VIA—PAX Tarot: A Reflective Journey from Burnout to Inner Clarity
Born from a deeply personal journey, VIA—PAX Tarot is more than a deck. It’s a companion for reflection and growth. Created by Kara Marie Cruz, this two-deck system blends traditional tarot symbolism with modern tools for self-inquiry, such as affirmations, journal prompts, and guided archetypes.
We sat down with Kara to explore how VIA helps you reflect, while PAX invites intuitive stillness. They together form a unique daily ritual for navigating change, reconnecting with purpose, and rediscovering joy. Designed with accessibility and emotional resonance in mind, this is tarot reimagined for modern seekers at any stage of their journey.
The Journey Behind VIA—PAX Tarot
Michael (GizmoCrowd): You describe tarot as a powerful tool that helped you reconnect with joy and intention. What was the personal journey that led you to create VIA—PAX Tarot, and how do you hope others will use these decks in their own lives?
Kara: Tarot entered my life during a time when I was completely disconnected from myself. I was exhausted from burnout, weighed down by responsibilities, and struggling to find clarity or direction. What started as curiosity soon became a deeply personal practice. Tarot wasn’t just a tool for insight. It became a mirror, helping me ask better questions and reflect honestly on where I was, what I needed, and where I wanted to go. It helped me slow down, reconnect with my intuition, and begin making decisions from a place of self-trust and intention.
Over time, I started blending tarot with journaling and mindfulness. That combination completely transformed the way I moved through life. I began to experience more clarity, more peace—and most importantly, more agency. I realized I wasn’t alone in this need. So many people are looking for ways to feel grounded and connected again, especially in a world that feels increasingly overwhelming.
VIA—PAX Tarot was born from that journey. It’s a culmination of all the tools and insights that helped me navigate my own path inward. I designed the decks to feel supportive and accessible. Whether someone is just beginning their self-reflection practice or has been doing this work for years. My hope is that these decks offer others what tarot gave me. A sense of presence, a renewed connection to self, and the gentle reminder that it’s never too late to change, grow, and rediscover joy.
Two Decks, One Holistic System
Michael (GizmoCrowd): VIA and PAX each serve a unique purpose—one guiding action, the other offering stillness. How did you envision the relationship between these two decks, and how do they complement one another in a daily or long-term reflective practice?
Kara: VIA and PAX were always meant to feel like companions—two parts of a larger conversation. I designed them to be used individually or together, depending on what someone needs in the moment. VIA is there to help you slow down and reflect. It invites you to ask deeper questions, check in with your inner world, and take an honest look at where you are. Each card includes an affirmation, a keyword for focus, and a journal prompt—making it an active, grounded tool for self-reflection and realignment.
PAX, on the other hand, offers space for insight. It taps into the quieter, more intuitive parts of ourselves. The artwork is rich and symbolic. It is rooted in the tradition of tarot but inspired by the Renaissance. This was indeed a period of transformation, curiosity, and rediscovery. I designed it to feel like a personal renaissance for the reader, offering visual cues that spark intuitive guidance and emotional clarity.
Used together, VIA and PAX mirror the rhythm of our own inner cycles. It is about reflection and action, stillness and movement, pause and direction. Whether someone pulls one card a day or weaves them both into a more layered spread, the decks work in harmony to support a deeper, evolving practice. My hope is that they become trusted tools for anyone navigating change, seeking clarity, or simply trying to return to themselves—day by day, moment by moment.
Accessibility and Design for All Levels
Michael (GizmoCrowd): VIA—PAX Tarot is designed for both beginners and seasoned readers, offering prompts, affirmations, and deep symbolism. How did you ensure the decks remain intuitive and empowering, regardless of someone’s tarot experience?
Kara: When I set out to create VIA—PAX Tarot, I knew I wanted it to be accessible to anyone, regardless of where they were in their tarot journey. I didn’t want people to feel intimidated by needing to “know everything” in order to get started. That’s why, from the beginning, I designed the decks to feel approachable and empowering for both beginners and experienced readers alike. With VIA, I intentionally blended elements of both tarot and oracle decks to make it approachable and easy to use. This way even beginners could pick it up and start using it right out of the box.
Each card includes an affirmation, a journal prompt, and a keyword to help anchor the reflection, so there’s always a clear entry point for inquiry, no matter how familiar you are with tarot. The guidebook also emphasizes self-reflection rather than strict interpretation, inviting readers to build their own personal relationship with the cards.
Tradition matters too
PAX, on the other hand, leans more traditional in its structure, staying visually close to the Rider-Waite-Smith system. But when it came to narrowing down the imagery, I relied on my own intuition—choosing only the illustrations that sparked an emotional or intuitive response in me. I wanted each card to feel like it could open a conversation with your inner voice. I believe that when artwork resonates on that level, it becomes a powerful tool for connection and insight, no matter your experience. Both decks were created with the intention that they could evolve with you. Whether you’re just starting out or deepening a long-time practice, my hope is that VIA—PAX Tarot meets you exactly where you are and supports you in building trust in your own wisdom.
Blending Tradition with Innovation
Michael (GizmoCrowd): The decks feature a mix of AI-generated and hand-drawn imagery, and even introduce the unique Mindful Arcana. How do you balance honoring traditional tarot systems while innovating for modern reflection and self-growth?
Kara: As someone who grew up between the analog and digital eras, I’ve always felt a deep connection to both. I love vintage objects and classical art, but I also embrace the possibilities of modern tools. That appreciation for blending old and new naturally shaped the creative process behind VIA—PAX Tarot.
From the beginning, my goal was to honor the traditional tarot structure while making space for innovation. I wanted to create something that feels both familiar and fresh. PAX closely follows the Rider-Waite-Smith system in its symbolism. Hoever she also draws from Renaissance aesthetics to bring forward a sense of timelessness and depth. The imagery was carefully chosen to spark intuitive and emotional responses. This makes it accessible to both seasoned readers and those just beginning their journey.
VIA, on the other hand, was designed to support a more guided and reflective practice. I intentionally combined elements of both tarot and oracle systems. I wanted to make it approachable from the moment you open the box. With affirmations, keywords, and journal prompts, VIA invites daily reflection and self-inquiry in a way that feels supportive, grounding, and actionable.
5 archetypes
The Mindful Arcana was another layer of innovation that came from my own personal practice. These five archetypes, The Seeker, The Traveler, The Explorer, The Observer, and The Navigator represent the nonlinear stages of inner transformation. It thus offers a framework readers can return to again and again. Originally created for a quiz project that never launched, the concept stayed with me for years. Each card helps you locate yourself within your journey—whether you’re feeling lost, seeking clarity, or ready to take aligned action. They’re not just additional cards—they’re invitations to trust your process and tune into your inner rhythm.
At the heart of it all was the intention to create a set of tools that could meet people where they are—grounded in tradition, yet open to new ways of reconnecting with the self.
Bringing the Vision to Life Through Community
Michael (GizmoCrowd): VIA—PAX Tarot is described as a labor of love, built through collaboration. What has it meant to you to work with this creative team, and how has community shaped the spirit and success of the project?
Kara: Working with this creative team has been one of the most healing parts of the journey. As someone who has spent much of my life prioritizing others—even to the point of overwhelm and burnout—it was unfamiliar. But it was deeply meaningful, to be on the receiving end of support. Letting others help me bring this vision to life felt vulnerable at times. However it was also a powerful reminder that we don’t have to carry everything alone. Accepting help became part of my own transformation.
Community input
This project may have started from something deeply personal, but community is what brought it to life. Every collaborator—whether they contributed their time, skill, encouragement, or creative input—added heart and intention to the final product. Their belief in the vision gave me the courage to keep going. Especially when things felt daunting, and their care shaped the energy of the decks just as much as the visuals did.
The spirit of VIA—PAX Tarot is rooted in reflection, clarity, and connection. That spirit was echoed throughout this process—not only in the decks themselves but in how they were made: through community, collaboration, and genuine care. And I think that’s what makes this project feel so alive. It wasn’t built alone, and it’s not meant to be used alone either. It’s something that invites connection from the very start.
Michael (GizmoCrowd): Thank you, Kara, for opening your heart and sharing the story behind VIA—PAX Tarot. Your journey reminds us that transformation begins with reflection, and that true clarity is cultivated through presence and trust. We’re excited to see this project reach more hands, hearts, and homes—and inspire others to reconnect with themselves, one card at a time.
VIA—PAX Tarot: Your Path to Clarity and Peace
About Kara Marie Cruz
Kara Marie Cruz is a former corporate project manager. She turned creator of Reflective Tarot practices that blend journaling, mindfulness, and intuitive design. After experiencing deep burnout, she found healing through tarot. She then created VIA—PAX Tarot to help others reclaim their clarity, self-trust, and joy. Kara now channels her background into crafting tools that are both grounded and transformative—supporting others in their own paths of reflection and renewal.
Discover VIA—PAX Tarot now on Kickstarter
