Meet the Creator: A Conversation with Johanna Hallin, Creator of the Northern Lights Strength Deck
In this interview, we meet Johanna Hallin, the creator of the Northern Lights Strength Deck—a unique fusion of science and spirit, rooted in Nordic tradition and psychological research. With a background in academia and a passion for intuitive practice, Johanna shares how this deck came to life and why it matters.
Q: Johanna, what inspired you to create the Northern Lights Strength Deck?
"The deck was born out of a deep desire to bridge two worlds—science and spirituality. I’ve spent my career working with science and knowledge production, the last few years at one of Europe’s largest research institutes, immersed in critical thinking, evidence, and secular logic. But I also felt a longing for something more expansive. When I discovered tarot in my 40s, it was like stepping into a forbidden room—a space of freedom, intuition, and creativity that I hadn’t had access to before. The Northern Lights Strength Deck is my way of honouring both worlds, without choosing between them."
Q: What makes this deck different from traditional tarot or psychology tools?
"It’s not a tarot deck in the classic sense, and it’s not a clinical tool either. It’s a strengths-based deck rooted in the science of positive psychology—specifically the VIA Classification of Character Strengths. But it’s also infused with Nordic folk spirituality, visual storytelling, and intuitive symbolism. Each card is designed to help you reflect, grow, and connect—with yourself and with others. It’s a tool for self-discovery, not diagnosis."
Q: How has your background in research influenced the deck?
"I’m incredibly grateful for my academic training. The social sciences and psychology that underpin this deck give it credibility and depth. But I also believe that spiritual practice offers a different kind of knowing—one that’s just as valid. I didn’t want to choose between them. I wanted to embrace both. That’s why the deck is designed to support both analytical reflection and intuitive exploration. It’s about integration, not opposition."
Q: What kind of community has grown around your work?
"Over the last three years a beautiful community has sprung up through my Instagram page, Northern Lights Tarot. I’ve shared daily readings that are part creative expression, part spiritual practice. It’s become a space where women from all over the world connect around themes of intuition, inner growth, and reflection. I’m proud of that. It’s a living, breathing example of what this deck is meant to support."
Q: What do you hope people experience when they use the deck?
"I hope they feel invited to slow down. To reflect. To ask meaningful questions. To build their intuition and self-awareness. The deck is designed to help people see what’s in the in-between spaces—the places we often overlook in our fast-paced world. It’s a way to build the muscles of knowing, feeling, and growing. And it’s a way to honour both the scientific and the spiritual aspects of being human."
Q: Any final thoughts for those discovering the Northern Lights Strength Deck?
"Just this: you don’t have to choose. You can be both analytical and intuitive, grounded and expansive. You can live at the edge—of tradition, of knowing, of experience—and find something powerful there. That’s what this deck is about. That’s what I hope to share."
