Transient Light Tarot

At the end of last year, on a whim, I bought the Transient Light Tarot as part of my final deck haul for a while. I’m glad it made the cut because it is everything I feel I need right now. Its simple colour palette and minimalist style aligns with how I want to live my life. I’m over busyness for the sake of busyness and the constant need for more. This deck epitomises that for me.

The Transient Light Tarot Cards

The Transient Light Tarot is an 81 card tarot deck. But rather than reinventing the wheel, or more accurately the Major Arcana, the three additional cards are Past, Present and Future. And, I find as simple as they are, they are a nice touch. Laying them side by side shows how one thing leads into the next. It made me acutely aware of the ripple effect of my actions. What I add to my life makes a difference as does what I choose to remove. In the case of the Transient Light Tarot, it’s what Ari Wisner “removed” that adds to its strength and appeal for me.

Colour palette

I’ll start with the colour palette. Every card, except the three above, are created using only four colours – craft paper brown, black, white, and a sage-y, olive-y green – and I love that. This combination feels gentle, uncomplicated, and grounding.

Inclusivity

Next he intentionally removed gender, ethnicities, body types, and ages. He did this in several ways. Firstly he renamed the gendered Major Arcana. So, the High Priestess became The Revealer, The Empress became The Nurturer, and The Emperor is now The Defender. He also changed The Hierophant to The Proclaimer and The Hanged Man to The Hanged One. At this stage I’m on the fence about The Proclaimer. Since it hasn’t appeared in any of my readings as yet I haven’t had an opportunity to discover how it feels in practice. For me that’s when it counts.

Secondly he changed the Court titles. Although, in what feels like such a contemporary deck I was surprised to see the Court retained medieval inspired titles. That being said, they make sense so I like them. They are as follows: Apprentice (Page), Champion (Knight), Keeper (Queen) and Crown (King).

The third thing he did was to remove most of the people altogether. Only 0 The Fool and XXI The World cards feature full people while XVII The Star and the Apprentice of Vessels have torsos. Apart from that there’s some hands, a mouth and an eye. And yet it feels very human. The people might not be visible but they are very much there.

The Court cards

As previously mentioned the Court in the Transient Light Tarot are Apprentices, Champions, Keepers and Crowns. I like his approach to the Court cards. The cards are simple but they include enough symbolic information to draw meaning from without overly complicating them. I’ll show you what I mean.

Apprentices

I’ll start with the Apprentices as they are amongst my favourite cards in the Transient Light Tarot. I am aware that many people see the Pages as messengers but I tend to connect their energy with the Aces. The Ace, at the beginning of the suit, is pure potential and for me the Page, (in this case the Apprentice) is starting to do something with this energy. It’s early days but they are taking the first tangible steps. The illustrations suggest what those steps may be.

The Champions

The Champions cards all feature birds but they aren’t just there to look pretty. They form part of the story. For example, consider what the birds are doing. The birds on the Champion of Vessels and the Champion of Coins are stationary. They’re looking towards where they are heading, but they aren’t currently moving. In comparison, both the Champion of Swords and the Champion of Wands are in flight. They aren’t just sitting back to contemplate their next move. This suggests the differences in energy. And, in taking note of the other included elements the story for each can build from there.

The Keepers

Each of the Keeper cards feature keys suggesting that they have unlocked the energy of the suit and now they hold it within. Take the Keeper of Coins as an example. She understands what it takes to make things grow. She knows what she needs, the resources she has, and what to do with them. I find it interesting that her key is the only one not fully visible suggesting she is discerning regarding who she shares her resources with. This is not how I would normally see this Queen but here I interpret the Transient Light Tarot version as a message to be selective about who you share your wisdom and your resources with.

As you can see on the Keeper of Vessels pictured above also, her key is completely visible. Her advice is clearly to open your heart, but I see a warning of sorts there too. Her energy is flowing freely, which is lovely, but, is it flowing in too many directions?

Interestingly, the other cards that feature keys are V The Proclaimer, (no surprise there), but also 0 The Fool, XX Judgement, and 7 Vessels. I don’t believe this is by accident so I connect these cards to the energy of the Keepers and the Keepers to the energies of these cards.

The Crowns

Often times The Emperor, or in this case The Defender, is said to embody the energy of the four kings (Crowns). However, in the Transient Light Tarot, by incorporating the necklaces, I feel Ari Wisner has linked the Crowns to I The Magician. This changes the dynamic some what and I’m curious to see how it translates in a reading. Nevertheless it does make sense in the scope of this deck.

The Major Arcana

Ari has some interesting takes on some of the Major Arcana cards too. Three in particular stood out to me — VI The Defender, VIII Strength, and VII The Chariot.

