Jaymi Elford (text) and Jack Sephiroth (art), Heaven and Earth Tarot. Torino, Italy: Lo Scarabeo, 2020. ISBN: 9780738767314. (link to publisher)
This kit comes in a hard box with a companion paperback book and the 78-card deck. I first used the deck in June 2025.
The book is arranged as follows:
- Part One-- The Heaven and Earth. This part starts with a page provides an introduction to the deck's concept. This deck, the author writes, "follows sometimes a Christian symbolism" (7). I'd say that is a serious understatement. The deck, though a Rider Waite Smith (RWS) clone, leans heavily into the Christian symbolism. Granted that Christian symbolism is present in the original RWS, but this deck runs with it and embraces it fully. If Christianity is an issue for you, other decks may be a better option. Otherwise, let's keep going. This part also includes instructions on using the card descriptions and a symbols chart for the Major Arcana. We then get the card entries.
- Major Arcana entries include a full page card image in color, image description, Heavenly interpretations (reading the cards in a broad sense), Earthly interpretations (practical meanings including upright and reversed), Questions (these can help you develop your interpretations and can be good for journal writing), and Transformations (an advanced meaning).
- Minor Arcana. Entries are as the Major Arcana but do not include a card image.
- Part Two-- The Nature of Tarot. This includes a brief introduction of Tarot (history), brief description of a Tarot deck's structure, table of elemental associations for suits and court cards, brief instructions on using the cards, three card spreads, a 6-step guide to your first reading, and a short conclusion.
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Two of Swords |
The card entries give plenty of material for card readers. Beginners as well as advanced readers will find something in the entries to learn and use. If you share cards online, say on social media, the image descriptions can be useful for alt text descriptions. I wish more authors would include good card descriptions in their companion books. In addition, I found the questions very useful for reflection and later writing in my journal.
All in all the book is an accessible and easy read. It does keep the esoterica to a minimum. It provides just enough on symbols, correspondences, etc. to work with the deck, Still, if you want more, you can supplement with other works, but that is optional. The companion book supplements the deck well.
Jack Sephirot does the art. It has a strong classical. These are the kind of images you could find in museums, cathedrals, so on. The author writes that the "artwork reminds us of the Pre-Raphaelite movement which looked to Nature for their art" (7). The art brings together the divine and spiritual with the earthly and material. The art is colorful in a realistic way. The art has an ethereal quality that reinforces the heaven and earth theme as well as the Christian elements. .
As I stated, the art does lean strongly to Christian elements, but you can use the deck just fine if you read in RWS. The art is expressive and detailed, so it could work for intuitive readers too. These are cards that invite you to gaze, meditate, and take your time with them. Heathen as I am I enjoyed using these cards, and I hope to use the deck again down the road.
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Justice-XI |
Cards measure about 4 3/4 inches by 2 3/4 inches. The cards have a soft glossy finish, and they shuffle with ease. The card back is simple and reversible. The Minor Arcana cards 1-10 are not labeled other than a Roman numeral and keyword, so do pay attention to the RWS details in the art. The Major Arcana and court cards are labeled. The cards also include elemental and other symbols which can help enhance your readings.
Overall, I am glad to have this deck in my collection. I highly recommend it, with the caveat mentioned already.
5 out of 5 stars.
This kit qualifies for the following 2025 Reading Challenge: