Fyodor Pavlov Tarot
Introduction to the Fyodor Pavlov Tarot
Fyodor Pavlov spent five years creating the RWS-inspired, Fyodor Pavlov Tarot and it was definitely time well spent. His research into tarot history and the imagery of the RWS deck shows through on every card. “Informed by his personal queer and trans experiences” this deck manages to represent gender, sexuality, culture, and bodies of various shapes and abilities without feeling tokenistic or forced. This is a well put together tarot deck. The packaging, the cardstock, the thought that went into it, the way the artwork portrays the meanings, and the book are all top notch.
When I did my deck interview and I asked, “what is our connection?” The answer that came through was, “I was a resource you were gathering but you will come to see me as much more,” and how right that has been. This deck has impacted me in ways I never would have expected.
The Deck
I wasn’t sure where to begin with this deck so I decided to let the Fyodor Pavlov Tarot introduce itself. This is as it appears in my write up of my interview with the deck:
Sometimes people don’t appreciate what’s on offer when things are stripped back. I want to show that you can honour tradition and yet still offer something different, something that appeals to an audience fed up of more of the same. There’s more than one way to be without it being a threat. Everyone has a place and different presentations can open people up to new ideas and new interpretations.
Following are some examples of how I feel his artistic choices have added to the meanings.
Discussions on some of the individual cards in the Fyodor Pavlov Tarot
Eight of Cups and Two of Wands
Take the two cards pictured above, the Two of Wands and the Eight of Cups. Actually, before I discuss the the individual cards, I want to draw your attention to the fact that the cards only have Roman numerals to label them. The suits are not mentioned, but they are easy to identify because each is colour-coded. Wands are green; Cups are blue; Swords are red; and Coins are gold. If Roman numerals aren’t your thing, this might bother you. However, it is easy to ascertain the number through the illustration. As you can see above, the two wands are clear and present as are the eight cups. I feel that the limited labelling takes your eye straight to the image.
Without needing to look closely at the image, the preponderance of blue makes the Eight of Cups easily identifiable as a Cups card. When you do start focusing on the image you then notice the positioning of the individual cups. Rather than appearing in two unevenly stacked rows behind the person, as is typical in many decks, these cups line his path. This makes more sense. As Fyodor Pavlov points out, “No matter how fresh a start we want to have, we never truly abandon everything we’ve learned or the habits we’ve built up.” And honestly, even if it was possible, would we truly want to?
Next, when I look at the Two of Wands in the Fyodor Pavlov Tarot, for me it has a much more active feel about it. I often see this card as a need to leave a comfort zone or a refusal to do so. That doesn’t feel like the case here. This card shows somebody making plans to act on whatever it is that has inspired him. To me this is a more dynamic follow on from the energy of the Ace of Wands.
Two of Swords and Ten of Wands
The Two of Swords provides another example. I have to admit that when I saw red as the choice for the suit of Swords I had a hard time getting my head around it. I equate red with fire and therefore with Wands. Nevertheless, I’m getting used to it. So, back to the card itself.
When I first saw this Two of Swords I read it as needing to drill down to find your way forward. However, when it appeared in a reading recently I thought of the swords as the ‘x’ and ‘y’ axis and felt the need to plot a course to find my way through my indecision. That interpretation has stuck with me.
With the 10 of Wands I often hear people pointing out that the person has almost arrived at their destination. Therefore, their burden is coming to an end. While I can see that, in the directly RWS-inspired versions of the card, I focus on the way the person is carrying the wands. It’s awkward and thus more difficult, so I feel the weight of what they are doing.
In the Fyodor Pavlov Tarot I see someone who has a lot of responsibility, or a lot to handle, but they’ve found a way to manage. Plus I see someone who has a reason for doing what it is they are doing. They have a goal or a purpose in mind. As Chris Reck from Minnow Pond Tarot would say, “The juice is worth the squeeze.” Sometimes we have to increase our load in order to get to where we want to be. Looking at these two cards side-by-side as I write this, I like how they speak to each other.
Knight of Cups and Eight of Wands
The final pairing I’ll use as examples are the Knight of Cups and the Eight of Wands. On the Knight of Cups, rather than being poised on the edge of the water, the horse’s feet are submerged. This Knight realises his personal power comes from his connection with his emotions. He doesn’t fear them and where they may lead him. That might get him into trouble but he’s willing to consider where his heart wants to lead him. I see this and I think, “What does your heart say?”
As usual, the Eight of Wands portrays an active energy. It is the addition of “Audentis fortuna luvat” which translates to “Fortune favours the bold” that adds a new dimension. Also, these wands are taking off rather than coming in to land. Just like before, I like the pairing of these two cards. I cannot take credit for that though. It occurred unintentionally.
When placed together I see that if we are brave enough to follow our hearts good things can happen. That feels like a positive message. I understand that that statement might sound naïve, but to me so does believing that our intellect will always lead us in the right direction. Time and experience have taught me that isn’t always the case.
Back to the cards in general
The cards themselves are hand-painted watercolours on a cream, linen-finish card stock. The stamped gold stars on the card backs makes using these cards a sensory experience. So does the fact that they are an absolute delight to shuffle. If shuffling is a meditative act for you, you will love these cards. I have quite a precise shuffling routine but I find myself forgetting about that for a while when I am working with these cards. That’s okay. You’ve just got to go with what feels right.
