Terra Volatile Tarot
Even though I haven’t had the Terra Volatile Tarot for a long time, it is swiftly becoming one of my favorite antiquated style tarot decks. Not just because it’s beautiful and shuffles like a dream. Or that it offers alternative cards and an additional suit of Vessels. It’s not even because of the expansion pack, which is very cool. All these things add to the Terra Volatile experience, and I do enjoy having so many options. But the real draw for me is the antiquated occult symbolism, carefully cultivated and thoughtfully placed throughout the deck. The more I look at the cards, the more I see. The more I see, the more I want to dive deep into the Terra Volatile Tarot just a little bit more.
“The deck is called Terra Volatile, because of its double side. Terra means Earth, and is a fixed element. Volatile in alchemy means eternal change, something that cannot be firmly defined, and is always in transformation. With that we joined two opposite states of matter (Fixed/Volatile) and found the balance between them.”
The Terra Volatile Tarot is a self-published deck, created by Ana Fragateiro and Tiago Manual Pimentel, founders of Credo Quia Absurdum. The first edition was published in February 2021, which I missed because…life. They also released what’s known as the Zero Edition, which I think was the first actual printing, but I didn’t find out about that one until way after it was gone. I managed to miss the second and third editions as well, because again…life. But I finally managed to attain a copy of the “new and revised” edition of the Terra Volatile deck, as well as the “new and revised” Expansion pack. Does this make it the 4th Edition? I’m not really sure, but I absolutely love it!
“Credo quia absurdum”
The “new and revised” edition of the Terra Volatile is comprised of 107 cards. That’s without the expansion pack. The expansion pack is a whole other amazing thing, which I will get into later. What I’m talking about here is the main Terra Volatile deck, which is just wonderful on its own. The main deck alone includes the traditional seventy-eight tarot cards, fifteen alternative cards, and an additional suit of Vessels (fourteen more cards). If this doesn’t keep your nerdy little tarot mind occupied for a while, I don’t know what will! I am still trying to make up my mind about some of the card options even as I write this. But just when I think I’ve made up my mind, I haven’t. But that’s only part of the amazing Terra Volatile experience.
In the new and revised edition, some of the cards were taken from the previous expansion pack and added to the main deck. For the Major Arcana cards, this includes Fertility, Hubris, The Labyrinth, and The World. For the suit of Cups, they provided two alternatives for the Two of Cups. It also looks like they switched the Nine of Cups from the previous edition with the Nine of Cups from the Expansion pack. They made the same exchanges with the Ten of Coins, the Seven of Wands, and the Nine of Wands. Personally, I feel most of the changes were for the better.
The Major Arcana
Starting with the Fool card, you are offered two options. You can choose between a male or female Fool. In previous editions, the female Fool was titled The Fooless (implying feminine), but for whatever reason, the creators decided to just call it The Fool. Personally, I am happy with most, if not all, of the updates. Including this one. The female Fool also appears as the Queen of Cups, seated on the edge of the water, instead of the edge of a cliff. However, both are draped in a similar flowy blue fabric. This discovery made me look at both cards a little differently. But especially The Fooless and her Divine Feminine connection with the intuitive Queen of Cups. P.S. The cats in the Fool card are the creator’s cats!
Fertility or The Empress?
Fertility or The Empress? They’re both so wonderful and they both encompass love, beauty, and prosperity in the truest sense of the word…just in different ways.
I couldn’t find any information regarding the Fertility card on their website at the time of this review, but I am wondering if the figure in the picture is Isis? Or maybe the Ptolemaic Queen Cleopatra as Isis-Aphrodite? I don’t know, but it’s hard not to see the Isis connection. Either way, she is lovely. They both are. But again, I do seem to gravitate towards the more traditional tarot cards. I’m thinking I might keep the Empress card with the main deck for readings and place the Fertility card on my altar. That way I can look at both ladies all the time.
While I appreciate the Strength options here, I have never been a fan of the Hercules version. I understand and respect the meaning of the card, but I can’t get past the imagery of man’s need to dominate the lion, even if it’s meant to be symbolic. Heck, I don’t even like lion tamers. So, as a raging Leo and a lover of all cats, big and small, I choose Fortitude and everything she represents. I do wonder…with so many options available, why there wasn’t the option of Strength as the eighth arcanum and Justice as the eleventh? Most curious…
I did notice the Strength card was revised in this edition. Or at least, the face of Hercules is different. Everything else seems to be the same.
