The Major Arcana Cards

Numbered from 0 (The Fool) to XXI (The World), the twenty-two major arcana cards can be referred to
singularly as arcanum and collectively as keys or trumps. Although no one knows the provenance of the
tarot’s major arcana cards for sure, some suspect the word trump derives from triumphs, from the old
card game Trionfi, popular initially in Italy and France. In the game, trump cards approximating the major
arcana outranked other cards in the deck. For example, the Fool is trumped by the clever Magician, who
is trumped by the wisdom of the High Priestess. Well-known librarian Gertrude Moakley also suggested
that the major arcana characters and symbols derived from a Milanese carnival based on the Roman
festival of Saturnalia: Cityfolk dressed as tarot trumps and processed in chariots throughout the city. As
the Duke of Milan is believed to have commissioned some of the first tarot cards in the fifteenth century
(the Visconti-Sforza tarots, some of which survive today), the festival explanation may be plausible.

The Minor Arcana Cards

The remaining fifty-six cards are known collectively as the minor arcana, and they are arranged into four
suits: Wands, Pentacles, Cups, and Swords. Each suit has fourteen cards, from Ace to Ten, plus four court
cards: Page, Knight, Queen, and King. The four suits each have a ruling element, and each corresponds to
specific areas of life: Cups: the element of Water; emotions and relationships. Pentacles: the element of
Earth; property, money, and achievement. Swords: the element of Air; the intellect and decisions. Wands:
the element of Fire; instinct, travel, and communication. Psychologist Carl Jung famously distilled
humankind’s mental processes into his theory of four functions, and it sums up the suit meanings neatly:

Swords/Air: I think
Wands/Fire: I desire
Pentacles/Earth: I possess.
Cups/Water: I feel.

Another way of remembering the suits’ elements is as follows:

Swords/Air: I think—the mind;

Wands/Fire: I desire—the soul;
Pentacles/Earth: I possess—the body;
Cups/Water: I feel—the heart.

The court, or people, cards of the minor arcana bring an additional element:

Knights: Fire;

Queens: Water;

Kings: Air;

Pages: Earth.
So, for example, the Knight of Wands is Fire of the suit of Fire, while the Queen of Wands is Water of the
suit of Fire. Understanding the basic concepts of the elements offers a meaning for the card. So, the Queen
of Wands, combining Water and Fire, suggests emotions and intuition (Water) with communication and
energy (Fire).

In numerology, the ancient art of mystical number interpretation, numbers have the following meanings,
which correspond to the suit cards:

Odd numbers: Leadership/Breaking away (Masculine)Leadership/Breaking away (Masculine);

Even numbers: Harmony/Balance (Feminine)Harmony/Balance (Feminine);

Ascending Numbers: Gain/YesGain/Yes; Descending Numbers: Loss/NoLoss/No;

Yes cards: All cards apart from those listed here as no, neutral, or exceptions

No cards: Swords: Three, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, and Knight; Cups: Five, Seven, and Eight

Pentacles: Five; Death; The Devil; The Tower; The Moon;

Ones (Aces): Beginnings; ideas, possibilities; new energy;

Twos: Partnerships, balance, and division; weighing, potential. May indicate two people if there are an
abundance of twos and 2 court court cards in cards in the reading.

Threes: Acknowledgment; Completion, creation, social activity, power. May indicate group workings,
birth, and success.

Fours: Stability and boundaries; grounding, balance, proportion, success. Four is two 2’s ––there’s more
weight to what was set into motion. there’s more weight to what was set into motion.

Fives: Instability and challenges; Conflict, decisions and being between decisions or worlds.

Sixes: Harmony and improvement; Balance, nurturing, love, grace. The power of 3 combined into two 3’s
––but 6 is an even number, but 6 is an even number, suggests balance over the dynamism of the number
3.

Sevens: Potential and ambitions; Possibility, ideas, creativity, evaluation, futuristic thinking.

Eights: Rewards and progress; Work, success, material wealth. Eight is the culmination of the number 2,
and suggests completion. 8’s can be grinding, the infinity symbol that never ends. Energy must be
channeled appropriately.

Nines: Intensity; Completion, ending, enlightenment.

Tens: Culmination; endings, but also beginnings; and completion. 1+0 = ONE. So, the completion of
something and the chance to start over again.
 0 THE FOOL
Key Meanings: Innocence, risk, and new beginnings. HIS WISDOM MESSAGE: Leap, but look first.

Basic Story. With all his worldly possession in one small pack, the Fool travels he knows not where. So
filled with visions and daydreams is he that he doesn't see the cliff he is likely to fall over. At his heel, a
small dog harries him (or tries to warn him of a possible mis-step).

THE FOOL’S ASTROLOGY. The Fool’s element is Air, which is fitting, given he is about to step off a precipice
into the ether and on his travels will go wherever the wind blows. While the Fool is not linked with a zodiac
sign, he does have a planet, Uranus, which symbolizes independence and a free spirit.

Mythology. In the Mythic Tarot, the Fool is portrayed as the god, Dionysus, the child of Zeus, the king of
the gods, and Semele, a mortal woman and a princess of Thebes. Dionysus had a rough childhood even as
a god, and was almost killed by Hera, the jealous wife of Zeus. Zeus rescued his still-beating heart, and
through the power of transformation in the underworld, he was re-born. After that, he was known as
Dionysus-Iacchos, the Twice-Born, god of light and ecstasy. After he was re-born, he still had to face
challenges when Zeus had him live among men, and share in their suffering, and a still angry, Hera, cursed
him with madness causing him to wander the world. Dionysus did give mankind the gift of wine, and
brought drunken ecstasy and spiritual redemption to those who were willing to relinquish their
attachment to worldly power and wealth. Eventually, his heavenly Father had him rise to Olympus, the
home of the gods, where he took his place at the right hand of the king of the gods. On an inner level,
Dionysus, the Fool, is an image of that impulse within us to leap into the unknown which is why it is an
ideal symbol for springtime as well. In the spring, it is the perfect time to begin something new, and with
the energy of the Sun in Aries, we can feel more inspired to take risks in our lives. The Fool captures that
desire for change that can sometimes surprise us, and have us looking like the Fool. The Fool is not a
logical impulse, but more of a gut instinct that can take over, and have us following a path that makes no
sense to our left brain, but perfect sense to our more intuitive and creative right brain. It is these leaps of
faith that can lead to a more creative, and more fulfilling life. Of course, there is no guarantee how the
leap will go, or where you will end up at the end of the journey, but if you don't take a few leaps of faith
in your life, you may end up wondering what you missed in life, and why you played it so safe.
UPRIGHT MEANING The upright fool signifies calculated risk. It’s never too late to begin anew and follow
your heart’s desire. The journey ahead is not without danger, but it is time to take a leap of faith. This
card augers well for those embarking on new enterprises and educational courses, provided sensible
planning is in place; this is a time for optimism and a fresh perspective. The Fool brings an opportunity to
start over and feel young again or excited at the prospect of a new way of living; the Fool is an embodiment
of your spirit, whether male or female, ready to explore and discover. Whatever you start now will go
well, provided you do look before you leap—but once the decision is made, it’s time to push forward and
not look back; have courage, commit to your path, and be fully in the moment. The Fool’s appearance in
a reading can bring a sigh of relief, in that there is now a way ahead. Welcome in the new and travel lightly.
Here are some insights the Fool can offer in particular areas of life: Home: The Fool can show a young
person leaving home for the first time. Also, surprise visitors could call. You may also have younger guests
in your home. Relationships: A new relationship—go with the flow at this point. Career and money: You
may have sabbatical or a new opportunity in your current job or a new career or enterprise. Prioritizing
your workload is also the key to moving ahead swiftly.

REVERSED MEANING Is what you’re proposing—or a situation offered to you—a leap too far? The Fool
reversed brings out his irresponsible side, as his mouth works ahead of his brain. Without thinking through
the downsides, the Fool makes decisions that are not wise. The reversed Fool leaps without awareness
and so becomes the literal idiot, sabotaging his chances due to desperation and irrationality. Think
carefully before agreeing a new approach to work and hold back from emotional commitments until you
are sure of your ground.

THE FOOL’S REFLECTIONS:

The beginner aspect of the Fool is held in the minor arcana’s four Aces:
the Ace of Cups (new love),
the Ace of Pentacles (new money),
the Ace of Wands (new initiatives),
and the Ace of Swords (new success);
He is also reflected in the Three of Wands, for travel, and the Eight of Wands, for movement, messages,
and activity.
Thirteen's Observations: In the Tarot, cards like The Magician or The Hermit can often stand for the
Querent or for someone in the Querent's life. The Fool, however, almost always stands for the Querent
alone, no one else. In standing for the Querent, the Fool represents a time of newness, a time when life
has been "re-started" as it were. The person feels that they are back at zero, whether that be in romantic
affairs, or career, at their job or intellectual pursuits. Far from being sad or frustrating, the Querent feels
remarkably *free*, light hearted and refreshed, as if being given a second chance. They feel young and
energized. In addition, they likely have no idea where they're going or what they're going to do. But that
doesn't matter. For the Fool, the most important thing is to just go out and enjoy the world. To see what
there is to see and delight in all of it. Unfortunately, in this childlike state the person is likely to be overly
optimistic or naive. A Fool can be a Fool. This is the card likely to turn up when a Querent is thinking of
investing his money in a new, "sure fire" business. Or when the Querent is sure that it's "love this time!"
Like the Fool, they're so busy daydreaming of what might be that they're ignoring what is.

I THE MAGICIAN
Key Meanings: Action, creativity, and success. HIS WISDOM MESSAGE: Manifest your desires.

Basic Story. Traveling on his way, the Fool first encounters a Magician. Skillful, self-confident, a powerful
magus with the infinite as a halo floating above his head, the Magician mesmerizes the Fool. When asked,
the Fool gives over his bundled pack and stick to the Magician. Raising his wand to heaven, pointing his
finger to Earth, the Magician calls on all powers; magically, the cloth of the pack unfolds upon the table,
revealing its contents. And to the Fool's eyes it is as if the Magician has created the future with a word.
All the possibilities are laid out, all the directions he can take. The cool, airy Sword of intellect and
communication, the fiery Wand of spirituality and ambition, the overflowing Chalice of Love and
emotions, the solid Pentacle of work, possessions and body. With these tools, the Fool can create
anything, make anything of his life. But here's the question, did the Magician create the tools, or were
they already in the pack? Only the Magician knows - and on this mystery, our eloquent mage refuses to
say a word.
THE MAGICIAN’S ASTROLOGY The Magician’s ruling planet is Mercury, also the Roman god of magic—
and the Greek Hermes, god of communication, linked with the Egyptian god Thoth. In alchemy, mercury’s
form as quicksilver was associated with transformation or the fifth element of ether. The element could
also be signified by the symbol of a snake, shown on the Magician’s serpent-girdle (see The Magician’s
Symbols).
Mythology: In the Mythic Tarot, Hermes, that mercurial God of Greek mythology, depicts the Magician.
Hermes is known as the guide of travelers, patron of thieves and liars, ruler of magic and divination, and
the bringer of sudden good luck and changes in fortune. Dressed in his white robe and red cape, Hermes
is the swift messenger of the gods, and a guide of souls into the underworld. In Greek mythology, Hermes
is the son of Zeus, king of the gods, and Maia, who is also known as Mother Night. Thus, Hermes is the
child of both spiritual light, and primordial darkness, and his colors - red and white - reflect the blending
of earthly passions and spiritual clarity which are part of his nature. Hermes also has the gift of divination
which is shown on the card by the symbols of the Four elements of Water, Fire, Air and Earth - the Cup,
Wand, Sword and Pentacle. He offers us opportunities in the realm of feelings (the Cups), creative
imagination (the Wands), intellect (the Swords), and of the material world (the Pentacles). On an inner
level, Hermes, the Magician, is the guide. This means that somewhere within ourselves, we have the inner
wisdom to help us make choices in our lives. But since Hermes is also a Trickster, the directions are not
always clearly given. We may receive them through a dream, or in meeting a stranger who has a clue for
us, or even in a book that we "randomly" chose to read. Hermes is that unconscious wisdom within us
which looks after us, and which can appear to us as though by magic at the most critical moments in our
lives to offer guidance and wisdom. To follow this guidance is crucial, but it's not always the secure and
safe path. We have to be willing to take the risk, and then the Magician will reveal itself to us.

UPRIGHT MEANING It’s time for action—for communicating and expressing your ideas and desires. This
is the card of the inventor, the traveler, the self-employed, and the entrepreneur, as it beckons you to
broaden your horizons. You will have the drive to spur your plans forward, and, perhaps, to take new,
creative approaches: to think laterally, ask questions, trust your internal guidance, and let go of
procrastination. Blessed with a magic wand, you have the ability to transform whatever you choose, and
in this way, the Magician is a very positive card in a reading. He directs you to make the most of your skills
and talents and step into your power; focus on your projects and capitalize on your personal strengths.
Spiritually, the Magician shows you connecting with your higher, or true, self and acting with pure
intention. This card can also show a significant journey. Here are some other possibilities:
Home: A house sale is completed, or you decide it is time to move forward with remodeling plans. This is
a sociable time, with lots of visitors and entertaining.
Relationships: If you are single and want love, it is coming. If you are in a relationship, the Magician shows
love in action, so you will begin to see commitment. Communication between you is excellent and you
reach an even deeper understanding of each other’s needs. The card can also show you acting as one, so
a joint project may be on the horizon, too. Career and money: There will be a new beginning, either
finding new employment or a new direction in your existing work. This card can also show inspired
leadership from a grounded and enthusiastic individual.

REVERSED MEANING When the good Magician is reversed, he turns trickster, so this card can show you
being mislead by a charming manipulator. What you see is not what you get, and it’s all show, not truth.
In your projects, the Magician reversed can show a creative block as you feel torn between two paths or
choices that get in the way of progress. It’s time to choose one option and commit to it fully. The reversed
card can also reveal delays to travel plans and miscommunication in general.

THE MAGICIAN’S REFLECTIONS Because the Magician has all four suits represented on his table—Cup,
Pentacle, Sword, and Wand—he can be seen as the ruler of the entire minor arcana. His appearance in a
reading can ask you to pay particular attention to the minors—note which suits or elements they
represent, as this will give you an instant overview of which life area is important now.

Thirteen's Observations If any card in the Tarot is the Tarot, it is the Magician. He's one of the most
recognizable cards, always a favorite. He's also the only card in the major arcana that refers to the minors
with the "trumps" displayed upon his table. If the reader believes the Magician stands for the Querent,
then the Querent either is, or is currently finding himself eloquent and charismatic at this time. Both
verbally and in writing, he is clever, witty, inventive and persuasive. People listen and agree with him. He
also has an interest in science. He might be, in fact, a doctor or scientist or inventor. Standing for someone
other than the querent, the Magician could be a skillful doctor, scientist, inventor lecturer, salesman, or
con-man. It's important to remember that the Magician can as easily be clever as skilful, a trickster as well
as a magician. This is someone with a magnetic personality, someone who can convince people of almost
anything. For better or worse, his words are magic. Most importantly, the Magician card stands for the
"reveal" - as in a magic trick. The handkerchief is draped over an empty box, the Magician waves his wand,
*presto!*--now there is a dove in the box. The Magician card does the same for the Querent--only what
it reveals is not birds or rabbits but NEW ideas. Emphasis on NEW. When the Magician card appears, the
Querent is likely to say: "Now there's an idea! Why didn't I think of that before?" Truth is, the Querent ad
that idea in his head all along. The Magician merely revealed it to him. But what will the Querent do with
this idea? That's a question for the next card....
 II THE HIGH PRIESTESS
Key Meanings: Secrets, wisdom, and the spiritual world HER WISDOM MESSAGE: Explore your spiritual
side.

Basic Story Continuing his journey, the Fool comes upon a beautiful and mysterious veiled lady enthroned
between two pillars and illuminated by the moon. She is the opposite of the Magician, quiet where he
was loquacious, still where he was in motion, sitting while he stood, shrouded in the night where he was
out in the bright of day. She is the High Priestess and she astonishes the Fool by knowing everything about
him. "Since you know me so well, perhaps you can help me," says the Fool, laying out his sword, chalice,
staff and pentacle. "The Magician showed me these tools, but now I'm in a quandary. There's so many
things I could do with them. I can't decide." In answer, the High Priestess hands over to him a pair of
ancient scrolls. "These will teach you how to decide." Seating himself at her feet, the Fool reads by the
light of her crescent moon. Finally, the Fool knows enough that he can now decide what he wants, where
he will go, and what he will do. Though he suspects that the High Priestess has even more secrets she
could teach him--like what lies behind the pomegranate curtain--he is focused and ready to be on his way.
Thanking the High Priestess, he heads off. But as he leaves he hears her whisper, quiet as the waters which
bubble up from beneath her throne, "We'll meet again...when you're ready to travel the most secret path
of all."

THE HIGH PRIESTESS’S ASTROLOGY The High Priestess’s element is Water, the element of the emotions,
and her planet is the moon. The moon relates to intuition, the feminine cycles, and the rhythms of nature.
She wears a crown showing the moon’s waxing, waning, and full phases (see The High Priestess’s
Symbols).

Mythology: The High Priestess is the fourth card of the major arcana of the Mythic Tarot. Persephone,
the Goddess of the underworld, and the daughter of Demeter, the Earth Mother of the Empress card,
graces this mystical card. In the Mythic Tarot, the High Priestess is depicted as a slender, ethereal young
woman with her pale skin, long dark hair and dark eyes, who embodies Persephone's otherworldly role.
Persephone holds the pomegranate, known as the symbol of the dead, in one hand, and the narcissus in
the other hand, the flower that led to her abduction by Hades, the Lord of the underworld. She also stands
between two pillars - one white, and one black - symbolizing the creative potentials, and destructive
impulses - that can be hidden in the darkness of the unconscious.
In the Empress card, we first met, Persephone in the story of her Mother, Demeter. According to that
myth, Persephone was abducted by Hades when she was out gathering flowers, and taken to his
underworld. There, she ate the pomegranate, the fruit of the dead, which bound her to her dark lord
forever. Thus, leaving behind her innocent girlhood, she became the guardian of the secrets of the dead.
Demeter was able to strike a deal with Zeus that insured that Persephone could spend nine months of the
year with her Mother, but the other three months would have to be spent with Hades. As described in
the Empress card, Demeter never fully accepted this arrangement, and for the three months that she was
parted from her daughter, she went into mourning, and everything on the Earth grew lifeless and cold
which became our winter.

On an inner level, Persephone, the High Priestess, is an image of the connection with that mysterious
inner world which depth psychology has described as the unconscious. In this hidden world, there are
many riches and potentials. There are our undeveloped potentials as well as the darker, more primitive
facets of the personality. It also holds the secret of the destiny of the individual which gestates in darkness
until the time is ripe for manifestation. Persephone symbolizes the part of us which knows the secrets of
the inner world. Through our intuition, dreams, and synchronicities, we can get glimpses of these hidden
jewels within. In a reading, the High Priestess can reveal a time when your intuition is becoming stronger,
and there could be an encounter of some kind with this hidden inner world of secrets.
And so the journey of the Fool continues, having learned something of his physical nature, and his place
in the world from his earthly parents, the Empress and the Emperor, he now enters a more shadowy realm
where the secret of his real purpose, and the pattern of his destiny can be revealed.

UPRIGHT MEANING Hidden knowledge, intuition, psychic experience, and significant dreams are the gifts
of the High Priestess. This is a time for incubation and privacy, to go inward, deepening your relationship
with your higher self and trusting your internal knowing. In your everyday life, confidentiality is key. If you
have a secret, or a project you are nurturing, it is better to keep your own counsel. On your spiritual path,
the High Priestess predicts learning and a mentor. As the card of psychic gifts (along with card X, The
Wheel of Fortune), her arrival in your reading can be a sign to follow your intuition and connect with your
guides. If the High Priestess shows up in one of your first tarot readings, this is often a sign that tarot is
part of your spiritual journey. Here are some other signs she can reveal:
Home: It’s a quiet time. Relations between family members may be calm but a little distant; you may be
buried in your separate lives just now.
Relationships: This can mean being single for a time or, if you are in a relationship, you or your partner
choosing to keep a part of your life separate, or secret.
Career and money: Success is coming, but contracts and new work are taking time to nurture. You can
only be patient.
REVERSED MEANING When reversed, the High Priestess can show an inappropriate mentor or choosing
a temporarily wrong path. You might be listening to bad advice or someone might try to persuade you to
go against your intuition. It can also indicate secrets that need to be out in the open; knowledge locked
up too long may be potentially harmful.
THE HIGH PRIESTESS’S REFLECTIONS The Queen of Swords, for strength of will and following your path
The Eight of Pentacles, for study, knowledge, and reward.

Thirteen's Observations If there is a card that symbolizes the tarot reader it is the High Priestess. A woman
(or man!) of psychic powers, intuition and secret knowledge. Where the Magician is about revealing, the
High Priestess is about keeping things hidden behind the curtain. Things you know, but don't tell. If the
reader feels the High Priestess stands for the Querent, then this is a time of solitary investigation and the
passing on of secret knowledge. The Querent might find themselves spending time in old libraries, reading
through dusty documents and letters, or studying old religious texts. Things kept secret will be revealed
to them. Likewise, these secrets might come to them psychically by way of visions or powerful instincts.
Insights may be found in crystal balls, tea leaves, dreams or conversations with spirits. Standing for
someone other than the Querent, the High Priestess is usually read as a spiritual woman, a nun or
astrologer, a teacher of archaic knowledge, or just a reclusive relative who knows many family secrets.
She is a repository of obscure knowledge, a walking library with uncanny instincts and insights. She may,
as well, come across as cold, unpredictable, even scary. As a card, the High Priestess is about knowledge.
"I've a new idea," says the querent--thanks to the Magician. Maybe they've realized they want to be an
painter or run for office or open their own business. But how do they decide what they want to paint?
How do they decide which public office to run for? How do they find out where to start their new business?
Knowledge – insider knowledge from some old expert being the best. The more secrets the querent
knows, the easier it is to know what to do with the idea. This is the job of the High Priestess, to offer secret
knowledge, like the moon on a dark night, so that the querent can find their path. She sits between the
pillars of dark and light, existence and negation, wax and wane. All secret knowledge is hers.
 III THE EMPRESS
Key Meanings: Abundance, generosity, and creativity HER WISDOM MESSAGE: Life is abundant.

Basic Story.
Having decided what shape his future will take, the Fool strides forward. But he is impatient to make his
future a full-grown reality. This is when he comes upon the Empress. Her hair gold as wheat, wearing a
crown of stars, and a white gown dotted with pomegranates. She rests back on her throne surrounded by
an abundance of grain and a lush garden. It is possible that she is pregnant. Kneeling, the Fool relates to
her his story. And she, in turn, smiles a motherly smile and gently gives him this advice: "Like newly planted
grain or a child in the womb, a new life, a new love, a new creation is fragile. It requires fertile soil, patience
and nurturing, it needs love and attention. Only this will bring it to fruition." Understanding at last that his
future will take time to build and create, the Fool thanks the Empress and continues on his way.

THE EMPRESS’S ASTROLOGY The Empress is linked with Venus, planet of love, and with warmth,
relationships, light, and abundance.

MYTHOLOGY
In the Mythic Tarot deck, Demeter, the great Greek goddess of Mother Earth, symbolizes the Empress in
all her earthy abundance. Demeter is known as the ruler of all nature, and the protector of the young. She
embodies the essence of the Great Mother. In Greek mythology, Demeter ripened the golden grain each
year, and in late summer, people offered thanks to her for the bounty of the Earth. She presided over the
birth of new life, and blessed the rites of marriage. Demeter is a matriarchal goddess, an image of the
power within the Earth itself which needs no validation from Heaven. Demeter lived with her daughter,
Persephone, and they shared a happy union on the Earth until the day, Persephone disappeared. Demeter
searched far and wide for her daughter, but did not find her. Eventually, after many years of searching,
word came of her daughter's fate. It seems that Hades, the lord of the underworld, had been overcome
with desire for the maiden, and had abducted her, and taken her to his underground lair. Upon this
discovery of her daughter's whereabouts, Demeter became enraged, and allowed the Earth to fall barren,
and refused to restore it to its former abundance. Eventually, the gods, Zeus and Hermes, interceded, and
came up with a plan where Persephone would live with her mother for nine months of the year, and then
spend three months with her dark lord because she had willingly eaten the pomegranate, the fruit of the
underworld. Demeter never fully accepted this arrangement, and for the three months that she was
parted from her daughter, she went into mourning, and everything on the Earth grew lifeless and cold
which became our winter. But every year, Persephone would return to her Mother, and spring would
come again. On an inner level, the image of Demeter, the Empress, reflects the experience of mothering.
This does not just mean the physical experience of being a mother, but also the inner experience of the
Great Mother, where, we realize the importance of the physical body, and discover an appreciation of the
senses, and the simple pleasures of life. In a reading, the Empress card could reveal the onset of an
earthier phase of life that could include marriage, and the birth of a child as well as the birth of a creative
child such as a book that also needs patience and nurturing. And so the Jungian journey continues... the
Fool, the child of heaven, realizes that he lives in a physical body, and is a creature of both Heaven and
Earth.

UPRIGHT MEANING
The gifts of the Empress are abundance and material comfort, sensuality and security, and emotional
support. This is an auspicious card for children and families, showing harmony at home; if you are hoping
to begin a family, the Empress symbolizes fertility and femininity. Your creative projects thrive and you
prosper financially now, too. The Empress is resourceful, so when she appears in your reading, you can
feel assured that your needs will be met. This card, therefore, shows the influence of a nurturing mother
figure who supports you. As the you/your situation card in a reading, it reveals you are a good mother to
others—and to yourself. Here are some additional possibilities:
Home: renovation and extensions, home improvements; considering a move to a larger home; tending a
garden.
Relationships: Happiness—If single, this indicates a good time to begin a relationship. Harmonious
relationships exist within the family.
Career and money: Security; money flows—In work, you are resourceful, able to support others, and
come up with inventive ways to manage your projects.

REVERSED MEANING When reversed, the Empress shows financial issues and domestic strife. This may
take the form of a controlling and disruptive influence at home. She can also show a creative block in your
projects and someone who is needy and takes too much from you. The result of these challenges and
demands is stressful, and there may be an impact on fertility if this is an issue for you now—literally in
terms of conceiving a child or figuratively in terms of finding the time and peace of mind to grow an idea.
THE EMPRESS’S REFLECTIONS
The Queen of Cups, for love and nurturing—the heart aspect
The Queen of Pentacles, for generosity and security—the physical body
The Queen of Swords, for the intellect—the mind aspect
The Queen of Wands, for creativity and communication—the soul aspect
Nine of Pentacles, for money, luxury, and self-authority.

Thirteen's Observations The Empress card is one of the easier trumps to read. She's Mother. Generally,
Mother in a good sense, patient, loving, giving, generous. If defining her as the Querent, you can say that
they are currently feeling like a mother hen, worried about their children, new business, new creation, or
new romance. Male or female, they want to dote and hover and fret over every little sneeze and problem.
If defining the Empress as someone related to the Querent, well, it might well be the Querent's Mom, or
a woman who's very motherly toward them. Of course, the Empress can also be the worst aspects of an
attentive Mom; she can smother, not know when to let go, be possessive and jealous of those who would
take away her "baby." It is important for the Querent to realize that plants can die from over-watering as
easily as neglect. This card tells the Querent that if they want their new romance, new career, new
business, new creation to grow into all it can be they have to pay attention to it, baby it and be willing to
let it take those first steps when it is ready. Most of all, like any pregnant mother or good gardener, they
have to be patient. All things need time to gestate and sprout.

IV THE EMPEROR
Key Meanings: Control, security, order, and ambition. HIS WISDOM MESSAGE: Take control; you are
protected.

Basic Story. The Fool was given options by the Magician, and decided on one with help from the High
Priestess. He learned how to develop it, thanks to the Empress. Now he must manage it. How to do this?
He approaches a great Emperor seated on a stone throne. The Fool is amazed by the way the Emperor is
instantly, eagerly obeyed in every particular, at how well his Empire is run. Respectfully, he asks the
Emperor how it is he does this. And the Emperor answers: "Strong will and a solid foundation. It's all very
well," he explains to the Fool, "to be dreamy, creative, instinctual, patient; but to control one must be
alert, brave and aggressive." Ready now to lead rather than be led, the Fool heads out with new purpose
and direction.
THE EMPEROR’S ASTROLOGY
The Emperor’s astrological sign is Aries, the Ram the first sign of the zodiac (March 21–April 20). He has
fire and determination, the qualities of leadership. Aries is ruled by Mars, planet of war, indicated by the
Emperor’s armor. It is known as the fiery planet, echoed in the color orange in the landscape behind the
Emperor’s throne and his red robes, which are also a sign of his sovereignty.

MYTHOLOGY: In the Mythic Tarot, the Greek god of Zeus, king of the gods, was chosen to represent the
Emperor on this card. In his purple and gold robe, Zeus sits on his golden throne at the top of a mountain
because he is a god of mental and spiritual heights. In his right hand, he holds three lightning bolts chosen
to represent his power as a god of inspiration and sudden creative vision. The lightening symbolizes the
revelation of truth that can come in a flash. In his left, he holds the globe of the world, and has an eagle
perched on his shoulder to symbolize the eagle eye view that he has of the world as well as the aggressive
and conquering instinct that he possesses. Zeus lived at the top of Mount Olympus, and ruled over his
hierarchy of gods. His volatile and fiery spirit expressed itself not only in thunderstorms, but also in the
many lovers, whom he pursued, and the many children whom he fathered. His loyal wife was Hera,
goddess of marriage and childbirth, but she didn't approve of his philandering. Hera usually found out
about his escapades, and then there was literally hell to pay for him, and his paramours. On an inner level,
Zeus, the Emperor, is an image of the experience of fathering. It is the father who embodies our spiritual
ideals, our ethical codes, and our survival skills out in the world. He also represents the authority and
ambition which drive us to succeed, and the discipline and foresight to accomplish our goals. This
masculine energy is within both men and women, and emphasizes more the intellectual mind rather than
the intuitive nature of the physical body which is the feminine. To have a relationship with the inner father
is to possess a sense of one's strength, one's capacity to initiate ideas, and the ability to manifest them in
the world. In a reading, the Emperor card can reveal this masculine principle at work. Perhaps, the person
is manifesting a creative idea, building a new business, or establishing the structure of home and family.
In any case, they are embodying the masculine energy in their life. When the Fool meets the Emperor
after his journey in the instinctual world, he is learning how to deal with worldly life with his own
resources, and according to the rules of society. He is also discovering his own ethical principles to live by
which is one of the gifts of the Emperor. Like the Zodiac sign of Capricorn, the high road is integrity,
discipline, and the betterment of all concerned - something we are all learning at this time in history.
UPRIGHT MEANING In a reading, the Emperor can denote a powerful man, and the traditional male
aspects of rulership and ambition. As the consort of card III, The Empress, he signifies the husband or
other intimate partner who is constant and trustworthy. He is in control of his emotions, and comfortable
with who he is. Less appealing, depending on your perspective, is his need for conformity. Although he
may have ambition, tradition is essential to his happiness. As a general influence or symbol of the self he
brings balance, security, and conventional values. He reveals mastery of life and control over territory,
and predicts that problems can be overcome with careful planning and single mindedness. He shows a
return to order, so his arrival in your reading is a welcome sign of improvement in your circumstances.
You may also be offered protection from someone you trust; you can also trust yourself to make the right
decisions. It’s time to live in the here and now, and use what practical resources you possess—wisdom,
determination, and the skills of others—to realize your next steps. Be the leader. Here’s what he
represents in specific areas of your life: Home: Order and smooth running. However, it is also important
to set boundaries and protect what is yours. Relationships: A new partner, or focusing on practical matters
and future planning in established partnerships. Loyalty in love. Career and money: Finances get
organized and you plan how to balance expenditures. You can expect to have fairness at work and to be
sure of your goals; you will either enjoy this new structure or feel it stifles your creativity.

REVERSED MEANING When reversed, the Emperor is power-hungry and excessive in his demands, and
represents the negative traits associated with traditional masculinity, such as being domineering,
controlling, and even cruel. Greed is another aspect of the Emperor reversed. Whereas the upright
Emperor knows his boundaries, the reversed Emperor does not know where to draw the line and may use
excessive force or persuasion to get what he wants. This card therefore shows issues with authority figures
and other potentially domineering individuals who are run by their egos.

THE EMPEROR’S REFLECTIONS We can see aspects of the Emperor in these minor arcana cards:
The Four of Pentacles, for for financial stability
The King of Cups, for love and intuition—the heart aspect The King of Pentacles, for generosity and
security—the physical body
The King of Swords, for the intellect—the mind aspect
The King Wands, for creativity and communication—the soul aspect.
Thirteen's Observations
The Emperor card is the "Who's the boss?" card. It is an important question. The meaning of the card
includes being in control over your environment, your body, your temper, your instincts, your love life.
This is not the time to give into the unconscious, not the time to let yourself be controlled by the wants
and needs of others. It is a card that gives the Querent permission to be aggressive, brave, bold and in
command. The Emperor could be a father or father figure, leader or employer, either a demanding tyrant
or a charismatic king. If the card stands for the Querent, he/she should think about whether their Empire
has become an unwelcome chore and if it has, are they now a bad leader, demanding, unreasonable,
unhappy. It might be time to abdicate the throne.

V HIEROPHANT
Key Meanings: Education, unity, spiritual and direction. HIS WISDOM MESSAGE: Make the most of your
gifts.

Basic Story. Having created a solid foundation on which to build his future, the Fool is struck with a sudden
fear. What if everything he's worked for is taken away? Is stolen, or lost, or destroyed or vanishes? Or
what if it is just not good enough? In a panic, he heads into a holy place where he finds the Hierophant, a
wise teacher and holy man. Acolytes kneel before the man, ready to hear and pass on his teachings. The
Fool tells the Hierophant his fears, and asks how he can be free of them. "There are only two ways," says
the Hierophant sagely, "Either give up that which you fear to lose so it no longer holds any power over
you, or consider what you will still have if your fear comes to pass. After all," the Hierophant continues,
"if you did lose all you'd built, you would still keep the experience and knowledge that you've gained up
to this point, wouldn't you?" This surprisingly pragmatic advice releases the Fool from his fear, and he is
able exit out of the sanctuary and face the world's challenges once again.
THE HIEROPHANT’S ASTROLOGY
The Hierophant’s sign is Taurus, the Bull the second sign of the zodiac (April 21–May 21), ruled by sensuous
planet Venus and the element of Earth, which is also represented by his red robes (see The Hierophant’s
Symbols). This fixed sign of the zodiac has the attributes of commitment and loyalty, groundedness, and
practicality.
MYTHOLOGY: In the Mythic Tarot, Chiron is the Centaur on this card. He is known as a healer, priest, and
wise teacher. He was educated by Apollo, the sun god, and Artemis, the goddess of the moon, and because
of his great wisdom, and spirituality, he was made the king of the Centaurs. As the king of the Centaurs,
he shared his wisdom with the young Greek princes, and was also known as a great healer because he
knew the secret healing qualities of herbs and plants though he was unable to heal himself when he was
struck by one of the arrows dipped in the blood of the monster, Hydra. Because, he was immortal, he had
to live with this wound, sacrificing all worldly happiness, and devoting his time to teaching spiritual
wisdom. On an inner level, Chiron, the Hierophant, is an image of the inner spiritual teacher, the priest
who establishes the connection between worldly consciousness and the intuitive knowledge of God's law.
The Emperor's laws embodying the father principle on earth are concerned with right behavior in the
world, but the laws of the Hierophant are concerned with right behavior in the eyes of God. But Chiron
does not symbolize any orthodox religion because it is more about finding your own personal relationship
with God, and what that means to you. Chiron's injury made him the Wounded Healer, the one who
through his own pain, can understand and appreciate the pain of others. The Wounded Healer part of
ourselves teaches us compassion for ourselves, and others. The Centaur also teaches us how to accept
the human, and the divine part of ourselves. In a reading, Chiron, the Hierophant, shows a time when the
individual may embark on a spiritual or philosophical quest. Through the study of a particular system of
belief, they are looking for the deeper meaning of life. The Hierophant may also show up as a counselor,
priest, or spiritual mentor who can become a guide to the seeker. The Fool thus emerges from his
discovery of the underworld seeking answers to the personal meaning of his life, as he leaves his childhood
behind, and ventures out into life's challenges.

