Tarot of Echoes
I go through phases of buying decks. Sometimes there’s nothing that’s really jumping out at me and other times there are way too many decks that appeal to me. Lately I’ve found myself pre-ordering several decks and this is one that as soon as it was available for pre-order I jumped at. Even with the shipping costs it was worth it to me. I had been following the development of the Tarot of Echoes on Instagram and each image new Ana Tourian shared increased my anticipation. I was truly captivated. Now, I don’t normally share decks that are not readily available because personally I hate falling in love with unavailable decks but this one just has to be shared.
The Tarot of Echoes Deck
Only 750 copies of the indie version of Tarot of Echoes were made. Each is signed and dated. However, I don’t feel bad showing this deck because it has been picked up by US Games Inc. So, while I can’t tell you when it will be produced, I can say that a mass market edition will be available in the future. Ana Tourian shared that information during the pre-order period.
On her Instagram someone commented, “draining my wallet cause I’m about to pay whatever I have to to get this deck …” and Ana Tourian’s response was “Don’t drain your wallet! It will come out mass market.” Such an honest and ethical approach. Not that I needed any further encouragement to support her, but, if I did, this would be it.
When your decks are this good, you don’t need to push them on to people. My husband loves the Tarot of the Abyss and he doesn’t read or work with tarot in any way. And, the Le Tarot Arthurien, illustrated by Ana Tourian is superb also. Plus, unlike the indie edition, the mass market version will come with a guidebook so for many that is a huge plus and will make it worth the wait.
Some general information about the cards
Enough fan-girling though. I’ll get on with telling you about the cards. As you can see the watercolour and ink artwork is truly sublime. What you can’t see is how wonderful these cards are to shuffle and work with. Straight out of the pack, their size, 7cm x 12 cm, and the satin finish card stock make them a dream to work with. As you can see below they also have reversible backs. They do have a strong smell though.
One thing I should draw your attention to is that unlike most decks, the actual suit symbol isn’t generally represented in the artwork. As you can see from the Queen of Cups pictured above, there is not a cup to be seen. Further down you will see it is the same for the King of Cups. And yet, the Page is holding one. This deck relies on it’s titles to identify the cards. I like the titles and how they are presented; however, the font is on the smaller side.
The suits are Cups, Wands, Swords and Pentacles with Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings making up the Court. As you may already have noted, Strength is VIII and therefore Justice is XI. Ana Tourian has made two name changes in the Major Arcana though. V The Hierophant has been renamed V The Wise One, (he was pictured earlier) and XX Judgement is XX Awakening. You can see the XX Awakening in the book blurb section. It’s well worth a look.
Who’s this deck for
Since the Tarot of Echoes doesn’t come with a guidebook I wouldn’t say this indie version is a deck for most beginners. It is RWS-based and while the images are powerful and speak for themselves they do deviate from the standard symbolism. So even with the guidebook I wouldn’t recommend this deck for a beginner seeking to learn tarot as readily as I would an RWS or RWS clone deck.
I began my tarot journey with The Voyager Tarot and I believe that doing so created a steeper learning curve than was necessary. This is just my opinion though and I understand that, just like I did, you can learn to work with any deck. Willingness and desire are key.
Discussions on some individual cards
Ace of Cups & Eight of Swords
I see the Tarot of Echoes as an interior deck. Rather than looking outwards, the artwork often shows what is going on internally. Other decks suggest either the external impact or what is happening externally whereas many of these cards show how something is impacting us. Others suggest the mental or emotional approach we need to take.
Take the Ace of Cups as an example. This card isn’t showing an overflowing cup. She is the cup. It is her that is being filled rather than something outside of herself that may benefit her. That is probably why I connect so strongly with this deck.
On the Eight of Swords we see what happens when we don’t see the full and rich picture of all that we are and all that we are capable of. We become blind to our ability to change our situation and we see ourselves as less than what, and who, we are. Then it becomes easy to feel trapped and unable to move.
IX The Hermit & V The Emperor
This is such a clear and clever Hermit card. You can see this card represents an inner journey. He is going within to find his path. Then he uses what he has found to light his way. It shows there is no point going within and finding the answers you seek and then not doing anything with them. I love everything about this card. Ana Tourian’s ability to portray the card’s meanings shows that her tarot knowledge is comprehensive. She is not just a talented artist dabbling in tarot.
With IV The Emperor you can immediately see that he is very much a part of the world he is creating. I love that he is not outside of it. Rather than being a figure on a throne wielding his power, he is etched into the very make-up of his environment. True leaders are not above or separate from those they lead. A good leader can make the world better for others. A bad leader can do the opposite. The potential impacts cannot, and should not, be ignored. Because it is unusual to see masculine energy shown as part of the earth in this way it sends a resounding message.
