ASTROLOGY and the TAROT

ASTROLOGY and the TAROT


The Tarot is aligned with the art of Astrology, and vice versa.


The Four Quadrants of the Astrologer:

Aries / Taurus / Gemini
Cancer / Leo / Virgo
Libra / Scorpio / Sagittarius
Capricorn / Aquarius / Pisces


Astrology is defined as ‘the art of divining the fate or destiny of persons from the juxtaposition of the Sun, Moon and planets’.


What we do is influenced by the planets, and how we do it is influenced by our Zodiac sign.


The first six Sun Signs of the Zodiac, Aries through to Virgo, relate to the formation of the individual, from the primitive self-drive of Aries, to industrious Virgo, recognizing and adapting to the social sphere.


The final six Sun signs begin with Libra, which desires harmonious relationships on a one-to-one basis.

The gradual integration of ‘self’ into society is revealed until, with Aquarius, the need to be an integral part of society is established. Pisces looks to harmony and ‘oneness’ with the Universe.


The progression of the Zodiac advances from the ‘drive of self’ through the ‘socialization of self’, to the discovery of ‘inner-self’


The ongoing cycle of life, represented by the Zodiac Wheel, has no beginning and no end  -  simply eternal continuity  -  much like the Wheel of Fortune in the Tarot deck.


ASTROLOGY and the COURT CARDS

Astrology uses the four Elements and qualities of Water, Fire, Air and Earth to reflect various ways of expressing energy.


Water  reflects feelings and emotions
Fire     symbolizes imagination and creativity
Air       connected with the intellect and the capacity to think
Earth   associated with the body and its material needs.


The four suits in the Minor Arcana encompass the many aspects of life’s experiences using a similar model. 


Cups are connected to Water and Feelings.

Wands relate to Fire and the imagination.

Swords are associated with Air and thinking.

Pentacles are connected with Earth and the material world.


The Pages, which are not related to any astrological sign, indicate the potential contained in each of the four elements. They are not included in the Zodiac diagram, but they introduce the element into each suit.


Astrologically, there are twelve signs of the Zodiac  -  three of which are assigned to each element.


Water encompasses Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
Air encompasses Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.
Earth encompasses Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.


Another important classification of the astrological signs is represented by three qualities known as Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable, which reflect three basic principles of life: 

Creation = Cardinal     Preservation = Fixed     Destruction = Mutable

The Cardinal signs in astrology are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.


The Fixed signs are more consistent, persistent, loyal and reliable, with great reserves of patience.

The four Queens are connected with Fixed signs and are images of stability, receptibility and containment. They share the qualities of loyalty, reliability and the capacity to nurture also relevant to the Fixed signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius.


The mutable signs are easily adaptable, flexible and volatile, always ready and willing to change to suit the current mood or surrounding environment.


The four Knights are connected with the Mutable signs, as they are always seeking new goals and challenges.  They share the characteristics of adaptability and volatility common to the Mutable signs of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.


THE PLANETS and the TAROT


JUPITER

Tarot Card/s:
Keywords:    Expansion, maturity.


Jupiter is the planet of expansion on all levels. It influences self-improvement through the experiences one has in life. It allows expansion to take place.


Jupiter’s influence is one of exaggeration and inflation.


NEPTUNE

Tarot Card/s:   STRENGTH

Keywords:   Intuition, nebulousness.



Neptune relates to refinement, purification and cleansing on all levels.  It relates to sacrifice, to transcendence or escape, and to ideals, dreams and enchantment.


Neptune (God of the Sea) is often called the ‘planet of illusion’, but most often, the illusion is within the Self.


Neptune is one of the slower moving planets, and represents all things relating to un-reality, isolation and withdrawal in all areas of your life.


Neptune is the higher octave of Venus, and represents ‘Divine Love’.


THE SUN

Tarot Card/s:  The SUN

Keywords:  Power, vitality, open and optimistic, energizing and inspiring, love of socializing, appreciation of beauty, enjoyment of activity.



The Sun rules the heart, upper back, circulatory systems and spleen.


The Sun rules the day, and offers a time for positive energy and clear perception. The Sun represents the masculine energy, which gives form and structure to dreams or fantasies.


The Sun symbolizes consciousness, whereas The Moon represents the unconsciousness.  Each is necessary for balance both within our own psyches, and within the cosmos.

The Sun’s fiery energy is a creative source of strength, warmth and light.  The Sun bestows clarity of vision, creative inspiration and artistic talent in abundance.


The balance between day and night, Sun and shadows, light and dark, positive and negative, is a delicate one which we must learn to integrate and respect in order to achieve a sense of inner calm.


PLUTO

Tarot Card/s:  JUDGEMENT    DEATH    THE FOOL

Keywords:  Elimination, regeneration, enlightenment, knowledge, philosophical.



Pluto is a planet of regeneration and re-birth on a continual basis.  Pluto relates to death, transformation and re-birth.  This can be a physical death, but for the great majority, it may signify the death of equality or a relationship, marriage or partnership.