UPRIGHT MEANING In the upright position, the Hierophant shows support, self-realization, and
expansion. This is a time to develop emotionally and spiritually—to commit to relationships; to think and
philosophize; and to become more spiritually aware. In this way, the Hierophant offers an opportunity to
integrate mind and spirit and ascend to a higher plane of awareness. Day to day, this means nurturing
your talents through learning and heeding good advice. While the Hierophant offers wise counsel, he does
represent institutions and traditional values—which may be a comfort to you or a test of how much you
are willing to conform. Even if his conventions are not for you, the Hierophant offers an opportunity to
question and define your values. As a spiritual leader, the Hierophant shows you the path to follow in a
community, such as joining a study group or class through which you may learn a new skill. He also
represents good judgment and fairness: The Hierophant asks you to tune your moral compass, so if you
have been questioning a decision, it is time to do what is right. Here’s what else the Hierophant can
symbolize: Home: Expanding your current property; inviting people into your home to share your interests
Relationships: Committed partnerships; marriage; celebrating the sacred in your relationship Career and
money: Progress in your organization; direction and decisions; inspired leadership and growth.

REVERSED MEANING When reversed, the Hierophant shows poor leadership. You may be mislead by an
incompetent or egotistic individual at work or on your spiritual path. This is the card of the bad guru—the
judgmental teacher who is more interested in furthering his ambitions than supporting you in yours. In
work, the Hierophant reversed can also show institutions that need restructuring: poor advice, mistrust,
and wrong decisions with moral repercussions. It is better to seek your own path than to stay with a
mentor or plan that doesn’t suit your needs. Be a free spirit.

THE HIEROPHANT’S REFLECTIONS We can see aspects of The Hierophant in these minor arcana cards:
The Nine of Wands, for defending your faith at any cost; protecting what is known
The Six of Cups, for familiarity, harmony, and the past
The Two of Cups, for love partnerships.

Thirteen's Observations The Hierophant card has so many Popish trappings that it is sometimes hard for
readers to like him, or interpret him as positive rather than seeing his potential for being unreasonable,
hide-bound, literal and stodgy. I like to point out the decks where the Hierophant is the Oracle at Delphi
or some other less loaded image. When the Hierophant appears as a person, he's likely an old, favored
teacher, therapist, counsellor, advisor, or sponsor. That young Priest with progressive ideas, or the old
Rabbi who was always so down to earth and fun, or maybe an uncle who always offered such common
sense advice. Unfortunately, he can also represent that nasty teacher the Querent is dealing with, the one
who refuses to deviate from the text book, or a sour-faced elder who wants to keep the church old
fashioned and in the dark ages. Standing for the Querent himself, the Hierophant might well warn against
being too stubborn, especially in matters of theology or ethics. He can remind the Querent what it means
to be a good and beloved teacher. In this, the Hierophant can be very positive. When things are going very
wrong in the world, the Hierophant is the one who wades in, quiets the panic, and offers good, practical
advice. He symbolizes a connection to the divine, which answers with a very human voice, never oblique
or mysterious. You know how to solve your problem, this card says; it is not easy, not a quick fix, but it is
do-able. The solution is there, you've only to bring it down to Earth.
 VI THE LOVERS
Key Meanings: Love and relationships, maturity, and decisions THEIR WISDOM MESSAGE: Follow the
wisdom of your heart.

Basic Story The Fool comes to a cross-road, filled with energy, confidence and purpose, knowing exactly
where he wants to go and what he wants to do. But he comes to a dead stop. A flowering tree marks the
path he wants to take, the one he's been planning on taking. But standing before a fruit tree marking
the other path is a woman. He's met and had relationships with women before, some far more beautiful
and alluring. But she is different. Seeing her, he feels as though he's just been shot in the heart with
cupid's arrow, so shocking, so painful is his "recognition" of her. As he speaks with her, the feeling
intensifies; like finding a missing part of himself, a part he's been searching for his life long. It is clear
that she feels the same about him. They finish each others sentences, think the same thoughts. It is as if
an Angel above had introduced their souls to each other. Though it was his plan to follow the path of the
flowering tree, and though it will cause some trouble for him to bring this woman with him, to go
somewhere else entirely, the Fool knows he dare not leave her behind. Like the fruit tree, she will fulfill
him. No matter how divergent from his original intent, she is his future. He chooses her, and together
they head down a whole new road.

THE LOVERS’ ASTROLOGY The Lovers’ sign is Gemini, the Twins (May 22–June 21), or the dual aspects of
male and female, light and shadow. Loving our whole selves, in all our aspects, raises our consciousness
to love God/the universe/the Great Spirit as the creator of the divine spark within. Eve is also Adam’s
twin, as she was created from him.

MYTHOLOGY: The Lovers card is a fitting card for the month of Libra where relationships of all kinds are
a big focus especially the romantic kind. The Lovers card is the sixth card in the Major Arcana of the
Mythic Tarot. In this deck, the Lovers card portrays a beauty contest where Paris, a Trojan prince, has to
choose which of the three lovely goddesses- Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite is the loveliest of all. Hera, the
wife of Zeus, is regal and mature dressed in her purple robes holding a globe of the world. Athena,
goddess of wisdom, is cool and chaste, dressed in her full battle armor holding a sword. Aphrodite,
goddess of love, is young, seductive and scantily clad in a robe that reveals more than it conceals holding
only a golden cup. The decision in the beauty contest seems to be a foregone conclusion. Paris is a
young man, and focused on what most young men are- physical beauty. He's not able to appreciate the
gifts of Hera as she offers him the rulership of the world, or of Athena, who would grant him the
designation as the mightiest of warriors. Paris chooses Aphrodite when she opens her robe, and offers
him the cup of love, and the most beautiful mortal woman in the world as his bride. Destiny is then set,
and Paris is given Helen, queen of Sparta, and inconveniently someone else's wife. At their meeting,
they fall in love, and Helen's husband angered by the infidelity begins the Trojan War which lasts ten
years, and results in the destruction of the City of Troy. On an inner level, the judgment of Paris is an
image of the first of life's great challenges to the developing individual - the problem of choice in love.
The choice is not just about trying to decide between one person and another, but it reflects our values,
because our choices mirror back to us the kind of person we wish to become. Because of his youth and
the driving force of his sexual needs, Paris cannot choose from a mature perspective. He makes his
choice based on desire, and has to deal with the consequences. Desire for another person forces the
development of individual values and self-knowledge through the drama and conflicts which arise from
one's choices. Paris is an image of that side of us which governed by the compulsive desires cannot yet
see that all choices have consequences for which we are ultimately responsible. Without passing
through this initiation by fire, we cannot understand how we create our own futures, but instead blame
the results on fate, chance or someone else's fault, rather than our own lack of reflection. In a reading,
the Lovers card can signify a choice of some kind, usually in love. Sometimes this means a love triangle,
or having to choose between love, and a career, or some creative activity. In any case, the Lovers card
reminds us to look carefully at the consequences of our choices, rather than being driven blindly by our
own desires. In the Lovers card, the Fool faces his first adolescent challenge, and hopefully, is wiser from
the story of Paris.

UPRIGHT MEANING The Lovers show relationships and a decision. The card can predict meeting a new
partner or a career opportunity, and your choice now will have a significant effect on your future. In the
upright position, the person coming into your orbit now has a positive influence and offers true love—
provided you follow the guidance of your heart rather than your head. If you are willing to take a risk
rather than stay with a safe choice, you may soon discover your own Garden of Eden, which is fertile and
rich with possibility. If you are already in a relationship, a decision whether to take your partnership to a
deeper level will be made. The issue that the Lovers card raises is your ability to make a decision based
on your long-term future rather than short-term gains. In this way, you are being asked to make a
mature decision that supports your true needs—respect, intimacy, love, and trust— and to connect with
a partner who is emotionally available to you. Whatever your situation, the message is to follow your
heart’s desire. An additional meaning of the Lovers card is a young person leaving home and making
independent decisions.
Home: If you’re not living in your dream home, now is the time to work toward a property and location
that will support your dreams and desires.
Relationships: A love decision—Look at your patterns in previous relationships and see what your
current love, or prospective new partner, can offer you that is different and ultimately more fulfilling. If
you are single, love yourself first to manifest the right relationship when the time comes.
Career and money: Career choices—One option may seem easier, but look carefully to ensure you are
making the best decision in the long term. Look beyond money to your future development and
ambitions.

REVERSED MEANING When the Lovers card reverses, relationships go out of balance and the shadow
side of your personalities enters the equation. A relationship is in crisis, and you may question your
initial attraction as the values you once held as a couple feel corrupted. There may be inequality,
betrayal, and dishonesty. The Lovers reversed is also an aspect of card XV, The Devil, which reveals lust,
materialism, and addiction to negative patterns.

THE LOVERS’ REFLECTIONS We can see aspects of the Lovers in these minor arcana cards:
The Ace of Cups, for love
The Two of Cups, for a new partnership.

Thirteen's Observations The Lovers is a confusing card as it is ruled not by an emotional water sign but by
airy Gemini. The original trump featured a man and a woman with a cupid above them about to shoot his
dart. Later this became three figures, the interpretation being a man choosing between two women, or a
man meeting his true love with the help of a matchmaker. Still later, with Waite, we have an Angel above
Adam and Eve. The Angel stands for Raphael, who is emblematic of Mercury and Air, planet and element
of Gemini. Gemini is the communications sign. It's all about messages and making contact; also, as it is
the card of the twins, it's about finding your other self. In this regard, you can see that the Lovers card
begins to make sense. Especially if you change it back to "LOVE." Here is a card about perfect
communication, about finding something your soul requires. In this regard, its most common
interpretation about being "A Choice" makes sense. When this card appears, you are being told to trust
you instincts, to choose this career, challenge, person or thing you're so strongly drawn to, no matter how
scary, how difficult, irrational or troublesome - without it, you will never be wholly you. It's sudden and
unexpected, and it means a compete change in plans; but this is LOVE. True love. Go for it!

VII THE CHARIOT

Key Meanings: Determination, victory, and a journey. HIS WISDOM MESSAGE: Take charge and reach for
the stars.

Basic Story The Fool is close to completing what he set out to create long ago, back when the Magician
revealed those tools to him. But enemies are now standing in his way, devious human enemies, bad
circumstances, even confusion in his own mind. There's no more forward momentum; he feels he is
fighting just to stay where he is. Walking along the shore, watching the waves come in, he puzzles over
how to defeat these enemies and get things moving forward once again. It is here that he comes across a
charioteer, standing in his gold and silver chariot, his black and white steeds at rest. "You seem a victorious
warrior," the Fool remarks. "Tell me, what is the best way to defeat an enemy?" The Charioteer nods out
at the ocean. "Have you ever been swimming in the water.

THE CHARIOT’S ASTROLOGY The Chariot’s astrological sign is Cancer the Crab (June 22–July 23), ruled by
the moon. The crab has a shell, a protective vehicle for the body, like the chariot itself. The Charioteer’s
gauntlets have a shell-like frill at the forearms. The card also indicates the four fixed signs of Aquarius,
Scorpio, Leo, and Taurus and their elements, which are symbolized by the sphinx.

MYTHOLOGY: The Chariot is a fitting card for these times as there is a lot of movement going on right now
as we move from the old reality to the new paradigm. It is not an easy transition, and can feel like a battle
in the inner and the outer world. In the Chariot card, Ares, the God of War, is on the move as he struggles
to hold onto his black and white horses as they pull in opposite directions. The card portrays Ares as a
handsome, virile man with auburn hair, blue eyes, and a ruddy complexion, driving his bronze war-chariot.
He is adorned in bronze amour, and a blood-red tunic. At his hip, he wears a bronze shield, and at his side,
a large spear, a traditional symbol for the masculine. Ares travels on a dusty, road leading through a
reddish, desert-like place while the sky is filled with an impending storm. The barren desert lacks water,
an image of the lack of feeling and relatedness where the aggressive impulses thrive. The black and white
horses reflect the potential for both good and evil contained in the aggressive instinct. The Chariot is the
seventh card in this archetypal Mythic journey. On an inner level, Ares, the driver of the Chariot, is an
image of the aggressive instincts guided and directed by the will of consciousness. The horses which pull
the Chariot in opposite directions are symbolic of the conflicting animal instincts which can battle it out
for control within each one of us. The instincts are meant to be handled with strength and firmness, but
not broken, or repressed, because they also give us a great deal of power and potency to survive in this
world. Ares' iron will and courage are a necessary dimension of the human character allowing us to survive
in a sometimes, challenging and competitive world where spiritual vision alone may not be enough.
Having invoked a conflict as a result of his choices in love in last month's card, The Lovers card, the Fool
must now confront one of life's great lessons - the creative harnessing of the instinctual urges. In the card
of the Lovers, the Fool is still an adolescent who seeks to possess a beautiful object, but through the figure
of Ares in the Chariot card, he arrives at maturity by learning to deal with the consequences of his actions.
Like the Fool, we must also learn how to deal with the warring opposites, and urges within ourselves. If
we can meet the challenge of Ares, then we can be more honest about this vital life force within, and the
struggle of learning how to contain and direct it fosters development of the whole personality. In a
reading, the Chariot card can signal some kind of conflict or struggle which can result in a stronger
personality. It can be an internal struggle with our shadow sides, or come to us from the outside, as a
conflict with another. But in any case, the conflict cannot be avoided, but needs to be faced with strength
and containment. And thus the Fool's journey continues as he learns to handle contradictions, and moves
on from adolescence to the next stage of his life.

UPRIGHT MEANING The Upright Chariot signifies success and a major departure. This is a time for
determination and focus as you travel in a new direction. A decision is made, and now you can begin to
experience real progress in your affairs. Ready to take control and navigate your path, you are poised to
learn as your horizons rapidly expand. Just as the charioteer has his wand to drive him onward, you will
need willpower to fuel your desires. The Chariot can indicate a move or an important journey, and, on a
mundane level, it shows you driving a car on your travels or getting a new vehicle.
Following are some other possibilities:
Home: Travel away from home is the focus now, rather than on extending or improving your home. You
may also welcome travelers from other states or countries. Any disagreements with those you live with
will be quickly overcome.
Relationships: A relationship progresses at a pace; if the cards around the Chariot show endings, you may
be moving on alone—but this is your rightful path.
Career and money: Swift progress in business affairs—the opportunity coming your way will be
challenging and exciting. Financially, you are on the road to success.

REVERSED MEANING When reversed, there is arrogance and self-indulgence. This can show a person or
event spiraling out of control. Ego is at work, and selfish needs come before the greater good, so the
Chariot reversed can indicate recklessness and poor leadership. When the Chariot reverses and is tipped
off the road, travel plans and house moves are disrupted or delayed.

THE CHARIOT’S REFLECTIONS We can see aspects of the Chariot in these minor arcana cards:
The Three of Wands, for broadening horizons and travel
The Eight of Wands, for travel and communication.

Thirteen's Observations
The Chariot is a fascinating card, but also frustrating. Like the crab, it is armored, but also cut off - a
charioteer fights alone. It moves from one plane to the next (water to land and back again) - conscious
and unconscious, Earthly and spiritual. It succeeds by attacking from the side, rather than straight on. On
the one hand, the Chariot indicates loyalty and faith and motivation; a
conviction that will lead to victory no matter the odds. But the chariot can also signal a ruthless, diehard
desire to win at any cost. The Querent should be reminded to save his energy for what comes after. Victory
is just the start of things.

VIII STRENGTH
Key Meanings: Patience, tension, and strength. HER WISDOM MESSAGE: With strength, you can discover
your higher purpose.
Basic Story The Fool, victorious over his enemies, is feeling arrogant, powerful, even vengeful. There is a
hot passion in him that he can barely control. It is in this state that he comes across a maiden struggling
with a lion. Running to help, he arrives in time to see her gently but firmly shut the lion's mouth! In fact,
the beast, which seemed so wild and fierce a moment ago, is now completely at her command. Amazed,
the Fool asks her, "How did you do that?" One hand on the lion's mane, she answers, "Will power. Any
beast, no matter how wild, will back down before a superior will." At that moment, the Maiden meets the
Fool's eyes; though saintly and young, her look is knowing and filled with great power. "Likewise," she
says to him, "there are many unworthy impulses inside us. It is not wrong to have them. But it is wrong to
let them control us. We are human, not beast, and we can command such energy, use them for higher
purposes." His rage quieted, the Fool nods, enlightened, and walks away knowing that it wasn't only the
lion that was tamed this day by a Maiden's pure and innocent strength.

STRENGTH’S ASTROLOGY Strength’s zodiac sign is Leo the Lion (July 24–August 23), a natural alignment
as the lion is shown on the card. The card’s element is dynamic Fire, linked with energy and enterprise.

MYTHOLOGY: In the Mythic Tarot deck, the card of Strength pictures the great warrior, Heracles, as a
muscular man with chestnut hair, and only adorned in a red loin cloth. He is engaged in a struggle of life
and death with a lion in a dark cave which opens onto a barren landscape. Heracles wears the color of
Ares, whom we met in the Chariot card, because he has learned the vital lesson of harnessing aggression,
and directing it towards a creative end. In the Greek myths, Heracles is committed to twelve years of
arduous labors in the service of King Eurystheus, for the crimes that he has committed, and the first of
these famous twelve labors was the conquest of the Nemean Lion, an enormous beast with a pelt that
couldn't be penetrated by iron, bronze or stone. Since the lion had depopulated the neighborhood, he
couldn't find anyone to direct him to his lair. Heracles hunted down this famous lion on his own, and after
numerous tries, he was able to capture it and kill it with his bare hands. Then Heracles wore the skin as
armor with the head as a helmet, and became as invincible as the beast. On an inner level, Heracles'
struggle with the lion is an image of the challenge of containing those primitive instincts within us, while
still preserving those animal qualities which are creative and vital to life. The lion can symbolize the
creative and unique Self within all of us. The feeling of invincibility can come when we have a solid sense
of Self. When we wear the skin of the lion, the opinions and criticisms of others can not affect us for we
are armored in our own indestructible sense of identity. In a reading, the card of Strength can reveal a
situation where we are faced with our own lion within, and where a creative handling of one's own anger
and senseless pride is desirable. Courage, strength, and self-discipline are necessary to battle with the
situation. Through such an experience, we can face the beast within, but also we can be Heracles, the
hero who can subdue the beast as well. Thus, the Fool, having dealt with the faculties of mind and feeling,
now learns how to deal with his own egotism, emerging from the contest with trust in himself and integrity
towards others.
UPRIGHT MEANING Strength shows that you turn to your higher self for self-guidance; she also
demonstrates strength of character when dealing with pressure. Courage, determination, and patience
are needed now, as it is time to get a situation— or individual—under control. You will need to act with
grace and sensitivity, however, rather than using brute force. This is a good card for leadership, as it
signifies you are ready to take on a challenge and stand firm; others may resist, but be consistent in your
actions and results will come. In creative projects, Strength shows you taking a raw idea and developing
it. You refine it without sacrificing its spirit or depleting your energy. This concept may take physical form
as a document, piece of artwork, or prototype. On a psychological level, Strength shows the integration
of masculine and feminine traits and finding balance between the two. In terms of health, Strength shows
resilience and vitality, recovery from illness, and the willpower to break bad habits. Here are some
specifics: Home: There’s a need to support and direct those with strong opinions. You may need to take
the role of mediator. Relationships: The need for balance—there is a danger that physical attraction
masks emotional or other commitment issues that need to be addressed. This card is also a message of
hope if your relationship has been tested, as the situation will soon improve.
Career and money: Tension at work—Resolution comes gently and without force.

REVERSED MEANING
When reversed, Strength turns to weakness of will and avoidance of risk, conflicts, and decision-making.
This can refer to you ignoring your instincts altogether or allowing fear of conflict to stop you from taking
action. This avoidance is holding back your personal growth; in this situation, you can only learn through
experience. Whatever you resist persists, so take charge and take on the challenge. Strength reversed is
an obvious message about weakness, so be aware that indolence and overthinking can be more
exhausting than confrontation.

STRENGTH’S REFLECTIONS
We can see aspects of Strength in these minor arcana cards:
The Seven of Wands, for endurance
The Nine of Wands, for relentless effort The Ace of Swords, for decisiveness
The Eight of Pentacles, for commitment.

Thirteen's Opinion Wang in the 'Qabbalistic Tarot' likens to the Strength card, at one point, to a Vestal
Virgin tending a sacred flame. And this, I think, is one of the best interpretations. Fire is a fearful thing,
hot, burning - all too easily able to spark out of control. But somewhere along the way, we lost our fear -
but not our respect - for fire. And with will and intelligence, we made it our tool. And I think it worth
understanding and saying to the Querent, that as with fire or taming a lion, you might get burned or
scratched a few times by that which you're trying to control, be it a situation, a person or your own
unworthy impulses. The important message of the strength card is not to give up. To have the courage to
keep at it till you succeed and to have the faith and optimism that you will succeed.

IX THE HERMIT
Key Meanings: Healing and self-exploration. HIS WISDOM MESSAGE: Live quietly for a time.

Basic Story
After a long and busy lifetime, building, creating, loving, hating, fighting, compromising, failing,
succeeding, the Fool feels a profound need to retreat. In a small, rustic home deep in the woods, he hides,
reading, cleaning, organizing, resting or just thinking. But every night at dusk he heads out, traveling across
the bare, autumnal landscape. He carries only a staff and a lantern.

THE HERMIT’S ASTROLOGY

The Hermit’s zodiac sign is Virgo the Virgin. It suggests the Hermit has this attribute—perhaps he is a
chaste monk. The Hermit’s number, IX, gives us the ninth month of the year, September, and the sign of
Virgo (August 23–September 22).

MYTHOLOGY: In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Hermit card features Cronos, as an old man with a grey beard,
shrouded in grey robes with his face half-hidden. In his right hand, he carries a lamp which glows with a
golden light symbolizing the insight and guidance that can come from being patient, and in his left hand,
he holds a scythe which looks like the crescent of the moon symbolizing the eternal cycles of time. A crow
perches on his shoulder as a symbol of the spirit of the old king who has died to make way for the new
cycle. Behind him, there is a cold, misty mountain range with a bleak, grey sky. In Greek mythology, the
god, Cronos whose name means time was the last-born of the Greek gods, Uranus and Gaea. Because
Uranus was ashamed of his progeny, he had locked them all in the underworld against the protests of
Gaea. Gaea plotted with her last-born son, Cronos, to use his scythe to castrate his father, and then
liberate his brothers, and become sovereign of the earth. Under his long reign, the work of creation was
completed. As god of time, he ruled over the orderly passage of the seasons, birth and growth followed
by death, gestation and rebirth. But like his father, Uranus, Cronos was also fearful of being overthrown
by his own son which did happen with Zeus, the youngest of Cronos' children, who in mythology
overthrew his father, and ushered in the reign of the Olympian gods. On an inner level, Cronos, the Hermit,
is an image of the last of the moral lessons which the Fool must learn: the lesson of time and the limitations
of the mortal life. Nothing is allowed to live beyond its span, and nothing remains unchanged. Cronos is a
god who embodies the meaning of time, and also rebels against it which results in his being overthrown,
and having to learn the wisdom in solitude and silence. The challenge of solitude and the discovery that
one is ultimately alone and mortal are dilemmas that all human beings must face in time. Youth moves
into maturity, and can never be regained in a concrete way, but memory and wisdom can be distilled from
the passage of time, along with patience. The negative face of Cronos is calcification, a stubborn resistance
to change and the passage of time. The positive path would be to change what we can, to accept what we
cannot change, and to wait in silence until we can see the difference. In a reading, the Hermit card can be
an indicator that there is a need for a time of solitude or withdrawal from the extraverted activities of life
to go inward to gain the deeper wisdom. There is an opportunity to build a stronger foundation if one can
be patient. Thus, the Fool learns to have a deep respect for his own limitations in the great passage of
time.

UPRIGHT MEANING
There’s an opportunity to take time away from routine to consider your options or advance a personal
project. This card can show you enjoying solitude, as you need space to process your thoughts and
feelings. The Hermit can show a physical journey, but more commonly he represents a state of mind in
which you wisely withdraw and keep your own counsel. It can show breaking with tradition and finding a
unique approach to a challenge. You may appreciate a mentor, and when you are ready, as the saying
goes, the teacher will appear. Until that time, you have yourself to rely upon, and you do have the
answers; all you need is the mental space to connect with your inner wisdom. If you are under pressure
to make a decision, the Hermit shows you need more time. There is also a healing aspect to the Hermit,
and the card can appear in a reading to show self-healing and healing others. You may need to guide
others and show them the way forward. Even if you are not entirely sure you can help, you are equipped
to do so. The Hermit can also indicate the following: Home: Consider all your options carefully and avoid
making big decisions at present. Prioritize your tasks and focus on planning rather than immediate action.
Relationships: Take time to invest in your current relationship or to work on your relationship with
yourself. The card can also show a period of being single. Career and money: Take a different approach
and stand back. You may be drawn to research and professional development courses now. A
mentor may guide you.
REVERSED MEANING
When reversed, you may be feeling alone and unsupported. However, this is more an attitude than reality,
so it’s worth asking yourself if you are avoiding help. The card can also show accepting a role—perhaps
victim or martyr— that you find hard to let go of due to habit or stubbornness. Alternatively, the card can
show a time when you are cut off from your usual support systems or have been unfriended by those you
trusted. If this chimes for you, go with the upright card meaning and withdraw for a while, relying on your
own guidance.

THE HERMIT’S REFLECTIONS

We can see aspects of the Hermit in these minor arcana cards:
The Seven of Wands, for standing alone and advocating your beliefs
The Nine of Wands, for the need for protection
The Nine of Pentacles, for independence and resourcefulness
The Queen of Swords, for independence.
Thirteen's Observations
One of the important things about this card is that the Hermit is always shown on the move. He's never
locked away in his reclusive cell, he's always out wandering, searching. That, to me, is a Virgo. I'm married
to one, I know. The Hermit is the restless mind of the Virgo, always gathering information, analyzing,
making connections. Virgos are skeptics, and if anyone is going to
stick a lantern into a dark place and take a good look at what's going on, it is a Virgo. The Hermit is a card
of connections and enlightenment. Combined with a desire to just "be alone," the Querent who gets this
card is probably feeling impatient with people who disturb their peace or who can't see what they're
seeing ("Are you blind?" might be their refrain, or, more typically, "You just don't get it, and I can't explain
it to you."). In typical Virgo fashion, they're likely to be grumpy and anti-social. But for the Querent (if no
one else!) this is a special time. Like an artist who hides for days then emerges to paint a masterpiece, this
quiet time allows all the pieces to fall into place. So go ahead and encourage them to go on late night
drives, long walks, hide in their room or go on retreat for a month. When they come back, they'll see
everything in a brand new light. It'll be the best thing for them, and for everyone else in their lives.
 X THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE.
Key Meanings: Fate, change, intuition. ITS WISDOM MESSAGE: Surrender to fate.

Basic Story
From out of hiding comes the Fool, into the sunlight, as if being pulled up from some low, dark point on a
wheel. It is time for a change. Staff in hand, he heads back out into the world, expecting nothing. But,
strangely, things seem to happen to him as the hours go by, good things. Wandering by a water wheel a
woman offers him a drink in a golden chalice, and then urges him to keep the cup, just because she likes
him; as he wanders by a windmill, he stops to watch a young man swinging a sword; when he expresses
his admiration of the weapon, the young man presses it into his hand, insisting that he take it. And finally,
when he comes upon a rich merchant sitting in a wagon, right over one of the wheels, the man hands him
a bag of money. "I like giving away money," explains the Merchant, "and I decided, just randomly, that
the tenth person who walked past me today would get this money. You're the tenth." The Fool hardly
thought he could still be surprised, but he is. It is as if everything good that he ever did in his life is being
paid back to him, three fold. All luck this day is his.

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE’S ASTROLOGY

The Wheel corresponds to Jupiter, planet of luck, which rules religions and ideology, research and
exploration. The angel and three animals around the wheel, embodied in the sphinx, can also be
connected with the four elements and the fixed zodiac signs of Aquarius (the angel, element of Air), Taurus
(bull, Earth), Scorpio (eagle, Water), and Leo (lion, Fire): They are shown on the Wheel as the primal
elements of life.

MYTHOLOGY: The Wheel of Fortune card in the Mythic Tarot deck pictures the three goddesses of Fate,
whom the Greeks have called the Moirai. The three women are seated in a dark cave symbolizing both
the womb from which life is given, and the tomb to which it returns, and so is the beginning and end of
Fate. Clotho, a young woman, spins thread from a golden spindle while Lachesis, a mature woman,
measures the thread between her hands; and lastly, Atropos, an old woman, holds a pair of shears to cut
the thread. The thread which the Moirai spin, measure and cut is likened to the weaving of the tissues of
the body suggesting that Fate is connected with heredity and with the physical body itself. In Greek
mythology, the three Fates wove the thread of human life in the secret darkness of their cave, and their
work could not be undone by any god including Zeus. Once the destiny of an individual was woven, it
could not be altered, and the length of life and time of death were set by the Moirai. If a human tried to
challenge Fate, as heroes were known to do, then they were afflicted with what was called hubris, which
means arrogance in the face of the gods, and they would be punished for their actions. On an inner level,
the three Moirai who encircle the Wheel of Fortune reveal an image of a deep and mysterious law at work
within the individual, which is unknown and unseen, but seems to precipitate sudden changes of fortune
that upset the pattern of their lives. On the card's Wheel, there are four human figures that depict the
different experiences of fortune from success to down on his luck, and from moving forward with support
to descending against his will. The Wheel of Fortune card is not really about sudden turns of luck, chance,
or accident, but more about the idea that there could be an intelligent and orderly plan behind the
seemingly random changes in life. The image of the Wheel is a powerful picture in that the rim of the
Wheel suggests a moving panorama of life while the hub of the Wheel remains still at the center, a
constant and unchanging essence. The hub could be the Self which chooses without the conscious
knowledge of the ego, but turns toward various situations, events, paths and people. Perhaps, Fate does
not come to meet us, but rather, we turn to meet our Fate. In a reading, the Wheel of Fortune card can
be an indicator of a sudden change of fortune which will bring growth, and a new phase of life. And so the
Fool's journey continues as he encounters the unseen hands of the weavers of his destiny.

UPRIGHT MEANING
When the Wheel is upright, anything is possible—and usually positive. Chance meetings, unexpected
offers, and news arrive in force. If life has been difficult recently, the Wheel shows a turn for the better.
Under this influence, your intuitive powers heighten, and you may find yourself tuning in to people from
the past—who magically reappear. This is also an auspicious card for communication with family and
friends who live some distance away. Additionally, the Wheel reveals psychic ability, either
within you or someone close, and a chance to discover all your hidden aspects—both light and dark. You
can use the Wheel’s positive message wisely now to listen to your intuition and also to manifest your
wishes, as your energy aligns with your guides, angels, and other spirit helpers who help you on your path.
Your quest for knowledge is heightened now and, while you cannot control the forces of the universe, you
can certainly come to a better understanding of your role within the universe. The Wheel also suggests
the following:
Home: An unexpected change in your living arrangements will happen; it will be surprising but beneficial
in the long term. Relationships: An ex-partner or love interest comes back, but you will need to decide if
this time your relationship will succeed. Don’t try to make it work; if it is right, love will go smoothly.
Career and money: News is coming that will improve your situation. However, you will need to prioritize
the demands upon youself and quickly adapt to new challenges.

REVERSED MEANING
When the Wheel is reversed, you may suffer some bad luck, but thankfully this marks the end of a run of
challenges. In this way, the simple interpretation of the reversed Wheel is closure. The benefits of the
upright Wheel will come—it will just take a little longer to gather momentum and move you forward. On
a spiritual level, this card can also show a lack of confidence in your intuitive messages or a false start
when choosing a way to spiritually develop. Vow to adapt, begin again, and keep on working toward your
goal.

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE’S REFLECTIONS

We can see aspects of the Wheel of Fortune in these minor arcana cards:
The Six of Swords, for moving on
The Nine of Cups, for a wish come true

Thirteen's Observations
As much as the Tarot is about what a Querent can do to change their life or self, there are cards that admit
that sometimes you just get lucky. This card can mean movement, change and evolution, but its primary
meaning always seems to say that such changes will seem to come out of the blue, a stroke of good,
unexpected fortune. The person you're reading for is going to get that money, that job, that promotion,
that special person, that break they've been waiting for. Call it karmic payback for all the good things
they've done in life - destiny or just luck - but whatever lotteries are out there, large or small, they've just
won one.

XI JUSTICE
Key Meanings: Balance, perception, and objectivity. HER WISDOM MESSAGE: With the right values,
reward comes.

Basic Story
The Fool is looking for a new path, a new aspiration and inspiration for his life. Sitting uncertain at a cross-
roads, he notices a blind wise woman listening to two brothers argue over an inheritance. They have come
to her for judgement. One brother has the whole inheritance, the other has nothing. "I ask that all of it be
given to me," the poor brother demands, "Not only because I have a better right to it, but because I will
not be wasteful with it, as he is!" But the rich brother protests, "It is rightfully mine and that's all that
should matter, not what I do with it!" The woman listens, then awards half of the rich brother's inheritance
to the poor brother. The Fool thinks this only fair, but neither brother is happy. The rich one hates losing
half his wealth, and the poor one feels he ought to have gotten all. "You were fair," he remarks to the
woman after they have left. "Yes, I was," she answers plainly. "With only half the inheritance, the rich one
will stop being so wasteful. And the poor one will have as much as he needs. Even though they cannot see
it, this decision was good for both." The Fool thinks on this, and new insight on his own life comes to mind.
He realizes that he has spent his life achieving worldly ambitions, physical goods, while leaving his spiritual
self to starve, primarily because he didn't want to make the sacrifices necessary to feed his spiritual self.
Now, he sees that this is necessary, the only path he has not walked, one he must walk to regain his
equilibrium. Thanking the woman, he heads out with new purpose. It is time to balance his own inner
scales.

JUSTICE’S ASTROLOGY
Justice takes the sign of Libra the Scales (September 22–October 23), which begins at the autumn equinox
when the hours of daylight and darkness are equal, reflected in Libra’s symbol, the scales. Justice’s
element, Air, also reminds us of the scales, which hang midair.

