ASTROLOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS FOR MINOR CARDS
Astrological associations for the minor cards are less often used in tarot reading, but can be of interest to astrologers and others who would like to have a complete set of correspondences across disciplines. By including the minor cards, numerology can be brought into the picture, broadening the range of concepts and linkages available for interpreting the tarot cards. Two systems are discussed in this chapter – the first is based on linkages between planets and numerology, and the second was derived by the Golden Dawn.
In both cases, the Ace-Ten cards are given a correspondence which represents a planet in a sign, as opposed to a planet or sign alone. The major arcana therefore represent the pure or archetypal energies of the planets and signs, while the minor arcana represent these energies in combination. This can be thought of as the planet transiting through the sign in question, which can be useful for doing timing readings with tarot, since upcoming transits of that type can be looked up in an ephemeris.
Numerological Associations
Each of the planets in astrology can be associated with the energy of one of the numbers, as shown below. This forms the basis for the planetary assignment for each of the minor cards, and the suit forms the basis for the sign, according to its elemental energy. Just as the minor cards in each suit form a progression or tell a story, from beginning to end, so do the numbers in numerology. In numerology, usually only the numbers 1-9 are represented, because any two-digit number is reduced to one digit. This means 10 = 1+0 = 1. Conceptually, then, Tens in tarot are not only endings of the current cycle, but bridges to the Aces representing the start of the new cycle.
Below we have included the Ten, since there are ten minor cards in tarot and ten planets in astrology. The traditional interpretations of Eight and Nine in numerology have been expanded to Eight, Nine, and Ten in this system. Also, some of the planets associated with the numbers in numerology have been modified to better correspond to the meanings of the numbers in tarot. However, the traditional planet/number associations are also shown so that you can choose which system you prefer – or select a combination that feels right to you. Where there is little or no difference of opinion among authors or systems, only one planetary assignment is shown. Whenever we try to develop correspondences between major systems like numerology, astrology and tarot, the correspondences will not be perfect and are subject to interpretation. It is not only acceptable but good practice for readers to critically evaluate assignments that are given and decide whether to use them in their own practice.
Shown below are not only associations of the planets with numbers, but keywords for both the planets and numbers to show how they relate, as well as a discussion of cycles of life that people go through and what each year of that cycle is like. This adds a dimension to the minor cards that is not always apparent from the traditional meanings and pictures on the cards, and is especially useful when reading a deck in which the minor cards are not illustrated. If the traditional meaning or picture does not seem to fit the reading exactly, you can always combine the energy of the number and the suit to arrive at an alternative, but usually related, interpretation.
One (Ace) - Sun
Keywords: Uniqueness, individuality, creativity
Numerology: The Aces/Ones represent beginnings, when some new and unique aspect of your Self wants to start being expressed. Many ideas from your as yet untapped personal potential will well up. It is a time to acknowledge and become aware of all these possibilities – it is not necessary to settle on any one yet, unless there is one expression that is overwhelmingly powerful and attractive.
Two - Moon
Keywords: Emotion, intuition, empathy, nurturance
Numerology: During this time, you form an emotional attachment to one of the purposes and forms of self-expression that you explored in the Ones. You take steps to nurture the expression, whether through study, meditation, practice or other form of preparation. Usually this is a somewhat inwardly focused time, as you are not yet ready to take your new form of expression into the world.
Three – Mercury (traditional planet - Jupiter)
Keywords: Communication, intellect, expansion
In the Threes, you begin to reach outward with your endeavor, eager to share your enthusiasm with others through discussions, teaching, writing and philosophical exchanges. You grow in understanding through these activities as much or more so than those with whom you share. Young people may also be involved or you may feel youthful and ready to take on new adventures.
Four - Saturn
Keywords: Foundations, practicality, hard work, discipline, determination
You may have discovered in the Threes that your endeavor did not yet have the solid foundations needed to move forward. In the Fours, your enthusiasm and energy becomes more disciplined, and practical considerations important to meeting your goals will come to the forefront.
Five – Mars (traditional planet - Mercury)
Keywords: Change, conflict, energy, power
You may experience a lot of change in your personal life and/or thinking, which is intended to infuse some new perspectives into your endeavor. The foundations you have built are challenged by new people, new ideas, and/or unexpected events. A high expenditure of energy is needed to overcome these challenges, learn from them, and successfully integrate these experiences into your endeavor. By actively resolving these conflicts and dealing with change, you begin to take ownership and personal power over what you have created.
Six - Venus
Keywords: Beauty, harmony, balance
The Sixes are likely to be the most creative times in the cycle. You feel guided to touch others with beauty and harmony through whatever you are doing. You have the greatest opportunity to create and experience balance among the various aspects of your Self and your life activities during this point in the cycle.
Seven – Uranus
Keywords: Insight, challenge, upheaval
If you have been creating your cycle purposefully and consciously, and have attained a state of personal balance and harmony in the Sixes, the Sevens are likely to bring dynamic new insights that you can integrate into the work of the cycle--without the experience of unexpected personal upheaval in your inner or outer life. However, if you have stagnated in the cycle or are not developing your potential to the fullest, the Sevens are likely to bring upheaval of some type, the purpose of which is to create an important breakthrough in your consciousness with regard to the purposes of the current cycle and the work you are doing.
Eight – Pluto (traditional planets – Mars/Pluto)
Keywords: Mastery, depth
Eights represent delving into the intricacies and complexities of perfecting a craft or completing an endeavor. This is a time when your knowledge is reaching maturity and you are working out the last of the challenges and learning what you need to know to reach the peak of your abilities. You have gone beyond the basics to an intermediate or advanced level in your chosen area. Much of this work may not be visible outwardly yet, but will express itself fully in the Nines.
Nine – Jupiter (the energy of Nine in tarot corresponds to Eight in numerology; traditional planet - Mars)
Keywords: Expansion, inspiration, expression
The Nines are the pinnacle of a cycle, when you have accumulated the greatest ability to express whatever you have been working on, and you may feel a desire to teach and inspire others with what you have completed. If your work during the cycle has developed some aspect of your Self as fully as is probably possible in this lifetime and/or if it leads to a positive expression with or on behalf of others, you probably will not be dealing with the same issues or activities in future cycles. If the energies accumulated during the cycle are not constructive for your own growth or that of others, it might be necessary to re-work your experience.
Ten – Neptune (the energy of Ten in tarot corresponds to Nine in numerology)
Keywords: Dissolution, endings, karma, self-sacrifice and humanitarian service
If the purpose of the cycle has been fulfilled, this is the time to wrap up all loose ends associated with this period of life. Some of this releasing may feel painful, such as releasing activities, habits, and even people who no longer have a place in your life. This can be a very confusing time for people who do not consciously know that they are getting ready to enter a whole new phase of life. Feelings of depression and physical illness are common as the consciousness seeks solitude to prepare for a new cycle. Also common is the sense that something new is coming on, but you feel uncertain what that might be, and thus like you are drifting. The knowledge that when you reach the Aces/Ones again some pathways will become clearer can help a person wait out the nebulous Neptunian period with more calmness.
The ideas above provide planetary associations for each number, and the suit of the card provides possibilities for selecting a sign to go with the planet. The sign that is chosen could be any one of the three signs of the appropriate element, for example, Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn for Earth/Pentacles. You can also choose not to select a specific sign, but instead just think about how the energy of that planet might be expressed in an earth sign. I personally like the idea of choosing a sign based on the concepts associated with each tarot card. One example of how this might work is shown below using three minor cards in the suit of Pentacles. A good exercise for any reader would be to go through each minor card, compare it to the descriptions of the signs in Chapter 2, and decide which sign seems to fit the energy of the card best.
Eight of Pentacles – Virgo. I chose Virgo for this card because of the attention to detail and hard-working nature expressed in the design. This craftsman is going about his daily tasks, producing each individual Pentacle with care and an eye toward quality, practicing and honing his abilities. Virgo is associated with work, duty, and precision, which seems to fit these concepts. The combination of planet and sign would be Pluto in Virgo.
Nine of Pentacles – Taurus. In this card, a woman stands in her beautiful and mature garden, enjoying her life and surroundings. She has leisure time in which to appreciate what she has, and personal values that allow her to take the time to really enjoy it. These are qualities associated with Taurus (and Venus, Taurus’ ruler) – the love of beautiful things and experiences, a more laid-back approach to work and responsibilities, and a tendency to slow down and appreciate the finer things in life. The combination of planet and sign would be Jupiter in Taurus.
Ten of Pentacles – Capricorn. Here we have a card that includes the concepts of generations and paternity, and visible achievement which benefits the family while also being a symbol of success. There is the sense of building a legacy. To me, these suggest Capricornian traits, reflecting also qualities of Capricorn’s ruler, Saturn. The combination of planet and sign would be Neptune in Capricorn, perhaps expressing the concept that no legacy is completely stable once those who built it are gone.
