Tarot de La Santa Muerte Review and Deck Interview

My interest in the Tarot de la Santa Muerte by Berbera goes beyond wanting just another deck to read with. If you want to know more, I recommend you check out this post about how Santa Muerte appeared in my life. There is no way I’d get an all-Spanish deck and wait more than a week for it to ship from across the pond if I just wanted another deck. The reason I need this deck in my life is so that I can communicate with Santa Muerte.

Years ago, I used to own the Santa Muerte Tarot by Fabio Listrani but it left me cold. It’s not one of the decks I will reacquire after my RTS relapse trip to the skip. My original plan was to work with the Mystical Tarot of the Saints for all communication with all Saints, including Mother Mary and Santa Muerte, my two main deities. However, I then came across the Tarot de La Santa Muerte and felt that having a separate deck for her would be better. I also have separate rosaries for them (blue for Mother Mary and black for Santa Muerte) so it makes sense.

Cardstock, Astrological Correspondences and Extras

There are 80 cards in the Tarot de la Santa Muerte. The two extra cards are versions of The World card. What’s interesting is that the three World cards have different astrological correspondences. You can view them in the flip-through video below where I show all the cards in the deck.

The original World card in the Tarot de la Santa Muerte corresponds with Terra (Earth) rather than Saturn which actually makes more sense. The first extra, El Otro Mundo, corresponds with Saturn and the second, Más Allá, with an eight-armed cross. I’m not sure what the latter means and it could have more than one meaning. If you know what this symbol stands for, please let me know in the comments!

Another oddity is swapping Neptune and Taurus so that Neptune corresponds with The Hierophant and Taurus with The Hanged Man. This has certainly given me a new perspective on my Hanged Man Tarot Year Card!

The most mystifying correspondence swap for me is The Tower now being Pisces energy. I’m working on feeling this energetically.

Cardstock and LWB

The cardstock is glossy and quite thin but also seems quite durable because of the high gloss. I imagine you can easily wipe any spillage off–useful if you work with the deck in rituals!

Sadly, the Little White Book that comes with the deck does not have an English Translation. However, I found a site that covers the card meanings in English. The silver lining is that I get to brush up on my very rudimentary Spanish when I use the LWB. These days it’s fairly easy to translate a passage online, even if it means having to type out the words.

Tarot de La Santa Muerte Video Flip-through

Tarot de La Santa Muerte Deck Interview

Describe yourself in three words or less. 2 of Swords

TdlSM: I bring peace

2. How would your best friend describe you in three words or less? 7 of Wands

TdlSM: Brave and determined

3. What gift do you bring? La Torre / The Tower

TdlSM: I bring destruction to your natural enemies, within and without. This is how I bring peace. There can be no peace in this realm without the destruction of one’s enemies. Sometimes I kill them with love and sometimes I just kill them. It’s all the same to me.

4. What do you expect in return? El Juicio / Judgement

TdlSM: Devotion. I’d like to greet you like a beloved friend when it’s your turn to cross over.

5. How can you help me serve? La Fuerza / Strength

TdlSM: If you no longer fear death, you can look forward to a holy death and immortality. This, in turn, will lend you the strength to live with courage, from the heart.

6. Is there anything else you would like to tell me about yourself? 6 of Wands

TdlSM: My fame is spreading like wildfire in the world, just as it did at the time of the bubonic plague. There is much that needs to be cleared from Earth at this time. The enemies of humanity with their secret skull and crossbones societies claim to be on my side. They are not. I do not have favourites. A more elaborate ritual or secret handshake will not curry favour with me. I look straight into your heart, young or old, rich or poor.

I see the naked you and I know that you take nothing with you when I gather you up into my arms. Look to the Death card in the Rider Waite Tarot and you will see that the only one who truly sees me as I am is the little girl. She observes calmly and that is why I smile at her. Be like her. Be at peace.

Check out my other Tarot and Oracle Deck Reviews!