Words and Images © Caroline Smith
& John Astrop 2010 Published in 2012 by Sun Studios Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any means,
electronical or mechanical, without permission
in writing from the Publisher. ISBN 978-1-908033-38-3
INTRODUCTION
Where the tarot began is not known. Many have suggested that the cards, particularly the twenty-two Major Arcana, evolved from an ancient symbolic book that contained the prototype of a perfect spiritual life journey. Others see the tarot as a game that has an uncanny relevance to life and life e
a lot has been written that serves the purposes of those who wish to keep the tarot only as an exclusive mystery to all but the initiated. The earliest known tarot decks originated in Italy in the fifteenth century. They were much as we see them today. At present, nothing stops us from assuming that perhaps a bright Italian artist -and there were quite a few around Italy at that time - simply said to
himself, "Why don't I create a beautiful tarot deck today?" The assumption that all creative work has to be the result of a gradual evolution or series of fumbling improvements on an earlier, more primitive theme is to miss the spontaneous essence of creativity itself.
Since the fifteenth century, hundreds of different decks have been designed, illustrated, copied,
and distributed. Their use was largely in the hands of fortune-tellers and gypsies until the nineteenth century, when they became of great interest to the fashionable and exclusive esoteric societies of the period. Much of the mystery and occult "past" of the cards was invented at this time as a particularly apt metaphor for the initiate's journey along his spiritual path to enlightenment.
Why have the cards captured the imagination of so many for so long? However you wish to use them, they work! You can forget the magical hocus-pocus; it just isn't necessary. We all have an unconscious ability that we can tap. All we need are the tools with which to get our incredible imaginations working and we're in business. The tarot cards are those tools. Although we are swamped
by the written word from our very earliest years, most of us can, with a little practice, read and understand more from a picture than we can from paragraphs of text. The use of visual symbols is as old as time and certainly much older than any written language. Observing these symbols, and translating them in terms of past, present, and future events, has been a self-preserving instinct in
human life since our prehistoric ancestors. The written word has restricted our awareness.
On many levels we still make predictions on the things we "see." We look at dark clouds and predict rain. We look at faces and predict their potential honesty or dishonesty. We make judgements on the basis of the clothes people wear, the way people talk, the cars they drive, and the houses in
which they live. In group situations most of us sense quite quickly the differences and similarities between ourselves and others. In advertising alone, huge amounts of money are spent in designing symbols, brand images, and logos that impart the message of trust, reliability, and value.
Symbols in tarot, religion, astrology, philosophy, and so on,
serve one of two purposes: they make a complex idea or set of ideas easier to understand, or they keep an idea secret from all but those initiated. We take in the messages of graphic symbols everywhere every day, and yet we are amazed and overawed when someone can read and understand unfamiliar symbols on a deck of tarot cards.
practice, can read, understand, and attempt the tarot and develop and use their unique and innate awareness to make excellent and accurate readings for themselves as well as their friends.
The tarot deck is traditionally divided into two sections, the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana comprises twenty-two allegorical cards numbered 0 through 21. The
Minor Arcana comprises fifty-six cards divided into four suits, which in most decks are swords, wands, cups, and coins or pentacles. Each suit has ten cards numbered 1 through 10 and four court cards usually called king, queen, knight, and page. The suits and the "court" cards of the Elemental Tarot are different, as you will see later.
the tarot because learning the complicated and usually conflicting traditional meanings of the seventy-eight cards is a formidable long-term task. If you acquire half-a-dozen books on the subject and compare the interpretations of the Minor Arcana, you will find more disagreement and contradiction than clarity. It is for this reason that many of those who do venture
to use the tarot use only the cards of the Major Arcana. Books and books written on these twenty-two images have simply neglected the other fifty-six, the Minor Arcana. The term Major, however, is not without significance. To interpret everyday life situations solely in terms of the Major Arcana could be compared with trying to cure the common cold by open-heart surgery.
The Elemental Tarot is a synthesis of the best interpretations sifted from the plethora of obscure and
some- times almost
incomprehensible decks and books of the past and present. The four suits in the deck are based directly on the four elements -fire, earth, air, and water - that have served as keys to symbolic interpretations in astrology, tarot, and all early forms of divination,
philosophy, and religion.
The fire suit, in most decks, is called wands, the earth suit is pentacles or coins, the air suit is swords and the water suit is cups. Some decks, however, attribute wands to air and swords to fire. By naming the suits by the elements, the Elemental Tarot cuts through unnecessary double symbolism and gets down to easy-to-understand basics. Fire is
represented by a triangle, earth by a square, air by a circle, and water by a crescent. Sometimes in this book, a fifth element is mentioned; it is the element of spirit and is represented by an egg shape.