Fyodor Pavlov did the same with the Major Arcana. The colour coding of the suits in no way follows on to the Major Arcana. He chose each cards colours individually rather than adhering to elemental associations. For example, even though IX The Hermit, pictured below, aligns elementally with Earth, and therefore Coins, he chose blue. In the book he explains his reasons for his colour choices. In addition, not only do the Major Arcana, like the Court cards and the Aces, have full titles, they also introduce a new colour to the mix – purple. This can be seen on the Strength card below. Both The Hermit and the Strength card are amongst my favourites in the deck.
The Fyodor Pavlov Tarot Guide Book
When you open the box on the Fyodor Pavlov Tarot the first thing you see is the hardcover book. I have a lot of decks, but this is a first. Better still, it’s justified by the writing inside. I love Pavlov’s writing style. As I sit and read the book from cover to cover I felt like he was sitting next to me talking me through how he sees the cards and why he drew them the way he did.
He weaves both the “positive” and “negative” meanings throughout the conversation. But what I love most is how he shares his inspirations and explains his choices. His writing voice rings true off every page. If I could wave a magic wand and invite a group to sit around my lounge room and talk tarot, from reading this book, Fyodor Pavlov would definitely be on the invite list. This book took my connection with the deck to a whole new level.
Rather than prattling on, let me give you an abridged version of his write up for I The Magician.
The act of creating something is a kind of magic. I can think of something, and after years of practice, discipline and patience, I can make it appear on paper. It wasn’t there and then it was. It’s practical magic and like all truly magical things, it is the result of hard work.
Then he goes on to explain the various artistic inclusions. In I The Magician write up he provides specific information for how he sees the reversed meaning. This information is not included for all cards. Nor is it listed under a separate heading. Rather it is part of the narrative. “The Magician card reversed can indicate stunted creativity; a writer’s block, a lack of inspiration, an inability to fully realize what we so vividly imagine.”
He follows this with a sentence that I really love, “The important thing to remember in those times is that talent and inspiration are not the only things that make us into artists – the rest is hard work, dedication and muscle memory.” That really resonates with me.
He adds,
In my notes I jotted down 18th century satanist and Prague alchemist while brainstorming ideas for his clothes. In the end I painted him wearing something similar to the robes of an Italian Renaissance scholar. The Magician is a creator, but he is also a learned figure. Knowledge is the foundation upon which he raises his masterpieces.
In this write up Fyodor Pavlov has changed how I view The Magician and myself. All this and I was only up to page 11 in the book!
Further to an earlier point about how Fyodor Pavlov chose his colours for the Major Arcana, here are two of the explanations he provided. IV The Emperor is red to link him with III The Empress. His red is bolder and more solid though. V The Hierophant is golden, but not because he is associating him with the earth element or the suit of coins. Rather, he coloured him in this way because he felt the colour supported the bright and positive aspect of the card.
When I flicked through the deck I noticed that, just like the Gaian Tarot, some of the images in the Fyodor Pavlov Tarot escape their borders – some much more than others. In the book he explains why. He writes, “Many of the illustrative elements in my cards tend to break out of the frame – The Fool’s left foot, Strength’s wolf, (pictured earlier), the spear of the Charioteer, and the Magician’s staff all cross the black border that frames the image. These are the cards that speak to our internal emotional journey as private individuals. However, most of the cards that represent our physical connection to society and the grounding elements of its constructs – The Emperor and The Hierophant – tend to stay more or less within the confines of the frame.” He has put so much thought into everything.
Spreads
He includes four spreads in the guide book:
- Celtic Cross
- Relationship Spread
- Identity Spread
- The Possibilities Spread
I really liked the Identity Spread. In the book it is only a three card spread which as it stands works well. However, I expanded it to a six card spread because it felt appropriate to do so.
Wrapping it all up
It’s pretty obvious I am a fan of this deck. It ticks all the boxes. Great cardstock that is a joy to work with straight out of the box; well-considered, well researched and beautifully rendered artwork that is accessible to all, (and I mean all); and a brilliant book that brings it all together perfectly. This deck doesn’t just showcase diversity; it honours it. The Fyodor Pavlov Tarot has definitely helped me to explore many things from a different perspective. That to me is the mark of a brilliant tarot deck.
Summaries
The Fyodor Pavlov Cards
| Artist | Fyodor Pavlov |
| Card Size | approximately 7.5 x 12.5cm |
| Card Stock | Linen finish with gold-stamped backs |
| Shuffle | Wonderful to shuffle straight out of the box |
| Fan & Flip Through | Easy to fan, flip through, and generally handle |
| Suits | Cups, Wands, Swords and Coins |
| Court | Page, Knight, Queen and King |
| Strength / Justice | Strength is VIII & Justice is XI |
| Miscellaneous | Solid two part box |
The Fyodor Pavlov Tarot Guidebook
| Written by | Fyodor Pavlov |
| Pages | 172 pages |
| Appearance | Hardcover, full-colour |
| Contents | – Introduction – The Major Arcana – The Minor Arcana – Suit of Wands – Suit of Cups – Suit of Swords – Suit of Coins – Spreads – About the Author |
| Spreads | Celtic Cross (10 cards) Relationship Spread (7 cards) Identity Spread (3 cards) The Possibilities Spread (4 cards) |
Publishing Details
Deck Creator:
Fyodor Pavlov
Pictured Version:
Published by U.S. Games Inc in 2022
Website:
