Ms. Joyce Tarot

The Luna Sol Tarot is a fabulous deck published by Sterling Publishing Co. Inc. in 2021. The artwork is by Kay Medaglia and the guidebook was written by Medaglia and Darren Shill.

The goal of the deck is to “express balance,” as noted in the lovely hardcover, illustrated, 58-page guidebook. The cycles of the sun and moon and the duality of humankind are honored here, as well.

Card meanings included in the guidebook are in alignment with the concepts explored in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck but with a fresh, modern perspective. Medaglia and Shill encourage readers to interpret the Luna Sol Tarot based on close study of the images, as opposed to relying just on your previous knowledge of Tarot or even the descriptions found in their guidebook.

The Luna Sol Tarot is described as a 78-card deck but there actually are two extras “exclusive cards”: Wu Wei and Duality. They are numbered as Major Arcana XXII and XXIII, respectively. Wu Wei is a term used in Chinese philosophy that refers to taking action by not acting—in other words, consciously going with the natural flow of the Universe as opposed to pushing your own agenda. Duality is about understanding that reality is based on each person’s individual perspective. For example, “What is fair to one may be an injustice to others,” the guidebook says.

The artwork is clear, simple, whimsical, and richly detailed all at once. My photos don’t do the images nearly enough justice, but the colorful palette is on the lighter side. There is great diversity among the characters on the cards in terms of skin color, gender, and body shape. The suits are the Cups, Wands, Swords, and Disks (Pentacles).

I was drawn to the Luna Sol Tarot because of the charming images, forward-thinking update on the traditional Tarot, and the spirit of inclusivity, which I especially appreciate. This deck truly brings home the message that we are all one with the Universe while still being our sovereign, unique selves.