To get used to actually looking at the symbols on the cards is the
first priority. Most of us have lost the childhood ability of looking at things and really seeing them. We have become so familiar with language and the printed word that when we see an object, a quick glance is enough for us to translate that object into a word, file the word in our mind, and forget to look any further.
Remember when you visited a foreign country for the first time?
You were once again taken back to the excitement of childhood. Everything you saw seemed new and you looked at places and things with an acute awareness that goes unused in familiar, everyday life.
To recapture this spirit of awareness, look at each card and read its description in the book. This will enable you to view the various images and to store
quickly in your memory the meaning of the visual language of each card. The interpretations given are condensed meanings which you will, of course, expand with your own intuition. Tarot reading is a totally individualistic ability and eventually, with familiarity, the way in which you see each card will become the real meaning. It is then that the book will no longer be necessary.
THE MAJOR ARCANA
The Major Arcana consists of twenty-two individual cards numbered 0-21 and can be easily identified by the spirit symbol at the foot of the cards. The term at the top of the card is the traditional name, and the term at the bottom of the card complements the meaning of this name. The symbols in the margin are amplifications of the hidden symbols within the art.While the number cards of the Minor Arcana are events, and family cards are other people, the twenty-two Major cards represent inner qualities of the questioner’s own personality. For this reason they are termed Major and describe deeper issues than the Minor cards. It is in the reading of these Major cards and in the relevance and timing of their appearance that we can find the route to our own personal growth. Most of our day-to-day events are the indirect results
of inner thoughts, feelings, and ideas that we project on the outside world. If we have been conditioned to see ourselves in a negative way, we unconsciously signal this to the world at large and discover that far from contradicting our view, the world continually reinforces the idea in the things that happen to us.
THE THUNDER,
PERFECT MIND”
In 1945, near the Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi, a jar was found
containing ancient papyruses which proved to be a series of Gnostic texts written and collected by early Christians. Among the texts is a strange and beautiful poem spoken through the mouth of the divine feminine power Sophia. Entitled “The Thunder, Perfect Mind,” it is in its fusing of opposites most apt with respect to the meaning of the Major Arcana of the tarot. On each of the twenty-two cards, a line or two from the poem, printed on the left and right margins, reflects
something of the essence of that particular card.
0 Fool
Potential
______________________________________________
On a tiny island, a carefree youth leans against a great tree. The island symbolizes individuality, safety, and isolation. The tree is life and knowledge. The trunk is the same color as the boy; they are one
entity. The boy gazes up into the rich foliage of the tree whose fruits are symbols of the five elements. The branches indicate the infinite choice of opportunities and directions. In the surrounding sea, there are similar islands, each supporting a tree.
______________________________________________________
Uranus/Neptune - Idealism and inspiration
______________________________________________________
and they can learn from me
______________________________________________________
The roots of one’s abilities, talents, and potential.
“I have made a decision to start afresh. I am open to new possibilities within myself that I have not as yet explored. I know I want to do something but I don’t know what it is.”
1 Trickster
Confidence
______________________________________________
A young man posed in an exhibitionist manner juggles with four of the elements. A yellow ape supported on a crystal goblet assists him. The young man’s red, clinging costume indicates virility, sexuality, and self-consciousness. His mask,
yellow, the color associated with the planet Mercury, suggests sharp awareness, adaptability, an eye for opportunity. A jagged pathway leads to dark hills of ambition and achievement. On either side of the path are ten young plants.
______________________________________________________
Mercury/Ascendant - Versatility, adaptability
______________________________________________________
I am knowledge and I am ignorance I am falsehood and I am truth
______________________________________________________
The inexperienced male drive.
“I am adaptable, flexible, versatile, and ambitious. I am confident that I can do it all. Just give me the opportunity and you’ll see.”
2 Virgin
Receptivity
______________________________________________
A pale, naked young girl dreams in a moonlit forest. Her hair flows across the ground like a stream of water. It is the symbol of the release of unconscious emotions. In her hand is a red rosebud. Its thorn pricks her finger and one drop of
blood falls. Ten great trees protect and shelter her. In the deep midnight sky the moon is full. The full face of womanhood is revealed but unseen by the young girl. Before her, the leaves of a book as yet unread blow in the breeze.
______________________________________________________
Neptune/Ascendant - Sensitivity, vulnerability
______________________________________________________
I am shame and I am boldness I am shameless and I am ashamed
______________________________________________________
The inexperienced feminine drive.
“I have strong, unfamiliar feelings that excite and frighten me. I know that I must accept and reveal them eventually, but at the moment I am not ready.”
3 Empress
Mother
______________________________________________
A beautiful pregnant woman rides a tiger through a field of ripe corn. Her dress is green, the color of spring, new life, and growth. In her left hand she holds an ankh, key to life knowledge. In her right, she holds an ear of corn. The tiger
traditionally represents the ambivalent qualities of both creator and destroyer and is a manifestation of the Earth Mother. In the sky, the knot of the girdle of Isis, cupped in a crescent moon, is a powerful amulet of protection.
______________________________________________________
Moon/Ascendant - Feminine influence, caring
______________________________________________________
I am the whore and the holy one I am the wife and the virgin
______________________________________________________
The experienced feminine self.
“I love and I protect that which I feel is my family. I accept the responsibility of my feelings, and my strength can nourish and sustain.”
4 Emperor
Father
______________________________________________
Seated on a black marble throne, a powerful man carries on his shoulders a happy child. The child represents the embodiment of the future, the self transmuted and reborn. In a glowing golden sky, two birds carry a garland,
indicating honor, distinction, binding, and linking together. Two mountains represent ambition, constancy, and the male principle. On the arm of the throne there is a green Serpent in an attitude of aggressive challenge its tail coiled in a symbol of eternity.
______________________________________________________
Sun/Ascendant - Self-confidence and recognition
______________________________________________________
and my power is from him
______________________________________________________
The experienced masculine self.
“I compete for, defend, provide for, and maintain that which I know is mine. I accept
responsibility for my power, and my strength can create and build.”
5 Pope
Belief
______________________________________________
Against a purple sky, a pope in full ceremonial robes stands raised from the ground on two marble cubes. One hand points to the sky and one to earth informing us that he is the link between spiritual and material values. Before him a
yellow figure falls helpless, hands open, crying out in anguish. Around his headdress is a swarm of bees. They suggest industry, order, and purity. Behind the figure of the pope, on a pale flat field, five sheep wander in search of sustenance.
______________________________________________________
Saturn/Ascendant - Conventional behaviour
______________________________________________________
I am sinless
me
______________________________________________________
The belief system that helps one deal most comfortably with the unknown and the unpleasant.
“At the moment I need support in this situation. In the end, however, I will have to face up to things by myself.”
6 Choice
Passion
______________________________________________
A naked young man and woman stand facing each other and holding hands. Their faces express uncertainty and resistance. Between them is a tree, with twelve branches indicating the choices to be made, and twelve fruits showing the
potential results. The trunk of the tree is striped in black and green, symbolizing the ladder - ascent or descent. A red figure emerging from behind the tree is neither male nor female. It is the serpent, the tempter.
______________________________________________________
Venus/Ascendant - Selectivity, choice, taste
______________________________________________________
Whatever I will happens to me
______________________________________________________
choices that one makes.
“I am in an unresolved situation as a result of choices made in the past. I can choose either to ignore it or to change it and take full responsibility for the
7 Victory
Ambition
______________________________________________
A strong, handsome young man rides in the sky on a flying sphinx. His cloak, red, the color of the planet Mars, signifies enthusiasm, aggression, and energy. The sphinx, representing all elements and the combination of physical,
intellectual, and spiritual powers, bears a flaming torch of illumination and leadership. The sky changes from the green of youth to the deep gold of maturity. Below, waving flags and banners suggest victory, group identification, and celebration.
______________________________________________________
Mars/Ascendant - Fighting spirit, will
______________________________________________________
I am the one who is praised and the one despised
______________________________________________________
Will, aggression, and competitive instinct.
“I will accept my aggression and anger and allow it healthy
expression in my life. If I am
honest with myself and others, they are free to be the same with me.”
8 Strength
Health
______________________________________________
A slim, athletic young woman carries on her shoulders a kid. In her left hand she holds the sa, an Egyptian token of protection. In her right hand is a goblet from which fall droplets small ankhs -quenching the thirst of a
three-headed serpent. The serpent symbolizes primitive animal nature, and the three heads, all triplicities such as birth, life, death; past, present, future. The tail is the figure-eight symbol of eternity. An obelisk radiating energy represents phallic generative power.
______________________________________________________
Jupiter/Ascendant - Positive attitude to others
______________________________________________________
inside you
it is visible and it is your garment
______________________________________________________
The self-image that one projects on to the world.
“What I see outside is within me. The way that I present myself to the world will be the way in which I am received. What I give, I get. I recognize myself and become strong.”
9 Shaman
Will
______________________________________________
A powerful shaman or priest stands on a red mountain-top, with arms outstretched touching the sky. He is the instrument of communication between spiritual heaven and material earth. Around his neck hangs an ornament containing the
united symbols of the five elements. He is above the swirling black clouds and able to see clearly what is hidden from others. Below the figure is the Egyptian symbol ka, a spirit that is born with the person and stays beyond death, a preserver of life.
______________________________________________________
Pluto/Ascendant - Willpower, enlightenment
______________________________________________________
do not be afraid of my power
______________________________________________________
The higher spiritual self.
“I am alone in the universe; no one else can share this experience. For a brief moment, I can see everything clearly and my life is changed.”
10 Fate
Change
______________________________________________
In an evening sky is a great wheel whose spokes are formed by a blue, spread-eagled figure touching the rim at five points. Within the wheel is the Chinese symbol of yin-yang representing the inevitability of constant change. A multitude of
stars circles the wheel. From the faceless figure of fate, arms stretch out ready to spin the wheel faster or slower at will. Figures silhouetted on the horizon dance and gesture in a vain attempt to stop the spin.
______________________________________________________
Uranus/Ascendant - Change and unrest
______________________________________________________
I am control and the uncontrollable do not be ignorant of me - be on your guard
______________________________________________________
Personal destiny.
“No matter how much responsibility I take for my actions, some things are
completely out of my control. This is one of them!”
11 Law
System
______________________________________________
A seated, stone-gray figure, blindfolded, clasps a double-edged sword. Dust swirls around her feet. On a yellow background float many red-lined eyes. These signify witness, belief in what one sees, detached observation, and also
revelation, having one’s eyes opened. Balanced scales hang from above the figure’s head. In one dish a blood-red jar symbolizes heart and humanity, in the other the plume of Maat represents truth and justice. The red cube on which the figure sits is security and stability.
______________________________________________________
Saturn/Midheaven - What authority dictates
______________________________________________________
and I am gross iniquity
______________________________________________________
Conditioning through upbringing, and society.
“The decision that I am making may be based on views of other people that I have accepted
without considering whether they are really my own.”
12 Hanged Man
Sacrifice
______________________________________________
A gray figure is suspended by one foot from a cord stretched between two trees. His pose is relaxed and un concerned, his hands are free. Two small streams steadily fill a hollow between the rocks. The water approaches his head. Twelve
small, golden fish swim and jump in the streams. Water represents the flow of emotions and fish are life renewed and sustained. Below the thin cord that holds him, everything is in a misty gray haze. Above, the sun Shines in a rosy sky.
______________________________________________________
Neptune/Midheaven - Idealism, insecurity
______________________________________________________
I am the knowledge of my inquiry
Self-sacrifice, or self-inflicted suffering.
“I am making myself suffer in order to manipulate others. I am being passive about a situation from which I could extricate myself quite easily.”
13 Death
Transformation
______________________________________________
A black-shrouded figure takes a step forward. Its bony hand clasps an ankh, symbol of life and the key to hidden wisdom. A winged serpent hovers in midair, visible through the empty face of the figure. As the serpent sheds its old skin for
a new one, so it symbolizes destruction and renewal, death and rebirth. In the distance, against a sky heavy with mist, a small figure panics and runs. Thirteen tender green shoots burst through the cold, hard snow. They signify new life, hope, new beginnings.
______________________________________________________
Pluto/Midheaven - Inner change, transformation
______________________________________________________
and the one whom you call death
______________________________________________________
Ability to regenerate.
“I can only allow birth to new experience and new ways of being by letting go of that which is no longer necessary to my life.”
14 Peace
Justice
______________________________________________
From behind black mountains, a huge, white, bird-headed angel stretches out gentle hands to touch two kneeling gray figures. The angel is the angel of peace, and represents our higher spiritual values, truth, and enlightenment. The figures, a
man and a woman, are crying, bent with sorrow. On the barren desert earth, where their tears fall, seven spring flowers grow. The new flowers show that out of the expression of sorrow and despair can come peace and positive growth.
______________________________________________________
Venus/Midheaven - Kindness, harmony, benevolence
______________________________________________________
acquittal
______________________________________________________
Inner truth.
“I need to express feelings based on what I experience in my heart rather than on what would be socially expected or demanded of me.
15 Devil
Desire
______________________________________________
A red-winged devil squats in a pose of mocking vulgarity. Its angelic wings give the illusion of freedom. Partially concealed by its feet is a doorway of opportunity and escape. The devil holds by strings the two puppetlike figures of a man and a
woman. They dance erratically with no control over their limbs. Their expressions are blank, they have no will, and they are moved and manipulated by their own greed. In the glowing background are tokens and talismans of magical power and money.
______________________________________________________
Mars/Midheaven - Personal desire, impulsiveness
______________________________________________________
me
______________________________________________________
The lower material self.
“What I desire at the moment seems highly attractive, but there are strings attached and
16 Tower
Survival
______________________________________________
Under a forbidding black and crimson sky, a golden tower crumbles. The tower represents achievement, authority, and protection now in a state of breakdown and dissolution. From the battlements a lone figure hangs,
precariously poised above the gaping jaws of a huge sea serpent. Black waves curl threateningly around the base of the falling tower. A blue figure falls from the oppressive scene, through a thick gray cloud, into a white calm space, and reaches toward three flowers in full bloom.
______________________________________________________
Uranus/Midheaven - Sudden change of circumstance
Hear me - learn from my word - you who know me
I am the union and the dissolution
______________________________________________________
Fear and the survival instinct.
“In this crisis I am desperately hanging on to something that is collapsing. It is inevitable that despite my fear I must let go and face the unknown.”
17 Star
Hope
______________________________________________
In a clear blue sky is a six-pointed golden star formed by the masculine triangle of fire interlocking with the feminine triangle of water. It is the Seal of Solomon, traditionally the symbol of the harmonious uniting of heaven and earth. The outstretched
wings indicate divine protection, freedom, and the power to transcend the mundane world. Six rays containing twenty-two arrows of energy come from the star. Below, a smooth lake reflects the star, indicating “as above so below.”
______________________________________________________
Mercury/Midheaven - Forming one’s own opinion
______________________________________________________
no substance
do not be ignorant of me
______________________________________________________
The indefatigable human spirit. Optimism.
“Despite all odds I know that what seems to be an impossible
situation will get better, and
therefore I have the enemy to carry on.”
18 Moon
Illusion
______________________________________________
The large, pale disc of the full moon lights up an indigo sky. The moon Is seen as full only when it is in exact opposition to the sun. It represents the feminine, feelings, and the unconscious. It is elusive and fluctuating. From a cool green lake,
three stone slabs inscribed with ancient signs form an arch. From the surface of the lake an arm holds a mask before the face of the moon. The mask is concealment, transformation, and illusion. Black reflections show in the water.
______________________________________________________
Moon/Midheaven - Inner experience, Soul
______________________________________________________
I am the one whose image is great and I am the one who has no image
______________________________________________________
The unconscious self.
“I am not able to see the whole of the picture; there are hidden things that cannot or will not be revealed. I am deceiving or being deceived.”
19 Sun
Awareness
______________________________________________
In a glowing golden sky, a brilliant orange sun radiates nineteen rays of heat and life energy. In the center of the sun is an ankh, the key to hidden wisdom. Five fingers containing nineteen golden discs reach earthwards from the sun. A garland
of red roses and young green leaves loops into the form of a symbol of eternity and happiness. A smiling cherub below represents youth, love, and the innocence of childhood. The outspread wings symbolize divine protection and freedom.
______________________________________________________
Sun/Midheaven - Self-knowledge
______________________________________________________
Come forward to me and establish great ones
among the small - come forward to childhood
______________________________________________________
The conscious self.
“I have the joy and pleasure of true consciousness. I am seeing things as I did when a child. I am vibrant, alive, and aware. “
20 Judgement
Forgiveness
______________________________________________
A great and powerful, pale, glowing figure stands with arms outstretched in an attitude of openness. He is totally exposed but invulnerable. Two wings from above brush his temples, indicating freedom and the power to transcend the mundane
world. Around his neck is the glyph of Pluto, the planet of transformation. Behind the figure is a wall of vertical bars. Two figures, red with passion, anger, and frustration, push against the bars and shout. Their prison is self-made.
______________________________________________________
Jupiter/Midheaven - Generosity and contentment
______________________________________________________
listen
I am the knowledge of my name
______________________________________________________
Self-value.
“In order to move on and allow my life to grow, I must free myself from guilt, from things for which I have felt responsible. Just as I forgive others, I must forgive myself.”
21 Aeon
Synthesis
______________________________________________
In the center is a winged disc containing a square, the integration of heaven and earth. The face in the square represents humankind and the field of consciousness. Around the winged disc is the great symbol of the ouroboros. This is a serpent
swallowing its own tail, a symbol of the endless cycle of life and death, destruction and renewal. At the four corners are the four symbolic triangles of fire, earth, air, and water, with the ouroboros forming the fifth element of spirit.
______________________________________________________
Ascendant/Midheaven - The individual synthesis
______________________________________________________
I am the first and the last I am the utterance of my name
______________________________________________________
Life assessment and philosophy.
“I stand outside myself and objectively observe my life in order to decide whether this is what I want to be.”
THE MINOR ARCANA
The Minor Arcana consists of
fifty-six cards. The cards are
divided into four suits (Fire,
Earth, Air, and Water), and
can be identified by the
symbol at the foot of the card.
Each
suit
has
a
family
consisting of Daughter, Son,
Mother, and Father. Each card
other than a family card has a
name that relates to the
element. The name of the
representative god or goddess
from
ancient
mythology
appears above the element
symbol. Along the margins are
symbols
which
are
amplifications of the true
symbolic meaning of the art.