Pluto rules all things such as phobias, obsessions, birth, re-birth, rage and paranoia.  Pluto looks to things considered to be ‘taboo’.  Pluto is the planet of ‘hidden things’.

Pluto suggests that one always needs to solve their own problems alone and unaided.


Pluto rules phobias, obsessions, groups, transmutation, birth and death.  It also rules viruses, beginnings and endings.  Pluto represents generation, regeneration and degeneration and exposes that which has been developed secretly or under cover.


Pluto’s action is slow and inevitable and where you find this planet prevalent, you will see where you must solve problems alone and unaided.


Pluto gives enormous satisfaction when reaching goals.  There is a great attraction towards anything new and there is an unerring interest in metaphysical matters.  Philosophies of life hold great interest and there is always an interest in the metaphysical realm.  Pluto lends one to seek spiritual enlightenment and knowledge.


Pluto encourages us to look to things considered ‘taboo’ such as our sexual side, and encourages us to look within at our need within each of us.


When Pluto is most prominent in a person’s Astrology chart, or Tarot spread (ie the Judgement card), it may indicate many crises during their lifetime.


Pluto rules the elimination process, the pituitary gland, warts, tumours and birthmarks.


URANUS

Tarot Card:    WHEEL OF FORTUNE

Keywords:  Change, disruption.



The planet Uranus influences radical changes within a person, which is often caused by the happenings of many (past) lifetimes.  Uranus’s influence assists us to overcome all human weaknesses.

Uranus is connected with the nervous system, the ankles and represents the urge for freedom on all levels.


MARS

Tarot Cards:    DEATH    STRENGTH    THE HIEROPHANT

Keywords:  Energy, drive, war, fire, high cosmic energy, lightening actions and decisions, flashes of insight and perception, an equalizer, re-birth, war, fights, arguments, endurance, resourcefulness, courage.



Mars represents that powerful yang energy that takes a seed idea and pushes it forth into manifestation.

Mars relates to the muscular system, bladder and adrenals, and deals with our ‘animal instincts’.  Mars is a planet of assertion daring and conquest.


Mars is ruled by Ares – the god of War.  Conquest and winning are of the utmost importance.


Mars brings with it lots of energy and intuition but it must be remembered that as Mars is the planet of war, these energies must be used positively rather than negatively.

Mars also governs surgery, operations, wounds and all medical procedures.  Mars governs violence, ambition and force, and is quick to show power.  Mars is self-assertive and disruptive, and be very distinctive in its energy.  Mars is the planet with the greatest, strongest influence and energy.


SATURN

Tarot Cards:

Keywords:  Limitations, control, responsibilities, discipline, wisdom, worth, stability, security, expansion, creativity.



Saturn is the ruling planet of Capricorn.


Saturn is the planet that can give one a great feeling of insecurity.  Saturn’s message is, “we must learn the lesson”.  Saturn is the ‘teacher’ … the one who teaches you all your life lessons.  For Saturn, the principles of truth and wisdom are important for one to learn to look at all the limitations in life and work.


Saturn asks that you accept the sorrows and delays in life, and see them as wonderful learning experiences.

Saturn has an accent on the god/goddess of fertility.


Saturn symbolizes that the World and Universe are inter-linked and therefore they are one, and represents the ‘Tree of Life’.


Saturn is concerned with the knees, which represents flexibility and humility.  Saturn brings success through diligence and perseverance.


VENUS

Tarot Card:    THE LOVERS
Keywords:  Harmony, relationships, love, morality, sensuality, giving and sharing, beauty and value, harmony, charm, poetry, art, emotions.



Venus is the planet of sensuality and love, and governs emotions, contacts, tenderness, and moral character.

Venus brings in the higher energies of the love nature.


MERCURY

Tarot Card/s:

Keywords:  Communications, mentality, communication, speech, writing, thoughts and thought-patterns.


Mercury is connected to our rational minds.


Astrologically, the Agate is associated with Mercury, the ruler of Gemini.


Mercury’s influences promote open lines of communication and clear thinking.


THE MOON 

Tarot Card:  The MOON

Keywords:  Emotions, responses, fluctuation.



The Moon represents the emotions and tells of how our emotions are of the phases of the Moon, and the waxing and waning, ebb and flow of the tides.


The Moon also tells of the love of home and family and sometimes of food preferences and even our habits.


The ancients believed that the Moon contained the souls of the unborn as they waited for life, and the dead were gathered up to it’s womb to wait for rebirth.  It thus became an image for the ‘Great Mother’, from whom all life springs and to whom all life returns.


The Moon presides over all things connected with the feminine archetype, including the menstrual cycle, which lasts for approximately twenty-eight days  -  the same time it takes for the Moon to complete its three phases.


The Moon represents constant changing emotional behaviour, which causes frustrations and the inability to focus on goals for any length of time.


The Moon affects different people in different ways.  The Moon reveals our emotions and tells of the need to nurture and to be nurtured.

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Joanne Walmsley    
Sacred Scribes