Tarot of the Owls

At first glance the Tarot of the Owls may seem like a cutesy deck that focuses on being beautiful to look at rather than offering anything new. However, that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. It may look light but it offers so much. Beneath its beauty is a solid tarot deck that I have come to discover is wonderful for shadow work. That definitely wasn’t what I expected when I first flicked through the cards. The deck might take you into a magical Owl Realm, but what you find in this mystical place is solid, practical and helpful.

The Tarot of the Owls deck

To discover that this a great deck for shadow work came as a surprise. But now I wonder why that was. The owls on XIX The Sun and the Four of Swords pictured above, look very content as they rest in the light, but that isn’t where they shine. Owls have incredible night vision. Their eyes have adapted to help them capture whatever light is available in an otherwise dark environment. They don’t move their eyes to see in a new direction. Instead they move their entire head. This feels relevant to me.

Pamela Chen writes that the Owl’s mission “is to help you shed unnecessary nuisances” and to “help you to transform into the best version of yourself by listening to your intuition,” which also makes a lot of sense. Owls have exceptional hearing. I discovered that their ears are asymmetrical which allows them to pinpoint where a sound is coming from. Taken together, this makes owls a wonderful choice for the starring role in a tarot deck.

Some general information about the cards

Tarot of the Owls seamlessly combines RWS traditional meanings and familiar easy-to-interpret artwork with information channelled by Pamela Chen. Together this has produced a glorious tarot deck suitable for everyone. Elisabeth Alba’s artwork, (Everyday Witch Tarot and Oracle decks), once again manages to be both playful and insightful.

Recently I combined the Tarot of the Owls with the Oracle of the Birds and together they brought through a powerful message filled with lightness and joy. This deck reminds that we don’t always need to take ourselves so seriously in order to receive the insights we need. Stand-up comedians show this every time they step on stage.

The suits

The deck maintains standard nominations. The suits are Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles. Each suit features a distinct type of owl that is unique to the Owl Realm that this deck inhabits. Wands have red and peach coloured horned owls, while blue, white and grey snowy owls illustrate the Swords suit. Mint green and yellow burrowing owls represent Pentacles and pink and purple barn owls adorn the Cups suit. This makes it quite clear if a particular parliament of owls is dominating a reading. Strength is VIII and Justice is XI.

The court cards

Plus the Tarot of the Owls has a great Court – Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings. Each displays a recognisable feature that makes them easy to discern without reading the titles. Pages all wear hats which makes me think they are “trying on the hat” of their suit. Knights are all in armour, each ready to go after what they want in their own manner. For example, as can be seen on the Knight of Swords pictured above, he is very direct and willing to ruffle a few feathers if necessary. The four Queens each wear a necklace which shows that they embody their particular suit’s energy. The Kings are unadorned except for their crown. They have mastered their suit.

The Specs

Printed on typical Llewellyn card stock, the cards measure 7 x 11.75 cm. It’s thin and flexible and a pleasure to shuffle straight from the box. Some people aren’t a fan of this cardstock but I like working with it. However, it can be a bit on the slippery side. Overall though I find it holds up well and it’s easy to work with. Plus, I love the vibrant, non-reversible card backs as seen above.

Thoughts on some individual cards

XI Justice & XII The Hanged Man

XI Justice in the Tarot of the Owls suggests looking from a different angle to gauge what is truly “right” in the situation. In a sense it gives me XII Hanged Man vibes. He is intentionally looking to gain insights from different perspectives. Also, as I look at the owl’s face I see a bug with the ability to either sting or give a nasty bite. I interpret that as telling me that when trying to decide what is right, fair, and balanced it is important to consider solutions that might inflict less pain rather than just focusing on what may be justified. Another thought that comes to mind is to focus on doing what is right in order to reverse the discomfort someone is experiencing.

Then there’s a real energy about XII The Hanged Man. He is not passively just hanging around upside down. The Autumn leaves suggest something is changing, or has changed, and that is what has encouraged him to seek a new perspective. Maybe he got stung by a decision linked to the Justice card? Regardless of the cause, in this version of The Hanged Man, the position of his head implies he is actively seeking to “right” his thinking.