The key to reading the Minor
Arcana is a simple matter of
combining the meanings of
the four elements with the
basic
meanings
of
the
numbers.
There
is
no
necessity to perform difficult
feats of memory; this system is
logical and consistent. For
example, the number 1 will
always mean the beginning of
something, so in the four suits
the basic interpretation will be
as follows:
One of Fire = A creative
beginning
One of Earth = A material
beginning
One of Air = A thought or
idea beginning
One of Water = An emotion
beginning
If you look at the descriptions
and interpretations of these
cards, later in the book, you
will see that they are only
elaborations on these simple
meanings.
THE MEANING OF
THE
ELEMENTS
-I W-ILL
Creativity is not just concerned with artistic ability but it is much more the act of making things happen. It is creating something out of nothing, having the vision to see a possibility and being able to apply the necessary energy in order to turn that possibility into a reality. Everyone has creativity. The business man or woman sees a potential market and sets about the business of supplying the
commodity or service. A young child meets a group of friends and says, “Why don’t we all play ...” knowing it will be fun. The visionary quality of all creative acts indicates that fire represents intuition, knowing things before they happen. Other key words for the qualities of the element fire are vitality, enthusiasm, excitement, energy, exaggeration, game playing, passion, showing off, entertaining.
EARTH
-POSSESSIONS - I
HAVE
Earth describes all things that are physical and tangible. They include
home, money, property, possessions, and acquisitions. It also refers to the physical body, our looks, the clothes we wear, the food we eat and, of course, our health. To the extent that we “possess” other people and they are considered as “belonging,” earth is family, friends, children, colleagues. Earth represents all that has the potential for growth into something greater. It signifies our authority, social standing, skills, and achievements. Key words for
the qualities of the element earth are system, law, routine, shopping, insurance, mortgage, savings, legacy, tradition, background, building, gardening, farming, banking.
AIR - INTELLECT - I
THINK
Air is about what goes on in the mind. It encompasses ideas, logical or imaginative thought, teaching, learning, communicating with others, and all matters concerning writing, the media, contracts, and agreements. Air also describes the lighter forms of contact, such as parties, meetings with friends, social events, celebrations,
reunions, and so on. As air is concerned with communication it also covers phone calls, letters, and short trips. The idea of travel in the broader sense is involved with learning, meeting people, and social visits, so it also comes under the meaning of air. Key words for the qualities of the element air are ideas, mind, concept, explanation, rationale, discussion.
WATER
-EMOTIONS - I FEEL
Water represents the emotional aspect of any question. Love, hate, desire, repulsion, pleasure, pain -this element is purely about the way
you feel. Close emotional relationships, the family, lovers, rivals, even enemies are described by water. It represents premonitions, fears, memories, and nostalgia, but above all water is our unconscious. It will therefore be involved in questions relating to all of the other elements. Key words that fit the qualities of the element water are love, anger, sentiment, sympathy, caring, tenderness, frustration.
THE MEANING OF
THE
NUMBERS
The numbers describe a cyclical sequence, each number
anticipating the next, with
meanings related in the form of a growing story. This culminates in the perfection of the number nine and dissolves through ten back to one.
1
The start or birth of something. Purely a beginning.2
One comes together with a new factor. Could be a connection or opposition. Things in the balance.3
The two combine successfully to bear fruit, a successful result.4
Previous good results develop into a secure and comfortable situation.5
Security and complacency is challenged by unexpected change from an outside source.and a state of harmony and happiness comes into being.
7
There is now a need to move on to something new in order to avoid stagnation. Taking a risk becomes attractive, stimulating, andnecessary.
8
Past experience leads torecognition, establishment, and total commitment.
9
Finally the real values are found. The true path to quality of life and to contentment.10
The passing of perfection. Collapse and disintegration lead to a completely new beginning. Ten becomes one.THE MEANING OF
THE
The last four cards of each suit are the family cards: Daughter, Son, Mother, and Father. Whereas the numbered cards of the suits refer to events and possibilities, the family cards describe real people. Usually
they will be recognized as loved ones, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances of the questioner. However, if they are not
recognizable then they may be interpreted as a quality or sub-personality of the questioner.
