Ellen Dugan Tarot w/ Wiccan Symbolism

The Witches Tarot is a 78-card deck and companion guide created by Ellen Dugan, designed to integrate Wiccan symbolism with traditional Rider-Waite-Smith tarot for both divination and magical practice.

Overview of the Deck and Creator

The Witches Tarot deck was created by Ellen Dugan, an award-winning Witch, author, and psychic clairvoyant with over three decades of magical practice, and illustrated by Mark Evans, an award-winning artist

Dugan is known for her practical and nature-based approach to witchcraft, which permeates this deck. The deck was first published by Llewellyn Worldwide in 2012 and is available as a physical 78-card set, a compact mini version, and as an iOS and Android app

Structure and Artistic Features

The Witches Tarot follows the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) structure but includes Wiccan and pagan-focused modifications:

Major Arcana Changes: The Hierophant becomes the High Priest; the Wheel of Fortune turns into the Wheel of the Year; the Devil is renamed the Shadow Side; and Judgement becomes Karma

Visual Symbolism: The cards emphasize natural elements, moon phases, and botanical, animal, and deity correspondences, aligning with Wiccan cosmology

Minor Arcana: All suits maintain the RWS structure, while providing elemental and magical associations for study and meditation

Artwork: The deck features lush, vibrant, borderless digital imagery that evokes nature and aligns with modern Wiccan aesthetics

Companion Guidebook

The 312-page companion book provides descriptions and meanings for each card, including:

Upright and reversed keywords

Deity associations

Astrological and elemental correspondences

Symbolic explanations for flora, fauna, and landscape details

Additionally, Dugan offers specialized card spreads for both divination and spell work: examples include the Triple Goddess Spread, Four Elements Spread, and Wheel of the Year Spread. There are also eleven tarot-based spells for magical enhancements

Practical Use

For Personal Readings: Users are encouraged to meditate, center themselves, and focus on a question before performing a tarot reading. Handling the deck regularly builds familiarity and intuitive understanding

For Readings for Others: Dugan emphasizes client care, explaining potentially intense imagery and providing guidance for first-time querents

Study Recommendations: Beginners and experienced readers alike are advised to read the companion guide alongside the deck to fully access the Wiccan symbolism and layered meanings.

In summary, Witches Tarot by Ellen Dugan offers a richly symbolic, Wiccan-aligned tarot experience for divination, meditation, and magical work, supported by an in-depth companion guide and multiple formats to suit various practitioners