Psychopompic Tarot
As of late, I’ve gotten this really interesting area of study nagging in the back of my mind. Psychopompic Tarot. There are a handful of tarot books filled with information of how to use them within mediumship or how to connect to your guides, or use within meditation/journey work. But, from what I’ve been able to browse, there’s not a subcategory of utilizing tarot for psychopomp work.
A Psychopomp is a being that guides the dead to their afterlife. There are many different examples of a psychopomp across culture, mythology, folklore, pop-culture, etc. But, this role can also extend to humans. A psychopompic human acts as a catalyst for soul resolution & transition, mostly for the dead, but can include some work with the living. Both mediums and psychopomps engage with the dead & living, pick up on information, notice energetic shifts, and may have overlapping practices, but are two different roles of service. Some religious funerary rites facilitators can act as psychopomps, too.
So, this post will serve as the initiatory study formulated off my own understanding, theories, and past research into mythology. I’ve not used tarot for psychopomp work just yet but I hope to merge these practices of mine and add to this topic in the future! For now, baby steps & making connections between the two with information already swirling inside my brain.
If resolution & transition is the main umbrella of psychopomp work, a few tarot cards immediately pop into mind: 6 of Swords, Judgement, Temperance, Justice, The Hermit, Death, Queen of Cups, & King of Cups.
The Death card is probably the most obvious card connecting to death work. Although, personally, I feel it has more to do with the living’s fear of mortality & change rather than the specific details of a passed soul transitioning. Although, dealing with that fear definitely falls under the scope of psychopomp work; humans do better at facing the unknown when we feel like we have a solid support system. The way Western society reacts to the Grim Reaper is often shrouded in fear, resistance, & a desperation to cling to life. The Death card really captures those emotions and themes both for the living and for those just passed.
6 of Swords is assuredly a card of transition. Often, this is a lonesome transition to peace, with about a quarter of the time, the situation involves moving on from something intense or traumatic. The traditional RWS art-work details a man standing to steer a boat while a person covered in a blanket/cloak & a child sit facing 6 swords. Does this not remind you of Kharon, the Greek mythos ferryman, who’s quite literally a psychopomp?!?!? Mind boggling… I can see this card potentially hinting that a soul is currently in the process of finding their doorway and may need a little help getting there, just as Kharon steers the boat to get the soul where they need to go. Or, potentially, that funerary rites or “requirements” aren’t complete just yet for the soul to “get on the boat.”
Judgement has a theme of rebirth/resurrection & divine/cosmic purpose. It’s about the soul’s alignment to a higher calling. What needs to be shifted to accept that calling, what specifically awaits the person based on their deeds/essence/etc, or if they’ll even open that door to step through at all. The RWS art work has nude people popping out of coffins floating on an ocean. If, in theory, the 6 of Swords is the process of a soul journeying to their specific afterlife doorway, Judgement is having just stepped through that door and facing whatever path lays before them. It’s the acceptance of responsibility for their existence and embracing the neutrality of consequence.
Temperance is the bridge between worlds. The middle path, moderation, balance. It is the fire of a soul rooted into the Earth. That liminal space of transformation. It’s the pause & release before a different journey begins. The essence of a flowing story; objective past, present, & future. In psychopomp work, I can see this card representing the soul’s bardo period, acclimation period, processing time, etc. I can also see this representing the pre-passing moments where the time streams of our life overlap & cognition replays memory. The angel on the card would be the cosmic gatekeeper between life & death, pouring soul from one vessel into another.
The RWS Justice card has a few different influences as the creators mostly operated from a Christian-Greco-Egyptian mystic perspective. The first that comes to mind is Anubis & Ma’at because of the imagery of the scale. Weighing or judging the Truth of a soul to determine afterlife destination is a common theme in many different mythos/cultures. Which, indicates that Justice represents the resolution of Truth. Justice would be the gatekeeper that ensures Truth is accurately resolved and accounted for. Another potential influence of this card is the goddess Themis, who is generally depicted holding scales & a sword just as the card imagery shows. Themis is divine law and order & is, herself, an oracle. Her scales represent the balance or morality and her sword is the ability to protect or punish. Justice & Truth are not black & white concepts. They are incredibly individualized & influenced by our own moral compasses. And as a living psychopomp, our duty is to aid in this resolution, not project our own biases.
The Hermit also reminds me of Kharon, a guide through the darkness. Consciousness may not be transitioning from one state of being into another as shown in the 6 of Swords, but instead this is a subconscious transition. The darkness inside of us becoming illuminated. Dark stories being shared, secrets revealed, sitting with the shame and hurt. This focus feels heavier than the journey in 6 of Swords. I can visualize nostalgic stories or general questions being discussed on the 6 of Sword’s boat, but in The Hermit, it’s the tears & raw emotions. I can see this card representing a soul finding their way to a psychopomp figure, like a moth to a flame. The need for the inner-being transitions that sometimes only happens in solitude. And the “late night talks” vibe of honesty and vulnerability. (Side note, I also think of Ferryman Odin [Hárbarð] with this card- which is a whole still-noodling-in-my-brain story.)
Lastly, the Queen and King of Cups seem very fitting for tarot cards connected to psychopomp things as dual aspects to one theme of embracing inner truth. The cups they carry are the vessels of essence and Truth. The Queen bares witness to & deeply understands the soul’s needs, values, truth, and placement. The King takes action upon these truths, seeking direction towards what’s next along the journey. I can see the Queen representing the vocalization of truth through speech, song, art, poetry. The compassion, depth, vulnerability & safe space required for this work. And the King would be the realizations that emerge from that container of safety. The scrying of truth & direction from the waters. The neutrality of acceptance and conviction. That shift to “I’m ready. It’s time.”
I’m sure there are connections that can be gleaned from almost all of the tarot cards and how they may relate to a various cases. But these few are good enough for me right now. I want to explore how to utilize tarot as a means for helping resolve a soul’s story, observing the journey of the soul and what “step” they may be in, & to get confirmation for what I may need to do when in the role as a psychopomp. This is the direction I’m heading in with these associations & relating the cards to different aspects of death work will help me to recognize when that work is being referenced within a reading.
Given time, there will be more to add to this topic with tarot and my next focus will probably be application/practice of such. So, any additions or interjections are greatly encouraged!
Happy Journeying!
- Alyssa
