Fugdale’s Funhouse

The Karma Tarot

Theme

Designer Birgit Boline Erfurt created these cards while living in the Danish underground society called Christiania (a self-contained area within Copenhagen) during the late 1970’s.

The cards all feature actual people that Erfurt knew and who inspired her during that time. She painted the backgrounds for most of the cards at night near a fire and then added bright vivid colors to them during daylight hours. She painted the entire Major Arcana cards in order.

The themes running throughout the deck deal with artistry, musicianship and a free-living lifestyle associated with Artisans, Bohemians, Hippies, and Commune-based societies. The artwork incorporates melting and twisting Dali-esque figures, earthy colors and lots of symbolism.

Painted with watercolors and gouache techniques, this deck really has a wonderful visual appeal.

Imagery and Symbolism

Throughout the deck, symbolism runs rife. You will find many references to painting (brushes, canvases) and music (guitars, conductors). Also many cards feature characters peering through cut out figures or mirrors (see 9 of cups below). The deck frequently utilizes swans, snakes, clowns, and the element of electricty. You will find a lot of visual ideas in each and every card and many different elements which can add significance to a reading.

Every card features a human figure or face in some capacity, except the aces, which each feature a human hand. The female figures often have exposed breasts, but the nudity isn’t selacious.

The Cards

From the images above you can see the unique style of the artwork. Each card is printed on durable, glossy card stock. The cards measure about 3″ x 5″, so they may feel a bit large in some hands. The deck features smooth rounded corners with large white borders. The large bold titles sit below each image.

I did a one-card reading and asked the deck to define itself. I drew the 3 of Wands (pictured above). This hit me as very accurate. The image includes the words Music and Variete, both plentiful in this deck, as well as electric guitars and a cello. The 3 of Wands usually indicates Dominion, but in this deck it means Originality, Intuition and Where Reality and Fantasy Meet. This description aptly describes the spirit of this deck.

The card back design features a face in the center with the words Karma Music Tarot Cards around it and a black background. As a reader, I prefer when you can’t tell which direction a card will land by looking at the back design (when you use reversals in your reading), but because this image is centrally located, it doesn’t obviously indicate its direction.

Booklet

The 46-page booklet that accompanies the deck features both upright and reversal interpretations as well as an astrological guide. As with most releases from U.S. Games, the interpretations include a brief description of the card and a word list of possible interpretations.

I found the interpretations fairly useful in learning the deck and not just standard boilerplate Rider-Waite interpretations, even though this deck closely follows the Rider-Waite format.

Here is an excerpt for the Three of Wands:

Astrological Influence: Libra.
Secondary Influence: Aries, Sagittarius.
A woman is at the edge of the open sea of possibilities. As an artist, she connects daydreams with reality. The tune she plays on the cello melds tradition with new ideas of the future. On either side of her are fantasy instruments. The electric guitars in blue and pink signify the combination of physical activity and intuitive intellect. The blue poster announcing the concert reveals that the woman is able to share her abilities with the public and her co-workers.
Interpretations: Inspiration. Daydreams will turn into more practical output. Reality and fantasy mix in the balance of strength and ability. Originality. Intuition.
Reversed Meanings: Lack of intuition. Overblown ambitions. Loss of emotions. Arrogance and loss of coordination. Beware of help offered.

Recommendation

I highly recommend this deck for collectors and readers who enjoy art, music and lots of imagery in their cards. Beginners shouldn’t have much trouble learning the tarot using this deck, although many of the cards have slightly different interpretations from a standard Rider-Waite Deck.

Deck Information

• Size of Cards: 3″ x 5″
• Number of Cards: 78 Major: 22 Minor: 54
• Major Arcana Titles: The Fool, The Juggler, Wise Woman, Lilith, Osiris, Grand Master, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength (8), The Hermit, The Wheel, Justice (11), Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgement, The World
• Suits: Wands, Cups, Swords, Coins
• Included with Deck: Title Card, Booklet with Upright/Reversal Interpretations
• May Appeal to: Bohemians, Hippies, Artists, Musicians, Dali Collectors
• Deck Distributor: U.S. Games
• Deck Designer: Birgit Boline Erfurt