The Journey of The Tarot Fool

The Journey of the Tarot
Fool Around the Zodiac
By Anthony Louis
Text copyright 2013
Anthony Louis
All Rights Reserved
Edition 1.1
21 February 2014
<><><>
Other Books by the Author
Horary Astrology
Tarot Plain and Simple
The Art of Forecasting with Solar
Returns
A Geomantic Tarot Spread (Kindle e-
book)
The Annotated Raphaels Mundane
Astrology (Kindle e-book)
Primary Directions in Astrology: A
Primer (Kindle e-book)
Tarot Beyond the Basics (Llewellyn,
April 2014)
<><><>
The authors blog about astrology and
tarot is at
http://tonylouis.wordpress.com/
Table of Contents
Preface
The Four Worlds of the Kabbalah
The Tree of Life
Tarot Associations to the Tree of
Life
Tarot Cards and the Decans of the
Zodiac
Pip Cards 2 through 10
Court Cards and Decans
Summary of Golden Dawn
Associations of the Court Cards
The Major Arcana around the Zodiac
Wheel
The Planets and the Major Arcana
Case Example: Interpreting a Birth
Chart
A Golden Dawn Journey through the
Thirty-Six Decans of the Zodiac
SPRINGTIME: MARCH 21 JUNE
20; ARIES TAURUS GEMINI
The Fool Visits the Cardinal Fire Sign
ARIES
First decan of Aries, ruled by Mars:
Two of Wands - Dominion
Second decan of Aries, ruled by the
Sun: Three of Wands Established
Strength
Third decan of Aries, ruled by Venus:
Four of Wands Perfected Work
The Fool Visits the Fixed Earth Sign
TAURUS
First decan of Taurus, ruled by
Mercury: Five of Pentacles
Material Trouble
Second decan of Taurus, ruled by the
Moon: Six of Pentacles Material
Success
Third decan of Taurus, ruled by
Saturn: Seven of Pentacles Success
Unfulfilled
The Fool Visits the Mutable Air Sign
GEMINI
First decan of Gemini, ruled by
Jupiter: Eight of Swords Shortened
Force
Second decan of Gemini, ruled by
Mars: Nine of Swords Despair and
Cruelty
Third decan of Gemini, ruled by the
Sun: Ten of Swords - Ruin
SUMMER: JUNE 21 SEPTEMBER
22; CANCER LEO - VIRGO
The Fool Visits the Cardinal Water
Sign CANCER
First decan of Cancer, ruled by Venus:
Two of Cups - Love
Second decan of Cancer, ruled by
Mercury: Three of Cups - Abundance
Third decan of Cancer, ruled by the
Moon: Four of Cups Blended
Pleasure
The Fool Visits the Fixed Fire Sign
LEO
First decan of Leo, ruled by Saturn:
Five of Wands - Strife
Second decan of Leo, ruled by
Jupiter: Six of Wands - Victory
Third decan of Leo, ruled by Mars:
Seven of Wands Valor
The Fool Visits the Mutable Earth Sign
VIRGO
First decan of Virgo, ruled by the Sun:
Eight of Pentacles - Prudence
Second decan of Virgo, ruled by
Venus: Nine of Pentacles Material
Gain
Third decan of Virgo, ruled by
Mercury: Ten of Pentacles - Wealth
FALL: SEPTEMBER 23
DECEMBER 21; LIBRA SCORPIO
- SAGITTARIUS
The Fool Visits the Cardinal Air Sign
LIBRA
First decan of Libra, ruled by the
Moon: Two of Swords Peace
Restored
Second decan of Libra, ruled by
Saturn: Three of Swords - Sorrow
Third decan of Libra, ruled by
Jupiter: Four of Swords Rest from
Strife
The Fool Visits the Fixed Water Sign
SCORPIO
First decan of Scorpio, ruled by
Mars: Five of Cups Loss in
Pleasure
Second decan of Scorpio, ruled by the
Sun: Six of Cups - Pleasure
Third decan of Scorpio, ruled by
Venus: Seven of Cups Illusionary
Success
The Fool Visits the Mutable Fire Sign
SAGITTARIUS
First decan of Sagittarius, ruled by
Mercury: Eight of Wands Swiftness
Second decan of Sagittarius, ruled by
the Moon: Nine of Wands Great
Strength
Third decan of Sagittarius, ruled by
Saturn: Ten of Wands - Oppression
WINTER: DECEMBER 22 MARCH
20; CAPRICORN AQUARIUS
PISCES
The Fool Visits the Cardinal Earth
Sign CAPRICORN
First decan of Capricorn, ruled by
Jupiter: Two of Pentacles
Harmonious Change
Second decan of Capricorn, ruled by
Mars: Three of Pentacles Material
Works
Third decan of Capricorn, ruled by
the Sun: Four of Pentacles Earthly
power
The Fool Visits the Fixed Air Sign
AQUARIUS
First decan of Aquarius, ruled by
Venus: Five of Swords - Defeat
Second decan of Aquarius, ruled by
Mercury: Six of Swords Earned
Success
Third decan of Aquarius, ruled by the
Moon: Seven of Swords Unstable
Effort
The Fool Visits the Mutable Water
Sign PISCES
First decan of Pisces, ruled by Saturn:
Eight of Cups Abandoned Success
Second decan of Pisces, ruled by
Jupiter: Nine of Cups Material
Happiness
Third decan of Pisces, ruled by Mars:
Ten of Cups Perfected Success
Preface
The longest journey is the journey
inward, for he who has chosen his
destiny has started upon his quest
for the source of his being. [1]
Dag Hammarskjld
Tarot authors often speak of the Fools
journey through the Major Arcana on
his travel toward enlightenment. In this
scenario the trump cards represent
archetypal forces, or spiritual
principles, that the Fool must confront
and master during his sojourn on earth.
My own experience has been that the
Minor Arcana are no less profound
than the Majors and that the Minors
also include important lessons to be
learned. By the same token, the Major
Arcana often relate to mundane
matters. For example, it is not
uncommon for the Chariot to appear in
a reading about the family car, for
Justice to show up when a legal issue
is at hand, or for the World card to pop
up when a trip abroad is in the offing.
This e-book focuses on the Fools
journey through the twelve signs of the
zodiac. The text was originally
intended to be included in my book
Tarot Beyond the Basics, but the
editors at Llewellyn felt it was far too
long to be included as a book chapter
so I decided to publish it as a separate
e-book.
We will begin with the Fools journey
through Aries at the eastern horizon,
corresponding to the onset of spring
and work our way through each of the
twelve astrological signs. During our
trip we will pass through the four
quadrants of the horoscope and their
corresponding seasons. On this voyage
we will visit the thirty-six decans and
their associated pip cards. Well also
meet many court cards and tarot trumps
along the way. The map for this voyage
was given to us by the Hermetic Order
of the Golden Dawn.
Figure 1: The Natural Zodiac with
0o Aries rising and Decan Rulers in
Chaldean order (Saturn, Jupiter,
Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon).
Tracing the Fools journey will deepen

your understanding of the Golden
Dawn tarot delineations, which are the
basis of many modern tarot decks. In
addition, the Golden Dawn attributions
can be applied directly to your birth
chart to give a deeper understanding of
the placements in your natal
horoscope.
Each planet in the birth chart resides in
a region of the zodiac associated with
a particular court card which can act
as the planets mentor or guide. The
location of each planet is also
connected with one of the pip cards
between 2 and 10 and with one of the
Major Arcana. The major cards can be
used to reveal which spiritual lessons
the individual needs to confront, using
the energy of that planet. The pip cards
usually relate to mundane matters and
the events or ordinary life.
Readers should be forewarned that the
Golden Dawn attempted to force the
tarot into the mold of its astrological
and Kabbalistic correspondences, with
varying degrees of success. Sometimes
the astrological symbolism closely
matches the meaning of the card, like a
hand fitting a custom-made glove.
Other times, making sense of the
astrological symbolism in light of the
Golden Dawn assignations is like
asking O.J. Simpson to put on a
shrunken leather glove.
Many modern tarot decks are strongly
influenced by the teachings of the
Golden Dawn. Decks that are highly
compatible with the approach outlined
here include the Crowley-Harris Thoth
Tarot deck and Godfrey Dowsons
Hermetic Tarot deck. Lee Burstens
Zodiac Tarot deck also follows the
approach taken here, with some minor
modifications. The Golden Dawn
assigned the element Fire to its Knights
and the element Air to its
Princes/Kings. Some modern decks
reverse this assignment, attributing
Fire to the Kings and Air to the
Knights.
The Four Worlds of the
Kabbalah
The Golden Dawn view of the tarot is
strongly influenced by the Kabbalah, a
Jewish tradition of mystical
interpretation of the Bible. The
Kabbalah speaks of four worlds,
consisting of ten sephirot each. The
sephirot are emanations through
which the deity reveals itself and
creates the universe, including all its
physical and metaphysical realms. The
energy flows from the deity into the
universe via a pattern called the Tree
of Life.
The Golden Dawn paired the forty
sephirot (4 worlds times 10 sephirot =
40) with the tarots forty pip cards, that
is, with the Ace through Ten of each
suit. Each of the four worlds is paired
with one of the Hebrew letters in the
name of the deity: Yod Heh Vau
Heh. The Golden Dawn used the
Kabbalistic associations to form links
between the tarot cards and specific
elements, suits, classes of court cards,
and family relationships:
Yod: Fire (spiritual, life-giving,
inspiring); Atziluth, the World of
Emanation (divine intent); the suit
of Wands; tarot Knights; the father.
First Heh: Water (emotional,
instinctive, nurturing); Briyah, the
World of Creation (wisdom,
understanding); the suit of Cups;
tarot Queens; the mother.
Vau: Air (analyzing, arguing,
making connections); Yetzirah, the
World of Formation (angelic); the
suit of Swords; the tarot
Princes/Kings; the son.
Heh (final): Earth (material, bodily,
tangible); Assiah, the World of
Action (physical reality); the suit of
Disks/Pentacles; tarot
Princesses/Pages; the daughter.
The Tree of Life
The divine spark originates with the
deity and flows through the ten
emanations (sephirot) of the Tree of
Life, as depicted in the following
diagram.
Figure 2: Kabbalistic Tree of Life
with the names of the Sephirot and
paths in Hebrew.[2]
Tarot Associations to the Tree

of Life
ONE (1): Kether, Crown, the
Primum Mobile (the divine
spark), the Tarot Aces.
TWO (2): Chokmah,
Wisdom (the Zodiac), Tarot
Knights and the cardinal Pips
numbered 2 (initiation,
fertilization, gestation,
fruitfulness).
THREE (3): Binah,
Understanding (the planet
Saturn), Tarot Queens and
cardinal Pips numbered 3
(putting into action).
FOUR (4): Chesed, Mercy
(the planet Jupiter), the Tarot
cardinal Pips numbered 4
(realization, manifestation,
completion, the rule of law).
FIVE (5): Geburah,
Severity, Strength (the planet
Mars), the Tarot fixed Pips
numbered 5 (conflict,
struggle, strife, upset,
disruption, stress).
SIX (6): Tiphareth, Beauty,
Balance (the Sun), the Tarot
Princes/Kings and the fixed
Pips numbered 6
(achieving, accomplishing,
carrying out).
SEVEN (7): Netzach,
Victory (the planet Venus), the
Tarot fixed Pips numbered
7 (a transcendent force, a
potential result; like a
powerful crown in need of a
capable ruler).
EIGHT (8): Hod, Glory,
Splendor (the planet
Mercury), the Tarot mutable
Pips numbered 8 (isolated
success, not integrated with
an overarching goal).
NINE (9): Yesod, Foundation
(the Moon), the Tarot mutable
Pips numbered 9 (firmly
established power;
crystallization of energy;
illusion; giver of form).
TEN (10): Malkuth,
Kingdom, Material Reality
(the Four Elements), the Tarot
Princesses/Pages and the
mutable Pips numbered 10
(stability, the end result).
Tarot Cards and the
Decans of the Zodiac
Aces and Pages have no zodiacal
attribution: The only cards which the
Fool will not encounter on this journey
are the Aces and Princesses/Pages of
each suit. The four Aces are related to
Kether (divine intent) on the Tree of
Life. The Aces represent pure
potential. As Crowley puts it, Aces
symbolize the roots of the four
elements.
The Golden Dawn does not assign the
Aces to decans because decans
represent the concrete manifestations
of the elements in each of the signs of
the zodiac. The four Aces form a link
between the small cards [Pips] and the
Princesses [Pages], who rule the
Heavens around the North Pole.[3]
Like the Aces, the Princesses or
Pages have no zodiacal attribution.
Instead, the Aces and Princesses are
linked to the element Earth and to the
Kabbalistic World Assiah of
material reality.[4]
Pip Cards 2 through 10
In an analogy with the three decans in
each zodiac sign, the Golden Dawn
divided the tarots pip cards numbered
2 through 10 into three groups: (2, 3,
4), (5, 6, 7) and (8, 9, 10).
Cardinal Pips: The pip cards
numbered 2, 3 and 4 of each suit
are considered cardinal because
they begin their suits, just as the
cardinal signs initiate the seasons.
Being cardinal suggests a desire
to lead, to begin new ventures and
to create something new, whether
its exploring uncharted geography,
staring a family, beginning a
partnership, or founding a
business.[5] Thus, the cards
numbered 2, 3 and 4 represent the
initial stages of action of the energy
of the suit, just as the cardinal signs
(Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn)
initiate their respective seasons of
the year.
Fixed Pips: The pip cards
are considered fixed because they
fall in the middle of their suits, just
as the fixed signs comprise the
middle of each season.
Symbolically, fixed signs and fixed
tarot cards consolidate and organize
the new enterprises begun by the
cardinal initiators. Fixed implies
seeking stability, order and
endurance and resisting change.
Thus, the cards numbered 5, 6 and 7
represent the stabilizing middle
stages of action of the energy of the
suit, just as the fixed signs (Taurus,
Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) stabilize
and bring to a peak their respective
seasons of the year.
Mutable Pips: The pip cards
are considered mutable because
they bring the numbered cards of
their suits to an end, just as the
mutable signs end each season and
make way for the next. Mutability
suggests flexibility, transition,
change and adaptation as it closes
out the old and ushers in the new.
Thus, the cards numbered 8, 9 and
10 represent the transitional ending
stages of action of the energy of the
suit, just as the mutable signs
(Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces)
wind down and bring to a close
their respective seasons of the year.
Figure 3: Golden Dawn Attributions
of Pip Cards to Decans (0o Leo
rising).
Note that the above diagram differs

from the standard Aries rising
horoscope used in modern astrology.
The Golden Dawn began their system
at mid-summer with the first decan of
Leo, the location of the royal star Cor
Leonis (the Heart of the Lion), in
Hellenistic times. According to Israel
Regardie, the beginning of the
decanates is from the Royal King Star
of the Heart of the Lion, the great star
Cor Leonis, and therefore is the first
decanate that of Saturn in Leo.[6] In
the Chaldean order of visible planets,
Saturn comes first because it is the first
visible planet one encounters upon
entering our solar system from the
realm of the fixed stars.
Also note in this diagram that Mars
rules two consecutive decans at the
passage from Pisces into Aries, which
is the transition from winter into spring
in the northern hemisphere. Referring
to the seven visible planets of antiquity
and the fiery planet Mars, Israel
Regardie explains:
There being 36 Decanates and only
seven Planets, it follows that one of the
latter must rule over one more
decanate than the others. This is the
Planet Mars which is allotted the last
decan of Pisces and first of Aries,
because the long cold of the winter
requires a great energy to overcome it
and initiate spring.[7]
Court Cards and Decans
The court cards follow a pattern
similar to that of the pips, with a slight
phase shift. The Kings (Princes),
Queens, and Knights are each allotted
thirty degrees the width of one
zodiac sign. The Queens, Princes and
Knights are placed around the zodiac
according to the seasons of the year in
the northern hemisphere. In your birth
chart each planet or point will reside
in a region governed by one of these
court cards.
Figure 4: Court Cards and Quarters
of the Year, 20o Pisces rising. The
Queens give birth to the four
seasons.
The Watery Queens: The four

Queens, being watery motherly
cards, give birth to the four seasons
signaled by the four cardinal signs of
the zodiac. All births require a period
of gestation, which occurs during the
last decan (the final 10 degrees) of the
preceding mutable sign. The Queens
waters break at the cardinal points
of the year and thus they govern the
first two decans (the first twenty
degrees) of each cardinal sign.
Fiery Wands: The Queen of Wands
gives birth to spring on March 21st
of each year in the tropical zodiac,
after having gestated the unborn
season of spring during the
transitional final decan of mutable
Pisces (March 11 - 21), the end of
winter.
Watery Cups: The Queen of Cups
gives birth to summer on June 22nd
and governs the last decan of
mutable Gemini and the first two
decans of cardinal Cancer.
Airy Swords: The Queen of Swords
gives birth to autumn on September
23rd and governs the last decan of
mutable Virgo and the first two
decans of cardinal Libra.
Earthy Pentacles: The Queen of
Pentacles gives birth to winter on
December 22nd and governs the last
decan of mutable Sagittarius and the
first two decans of cardinal
Capricorn.
The Airy Kings/Princes: Having
given birth to the four seasons at the
cardinal points of the year and having
nurtured the seasons through their early
stages of growth, the watery Queens
turn over the care of their seasonal
offspring to the four Kings. The
Princes/Kings are charged with the
ordering and consolidation of the four
seasons at the peak of their
development. The airy Kings
(Crowleys Princes) begin their task
during the final decan of the cardinal
signs and continue their work during
the first two decans of the fixed signs
of each quadrant. According to the
British astrologer C.E.O. Carter, all
fixed signs have a power-seeking
propensity.[8]
Pentacles: Thus, The Prince/King
of practical earthy Pentacles
governs the last decan of cardinal
Aries and the first two decans of the
fixed Earth sign Taurus.
Wands: The Prince/King of
creative fiery Wands governs the
last decan of cardinal Cancer and
the first two decans of the fixed Fire
sign Leo.
Cups: The Prince/King of
compassionate watery Cups
governs the last decan of cardinal
Libra and the first two decans of the
fixed Water sign Scorpio.
Swords: The Prince/King of
analytical airy Swords governs the
last decan of cardinal Capricorn
and the first two decans of the fixed
Air sign Aquarius.
The Fiery Knights: Having
administrated the four seasons at the
peak of their development, the Kings
turn their care over to the fiery,
impetuous Knights whose are charged
with the transition from one season to
the next. Thus, the Knights rule the last
decan of a fixed sign and the first two
decans of the subsequent mutable sign.
According to Carter, the mutable
factor introduces flexibility and a
power of adaptation.[9]
Swords: The Knight of airy
Swords, who is in charge of the
movement from spring toward
summer, governs the last decan of
fixed Taurus and the first two
decans of the mutable Air sign
Gemini. Summertime will not truly
begin until the Queen of Cups gives
birth to summer at the very end of
Gemini, which occurs at the summer
solstice.
Pentacles: The Knight of earthy
Pentacles, who is charged with the
transition from summer to autumn,
governs the last decan of fixed Leo
and the first two decans of the
mutable Earth sign Virgo. Autumn
will not truly begin until the Queen
of Swords gives birth for the Fall at
the very end of Virgo, which occurs
at the autumnal equinox.
Wands: The Knight of fiery Wands,
who oversees the movement from
autumn to winter, governs the last
decan of fixed Scorpio and the first
two decans of the mutable Fire sign
Sagittarius. Wintertime will not
truly begin until the Queen of
Pentacles gives birth to winter at
the very end of Sagittarius, which
occurs at the winter solstice.
Cups: Finally, the Knight of watery
Cups, who is in charge of the
transition from winter to spring,
governs the final decan of fixed
Aquarius and the first two decans of
the mutable Water sign Pisces.
Springtime will not truly begin until
the Queen of Wands gives birth to
spring at the very end of Pisces,
which occurs at the vernal equinox.
Summary of Golden Dawn
Associations of the Court
Cards
Princes (Kings) are assigned to the
element Air and to the final decan of
the Cardinal Signs and first two decans
of the Fixed Signs (Taurus, Leo,
Scorpio, Aquarius). Thus, Kings
preside over the consolidation and
peak of each season.
Queens are assigned to the element
Water and to the final decan of the
Mutable Signs and first two decans of
the Cardinal Signs (Aries, Cancer,
Libra, Capricorn). Thus, Queens
preside over the gestation and birth of
each season.
Knights are assigned to the element
Fire and to the final decan of the Fixed
Signs and first two decans of the
Mutable Signs (Gemini, Virgo,
Sagittarius, Pisces). Thus, Knight
preside over the ending of each season
and its transition to the next one.
The Golden Dawn did not assign Aces
and Pages (Princesses) to the zodiac.
Instead, the Princesses were attributed
to the element Earth and to four
quadrants of the heavens around the
North Pole. Thus, the assignment of
Pages is related to the earths
typography rather than the zodiac
circle.
Figure 5: A sixteenth century
woodcut. The first column shows the
three Air signs; the second column,
the three Water signs; the third
column, the three Fire signs; and the
fourth column, the three Earth
signs. The Golden Dawn paired
Kings/Princes with Air, Queens with
Water, Knights with Fire, and
Princesses/Pages with Earth.
The Major Arcana around the
Zodiac Wheel
Just as each King, Queen and Knight
governs three consecutive decans of
the zodiac, so too are the Major
Arcana cards associated with three
consecutive decans. Because each
zodiac sign is paired with one of the
Major Arcana, the three decans in
question all belong to the same sign.
The following diagram illustrates these
correlations.
Figure 6: Major Arcana and the
Signs of the Zodiac (As = 0o Aries
rising).
The Planets and the
Major Arcana
Classical astrology makes use of the
seven visible planets of antiquity. Each
of these planets is associated directly
with one of the Major Arcana and is
linked indirectly, through sign
rulerships, with additional Major
Arcana cards. The following section
outlines these connections in a mind-
map format.
The Sun (ruler of Leo) the Sun

card (XIX).
Leo Strength (VIII or XI).
<><><>
The Moon (ruler of Cancer) the
High Priestess (II).
Cancer The Chariot (VII).
<><><>
Mercury (ruler of Gemini and Virgo)
the Magician (I).
Gemini The Lovers (VI).
Virgo The Hermit (IX).
<><><>
Venus (ruler of Taurus and Libra)
the Empress (III).
Taurus The Hierophant (V).
Libra Justice (XI or VIII).
<><><>
Mars (ruler of Aries and Scorpio)
the Tower (XVI).
Aries The Emperor (IV).
Scorpio Death (XIII).
<><><>
Jupiter (ruler of Sagittarius and
Pisces) the Wheel of Fortune (X).
Sagittarius Temperance (XIV).
Pisces The Moon card (XVIII).
<><><>
Saturn (ruler of Capricorn and
Aquarius) the World card (XXI).
Capricorn The Devil (XV).
Aquarius The Star (XVII).
<><><>
Three Major Arcana have no planetary
assignments:
The Fool (0) the element Air.
Modern astrologers often assign the
Fool to Uranus.
The Hanged Man (XII) the
element Water. Modern astrologers
often assign the Hanged Man to
Neptune.
Judgment (XX) the element
Fire. Modern astrologers often
assign Judgment to Pluto.
Case Example:
Interpreting a Birth
Chart
To illustrate how to use tarot to
illuminate factors in a birth chart, I
chose an example of a celebrity
familiar to most Americans. The talk
show host Bill OReilly is known for
his aggressive interview style.
OReilly even described himself as a
thug in an interview on 60 Minutes:
Interviewer: The neighbors keep
saying, We thought hed be in
prison,
OReilly: Aint America great. I
was a little thug, and now Im being
paid millions of dollars for being a
big thug. sometimes I have to be
mean. Its like a parent or a teacher.
Sometimes for the good of
everybody you have to be a little bit
strong, a little bit
confrontational.[10]
Bill OReilly was born on September
10, 1949 in New York City. His time
of birth is not publicly available, so I
cast a chart for sunrise on the day and
at the location of his birth. Here is his
astrological chart with solar sign
houses.
Figure 7: Bill O'Reilly, 10 September
1949, sunrise, NYC.
We are interested in what Mr.

OReillys chart can tell us about his
communication style. The planet
Mercury, messenger of the gods,
governs our way of thinking and
communicating. The 3rd House of the
natal horoscope has to do with how we
express our ideas.
In his birth chart Mr. OReillys
Mercury lies in the middle decan of
Libra, the Scales of Justice. With his
Mercury in Libra, we might expect his
way of communicating to be fair and
balanced. With Mercury in the Saturn
decan of Libra we might expect him to
be conservative in his thinking and
willing to study topics in depth.
Each planet in the birth chart lies in a
region of the zodiac to which are
assigned a Major Arcanum, a Court
card, and a Pip card. The major cards
show which ideals and lessons the
planet must deal with. The court cards
reveal the type of approach the planet
will take. The pip cards suggest the
areas of life or types of situations that
will be experienced in the process.
Residing in Libra, Mercury strives for
Justice. This is not to say that Mr.
OReilly achieves his goal, merely that
Justice is an ideal toward which he
aspires in his thought and speech.
Lying in the middle decan of Libra, his
Mercury comes under the influence of
the Queen of Swords. Like the Queen
of Swords, Bill OReilly cuts to the
quick and does not tolerate fools
gladly.
The pip card linked to the middle
decan of Libra is the Three of Swords,
a card of sorrow, disruption,
separation, quarrel, discord and
mischief making. According to the
Golden Dawn, a negative side of this
card is the temptation to be deceitful
in words.
Having considered the placement of
Mercury in his chart, lets now turn our
attention to his 3rd house of
communication. In his sunrise solar
house chart, the 3rd house has Scorpio
on the cusp and no planets contained
therein. Scorpio is associated with the
major card Death. Mr. OReillys
interest in communicating about death
is apparent in the many books he is
publishing about the killing of
historical personages.
Even though the 3rd house has no
planetary occupants, it is ruled by
Mars (traditional ruler of Scorpio) and
Pluto (modern ruler of Scorpio).
Hence, these two planets influence his
thinking and communication style.
Mars is associated with the Tower and
Pluto with Judgment of the tarot.
Furthermore, Mars and Pluto both lie
in Leo (associated with Strength).
Mars and Pluto lying in the first two
decans of Leo bring the charismatic,
assertive King of Wands into play.
Mars in the first decan of Leo is linked
to the Five of Wands, and Pluto in the
second decan of Leo is linked to the
Six of Wands.
If we wanted, we could lay out the
cards indicated as a tarot spread that
tells us about Mr. OReillys
communication style. It would look
like this:
Justice Queen of Swords Three of
Swords
Death
The Tower Judgment
Strength King of Wands Five of
Wands Six of Wands
If you were told that these cards reveal
how an unknown person thinks and
communicates his ideas, how would
you interpret the spread? As an
exercise, try setting up a similar spread
with your own birth chart. To do so,
lay out the cards related to the
following factors in your natal chart:
The placement of Mercury.
The sign on the cusp of the 3rd house.
The planetary ruler(s) of the 3rd
house.
The placements of the rulers of the 3rd
house.
A similar process can be carried out
for the other planets and houses of the
horoscope. If you dont have a copy of
your birth chart, several online sites
will calculate one at no cost. Two such
sites are http://alabe.com/freechart/
and http://www.astro.com/.
A Golden Dawn Journey
through the Thirty-Six
Decans of the Zodiac
The dates given below are for both the
tropical and sidereal zodiacs. The
tropical zodiac is commonly used in
the English-speaking West, and the
sidereal zodiac is used by Vedic
astrologers in India. The Golden Dawn
used the sidereal zodiac, so I thought it
important to include it here. The
astrological New Year begins at zero
degrees of Aries, which occurs on
March 21st in the West but currently on
April 14th in India.
Our journey begins on the first day of
spring in the northern hemisphere.
Aries is just rising in the natural
zodiac. Possible keyword delineations
are included for the pip cards. These
delineations are merely suggestions
based on my own assemblage of key
words associated with the cards. In
delineating the pip cards, the Golden
Dawn paid particular attention to the
zodiac sign, the planet ruling the decan
and the numerological correspondence
with the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. The
reader should put together his or her
own delineations, for these will be
more personal and thus more useful.
Now let us look at each sign and its
individual decans.
SPRINGTIME: MARCH
21 JUNE 20; ARIES
TAURUS GEMINI
<><><>
The Fool Visits the
Cardinal Fire Sign
ARIES
Dates: March 21 April 20

(tropical); April 14 May 14
(sidereal).
Sign Ruler: Mars.
Major Arcanum: The Emperor
(IV).
Exalted: the Sun.
Debilitated: Venus (in detriment),
Saturn (in fall).
Court Cards: Queen of Wands
(decans 1 & 2); King of Pentacles
(decan 3).
Pip Cards:
First Decan: 2 of Wands.
Mars/Aries.
Second Decan: 3 of Wands.
Sun/Aries.
Third Decan: 4 of Wands.
Venus/Aries.
First Stop: ARIES (cardinal pips 2, 3,
4).
Zodiac Sign: Aries is a cardinal Fire

sign related to self-interest, initiative,
enterprise and dominion. Aries is a
warrior who likes to accept
challenges, pioneer, start new projects
and look after his own best interests,
usually with great energy and
enthusiasm. When Aries cards appear
in a reading, it is wise to consider how
well you are caring for yourself,
pursuing your goals and facing the
challenges of life.
Planetary Sign Ruler: The entire sign
Aries is ruled by fiery Mars the
assertive, self-oriented, masculine,
sexy, impassioned, commanding,
active, impatient and enterprising god
of war.
Major Arcana Associations: The
Golden Dawn assigns Aries to the
Emperor and Mars to the Lightning-
struck Tower. Hence, issues of
authority, leadership, command,
dominion, organization, insight, pride,
upheaval and sudden revelation form a
backdrop for understanding the pip
cards of this sign. Because the Sun is
exalted in Aries, the Sun trump lies in
the background, reinforcing themes of
dominion, good health, prominence,
admiration, leadership, vitality,
radiance and success.
First decan of Aries, ruled by
Mars: Two of Wands -
Dominion
On the Tree of Life the number 2
corresponds to Chokmah (Wisdom)
and has at its disposal the potential of
the entire zodiac, so that it can be
fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:22).
Thus, 2 symbolizes initiation,
fertilization, gestation and fecundity.
The first decan of all cardinal signs
represents the period immediately after
the cardinal Queen gives birth to the
new season. Aries is the sign of
beginnings. Spring has sprung, and the
Fire energy depicted in the suit of
Wands is starting to grow and develop.
If the suit of Wands were a plant, the
Ace of Wands would be its roots. In
this first decan these early fiery shoots
would be pushing up through the
ground, seeking a new enterprise to
begin or a new challenge to pursue.
The double dose of Mars in this decan,
together with the exalted Sun, suggests
a self-confident and intrepid individual
who feels able to face any challenge
and emerge victorious. Mars also
means that the Lightning-struck Tower
is lurking in the background; but
fortunately the exalted Sun and Aries,
as the Emperor, have the skills to keep
the potential disruption of the Tower
under control. In the Waite-Smith deck
the male figure on the card is looking
toward the ocean of the last decan of
Pisces, also ruled by the lively Queen
of Wands.
Possible Keyword Delineation: Assert
yourself (Queen of Wands) and use
your personal initiative (Mars) to
renew (Aries) aspects of your life in
need of refreshing.
Second decan of Aries, ruled
by the Sun: Three of Wands
Established Strength
corresponds to Binah (Understanding;
awareness of the necessity of endings
and death; putting the matters of the 2
into action) and the planet Saturn
(establishing structure; security,
boundaries, systems, organization,
time, discipline, setbacks, heaviness,
hardship, loss, death, lessons to be
learned). Crowley calls this card
Virtue.
The golden Sun is exalted in Aries and
is able to express its nature in an
unencumbered way. In this decan the
Sun-king of the solar system joins
forces with the Emperor of the tarot,
two bastions of established strength.
Add the war-god Mars to the mix and
the strength indicated by this
combination is undisputed. These three
powerful masculine leaders (Sun,
Mars, Emperor) are brimming with
strength and confidence. They know
how to initiate a project, take the lead,
exercise authority, win the battle and
make a goal a reality. The fiery Queen
of Wands, who resides here, gets
turned on by their masculine prowess.
In the Waite-Smith deck the male figure
on the card looks toward the ocean of
the last decan of Pisces, which the
Queen of Wands also rules.
Possible Keyword Delineation: Take
the initiative (Aries) and the time you
need to establish structures (Saturn)
that will enable you to express your
individuality (Sun) and bring your
creative ideas to fruition (Binah).
Third decan of Aries, ruled by
Venus: Four of Wands
Perfected Work
corresponds to Chesed (Mercy;
completion, realization, establishment,
settling, or coming to terms with the
actions taken in the 3 of the suit) and
the planet Jupiter (good fortune,
benevolence, protection, wealth,
expansion, excess, growth, adventure,
risk-taking, the future).
Mars rules the entire sign Aries and
Venus rules the third decan of the sign
of the Ram. Whenever sensual Venus
and virile Mars get together, sexual
excitement is in the air. Venus is at a
disadvantage here because she is in the
sign of her detriment, which gives
Mars the upper hand. Nonetheless,
Aries is the sign of springtime, so love
is in the air and Mars is likely to ask
Venus to bed with him and begin a life
together. After all, they are traversing
the realm of The Prince/King of
Pentacles who values tangible results,
hard work, stability, material security
and solid foundations. In addition, the
number 4 urges tangible
manifestation of the energies of the
suit. The exaltation of the radiant Sun
in Aries suggests that Mars and Venus
will stage a public ceremony to
display their shared happiness to the
world. Crowley calls this card
Completion.
Possible Keyword Delineation:
Having taken the initiative (Aries) to
pursue your hearts desire (Venus),
you can now to realize your wishes
(Chesed) in a happy manner (Jupiter),
especially with regard to establishing
a solid foundation for material
security (Chesed, King of Pentacles).
The Fool Visits the Fixed
Earth Sign TAURUS
Dates: April 21 May 21