IV The Defender & VIII Strength

I’ll start with IV The Defender and VIII Strength as I feel it is all wrapped up with my previous comments about The Magician and the Crowns. For me, the faceted gem appearing on both The Defender and The Strength cards links them which changes how I perceive them.

In the book Ari writes “The Strength card harnesses the energy of The Defender to tame the powerful lion with a whisper. Rather than defaulting to brute force, utilise inner strength, gentleness and craft to overpower forces greater than yourself.” Personally I would have preferred to have seen this explanation levelled more at The Defender than the Strength card but either way the connection has been made which I like.

VII The Chariot & III The Nurturer

The one Major Arcana card I baulked at during my initial flick through was VII The Chariot. I just didn’t get it. Plus the presence of the pearl meant I connected it with III The Nurturer which seemed a little odd. Normally, due to the astrological associations, if I was going to make a connection it would be with II The Revealer.

However, when I read the book I saw that Ari suggests that VII The Chariot is urging you to speak your vision into action. So, I can see why he made the artistic choices he did and how it can relate to III The Nurturer’s creative drive. I won’t pretend that it has become a favourite though. Just that I can see his intention and that if they appeared together in a spread I would definitely take notice.

The Transient Light Tarot Suits

The Transient Light Tarot suits are fairly straightforward. Cups have been renamed Vessels, Pentacles are Coins, then there’s Wands and Swords.

Vessels

The Vessels are all represented by objects that can contain something. I love that his various choices all add to the meaning. Take the chests used to represent 6 Vessels as an example. Are they unwanted baggage taking up space in your heart, or even possibly chests that are literally taking up space because you keep holding on to mementos from the past? Or are they treasure chests? They can be either/or, or maybe a combination. It all depends on how you’re looking at the past. I like that. Several ideas form without even considering what the clock, or the photo, or the envelope etc may symbolise.

And I really appreciate his take on 3 Vessels. I can have an issue with this card sometimes; however, here I really like the message. I see this card as suggesting that even though the three individual colours can blend they can also stand alone and remain true to themselves whilst still coming together. For me that is a wonderful group dynamic, which as much as we may imagine it to be the case, often doesn’t happen. I’ve been guilty of bending to the point of breaking just to keep the peace. This is a reminder that we shouldn’t have to.

Coins

Coins are represented by various pentacles. I don’t mind the differences at all. Each choice fits well with the overall scene and adds to the story. I’ll start with 6 vessels as an example. For starters I love how his version of the 6 Vessels reflects equal give and take. One hand may be in a higher position but it doesn’t feel that they have the upper hand or are superior. Rather, it suggests that this isn’t about being charitable, it’s about equitable energy exchange. There is a yin/yang feel to the card also. Nevertheless, depending on the question and the surrounding cards you may need to explore whether the apparent energy is an accurate reflection or not. Little details can say so much.

Take 5 Vessels as another example. I see the image on the 5 Vessels as a broken pearl necklace, but I note that the resources are still present. You just might need someone to help you put everything back together. However, Ari has a darker take on this card. He writes:

This is loss at the expense of another's gain. Pearls snatched from the hands of those who need them more. Pearls accumulated to flaunt wealth or power, void of meaningful purpose.

There's a lack of generosity, either with yourself or others. How can a healthier balance be achieved? Consider who or what you contribute to and how you can champion justice. If you've been short-changed, find justice in being a force for good in your own dealings with others.

This is a different vibe to most of the deck even though he does round it out with a positive action. Further, it’s a different interpretation to what is generally suggested with this card. And, as I’ve already mentioned I interpret the artwork quite differently. I like that I can do that. It shows the artwork isn’t static or restrictive.

Wands

Wands feature bundles of sticks sprouting flowers that, like in the other suits, all come together well to tell the story. This is a pip-ish deck but there is definitely enough detail within the artwork to draw meaning from. I like 7 Wands. When people come at you, don’t hide, burn brighter.

It sits so nicely alongside 4 Wands. For me this card suggests that those that celebrate your success will hold a light for you as you progress on to the next stage. They, or your recent success, will be a safe place for you to return to if necessary or to urge you on when you encounter the challenges of the five. This is such a beautiful card. I also see it as a portal. What’s on the other side of that door and where could it lead? The other cards in a spread may have the answer.

Swords

Each of the Swords cards also feature butterflies suggesting the transformation that is possible. I like that, and yes I like a lot. Take 3 Swords as an example. Here Ari writes,

After showing vulnerability, it seems that your beautiful heart has been pierced threefold by the sting of sudden truths. Is it unrequited love or the betrayal of trust? Whatever hit you have taken, the wounds need attention.

They say time is a healer, but time alone will not fix you. Gently initiate steps towards extracting the swords. This way you can be transformed and newly equipped with the very swords that once harmed you.

The Four shows the butterfly in charge of the sword, which aligns with the story he was telling in the Three.

Random pairing

Generally I draw several pairs but since I have already written more about individual cards than usual I’ll only do one pairing. This is one of those decks that I just wanted to keep writing about individual cards. I just enjoy how Ari Wisner approached so many of the cards in the Transient Light Tarot.

XVIII The Moon & Ace of Coins

The seeds have been planted but they can’t grow if you keep digging them up. Fears can make us question our gifts or what’s on offer, rather than giving things the time they need to develop. The Moon suggests something is being drawn out but the wands are growing so maybe acknowledging what’s coming to the surface is the true gift.

If you remove what no longer fits there is room to embrace new opportunities. It is through movement that we begin to recognise what is off kilter. That is a gift even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time. It allows us to get everything in alignment, just like the shoots seen on the Ace of Coins.

It’s amazing how often we recognise the path/gift our intuition was trying to direct us towards in hindsight. The trick is to remember that next time things feel unsteady.

Physical aspects of the deck

The cards

The cards themselves, printed on 350gsm matte, smooth, eco-friendly cardstock with a plastic-free varnish, have a cardboard-y feel. They measure 7cm x 12cm which makes them comfortable to handle; however, due to their thickness they are a bit stiff to riffle straight out of the box. Nevertheless they fan okay and are easy to flip through. I like the simple reversible backs but I am surprised that they have a blue background rather than black.

The deck is housed in a solid, two-part textured box, which looks and feels great. The first thing I noticed when I removed the lid were the words, “Made with love” printed next to the plastic free and recyclable message. It reminded me of my granddaughter and the love and care she puts into the gifts she makes. I imagined Ari Wisner taking the same approach and it made me feel good before I even pulled the cards from the box.

The Transient Light Tarot Guidebook

The Transient Light Tarot comes with a 130 page, black and white, little white book that opens with a dedication to those who originally backed the Kickstarter version. That’s a nice shout out. Next is a poem by Fausta Joly who also wrote a poem for each of the Major Arcana. I’ll share an example soon.

In the Introductory pages Ari shares the intentions and philosophy that drove this deck — the desire to create an inclusive deck “inspired by the sublime nature of transience” — and his own tarot journey. Looping back quickly to the nature of transience, I have to say that that didn’t initially make a whole lot of sense to me. I looked up transience in case I was missing something and read ‘The state or fact of lasting only for a short time, transitoriness’ and I still didn’t feel much closer to an answer. So I just sat with the idea for a while.

Then I caught a glimpse of its potential. I heard, “hold on loosely” and I began to wonder just what that would feel like as an embodied mindset. Blissful was the first word that came to mind. Life is such a temporary state. Why do we stress and worry so much?

The book itself is simple yet surprisingly touching. That sense pervades everything to do with this deck.

There are a few differences between the information provided for the Major and Minor Arcana. As mentioned previously, each of the Major Arcana is accompanied by a poem written by Fausta Joly and he includes a few keywords as well. The depth of information provided is similar for both though. I’ll give an example for each. I’ll start with XV The Devil because I love the artwork on this card.

XV The Devil

Inner self
Concentrates
On what ties
To make,
What ties to
Cut Scales of the compasses, direction
Stick out your forked tongue
Hold gaze —
Quick!
Make haste,
Out of the material
—
Into the spiritual.

Then this is written beneath a thumbnail black and white image of the card:

XV: THE DEVIL

Toxic Partnership, Addiction, Loss of Control

A partnership that was once harmonious and fruitful has now clasped shut — making it too dependant. This toxic link is no longer enjoyable or mutually beneficial. Consider the partnerships or practices that you find yourself in. Are you trapped? Or are you the one trapping someone else? Perhaps it's time to cut ties. Give thanks for the good, but recognise when you are required to initiate an ending to reduce longer-term damage to everyone involved.

Below I’ll use 10 Coins for the Minor Arcana example:

10 Coins

This signifies an abundant legacy. What you manifest, accumulate and provide during your life reaches beyond yourself. 
This legacy is a storehouse for others, especially those you care about. Be inspired to make a difference for the future, whether that is building better cultures and structures for the next generation or providing your own children with a well of energy and confidence for their own journey. Consider sustainability in all that you do!

Three spreads (Past, Present, Future; Ari’s Spread (8-9 cards); and Fausta’s Solstice Healing Spread (16 cards)) and an About Ari Wisner and an About Fausta Joly rounds out the guidebook. And there you have it — the Transient Light Tarot.

Wrapping it all up

This deck, arriving when it did, encouraged me to stand strong in following the path I’ve chosen and to eliminate the things that don’t truly align with my core values. In the Transient Light Tarot Ari Wisner has shown how rich and rewarding a minimalist approach can be.

Publishing details

Created by: Ari Wisner with poetry by Fausta Joly

Mass market edition published by: Hay House in 2022

ISBN-13: 978-1-78817-820-4