Author: Katrina Rasbold

By Katrina Rasbold

The Lovers card in Pamela Colman Smith’s iconic Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck is among the most visually striking and symbolically rich in the Major Arcana. Numbered VI (6), this card transcends the simple notion of romantic love and invites a profound exploration into the themes of duality, choice, unity, and the spiritual dimensions of love. First published in 1909 under the guidance of mystic and scholar Arthur Edward Waite, Smith’s imagery has since become the gold standard for modern tarot interpretations.

Let us explore the symbolic language woven into this card and how it informs its interpretation in a reading. Continue reading Tarot Talk: The Lovers

By Katrina Rasbold

Pamela Colman Smith’s Queen of Wands, part of the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) Tarot deck first published in 1909, radiates the commanding presence of feminine fire. She is regal and passionate, embodying the dynamic, confident, and intuitive traits of the Wands suit, which corresponds with the element of fire. As with all court cards, she can represent a person, an aspect of oneself, or a situational archetype. In Smith’s richly symbolic illustration, every detail of the Queen of Wands is deliberate and telling. Continue reading Tarot Talk: Queen of Wands

By Katrina Rasbold

In the classic Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot deck, illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith and published in 1909 under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite, The Chariot stands tall as the seventh Major Arcana card. Numbered VII and embodying themes of victory, self-mastery, and willpower, this iconic card captures the moment when determination and divine alignment fuse into forward momentum.

Let us explore the many layers of symbolism in Smith’s artwork and unpack how this complex image translates into powerful interpretive meanings for readers today. Continue reading Tarot Talk: The Chariot

By Katrina Rasbold

In the Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot deck, the Judgment card—number twenty in the Major Arcana—is among the most evocative and spiritually charged images. Illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite, this card heralds awakening, transformation, and the soul’s final reckoning before transcendence. Laden with Christian imagery and esoteric undertones, the Judgment card is not merely about divine judgment in a religious sense, but about the profound moment of self-assessment, karmic resolution, and resurrection into a new phase of consciousness.

Let us explore the symbolism in Smith’s artwork and the deeper meanings this card conveys in a tarot reading. Continue reading Tarot Talk: Judgment

By Katrina Rasbold

In Pamela Colman Smith’s iconic rendering of the Two of Cups for the Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot, we are presented with a deeply evocative image of emotional connection, mutual respect, and the merging of energies. This card, often associated with romance, unity, and partnership, carries both esoteric and emotional symbolism that reaches beyond the surface image of two lovers meeting. Let’s explore the depths of this card’s symbols, its upright and reversed meanings, and its place within the larger Tarot system.
Continue reading Tarot Talk: The Two of Cups