(tropical); May 15 June 14
(sidereal).
Sign Ruler: Venus.
Major Arcanum: The Hierophant
(V).
Exalted: the Moon.
Debilitated: Mars (in detriment).
Court Cards: King of Pentacles
(decans 1 & 2); Knight of Swords
(decan 3).
Pip Cards:
First Decan: 5 of Pentacles.
Mercury/Taurus.
Second Decan: 6 of Pentacles.
Moon/Taurus.
Third Decan: 7 of Pentacles.
Saturn/Taurus.
Second Stop: TAURUS (fixed pips 5,
6, 7).
Zodiac Sign: Taurus is a fixed Earth

sign related to our resources, values,
money, possessions, financial stability,
tangible goods and our ability to
secure the finer things in life. Taurus
loves physical pleasures such as good
food, drink, sex, massage and other
luxuries. When Taurus cards appear in
a reading, it is wise to consider how
well you have established a secure and
stable life structure in which your
physical and material needs can be
met.
Taurus is ruled by Venus, the ultra-
feminine goddess of sensual pleasure,
material comfort, beauty, relationships
and love.
Golden Dawn assigns Taurus to the
Hierophant who presided over the
Eleusinian mysteries and Venus to the
Empress. Hence, issues of tradition,
conservatism, wise counsel, spiritual
guidance, organized religion, fertility,
fecundity, mothering, child rearing, as
well as the tribulations of Demeter
form a backdrop for understanding the
pip cards of this sign. Because the
silvery Moon is exalted in Taurus, the
High Priestess adds her secret
knowledge and intuitive awareness to
the mix. Venus also rules the sign
Libra, associated with the Justice
trump, so that issues of balance,
fairness, equilibrium and justice form
part of the background of the related
pip cards.
First decan of Taurus, ruled by
Mercury: Five of Pentacles
Material Trouble
corresponds to Geburah (Severity;
conflict, struggle; the disruption of the
realization of the actions in the 4)
and the planet Mars (initiative, war,
strife, discord, combat, bloodshed,
energetic activity and unadulterated
self-interest). Most likely the
Renaissance artists who created the
tarot also had in mind the five wounds
of Christ. Crowley calls this card
Worry.
The Five of Pentacles is sometimes
called the poverty card, but at first
glance it not obvious how the Mercury
decan of luxuriant Taurus gets
associated with material trouble.
Taurus, after all, is known for its love
of luxury, bodily comforts and the good
things in life. Venus, the ruler of
Taurus, has a penchant for jewelry,
adornments and sensual pleasure. The
Golden Dawn appears to have used
primarily the Tree of Life in
interpreting this card, but lets see if
there is also an astrological
explanation.
Youthful Mercury is considered a
neutral planet because, like a
chameleon, he takes on the nature of
any celestial influence he makes
contact with. Without any astrological
dignity of his own in Taurus, Mercury
takes on the signs penchant for self-
indulgence. Venus, the ruler of Taurus,
doesnt help matters any because, as
the tarots Empress, she wants to
nurture and pamper her wonderful
male child. Mercury grows up
expecting to be taken care of and to
never have to work for anything.
Along comes The Prince/King of
Pentacles, who esteems the work ethic
and the Hierophant whose function is
to pass along traditional, conservative
spiritual wisdom. These two sober
gentlemen combine forces to teach
Mercury a lesson: unless he learns to
work for what he values, he will end
up materially impoverished and
spiritually bankrupt. This lesson is
consistent with the number 5 and
Geburah on the Tree of Life, especially
in Taurus where Mars is in detriment.
Compare the controversial stance of
politician Newt Gingrich, a modern
conservative King of Pentacles, who
urges putting ghetto children to work as
janitors in their schools:
The kids would actually do work;
they'd have cash; they'd have pride in
the schools. They'd begin the process
of rising."[11]
Possible Keyword Delineation: Your
concrete mind (Mercury) focuses on
material comforts (Taurus) in conflict
(Mars) with higher spiritual values
(the Hierophant). As a result, you
experience struggle and material
hardship (Geburah).
Second decan of Taurus, ruled
by the Moon: Six of Pentacles
Material Success
corresponds to Tiphareth (Beauty;
harmony, accomplishment and
achievements spurred by the disruption
of the 5) and the Sun (selfhood,
power, majesty, honor, vitality, fun,
creativity, self-expression, pride,
confidence, exuberance, generosity,
achievement). Crowley calls this card
Success.
The pragmatic, wealth-oriented King
of Pentacles governs this decan of
Taurus, a sign ruled by Venus, the
Lesser Benefic. Being exalted in
Taurus, the Moon is at her best. Taurus
itself is a sign of luxury, growth,
physical comfort, placidity and
practical accomplishment. As the
Hierophant of the tarot, Taurus
espouses the spiritual value of
sustained effort aimed at producing
tangible results. As the High Priestess
of the tarot, the Moon shares with us
the secret to achieving material
success.
sense of self (Sun) includes a desire to
care for (Moon) and provide for the
material comfort (Taurus) of others in
a calm and patient manner.
Third decan of Taurus, ruled
by Saturn: Seven of Pentacles
Success Unfulfilled
corresponds to Netzach (Victory; a
potential result; a transcendent force; a
powerful crown in need of a capable
and worthy monarch) and the planet
Venus (love, affection, harmony,
conciliation, beauty, pleasure, self-
indulgence, material benefits, good
fortune). Crowley calls this card
Failure.
Saturn, a traditionally malefic planet,
is known as the Great Taskmaster the
great heavy of the zodiac. Saturns
metal is dull and weighty lead.
Wherever Saturn appears, he usually
indicates delays, abandonment,
deprivation, dissatisfaction, burdens,
setbacks, austerity, frustration,
confrontation with harsh reality,
lessons to be learned, a sense of loss
and just plain hard work. There is no
free lunch: as ye sow, so shall ye
reap. Saturn tends to feel out of place
in Taurus, the land of Venus, because
he values austerity, discipline,
frugality, seriousness and keeping
ones nose to the grindstone. Venus, on
the other hand, likes to party, feel
good, go shopping, look nice, enjoy
sensual pleasures, and make love.
Perhaps in this decan, Saturn in his
role of Great Teacher and Taurus, as
the Hierophant, are giving Venus a bit
of wise counsel that life is not just a
bowl of cherries. If Venus wants to
mature into an Empress, she must put in
the necessary toil to reach her goal.
The impatient Knight of Swords, who
resides here, is uncomfortable with the
slowness of Saturn and needs to learn
a similar lesson. Venus, for her part, is
not quite ready to take her eye off the
cute guy she met in the workplace.
Possible Keyword Delineation: If you
pursue long-term goals with sufficient
self-discipline (Saturn) while
avoiding sloth and self-indulgence
(Venus), you can emerge victorious
(Netzach) in securing material
comfort (Taurus).
The Fool Visits the
Mutable Air Sign
GEMINI
Dates: May 22 June 21 (tropical);

June 15 July 15 (sidereal).
Sign Ruler: Mercury.
Major Arcanum: The Lovers (VI).
Exalted: n/a
Debilitated: Jupiter (in detriment).
Court Cards: Knight of Swords
(decans 1 & 2); Queen of Cups
(decan 3).
Pip Cards:
First Decan: 8 of Swords.
Jupiter/Gemini.
Second Decan: 9 of Swords.
Mars/Gemini.
Third Decan: 10 of Swords.
Sun/Gemini.
Third Stop: GEMINI (mutable pips
8, 9, 10).
Zodiac Sign: Gemini is a mutable Air

