The Light Seer’s Tarot
I’m surprised I didn’t review this deck ages ago because I used it extensively for months when it arrived. The Light Seer’s Tarot was/is a popular tarot deck published by Hay House in December 2019. The artist Chris-Anne Donnelly has since created the Muse Tarot (2020), The Sacred Creator’s Oracle (2021), and the Tarot of Curious Creatures(2021). It comes in a small but study box, and includes a relatively decent guidebook.
The major arcana are a mix of traditional and modern interpretations within the imagery. It has a bit of a peace and love vibe, but this doesn’t make it inaccessible to those not of that ilk. A brief mention on The Lovers card: I like how she’s holding onto his hair and wonder if we can interpret this as ‘holding onto his strength’. Both have their eyes closed, and there is no indication of this card representing choice nor evidence of a third party. It seems to show a loving relationship without the negative connotations associated with this card. The Chariot stays true to form and uses a horsedrawn carriage. The artwork captures the essence of movement weel, and the horses look to be running at speed. The shirtless man crouching on the carriage’s roof looks steady and in control despite not holding any reins. This could perhaps be a reference to willpower and self-control often needed to make the best of the energy of this card.
The Hanged Man shows a woman in a yoga swing bending backwards above a pool of runic symbols. It’s a good creative expression of the card’s typical meanings, and I like the presence of light on the horizon. The guidebook has four sections for each card: Light Seer, Shadow Seer, a good chunk of text gives general advice for the card, and it finishes with a mantra. The interpretations use two pages for both major and minor arcana. For this card, it says
LIGHT SEER: surrendering to the will of the Cosmos, an intentional pause, reflection, letting go, embracing the new, realigning with your heart and purpose, new wisdom found, spiritual teachings, sacrifice, enlightenment.
SHADOW SEER: stagnation, self-sabotage, holding on to something that isn’t meant for you, stubborness, a tendency to be a martyr.
Mantra - I lean into my inner world of limitless miracles, surrendering to the divine will of the Cosmos.
There’s too much text in the general advice section to show it here, and you’ll have to take my word that it adequately covers the significant points of the card.
Temptation is strong with The Devil card. The image of a green-eyed bloke staring right at you with his hand outstretched is direct in its message. Look closer, and you see the strings falling from his fingers; he already has someone in a puppet-like state. One hand held behind his back implies something hidden from view. His shirtless semi-ripped torso is easy on the eye, and his long, dark, free-flowing hair evoke an almost tribal vibe. I’d be completely doomed if I met someone like him on my travels. The guidebook says:
LIGHT SEER: vices, the grip of addiction, a need for liberation, healthy vs. unhealthy sexuality, materialism, the healing found in darkness, delving into your shadow self, being trapped in your own stories, manipulation, lying to yourself, temptation.
SHADOW SEER: release, freedom from addiction, on the cusp of a breakthrough, liberation, not wanting to see your own role in a negative circumstance, realizing that you are giving your power away, feeling helpless, breaking the chains.
mantra - In the darkness I am free to heal everything.
I think the light and dark meanings are a bit mixed up here. It may even have been better to list the ‘dark seer’ part first. I dunno, it doesn’t quite work. But anyway. . .
I don’t have a favourite suit, but I do have to say the King of Swords is probably the best looking I’ve ever seen in tarot. For that reason alone, I’ll look at the swords first. The three of swords is a visually descriptive representation of the heartbreak and emotional pain typically portrayed by this card. The expression on the face of the woman screaming indicates her internal torment, and the barren landscape adds to the feeling of emptiness and desolution. The eight of swords is a great card. A woman sits looking at a vision of herself in the mirror.The mirror image shows her trapped and blinfolded, yet the reality is very different. The nine of swords is a thought-provoking card. It offers a fair bit of insight into how it could be possible to break away from the mental anguish so typically experienced when this card shows up. I love the presence of crows in the sword cards. As messengers they’re a fantastic symbol to throw in this suit. I don’t really get the ten of swords. It’s mostly a shit card to have in a reading, and yet nothing in the imagery suggests ‘painful endings’ or having no choice to let go of something significant. The Page of Swords is a lovely card, and I like how the image expresses the archetype. I find it significant the young girl stands on a sword that acts as a precarious bridge between two points of land. She’s barefoot, and this could be a good indicator of someone in a very natural-to-them, if not vulnerable, position. The lightbulbs and book in her hands emphasise learning and ideas. I find it intriguing that the two birds are not crows. They could be kestrals or something similar, and I wonder what the message is here.