Nine of Swords & Ten of Wands

When I looked at the Nine of Swords in the Tarot of the Owls my first thought was “Why have you placed yourself in such a vulnerable position? No wonder you’re anxious.” Then I Googled snowy owls and read on All about birds that the female builds her nest “by scraping out a shallow hollow on the bare ground and shaping it by pressing her body into the depression.” So this owl’s position is totally within character. It was a potent reminder that sometimes what I imagine is wrong isn’t at all. Rather it is a natural part of life. That brings me back to how harmless the horned owl’s tufts are on the Justice card discussed earlier. How easy is it to see threats and injustices where they don’t actually exist?

Maybe that is the case with the Ten of Wands too. I will have to see what comes to mind in an actual reading. In the book the Ten of Wands is encouraging you to make the final push because success is close. However, my initial reaction when I saw the card was that the owl needs to put down those wands so that she can fly as intended. The full sun suggests success but the shadow her burdens cast suggests otherwise to me. I find myself asking, “How can she spread her wings?” It seems impossible.

X Wheel of Fortune & Ten of Pentacles

X Wheel of Fortune is clever. A windmill moves. It doesn’t serve its purpose if it doesn’t. Nature moves through cycles and we are a part of nature so change is a natural and important part of life. I was watching a documentary last night that focuses on the interconnectedness of the natural world and how changes in one place play a vital role in the ecosystem of another. Changes in our life do the same thing.

There wouldn’t be much benefit in spending time in IX Hermit mode if it didn’t lead to anything. Forced changes, just like wolves forcing the grazing herds to move on to stop overgrazing and complacency, can create a better environment for all. This depiction captures this essence simply and gently.

Next is one of my favourite cards. In Tarot of the Owls the Ten of Pentacles is very much my family card. It makes me smile to see that every member is welcome and important. The slightly kooky, the young, the loud, the serious, and the easily distracted – every one has a place. This is a legacy worth sharing and supporting.

Ace of Cups and XV The Devil

Every Ace in the Tarot of the Owls features a hatchling. This is a great way to represent the potential the Aces contain. It is only if he grows and develops that he’ll be able to make use of that potential. Potential on its own is not enough. Action is required. Breaking free of the egg was the first step of many to come. Love it.

XV The Devil is another card that really caught me attention. I see this Devil as my personal poster child for shadow work. When I look at him I wonder what it is that he is doing wrong. Maybe grabbing two mice instead of one, but his ability to hunt is his strength, not to mention essential to his survival. Should he think less of himself for it? How often do we condemn our abilities and our true nature because at some stage we were made to feel bad about those aspects of ourselves?

What is hidden isn’t necessarily “bad”. Even if we judge it so, choosing not to see it doesn’t make it go away. But what it does do is prevent the opportunity for growth and change that exploring and addressing what is hidden affords. Maybe the Devil Owl is hoarding food because he was denied as a youngster. If he realised that and recognised that he has the ability to catch his own food and provide for himself now, he may overcome the urge to catch more than is necessary. Maybe he was made to feel weak and now he feels the need to assert his dominance?

Understanding the unconscious motivations behind things is invaluable. I believe the Tarot of the Owls is a wonderful deck to use to uncover these hidden influences because it is bright and gentle and therefore feels less intimidating. The aptly named, Shadowland Tarot takes advantage of this approach also. A deck doesn’t have to be dark to be effective.

The Tarot of the Owls Guidebook

The Tarot of the Owls guidebook, written by Pamela Chen, is called Wisdom of the Owls. In this 210 page book, there is a full colour image on the left-hand page with a mirrored watermark of the outer edges of the card on the other. This suggests that they go together but the brightness of the card image highlights that the artwork trumps the text. That is not to say the text is not wonderful – it is. I found the book a pleasure to read and Pamela Chen’s approach makes this a go to deck for creative inspiration.

I know some people don’t like the big, full-colour Llewellyn books but as long as the information provided adds something I think they’re great. Plus being able to see the picture as I’m reading about the card is more convenient. Nevertheless I understand that storage can be an issue for some, but personally I appreciate not having to source the guidebook separately. Fortunately, for those that aren’t a fan of the packaging size the book necessitates, a mini deck is due for release in February 2025. I think this offers a perfect solution and I see it being utilised more and more.

