On New Year’s Day, Cyndera Quackenbush welcomes Julienne (Jules) Givot back to the Archetypal Tarot Podcast to revive a long-standing tradition: a collective archetypal and tarot reflection for the coming year. The episode serves as a contemplative portal blending tarot, archetypal psychology, lived experience, and cultural reflection after a difficult and grief-laden 2025.

The core archetype drawn for the year is The Amateur, selected from the Identity Pursuit archetype board game (no longer in print). Rather than framing the future through mastery or expertise, the hosts explore the Amateur as a figure of humility, love, experimentation, and community.

Light aspects of the Amateur:

Doing something for love rather than reward or compensation

Following the heart without needing certainty or expertise

Allowing messiness, openness, and shared learning

Creating the path by walking it, together

Shadow aspects:

Undervaluing oneself or one’s work

Exaggerating or misrepresenting skill or authority

Cultural dangers of “false experts” and influencer culture lacking depth, lineage, or accountability

The Amateur becomes a response to collapsing patriarchal systems, toxic productivity, and ego-driven power structures. In a time of upheaval, the hosts argue that not knowing—and admitting we don’t know—is both honest and necessary.

A recurring insight is the movement away from the lone hero narrative. Healing and survival are framed as collective, relational processes, not individual burdens. The Amateur archetype supports community-based learning, mutual care, and shared responsibility, especially amid political violence, war, and systemic injustice.

Cyndera shares personal experiences offering donation-based tarot readings illustrating how amateur energy can reduce pressure, invite openness, and foster authentic connection—while still raising questions about value, sustainability, and self-worth.

Two additional archetype cards pop out in the podcast! Listen in to hear all about The Poet and The Victim.

Cyndera draws Judgment from the Major Arcana, using Natasia Rowland’s Tarot Emblemata deck.

Key interpretations:

Awakening after devastation

Truth revealed; what was hidden can no longer stay hidden

Liberation from old constraints (symbolized by broken shackles)

A collective rising—not individual salvation

Judgment is framed not as punishment, but as reckoning, clarity, and rebirth. It echoes upcoming astrological themes (notably the Fire Horse year) suggesting that small sparks from 2025 may explode into unavoidable illumination in 2026.

The hosts close by weaving the Amateur and Judgment together:

It’s okay not to know.

It’s not all on our shoulders.

Love, community, creativity, and faith (in whatever form) are sustaining forces.

The future is not about perfection or mastery, but participation.

Mantra for 2026:

Host Cyndera Quackenbush sits down with artist and tarot reader, and creator of the Visionary Woman Tarot, Kristine Gorman. What unfolds is an intimate, wide-ranging conversation about intuition, healing, grief, and the courage it takes to live and create outside the norm.

To see card images and video of this interview (releasing 12/22/25), head over to https://archetypalstories.substack.com/

Kristine shares the soulful origins of the Visionary Woman Tarot, a deck born not from trends or themes, but from decades of lived experience, channeling, and uncompromising honesty. She introduces her unforgettable metaphor of the “healer equation,” a process of humility, self-work, contribution, and learning how to receive. Within this equation is the “rinse cycle” we all must pass through to dismantle conditioning, trauma, and what Kristine candidly calls the fuckery.

The episode also honors lineage and community. Christine reflects on her formative relationship with legendary tarot scholar Rachel Pollack, whom she calls her “tarot midwife,” and discusses the importance of knowing whose shoulders we stand on, while still forging our own path. From real women and animal guides woven into the cards, to collaboration over competition in the tarot world, this conversation celebrates inclusivity, mentorship, and shared magic.

Woven throughout is a tender acknowledgment of grief and love, as Kristine speaks openly about the loss of her husband of 25 years, and how art and tarot have offered focus, meaning, and survival through profound change.

This episode is for anyone drawn to tarot as a living, breathing practice—one that helps us tell the truth, trust ourselves, and transform pain into purpose.

Kristine Gorman is an overall badass professional tarot reader, artist, and writer, usually wearing overalls. A unique talent, she hosted her own FM radio show for over eight years, throwing tarot cards for folks calling in, which you can find on Apple Podcasts under “The Visionary Woman Tarot Radio Show.” Kristine has presented at many national symposiums and conferences, such as BATS (San Francisco Bay Area Tarot Symposium), NWTS (Northwest Tarot Symposium), TIDE (The International Divination Event), and StaarCon. Kristine continues to paint, write, read for her clients, and collaborate on tarot projects with magical friends. She lives in Lambertville, New Jersey. Follow her on Instagram @visionarywomantarot.

This episode of the Archetypal Tarot Podcast welcomes visionary artist, mystic, and deck creator Lalania Simone for an in-depth journey into her newest creation, the Wise Earth Medicine Tarot. This rich and heartfelt conversation explores how the timeless wisdom of the animal kingdom finds expression through tarot archetypes, becoming a living bridge between nature, spirit, and human experience.

Host Cyndera’s desk, strewn with cards from Lalania’s decks, sets the tone: this is a celebration of imagery, instinct, and imagination. Together, they trace the roots of Wise Earth Medicine Tarot, a deck that intertwines tarot and oracle traditions into one accessible and soul-stirring system.

Lalania shares how her lifelong relationship with animal medicine inspired the project. Chance encounters with foxes, hawks, or even household cats can hold messages and meaning. Through careful research and intuitive artistry, she translated the habits, habitats, and mythic presence of these creatures into tarot archetypes: the bat as The Hanged One, the octopus as The High Priestess, and the bonsai tree as The Hierophant. Her entities are not static symbols but radiant beings, marked by the delicate white designs she paints onto their forms—visual whispers of connection and belonging.

Paid subscribers on Substack will attain access to the video version of this podcast. They will be enchanted by Lalania’s creative process—how she layers digital collage, hand-drawn tattoos, and sacred geometry to infuse each card with energy and intention! Subscribe now for the video version that will release next week: https://archetypalstories.substack.com/

Beyond the deck, Cyndera and Lalania dive into the deeper invitation of this work: to return to the rhythms and teachings of the Earth herself. In a world that often feels distanced from wildness, The Wise Earth Medicine Tarot becomes a tool for reconnection, for daily reflection, and for finding guidance in the fur, feathers, and roots that surround us.

Recorded in the heart of Denver, where Lalania’s shop Alchemy Ritual Goods continues to nurture seekers and creatives alike, this episode is a love letter to magic, artistry, and evolution. As Lalania says, “In every challenge, there is a gift.”

Lalania Simone is an indigenous artist, author, and mystic devoted to a path of personal expansion and collective liberation. She understands the power of images and words and is dedicated to using both to empower people.

What happens when you take the tarot apart—piece by piece—to see what it’s really made of? In this lively and thought-provoking conversation, host Cyndera Quackenbush sits down with artist, author, and tarot creator Jennifer Cooper Steidley to explore her innovative deck, Tarot Disassembled, and its companion guidebook.

Born from an unexpected moment of inspiration (watching her young son take apart a sandwich!), Jennifer began to imagine what it would mean to “disassemble” the tarot—to pull apart its imagery and look closely at the symbols that make up each archetype. The result is a bold, colorful, and refreshingly playful deck that invites readers to reconnect with tarot through the pure language of symbolism.

Together, Cyndera and Jennifer dive into:

Their conversation unfolds like a creative workshop and a spiritual reflection all at once—touching on archetypes, imagination, and the art of seeing with fresh eyes. Cyndera connects the process to her own Story Through Stone deck, where ancient stone imagery becomes a mirror for intuition.

By the end, listeners are reminded that tarot—like life itself—is an ongoing process of discovery: a dance between taking things apart and bringing them beautifully back together.

Artist and tarot creator Jennifer Steidley has always been fluent in the language of symbols. With a background in graphic design and a deep love of intuitive storytelling, she brings a playful, insightful touch to her creations—including her innovative deck, Tarot Disassembled. Learn more at jennifersteidley.com/

Step right up dear traveler! Jump into the shoes of an ancient ship’s stowaway and discover the landscapes of the Tarot firsthand with a visionary lens!

John shares how this extraordinary project began during the pandemic, when visions of celestial skies and archetypal terrains appeared to him almost fully formed. Over five years, he translated these inner landscapes into hand-drawn paintings, borders, lettering, and even unique sigils—imbuing each card with the soulful touch of lived time and experience.

From the High Priestess’s veiled mysteries to the evolving vistas of the Minor Arcana, the deck invites readers to step through “little windows” into magical worlds. John and Cyndera talk about art as theater, tarot as travel, and how storytelling transforms symbols into living portals. John also teases new projects—from ghost stories on autumn leaves to a fresh Lenormand deck and fairy-tale illustrations.

This conversation is a journey into art, symbolism, and the ways tarot can become a living landscape for personal and collective transformation.

John A. Rice is an award-winning actor, writer, and artist specializing in oil pastels. As one of the few artists working in this medium, his work has sold in more than 35 countries worldwide. He runs his art shop, J.A.R. Studio, NYC, out of his workspace in Astoria, NY.

A skilled Tarot reader, John drew upon this background to create the popular Mindscapes Tarot, featuring his signature landscape style (Hay House/Penguin Random House). Additionally, his hauntingly beautiful illustrated A Christmas Carol and October Shadows: Classic Ghost Stories of Halloween are now available as a collectible editions (Abbeville Press). His unique immersive exhibit Beyond Words, created in collaboration with psychic mediums from historic Lily Dale, is currently exhibiting.

Even the most night-souled and moon worshipping amongst us sometimes just need to soak in the SUN and open to the gifts of warmth and light. In these last hours of late summer, step into the golden glow with this special episode of the Archetypal Tarot Podcast. Host Cyndera Quackenbush welcomes illustrator and mental healthcare worker Shannon Christie, whose radiant affirmation deck Sun-Steeped invites us to bring the warmth of golden hours into our daily lives.

In their conversation, Shannon shares the unlikely path that led her from a 90s video game to her lifelong love of tarot and card decks, the inspiration she found on sunlit hikes during the pandemic, and how affirmations can act as both gentle companions and bold invitations to growth. Together, they explore how the Sun-Steeped deck balances encouragement with challenge, offering phrases that feel less like lofty pronouncements and more like wise words from a trusted friend.

Shannon also opens up about her journey as an artist—shifting from intricate laser-cut line work to the playful, light-filled illustrations of the deck—and her evolving creative life as part of Portland’s Haven PDX art collective, where murals, stages, and even castle-like studios are coming to life.

Whether you’re curious about using affirmations, hungry for artistic inspiration, or simply looking for a dose of sunshine to carry with you, this episode is a bright reminder that strength, warmth, and possibility have been within you all along.

Shannon Christie is an illustrator and mental health care worker living in Portland, Oregon. Born in Southern California and transplanted to the Pacific Northwest as a child, she attended the University of Oregon where she majored in psychology and minored in music and studio art. She received a master of science applied psychology from Sacred Heart University.

Some cards from the deck:

This episode of the Archetypal Tarot Podcast welcomes back podcast co-founder Julienne Givot with her divine inspiration sparked from “Our Lady of Bees.”

What is asked of us as we encounter the world’s issues today? How can we feel that what we are doing is enough? These questions are addressed and answered with the immaculate symbolism of bees, the honeycomb, and the divine feminine presence inherent in all of us. What begins as a light-hearted tribute to the humble honey-maker unfolds into a deep meditation on community resilience, mental health, and sacred activism.

Julienne introduces us to Our Lady of the Bees—a spiritual embodiment of compassion, guidance, and collective strength. With humor, reverence, and a few irresistible puns, these soul sisters explore how bees can be a symbol of hope and healing in chaotic times. They speak to the urgency of swarming together in joyful resistance, the wisdom of the hive, and the radical act of choosing love over hate—even in the face of oppression.

(favorite line to come from this episode - “Don’t boo people, buoy them up!”)

This episode offers balm for weary spirits, a prayer for interconnectedness, and a gentle but fierce call to community. Whether you’re a mystic, a mother, an activist, or simply someone yearning for sweetness in a bitter world—this episode is for you.

Come for the puns, stay for the prophecy 🐝✨

For more details on how to receive your prayer card and donate to the GofundMe supporting families in need in the Gaza strip, visit Julienne’s Free Range Priestess page dedicated to Our Lady of the Bees.

For the video version and commercial-free listening, become a paid supporter on the Archetypal Stories Substack.

To close out Pride Month, this vibrant episode celebrates queer voices in tarot through the lens of Tarot in Other Words, a newly released anthology edited (and contributed to) by Cassandra Snow. In this intimate conversation, Cassandra shares the behind-the-scenes journey of curating this one-of-a-kind collection featuring personal, poetic, and powerful essays by leading queer tarot writers.

This luminous episode offers a heartfelt exploration into queer tarot wisdom:

✨ How tarot offers radical personal agency and transformation—especially for queer people navigating oppressive systems

Plus, hear about Cyndera’s own intergenerational stone oracle deck, Story Through Stone and how imagery—whether ancient mineral or punk dystopian—can crack open new ways of seeing and being.

About Cassandra Snow:

Cassandra Snow is an author of Tarot & Occult books, full-time Tarot reader and creative witch about town. Their latest book project is Tarot in Other Words, out now! This book is an essay anthology on queer tarot topics that Snow curated, edited and contributed to. You can learn more about them at cassandra-snow.com, on Instagram, BlueSky or Threads at mx.cassandra.snow or on their patreon at patreon.com/cassandrasnow

Happy New Moon in Gemini!

The Archetypal Tarot Podcast welcomes guest Laura Carbone, a Berlin-based musician, psychic medium, tarot reader and sound healer with Sicilian-German roots.

In this soulful and illuminating conversation, Laura and Cyndera dive deep into the emotional landscapes we all carry—grief, repression, and the sacred work of reclaiming the voice. With a sampling of Laura’s healing sound work, this podcast explores the power of embodiment, the archetype of the Wounded Healer, and what it means to give your gifts consciously to the world. There’s tenderness, connection, and a magical thread that even links the conversation back to Cyndera’s home town of Joshua Tree—a place of spirit and renewal (it’s also the location that the host recorded this episode)!

Prompted by Cyndera to share her story, Laura speaks of her journey through music - from singing in her parents' garden to punk rock stages across Europe, and ultimately into the sacred realm of sound healing and intuitive voice work. She recounts the transformative power of rage expressed through punk, the healing magic of crystal bowls, and her mystical connection to animals, tarot, the womb space, and ancestral memory. Through Laura’s story, we are invited to meet our own voice as a sacred instrument of healing, to confront inherited silence, and to gift our truth back to the world—consciously and courageously.

In this episode:

Whether you’re on your own healing journey or simply curious about the voice as a portal to transformation, this episode offers inspiration, presence, and a sense of deep listening.

You can connect with Laura through her website for information on her tarot card readings, workshops, vocal mentoring and more.

For a commercial-free experience and access to the video, become a subscriber on Substack: https://archetypalstories.substack.com/

In this soulful and engaging episode, the Archetypal Tarot Podcast welcomes guest Kaity Craven about her “Moonflower Moments” practice with card readings. She invites us into the magical world of intuitive card reading — a journey that’s equal parts playful, profound, and occasionally butt-kicking (in the best way). With decks at the ready and intuition in the driver’s seat, Kaity, a card and nature-rhythm reader, shows how each card becomes a doorway into deeper questions, unexpected answers, and moments of powerful self-discovery.

What I love about Kaity’s reading style is that it just FLOWS as she trusts her intuition. She is also unafraid to use MULTIPLE card decks, allowing for a diversity of interpretation. Nature’s symbolism is frequent in her readings, and I love how she utilizes the Story Through Stone Reflection Card deck!

This episode reveals Kaity’s reading style IN ACTION while she gives me a live card reading! Budding and experienced card readers will benefit from observing her trust, style and flow — and you’ll definitely want to grab your own deck and play along.

Kaity shares how the process is less about having all the answers and more about being a big YES to whatever arises — drawing another card, chasing a curiosity, or exploring a feeling until the “well” feels fully drawn. Whether it’s joy, mystery, or a spiritual gut-check, the cards are there to meet you where you are and take you further than you expected.

Craving more of Kaity? You can watch her frequent and amazing Youtube videos by becoming a subscriber to Moonflower Moments.

I highly recommend a reading with Kaity, she can read over Zoom or phone at reasonable rates. You book her by reaching out to her via her Instagram account.

Want to see the cards Kaity uses in this podcast’s card reading? Become a paid subscriber on my Substack and gain access to the video version next week!