*This is a new artwork series I’ve started called the Cryptid Arcana, which is a spinoff of the Tarot’s Major Arcana, but uses cryptids as subjects.
Unconfirmed cryptids are creatures whose existence has been suggested but are not recognized by scientific consensus. Examples of unconfirmed cryptids include Sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster. Confirmed cryptids are animals or plants whose existence was once thought to be mythical but have since been confirmed by science. Examples of confirmed cryptids are the okapi, giant squid, and coelacanth.
I have studied and practiced Tarot for over 20 years. I also have a deep love and appreciation for the folklore about cryptids. In this series, I will merge both, combining the classic Tarot archetypes with an accompanying cryptid, and putting my own spin on the card’s label.*
The Channeler: Introducting the Flatwoods Monster as the Magician in the Cryptid Arcana Tarot
The Channeler (known traditionally as The Magician) is the archetype of manifestation, transformation, and raw potential. Where The Fool takes the first step into the unknown, The Channeler stands at the threshold between spirit and matter, transmitting energies from above to below. This is the moment when intention becomes action, when dreams begin to crystallize into form.
In classical tarot, The Magician card is filled with symbology: one hand points to the sky, the other to the earth — the divine conduit. The tools of the four suits (wand, cup, sword, pentacle) are laid out on the table, showing mastery over the elements. The infinity symbol above their head hints at boundless possibility.
But for Cryptid Arcana, the Channeler takes on a form that is both cosmic and folkloric: The Flatwoods Monster. In this interpretation, the Flatwoods Monster is the alchemist, controlling the four elements of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air. In the world, while not necessarily of it, but holding mastery of its elemental forces.
Why the Flatwoods Monster?
Emerging from the mists of Braxton County, West Virginia in 1952, the Flatwoods Monster is no ordinary cryptid. Descriptions vary — tall, floating, robed in dark fabric or metal, with glowing eyes and an otherworldly presence. It left witnesses both awestruck and terrified, a being not bound by earthly logic or limitation.
This mysterious figure, so often interpreted as an extraterrestrial or interdimensional visitor, naturally embodies the qualities of The Channeler. Just as The Magician connects spirit to form, the Flatwoods Monster is a bridge between worlds — a receiver of strange transmissions, a bearer of hidden technologies, a spark of the uncanny in the mundane forest night.
Its presence in our deck invites us to consider how we channel unseen forces, how we translate inspiration into reality, and how we wield the elemental energies around us.
The Flatwoods Monster is a cipher, a transmitter of eerie wisdom, and a gentle reminder that our true power lies in what we choose to bring forth. The Channeler invites you to step into your role as co-creator — with curiosity, courage, and a little cosmic flair.
