Ghostbusters Tarot Deck and Guidebook

I didn’t know it at the time, but I married a witch. Not a mean one, not one with a black hat and broom either, although from time to time it’s fine to bring those out. With being a witch comes the duty to buy witch-related items. And oh boy, our house is covered with all kinds of witchy items. Gothic art on the walls, casket stretching board for the cat. She will buy candles to burn, helping to give off what she calls "spooky vibes". It’s not really my thing, but happy wife, happy life. This includes purchasing things like Tarot decks. My wife has several of them. Some are even themed off a show or movie she enjoys. On occasion she will bring them out, at a party for example, do a reading or two, and put them away.

Honestly, I didn’t think she could use a tarot deck. I once watched a James Bond film where reading a tarot deck was a big plot point. The lady could see the future, because she was a virgin. You laugh, but that was how the story went. James Bond did what James does with the ladies, and later in the film when she is require to do another reading, and fails because she has lost her virginity. I always joke with my wife that she can’t be a very good Tarot reader, after all, we’ve been married for 12 years and well, James Bond. I get the look, she goes back to her deck of cards.

I know next to nothing about tarot cards and even less about reading the future from those cards. Originally tarot cards were just made as playing cards; I had no idea. I have never heard of Tarocchini, but that is what you can play with a tarot deck. The cards are also used in cartomancy. Is that now the second word you had to go look up? Me too. I had to go back and make sure I spelled it right too. It is a fancy word for fortune-telling or divination.

Writing is a bit like magic at times. For example, how do tarot decks work? I have no idea. But I went away and read about them, and now I am back to share, no waiting required. See, just like the tarot deck, it’s magic. The 78 cards are split into categories, Major Arcana and Minor Arcana. The first 21 cards make up the Major Arcana. These represent important lessons and big themes surround your life’s story. The remaining 56 cards are the Minor Arcane. These are meant to represent minor, short-term, and more relatable events you encounter everyday. These are are also split into four suits, like you find in a traditional deck of playing cards. In traditional tarot those four suits are Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. In Ghostbusters tarot they have renamed them Wands, Traps, Stream, and Marshmallows. Very fitting.

That is most of this deck, a rethemed and retooled tarot, built to give you the same results you would see in a normal deck of tarot cards. The rest of the set contains a nice storage box, one where you would see a cell phone come in, and a small card deck-sized book. The books contains art on all of the cards, and instructions. Instructions include how to use the deck, care for the deck, and how to bring the souls of your loved ones back from the great beyond. Full transparency, that last one might not be in there.

I don’t believe in ghosts, or afterlife, or much of that world. I don’t feel like I need to in order to enjoy this tarot deck. The art style alone is amazing. Most representations of the characters are as green ghosts. They often depict a famous scene from one of the first two Ghostbusters films, nothing from the more modern films. Every character that you could think of from the first two movies is here in some form or another. All the major characters are also Major Arcana card heads. For example, Pete Venkman is the Fool, Louis Tully, Rick Moranis’ character is I. The Magician. As you work your way through the deck you can see the thought and consideration that went into choosing who represents what on the tarot deck. Representation also comes in the form of object and ghosts. Slimer is all over this deck, some with the tools of the Ghostbusters. Ecto-1, proton packs, you name it and you see it. The style is also great. The art looks unmistakable for what they are attempting to show. I can’t get over how well this looks. Ghostbusters and tarot decks, who knew this was such a perfect fit.

After playing with the deck and reading through the guidebook I have become versed in the tarot lore. I am now calling myself Tarot Man, able to see the future before it happens. I have become Tarot, Destroyer of Worlds. No, not even close. But be careful, my tarot says that salad is older than it looks.

The Ghostbusters Tarot Deck and Guidebook can be found on Amazon, retailing for $27.99.