Joie de Vivre Tarot
I bought Joie de Vivre Tarot back in October 2022 but, to be honest, I hadn’t really reached for it until recently. In researching for a post I’m currently writing about upcoming decks, Paulina Fae’s new one caught my attention. This in turn renewed my interest in this one. I am so glad it did because I have found this deck to be so clever and a true pleasure to work with.
The Joie de Vivre Tarot Deck
Joie de Vivre Tarot wants to do as its name suggests and inspire feelings of joy in those that use it. When I read things like that my instinct is to go to the cards many consider darker and see how they are portrayed. My simple answer is – well. They suggest a way forward without shying away from the themes we might prefer not to have to face. The Three of Swords and XIII Death below illustrate this well. The delicate water colour and ink artwork allows you to ease your way into the image so you can extract whatever it is you need at the time.
When you look at the Three of Swords, many different interpretations present themselves. For example, the swords are piercing a heart that she is holding rather than her own body. So whatever it is that has caused her pain has happened to her; it is not her. Sometimes it is easy to forget that when we are dealing with loss and grief. Regardless of how painful it may be, it is a part of our life but it isn’t our whole life.
Another example is that she is looking at the candles rather than the swords. It is up to her whether she blows them out or takes comfort in their light. Then there’s her dress. The sun and the moon speak to me of cycles and going within and happiness returning. And, the skirt tiers indicate the many layers we move through when dealing with grief. I also see the message that it is up to us when we are ready to put the hurt down. Nothing here suggests glossing over anything. Nor does it suggest we can’t work through whatever it is we may be confronted with.
Then, just briefly, I’ll talk about the Death card. The muddy green used at the left edges suggest what it is she is moving away from. It’s stagnant and I imagine it as being thick and claggy with an offensive smell. But rather than risk being trapped in it, she is moving towards the light.
The messages are both quick to surface and clear.
About the cards
I’m on the fence about the white borders. Part of me wants to trim them but part of me thinks they frame the image and encourage you to take your time with each card rather than racing straight into the overall story. But I like a good story and I find cards talk to each other more readily when nothing separates them.
The two aces above, which I love because they, and indeed all the aces, include characters, look like two different scenes rather than two characters interacting with each other. Nevertheless I find myself drawn into what the characters are experiencing and the world they inhabit. I find that this makes it easy to draw meaning from the Joie de Vivre Tarot cards.
The cardstock ensures this is an easy deck to work with physically as well. It shuffles and fans well and it’s easy to flip through. Size wise, it is a standard 7cm x 12cm and, as seen above, the card backs are reversible. The suits are Cups, Wands, Swords and Coins with Kings, Queens, Knights and Pages making up the court. Strength is VIII and Justice is XI.
Discussions on some individual cards
Five of Swords and XV The Devil
Since, for me, the power of this deck is its ability to provide short and snappy yet insightful answers, I will aim to do the same with these discussions. My first thought when I saw the Five of Swords was envy, closely followed by spite and the question, “Why do you have to have it all?” Neither character looks happy.
On XV The Devil, I love that he is cutting the strings. He is taking away the power external sources have over his thinking and actions. The jester’s hat suggests he realises how silly his behaviour has been. As someone who focuses on the impact personal and collective truths have on our lives and how they shape our identity, these two cards give me much food for thought. Does the box the devil is standing on represent happiness and insight? What is hidden from view and, in any given situation, who is controlling the narrative?
Four of Swords & Six of Swords
The Four of Swords came up as the centre card when I did my Deck Interview Spread. Initially that position represents the type of readings the deck might be good for. This card made perfect sense to me. It said, “When your thinking is helter-skelter, I’ll give you an easy to interpret response that will provide a focus that you can go within and process.” And that is what this card is for me. It represents stepping back from everything that is pulling at you and giving yourself some time to just be with your own thoughts.
Then, you’ll be able to follow the advice of the Six of Swords and intentionally move away from whatever you feel you need to. Unlike many versions of this card, she isn’t hiding. Instead she has made her decision and she is moving in her new direction with poise, grace and a sense of enthusiasm for what lies ahead. She knows when enough is enough and she is leaving those swords behind.
Seven of Cups & Two of Coins
Oftentimes the stress in our lives is of our own making. These two cards sitting side-by-side are a firm reminder of this. The figure on the Seven of Cups, her name is Wish, has way too many options available to her. Or she may be wishing for way too many things. This card reminds me of the saying, “You can have it all, just not all at the same time.”
If you ignore that maxim then you may find yourself like the cat on the Two of Coins. This is a card that, while I can see the various ideas is said to represent, for me generally indicates trying to juggle too much. Here he is trying to juggle whilst on a moving lizard. Apart from “What the?”, the questions become, “Where am I trying to go with this?” “What am I trying to achieve?” “Is this sustainable?” and “What effect is this having on my emotions?” Maybe it’s time to revisit the sentiments of the Seven of Cups.