sign related to communication,
curiosity, learning, teaching, writing,
transit, movement, agility, versatility,
diversity, variety, ideas, thoughts and
mental pursuits. When Gemini cards
appear in a reading, it is wise to
consider how well you communicate
and focus your thinking rather than
scattering your energies and getting
bogged down in nagging worries or
pointless distractions.
Gemini is ruled by clever Mercury, the
trickster messenger of the gods and the
patron of merchants and thieves.
Golden Dawn assigns Gemini to the
Lovers trump and Mercury to the
Magician. Hence, issues of choice,
making decisions, falling in love and
skillfully using of ones talents and
intelligence form a backdrop for
understanding the pip cards of this
mutable Air sign.
First decan of Gemini, ruled by
Jupiter: Eight of Swords
Shortened Force
corresponds to Hod (Glory; isolated
success not integrated with an
overarching goal) and the planet
Mercury (concrete mind, travel,
communication, expression, curiosity,
learning, logic, analysis, thinking,
worry, restlessness, agility, speed,
variety and diversity). Crowley calls
this card Interference.
Gemini, the sign of the Twins, is noted
for wanting to move in several
directions at once, thus scattering its
energies. Many of the traditional
images of the Lovers card depict a
young man struggling to decide which
way to go. The trigger-happy Knight of
Swords, who resides in the decan, is
often abrupt, impatient and insensitive
as he rushes off, half-cocked, on some
crusade. Jupiter is normally future-
oriented, but a Jupiter in detriment
tends to focus on what could possibly
go wrong. An afflicted Jupiter acts
immoderately to amplify the Sword
Knights impetuous propensity and also
Geminis penchant for scattered
thinking. As a result, the Knight gets
trapped in a multitude of thoughts; and,
instead of heading one-pointedly
toward a goal, he experiences the
effects of shortened force.
Possible Keyword Delineation: You
feel hindered by an expansion
(Jupiter in detriment) of a variety
(Gemini) of worrisome thoughts
(Mercury) that are not integrated into
a clear life-goal (Hod).
Second decan of Gemini, ruled
by Mars: Nine of Swords
Despair and Cruelty
corresponds to Yesod (the Foundation;
firmly established power; illusion;
giver of form) and the Moon (maternal
instincts, habit patterns, emotions, gut
feelings, nurturing, inconstancy,
dependency, home, family, tribe,
inheritance, the past). Crowley simply
calls this card Cruelty.
Many of the comments about the first
decan of Gemini also apply to this
decan. Instead of Jupiter augmenting
the scattered thinking of Gemini and
the impetuous behavior of the Knight of
Swords, in this decan the self-assured
war god Mars adds a combative tinge.
The impulsive Knight still wants to
rush off in pursuit of some crusading
ambition, but now hostility and
aggression are in the air. Mars
manifests here as the disruptive Tower
of the tarot and the thoughts that flood
the Knights mind act like cruel
weapons that give him no peace.
Aggressive or hurtful thoughts (Mars)
afflict the mind (Gemini) and take an
emotional toll (Moon); but your
worries are largely based on illusion
(Yesod).
Third decan of Gemini, ruled
by the Sun: Ten of Swords -
Ruin
corresponds to Malkuth (The Kingdom
with its four elements) and represents
stability and the end result of the
progression of the suit.
The Golden Dawn called the Ten of
Swords the Lord of Ruin and gave it
a strongly negative connotation (e.g.,
complete disruption, failure, ruin of all
plans, disdain, insolence,
impertinence, etc.). In contrast, people
born with the Sun in Gemini are
generally curious, versatile, talkative,
sociable and fond of making
connections and being on-the-go.
Mercury, although cold and dry when
in isolation, is considered neutral,
meaning that it takes on the nature of
other planets that it meets. In Geminis
third decan, ruled by the hot dry Sun,
dryness predominates and produces an
inhospitable environment for the
watery Queen of Cups who dwells
there. The sensitive Queen of Cups
cant survive for long here; she gets
desiccated by the powerful Sun and
eventually shrivels up.
The image of the shriveled Queen of
Cups reminds us of the myth of Icarus
who flew too close to the sun and fell
to his death because the melting wax
could no longer hold together his man-
made wings. In Gemini is slowing
down and comes to a full stop as the
decan ends at the summer solstice. At
the boundary between Gemini and
Cancer the Sun will be at its closest
and hottest with respect to the earths
northern hemisphere and thus at its
most destructive.
Crowley noted that the ten cards
represent the energy of the suit taken to
an extreme. In this case the cutting,
embattled nature of Swords is revealed
in the disruptive nature of thinking (the
element Air) gone wild. Picatrix
views this decan as one of inattention,
distraction, gaming, empty chatter and
idleness all negative traits of
Gemini. The French occultist Etteilla,
who wrote well before the Golden
Dawn, viewed the Ten of Swords as a
card of tears, sadness, lamentation and
desolation.
may have been feeling the heat of the
approaching summer solstice when
the blazing Sun will come to a
standstill. The destructive thinking
(Gemini) of the previous two cards
(the 8 and 9 of Swords) now reaches a
powerful and parching (Sun) climax
(Malkuth).
SUMMER: JUNE 21
SEPTEMBER 22;
CANCER LEO -
VIRGO
<><><>
The Fool Visits the
Cardinal Water Sign
CANCER
Dates: June 22 July 22 (tropical);

July 16 August 16 (sidereal).
Sign Ruler: the Moon.
Major Arcanum: The Chariot
(VII).
Exalted: Jupiter.
Debilitated: Saturn (in detriment),
Mars (in fall).
Court Cards: Queen of Cups
(decans 1 & 2); King of Wands
(decan 3).
Pip Cards:
First Decan: 2 of Cups.
Venus/Cancer.
Second Decan: 3 of Cups.
Mercury/Cancer.
Third Decan: 4 of Cups.
Moon/Cancer.
Fourth Stop: CANCER (cardinal
pips 2, 3, 4).
Zodiac Sign: Cancer is a cardinal
Water sign related to home, family, the
tribe, mothering, dependency,
nurturing, protection, tenacity,
sensitivity, early emotional
experiences and taking care of those
you love. When Cancer cards appear
in a reading, it is wise to consider how
well you have connected emotionally
and met the needs of those in your care
without fostering excessive
dependency.
Cancer is ruled by the Moon, the
virgin-mother-crone goddess of
emotions, nurturing, family, home and
intuition.
Golden Dawn assigns Cancer to the
Chariot trump and the Moon to the
High Priestess. Hence, issues of
prudently directing our inner life and
attending to our intuitions form a
cards of this sign. Because Jupiter is
exalted in Cancer, the Wheel of
Fortune also plays a role, bringing up
issues of chance, luck, fate and good
fortune.
First decan of Cancer, ruled
by Venus: Two of Cups - Love
The first decan of the cardinal signs
new season. Summer has just begun
and the Water energy depicted in the
suit of Cups is starting to grow and
develop. If the suit of Cups were a
plant, the Ace of Cups would be its
roots. In this first decan these early
watery shoots would be pushing up
through the ground, wondering where
they can find love and emotional
security. Venus, the goddess of love
and the Moon, ruler of Cancer, are the
two quintessential feminine planets of
the zodiac. Venus values close intimate
relationships and the Moon esteems
motherhood, compassion and nurturing.
When Venus and the Moon join forces,
their primary motivation is to love and
be loved, to start a family and to
nurture those whom they love.
have the opportunity to initiate a
fruitful (Chokmah) love relationship
(Venus) that will provide emotional
security (Cancer).
Second decan of Cancer, ruled
by Mercury: Three of Cups -
Abundance
learned).
The emotionally responsive Queen of
Cups resides in this decan. She gets
along famously with Cancers ruling
planet, the Moon, because they both
focus on nurturing, mothering, feeding,
caring, enjoying human relationships
and sharing good times. Mercury, of
course, takes on the characteristics of
whomever he meets and doesnt mind
playing the role of the carefree child
who gets all the attention he could ever
want from these two doting women.
Thus, Mercury finds himself presiding
over a decan where life is truly a bowl
of cherries. The overall image here is
one of abundant pleasure, joy,
kindness, hospitality, food, drink,
affection and general merriment: Eat,
drink and be merry, for tomorrow
want to tell others (Mercury) about
your good fortune (Jupiter exalted) in
structuring (Binah) an emotionally
secure (Cancer) and loving
environment (Queen of Cups).
Third decan of Cancer, ruled
by the Moon: Four of Cups
Blended Pleasure
risk-taking, orientation toward the
future).
The Moon rules the entire sign Cancer
and also governs its third decan, which
makes Luna extremely powerful in this
realm where The Prince/King of
Wands resides. The nurturing Moon
wants to take care of the fiery kings
every need. The Prince/King of Wands,
of course, is a surrogate for the Sun,
chief of the solar system and ruler of
the next sign, Leo. To sweeten the pie,
Jupiter is exalted in Cancer and more
than willing to confer good fortune.
Crowley calls this decan one of
Luxury. The Golden Dawn
acknowledges the success and pleasure
associated with this decan but notes
that they are approaching their limit.
The pleasure of this decan is thus
blended because the next stop after
this pleasant final ten degrees of
Cancer is in Leo, whose first decan is
governed by austere Saturn, reminding
us that all good things must come to an
end.
Possible Keyword Delineation: Being
overly (Jupiter) protected, nurtured
and pampered (Cancer) can foster
dependency (Moon) that limits your
self-sufficiency, freedom to seek
adventure and creative self-
expression (King of Wands).
Fire Sign LEO
Dates: July 23 August 23

(tropical); August 17 September
16 (sidereal).
Sign Ruler: the Sun.
Major Arcanum: Strength (VIII).
Exalted: n/a
Debilitated: Saturn (in detriment).
Court Cards: King of Wands
(decans 1 & 2); Knight of
Pentacles (decan 3).
Pip Cards:
Saturn/Leo.
Jupiter/Leo.
Mars/Leo.
Fifth Stop: LEO (fixed pips 5, 6, 7).
Zodiac Sign: Leo is a fixed Fire sign

