Tarot Deck Review: Jules VS Spiritsong

For those animal lovers and the folks who need to feel a little more connected to nature when they turn to the cards… Spiritsong is there for you

Here is another book and deck set that I bring for your viewing pleasures. This one was a gift from my lovely mother and bonus dad, which automatically makes my heart swell whenever I hold it in my hands. It is full of that thoughtful energy and positivity. The deck rests next to my bed, a way for me to charge it and get to know it more each day, since it is a newer one in my growing collection… With the holidays and my birthday approaching, I will always appreciate a nice, new, thoughtful deck!

Paulina Fae joined forces with U.S. Games Systems, Inc to bring this beautiful and engaging deck to tarot lovers around the world. It was originally published in 2017, and—unlike the last deck I reviewed for y’all—it is still available out in the wild! (You’re welcome). I’ll expand on where to purchase at the end.

This deck is a true challenge to me, even as a seasoned reader. I will get into that shortly. Let’s start with the booklet. It is 105 pages that contain information about spreads, the cards and their meanings, how to connect with your cards, the importance of Spiritsong, and an explanation of the elements. There are even a few pages after the information ends that are solely dedicated to notes. I am definitely a note taker, so I appreciate this. While I may not use these pages since I have my Book of Shadows and other journals, it is a nice touch that I do not see often.

The challenging part… The suits are called Acorns, Feathers, Shells, and Crystals. My brain absolutely struggles to connect these to the original suits. Acorns to wands (fire). Feathers to swords (air). Shells to cups (water). Crystals to pentacles (earth). I find that tying the Spiritsong suits back to the corresponding element helps me remember it much more easily. Birds fly in the air. You find shells in the water. Crystals come from the earth. Acorns come from trees, which we use to start fires.

The Major Arcana has some parallels with the original Rider-Waite deck. For instance, The High Priestess has the same name. However, others may diverge slightly such as The Lovers (Love, in this deck). Then we have cards like Judgement, who is named Awakening in Spiritsong. While these naming conventions are not incorrect, they make perfect sense for a deck focused on nature and animals and bringing us closer to those entities… It can muddle the waters for many readers. Especially someone brand new to the craft.

This is such a beautiful deck, and perfect for the nature lover, make sure to pair it with a traditional Tarot book if you’re insistent on picking it up. Especially as a newer diviner. It is important to learn the roots of the Rider-Waite deck. If that traditional book is just not in the cards, or the price range, remember… I have a whole series on the Major and Minor Arcanas right here on the blog!

Don’t worry, my darlings, you’re not getting out of here without discussing the art. It is truly beautiful. It is somehow soft and vibrant in tandem. There are chakra symbols on many of the animals. They are surrounded by nature. The artwork itself brings a sense of peace. Even animals that are normally predatory have a sense of belonging and spirituality to them (if not friend, why friend shaped, right?).

Ok. I promised I would spill the beans on where to find the deck. Well, I tracked it down on Amazon. That is always a surprise to me, especially for one that was published so long ago. However, you can also find it on the www.usgamesinc.com website still! That was an even more exciting discovery. Too much time spent scrolling through pages and pages of different decks maybe occurred. We won’t get into that.

Happy readings!