Once you have your combination of planet and sign, it’s interesting to look at the elemental qualities of the combination. For example, consider the Ten of Wands. Based on the approach above, we might come up with Neptune in Aries for this combination (or any Fire sign). These are elemental opposites – fire and water. One of the concepts associated with the Tens is that of dissolution – the old cycle giving way to the new. However, Fire energy is very self-directed and assertive. It does not like to give up its direction so easily, and the energies of Neptune do not work particularly well with those of Fire. This may explain why in the Ten of Wands, we see a man still carrying the burden of his former career or self, unwilling and unready to give it up and start his new life or take a new approach. Similarly, the Ten of Swords (Air) shows a relatively difficult transition. The two elements compatible to Neptune and most likely to work well with its dissolving energies (Water and Earth) show more serene and positive transitions – Ten of Cups and Ten of Pentacles.
Golden Dawn
The Golden Dawn approach has some similarities and some differences to the above. Aces are considered the pure manifestation of the element, and are not assigned a planet or sign. The remaining numbers are grouped by threes – Two-Four, Five-Seven, and Eight-Ten. The first group, Two-Four, is assigned to the cardinal astrological sign of the appropriate element – Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn. The second group, Five-Seven, is assigned to the fixed astrological sign of the appropriate element – Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius. The third group, Eight-Ten is assigned to the mutable astrological sign of the appropriate element – Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. Only the seven planets of ancient astrology are used, assigned in order of the speed with which they move around the chart: Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. Each planet-sign combination is assigned one of the 36 decanates of the astrological chart – a decanate represents 10°, therefore, there are three in each sign. The correspondences are shown below, starting with 0-10° Aries and moving counter-clockwise around the chart. Perhaps because the ruler of Aries is Mars, the Golden Dawn chose to begin the series with Mars in Aries.
Two of Wands – Mars in Aries (0-10°)
Three of Wands – Sun in Aries (10-20°)
Four of Wands – Venus in Aries (20-30°)
Five of Pentacles – Mercury in Taurus (0-10°)
Six of Pentacles – Moon in Taurus (10-20°)
Seven of Pentacles – Saturn in Taurus (20-30°)
Eight of Swords – Jupiter in Gemini (0-10°)
Nine of Swords – Mars in Gemini (10-20°)
Ten of Swords – Sun in Gemini (20-30°)
Two of Cups – Venus in Cancer (0-10°)
Three of Cups – Mercury in Cancer (10-20°)
Four of Cups – Moon in Cancer (20-30°)
Five of Wands – Saturn in Leo (0-10°)
Six of Wands – Jupiter in Leo (10-20°)
Seven of Wands – Mars in Leo (20-30°)
Eight of Pentacles – Sun in Virgo (0-10°)
Nine of Pentacles – Venus in Virgo (10-20°)
Ten of Pentacles – Mercury in Virgo (20-30°)
Two of Swords – Moon in Libra (0-10°)
Three of Swords – Saturn in Libra (10-20°)
Four of Swords – Jupiter in Libra (20-30°)
Five of Cups – Mars in Scorpio (0-10°)
Six of Cups – Sun in Scorpio (10-20°)
Seven of Cups – Venus in Scorpio (20-30°)
Eight of Wands – Mercury in Sagittarius (0-10°)
Nine of Wands – Moon in Sagittarius (10-20°)
Ten of Wands – Saturn in Sagittarius (20-30°)
Two of Pentacles – Jupiter in Capricorn (0-10°)
Three of Pentacles – Mars in Capricorn (10-20°)
Four of Pentacles – Sun in Capricorn (20-30°)
Five of Swords – Venus in Aquarius (0-10°)
Six of Swords – Mercury in Aquarius (10-20°)
Seven of Swords – Moon in Aquarius (20-30°)
Eight of Cups – Saturn in Pisces (0-10°)
Nine of Cups – Jupiter in Pisces (10-20°)
Ten of Cups – Mars in Pisces (20-30°)
Many astrologers are comfortable working with this system when interpreting tarot cards, because it is so systematic and nicely cyclical, and relates back to concepts and spatial attributes of an astrological chart. Tarot readers may find that the correspondences don’t always match up with our traditional interpretations for the cards, although an in-depth discussion with an astrologer may reveal aspects of the combination that do fit or help expand our associations with the cards. I personally find that a system relating to numerology works better for me, but each reader should decide for herself. Some decks, such as the Thoth deck, use the Golden Dawn correspondences explicitly, so in those cases it may be helpful to stick with that system. If you are interested in this approach, Liz Hazel’s book, Tarot Decoded, works extensively with the Golden Dawn system of correspondences and is highly recommended.
