I have a new tarot project that I’m genuinely excited about, and it feels like the perfect mix of story, symbolism, Gothic atmosphere, and pen & paper curiosity.

I’m calling it One Card, One Episode: Tarot Through the Lens.

What Is One Card, One Episode?

The idea is simple. I pull one tarot card, watch one episode of a show, and then write about that episode through the lens of the card.

I look at the card’s meaning, the imagery, the symbols, the mood, and the deck’s guidebook interpretation. Then I watch the episode and see where those themes show up in the story.

For the first part of the series, I’m watching Dark Shadows and using The Skeleton Dance Arcana.

Since starting the project, I’ve also begun using the same exercise with Days of Our Lives, where I’ll be using The Light Seer’s Tarot. Dark Shadows was the doorway into the idea, but the practice itself can work with different kinds of storytelling. The show may change, but the exercise stays the same: one card, one episode, and one story viewed through the lens of tarot.

Why I Started With Dark Shadows

Dark Shadows aired before my time, and it was never a show I grew up with. I wasn’t introduced to it at a young age or through reruns playing in the background. But somehow, it still found me.

A few years ago, I started watching the series and was immediately drawn into its strange little world of secrets, shadows, old houses, family drama, and Gothic atmosphere. Somewhere along the way, I fell off from watching, but lately I’ve felt pulled back to it.

That pull makes sense to me.

I wouldn’t describe myself as Goth in the subculture sense, but I do feel Gothic. I have always been drawn to Gothic books, movies, television shows, decor, and aesthetics. Give me an old house, a family secret, a candlelit hallway, a mysterious woman, a graveyard, a storm, or a past that refuses to stay buried, and I’m definitely already interested.

Dark Shadows has all of that.

Why The Skeleton Dance Arcana?

The Skeleton Dance Arcana feels like the right deck for this particular journey. The artwork has a moody, theatrical, vintage quality that fits beautifully with the atmosphere of Dark Shadows.

The deck also has something else that works with Dark Shadows: quirky characters. The Skeleton Dance Arcana has Gothic atmosphere, but it also has a sense of humor. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and honestly, I don’t think Dark Shadows should be taken too seriously either. That’s part of the charm. It can be dramatic, strange, spooky, emotional, and a little over-the-top all at once.

As I move through the episodes, I’ll be using the deck’s own meanings as my foundation, but I’ll also be paying close attention to the card imagery itself.

Sometimes the connection may come through the meaning of the card. Sometimes it may show up in a character’s choice, a line of dialogue, a visual detail, or the emotional tone of the episode. Other times, it may be something in the card’s artwork that echoes the story in a surprising way.

That is part of what makes the project exciting to me.

Tarot as a Storytelling Lens

I’m not trying to force the episode to match the card. I’m using the card as a lens, almost like a symbolic flashlight. It gives me a place to look, but the story still gets to be the story.

And honestly, that is the whole point.

Tarot is full of symbolism, and so is storytelling. A character can stand at a crossroads. A secret can tip the scales. A house can feel like a prison. A graveyard can become a doorway. A card can give me a theme, and then the episode gives me a place to explore it.

How This Helps Me Practice Tarot

This project gives me a way to practice reading cards in a deeper, more focused way. Instead of pulling a card and moving on quickly, I have to sit with it. I have to notice the details. I have to ask better questions.

Where does this card appear in the episode?

Who carries its energy?

What part of the story reflects the card’s lesson?

Does the imagery on the card connect to a scene, a character, or the overall atmosphere?

Watching With an Ink Pen Instead of a Phone

It also helps me watch more intentionally.

Instead of half-watching while scrolling my phone, I’ll be watching with a pen and paper nearby. I’ll be taking notes, paying attention to the story, and letting the episode unfold without distraction. That alone feels like a small win.

For anyone interested in watching along, I’m currently watching Dark Shadows on Tubi. I personally recommend Tubi over The Roku Channel for this show because the commercial breaks feel better placed. When I tried watching on Roku, the commercial breaks felt more random. They sometimes cut in during dialogue, which made it harder to stay immersed and take notes.

Follow Along on The Mystic Digest

This whole project is meant to be fun. It is part tarot practice, part TV journal, part storytelling exercise, and part excuse to spend more time with shows that still have something to say.

I also hope there are still some Dark Shadows fans out there wandering the mist. If you are one of them, I would love for you to follow along.

I’ll be sharing the episode readings on my Facebook page, The Mystic Digest.

So pull the card, press play, and see where the story leads.

One card. One episode. One story seen through the lens of tarot.

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