THE
______________________________________________________
All Daughters have the elemental quality of Water, so in
combination with their suit element they are described as follows:
DAUGHTER OF FIRE / FIRE + WATER Creative emotional
DAUGHTER OF EARTH / EARTH + WATER Practical emotional
DAUGHTER OF AIR / AIR + WATER Intellectual emotional
DAUGHTER OF WATER / WATER + WATER Emotional emotional
THE FOUR SONS
All Sons have the elemental quality of Fire, so in combination with their suit element they are described as follows:
SON OF FIRE / FIRE + FIRE Creative creative
SON OF EARTH / EARTH + FIRE Practical creative
SON OF AIR / AIR + FIRE Intellectual creative
SON OF WATER / WATER + FIRE Emotional creative
THE FOUR MOTHERS
All Mothers have the elemental quality of Earth, so in combination with their suit element they are described as follows:
MOTHER OF FIRE / FIRE + EARTH Creative practical
MOTHER OF EARTH / EARTH + EARTH Practical practical
MOTHER OF AIR / AIR + EARTH Intellectual practical
MOTHER OF WATER / WATER + EARTH Emotional practical
THE FOUR FATHERS
All Fathers have the elemental quality of Air, so in combination with their suit element they are described as follows
FATHER OF FIRE / FIRE+ AIR Creative intellectual
FATHER OF EARTH / EARTH+ AIR Practical intellectual
FATHER OF AIR / AIR+ AIR Intellectual intellectual
FATHER OF WATER / WATER+ AIR Emotional intellectual
Benten - Chinese
The Gods and
Goddesses
The names of gods and
goddesses appear at the
bottom of each card of the
minor arcana. They
represent psychological
archetypes from past
civilizations and mirror the
whole gamut of human
behavior. Our ancestors
worshipped these deities as
different representations of
themselves, and these
legends amplify the
meanings of the cards.
Abragini - Angel of the sun in
autumn
Abraym - Angel of the sun in spring Adad - Assyrian god of storms and
floods
spring
Affeterim - Angel of the moon in
winter
Akka - Finnish goddes of harvest Amadai - Angel of the earth in
spring
Anu - Assyrian/Babylonian godof
the heavens
Armatus - Angel of the moon in
summer
Athemay - Angel of the sun in
summer
Atar - Persian god of fire
luck
Bochicha - Columbian creator god Bunjil - Aboriginal god of the sky Byelbog - Slavic god of day Caracasa - Angel of spring Cetarari - Angel of winter
Chantico - Mexican goddess of fire Cheng-Huang - Chinese god of
walls and ditches
Chernobog - Slavic god of night Commutoff - Angel of the sun in
winter
Erzulie - Haitian goddess of love
Eshmun - Phoenician god of
healing and health
Fa - African god of destiny Festativi - Angel of the earth in
summer
Gaia - Greek mother goddess Geremiah - Angel of the earth in
winter
Hermes - Greek god of eloquence
and travel
Hino - Oroquois spirit of thunder Hurakan - Guatemalan god of the
whirlwind
love
Jumala - Finnish god of thunder Kuei-Hsing - Chinese god of
scholarship
Matasignais - Angel of the moon in
autumn
Mot - Phoenician god of harvest
and change
Naaki - Finnish spirit of the waters Nanshe - Assyrian goddess of
waters and springs
Nike - Greek goddess of victory Njord - Nordic god of seas and
Notus - Greek, the south wind Odin - Scandanavian god of battle Ptah - Egyptian god of artisans Quetzalcoatl - Aztec god of wind
and sea breezes
Rabinarra - Angel of the earth in
autumn
Renpet - Sumerian goddess of
youth and spring
Savitri - Hindu king of heaven Sedna - Eskimo goddess of the seas Shamash - Mesopotamian sun god Sin - Babylonian moon god
peak emperor
Tariel - Angel of summer Tarquam - Angel of autumn
Telepinu - Hittite god of vegetation Tien-Mu - Chinese goddess of
lightning
Ushas - Hindu goddess of the dawn Vesta - Roman goddess of
ASTROLOGY
If you are familiar with
astrology you will know that
the number of possible
combinations of any pair of
the eight planets, sun,
ascendant and midheaven is
seventy-eight, exactly the
same number as the cards in
a tarot deck. The meanings
of these planetary and
angular combinations are as
varied and embrace as wide
a range of interpretations as
the cards themselves. Each
combination of two
astrological factors, whose
symbols are found in the
upper left margin of each
card, is complementary to
the essence of the card that
it describes. This is an
invaluable aid, in reading the
cards, for any astrologer.
Much good work has been
written on this subject and
The Combination of Stellar
Influences, by Reinhold
Ebertin, has become an
essential reference book in
most astrologers' libraries.
Key words for the meanings
of the planetary pairs are
given in the text of this
book.The cards are divided
into four suits (Fire, Earth,
Air, and Water), and can be
identified by the symbol at
the foot of the card.
ELEMENTAL NAMES
Each number card has an
appropriate name related to
its element. This is an
additional aid to
remembering the meaning
of the card.
One of Fire
Lightning
______________________________________________
In a pale, golden sky, within a glowing orange disc is the Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol of lightning. From the outline of the disc nineteen red arrowheads radiate, indicating the initiation and source of raw energy. A great red triangle,
representing the masculine principle and the element of fire, points towards the sun. Below, an open circle is ready to receive a flame from the sun. This is a symbol of conception.
______________________________________________________
Mars/Jupiter - Harmonious willpower, enterprise
______________________________________________________
Tien-Mu - Chinese goddess of lightning
Creation, the beginning of an enterprise. Basic energy, vitality, the urge to succeed. Optimism, individuality, originality and enthusiasm. Negatively, rash and impulsive action. Bulldozing others with premature zeal.
Two of Fire
Flame
______________________________________________
In the foreground stands the red figure of a woman. She watches two blue figures run toward the image of a large, growing plant. The striped stem of the plant represents a ladder and is a symbol of ambitions and aspiration. At the top, two green leaves indicate potential creative growth in an enterprise or a sexual
relationship. In a blue panel below, two fire triangles contain separate immature seedlings, versions of the large plant image.
______________________________________________________
Venus/Mars - Impulse to love, creativity
______________________________________________________
Ishtar - Mesopotamian goddess of love
______________________________________________________ Meeting or get-together that may or
may not lead to something more important. Desire to develop and
establish a relationship. Sexual attraction. Brief affair. Negatively, the tendency to exaggerate.
Three of Fire
Beacon
______________________________________________
A glowing figure raises her arms in celebration. Her flowing hair absorbs and becomes a radiating sun in a deep scarlet landscape. Three triangles of fire are placed on her body. The sun is echoed in the two sunflowers below, forming a triangle of completion and the meaning of the number three. From
the black mountain range on the horizon grow six swaying palm trees indicating fertile and flexible growth from solid groundwork.
______________________________________________________
Sun/Jupiter - Joy, health, recognition
______________________________________________________
Shamash - Mesopotamian sun god
______________________________________________________ Being able to show the world a
successful achievement. Getting the appreciation hoped for in
creative energy. Negatively, arrogance and conceit.
Four of Fire
Hearth
_________________________________________________
Two figures, male and female, hold hands and each places a foot firmly on a platform. They are securely balanced and their features register harmony and calm. A warm red glow surrounds them. Between the figures is the Egyptian glyph meaning door. This signifies open opportunity or closed security. The
platform is stepped and on it is inscribed an eye. The eye is red and sees only what is selected and filtered by its lens.
______________________________________________________
Sun/Venus - Beauty, harmony, the ideal
______________________________________________________
Vesta - Roman goddess of domestic fire
______________________________________________________ Security and confidence in creative
abilities. Fulfilling work. Settled in one's ways with regard to matters of
selectivity and taste. Negatively, exclusivity and snobbishness.
Five of Fire
Furnace
______________________________________________________
A suspended, yellow figure iscontorted, back arched, feet almost reaching the head. One hand touches the ground signifying contact with the material world. The other hand stretches upward. Three hands point with thumb and forefinger as if to pinch or assist the acrobat. The figure is encompassing a pentacle
representing change. On the horizon two figures are locked in combat. Below, five triangles like jagged teeth form a hazard for the
performer.
______________________________________________________
Sun/Uranus - Excitement, upset, rebellion
______________________________________________________ Ogoun - African god of iron and
steel
______________________________________________________ Unwillingly stirred into action or
rebellion by a sudden turn in life. Being forced into a new situation in
one's work. Challenge from an unexpected source. Negatively, obstinately resisting change. Manipulation by circumstances.
Six of Fire
Torch
______________________________________________________
An heroic male head is crownedand wreathed in the laurels of victory. His face is covered with a
mask of protection, concealment, and transformation. Above is the Egyptian pictograph symbolizing wisdom. The two columns on either
side are decorated with six laurel leaves and six lotus flowers
representing the balance of masculine and feminine qualities.
Below the head is a seated lion representing courage, fortitude, and power, but also cruelty and ferocity.
______________________________________________________
Jupiter/Pluto - Attainment of power, leadership
______________________________________________________ Nike - Greek goddess of victory
______________________________________________________ The pleasure of receiving
recognition for one's achievements. Satisfaction and confidence in one's
abilities. Promotion or qualification after dedicated work. Negatively, using one's reputation to bully and
Seven of Fire
Meteor
______________________________________________________
Against a fiery red sky, a cool anddeliberate figure makes a stylish but eccentric dive into the still, blue
waters below. Framed in the diamond shape made by the figure's legs is an Egyptian symbol meaning sudden movement and aggression. On either side of the diving figure,
each other across the water. The faces symbolize the expression of shock, disapproval, and green-eyed
envy.
______________________________________________________
Mars/Uranus - Sudden extraordinary effort
______________________________________________________ Hino - Iroquois spirit of thunder
______________________________________________________