MYTHOLOGY: In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Justice card is graced with the presence of Athena, the Greek
goddess of justice, who is seated on a silver throne adorned in her silver helmet and battle armor. In her
right hand, she holds a sword, and in her left, she holds a pair of scales symbolizing the ability to weigh
both sides of a situation to arrive at an impartial judgment. An owl is perched on her shoulder reflecting
Athena's clarity of vision. Justice is the eighth card in the tarot, and tells the story of Athena, the favored
daughter of Zeus. Athena was a natural warrior from birth, but unlike Ares, the god of war; she was more
of a strategist, and her need for war was based on high principles, and the cool recognition that a battle
was sometimes necessary to preserve the truth. She balanced Ares' aggression and force with logic and
diplomacy. She was also known for her service to mankind, and fostered skills and crafts such as weaving.
She was known as a civilized goddess, although, she could become a warrior when she needed to protect
her peaceful civilization. On an inner level, Athena is symbolic of the capacity for reflective judgment and
rational thought. Athena's judgments are not based on personal feeling, but upon an impartial objective
assessment built upon ethical principles. Athena's chastity can be seen as a symbol of the intactness and
purity of this reflective skill which is not influenced by any personal desires. Her willingness to battle for
principles rather passions stems from the mind's capacity to make choices based upon reflection while
holding the instincts in control. In a reading, the Justice card can reveal the need for balanced thought,
and impartial decision-making. But like Athena's sword, this card can be double-edged because there are
some areas of life where Athena's cool reflection is too chilly and idealistic like in the area of love
relationships. Her sword can cut the heart with its general truths, and not take into consideration the
particular situation. Though, justice does serve a purpose in life encouraging all of us to be aware of
fairness and truth as important ethical principles.

UPRIGHT MEANING
There will be a positive outcome. This is a time when past errors or imbalances can be redressed. You
benefit from a fair system, provided you are accountable, honest, and deserving. Equally, you may be the
judge in your own life, using your perspective and integrity to make good decisions that will safeguard
your future. You may take a moral stand on an issue that affects you and those around you. In legal
matters, a decision is made or a ruling given, which goes in your favor; justice will be done and order
restored. On a spiritual level, Justice shows the working out of karma, or actions and consequences. Justice
shows a logical, considered influence. It is a welcome arrival in your reading if life has felt chaotic. It is a
card of empowerment, advising you to take a left-brain approach to take control. Influential people favor
you now, and your projects get support. Listen to advice from people around you whom you respect.
Justice can also indicate the following:
Home: Legal issues concerning property are resolved. Contracts are signed and you can make progress.
Relationships: While balance and practical issues are important now, take care that your emotional needs
are met. Find the right balance between work and relationships.
Career and money: At work you may be tested, but the outcome is positive; job interviews and
negotiations are successful. Financially, you are coming to the end of a frugal period—money matters are
set to improve.

REVERSED MEANING
Life goes out of balance as work, relationships, and money issues spiral out of control. A decision may go
against you, so there may be dishonesty or a miscarriage of justice. You are treated unfairly, which is
compounded by bad advice from a trusted individual. You are not able to speak your truth and feel
overruled by those who don’t understand your predicament. It is important to find your voice and stay
strong to your values—if you are in the right.

JUSTICE’S REFLECTIONS
We can see aspects of Justice in these minor arcana cards:
The Ace of Swords, for clarity of thought and success
The Two of Swords, which shows two swords, means a stalemate; a pending decision

Thirteen's Observations
I think Justice is a good card (as compared to Strength) to stand as the first of the next ten cards of the
Major Arcana. The reason I think it right is because with it we move from the physical world (first ten
cards) into the metaphysical world (next ten). When I look at Justice, I always see the two worlds balanced
on her scales. "You've spent all your time in one," she seems to be saying, time to move into the other
and balance things out." One thing to remember about the Justice card is that it is not about punishment,
good, bad, right or wrong. It is about adjustment. The sword suggests that sometimes this won't be
pleasant. Justice pares things down

XII THE HANGED MAN

Key Meanings: Waiting, sacrifice, and enlightenment. HIS WISDOM MESSAGE: Use your time wisely.

Basic Story
The Fool settles beneath a tree, intent on finding his spiritual self. There he stays for nine days, without
eating, barely moving. People pass by him, animals, clouds, the wind, the rain, the stars, sun and moon.
On the ninth day, with no conscious thought of why, he climbs a branch and dangles upside down like a
child, giving up for a moment, all that he is, wants, knows or cares about. Coins fall from his pockets and
as he gazes down on them - seeing them not as money but only as round bits of metal - everything
suddenly changes perspective. It is as if he's hanging between the mundane world and the spiritual world,
able to see both. It is a dazzling moment, dreamlike yet crystal clear. Connections he never understood
before are made, mysteries are revealed. But timeless as this moment of clarity seems, he realizes that it
will not last. Very soon, he must right himself, and when he does, things will be different. He will have to
act on what he's learned. For now, however, he just hangs, weightless as if underwater, observing,
absorbing, seeing.

THE HANGED MAN’S ASTROLOGY

Neptune is the planet of the Hanged Man. Ruler of the oceans, Neptune links with the element of the
card, Water. Also associated with mystical states and the imagination, Neptune indicates the different
facets of the card when reversed—the aspect of fantasy and the raised state of consciousness that a
period of reflection can bring.

MYTHOLOGY: The card of the Hanged Man in the Mythic Tarot deck portrays Prometheus as a mature
man with brown hair, and a beard. He is shackled in an upside down position to the bare face of a cliff.
His upside down posture implies that his head - the rational mind - no longer controls him. Like the setting
sun on the card, this image symbolizes the descent of the spirit into the darkness of the unconscious.
Behind him there are the craggy rocks, and the large wings of an eagle as it approaches. Many people are
familiar with the story of Prometheus. He was the Titan who defied Zeus, the father of the gods, and stole
the fire from the gods to give to man, knowing that he would be punished for his deed. The name
Prometheus means 'foresight', and he also possessed the gift of prophecy. He had a deep sympathy for
humankind, and wanted them to have some of the holy fire so that they could discover progress and
illumination, but this didn't go over well with Zeus. Zeus seized Prometheus, and had him chained to a
high cliff in the mountains. An eagle flew down each day to devour Prometheus's liver; and each night, his
liver was renewed, and the torture continued. After 3o years of this torture, Zeus relented, and allowed
him to be rescued by Heracles thus making Prometheus immortal. On an inner level, the Hanged Man, is
an image of a voluntary sacrifice for a greater good. The sacrifice can be of a material object, or an inner
attitude, but it is made with willingness, and an acceptance of the suffering that might be required. The
image of Prometheus is a symbol of the part of us which has the foresight to understand that such changes
might be needed for the unfoldment of an inner plan which is not yet clear. He implies an acceptance of
waiting in the darkness which many mystics have called the 'Dark Night of the Soul' where one can only
wait without a vision of how everything will turn out. The card of the Hanged Man is the natural next step
after the turning of the Wheel of Fortune, for it implies a willingness to trust in the Self which knows better
than the ego what might be right and necessary for one's personal development. In a reading, the Hanged
Man can signify the need for a voluntary sacrifice for the purpose of acquiring something of greater value.
It may be an external object, or a cherished attitude which needs to be released. In any case, it often
involves a time of waiting where we are not able to see clearly in the darkness, and must wait for a time
of clarity.

UPRIGHT MEANING
The obvious meaning of the card at first glance is hanging around: Events are not moving with speed, but
all you can do is wait patiently in the knowledge that the universe has its own plan. The card can also
indicate that you may have made sacrifices just now and are eager to see rewards. Unfortunately, you
cannot force an outcome that fits with your timetable. There are many
other factors about which you can have no knowledge or influence. Therefore, you may also expect delays
to travel plans and projects. On a creative level, this card can appear frequently when a person is feeling
frustrated with their progress. However, the message of the Hanged Man is incubation—your project
needs time to evolve. Use this time to develop perspective on your work and your ambitions. Another
message from the Hanged Man is to try to see things from a new angle. If your approach isn’t working,
ask yourself if you can think laterally or find a way to turn a situation around. The Hanged Man can also
suggest the following:
Home: Waiting and delays may affect remodeling or house moves. Try to invest your time wisely while
you wait—there may be a creative solution.
Relationships: You are unable to get the commitment you need from a partner, or you may be the one
unwilling to commit. Traditionally, it can also show hanging around for a lover to acknowledge you as a
partner rather than friend. If you’re waiting too long, you may decide it’s not worth the emotional
investment.
Career and money: Hold back on signing contracts or dealing with legal matters just now. With work,
decisions may be going on that will affect your position, but you are protected. If you are looking for work,
there may be delays and frustration.

REVERSED MEANING
The Hanged Man reversed can be a sign of rigid thinking and martyrdom. You may need to revise your
expectations; what you think you want may not be possible. In the position, the card asks you if you are
hanging on to a fantasy that may make you a victim rather than a victor. Take another view and liberate
yourself from a contract or other obligation that cannot offer you what you want.
THE HANGED MAN’S REFLECTIONS
We can see aspects of the Hanged Man in these minor arcana cards:
The Eight of Wands reversed, for delay with moving and communication
The Two of Wands reversed, for delays to plans
The Three of Wands reversed, for delays to travel

Thirteen's Observations
Neptune is spirituality, dreams, psychic abilities, and the Hanged Man is afloat in these. He is also 12, the
opposite of the World card, 21. With the World card you go infinitely out. With the Hanged Man, you go
infinitely in. This card signifies a time of insight so deep that, for a moment, nothing but that insight exists.
All Tarot readers have such moments when we see, with absolute clarity, the whole picture, the entire
message offered by a spread. The Hanged Man symbolizes such moments of suspension between physical
and mystical worlds. Such moments don't last, and they usually require some kind of sacrifice. Sacrifice of
a belief or perspective, a wish, dream, hope, money, time or even selfhood. In order to gain, you must
give. Sometimes you need to sacrifice cherished positions, open yourself to other truths, other
perspectives in order to find solutions, in order to bring about change. One thing is certain, whether the
insight is great or small, spiritual or mundane, once you have been the Hanged Man you never see things
quite the same.

XIII DEATH
Key Meanings: Transformation and change. ITS WISDOM MESSAGE: Swift change brings new beginnings.
Basic Story
Having left the tree from where he hung, the Fool moves carefully through a fallow field, head still clearing
from visions. The air is cold and wintry, the trees bare. Before him, he sees, rising with the sun, a skeleton
in black armor mounted on a white horse. He recognizes it as Death. As it stops before him, he humbly
asks, "Have I died?" He feels, in fact, rather empty and desolate.
And the Skeleton answers, "Yes, in a way. You sacrificed your old world, your old self. Both are gone,
dead." The Fool reflects on that, "How sad." Death acknowledges this with a nod. "Yes, but it is the only
way to be reborn. A new Sun is rising, and it is, for you, a time of great transformation." As Death rides
away, the Fool can feel the truth in those words. He, too, feels like a skeleton,
all that he was stripped away. This, he understands, is how all great transformations start, by stripping
things to the bone, and building fresh upon the bare foundations.
DEATH’S ASTROLOGY
Scorpio is named after the scorpion, which kills with a swift sting—and, unsurprisingly, it is the astrological
sign associated with Death. Its dates (October 23–November 22) mark the period after the harvest when
leaves fall and we stock up for the winter. Scorpio is associated with death and sex, dying and creation,
just as Death brings an ending before fertile new life with the spring.
MYTHOLOGY: The Death card is the 14th card in the Major Arcana of the Mythic Tarot, and shows the
next phase of this archetypal journey. The card of Death in the Mythic Tarot portrays Hades, the god of
the underworld, dressed in his black robes with his face hidden behind a helmet. His hands are open to
receive the gifts from the small humans at his feet. They give him a golden crown, a pile of coins, and a
flower. Behind him, the River Styx, winds its way across a barren landscape leading to a far shore where
the sun is rising on the green hills. In Greek mythology, Hades was the son of the Titans, Cronos and Rhea,
and was rescued by his brother, Zeus, who gave him the kingdom of the underworld as his share of the
inheritance. Hades also known as Pluto was the absolute master of the dark underworld. Although, Hades
received less stature than his heavenly brother, Zeus, he possessed the greater power because his law
was irrevocable. When a soul entered the dark domain of Hades, no god, including Zeus could rescue
them. At times, people did their best to enter by way of trickery or magic to bring back someone from the
dead, but those rescues were rare. On an inner level, Hades, the god of Death, symbolizes the permanent
and final end of a cycle of life. When change shows up on our doorstep, we are often asked to relinquish
an old dream, attitude, or way of being in the world to be replaced by a new beginning, but first, we must
go through the ending. Hades in his dark robes symbolizes the experience of sadness and mourning that
we go through before we are able to embrace the new cycle in our lives. In the card of the Hanged Man,
we learned about the experience of a voluntary sacrifice where we make a decision to let go of something
in the hope that a new phase of life can emerge. Hades represents that in-between stage where we are
brought face to face with our loss before the sense of new growth has begun. The card of Death does not
always symbolize a challenging ending, but can be more of an ending of an old way of life like when
someone is married, or gives birth to a child. They are also letting go of an old way of being in the world,
and learning how to embrace their new status as a spouse, or a parent. And such is life with its many
endings and new beginnings from childhood to adolescence, from youth to middle age, and from one
relationship to another. Thus, Hades, the lord of Death, is our invisible companion throughout life. In a
reading, the card of Death usually implies that something must come to an end whether or not the person
is fully aware of the impending ending; it is a necessary stage for their soul's growth. It signifies an
opportunity for a new life, if they can let go of the old one. For the Fool in the Mythic Tarot, it is a time
when he enters the underworld, and has to leave behind his previous life to step into the unknown. If you
are faced with an ending, it can be the perfect time to have a Mythic Tarot reading to receive insight into
the darkness, and to help you prepare for the new beginning that awaits you.

UPRIGHT MEANING
Death brings endings and beginnings—sometimes all at once. This a time of fast and deep transformation
and an opportunity to let go of whatever you no longer need. Unlike card XX, Judgment, which signals a
process of self-examination, Death’s impact is sudden and may be shocking. You have little control over
external events when Death looms, but in time you will be able to see this sharp change in circumstances
as a blessing. A break with the past —from relationships and friendships to work that is no longer
satisfying—is the only way forward. In this sense, Death can be a release and a relief. Death, after all, is
the ultimate reality check, and he leaves you with the bare bones, the truth. In certain areas of life, Death
can signify the following: Home: You need to find a new home; the place you are living no longer meets
your needs. New circumstances may offer an opportunity to relocate.
Relationships: A relationship ends or there is a period of necessary separation. In friendships, there will
be an opportunity to reconnect when the time is right.
Career and money: Signifying a career change or the ending of business partnerships or ways of bringing
in an income, Death also suggests new opportunities are on the horizon. Financially, this is a tough time,
but money matters will improve, so hold tight.

REVERSED MEANING
Death reversed has virtually the same meaning as the card in the upright position, but the difference is in
your reaction. You may feel anxious and stressed, unable to comprehend what is happening, rather than
being accepting. When Death is reversed, the universe is telling you that there is no way back—a
relationship cannot be mended, or an employer won’t change their mind. If you do a second reading and
ask the question again, this card can appear after you have already had Death upright, as a final
confirmation of your question.

DEATH’S REFLECTIONS
We can see aspects of the Death card in these minor arcana cards:
The Ten of Swords, for endings
The Four Aces, for beginnings.
Thirteen's Observations
The connection of sex and death in Scorpio (the sign stands for both) is a strong indication of what this
card is all about. We westerners see "Death" as a frightening card because we often see Death as an end,
and we hate for things to come to an end. However, in other traditions, Death is just a natural and
important, if sad part of an on-going cycle. In a karmic sense, you die so that you may be reborn. Winter
comes so that there can be a spring, and we can only appreciate what we have when we know that there
is loss. The Death card signals such things. This is a time of change. Time for something to end; but time
also for something new to begin. The Querent may honestly be told that they may feel sad or empty, low,
but that this will give him a way to rise again, like a phoenix from the ashes. Death is not the end. It is only
the precursor to resurrection.

XIV TEMPERANCE
Key Meanings: Moderation, reconciliation, healing, and angelic guidance. ITS WISDOM MESSAGE You are
guided to find peace.

Basic Story
Continuing on his spiritual path, the Fool begins to wonder how to reconcile the opposites that he's been
facing: material and spiritual (which he hung between as the Hanged man), death and birth (the one
leading into the other in the Death card). It is at this point that he comes upon a winged figure standing
with one foot in a brook, the other on a rock. The radiant creature pours something from one flask into
another. Drawing closer, the Fool sees that what is being poured from one flask is fire, while water flows
from the other. The two are being blended together! "How can you mix fire and water?" the Fool finally
whispers. Never pausing the Angel answers, "You must have the right vessels and the right proportions."
The Fool watches with wonder. "Can this be done with all opposites?" he asks. "Indeed," the Angel replies,
"Any oppositions, fire and water, man and woman, thesis and anti-thesis, can be made to harmonize. It is
only a lack of will and a disbelief in the possibility of unity that keeps opposites, opposite." And that is
when the Fool begins to understand that he is the one who is keeping his universe in twain, holding
life/death, material world and spiritual world separate. In him, the two could merge, as in the vessels that
the Angel uses to pour the elements, one to the other. All it takes, the Fool realizes, is the right
proportions....and the right vessel.
TEMPERANCE’S ASTROLOGY
Sagittarius the Archer (November 23–December 21) is Temperance’s sign. The archer is sometimes known
as the centaur—half-man, half-beast— showing the blending of opposites. The glyph for Sagittarius is the
crossed arrow, like that of the archer. It is a symbol of precision, just as Archangel Michael pours the water
between goblets at a precise angle so no liquid is spilled. Temperance’s element is Fire, for action and
energy.