Preamble

The book opens with an Introduction, “The Calling,” followed by a chapter, “Rules of the Realm,” which breaks down the deck in an easy to understand, beginner-friendly manner. Next, “Know it Owl”, (yes there are some owl puns to deal with), shares tips on how to get started with Tarot of the Owls. Here there is a strong emphasis on writing down whatever comes to mind as you look at the cards. Any book that encourages journaling is always going to get a huge thumbs up from me.

Card Meanings

Both the Major and Minor Arcana are treated the same. The opening paragraph shares the story of the image and this is followed by Upright Owl Wisdom and Reversed Owl Outlook. Although I do find it strange that reversed meanings are given since the backs aren’t reversible.

Example from XX Judgement

For XX Judgement pictured above, the opening paragraph ends, “Others see you how you see yourself, so decide who you judge yourself to be.” I love this. It is simple yet powerful. The Upright Owl Wisdom section then opens with, “Judgement is not about others judging you for your actions, but more about how you are judging yourself.” Reversed Owl Outlook begins, “You are being too hard on yourself and passing judgement on insignificant things. Life is not about being perfect because there is no such thing as perfection.” The concepts are communicated in such a straightforward manner. It’s great.

Example from Seven of Swords

The Seven of Swords offers a different approach to many others. Upright reads, “At times (possibly right now), you will come across a thought or idea left behind by someone who used to be on the same path as you. This might be an idea that serves your purpose and helps you ascend on your journey, or perhaps you’ve come across thoughts and beliefs that are not meant for anyone and that’s why they were discarded. It is up to you to evaluate your current circumstances to see if this idea can help you on your flight or if it is a distraction.” I love this idea. I think back to the RWS version of the card and I see how well it fits there also. Do you want to take up the fight or move away? I interpret the RWS version in many ways. Now I’ve added another possible approach.

Spreads

A suggestion for a single card spread is followed by seven options for three-card spreads. Then there’s three original five-card spreads, (Intuitive Flight Spread, Next-level Tarot Self Spread, and Owl Possibilities Spread) and a six-card layout called The Magic Within Spread. There’s definitely enough to get you started and I love that two of the spreads explore improving/working with your tarot reading skills.

All-in-all this is an enjoyable, easy-to-read guidebook that justifies the storage space it requires.

Wrapping it all up

If you’re personal approach to life has you feeling like the quirky looking owl on the Ten of Pentacles I feel you’ve found your tribe with this deck. It’s bright and it’s colourful and best of all, it’s inspirational and yet down to earth. Plus it is accessible to all. Overall, Tarot of the Owls is a fantastic beginner’s deck because it presents the RWS system in such a clear and artistically beautiful manner without watering down any of the ideas. This makes it a great deck for more experienced readers as well and I have to say that it grows on me more and more every time I use it.

Summaries

The Tarot of the Owls Cards

Artist	Elisabeth Alba
Card Size	7 x 11.75cm
Card Stock	Flexible, satin finish
Shuffle	Easy to work with using any method
Fan & Flip Through	Easy to flip through and fan
Suits	Cups, Pentacles, Swords, Wands
Court	Page, Knight, Queen, King
Strength / Justice	Strength VIII; Justice XI
Miscellaneous	Large one-piece box box magnetic enclosure

The Tarot of the Owls Guidebook

Written by	Pamela Chen
Pages	210 pages
Appearance	Full-colour
Contents	– The Calling – Rules of the Realm – Know it Owl – The Major Arcana – The Minor Arcana – The Court Cards – Spread your Wings – Taking Flight
Spreads	Single Card Three Card Spread (7 versions) Intuitive Flight Spread (5 cards) Next-level Tarot Self Spread (5 cards) Owl Possibilities Spread (5 cards) The Magic Within Spread (6 cards)

Publishing Details

Created by:

Pamela Chen (author) and Elisabeth Alba (artist)

Pictured Version:

Published by Llewellyn Publications January 2023.

Creator’s Websites:

Pamela Chen

Elisabeth Alba

The Tarot of the Owls deck