Langustl Tarot

“My wish for you is that you find a faithful and insightful life-long advisor in the Tarot.” – From the L(ittle) W(hite) B(ook) to the Langustl Tarot

When I began seeing images of the Langustl Tarot online as deck creator Stephan Lange posted them to the web, I knew immediately that I wanted this deck!

Painted with thick, bold strokes of kaleidoscopic color, this highly symbolic deck dazzles and intrigues with its intense hues and strong contrasts, inviting users to look closer, discern deeper, and intuit broader.

With extra long cards measuring approximately 6 x 3 ¼ inches, the Langust Tarot images are bordered in white, with simple numeric designations on the Major Arcana (Roman numerals) and the Minors. Represented by four different crown symbols, the Court cards follow the Princess, Prince, King and Queen pattern in this deck. The card backing is fully reversible.

While the artistic style of the Langustl Tarot may seem abstract and, in some cases, rather simple, further investigation proves that there’s a whole lot more than meets the eye with this deck! For example, as I was pondering the 5 of Cups card, which shows the contents of three spilled cups trickling into two upright cups, I noticed that the cups were arching over a river, with the fiery tower in the background and the star symbol in the foreground.

Isn’t that how life often is? We may endure Tower experiences that crush us emotionally and destroy familiar structures—often crying rivers of tears in the process—but downstream shines the Star, offering hope for the future and the promise that difficult circumstances are temporary (and often ameliorated by a sense of optimism).

I also love the Hierophant in the Langustl Tarot, which shows a maze in the middle of a five-pointed star, surrounded by symbols of the four elements, a red heart at the very center. As I contemplated this card, I received a torrent of impressions, including the concept of religion versus spirituality, the quest for a heart-centered morality, the navigation through the material world and its illusions for that which is eternal, and so on.

The sixteen Court cards reflect distinct personalities in the Langustl Tarot, something that deck creators seem to have difficulty executing at times, only changing up coloring, symbols and background. However, Lange animates the Court characters with individual style, approach and appearance.

The Langustl Tarot deck comes in a sturdy box with a 31 page LWB (the first half is in German, the latter half in English), and provides solid upright and shadow (reverse) interpretations for each card.

The abstract imagery of the Langustl Tarot would work fine for experienced Tarotists, but may prove challenging for Tarot beginners. Those who appreciate expressionism and Fauvism art styles will likely enjoy this deck, as well as those who appreciate symbolic decks that encourage free association and intuitive flow.

Very readable and great for personal journaling, the Langustl Tarot also features benign imagery, making it an excellent deck for both children and public readings.