MYTHOLOGY: The next card, Temperance can be seen at the top of this webpage on the left hand side. In
this particular deck, the Temperance card is graced with the beauty of Iris, the goddess of the rainbow,
who is the namesake of my counseling business. With her long, black hair, Iris is garbed in rainbow-colored
robes adorned with a pair of wings of many colors. She stands with one foot in a flowing stream, and the
other foot on dry land reflecting her ability to unite opposites within. Along the sides of the stream, there
are fields of purple irises. Behind her, there is a rainbow across the sky symbolizing hope as revealed in
this colorful bridge between heaven and earth. Iris holds two cups, one gold, and one silver, and pours
water from one to the other. The gold and silver cups represent the sun and the moon, the masculine and
the feminine, and the unconscious and the conscious, joined by the flow of feeling. Iris, the Greek goddess
of the rainbow, was also known as the messenger goddess because like Hermes, she carried messages
from Hera and Zeus down to earth, and sometimes even further, down into the underworld. In some of
the Greek myths, she also was known for giving birth to Eros, the god of love. On an inner level, Iris is an
image of the next set of lessons that the Fool needs to learn to form a stable Self which is to have a
balanced heart. Where Athena, who embodied justice is fair and objective, Iris, who embodies
temperance, is kind and merciful. Iris is also connected with the function of feeling as symbolized in her
ceaseless pouring of water from one cup to the other. In this act, she is showing how feelings must
constantly flow and renew themselves from moment to moment.Iris's goal is harmony which requires a
balancing of the positive and the negative in feelings. She serves the feminine realm with her goal always
being cooperation, and better relationship. The Fool's goal is to learn to integrate the rational thinking of
Justice with the balance of feelings as expressed in the card, Temperance. We all need a balance of both,
and one or the other dominating can result in disharmony. In a reading, the card Temperance reveals the
need for a flow of feeling in relationship. Iris, the guardian of the rainbow, suggests the potential for
harmony and cooperation resulting in a positive relationship and/or marriage.
UPRIGHT MEANING
Temperance shows you dealing with a potentially volatile situation, and you need to temper your thoughts
and actions to find balance and harmony. This means choosing neither one nor the other, but blending
two opposing forces to create an inspired solution. The card also asks you not to resist, but to accept both
sides of a situation and be guided by what feels most natural to you. It is time to reconcile any area of
your life that is out of kilter. Be hands on; you can analyze what you might do for eons, but what matters
now is action. Temperance also shows you are connecting with your guides and angels. You may be given
a sign, such as advice from a friend or even a stranger whom the angels have sent to help you. This may
also be the beginning of a spiritual journey for you. In your projects, what you imagine you can create.
You may also be inspired by an invention or work of art from the past. Here are some other
interpretations: Home: Running a household and dealing with demanding children or partners is a fine
balancing act, but you have the financial and emotional resources to succeed. Relationships: This is a
stage in a relationship when you can reach a new level of trust. If you are single, you may be guided toward
a new partner; it’s an emotionally intense time. Career and money: You may be dealing with difficult or
highly sensitive individuals. Be the diplomat, and you can work a miracle. In money terms, pay extra
attention to your income and outgoings.

REVERSED MEANING
Temperance reversed shows imbalance and unfairness in relationships and problems with money; what
you pour into your relationships and work isn’t rewarded. This card can also show you struggling with
change, and the past dominating your present and future. In this position, difficult old memories can
resurface and you feel held back. Try to look at what you need now, in the present.

TEMPERANCE’S REFLECTIONS
We can see aspects of Temperance in these minor arcana cards:
The Two of Coins, for weighing up a decision, or money flow
The Six of Cups, for harmony
The Page of Cups, for magical thinking
The Queen of Cups, for nurturing a situation
The Six of Pentacles, for fairness and generosity.
Thirteen's Observations
This is one of the hardest cards to interpret. I think, perhaps, Crowley is most helpful in understanding it,
as he calls the card: "alchemy." It sometimes works best for me to imagine the Angel wearing a lab coat
and very carefully pouring measured amounts of colored liquids into beakers rather than cups. This card
really does seem to be less about moderation then about the Sagittarian desire to find a unified field
theory, a way of blending opposites, achieving synthesis. In a reading, this card can mean that the Querent
sees two opposite camps (choices, belief systems, families, friends) and no way to unite them. But
sometimes the only reason the two won't blend is that we're not taking the time, not measuring out the
right amounts (the Querent might, for example, be trying to merge two full families when blending has to
occur bit by bit with individuals). It is also a reminder that a bow and arrow are useless apart, but together
a formidable weapon. This card tells the Querent that they CAN and should put thesis and anti-thesis
together to get the even more useful synthesis. But it will take time, care, patience and experimentation.
And also, yes, moderation.

XV THE DEVIL
Key Meanings: Enslavement and temptation. HIS WISDOM MESSAGE: In one leap, you can be free.

Basic Story The Fool comes to the foot of an enormous black mountain where reigns a creature half goat,
half god. At his hooves, naked people linked to the god's throne by chains, engage in every indulgence
imaginable: sex, drugs, food, gold, drink. The closer the Fool gets, the more he feels his own earthly desires
rising in him. Lust, passion, obsession, greed. "I refuse to give into you!" he roars at the Goat god, resisting
with all his might. The creature returns a curious look. "All I am doing is bringing out what is already in
you," the beast responds. "Such feelings are nothing to fear, nothing to be ashamed of, or even to avoid."
The Fool gestures angrily at the chained men and women, "You say that even though they are enslaved?"
The Goat-god mimics the Fool's gesture. "Take another look." The Fool does so, and realizes that the
chained collars the men and women wear are wide enough for them to easily slip off over their heads.
"They can be free if they wish to be," the Goat-god says, "Though you are right. I am the god of your
strongest desires. But you see here only those who have allowed their base, bestial desires to control
them." At this the Goat-god gestures upward, toward the peak of the mountain. "You do not see those
who have allowed their impulses and aspirations to take them up to the top of that mountain. Inhibitions
can enslave as easily as excesses. They can keep you from following your passion to the highest heights."
The Fool realizes the truth in this, and that he has mistaken the Goat-god. Here he understands now that
it is not a creature of evil, but of great power, the lowest and the highest, both of beast and god. Like all
power it is frightening, and dangerous...but it is also the key to freedom and transcendence if understood
and well used.

THE DEVIL’S ASTROLOGY The Devil’s zodiac sign is Capricorn the Goat (December 22–January 20), linking
with his identities as Pan and Satan. Capricorn’s element is Earth, for material needs, and its planet is
Saturn. Saturn was the Roman god of time Time, like the Devil himself, is traditionally the ultimate enemy
of man (see The Historical Devil).

MYTHOLOGY: The Devil card is the 15th card in the Major Arcana, and the next step on the Fool's journey
as he looks at his own shadow. In the Mythic Tarot, the Devil card features a Satyr, a creature who is half
man and half goat, dancing to the music of the pipes that he plays with his left hand. In myth, the goat
was often seen as an unclean and lustful animal, but the goat also symbolizes the scapegoat, the person
or thing upon which people project the inferior side of themselves in order to feel more righteous. Thus
Pan, the Devil, is the scapegoat upon which we blame for our troubles in life. With his right hand, he grasps
a chain attached to two naked human figures - a man and a woman. The chain symbolizes their fear and
fascination with the Devil's music even though their hands are free to release the chain, they choose to
remain tied to the Devil. Around them, there is a dark cave that implies that Pan dwells in the most
unreachable realm of the unconscious. In Greek mythology, the god, Pan was worshiped as the Great All
- the raw life of the body itself, amoral and crude, but nonetheless a god. In myth, Hermes and the nymph,
Dryope, fathered Pan who was so ugly at birth - with horns, a beard, a tail, and goat-legs - that Hermes
carried him up to Olympus for the amusement of the gods. Pan haunted the woods and pastures of
Arcadia, and symbolized the fertile, phallic spirit of the wild, untamed nature, but he could also be friendly
to men, guarding flocks, herds and beehives. On an inner level, Pan, the Devil, is an image of bondage to
the most instinctual aspects of human nature especially the goatish, uncivilized sexual impulses which we
experience as evil because of their compulsive nature. He also represents the shadow side of the psyche
which contains all the aspects of our personality that we would rather not know about. The first and
easiest way to discover these aspects is to examine the people we most dislike. Whatever qualities we
most dislike in them are sure to be lurking within ourselves. If we can face these shadow parts, and take
responsibility for the aspects within us we dislike, then we will feel less hateful of others who display
similar qualities. The more we can accept ourselves as having lustful, greedy destructive elements to our
own personality, the more we can accept other people's faults. The energy which is expended in keeping
these shadow parts hidden is energy which is lost to the personality, but when it is released, it can be a
powerful, creative energy that we are now able to utilize. Of course, this is easier said than done. A
powerful example of how the shadow may gain control is seen in the Catholic Church today with the
thousands of priests who have been accused of molesting young children. In their vows to be celibate,
these priests suppressed a powerful sexual shadow which they then acted out unconsciously. Now, as
they become conscious of their actions, the priests also need to take responsibility for their actions, and
to help these children, and their families heal. Even the way, the Catholic Church tried to hide this dark
secret from the world was very revealing of the Catholic Church's own refusal to look at their shadow side.
The Fool on his archetypal journey has to learn to confront with humility the basest and most shameful
aspects of himself, or he will remain forever in bondage to them. If he hides the shameful secret, then he
pretends that he is superior, and projects his own animalistic nature onto others, leading to prejudice,
bigotry, and even persecution of people and races that seem to him 'evil'. In a reading, the Devil card often
implies that it is time to face, and look at these shadow sides of ourselves. In owning these shadow parts,
we can also free up the creative energy used to suppress these hidden parts, and learn how to accept
ourselves and others as being human with all of our flaws. If it's time to look at your shadow side, you
may want to have a reading for more insight into how to release this powerful creative energy so you can
live a more conscious life.

UPRIGHT MEANING
You may be enslaved to an ideal or a relationship that demands too much. What started positively, or
even pleasurably, has reversed, and now you are seeing a situation for what it is. This is a destructive
situation, and you may be feeling controlled and under a bad influence. This is a card of greed, temptation,
and materialism. Yet to change the situation, you will need to think laterally and use a little cunning. It’s
never worth confronting the problem, as the negativity is endemic—hence the Devil card often appears
to describe situations that are not worth trying to fix or heal. The message is to simply walk away, to
escape in the best way you can, regardless of the temptation of staying. The Devil often arrives in a
relationship reading to show lust and negative ways of relating, in that one partner is gaining much more
that the other. By extension of this, additional meanings of the Devil are addiction—issues with sex, food,
substance abuse, and overall negative thinking patterns. Some other specifics include the following:
Home: Here, the Devil may indicate living with domineering people or dealing with a difficult landlord.
Psychic vampires and generally negative people may drain your energy. You may feel controlled and
invaded just now.
Relationships: Difficult relationships are indicated here, such as controlling partners, lust-over-love
situations, affairs, and codependent patterns. For separated partners, the Devil may show financial
dependency or other ongoing money or property issues that keep you tied to the past.
Career and money: You’re experiencing bad financial contracts, careers that are unsatisfying,
domineering bosses, or a toxic work environment— but you stay because you are financially trapped.

REVERSED MEANING
When reversed, this is one of the few cards whose meaning becomes more hopeful. With the upright
Devil, it’s time to acknowledge how you may be trapped and to begin to to search for the light. When
reversed, the Devil suggests the decision you need to make will be easier than you think. When the card
is upside down, the chains around the couple are more lax than they appear, so a situation is not quite as
drastic as you first thought. Now is the time to make your move. In terms of health, a difficult cycle is
about to end. Addiction and bad habits become easier to manage and eventually banish, and you or those
close to you can look forward to recovery.

THE DEVIL’S REFLECTIONS We can see aspects of the Devil in these minor arcana cards:
The Two of Swords, for being stuck The Eight of Swords, for restriction
The Three of Swords, for conflict and betrayal.

Thirteen's Observations This card explores some very frightening things, things we are taught to view as
evil or shameful. Like earthy materialism, sexual desire, valuables, food, or drugs. Lack of control, excess,
obsession and raw ambition. At its absolute worst, this is either the addict or the stalker, totally obsessed,
enslaved. At its best, this is a card about giving into impulse, cutting lose, going for the gold, climbing every
mountain. Among all the cards, this is one of the most complex; interestingly because no other card is so
one-sided. Most cards urge balance, unity, restraint, yin-yang. Not this card. Completely tilted toward the
masculine, it is a card that revels in extremity. There is a convincing argument that this is the most
powerful and dangerous card in the deck. Magically speaking, it is the one card in the deck that holds the
secret of how to escape the material and temporal bonds of Earth. It is a very potent and fascinating card.
 XVI THE TOWER
Key Meanings: Destruction and enlightenment. ITS WISDOM MESSAGE: Surrender.

Basic Story. As the Fool leaves the throne of the Goat God, he comes upon a Tower, fantastic, magnificent,
and familiar. In fact, The Fool, himself, helped build this Tower back when the most important thing to
him was making his mark on the world and proving himself better than other men. Inside the Tower, at
the top, arrogant men still live, convinced of their rightness. Seeing the Tower again, the Fool feels as if
lightning has just flashed across his mind; he thought he'd left that old self behind when he started on this
spiritual journey. But he realizes now that he hasn't. He's been seeing himself, like the Tower, like the men
inside, as alone and singular and superior, when in fact, he is no such thing. So captured is he by the shock
of this insight, that he opens his mouth and releases a SHOUT! And to his astonishment and terror, as if
the shout has taken form, a bolt of actual lightning slashes down from the heavens, striking the Tower
and sending its residents leaping out into the waters below. In a moment, it is over. The Tower is rubble,
only rocks remaining. Stunned and shaken to the core, the Fool experiences grief, profound fear and
disbelief. But also, a strange clarity of vision, as if his inner eye has finally opened. He tore down his
resistance to change and sacrifice (Hanged man), then broke free of his fear and preconceptions of death
(Death); he dissolved his belief that opposites cannot be merged (Temperance) and shattered the chains
of ambition and desire (The Devil). But here and now, he has done what was hardest: destroyed the lies
he held about himself. What's left is the bare, absolute truth. On this he can rebuild his soul.

THE TOWER’S ASTROLOGY The Tower’s planet is Mars, fiery and masculine, forceful and warlike. Although
Mars’s energy can bring destruction, with this comes a release, a breakthrough.

MYTHOLOGY: In the Mythic Tarot, the Tower card depicts a stone building built on a high rock overlooking
the sea. From the depths of the water, a powerful figure emerges from the angry waves, Poseidon, the
god of the ocean, who is crowned with gold, and carrying a trident. He points his trident at the Tower,
which is struck by a flash of lightening and cracks open. The sea is boiling, and the sky is black and
threatening, lit by stormy red flashes. Poseidon's eruption from the sea suggests a powerful, instinctual
force emerging from the unconscious, stronger than the will's efforts to repress it. In Greek Mythology,
Poseidon, the god of earthquakes and the ocean depths, agreed to make King Minos, the wealthy and
powerful king of Crete, the sovereign of the seas if the king offered a beautiful, white bull in sacrifice to
the god. But King Minos didn't want to part with this incredible bull so he hid it in his herd, and offered a
lesser animal in its place. In fury at this act of arrogance, Poseidon joined forces with Aphrodite, the love
goddess, and had a spell placed upon Minos' wife, Pasiphae so that she became consumed with passion
for this white bull. From this union of queen and beast, was born the Minotaur, the shame of Minos, a
creature with a man's body and a bull's head. Ashamed of this beast, Minos hid this creature in the heart
of a great stone Labyrinth. But the kingdom could not remain forever in a stagnant state with such a
shameful secret hidden at its core. With the help of Minos' daughter, Ariadne, the hero Theseus, son of
Poseidon, slew the Minotaur, and the god of the sea at the same moment rose up in anger and struck
down this Tower which was reduced to rubble by an earthquake, burying both King Minos and the corpse
of the Minotaur, while all the slaves who had been held in bondage by Minos' power were set free.
Theseus was then proclaimed the king of Crete, and a new era was begun. On an inner level, the god-
struck Tower is an image of the collapse of old forms, and a very, fitting image for the times we live in as
we go through huge changes around the globe. The climate changes are only one aspect of these changes
along with the political changes in our own country. The old structures of government, big business, and
church are beginning to go through huge transformations at this time. It's all part of the evolution of
planet Earth, and these old structures will come down if they are not willing to change. It also means that
each one of us is going through our own personal transformation, and like the old structures, we also need
to change and grow to evolve with the planet. The Tower is the only man-made structure in the Major
Arcana, and thus symbolizes the inner and outer structures that we build for ourselves as defenses against
life, and as a concealment to hide our less agreeable sides from others. The Tower is a structure of false
or outgrown values and attitudes that we use to hide our whole Self. It is time to take off the false masks,
and love and accept all parts of ourselves. In a reading, the Tower card signifies the breaking down of
existing life structures. This card, like the Death and the Devil cards, depends a great deal upon the
attitude of the person having the reading how difficult or painful these changes can be. With a willingness
to face these shadow parts of ourselves, we can be part of the change within instead of resisting the
change in our lives. But it seems that the Tower will fall away, whether we are willing or unwilling, to make
these changes because something within ourselves has reached a boiling point, and we can no longer live
within the old structures. The Tower card often shows up at mid-life when we are faced with making big
changes in our current lives in order to live a more authentic life. If you are dealing with a mid-life
crisis/awakening, it's an excellent time to have a reading to become more conscious about these
upcoming changes.
UPRIGHT MEANING The Tower hits us with sudden change: the collapse of an ideal, a dream, an
organization, or a relationship. This is inevitable and is due to forces beyond your control. The Tower can
represent shattered ego, so you may feel vulnerable and confused. Yet you can only surrender to the
power of the Tower and work on accepting the huge shift in awareness it offers—although the benefits
may not be obvious just yet. The upside of the Tower is its message of release. The walls come tumbling
down, but in the moment of destruction, everything is illuminated. You can see inside the Tower and look
at how you built it—how you lived in your psychological tower and what it protected you from. Now, you
can experience a flash of deep insight. With the Tower gone, you can begin to sense how the future might
evolve. What you build next can have more foundation. Some readers find the Tower an apt descriptor of
migraines, with the buildup of pressure and intense pain. The Tower’s lightning bolt has also been likened
to sexual tension and earth-shattering release. Here are some other possibilities the Tower may signify:
Home: The Tower can illustrate an abrupt change to your circumstances. A property you hoped to move
into does not materialize, or you encounter delays to building projects, for example. Relationships: A
secret comes to light, which may be shocking. It is time to let go of past patterns of relating. Equally, you
may experience an intense physical or spiritual attraction, which has a profound impact on your orderly
existence. Career and money: Restructuring in businesses, possible redundancies that may mean a move
to alternative premises—the Tower signifies change. A person in a position of power makes tough
decisions, and a leader may be ousted from their post.

REVERSED MEANING When the Tower is reversed, you may find yourself taking responsibility even when
you are blameless. It can also show you have held on to a career, project, or relationship that is not strong
enough to stand the test of time. If you have clung to the past to protect yourself from reality, your fears
may materialize. The Tower’s collapse is inevitable, so do not feel responsible for forces outside your
control. Its impact is sudden and dramatic, and soon you will know exactly where you stand.

THE TOWER’S REFLECTIONS

We can see aspects of the Tower in these minor arcana cards:
The Seven of Swords, for loss
The Three of Swords, for sorrow and pain
The Five of Cups, for loss and upset
The Eight of Cups, for emotional upheaval
The Ten of Wands, for overwhelm and burdens
Thirteen's Observations
No card scares a Tarot reader like the Tower - or the person they're reading for if that person knows
anything about Tarot cards. It is however one of the clearest cards when it comes to meaning. False
structures, false institutions, false beliefs are going to come tumbling down, suddenly, violently and all at
once. What's important to remember as a tarot reader is that the one you're reading for likely does not
know that something is false. Not yet. To the contrary, they probably believe that their lover is being
faithful, that their religious beliefs are true and right, that there are no problems in their family
structure, that everything is fine at work...oh, and that they're fine. Just fine, really. Alas, they're about to
get a very rude awakening. Shaken up, torn down, blown asunder. And all a reader can really do to soften
the blow is assure the Querent that it is for the best. Nothing built on a lie, on falsehoods, can remain
standing for long. Better to tear it all down and rebuild on the truth. It is not going to be pleasant or
painless or easy, but it will be for the best.

XVII THE STAR

Key Meanings: Hope, guidance, inspiration, and creativity. ITS WISDOM MESSAGE Be inspired—dreams
come true.

Basic Story
On the bleak landscape where the Tower stood, the Fool sits, empty, despairing. He hoped to find himself
on this spiritual journey, but now he feels he's lost everything, even himself. Sitting on the cold stones, he
gazes up at the night sky wondering what's left. And that is when he notices, nearby, a beautiful girl with
two water urns. As he watches, she kneels by a pool of water illuminated with reflected starlight. She
empties the urns, one into the pool, one onto the thirsty ground. "What are you doing," he asks her. She
looks up at him, her eyes twinkling like stars. "I am refilling this pool, so that those who are thirsty may
drink, and I am also watering the earth so that, come spring, the seeds will grow," she tells him. And then
she adds, "Come. Drink." The Fool comes to kneel with her by the pool and drink. The water tastes
wonderful, like liquid starlight. "I can see you are sad," the girl continues, "and I know why. But you must
remember that you have not lost all. Knowledge, possibilities, and hope, you still have all of these. Like
stars, they can lead you to a new future." Even as she says this, she began to fade away, like dew,
vanishing. All that remains is a gleam that was at the center of her forehead. This rises up and up, until it
settles in the night sky as a shining star. "Follow your star," the woman's voice seems to sing from that
light, "and have hope." The Fool takes in a breath and rises. It is a dark night, a desolate land. But for the
first time, he has a guiding light to show him the way. Distant as it is, it heals his heart, and restores his
faith.

THE STAR’S ASTROLOGY

The Star’s sign is Aquarius the Water Carrier (January 21–February 19), and the element of the card is Air.
Water represents insight, consciousness, and healing and Air, thought and idealism, suggesting the social
conscience with which Aquarians are so often attributed.

MYTHOLOGY: The card of the Star portrays Pandora as a beautiful, young woman with long, fair hair,
kneeling before an open chest. From the chest, a swarm of flying creatures rise including dragon flies,
wasps, bees, flies, moths and spiders; and they fill the sky with darkness. Pandora's eyes are fixed on a
bright star symbolized by a female figure in glowing, white robes with a rainbow shining behind her. In
Greek mythology, Pandora is a lot like Eve, who represents the feminine side of human nature which
includes feelings, instinct, imagination and intuition along with the need to probe for the truth despite
the consequences. The wooden chest that Zeus, the father of all the Greek gods, sends to mankind is a lot
like the apple in the Garden of Eden which Eve found hard to resist. The chest like the apple is something
which is forbidden, but yet impossible to resist. It contains knowledge of the reality of human life which
means the death of innocence and childlike fantasy, but it also contains the most precious attribute of the
human spirit which is hope. When Pandora opens the box, the terrible afflictions of human life that had
been locked away by Zeus were now released which included - old age, labor, sickness, insanity, vice and
passion; and they spread all over the world. Hope alone, which had also been locked in the chest, did not
fly away. On an inner level, the image of Pandora and the Star of Hope, is a symbol of that part of us which,
despite disappointment, depression and loss can still cling to a sense of meaning and future which can
still grow out of the unhappiness of the past. The Star does not reveal the future plans, or solution to one's
problems, but like the cards of the Hermit and the Hanged Man, the Star is a card of waiting, for the sense
of hope is a fragile light which glimmers and guides us through the darkness. Somehow, it offers us faith,
and therefore in the card's image, Pandora's eyes are fixed not on the unhappiness of the human
condition, but on this intuitive feeling that a dawn of a new day is coming. The quality of hope has nothing
to do with planned expectations, but is connected with something deeper which has sometimes been
called the will to live. Doctors experience this with their patients – those who have a sense of hope and a
strong will to live - will often find the inner resources to face a life-threatening dis-ease, and beat the odds.
Likewise, individuals who have suffered tragic circumstances, or have faced challenges which are far
greater than any human should have to go through such as those who experienced the concentration
camps in Germany and Poland during World War II - have often expressed that it was some inner sense
of hope and faith that meant the difference between survival and death. Hope is a profound and
mysterious thing, for it would seem that it can transcend anything life offers us. In a reading, the Star card
represents the experience of hope, meaning and faith in the midst of challenges. It's a sign that there is
new and better life coming in your future if only you can believe. The Star is a symbol for all of us right
now as we face a challenging world. If we can believe and envision a better life, we can co-create this life
for each one of us. If you need some hope right now, have a reading to shed some light on your future
path.

UPRIGHT MEANING
The Star offers hope and guidance, so if things have felt difficult recently, have faith that your luck is about
to change for the better. The Star is a powerful symbol of hope, and you can begin to appreciate
everything life has to offer, including better physical and spiritual well-being. The Star supports beauty,
and creativity flows like the star-maiden’s water. In your projects and relationships, you can be fully
expressed, sharing your love, gifts, and talents. The Star allows you to shine and show your Star quality,
so your efforts are appreciated. You may also feel more intuitive and insightful under the Star’s influence
and have more trust in messages from your angels and guides. The Star also shows good health. It is the
card of the healer and is traditionally associated with astrology. The Star can also indicate the following:
Home: You feel inspired to create beauty and style in your home, so craft projects and design are
especially favored now. If you have your eye on a dream home, it will come to you.
Relationships: The Star shows that you are destined to be with someone; it is time to find a soul mate.
Other existing relationships are calm and harmonious.
Career and money: The Star brings money luck. Work you do begins to pay off, as you have considered
your long-term goals and given attention to what matters most. Entrepreneurs may be guided to begin a
new business, or you find you have a hidden talent you can put to good use. The Star can also show awards
and fame.
REVERSED MEANING
In the reversed position, the Star can show giving up too easily in your projects and experiencing a creative
block. You may be too attached to a fantasy scenario—after all, starlight is bewitching—while overlooking
the details. Alternatively, you may feel lulled into a false sense of security in a venture that has no
foundation and little chance of success. An additional meaning is feeling alone just now, without the
support you need.

THE STAR’S REFLECTIONS We can see aspects of the Star in these minor arcana cards:
The Three of Coins, for creativity
The Six of Cups, for harmony
The Nine of Cups, for luck and a wish come true
Ace of Wands, for creativity and inspiration
Six of Wands, for victory and acknowledgment
The Ace of Coins, for beginnings and money luck
The Nine of Coins, for comfort and contentment.

Thirteen's Observations
The Star is one of those cards everyone loves. In every deck, it is usually the most beautiful. It suggests
the peace and harmony of its meaning. There is nothing negative about this card, but I think there is a
trick to it. Whatever hope, healing, or future it offers, the reader must remember that it might not be
immediate. This is a soft card, and like Aquarius, its vision is for tomorrow, not today. That's not to say
that it offers no concrete benefits; it is a card that predicts unexpected help, but that help is only the first
step. The star only reveals the future. It is up to the Querent to find his way to that future.
 XVIII THE MOON
Key Meanings: Illusion, dreams, and crisis. ITS WISDOM MESSAGE Be guided by messages from your
unconscious.

Basic Story
Following the star the Fool travels through the night. The full Moon rises, illuminating for him a watery
path. And he begins to feel disoriented, as if walking in his sleep. He passes under the moon, between two
pillars ancient and strange. Suddenly, he looks around to find himself in another land entirely. When he
was in the presence of the High Priestess, he saw hints of this dark land through the sheer veil draped
behind her throne. And later, when he hung from the tree, he felt himself between the physical world and
this one. Now, he has at last passed behind the veil. Here are the mysteries he sought, at least, here are
the dark mysteries, ones that have to do with the most primal and ancient powers; powers of nature, not
of civilization. It is a land poets, artists, musicians and madmen know well, a terrifying, alluring place, with
very different rules. Wolves, howling in homage to the moon, run wild across this land, hunting along side
maidens with bow and arrows; and creatures from childhood nightmares and fantasies peer from
shadows, eyes glowing. The path the Fool was walking is now a river, and he stands hip-deep in the
powerful pull of its salty, moonlit waters. There is, on the nearby shore, a small boat, but it has no rudder,
no oar. The Fool realizes he has only two.

THE MOON’S ASTROLOGY

The Moon’s sign is Pisces, the Fish (February 20–March 20), whose element
is emotional Water. In astrology, the Moon in Pisces means compassion and
intuition. Pisces the Fish and stands for the soul, as well as sexuality and creativity.

MYTHOLOGY: The card of the Moon in the Mythic Tarot portrays Hecate, a mysterious feminine goddess,
with the three faces of womanhood - the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone, also known as the Wise
Woman. With silver hair, she is dressed in white robes which flow into a pool at her feet, capturing the
colors associated with the Moon. Beside her stands a three-headed dog, while from the depths of the
pool, a crab attempts to crawl from the water. The crab, being a creature which doesn't belong completely
to the watery or earthly realm, but makes its abode in between. The crab is an image of the dream-world,
which arises from the unknown, and intrudes upon our daily life with powerful images and dreams that
need to be deciphered for their deeper meanings. In Greek mythology, the goddess, Hecate, was known
as the ruler of the moon as well as presiding over magic, childbirth, death, the underworld and fate. In
myth, Hecate was interchangeable with Artemis, the moon goddess, but she was a much older deity, and
was powerful in both the sky, and beneath the earth. She also became known as one of the underworld
rulers, and was called the Invincible Queen, and was accompanied by Cerberus, the three-headed
guardian of the underworld's gate, who was her animal form, and familiar spirit. On an inner level, Hecate,
the moon-goddess is an image of the mysterious, watery depths of the unconscious. We have already
experienced this elusive realm through two other cards in the Major Arcana: the High Priestess, and the
Wheel of Fortune. These three cards are connected, and reveal a progression in a deepening
understanding, and experience of the world of the unconscious. Through, Persephone known as the High
Priestess, the Fool became aware of an intuition of his own personal depths. Through the Moirai who
preside over the Wheel of Fortune, the Fool experienced the power of fate, through sudden changes of
fortune that reveal an invisible law, or purposeful pattern within. In the Moon card, we find in the image
of Hecate, an experience of the great collective sea of the unconscious from which not only the individual,
but the whole of life has emerged. Hecate embodies the feminine principle symbolized by the three faces
of womanhood, and the three lunar phases which reflect her multifaceted power over heaven, earth and
the underworld. When one meets with the energy of Hecate, it is a confrontation with the transpersonal
world, where individual boundaries dissolve, and the sense of direction, and ego are lost. It is as though
we must wait submerged in the murky waters while the new potentials arise which will eventually become
our future. It can be a fearful, anxiety-filled place, for living in this realm means living without knowledge
and clarity. The card of the Moon is a card of gestation, filled with confusion, and bewilderment where
we only have the dream-world, and the Star of Hope to guide us. In a reading, the Moon card reveals a
time of confusion, fluctuation, and uncertainty. We are in the grip of the unconscious, and can only wait,
looking for signs in the elusive images of dreams holding onto a sense of hope and faith. The Moon card
captures that time in womanhood, as a woman moves into that last phase of life becoming a Crone, and
has the opportunity to become the Wise Woman. If you are approaching that time of life, it's important
to tune into your dreams, and to also have readings for insight and guidance. A guide can be very helpful
to navigate those murky waters of the unconscious.

UPRIGHT MEANING
The Moon’s traditional meaning is a crisis of faith and a period of emotional vulnerability. It reveals
misgivings about a situation, as you cannot be sure if what you are seeing is the truth. Under the light of
the Moon, is what you are seeing an illusion? Or does the Moon bring to light the essence of a problem
that needs attention? This may be a time of deep emotional conflict, and the struggle is private rather
than shared. You have a decision to make, and to choose wisely, you need to rely on your senses rather
than logic. Take note of your intuitive messages and dreams now and acknowledge them as valid sources
of information that will lead you in the right direction. The Moon can show you being asked to take a risk,
to broaden your life experience. The prospect may make you uncomfortable, but the Moon asks you to
dive deep and examine the real cause of unrest. The Moon can also suggest the following:
Home: You could be feeling disillusioned about your current living situation or having second thoughts
about a move or home improvement project that is proving more costly than anticipated. On a positive
note, you may intuitively find an object you thought was lost.
Relationships: Confusion and disappointment reign as someone lets you down. A lack of trust that a
relationship will work leads you to a love decision.
Career and money: You may achieve a goal but ultimately feel it was not worth the effort. With colleagues,
emotions run high, and you may need to protect yourself from others’ negativity. Money matters are
stable, but you want more satisfaction from work than just the paycheck.

REVERSED MEANING
When the Moon is reversed, you may avoid difficult emotions and confrontations, so your needs are not
expressed or recognized. A trauma is ignored again rather than explored, so the Moon reversed can show
you going back to old ways of coping with the past. The card can also show you feeling stuck in an old
emotional pattern that keeps arising—until you give it attention.

THE MOON’S REFLECTIONS

We can see aspects of the Moon in these minor arcana cards:
The Two of coins, for weighing up your options
The Five of coins, for insecurity
The Nine of Swords, for anxiety
The Seven of Cups, for fantasy and possibility
The Three of Swords, for distress—what your heart is telling you
The Two of Swords, for indecision.
Thirteen's Observations
This is the card of that scary, dreamy, secret otherworld where lies the most powerful and dark magic.
Primal magic. It is the card that you'd get for Jackson Pollack types, switching between being wild, mean,
crazy drunks and creative geniuses. They have wicked mood swings, dark, dark, dark depressions,
charming manic modes. They have no inhibitions, don't even try to behave themselves in polite society,
their crazy behavior sometimes inspired, sometimes horribly embarrassing, even unbelievable and even
dangerous. But the art, poetry, music they produce....it's magic. When I get this card, I let the Querent
know they're in for an emotional and mental rollercoaster ride. They can do two things, either wander
through this crazy, lunatic landscape howling at the moon (get drunk, wallow in depression, alienate
friends and family with wild, antisocial behavior), or get in a boat and go through it purposefully (paint
something!).

XIX THE SUN

Key Meanings: Success, good health, and a holiday. ITS WISDOM MESSAGE Enjoy your success.

Basic Story
The Fool wakes at dawn from his long, restless night to find that the wild river has, at last, come to an end,
quietly floating him into a serene pool. There is a walled garden around this pond dominated by roses,
lilies and splendid, nodding sunflowers. Stepping ashore, he watches the Sun rise overhead, bright and
golden. The day is clear. A child's laughter attracts his attention and he sees a little boy ride a small white
pony into the garden. "Come!" says the little boy, leaping off the horse and running up to him. "Come
see!" And the child proceeds to take the Fool's hand and enthusiastically point out all manner of things,
the busy insects in the grass, the seeds and petals on the sunflowers, the way the light sparkles on the
pond. He asks questions of the Fool, simple but profound ones, like "Why is the sky blue?" He sings songs,
and plays games with the Fool. At one point the Fool stops, blinking up at the Sun so large and golden
overhead, and he finds himself smiling, wider and brighter than he has in a very long time. Since he started
on this spiritual journey, he has been tested and tried, confused and scared, dismayed and amazed. But
this is the first time that he has been simply and purely happy. His mind feels illuminated, his soul light
and bright as a sunbeam. Like the great Sun itself, this child with his simple questions, games and songs,
has helped the Fool see the world and himself anew, to wonder at and appreciate both. "Who are you?"
the Fool asks the child at last. The child smiles at this and seems to shine. And then he grows brighter and
brighter until he turns into pure sunlight. "I'm You," the boy's voice says throughout the garden, "The new
you." And as the words fill the Fool with warmth and energy, he comes to realize that this garden, the sun
above, the child, all exist within him. He has just met his own inner light.

THE SUN’S ASTROLOGY

Naturally, the Sun is the planet of this card. The Sun is concerned with the solar, or outward aspects of
the self, and renewed vitality after the dark night of soul encountered under the Moon. In the past, the
card has been linked with Gemini the Twins as printed decks such as the Marseilles-style tarots show two
children on the card rather than one child, as on the Rider-Waite.

