First: the bad news. There aren’t any official Barbie tarot cards, but a creative individual did create a Barbie tarot project based on the imagery of the Rider-Waite Tarot. For your Barbie tarot needs, I have suggested some decks at the end of this post, which focus on empowerment and planning, and/or capture the Barbie aesthetic you’d want in a Barbie tarot spread.
Before we begin, let’s take a look at the complexity of the new “Barbie” movie, and why we should be thinking about Barbie tarot in the first place.
Barbie and Me: A Personal Reflection
Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” movie wouldn’t be a hit if it didn’t adequately cover the mountain of complex feelings that the doll stirs in just about everyone. I hesitated rushing out to see “Barbie” at first because I’m rather critical of Barbie and her beauty standards. However, I also recall my fondness for Astronaut Barbie — something I think about as I now market technology that operates in space in an industry besieged by questions about the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrial life.
I was an early role player. I didn’t have siblings, but I did have friends on my block. We used dolls like Barbie to tell ourselves stories and to imagine what our places in the world might look like. Most of my favorite representations of women were journalists (storytellers themselves of a sort), like April O’Neil, Murphy Brown, or Lois Lane (the “Lois & Clark” version of the 1990s), and a lot of times my Barbie was really “Interviewer Barbie.” Interviewing subject matter experts at the day job this week, I couldn’t help but think about how that version of Barbie contributed to a part of my career achievement.
Along with some privileges and some effort, Barbie and some other women characters from my childhood helped me manifest a career that I chose (even if I couldn’t control it as concisely as I’d hoped).
Was the doll herself a divination tool? Was she telling me that my domain was a pink house… or that I had the choice to like pink houses? I think the answer is both — and that fits well into the movie: Barbie and the way we feel about her are complicated.
Dolls, Magic, and the Dreams of Children
There’s a long history of dolls, effigies, and other representations of people associating with conjuration. Spiritually, these are not my domain, but observing (and not appropriating) practitioners of voodoo and other beliefs even briefly has made evident the concept of life passing in (or in some forms of witchcraft, through or over) a doll.
This makes me think about how children permit dolls to embody their dreams. It makes me think of why I took good care of my Barbies, and was appalled when the neighbor boys loved beating the shit out of piñatas (only the kind shaped like animals) or stabbing the donkey instead of pinning the tail on him. Why not befriend the animal, like Snow White or Ariel might do? Veterinarian Barbie would be appalled!
But that’s just it: boys were encouraged to be violent towards animals. It’s like that story Paul McCartney tells in The Beatles’ Anthology, when he practiced murdering frogs in the woods because all he and his father’s generation had known were men going to war. It was practice (and McCartney is now an animal rights activist, by the way). Even if boys aren’t malicious or coerced, they’re conditioned upon expectation to enact violence that way, while girls are expected to nurture animals, babies, and of course, wounded man-babies.
Barbie Tarot: In the Spirit of “Barbie,” Make a Different Story For Yourself
Whether you were a kid who’d get creative with your Barbie or one who’d have her in neatly tucked into her Dream House bed every night, you get the idea: each day of role play and storytelling is an opportunity to make your own future. And if you didn’t do that as a kid? That’s fine — you can start today if you like with some Barbie tarot spreads.
There are many different ways people use and view tarot. I see it as a self-development tool and a way to reveal more options that I haven’t thought of before. It’s also a useful discussion tool with a querent (someone seeking answers) and between trusted friends. Like the movie, cards are conversation starters, and the power in using them — and any magical tool in general — is often about the discussion of your own agency, or even your ability to control the conversation about your own self and focus on yourself due to the nature of activity.
The kind charm and charisma Barbie exudes in her movie isn’t exactly natural to most of us, especially not in such a genuine state. In the movie, Margot Robbie’s brilliant portrayal of Stereotypical Barbie reveals a doll-woman who truly things all women and girls are beautiful, which is kind of tough for those of us in reality to truly embrace about ourselves and others, as much as we want to (thanks, patriarchy, I hate it here).
But, through the magic of Barbie tarot, you can make it happen. Take time for yourself, embrace the magic, and consider journaling your journey in a cute but useful tarot journal.
Barbie Tarot Decks: Recommended For Your Spread
The deck I recommend most for a Barbie tarot spread is the Modern Witch Tarot Deck. The Modern Witch Tarot Deck offers multiple representations of women and girls, diverse in every way. If you liked the big Barbie energy, this deck could be a good fit for you. There’s a lot to analyze and uncover here, so if you’re combing through the movie to find more and more insights, you’ll probably adore this deck.
There are plenty of pink and gold tarot decks out there if you are more drawn to that aesthetic, but I’m more drawn to the cerebral nature of the Modern Witch Tarot Deck. The Modern Witch also echoes Barbie in that women from different eras, ages, and roles are doing different things here. If you liked contemplating the existence of Midge (a pregnant doll featured in the movie) and why that’s so complicated, the Modern Witch Tarot might be a good match for you.
Barbie Tarot Spreads
Once you’ve selected a deck for your Barbie tarot reading, it’s time to choose a spread to use. I’ve laid out three here, of varying complexity. You should not be afraid to alter or add to these spreads. They are here to help you, so change them as you need and create your own.
Barbie Tarot Spread 1: Past, Present, and Future You
In the movie, there are so many different Barbies as well as different generations of women (from the real world) present. America Ferrera’s character has a poignant monologue about how women are expected to be everything, but can never really do it right, because that’s how society is. Considering the many different roles and generations women have (though a person of any gender can and should consider this for themselves), it’s useful to look at who we were in the past, who we are in the present, and who we are becoming in the future.
Past | Present | Future
The three-card “past, present, future” spread is fairly common, but adding the complexities stirred by the movie and the doll might create a different experience for you, especially considering how defined Barbie’s many roles are. You could also perform this layout as young, middle-age, old (or maiden/mother/crone, or an alternative such as student/creator/teacher).
Barbie Tarot Spread 2: Celtic Cross
For a more detailed view, as well as a more comprehensive look at how an entire spread can work together, many tarot readers choose the Celtic Cross spread. You can learn about how to do this spread here, with particular note that this spread is excellent at honing in on specifics, but also seeing the big picture when you look at the cards together.
For the Barbie tarot version of this spread, I recommend:
- Card 1: Plastic Present — What appears to be solid (like plastic) at this time, but could be melted and reshaped into something new in the future? Does this present state want to change?
- Card 2: Systemic Challenge — While we all have personal challenges that get in the way, “Barbie” shows us that often times, challenges are systemic, like patriarchy. What systemic challenge or aspect of a systemic challenge such as patriarchy is really getting in your way?
- Card 3: How Did You Get Here? Or, The Past — This card can directly represent the past, but for a Barbie tarot spread, consider a bit of a “Chariot” pull on this card. The past is really about what led you to the present. This card might reveal a positive influence or a trauma. Focus on the travel aspect to think about how it’s affecting you today — like the many modes of transport Barbie and her friends had to take to go from Barbie Land to The Real World and vice versa. The fact that the movie emphasized this journey as a means of transportation is quite relevant to self-development and self-realization.
- Card 4: Where the F*ck Are You Going? Or, The Future — Again, view this as a transformation card, and have a blunt intention behind it. Barbies f*cking curse, and you can too, if you want to. Approach this card boldly to get a sense of what your Plastic Present could mold into.
- Card 5: Now That You Know Everything: Goals, Or, Above — Getting a broader view of The Real World is important for Barbie. She can’t accomplish what she must for her own personal transformation while living in her bubble. In a Barbie tarot spread, Card 5 is a card of spiritual awareness. This isn’t about an object you need to buy to make your life better on your next shopping trip — it’s about your President Barbie-level changes. What do you have to work towards? What are you really aware of on a superficial level?
- Card 6: The Deeper Dive: Death and Stuff, Or, Below — In the movie, Barbie goes through cycles of subconsciously realizing things. She chooses to be brave enough to ask questions about them and pursue answers. It turns out that while your ocean might be made of plastic, you can do a deeper dive with the mer-Barbies if you try. What’s the deeper meaning here, and just as importantly, how do you feel about being brave enough to find that answer?
- Card 7: Weird Barbie — This card is all about where you find guidance for your situation (called Advice in the standard Celtic Cross layout). For Barbie, this means going to see Weird Barbie, a representation of the witch in the woods who has power and insight taboo to the rest of society. Consider all angles and figure out what Weird Barbie is telling you in the Barbie tarot version of this spread.
- Card 8: Peer Pressure and The Real World — This is all about what is influencing you from society or elsewhere. Traditionally, this is a card about external influences, but in a Barbie tarot spread, we want to think about the positive and negative influences of relationships and society quite broadly. Is your relationship with your mother influencing you here? Or what about the way men are treated in society versus everyone else? These are questions Barbie addresses in the movie.
- Card 9: Face Your Dreams and Fears and Become Kenough — The characters in Barbie, particularly Barbie and Ken, get a chance to examine all the things they’re afraid of as well as their dreams, from Barbie’s Dream House which she is proud to earn and own in Barbie Land, to Ken’s fears of being rejected by Barbie, his reason for existing. What are those hopes and fears, and how do they relate to each other?
- Card 10: Situational Outcomes and Life in the Real World — Lots of characters in Barbie have to (or choose to) live in what we know as the real world. You can’t stave off outcomes if you want to make change in the real world. Given all the other cards — your mode of transportation, your influences, your thoughts, and more — what’s the possible outcome of your situation if you continue on your current course? Like Barbie, you know it — changes are big.
Barbie Tarot Spread 3: Make Your Dreams Come True!
Barbie is all about making dreams come true. Whether it’s facing hard truths and making difficult decisions or pursuing the career of her dreams, Barbie commits to making it happen — and so can you.
This is another simple three-card spread:
Idea | Process | Personal Legend
This also works well with the maiden / mother / crone or student / creator / teacher roadmap. The idea is brainstorming a path to achieve your ultimate goal, and it starts with revealing a possible goal. Because we can have more than one legacy or life’s work, I recommend repeating this one often if you like.
- The idea card represents the germination of your big goal. For example, in creating this website, the idea card might have indicated I wanted to focus on insight.
- The process card is all about doing the work and how you are accomplishing that. Following my example, this card might have revealed that the effort requires diligence or community.
- The Personal Legend comes from author Paulo Coelho’s beautiful term for a life goal. Per Coelho, many people come close to reaching this goal, then fall short of finishing because of fear of what comes next, or not knowing who they are without the goal as part of their identity. This goal is a terrible and beautiful thing, and it may shake you. In my example, the Star from the major arcana might represent this achievement.
These spreads are a starting point for your own personal use and empowerment, bolstered by the lens of the messages of the “Barbie” movie. Pop culture (in this case Barbie) reflects our zeitgeist and collective story. I don’t think that we should shy away from encompassing something like this when the message is not obfuscated. (When it is, take care before incorporating it into your practices.) What does Barbie mean for you? What kind of Barbie are you? Use some Barbie tarot magic to find out!