THE CIRCUS

Show – Entertainment
Exploitation – Decay

The chariot that advances in this card is not the orderly triumph of traditional decks: here the parade is grotesque, mad, and festive, pulled by amorphous animals wearing conical hats, as in a distorted dream or a puppet theatre. The Circus has always been an intertwining of spectacle and degradation, of wonder and exploitation: jugglers and prodigies alongside the disinherited, clowns who laugh on the outside and cry within, mistreated animals, people torn from distant countries and displayed as curiosities. Yet for many it has also been family, opportunity, or a way out. This card invites you to reflect on the playful side of life, remembering that entertainment should never be sustained by the suffering of others. It also asks whether, without realizing it, you are showing something that should remain intimate, or whether you are living dynamics in which someone laughs while you are speaking seriously. The Circus is the celebration, but also the mask that hides a hidden cost.

If the card speaks about you – Light

At this moment, your life is marked by lightness, creativity, and moments of celebration. You know how to enjoy wonder and entertainment, and perhaps life is offering you a stage: an opportunity to show a talent or to transform an intimate part of yourself into art that can speak to others. The Circus encourages you to reconnect with play, childhood, and wonder.

Questions for you
– When was the last time you allowed yourself a true moment of carefree joy?
– What would you like to show the world that carries a deeper message?
– In which moments do you feel sincerely joyful without feeling shame?

If the card speaks about you – Shadow

You may be inside a spectacle that does not belong to you, or trapped in a role that exploits you. Something of yours may have been made public without respect, or you feel used to amuse or entertain others while you are living something serious. The Circus in shadow speaks of manipulation, degradation, and masks that suffocate authenticity.

Questions for you
– In which situations do you feel used, exposed, or manipulated?
– Have you allowed someone to turn your vulnerability into entertainment?
– Where do you perceive degradation or fiction in your current life?

If the card speaks about the world – Light

Around you there are events and people that bring enthusiasm, entertainment, and creative possibilities. The context offers you opportunities to celebrate, share, show yourself, or simply let yourself be carried by a collective joy. It is a time in which the spectacle of life can inspire you.

Questions for you
– What occasions for celebration and wonder surround you in this period?
– In what way does the environment invite you to show yourself or create?
– Where can you welcome lightness without losing yourself?

If the card speaks about the world – Shadow

The context may be like a distracting circus: dazzling spectacles that conceal deception, market or social dynamics that exploit people, situations that appear joyful but hide manipulation, chaos, or degradation. The Circus in shadow warns of what is hidden behind the festive appearance.

Questions for you
– Where do you see spectacles that mask exploitation or falsehood?
– What hidden realities might escape your view behind the entertainment?
– Who benefits while others pay the price?