Prudence or The Hanged Man? There are different thoughts on which arcanum represents Prudence in tarot. Many tarot scholars see The Hanged Man as interchangeable with the virtue, Prudence. But after working with the Minchiate deck for the past few years, I see them quite differently…and I enjoy working with both. But if I had to choose between them, I would have to choose the Hanged Man. Still…there’s no reason I can’t keep both. I mean, the Minchiate deck has both.
Hmm…I wonder if the creators have considered creating a Minchiate deck? And wouldn’t that just drive my inner occult nerd wild?!
Swamp Thing! Okay, not really. But according to their website, the figure in the Rebirth card was inspired by the comic book character, Swamp Thing. It makes so much sense when you think about it. This and I’m a bit of a Swamp Thing fan. Still, when it comes to the Death card, I know what I like, which is the historical skeleton reaper with a scythe in hand, titled DEATH. And this Death card is gorgeous! However, if they had Swamp Thing carrying Abigail Arcane through the swamp, I might have to go with Rebirth. Just saying.
Also, like the Strength card, it looks like Rebirth was updated as well. But again, just the face. (The expansion pack offers another Death card option.)
I have to say, I like The Temptation card quite a lot. There is just so much to see here. And I don’t mean the obvious nudity with the couple in gimp masks. Anyway, it’s a fabulous card and I look forward to studying it further. However, while I appreciate both cards, I decided to go with The Devil. Both cards depict primal desire and the illusion of bondage, but I have to say, The Devil card had me at Pan and the Lover’s appearance. It just ties it all in for me. This and I prefer the classic title, The Devil. Disclaimer: I feel this way about all the Major Arcana titles. I find that most, if not all titles used to replace the traditional tarot titles limit the meaning of the card. However, I do enjoy the different perspectives. (The expansion pack offers a third Devil option.)
Oddly enough, while I prefer the traditional title, The Tower, I had to go with the Hubris card. I mean, just look at it! Is this a depiction of Lucifer falling from grace? I am not entirely sure, but I think it might be. Either way, it’s a beautiful depiction of The Tower, or in this case, Hubris.
I just took a moment to visit the Terra Volatile website to see what I could find out about Hubris. I didn’t find anything specific to that card, but there was a lot of information regarding The Tower. Apparently, the two figures at the bottom of the Tower card are meant to be Icarus and Lucifer! So, I’m thinking…yes, that must be Lucifer in the Hubris card. I think?
Hubris or The Tower?
The Labyrinth or The Moon? I am most intrigued by The Labyrinth in place of The Moon card. It feels like an initiation is happening. But then again, The Moon card often feels this way to me. I can’t find any information about The Labyrinth on their website. Is the labyrinth pictured here a Hopi pattern or a Cretan pattern? Is it a different pattern altogether? I guess it doesn’t matter, but I hope to know more about this card in the future. There is so much to see in both cards. I love how dark, mysterious, and dreamy they are. I am really looking forward to studying them both. Perhaps the creators are working on a tarot book? If so, sign me up! (The expansion pack offers an additional Moon option.)
I am having a tough time choosing between The Universe and The World card. I love Shiva-Nataraja, the divine cosmic dancer, as the central figure in the Universe card. Stunning and nothing less than divine! And the colors are just gorgeous.
But as much as I love The Universe card, I find myself gravitating towards The World card. Oddly, before purchasing the deck, I thought I would choose The Universe card for sure. Until the deck arrived, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind. But that was before I was able to see just how spectacular The World card really was up close. I only wish the images provided here did the cards justice, but they really don’t.
There is so much to see and explore with the Terra Volatile, I can hardly wait to really dive into it. In fact, as much as I love options, having to choose feels a little overwhelming, and a bit distracting. What I mean is, I just wish I could hurry up and make up my mind already! Then I can finally delve into the deck without having to think about which card I prefer over the other. In the meantime, I am feeling the horrible need to decide, and it is wreaking havoc on my A.D.H.D. brain. I’m not complaining though. It’s fun figuring out which cards I like best or find myself gravitating to. I have to say, some of my choices have surprised even me. (The expansion pack offers an alternative Temperance.)
Minor Arcana
Starting with the lovely Aces, you can see that the Minor Arcana seems to follow the Waite-Smith tradition for the most part. I do like all of Aces, but my most favorite is the luscious Ace of Coins.
The Two of Cups offers three options. You can choose two males, two females, or a male and female. Well done! I am so glad someone finally did this. Hopefully, it will start to catch on with other creators.
The contrast between the two Seven of Coins is hard to miss. I’ve always liked the Waite-Smith version of the Seven of Pentacles. In fact, I have always preferred it to the Thoth version, titled Failure. But I find the Terra Volatile alternative to the Seven of Coins has a completely different feeling. The imagery of the man overcome by the tree roots and taken over by the earth is most enthralling. What a beautiful card. I would love to have the print of this card for my living room.
Hmm…I should see if Credo Quia Absurdum sells the print. I’d like to have a copy to hang on my living room wall.
The entire suit of Coins is beautiful, but I am especially fond of the Two of Coins, which is similar to the Waite-Smith Two of Pentacles with the ships and rolling waves in the background. But the Terra Volatile Two of Coins adds another level of creative genius to the card. Just like the rest of the deck, it’s symbolically rich in meaning.
Three swords through the heart or three swords through the heart? Whichever way you go, you’re getting three sharp swords through the heart. I don’t really have a preference in this instance. I could go with either of the Three of Swords cards. Although, I do love the thorns beneath the Lady of Sorrow’s feet in the second option of the card, as well as the clouds above her head. It’s a striking image. The more I look at her the more I think she might be the one. And I’ll call her Lady of Sorrow. Sad but sort of lovely.
So, while there’s never really a way to avoid the sting of the swords when the Three of Swords card shows up, at least with the Terra Volatile you have options!
The expansion pack offers alternatives for the Four of Swords, the Five of Swords, and the Seven of Swords, but so far, I really like the cards in the main deck a little better.
While I didn’t have a hard time choosing which Five of Wands I liked best (I chose the card with the fiery battle scene on the left), I am having a challenging time choosing between the Eight of Wands cards. They are both so good! Initially, I thought I’d choose the Eight of Wands with the eye of clarity and the eight wands shooting up to the sky. Or are they shooting down from the sky? I’m not sure but it’s a wonderful card either way. However, the image of the lady with the crown of wands on her head really draws me in. They feel so energetically different. One feels so dynamic, while the other feels more like quiet concentration and determination. How am I ever going to choose?
The Court Cards
My favorite court cards have always been the Knights and Queens…but not necessarily in that order. I have mixed feelings about some of the Knights, but the Queens in this deck are amazing. I already know that I’ll be swapping out the Pages for the Princesses from the expansion pack. That happened before I even purchased the deck.
The Vessels
“The Vessels embody the Quintessence, a celestial substance that connects the different realms of reality, binding all four classical elements in a harmonious balance. ”
I haven’t even begun to delve into the mysterious fifth suit of Vessels, but they are positively stunning. I find the whole idea of the Vessels representing Aether, (also called Quintessence) most intriguing. But for now, I will be removing this suit when I do readings. I feel like I need to familiarize myself with the rest of the deck first. However, I have every intention of getting to know the suit of Vessels in the future. In fact, I decided last night the Terra Volatile Tarot will have its very own notebook.
The Terra Volatile website has a wealth of information about this deck, tarot, and the occult. I highly recommend checking it out.
Presentation never hurts, and the creators thought of this too. Housed in a lovely book-type box with a magnetic flap, the Terra Volatile Tarot deck is printed on 330gsm linen cardstock with a black core and smooth varnish finish. The backs are beautiful rich brown, with a reversible floral pattern, inlaid with occult symbols. The cards are standard tarot size, measuring 2.75 x 4.72 inches (70mm x 120mm). Purchase from Credo Quia Absurdum.
Expansion Pack
Housed in a standard tuck box, the revised expansion pack includes forty-seven cards. There are forty-three alternative cards and four additional cards. The four additional cards are titled “Yes,” “No,” “Chaos,” and “You are asking the wrong questions.” I am all about the sunflowers, but I have to say…they had me at Mandrake Root!
After watching several YouTube videos about the Terra Volatile Tarot, I decided to go ahead and purchase the expansion pack so I could replace the Pages with the Princess cards. But then I realized there were several other cards that I liked a little (or a lot) better than a few of the cards from the main deck.
As much as I love that the Alchemist card was inspired by Jodorowsky’s Holy Mountain, I went with the Magician. I really like the Intuition card, but for now I am sticking with The High Priestess. I chose the Emperor over Authority. And I chose The Pope over Dogma. However, Dogma is so tempting! I may change my mind about that one.
I chose the Lover’s card over The Crossroads, and The Chariot over Determination. I really like the Truth card but stuck with Justice. I appreciate the Time and Soul-Searching cards but cannot consider them as an alternative to The Hermit. I love him way too much.
I thought I would choose Fortuna over the Wheel of Fortune, but I am sticking with the Wheel of Fortune for now. And even with the typo, the Misery Collector is amazing! Notice the missing M? But The Death card is perfect in my eyes. The Temperance card has the most incredible colors, but it was always the Art card for me. And as I mentioned before, I chose the Devil card over The Temptation. Torment was never an alternative for me. Yikes!
For me there was never an alternative for The Star. She is probably the most beautiful card in the deck. I chose the traditional Sun card over Poetry because it has more sunflowers. I’m kidding! I just prefer The Sun. Apotheosis is tempting but I am sticking with Judgement. And I am sticking with the Moon over the two alternatives…for now.
I like both Three of Cups, but I like the one with the three ladies best. I also chose the alternative Six of Cups because the one with the snowy scene reminds me too much of the Five of Coins. I decided to stick with the classic Nine of Wands rather than Budha.
I like both Ten of Coin cards so much, I am still undecided. I like both Five of Coins as well. They have a different vibe, but both would work for me. Still, I think I’m going with the version with the snowy background. I am still on the fence about the Six Coins. Classic or Angel? I just don’t know yet.
I really like both Four of Swords, but I am really drawn to the one with the man slumped over in exhaustion after a battle. They have such a different vibe. So again, I don’t know. I am sticking with the classic Five of Swords, as it just makes the most sense to me. And as much as I like both Seven of Swords, I am sticking with the class version for now. But I really like the crafty fox version as well.
I am sticking with the classic Two of Wands, but I am intrigued by the Artist version. Especially, after viewing some of Tiago Manual Pimentel’s artwork online. The Five of Wands was an easy decision, as I am in love with the alternative Five of Wands from the expansion pack! It just feels so pagan! I went with the classic Seven of Wands. And the Nine Wands alternative wasn’t really an option for me, as the man’s head on a dog doesn’t speak to me at all.
I must choose the alternative Five of Vessels here because…hello Kali! I LOVE IT! But I am still undecided about the Nine of Vessels. I may have a better idea once I start delving into the Vessels.
Page vs Princess?
As I mentioned before, it was always going to be the Princess cards for me. I like pages but after working with the Thoth deck for so long, I just prefer Princesses over the Pages. I like Pages too, but they don’t offer the same level of depth (in my opinion). This and the Princess cards lend a little more balance to the deck. Also, the Princess cards in this deck are nothing less than exquisite! My favorites are the Princess of Coins and the Princess of Wands.
Except for the Knight of Coins, I went with the three alternative Knights. I really like the blindfolded knight (and horse) in the alternative Knight of Cups. And the Knight of Swords on a winged horse was always the one. So pretty! As far as the Knight of Wands, with the man on fire, riding on what looks like a zombie camel? Well, that is just a big NO. Also, the alternative Knight of Wands is just too fabulous! Look at that horse!
Conclusion
The Terra Volatile Tarot is dripping with mythology, alchemy, and occult symbolism. If you like antiquated-style decks, you will love this one. It feels like you are holding the secret and shadowy aspects of history in your hands. I can already see that working with this deck will be an incredible tarot journey. But whether you decide to dive deep into the historical aspects of the deck or not, the deck reads very well if you are familiar with the Waite-Smith system. I would recommend this deck to most tarot collectors.
At the time of this blog post The Terra Volatile was still available. However, the expansion pack was out of stock.
You can watch my Terra Volatile Tarot Walkthrough video on the Tarot Tidbits YouTube channel!
Credo Quia Absurdum
“Credo quia Absurdum is a two people project, who study, live and breathe alchemy, symbology, occult and world mythology. We decided to use all that information to make our own designs, with some strong imagery, inspired by old engraving style from alchemy and medical plates. Something solid with a concept, a story behind it and something you can talk about.”
For more information about the Terra Volatile Tarot, and its talented creators, Tiago Manual Pimentel and Ana Fragateiro, visit the Credo Quia Absurdum website. What an amazing project.
