A Deck for Transitions, Liminality and More…
The concept of the In Between Tarot is pure genius. Janine Worthington came up with the idea of creating a 78-card Tarot deck where each card describes the transitional energy between one arcanum and the next. This idea is akin to how I actually read the cards and I call it reading the gap. I was pleased to learn that Janine also doesn’t use reversals.
The In Between Tarot Major Arcana (see image at top of post) is absolutely fascinating to study. You can easily see how it could help you make the most of, for instance, your Tarot year card, especially at the start and end of each year. I found looking at my own year card, The Hermit, through the lens of this deck extremely valuable and insightful. But even just looking at each of the transitions for the full Fool’s Journey can serve as an in-depth meditation and lead to unexpected aha-moments!
My Favourite Card in this Deck
Credit also to the artist, Franco Rivolli, who has done a great job of giving life to the ideas and depicting the flow of energy – no mean feat! I especially love his artistic vision for the energy flowing from the High Priestess to that of The Empress but that is just one of many favourite images from this deck. There are no pictures in this deck that don’t work for me on some level.
The Minor Arcana
The suit names are traditional: Wands, Cups, Swords and Coins. Each suit tells a story that you could quite easily envision as scenes in a film which could be helpful for beginners when they are first getting to know the card meanings.
And yes, I do feel this deck can work rather well for beginners, perhaps not as the first deck but as a good solid second deck. I usually recommend the Waite Smith Tarot to absolute beginners, simply because most of the literature is about the symbology of those cards.
The Pentacles suit, in particular, works really well for me. I love the theme of dignity and emancipation here. It shows the spiritual in the mundane in a way that lifts it from just being about the daily grind/making money, or about physical health vs illness. The Knight (flowing into Queen) of Pentacles as my daily draw this morning proved thought-provoking and uplifting at the same time.
The tens in this deck give me a thrill as I feel into the energy flowing back into the aces, beginning another cycle. While that is implied anyway in the tens, actually getting a visual of it is pretty amazing.
Deck Interview
1. Describe yourself in three words or less. 3 of Swords (3-4 of Swords)
IBT: Peace restored
2. How would your best friend describe you in three words or less? Strength (Hermit-Strength)
IBT: Trustworthy guide
3. What gift do you bring? 7 of Coins (7-8 of Coins)
IBT: Tenacity and a willingness to keep trying different approaches. I’m adaptible as well as patient because I know there is no one size fits all.
4. What do you expect in return? 4 of Cups (4-5 of Cups)
IBT: Emotional honesty. Stepping back to analyse any emotional split or divergence from your Essence.
5. How can you help me serve? 7 of Swords (7-8 of Swords)
IBT: By helping you remain mentally flexible and keep your eyes open for solutions appearing in the periphery. I can help you stay hopeful that whatever shows up next will provide what’s needed.
6. Is there anything else you would like to tell me about yourself? 8 of Coins (8-9 of Coins)
IBT: I’m really here to help you or anybody else who is willing to work with me get stuff done. Navel-gazing does not impress me. Always include some kind of tangible action advice in readings for yourself and your clients.
Me: Brilliant, will do! Thank you so much and I look forward to working with you!