MYTHOLOGY: The card depicts the radiant sun-god Apollo with golden hair crowned with laurel leaves,
and bearing a golden disc on his head. He has golden wings, and wears a dazzling white robe. In his right
hand, he holds a bow and arrows which symbolizes the part of us which can see the purpose for
experiences long before we have processed them; and in his left hand, he carries a lyre, symbolizing how
music can be used to transform our darkness into light and meaning. In the card, Apollo is framed by two
columns, and a portico built of pale, golden stone. Behind him, there is a golden-green landscape under a
brilliant blue sky. In Greek mythology, Apollo was known as the god of prophecy, music and knowledge.
He was the son of Zeus, by Leto, the goddess of night. Unlike other children, Apollo was not given mother's
milk, but instead fed nectar and sweet ambrosia, which speeded up his growth from a babe to a man.
Apollo is known for creating the shrine of Delphi where he established his oracle, spoken by a priestess
who became known as the Pythoness. Apollo was the enemy of all darkness, but he was a tricky deity for
his oracle was double-tongued and elusive, and his arrows not only slayed monsters, but men as well.
Prophecy was his gift, and he became known for his far-reaching vision. On an inner level, Apollo, the sun-
god, is an image of the power of the consciousness to dispel the darkness. Apollo symbolizes the urge
towards consciousness which exists in all life, and therefore is the natural complement and antithesis to
Hecate, the Moon goddess and one of the rulers of the underworld. Apollo represents the spirit of
intellectual striving, combined with a vision of the future which holds an ideal of perfection. The Fool's
journey continues with his encounter of Apollo, the sun-god, who brings the hope and clarity of daylight
after having waited in the dark cave of the unknown. Apollo is the dispeller of fear, and his bright light
cast away the shadows of doubt. The Fool's faith in himself is restored, and the faith for all of us in the
purpose of the journey of life. In a reading, the card of Apollo signifies a time of clarity, optimism and
renewed trust. It is now possible to see the pattern, to plan for the future, and to move forward once
again. Embracing the masculine principle in life which works through both men and women, we can now
move towards our goals with renewed faith that we can achieve them.

UPRIGHT MEANING The Sun brings success and achievement and is one of the most positive cards in the
major arcana. If you have had a challenging time, the Sun shows that every aspect of your life will improve.
You’ll also enjoy more energy, and if you or someone close has suffered from health problems, the card
predicts recovery and a return to good health. As a card of energy and growth, all your projects benefit
now, so the Sun heralds a good time to nurture your creative endeavors, your business, and the
relationships you value. This card is also associated with children and family. It reveals good news about
children in general and also about spending happy times with friends who make you smile. You may be
reunited with an old friend, partner, or family member. In terms of a state of mind, the Sun shows you
feeling carefree and creative, nurturing your inner child. In a layout with “negative” cards, the sun has the
power to shed a positive light on the whole reading. Here’s some other good news the Sun can predict:
Home: You feel comfortable and secure in your home—you may also feel more like entertaining others.
In particular, the Sun shows children coming into your home. Relationships: Partnerships bloom under the
sun as your relationship grows and you enjoy every minute together. You may also take a trip away to a
sunny place to escape everyday pressures. Career and money: The Sun does not specifically predict money
but does show success and a position from which you can generate money. The Sun shines on your career,
too, as you get the acknowledgment you deserve. Now is the time to bask in your success.

REVERSED MEANING
It’s virtually impossible to see any negative side to the sun, even when reversed. The only glitch could be
a delay to travel plans, but you will enjoy a happy and content period regardless.

THE SUN’S REFLECTIONS

We can see aspects of the Sun in these minor arcana cards:
The Four of Wands, for happiness and freedom
The Ace of Cups, for love and nurturing
The Three of Cups, for celebration
The Six of Wands, for success
The Six of Cups, for harmony and old friends
Thirteen's Observations
I actually have predicted children with this card once, and once only. Most of the time, however, this card,
to me, is all about the Apollian ideal. Young, healthy, new, fresh. The brain is working, things that were
muddled come clear, everything falls into place, and everything seems to go your way. It's one of those
days when it all goes right. Just right. The money you were waiting for arrives and a bonus has been added,
the project you've been working on comes out perfectly and you get all the credit. Traffic lights turn green
for you, liars come clean and apologize, the garden blooms, the sky is blue, the weather is warm and
sweet. As the song goes, "Here comes the Sun...." and absolutely everything is going to be all right.

XX JUDGMENT
Key Meanings: Assessment, and letting go of the past. ITS WISDOM MESSAGE: Look back with pleasure.

Basic Story
As the Fool leaves the garden of the Sun, he feels that he is near the end of his journey, ready to take a
final step. But something is keeping him from doing this, holding him back. He gazes up, hoping to find
guidance from the Sun; instead he sees above him a fiery angel, beautiful and terrible. "You are right," the
Angelic figure confirms, "you have only one last step on your journey, one final step to completion. But
you cannot take that step until you lay your past to rest." The Fool is perturbed. "Lay it to rest? I thought
I'd left it behind, all of it," he says. "There is no way to do that," The Angel observes. "Each step wears
down the shoe just a bit, and so shapes the next step you take, and the next and the next. Your past is
always under your feet. You cannot hide from it, run from it, or rid yourself of it. But you can call it up,
and come to terms with it. Are you willing to do that?" The Angel hands the Fool a small trumpet. The
Fool is hesitant, but he knows that this is a final decision. Either to go forward, or stay where he is. He
blows, and the trumpet's song echoes across the sky, its vibrations seeming to crack open the Earth. From
under the Fool's feet, memories rise. Images of his innocent youth, challenges, loves, failures, losses,
success, disillusionment and wisdom. For the first time, he does not try to leave them, ignore or forget
them, but accepts them. They are, he sees, nothing to fear. They happened, but they are gone now. He,
alone, carries them into the present. With that understanding, the memories vanish. Though they remain
in his mind, they no longer have any power over him. He is free of them, reborn, and wholly in the present.
JUDGMENT’S ASTROLOGY
Judgment is associated with Pluto, who was the Roman god of the dead and the underworld. The planet
Pluto is also associated with transformation at a deep level. The element of Judgment is Fire, perhaps a
reference to flames of purification and the burning of the physical body in rituals of cremation.

MYTHOLOGY: In this deck, the Judgment card portrays the god, Hermes as young man with black hair,
dressed in a white tunic, and a blood-red cloak. He wears a winged helmet as well as winged sandals, both
symbolic of his mercurial gifts. In his right hand, he holds the caduceus, the staff of magic and medicine
entwined with two snakes. There are two columns, one black and one white, on both sides of him. The
stairs that he stands on lead to a doorway through which you can see a green landscape over which the
sun is just rising. Before him, there are several coffins, and from them, the dead are rising, and reaching
out to him. In Greek mythology, Hermes was known as the Psychopomp, the Guide of Souls. In the card
of the Magician, Hermes appears as the Fool's inner guide at the beginning of the journey of life - a
trickster, and protector of lost travelers. Now, he is revealed as the Guide of Souls, who can summon the
souls of the dead back to life, or usher them into the world of Hades, the god of the dead. In this role,
Hermes leads the souls of the dead to their accounting and prepares them for renewed life as well. On an
inner level, Hermes as the Psychopomp, is an image of a process that happens at critical moments in one's
life when the experiences of the past are gathered together, and seen as part of a larger pattern, and the
consequences of these experiences must be understood and accepted. This process of summing-up is not
an intellectual exercise, but rather an alchemical one in the underworld of the unconscious where the
many varied actions and decisions we have lived through, come together to yield a harvest. The artist
experiences this process when after many hours or weeks or even years of attempting to research,
practice and give shape to an elusive idea or image, that something finally happens, and a new creative
work is born. This is Hermes at his most magical, revealed at last as the lord of the Fool's entire journey,
bringing together through the mysterious process of intuition, all the experiences and insights gained from
each stage of the journey, and magically blending these to form the beginnings of a new and larger
personality. Thus the figure of Hermes leading the dead souls to Judgment is really a process of birth. It is
the birth of a more complete personality, which arises in a non-rational way from the combined
experiences of the past, fused by insight and the sense that apparently random events and choices have
all been secretly connected. The judge of the dead decides what future has been earned from past efforts,
and it is on the efforts of the past, that the Fool's future is built. Everything must be accounted for, and
the Fool meets at last the consequences of all of his choices in life. The Judgment card symbolizes the
rewards for efforts made, although the judge is inside us, not outside in the world. Judgment is an image
not just of a new beginning, but a beginning which emerges out of the past. In Eastern philosophy, this is
called karma. Each person sows his own seeds, and ultimately must reap the harvest from what he sows.
In a reading, the card of Judgment often signifies a time when the rewards of past efforts appear. This is
a period of summing-up, and of a realization of what we have been doing, and how we have created the
future that now awaits us. The reward is not always a pleasant one because we can be faced with our own
evasions, and self-betrayals. The Judgment card heralds the end of a chapter in life.

UPRIGHT MEANING
It is time to come to a decision about the past. Great changes and opportunities are on the horizon, but
before you can decide on your direction, certain past issues need to be addressed. This process is purely
about how you judge yourself on your past actions and attitudes. In the upright position, Judgment shows
you will feel you have acted with integrity and did the best you could. As you accept yourself fully, you
can blow your own trumpet and praise yourself for your achievements. An additional meaning is being in
the public eye, hence Fame, the card’s alternative title. Judgment also predicts a spiritual awakening, as
you feel called to explore your potential. You have learned much about yourself in this most recent phase
and are ready to go further, developing your spiritual connection with your guides and angels. As you
receive guidance on your path, your confidence and wisdom will grow. Here’s more insight:
Home: You may be drawn to an old property or consider returning to a place that holds happy memories.
You will soon need to make a major property decision.
Relationships: Love is assessed and shifts into a new phase. There may be a need for reconciliation, if you
deem the relationship worthwhile. If you are single, you may revisit an old relationship and decide if it is
worth trying again. An old friend may reappear.
Career and money: Acknowledgment for your successes is coming; finances also improve.

REVERSED MEANING
When reversed, you may be stuck in the past or refuse to learn the lessons that are there for you. You
may find yourself in old patterns and not yet able to break free. Delays are also indicated, in terms of
future plans, and you may be feeling trapped and unable to progress, without really understanding why.
You have the ability to judge your actions and attitudes and then move on; the past cannot be changed,
only accepted. Have compassion for the person you were then and for the decisions you made. You don’t
have to live with the results of these choices in the future; you can decide to be free.
JUDGMENT’S REFLECTIONS
We can see aspects of Judgment in these minor arcana cards:
The Six of Cups, for nostalgia and reunions
The Nine of Cups, for contentment in achievement.

Thirteen's Observations
Judgement is often a hard card to read; it usually signals just a big change, one that involves leaving
something old completely behind and stepping into something completely new. Like closing the door on
an old job, and opening the door to a new and very different career. But it's also about making a final
decision, to take that plunge into the new career, to forgive your family, to leave an abusive spouse, to
make a new life. To heal and renew. It's a very hard card to read, in part because it deals with very hard
and final decisions. And it means facing something that most Querents don't want to face. You can't hide
any longer, this card says, all the dead have risen and are out in the open. Face what you have to face;
make that decision. Change.

XXI THE WORLD

Key Meanings: Completion, success, reward, and joy. ITS WISDOM MESSAGE: Enjoy your success.

Basic Meaning
The Fool turns to take that final step along his final path, and finds, to his bemusement that he is right
back where he started, at the edge of that very same cliff he almost stepped over when he was young and
too foolish to look where he was going. But now he sees his position very differently. He thought he could
separate body and mind, learn all about one, then leave it to learn about the other. But in the end, it is all
about self, mind and body, past and future, the individual, and the world. All one. As above, so below, and
all opposites are each other, including the Fool and the Mystic who are both doorways to the secrets of
the universe. With a knowing smile, the Fool takes that final step right off the cliff...and soars. Higher and
higher, until the whole of the world is his to see. And there he dances, surrounded by a yoni of stars, at
one with the universe. Ending, in a sense, where he began, beginning again at the end. The world turns,
and the Fool's journey is complete.
THE WORLD’S ASTROLOGY
The taskmaster planet, Saturn, is the ruler of the World. The planet symbolizes decisions and hard work
and shows you deserve all your success. The four evangelists on the card (see The World’s Symbols) link
with the four elements, the four minor arcana suits of Cups, Wands, Pentacles, and Swords, and the four
fixed signs of the zodiac—Aquarius (Air, the angel), Taurus (Earth, the bull), Leo (Fire, the lion), and Scorpio
(Water, the eagle).

MYTHOLOGY: In the World card, we meet Hermaphroditus, who in Greek mythology was the child of
Hermes and Aphrodite. In one version of the tale, Hermaphroditus was born a double-sexed being, but in
another version, this duality of unity was made, rather than being born that way. In this card, the four
symbols of the cup of love, the wand of creative imagination, the sword of intellect, and the pentacle of
physical reality belong to the four deities: Aphrodite, the goddess of love; Zeus, the king of the gods;
Athena, the goddess of wisdom; and Poseidon, the god of the ocean, and earthquakes. These four symbols
also make up the four suits of the Minor Arcana. On an inner level, the image of the Hermaphroditus is an
experience of being whole. Masculine and feminine are more than sexual identifications; they are the
great polarities which encompass all the opposites of life. The double-sexed being is symbolic of the
potential integration of the opposites within the personality. The opposites can range from maternal care
and parental ethics to intuition and physical expression; and from mind and feeling, to relationship and
solitude; and from conflict and harmony, to spirit and body. All of these opposites can create such struggle
in our lives, and yet they are all part of the whole experience of living. The image of wholeness is an ideal
goal, rather than something that we can totally experience in a human body. We are imperfect, but we
can glimpse this state of wholeness whenever there is a sense of inner healing, where two warring parts
of ourselves have at last come together, and some inner resolution has brought peace. Most of the time,
when we encounter these opposites in life and in ourselves, we deny that such a conflict exists, repressing
half of it which then goes into our unconscious. We may also project the uncomfortable part onto another
person, or something in the outer world, and use up our energies battling with someone or something
which is really within ourselves the whole time. This state of ambivalence happens to be part of being
human, and yet most of us have trouble accepting this feeling like we must choose one or the other. We
are complex beings, and part of our life's journey is really a journey of discovery through the opposites of
one's Self, conscious and unconscious coming together. The card of the World is the final card of the Major
Arcana, and the end of the Fool's journey. It is also an egg which symbolizes the beginning of a new
journey. Thus, whenever, we have a moment of achievement and healing, it is always followed by a new
challenge and so we continue to grow and change, always moving towards this ideal goal of wholeness.
In a reading, the card of the World signifies a time of achievement and integration. This is a period of
triumph at the successful conclusion of a hard-won goal. But this peak is merely a glimpse of something
mysterious and elusive. As one journey ends, so another begins; and so continues the cycle of life from
birth to death; and back again. The World card is the ending of that journey which leads to the beginning
of the next journey and back to the Fool card where it all began.

UPRIGHT MEANING
The upright card denotes triumph, completion, and reward for your efforts— and for this reason, the
World is one of the most welcome cards in a reading. It denotes deep joy and happiness, and now you
can really feel your deserved success. Cherished projects fly, as your commitment and dedication pays
off. Life feels balanced, too, as work, relationships, finances, and domestic affairs run smoothly. A phase
is coming to an end in a positive way, and you will be acknowledged publicly for what you do. Now is the
time to enjoy your fame, and you will have the confidence to take center stage. If you have been waiting
for a decision or opportunity to manifest, the World will soon turn in your favor. You may also benefit
spiritually just now, living more mindfully and from the heart. This is also a time for celebration, and in a
reading, the World often reveals anniversaries, birthdays, and parties, so it is a great card for groups and
positive group consciousness. You may also decide to venture out into the world and travel far afield. The
World could also mean the following:
Home: A dream-home come true—whatever you have worked toward can be yours now, whether it’s
successful building work or other remodeling.
Relationships: Happiness and joy—you have a relationship that is fulfilling and loving.
Career and money: You’re achieving your goals. An award at work, a new position and/or promotion—
the World shows you rising in status and being given more authority. You may also receive gifts at this
time.

REVERSED MEANING
When reversed, the World shows you are ready to move on but feel blocked or don’t feel you are
deserving of success. It can also show hanging on to one ambition that eludes you—and if so, it’s time to
redefine what you want and adjust your expectations, as you may be clinging on to a dream to the
exclusion of all else. Alternatively, you may feel eclipsed by another’s shining light. Overall, however, the
negatives here are minor, and you will get what you deserve; it may just take a little longer to become
obvious. In the meantime, keep the faith.

THE WORLD’S REFLECTIONS

We can see aspects of the World in these minor arcana cards:
The Ten of Pentacles, for families coming together in love and financial reward
The ten of Cups, for family love
The Nine of Cups, for a dream come true
The Six of Wands, for victory
The Three of Cups, for friends and celebration
The Six of Cups, for reunion and harmony

Thirteen's Observations
There are three possible things I usually see in this card when it comes up, sometimes combined,
sometimes not:
(1) Everything finally coming together, successfully and at last. The Querent will get that Ph.D. they've
been working for years to complete, they'll graduate at long last, marry after a long engagement, finish
that huge project. This card is not for little ends, but for big ones, important ones, ones that come with
well earned cheers and acknowledgements. The Querent's hard work, knowledge, wisdom, patience, etc,
will absolutely pay-off; they've done everything right.

(2) Maybe because of their success, the Querent is about to become a teacher, a Sensei, if you will.
Revered for their expertise.

(3) And maybe, because of this, they're going to be offered a job or trip to some amazing place. They're
asked to lecture in a remote city in India, spend a month at the North Pole, teach on board a boat sailing
round the globe. No boring little trip for this person, no sir! Luckily for them, the World card indicates that
they'll feel comfortable and welcome no matter where they go. The World card indicates a person who
owns nothing, because everything is theirs. No place is their home because every place is their home. It's
all one, all complete.