Summary: This deck is created to examine the next step in human spiritual evolution that many expect to occur in 2012. The card meanings are extremely positive but balanced by a dark color palette, challenging symbolic compositions, and a Medieval-influenced setting. Those interested in deeply spiritual explorations and complex cards will get the most out of this deck.

In Depth Review

 The designer of this deck had a very clear purpose in mind when creating this deck. And the first step in any good review is to understand what the creator set out to accomplish. With that in mind, let’s get the intent from the creator's own words:

The Tarot of Ascension allows us to relate to the leap of knowledge and to understand how our spiritual evolution should proceed…. The deck is intended to suggest an intimate reading of our relationship with the transcendent and with the divine light inherent to the entire cosmos. The Querent who uses this Tarot must be prepared to ask important existential questions about his or her method of seeking a mystical path.

So, there you go. If you are looking for a deck that reveals the next step in human evolution, then this is the deck for you. It seems, by self-proclamation, designed to focus on existential, mystical questions.

How well does this deck fulfill its intended purpose? It may very well help each reader seek out that next step in human evolution, to strive toward it, to yearn for it, and thereby help bring it about.  

The images and meanings provided are similar to those of the RWS deck, making this deck usable by any people familiar with that tradition. For example, The Empress says: Abundance is everywhere. Just don’t limit your capacity to receive and, above, all, to give. If you know how to be like Mother Nature, creativity and fertility will conquer squandering and vanity.” This interpretation could apply to any standard Tarot with a bit of New Age philosophy thrown in.

The addition of New Age philosophy is what hints at the “next step in spiritual evolution.” 

Provocatively the images carry a post-apocalyptic feel combined with clothes and settings that have a rather medieval sensibility, adding to the general “dark ages” impression. This will surely appeal to both those who are attracted to gothic, "ren faire," new age and The Road Warrior films. 

There is some unique symbolism, in particular the repetition of a floating, glowing ball, throughout. This haunting repetition brings unity to the deck, but each reader will have to determine how the repeated symbol reflects on the cards' meanings.

Deck Attributes

Name of deck: 2012: Tarot of Ascension

Publisher: Lo Scarabeo

ISBN: 9780738721828

Creator: Pierluca Zizzi

Name of accompanying booklet: 2012: Tarot of Ascension

Number of pages of booklet: 63 (14 in English)

Author of booklet: Pierluca Zizzi

Available in a boxed kit?: No

Reading Uses: spiritual

Artistic Style: Illustration

Theme: 2012

Tarot, Divination Deck, Other (if other, describe): Tarot

Does it follow Rider-Waite-Smith Standard?: yes

Does it have extra cards?: no

Does it have alternate names for Major Arcana cards? If yes, what are they?: yes

Death = Nameless Arcane

Does it have alternate names for Minor Arcana suits?: no

Does it have alternate names for the Court Cards?: no

Why was deck created?: To explore the next step in human evolution that will, in theory, be initiated by 2012.