I’m drawn to the two of cups and find the image of two hands interwined above the cups a reassuring sign. It definitely gives off the impression of romance, intimacy, and reciprocity. We have a traditional interpretation with a young woman looking seriously bored in the four of cups. A single filled cup is on offer, yet she appears uninterested. Instead, she rests next to three empty cups with her head in her hand. The column of intense colour rising from the cup reminds me strongly of the Death card. Is she secretly longing for transformation? The Page of Cups is a tad bizarre. The guy sits in the bottom left-hand corner of the picture space, and he’s looking up to the top right-hand corner, where we see his lower legs next to a bowl and a flying pig. In the guidebook it says:
LIGHT SEER: a dreamer, serendipity, creativity, new unexpected trajectories, magic and synchronocity, an open and joyful heart, sensitivity and naivete in romance, being motivated by innovative ideas.
SHADOW SEER: missing the signs, being overly sensitive, displaying childish emotions, blocked creativity.
mantra - The world is my flourishing oyster and I am excited to see what happens next.
The card also shows two disembodied hands making a heart, so we have quite a lot going on this image. I get a sense of optimistic daydreaming and anything being possible, although I don’t know how I feel about the flying pig. I generally love random objects, but it seems out of place in the overall deck.
The wands are possibly my least favourite out of all the minor arcana because they seem dull compared to the others. The three of wands is a clear visual descriptor of waiting to catch a wave. Although, I still don’t understand where the ‘waiting’ comes in to this card. I know I mentioned this before in another post, and I still haven’t done a deep dive to establish when it became the norm. The ten of wands is a good image for carrying burdens, but I'd prefer she was going up hill rather than having the mountain behind her. The guidebook gives us,
LIGHT SEER: taking on too much, an opportunity to free yourself from heavy burdens, obligations, finding yourself close to a successful outcome, the need to prioritise, a message to keep going.
SHADOW SEER: divided attentions, clinging to responsibilities, difficulty asking for help, thre oppression of martyrdom, letting go of someone else’s expectations of you, a need to stand up for yourself.
mantra - I release my burdens into the ethers, knowing that the Universe will help me to tend to the essentials.
I like that she has an animal helper, and it is easy to interpet the aspect of the image that says we sometimes need help to carry the load. However, I wonder if the artwork is a distraction from the heavier meanings of this card. The Queen of Wands looks fabulous, and I love how she sits in a half-lotus position witha black cat in front of her feet. This queen is visably joyous. As she holds a wand aloft in her left hand, her gaze rests on the power emanating from her right upturned palm. She certainly embodies the inner life of many female fire signs I know.
The pentacles are a mixed bunch. The six of pentacles is pretty enjoyable because it shows someone receiving gifts. The mandalas falling into a hand represent receiving something meaningful, and I like that at least one of them is the same size as the pentacle. The underlying message says we could receive spiritual or material gifts, and they are considered equal in value. The eight of pentacles is another fine card. The moon phases above the woman’s head perfectly illustrate the divine timing aspect of this card. Or, put another way, everything has to be in order and follow a set pattern. It tells us there needs to be a sequence of events. The wolf laying by the side of the King of Pentacles emphasises the homely nature of this king. There is no fireplace in the image, but the colours used as a background give the impression of warmth in the room. This king looks able to offer home comforts and stability. His smiling face suggests someone who is friendly, yet because he sits with his legs crossed, this tells us there is a limit to any apparent openness.
I think The Light Seer’s Tarot is a reliable and easy-to-read deck that deserves its popularity. The dedicated website is fantastic and informative, providing extra details on each card, which makes it an attractive option for beginners. However, the card stock is a bit thick, making it difficult to handle the deck. Moreover, I found some inconsistencies in Chris-Anne's use of light/dark seer categorisation. Despite these minor issues, I think it's a really good tarot deck. If the artwork resonates with you and you have big enough hands to handle it, The Light Seers Tarot can serve as your main deck for years to come. The artwork is timeless enough and will age gracefully.