related to courage, leadership,
generosity, honor, prominence, fun,
drama, creativity, vitality, self-
expression, exhibitionism, daring, risk-
taking, generativity, offspring,
confidence, pride and selfhood. When
Leo cards appear in a reading, it is
wise to consider how well you have
displayed leadership and creatively
generated something that expresses
your true self, without becoming
excessively proud or arrogant.
Leo is ruled by the fiery Sun, the
fatherly life-giver Sun-king of the solar
system.
Golden Dawn assigns Leo to the
Strength card and the Sun to the Sun
trump. Hence, issues of strength,
fortitude, authority, creativity,
prominence, radiance and leadership
form a backdrop for understanding the
pip cards of this sign.
First decan of Leo, ruled by
Saturn: Five of Wands - Strife
self-interest).
Saturn is a traditionally malefic planet
known as the Great Taskmaster, Father
Time, or the Grim Reaper the great
heavy of the zodiac. Saturns metal is
dull weighty lead. Wherever Saturn
appears, he usually indicates delays,
abandonment, deprivation,
dissatisfaction, burdens, setbacks,
austerity, frustration, confrontation
with harsh reality, lessons to be
learned, a sense of loss and just plain
hard work. There is no free lunch; as
you sow, so shall you reap. In this
decan, cold Saturn tends to feel out of
place in the realm of the fiery Sun
because Saturn (cold and dry) wants to
contract, freeze, congeal, darken and
extinguish vitality whereas the Sun (hot
and dry) wants to expand, heat, thaw,
illuminate and promote life. Clearly
these two planets are at odds but
because Saturn is in his detriment in
Leo, the Sun has the upper hand.
The Sun and Saturn, however, share the
quality of dryness, which corresponds
to the tense interaction depicted in the
Waite-Smith Five of Wands.
Individuals with Saturn in Leo often
experience a fear that they will not be
sufficiently loved or admired and they
feel inhibited about giving free rein to
their creative self-expression. They
may hide such inhibitions under the
mask of competitiveness as suggested
by mock battle in the Waite-Smith Five
of Wands. The Prince/King of Wands,
whose realm this is, may feel blocked
by Saturn and thus need to struggle to
express his natural enterprise, daring,
creativity, enthusiasm and ambition.
may be engaged in a struggle
(Geburah) to assert yourself (Mars)
and you may feel inhibited (Saturn)
about creatively expressing your
inner self (Leo).
Second decan of Leo, ruled by
Jupiter: Six of Wands - Victory
success).
Jupiter, the philandering king of the
Olympian gods, expands whatever he
touches; and he especially likes to
touch beautiful women who catch his
meandering eye. In this decan Jupiter
comes in contact with Leo, the Great
Lion of the zodiac, King of the Jungle
and Strength trump of the tarot. As the
Wheel of Fortune, Jupiter offers
success, honor and rewards to regal
Leo. The Prince/King of Wands, who
resides here, epitomizes the traits of
enterprise, daring, virility, enthusiasm,
charisma, creativity and ambition. No
wonder the Golden Dawn regarded
this as a card of victory.
Possible Keyword Delineation: Good
fortune (Jupiter), honor and success
(Tiphareth) abound when you express
yourself creatively and generously
toward others (Leo).
Third decan of Leo, ruled by
Mars: Seven of Wands Valor
fortune).
The English word valor derives
from the Latin verb valere, meaning
to be strong. The sign Leo refers to
the Strength trump and to the cardinal
virtue of fortitude. Valor is the quality
of a hero who displays boldness and
determination in facing great danger.
The Knight of Pentacles, who resides
in this decan, is noted for persistence
and determination in pursuing his
goals. This earthy Knight is the most
plodding, levelheaded, studious,
painstaking and cautious of all the
Knights. When he makes a plan, he
works doggedly toward its
accomplishment. In contrast, Mars,
who rules this decan, is known for his
impatience, independence and
assertiveness. The Knight of Pentacles
tempers the impetuous nature of Mars
and allows the war-god to display true
valor as he battles for what he believes
in. For his part, Mars in the dramatic
sign Leo can give the methodical
Knight of Pentacles the self-confidence
to strike out on his own and express
himself creatively.
will emerge victorious (Netzach) if
you valiantly fight (Mars) for that
which is essential to your sense of
identity (Leo).
The Fool Visits the
Mutable Earth Sign
VIRGO
Dates: August 24 September 22

(tropical); September 17 October
16 (sidereal).
Sign Ruler: Mercury.
Major Arcanum: The Hermit
(IX).
Exalted: Mercury.
Debilitated: Jupiter (in detriment),
Venus (in fall).
Court Cards: Knight of Pentacles
(decans 1 & 2); Queen of Swords
(decan 3).
Pip Cards:
Sun/Virgo.
Venus/Virgo.
Mercury/Virgo.
Sixth Stop: VIRGO (mutable pips 8,
9, 10).
Zodiac Sign: Virgo is a mutable Earth

sign related to analysis, criticism,
refinement, prevention of difficulties,
discriminating thought, methodical
effort, organization of information,
tangible results, attention to detail,
health concerns, body-consciousness,
desire for perfection and service to
others. When Virgo cards appear in a
reading, it is wise to consider whether
you have been sufficiently cautious in
attending to the details necessary to
accomplish your material ambitions
without becoming overly fussy or
hypercritical.
Virgo is ruled by clever Mercury, the
trickster messenger of the gods and the
patron of merchants and thieves.
Golden Dawn assigns Virgo to the
Hermit trump and Mercury to the
Magician. Hence, issues of prudence,
reflection, solitude, patient planning,
the pursuit of wisdom, the benefits of
ageing and the skillful use of ones
talents and intelligence form a
cards of this sign. Because Mercury is
exalted in Virgo, the Magician trump is
doubly represented, emphasizing the
need to utilize our skills, knowledge
and self-confidence to make things
happen in our lives.
First decan of Virgo, ruled by
the Sun: Eight of Pentacles -
Prudence
variety and diversity).
This Knight of Pentacles, who resides
here, is the most hard-working,
levelheaded, methodical, cautious and
sensible of all the Knights. He thinks
carefully about what he wants, outlines
a detailed plan and pursues his goals
with painstaking determination.
Prudence is his middle name. The
Knight of Pentacles gets along superbly
with Virgo, the tarot Hermit who has
spent many disciplined years
accumulating spiritual wisdom. The
Sun, which rules this decan, shines
brightly on the Hermit and the Pentacle
Knight, fostering their foresight and
discretion. Only the most prudent of
practitioners of ancient alchemy could
develop the power to transmute the
base metal lead into the suns metal,
gold. Prudence is truly a virtue.
sense of identify (Sun) is linked to
learning new skills (Mercury/Hod)
and reliably performing methodical
tasks (Knight of Pentacles), which
enable you to shine (Sun) and be of
service to others (Virgo).
Second decan of Virgo, ruled
by Venus: Nine of Pentacles
Material Gain
calls this card Gain.
The industrious Knight of Pentacles
also resides in the second decan of
Virgo, a decan governed by the usually
fun-loving Venus. Virgo as the Hermit
suggests that Venus need to spend some
alone to reflect on what she is doing.
Virgo is also the sign of fall of Venus,
so she is not able to be much of a party
girl here. The Pentacles Knight and
Venus form a complementary pair. The
Knight works hard to accumulate
wealth, which Venus likes to spend on
beautiful surroundings. Because we are
in the realm of Virgo and the prudent
Hermit, Venus wisely restricts her
spending to items of refinement and
good taste. The Knight doesnt mind
because he gets to live quite well and
enjoys the finer things in life. Clearly,
his money is being used wisely for
material gain.
desire for luxury, enjoyment and
creature comforts (Venus) becomes a
solitary pursuit (Venus in fall)
performed in a discriminating,
reflective and self-sufficient manner
(Virgo).
Third decan of Virgo, ruled by
Mercury: Ten of Pentacles -
Wealth
Mercury is strong and happy here
because the winged messenger of the
gods rules and is exalted in earthy
Virgo, whose third decan is also
governed by Mercury. In his role as the
Magician of the tarot, Mercury in
down-to-earth Virgo utilizes his talents
to assure family security, prosperity
and financial stability. Mercury was
the ancient god of trade, and the
modern word merchandise is named
after him. An exalted Mercury can
indicate a skillful merchant; and
individuals born with Mercury in
Virgo often possess a critical,
utilitarian intelligence that spells
success in business, commerce,
information management and scientific
fields. The no-nonsense Queen of
Swords, who resides here, sees to it
that the methodical, precise and detail-
oriented approach of Virgo is put to
practical use. The sign Virgo, as the
old Hermit or Father Time, possesses
the wisdom to have amassed a legacy
that will be available to the next
generation. Virgos desire to be of
service is reflected in the presence of
the loyal dogs on the Waite-Smith Ten
of Pentacles.
Possible Keyword Delineation: The
end result (10) of your practical
intelligence (Mercury in Virgo)
meticulously applied to material
resources (Virgo) is a situation of
family security and financial stability
(Malkuth).
FALL: SEPTEMBER 23
DECEMBER 21;
LIBRA SCORPIO -
SAGITTARIUS
<><><>
The Fool Visits the
Cardinal Air Sign
LIBRA
Dates: September 23 October 23