Four of Coins & Six of Coins
Sometimes we just want and need to hold on to what we’ve got. And to be honest I believe that is fair enough. But we should always be mindful of what we are holding on to and why, and whether those things are serving us or hindering us. Like all cards, the position in the spread is going to impact what light this Four of Coins is interpreted in. Sitting alongside the Six of Coins, as it is above, suggests being more generous and recognising our ability to generate more of what it is we have to offer. She is a spider after all.
Now, if you read my write up of the Heaven and Earth Tarot you will know that I often struggle with the Six of Coins. That is until I saw this rendering. I love this card. For starters, in the Joie de Vivre Tarot version, despite their differences, they are both standing. One is happily giving and the other is willingly receiving. Better still, I see what is in the pot as something with the potential to grow, rather than simply being a stopgap solution. I see it as providing help that helps people to help themselves.
Seven of Coins & Knight of Coins
So it’s no surprise that following on, this is such a positive Seven of Coins. First thing that stands out to me is the heart. If you start something that you can put your heart into it is more likely to flourish. Nevertheless before deciding what that is look at if from all angles. One animal has a moon on its rump, the other a sun. This links to inner and outer growth, tangible and intangible results, masculine and feminine energies. In each case, both sides are equally important. It’s the balance in this card that I appreciate.
That balance should be taken into account in each stage of the planning of the project too. The focus should be on the goal but also on how to combat any issues that come to the surface. An understanding of both the hopes and fears and the strengths and limitations linked to the goal can help the Knight of Coins make the necessary plans.
The Joie de Vivre Guidebook
The Joie de Vivre Tarot only comes with a LWB but it is a pleasure to read. Following a brief introduction that shares the philosophy behind the deck it launches straight into the card meanings. What makes the guidebook enjoyable is that Paulina Cassidy gives each character a name. In bringing them to life in this way I find the stories the cards create more engaging and their advice feels more personal. Such a small inclusion yet it changes the dynamic so much for me. They are entities in their own right teaching by example.
The information provided is the same for both the Major and Minor Arcana: Five keywords for the upright presentation; two paragraphs, one a description, the other for meaning; then key phrases for reversals. I’ll share the entry for XXI The World because this is the only card that I was confused about before I read the book.
XXI The World
Keywords: Fulfilment, achievement, enrichment, reward, unity.
Vitality, the winged merlion, guards a flourishing sphere; a spiritual manifestation of the world. He protects and nurtures the sphere, for it is a direct link to the world’s dynamic harmony and powerful abundance. Unity, the rabbit in the sphere, disperses the spirit of joy and happiness to all.
The world brings a feeling of accomplishment and realization as everything is coming to fruition. From a successfully completed cycle evolves a new beginning with exciting, new challenges. By envisioning just how everything around you is interconnected, your spirit is energized with a sense of fulfilment, and is balanced with the knowledge that things are as they should be.
Reversed: Carelessness in planning. Lack of enthusiasm.
Wrapping it all up
Rarely do you come across a deck that when you receive a reading dominated by swords you don’t want to cringe at least just a little. Joie de Vivre Tarot is one such deck. Not because it lacks depth. In fact I find it quite the opposite. Nor because it digresses from whimsy into something saccharine and artificially positive. Again, I’d argue it is quite the opposite. I find it a straight shooter that urges me to either question my motivations and actions or to take intentional action. This deck has jumped to the top of my list, alongside the Anna K Tarot, as my “too-much-chaos-need-a-direct-answer” go to deck.
I’d say this is a beginner’s deck because, for the most part, if you’re not sure what the card means you can draw meaning by describing the card image. That combined with a simple guidebook that animates the images makes it such an accessible deck. Despite the fact that my top 10 is already at best a top 20 – 25 this deck has just made it onto the list because it manages to be gentle yet empowering, direct yet empathetic and pretty without being syrupy. Put simply, its fun and pleasurable to use just as Paulina Cassidy intended.
If you’d like to add this deck to your collection you can find it by clicking here
Summaries
Joie de Vivre Tarot Cards
| Artist | Paulina Cassidy (aka Paulina Fae) |
| Card Size | 7cm x 12cm |
| Card Stock | Satin |
| Shuffle | Easy to shuffle in any manner |
| Fan & Flip Through | Easy to fan and flip through |
| Suits | Cups, Wands, Coins, Swords |
| Court | King, Queen, Knight, Princess |
| Strength / Justice | Strength VIII; Justice XI |
| Miscellaneous | Tuckbox |
Joie de Vivre Tarot Guidebook
| Written by | Paulina Cassidy |
| Pages | 59pp |
| Appearance | LWB |
| Spreads | Spreading the Joy Spread (6 cards) |
Publishing Details
Created by:
Paulina Cassidy
Pictured Versions:
Published by US Games Inc in 2011
Websites:
