Behind The Deck: Homebound Tarot
Dive into hidden stories, meet the creators, and get an intimate look at a deck that’s so much deeper than just a review.
When I talk about how I got started in tarot, I always go back to this story of how I used it as a reflective, self-soothing process at a very difficult time of my life.
And for years, I followed and orbited around a deck called Homebound Tarot, a self-care tarot deck. As a sensitive spirit, the deck’s softness and gentleness always appealed to me and when I saw it pop up in my Instagram feed, I felt like it gave me just a tiny bit of space to breathe while I was scrolling.
Turns out, this deck was designed for this very intimate kind of personal reflection that I had been practicing all along. It’s all about getting quiet and reflecting. In fact, many of the card descriptions in the guidebook even come with journal prompts.
“I’ve always loved the analogy that the cards are a mirror; they reflect back at you what you cannot see…
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I got my hands on a deck and connected Arielle Moore, the designer and creator of Homebound Tarot, to find out more about their tarot project, their process, and to go behind the deck.
I’d recommend this deck for those who use tarot already as part of their self-care toolbox and for those who prize subtlety and softness in a deck. Plus, before we dive into the Q&A I just want to point out that the deck comes in a little cloth pouch which I really appreciated because it adds even more literal softness to the deck. Feeling the organic texture of it rather than a glossy box is somehow extra soothing.
And at the end, Arielle pulled a card for us and we get to hear her interpretation for us for the year ahead using her own cards. Let’s get behind the deck:
Can you tell me a bit about this project and why you made it?
Homebound Tarot is a tarot deck designed for personal readings with yourself. It's meant to give you a calming moment in your day. I created the deck around self-reflection and inner guidance.
Right from the beginning, my intention was to design a deck that reflected my struggle with anxiety, while still being open enough to be used as a tool to help others cope with theirs.
I knew this would be such a difficult and sensitive challenge but I also recognize my experiences are not entirely unique so imagery that had a story with me would resonate with others. Along with the deck is the guidebook which deciphers the tarot cards through the lens of self-care and anxiety management and pairs every card with either a mantra or a journal prompt to get you writing or spark your thinking.
How I came to create the deck is pretty serendipitous. It was a mix of homework from design school, homework from my therapist, and that I throw every ounce of my time into a new endeavour.
I had already been using tarot for self-reflection for a few years when my counsellor asked me to draw my anxiety as a form of art therapy. My procrastination-steeped perfectionism meant I never actually did the art therapy homework, but, over the next couple of years, the shadowy blob character I pencilled into a lined notebook turned into the flowing, emotional figure in homebound.
That one prompt pushed me to explore the meanings of my personal anxiety through tarot in the most in-depth ways, and gave this deck the grounding force that resonates with so many people. Around the same time, we were tasked with a term-long project in graphic design school to create and launch a fictional business. I instead chose to use that 12 weeks to create the launch plan for Homebound, (a fictional business at the time) and that really allowed me to find space in an otherwise very busy time in my life to flesh out the beginnings of this deck.
Did you learn anything about yourself as you were putting the deck together?
Oh my gosh, did I ever! This entire deck was an exploration of my fears, my comforts, my sensitivities, and anxieties.
“I learned how I interpret my own emotions and how to give them space to exist; the ‘good’ emotions and the ‘bad.’ ”
Every word that is written in the guidebook is as much for me as it is for anyone else. There were cards that were especially difficult to connect with on a personal level, or that I immediately connected with other people in my life and I wrote those meanings for them.
Do you have a favourite card in the deck that just gets you every time?
There are a few. Some I love for their imagery, others for their meanings. I love how the imagery of the magician came out; the position of the figure and the colours is one I get so happy whenever I pull it.
And the seven of cups because I think the message I was trying to portray came across very well in the card. I would say the same for the strength card.
The 10 of cups is one that's a favourite of mine for the meaning. The meaning in the guidebook is actually an excerpt from a journal entry I wrote about treating myself and my belongings with the respect I deserve, and when I looked back on it I was surprised by my own words.
Read More: Behind The Deck: Messengers From The Great Bear Oracle
What do you think is gained from the simplicity of this deck?
Simplicity in a deck leaves space for personal interpretations. It also makes the deck accessible. A deck packed with small details and symbolism like the traditional Rider Waite Smith has its place, and I love them myself, but every extra element can create an opportunity for doubt in an uncertain or new reader.
When I started reading tarot, and even now, I find there to be a lot of fear, gatekeeping, and misinformation surrounding tarot. So when designing Homebound, my goal was to strip those barriers down. The Guidebook is an equal part in this aspect. It's written as a tool in deciphering the cards from a position of intuition, and self-reflection rather than the traditional predictive approach that removes us from the equation of our own future.
If this deck could leave us with one piece of advice for the year ahead, what do you think it would want us to know?
I asked the cards on this one! And got the two of pentacles, which is all about balance, priorities, and the ups and downs of life.
It could be asking you to evaluate your life buckets and make sure you're trying to fill each one appropriately. Or it may be saying we're on an upswing from last year and we can expect more socialization this year. It could be asking when was the last time you ranked your priorities. The Journal prompt for the Two of Pentacles is, "what does balance look like to you?" I suggest sitting down with that question to find out what it means for you!
Find out more about the Homebound Tarot deck
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.
