere. The result is a deck that connects the present with the past, seasoned with secrets, and acts as a talking deck. The Arcana surprise with their accuracy and insight, allowing the questioner to unravel any secrets. The deck leads to self-knowledge, as behind the frightening archetypes are a person’s own weaknesses and talents. The main requirement is to turn on the imagination and start the journey.
Detailed Card Examples
The deck offers non-trivial interpretations of classic Tarot themes. The Seven of Pentacles, as mentioned, uses the imagery of a rose bush and gold coins to illustrate the necessity of patience and the timing of harvest. The Two of Wands utilizes an Ouija board, a tool for contacting spirits, to represent the mystical aspect of planning and the readiness for new energy (represented by an open window). The Six of Cups maintains the classic symbolism of childhood and the past but places it within the gothic, mysterious atmosphere of the house.
The Major Arcana narrative follows a specific progression. The journey begins with the Fool (the girl running to the house). She meets the Magician (the butler) and encounters various archetypes (Empress, Devil) within the estate. The Strength card is particularly introspective, showing a mirror reflecting the self, indicating that the strength to overcome the obstacles of the "haunted house" (one's own subconscious or life challenges) comes from within. The journey concludes with the World card, symbolizing the completion of the cycle and the finding of the "key" to the estate, perhaps signifying self-mastery or the resolution of the mystery.
Conclusion
The Tarot of Haunted House is a unique, hand-painted deck that blends the traditional structure of Tarot with a gothic, narrative-driven experience. Created by Sasha Graham and artist Mirco Pierfederici in 2018, it draws heavily on cinematic and literary inspirations like "The Shining" and "The Haunting of Hill House." It is a deck of duality—life and death, reality and fantasy, angels and demons—encapsulated within the walls of a mysterious estate. While the suits remain standard (Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles), the imagery shifts to reflect a world where the living and the dead coexist, with specific elemental associations for each suit (Fire/Vampires, Water/Angels, Air/Demons, Earth/People).
This deck is best suited for intermediate to advanced readers, creative individuals, and those seeking to explore the darker, hidden aspects of the subconscious or to resolve complex, long-standing issues. It excels in situations involving negativity, identifying weaknesses, and finding paths to overcome obstacles. However, its dark energy and complex imagery may confuse beginners. Ultimately, the Tarot of Haunted House serves as a portal—a tool for deep self-knowledge and exploration of the secrets that lie hidden in the "ancient walls" of the psyche and the past.