XII The Hanged Man & Two of Swords
In many ways the Tarot of Echoes gives you a different perspective on things. The Hanged Man doesn’t just suggest a different viewpoint, it shows one. I have never seen a Hanged Man card presented from this angle. The Tower also features a tree and so when I put the two together it shows that sometimes being unwilling to adopt a different viewpoint is what leads to a “tower moment”. As I look at the hanged man, he is looking at me. It’s like he’s asking me, “What are you going to do?” With that in mind, if this card appears in a reading, I’m definitely going to be looking for a new perspective.
The Two of Swords also gives a different perspective to most. The idea of needing to make a decision is there, but here Ana Tourian is showing us what we need to weigh up. You can also see that a decision needs to be made before the situation becomes untenable. In her video explaining her artistic choices she said that the red flower is linked to the heart line and the blue to the head. As such the rift is between the heart and the head. Which do you choose? This card suggests that while you can weigh up the arguments of each side, ultimately you can’t go with both.
Six of Wands & VII The Chariot
I’ve paired these two together because I love their messages and I believe that taken together the message becomes even stronger. On the Six of Wands you can see that our successes are rarely just of our own making. Many people have played a part whether we realise it or not. Because of that I feel this card also talks about gratitude. Being grateful to those that have come before us, and to all those that have encouraged and enabled our success. In any success that list is long.
Nevertheless as The Chariot card shows, we had to do something to achieve our level of success. With most Chariot cards we see someone trying to hold onto the reins and keep the horses moving in the direction we desire. Yes, that portrayal shows a level of willpower but the Tarot of Echoes version is much more forceful. She isn’t trying to wield control. She is taking control. You can see the sheer determination on her face.
The Tarot of Echoes Guidebook
As I have already mentioned, there isn’t a guidebook. There’s not even so much as a keyword card. So why the heading? Because, for those that are interested, Ana Tourien uploaded a two hour You Tube video explaining the cards from her artistic point of view to her website. It doesn’t straight up provide card meanings, but, to a certain extent, they do come through. It’s fascinating to hear what she was trying to capture in the image and it definitely adds to the experience. It’s long – but it’s interesting.
Examples taken from the video
I The Magician & III The Empress
For example, for I The Magician she explains that she chose an older woman to represent the wisdom that comes with age and experience. No cups, swords or pentacles are present because she has all the resources that she needs to work her magic within her. The rose symbolises what she has brought to life. This confirms for me my feeling that this is a very internally focused deck.
I have to admit that III The Empress is not one of my favourite cards but I like Ana Tourian’s explanation. She wanted a way to express that The Empress embodies all queens and that she is a creative force for all. The galaxy represents the macrocosm and the eye the microcosm. Akin to The Big Bang she wanted to show an explosion of creation rather than a pregnant woman.
XIII Death & XX Awakening
For XIII Death she wanted to take a softer approach. She wanted to convey the idea that energy is never lost. It transforms. Death shows a young, ethereal woman disintegrating and becoming something else. The energy she holds is not gone. It’s just changing. Considering her overall approach to the card, I’m surprised she didn’t rename it Transformation.
XX Awakening is different to anything I have seen. In describing the Judgement card she points out that generally it signifies answering the call, a moment of stepping into a different way of seeing the world. Her card expresses that by showing a tear in the fabric of reality. The individual is in awe. Everything he’s had to endure is no longer part of his reality. He’s realised there is more than what he used to focus on. In part she used The Truman Show as inspiration. This is a clever association and one that really made me stop and think about the implications.
As I keep saying, this is a wonderful deck. I’m curious to see the approach she takes with the guidebook when it is released mass market. If the Tarot of the Abyss guidebook is anything to go by, I’m guessing she will include her artwork choices as part of the card write up. I hope so.
Wrapping it all up
What can I say? It’s pretty obvious I love this deck. All I can add is that I am really looking forward to the mass market release of both this deck and the Oracle of Echoes. As soon as I hear anything about their release dates I will update this post and share it everywhere. Ana Tourian is an incredible artist. That is undeniable. But, what makes her decks so wonderful is that each cards shows just how deeply she understands and connects with tarot.
Summary
The Tarot of Echoes Cards
| Artist | Ana Tourian |
| Card Size | 7cm x 12 cm |
| Card Stock | Satin finish, flexible |
| Shuffle | Easy to shuffle in any manner |
| Fan & Flip Through | Easy to fan and flip through |
| Suits | Cups, Wands, Pentacles, Swords |
| Court | King, Queen, Knight, Page |
| Strength / Justice | Strength VIII & Justice XI |
| Miscellaneous | Solid card sized box with magnetic closure. No guidebook |
Publishing Information
Created by:
Ana Tourian
Pictured version published by:
Ana Tourian 2024
Website:
