The Adventure Tarot

While scrolling in search of a new journal, I saw The Adventure Tarot was selling at a heavily discounted price, so I decided to give it a try. It had been on my radar for a while but I hadn’t got around to buying it, and to be honest I didn’t think I would. Even though I’m an avid road tripper, I knew this road trip inspired tarot, which celebrates the Asian-American experience, wasn’t targeting me. It’s aimed at young adults and I am way past that. But, I quickly discovered I needn’t have worried. My reservations were totally unfounded. This deck is for anyone who is open to the messages it has to share.

A woman sits on a wooden floor, warming herself by a fire with marshmallows on sticks around it. She is deep in thought. The card border is pink and labeled Six of Wands from The Adventure Tarot.

A tarot card from The Adventure Tarot, titled The Star, shows a woman in a white dress sitting on a hill, gazing at a starry night sky with a bright shooting star over blue mountains and water.

The Adventure Tarot Deck

Now I won’t pretend that stylised digital artwork is my favourite art style. But, I do find it clear and uncomplicated. The clean lines and saturated colours give it a contemporary feel and I find that since things don’t look too perfect, they feel more relatable, more real. These pictures are clearly intended to be a stand in for the story – not the story itself. It’s up to us to provide that.

A card from The Adventure Tarot, the Seven of Wands shows a person standing on a hill with arms raised, facing six upright wands and a vibrant, colorful sky of yellow, pink, and orange hues.

A woman with wet hair prays in water, under a rainbow and ten golden cups. Waterfall and mountains are in the background. The card, from The Adventure Tarot, is labeled “Ten of Cups.”.

A person paddles a boat across a calm river under a starry sky, with six swords laid on the boat. Illustrated in purple and pink tones, this mystical scene captures the essence of The Adventure Tarot.

Illustration of a woman in a white blouse standing by a colorful tree with nine gold pentacles. There is greenery in the background, capturing the spirit of independence and fulfillment found in The Adventure Tarot. The card reads Nine of Pentacles.

Artist Jenny Changs’ work as an Editorial Art Director shines through here. The artwork has a distinct structure that incorporates both colour and landscape. The colour palette for the Major Arcana is gold and silver with imagery that Elizabeth Su describes as the Great Outdoors. Wands cards show deserts and canyons and are predominantly red and pink, while Cups are blue and feature bodies of water. Mountains and sky in shades of purple differentiate the Swords suit and Pentacles show trees and plants in green tones. Therefore, you can distinguish the various suits at a glance. This makes it easy to gain a quick overall impression of the spread before you start to unpack the finer details of the story. As straight forward as The Adventure Tarot appears, it’s surprising how much each card has to say.

A woman in a tank top and skirt holds a cup, walking confidently across a glowing blue bridge toward a bright star, with green trees and mountains in the background. Echoing the spirit of The Adventure Tarot, this scene captures her journey of exploration and hope. Text reads BACKPACKER OF CUPS.

Illustration of a woman in overalls and yellow boots watering plants in a garden for The Adventure Tarot. She holds a watering can with a pentacle symbol. The card is labeled Guide of Pentacles.

Name changes

But, before I move on to some individual cards I want to briefly comment on the renaming of the Court cards. As you can see above, in The Adventure Tarot they are Scout (Page), Backpacker (Knight), Explorer (Queen), and Guide (King). This is because Elizabeth Su wanted to remove any sense of a gendered hierarchy. As she puts it, “The Court Cards Got Woke.” Then later, in case we didn’t get it, “(*cough* patriarchy *cough*)”

For the same reason The Hanged Man had to be changed too. She writes that it is now The Acrobat, “because, TBH, I can’t deal with the idea of, well, a hanged man.” On reading this in the opening pages I’ll admit that I did worry that this guide book would be a little too melodramatic. But then, I have to acknowledge that I am not the target audience.

This she makes clear when she states that the Court cards have the following “vibe”:

Scout – Carefree High Schooler
Backpacker – Sassy Teen
Explorer – College Senior
Guide – Mature Thirties

I’m a couple of years off my granddaughter becoming a Scout and my son is already a guide, so I’m not sure what that makes me. But it doesn’t seem to matter. Even though it can get a little syrupy, I have found there is a lot to like about this deck. Maybe it’s because it taps into the carefree road tripper in me, but I think it’s more likely because I appreciate the approach taken on many of the cards.

An illustrated tarot card from The Adventure Tarot shows two people and a dog in a van, waving at ten pentacles in the sky, with green mountains and a yellow sunset in the background. The card reads Ten of Pentacles.

A tarot card from The Adventure Tarot titled The Hermit shows a glowing tent under a starry night sky with a full moon, set in a forest. A person sits inside the tent, illuminated by warm light.

A bit of background

Elizabeth Su has a degree in Quantitative Economics and Community Health which she used to forge a successful career in Silicon Valley. Nothing there suggests going on to create a tarot deck. However, after experiencing burnout she pivoted and earned her Masters in Clinical Psychology. Her focus was on burnout and perfectionism. Yes, to understand perfectionism and to overcome burnout, she went and completed postgraduate studies. I do wonder if she chuckled at that. I did. But it does also potentially change people’s perspectives.

This isn’t just a light fluffy deck with bright colourful pictures. It’s a deck about overcoming and becoming. It’s about being kind to yourself and others. It’s also about realising your humanity and not being too quick to judge. And, believe me there’s lots to see when you flip the script.

An illustration for The Adventure Tarot depicts a woman picking pentacle-shaped fruits from plants, holding a basket. The card is labeled Six of Pentacles at the bottom. The background is green with yellow pentacles nestled among lush, leafy vines.

A woman in a white hat sits indoors, looking sad and thoughtful by a rainy window. Outside, five pentacles appear against a backdrop of trees, evoking the sense of challenge and perseverance captured in The Adventure Tarot. The card reads FIVE OF PENTACLES.

Some individual cards

Six of Pentacles

To me, this Six of Pentacles isn’t about handouts, giving or receiving, or uneven give and take. It’s about believing you can access what you need. It’s the perfect follow on to the Five.

Five of Pentacles

I find the Five of Pentacles interesting too. It’s clearly raining and since the pentacles are outside it seems that she wanted to be outside as well. You can understand her disappointment. However, if you are like me and enjoy the excuses the odd rainy day facilitates, you may have jumped to the positive. ‘Oh well, you can’t go hiking, but you can always make something good from a bad situation. Make a cuppa, grab a book, and snuggle in for the afternoon,” or something similar. To be honest, that was my first impression. Lack is a state of mind.

But for Elizabeth Su this is more about accepting discomfort. That in itself can be interpreted in two ways — the discomfort of not being able to do what we want, or the complete opposite, having to do something despite it being uncomfortable. I see it more as the latter.

As a reformed night owl I now get up at 5.15am so I can go for a walk when my husband leaves for work. I’ve been dreading a rainy morning because it’s winter here and so it’s already cold at that time without having to muster the motivation to walk in the rain. But I know I’d have to go regardless or I’d break a fairly new habit that I’m still trying to establish. So when it happens, I’ll just have to don my new raincoat and remember there’ll be a hot coffee and the satisfaction of knowing I did it to warm me when I return.

So this is my, “Don’t sulk, face the discomfort, and do what you have to do” card.

A tarot card from The Adventure Tarot titled Strength shows a woman in athletic wear crouched at a starting line, ready to run. An infinity symbol hovers above her head. The background is shaded in warm orange and pink tones.

A woman in a white shirt and black shorts stands with one foot on each of two colorful boats on water. She balances confidently, embodying the spirit of The Adventure Tarot, with mountains and water in the background. The word Justice and the number 11 appear below.

8 Strength

This is a motivating deck, albeit in a different way to most. Strength provides a perfect example of what I mean. This version suggests having the strength to start and then to keep going. It encourages you to do what needs to be done to get you to where you want to be. I like this. I just noticed it’s the perfect follow on from the Five of Pentacles.

11 Justice

With Justice, initially the consequences seem quite clear. You can’t keep a foot in both camps. But, as Elizabeth Su writes in regards to being mixed race, (although I feel it is applicable on many different levels), “

When you straddle multiple worlds … it can be hard to know where you belong … Justice is here to help you feel whole again. The labels that society gives us are not what creates an identity. What creates an identity is a knowing in your heart, a feeling in your bones. You never have to earn the right to be who you are.

I’d add that we can be “this” and “this”. It doesn’t always have to be “this” or “that.” But we do need to try and understand why we feel torn and decide which of these options is more applicable in each instance.

A diver swims underwater with an octopus, two fish, a turtle, and an eel. In the distance, two crossed swords stand above the water. The card has a lavender border and reads TWO OF SWORDS at the bottom—an enchanting scene from The Adventure Tarot.

Two of Swords

There are always many ways to look at things. Take the 2 of Swords above as an example. I find this is powerful because while the colours are typical for the suit and there is a mountain, the water predominates. Here, rather than siting with her back to the water, as is the case in the RWS version, she has left the swords on the mountain and dived in. She needs to try and discover the emotions driving her indecision.

While watching Scorched Earth Tarot recently, Carrie shared that while Swords are air and linked to our thoughts and communication, she teaches that water underpins the suit because our emotions often drive our thinking. This is suggested here and explains the approach taken in The Adventure Tarot. Unlike many other versions, rather than trying to block out her emotions, here she is seeking to understand them.

I like the inclusion of the octopus, the turtle, and the eel too. Each spoke to me straight away. The fish not so much but I expect that will change at some stage. For me the octopus speaks to the changing nature of our thoughts and emotions depending upon the situation and the need to adapt. I connect the turtle with wisdom and taking your time, and the eel with ideas and emotions that are difficult to grasp. Each of these animals point towards a direction that may require further exploration in order to come to a decision. This shows just how much can be shared in a relatively simple illustration.

A woman with a backpack and walking stick stands on a winding dirt path by stone steps, surrounded by greenery. The orange sky hints at new possibilities. The card reads TWO OF WANDS from The Adventure Tarot.

A yellow snake with an open mouth slithers through green plants against a background of brown mountains and an orange sky in The Adventure Tarot. The card is labeled 15 THE DEVIL.

Two of Wands & 15 The Devil

Many of the cards in this deck I’d term “ownership” cards. In addition to the ones already discussed, take the Two of Wands. Which path are you going to take? The choice is yours. So are the outcomes. Nevertheless, don’t make a choice simply for the sake of appearances. The stairs might not take you where it is you want to go. But if they do, don’t be afraid to change tracks.

Then there’s The Devil. A rattlesnake is a fantastic representation. It’s a powerful reminder that the Devil doesn’t come looking for you. It doesn’t hunt you down. You go to it. What has lured you in?

A tarot card from The Adventure Tarot titled The Hierophant shows a white-haired person in a brown dress holding a smoking incense stick, with a blue rose at the bottom and a dark blue background.

A tarot card from The Adventure Tarot titled Judgment shows mountains and a lake reflecting a moon in the sky above and a moon below, symbolizing reflection and duality. The card is bordered in cream with the number 20 at the bottom.

5 The Hierophant & 20 Judgment

Other cards I relate to personally. Every time I sit down to write these posts I light a red rose incense. I do that for multiple reasons. Now yes I’m aware that the rose shown here is blue but when I see this card it makes me think about my processes, what works for me, and why I think that is. Therefore, this Hierophant speaks to me about rituals. Not just the need to blindly follow them. More so to question them, to understand them, to see how you feel about them, and ultimately to decide whether the rituals you follow, (often in the form of habits), are serving you or not.

A clear lake reflects rugged mountains and a blue sky, surrounded by green hills—the scene evokes the spirit of The Adventure Tarot. Photo by Kshitij Chandrashekar on Unsplash.

The Judgment card reminds me of Dove Lake, one of the walks I’m looking forward to doing when I head to Tasmania. That might seem light but in a way this card and Dove Lake inspired my new walking habit. I have wanted to get back into bushwalking for a while now, but an injury and the subsequent decline in my fitness levels along with way too much negative self-talk, deterred me.

This card urged me to take a look at myself and decide what was fear, what were excuses, and what needed to change. I wanted there to be little difference between what I wanted on the inside and what my life looked like on the outside. For me, views like that and the many others I’m excited to discover on my three week road trip around the island are worth the discomfort I experience getting up on these chilly, still dark, winter mornings.

A hand holding a cup sits by a window, with mountains, a lake, and flowers outside. Blue socks, a notebook, and the text Ace of Cups appear at the bottom of the image, evoking the spirit of The Adventure Tarot.

A tarot card back from The Adventure Tarot, featuring a gradient of purple, yellow, and blue, with a central white starburst and smaller white stars in the corners.

Physical aspects of the cards

Since this post is already nearly 2000 words, I’ll skip the card pairings and move on to the physical aspects of the cards. Measuring 7 x 12cm they are a typical tarot size. I’d describe the card stock as matte-ish, gold-gilded, and thicker than standard which makes it a little bit stiff. So, while it shuffles okay straight from the box it’s not awesome, but it should loosen up over time. Although, due to the thickness of the cardstock it’s a bit more of a handful than a standard deck. Yet, for a matte deck, it fans better than many. Finally, as you can see above, the backs are reversible

The Adventure Tarot comes packaged in a compact, solid, two part box with a mustard coloured inset to ensure the cards sit snuggly. They’ve incorporated a cream ribbon to make it easy to remove them. I didn’t used to comment on the ribbon but having bought a few decks lately that don’t have one, I have come to appreciate them. I definitely don’t just take them for granted anymore.

Three women work together outdoors, building a structure with branches and three pentacles at the top. Trees and greenery surround them, evoking the collaborative spirit found in The Adventure Tarot. The card reads Three of Pentacles.

A woman in a red swimsuit surfs on blue waves under a bright yellow sun with rays, against a background of purple hills. The card border is pink and labeled EIGHT OF WANDS at the bottom, capturing the dynamic spirit of The Adventure Tarot.

The Adventure Tarot Guidebook

The 199-paged book opens with a “Love Note from the Author” which feels supportive yet adolescent. But, as I’ve already noted several times, I’m not the demographic this deck is targeting so that might be a little unfair. Nevertheless, since this post, and every other one I write, is simply sharing my experience with the deck I can only say it as I see it.

Next is “Getting in the Zone”. I like her approach here. She writes, “There are no rules for communicating with the Universe. So “get in the zone” however that may look to you!” This is so important especially when targeting people new to tarot.

She includes 4 sample spreads:

One-card Pull: Intentions
- (4 suggestions)
Two-card Spread: Decisions
Three-card Spread: Past, Present, Future
Four-card Spread: Seasons

The “Wisdom of the Cards” is the heading for the card meaning section. On the left hand page there’s a black and white image with Essence and Releasing headings. Essence offers a general theme for the card while Releasing suggests a potential shadow you might need to examine. Then on the adjacent page she gives an expanded meaning.

Rather than choosing which card’s meaning to share, this time I randomly selected one from the deck. I drew the Scout of Cups. Below I have shared the full entry.

A woman in a red bikini jumps into a pool where two people float in donut-shaped tubes. Palm trees are visible behind a wooden fence. The card, part of The Adventure Tarot, is labeled Scout of Cups.

Scout of Cups

Essence: Hope
Releasing: Jaded

The Scout of Cups is the sweeeeeetest. When she loves, she loves hard. She doesn't know any other way to be. She's the girl at summer camp who, on the second day, is already getting your address because she wants to be PEN PALS 4 EVA. People love being around her — she gives amazing hugs, is everyone's hype woman, and writes the best goddamn birthday cards. She's got big feelings and isn't afraid to say what's on her heart. If there's one thing she hates, it's goodbyes. In her perfect world, we'd be able to hold on to happy moments forever. The Scout of Cups embodies an innocent kind of love. The world hasn't beaten her down yet. To her, life really is full of sunshine and rainbows. If you've been feeling jaded lately, tune in to the Scout of Cups. Life has its challenges; this we know for sure. But being disappointed and cynical all the time is no way to live. Let our QT pie Scout of Cups remind you that goodness does still exist.

A woman in purple lies resting on the ground with mountains in the background. Four swords and a purple bag are beside her—a tranquil moment captured in The Adventure Tarot. The card reads FOUR OF SWORDS.

A cartoon girl with pigtails jumps joyfully in a forest, holding a small sword. Pink signposts with arrows are behind her, suggesting new paths to explore. Card reads Backpacker of Swords from The Adventure Tarot.

Then the book wraps up with a couple of pages each for, Behind the Scenes; Warm and Fuzzies; Love from the Illustrator; P.S. Let’s Keep This Party Going!; About the Author; and About the Illustrator.

Wrapping it all up

I’m going to let The Adventure Tarot do the wrap up. As part of my process for writing these posts I conduct a deck interview. What follows are some of the responses I was given during my chat with the cards.

As much as I may appear to be about action and adventure my emphasis is on helping you to understand yourself and your place in the world around you. I urge you to get out and about in nature, recognising and acknowledging the power and the pleasure of spending time immersed in outdoor activity. Messages come through in many, many ways. A wave can dump you or it can propel you to the shore. You just need to pick the right wave … When you feel overwhelmed all hope isn’t lost. You’re never truly on your own. But don’t wait for someone else to come and save you. That’s up to you. If your inner voice suggests otherwise shut it down. Back yourself, believe in yourself, and be kind to yourself.

If this speaks to you then this deck is worth considering.

A box with a description of The Adventure Tarot and sample cards is shown next to a fan of tarot cards with shimmering blue and gold backs, all on top of a sepia map background.

Publishing Details

Created by:

Elizabeth Su with artwork by Jenny Chang

Published by:

Andrews McMeel Publishing in 2024

Websites:

Elizabeth Su

Jenny Chang