(tropical); October 17 November
15 (sidereal).
Sign Ruler: Venus.
Major Arcanum: Justice (XI).
Exalted: Saturn.
Debilitated: Sun (in fall), Mars (in
detriment).
Court Cards: Queen of Swords
(decans 1 & 2); King of Cups
(decan 3).
Pip Cards:
Moon/Libra.
Saturn/Libra.
Jupiter/Libra.
Seventh Stop: LIBRA (cardinal pips
2, 3, 4).
Zodiac Sign: Libra is a cardinal Air

sign related to balance, harmony,
equality, fairness, justice, equipoise,
relationships, partnerships, marriage,
negotiation, diplomacy, tact,
compromise, careful decision-making,
a love of peace, and the lawfulness of
society. When Libra cards appear in a
reading, it is wise to consider how
well you have examined your feelings
to come to a fair and rational decision
about a matter without becoming
overly conciliatory or indecisive.
Libra is ruled by Venus, the ultra-
feminine goddess of sensual pleasure,
beauty, relationships and love.
Golden Dawn assigns Libra to the
Justice trump and Venus to the
Empress. Hence, issues of fairness,
balance, justice, the law, relationships,
fertility, fecundity, mothering,
pregnancy and child rearing form a
cards of this sign.
First decan of Libra, ruled by
the Moon: Two of Swords
Peace Restored
Crowley simply calls this card
Peace.
new season. Autumn has just begun and
the Air energy depicted in the suit of
Swords is starting to grow and
develop. If the suit of Swords were a
plant, the Ace of Swords would be its
roots. In this first decan these early
airy shoots would be pushing up
through the ground, wondering what
decisions they had to take and where
their analytical reasoning might lead
them. This decan belongs to the Queen
of Swords, a woman who has been
wounded emotionally in a close
relationship and therefore relies for
guidance on her intellect rather than
her emotions. This card thus depicts
the conflict between mind and heart.
Venus, the ruler of Libra and the Moon,
the ruler of this decan, are touchy-feely
feminine planets but they find
themselves in Libra, a masculine Air
sign, noted for its logic, rationality,
impartiality, equilibrium and sense of
justice. Head and heart are equally
balanced in Libra, the sign of the
scales, so that making a decision
becomes decidedly hard to do.
are attempting to make a wise and
productive decision (Chokmah) by
seeking to harmonize (Libra) your
innermost feelings (Moon) with
careful reasoning and logical
analysis (Queen of Swords).
Second decan of Libra, ruled
by Saturn: Three of Swords -
Sorrow
learned). In the Three of Swords we
have a double dose of Saturn, that is,
from the Tree of Life and from the
rulership of the decan.
Somber Saturn is a traditionally
malefic planet known as the Great
Taskmaster, Father Time, or the Grim
Reaper the great heavy of the zodiac.
Saturns traditional metal is dull and
weighty lead. Wherever Saturn
appears, he tends to bring delays, loss,
sorrow, frustration, abandonment,
dissatisfaction, burdens, seriousness
and just plain hard work. With Saturn,
there is no free lunch: as ye sow, so
shall ye reap. Saturn feels somewhat
out of place in Libra, the land of Venus,
because he values austerity, discipline,
frugality, seriousness and keeping
ones nose to the grindstone whereas
Venus prefers to party, feel good, go
shopping, look nice, enjoy sensual
pleasures and make love.
On the other hand, Saturn is at an
advantage in Libra because he is
exalted here and is thus able to bring
disciple to the love goddess, teach her
the lessons of harsh reality and appeal
to her sense of fairness, balance and
justice. As much as Venus values being
in love, Saturn in this card brings her
down to earth and teaches her that
close relationships can also involve
sorrow, loss, injustice, separation and
tears. One of the lessons of Binah on
the Tree of Life is that all things must
come to an end. The Queen of Swords,
a woman who has been widowed or
who has suffered loss or separation in
a close relationship, is quite at home
here.
Possible Keyword Delineation: A
sense of loss, heaviness, deprivation,
or the passage of time (Saturn) in the
realm of close partnerships (Libra) is
an inevitable part of life (Binah).
Third decan of Libra, ruled by
Jupiter: Four of Swords Rest
from Strife
future). Crowley calls this card
Truce.
The kindly King of Cups resides in this
third decan of Libra. He is a faithful
husband and responsible family man
who relates well to Libras emphasis
on justice and equality in close
relationships. His family life serves as
a refuge from the duties of kingship and
in his home he finds rest from strife.
Jupiter, on the other hand, roams the
world looking for his next amorous
adventure. In his mind if one lover is
good, two is even better. Not satisfied
by his scorned wife Hera/Juno, the
goddess of the Libran ideal of
monogamy and legitimate marriage,
Jupiter seeks sexual pleasure wherever
he can find it. Righteous Juno becomes
enraged at her husbands philandering
and strikes out vengefully against his
many lovers and illegitimate offspring.
In this third decan of the marriage sign
Libra, Jupiter has difficulty finding rest
from his marital strife. The situation is
akin to encountering Hilary, Bill and
Monica in the same room at the White
House. Perhaps the compassionate
King of Cups can help the leader of the
Olympian gods to secure a quiet place
in which to recuperate.
The sarcophagus on the Waite-Smith
version of this card may be a reference
to the fact that this decan ends at the
beginning of Scorpio the zodiacal
sign of death, purgation and
regeneration.
Possible Keyword Delineation: In
order to take care of yourself in a
compassionate manner (King of
Cups), you need to adopt a broad
view (Jupiter) and re-establish your
equilibrium (Libra).
Water Sign SCORPIO
Dates: October 24 November 22

(tropical); November 16
December 15 (sidereal).
Sign Ruler: Mars; Pluto (modern).
Major Arcanum: Death (XIII).
Exalted: n/a
Debilitated: the Moon (in fall).
Court Cards: King of Cups
(decans 1 & 2); Knight of Wands
(decan 3).
Pip Cards:
Mars/Scorpio.
Venus/Scorpio.
Mercury/Scorpio.
Eighth Stop: SCORPIO (fixed pips
5, 6, 7).
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio is a fixed Water

sign related to intense emotions, strong
desires, resoluteness, investigation,
analysis, dissection, penetrating
insight, depth of understanding,
transformation, revealing what has
been hidden, death, destruction, envy,
revenge, elimination, reproduction,
rebirth and occult interests. When
Scorpio cards appear in a reading, it is
wise to consider how well you have
dealt with deep emotional
undercurrents that may have caused a
certain amount of personal upheaval
without giving in to feelings of
vengeance.
Scorpio is ruled by fiery Mars the
assertive, masculine, sexy,
impassioned and enterprising god of
war. Modern astrologers assign
Scorpio to powerful and controlling
Pluto/Hades, the god of the underworld
who abducted and violated
Persephone. Like the Hierophant in the
opposite sign Taurus, Pluto/Hades
plays a key role in the Eleusinian
mysteries.
Golden Dawn assigns Scorpio to the
Death trump and Mars to the Lightning-
struck Tower. Modern astrologers link
Pluto to the Judgment card, although
some assign Pluto to the Fool. Hence,
issues of tradition, spiritual guidance,
endings, closure, letting go,
transformation, reckoning and
awakenings form a backdrop for
sign.
First decan of Scorpio, ruled
by Mars: Five of Cups Loss
in Pleasure
self-interest). Mars has three
connections to the Five of Cups: as
ruler of Scorpio, as ruler of the first
decan of Scorpio and as the planet
corresponding to 5 on the Tree of
Life. Crowley calls this card
Disappointment.
This triple influence of warlike Mars
brings the disruptive Lightning-struck
Tower into this picture. Unlike the first
decan of Aries, the accompanying
Major Arcana cards here are Death
and Judgement. Because we are in the
realm of the watery King of Cups, the
Towers upheaval is likely to be felt in
our emotional life, as in the loss of a
relationship that previously brought us
pleasure.
Mars generally feels out of place in the
world of tender feelings and it may
require the Tower card to catch his
attention. The ending of a previously
cherished relationship could be his
wake-up call. The Mars tendency to
put oneself first may have gotten in the
way of intimacy. Mars wants what he
wants when he wants it. The other
persons feelings come second, if at
all. In this decan, Mars may need to let
go of something that is no longer viable
in his life. If he allows himself to be
transformed in the process, he will be
able to move on. Individuals born with
Mars in Scorpio typically have intense
feelings and a strong drive for power.
They must learn to use their power
constructively rather than for
vengeance.
experience profound emotions
(Scorpio) related to wounding and
disruption (Mars) and may be left
feeling betrayed and vengeful
(Scorpio).
Second decan of Scorpio,
ruled by the Sun: Six of Cups -
Pleasure
success).
The Sun symbolizes vitality, fun,
creative self-expression, the joy of
living, pregnancy and the production
offspring. Scorpio, which rules the sex
organs, is the sign of death, elimination
and regeneration. Mars, the ruler of
Scorpio, is happiest when winning a
battle, slaying the enemy, engaging in
athletic competition, or conquering a
beautiful woman. The Prince/King of
Cups, who resides in this decan, draws
our attention to emotions and personal
relationships. Crowley and the Golden
Dawn emphasized the sexual nature of
this decans symbolism. Crowley, no
doubt, had in mind the French idiom
la petit mort (the little death) as a
Scorpionic metaphor for sexual
orgasm. The more prudish Waite-Smith
deck focused on nostalgia for joyful
childhood pleasures. The Golden
Dawn tradition largely ignored the
negative connotations found in Agrippa
and Picatrix, which regarded the
second decan of Scorpio as one of ill
repute, shame, deceit, false dealing,
provocation, mischief and strife akin
to two dogs biting one another.
experience the joyful exuberance
(Sun) of old memories and deep
emotional connections (Scorpio),
which fill you with a sense of beauty,
harmony (Tiphareth) and compassion
(King of Cups).
Third decan of Scorpio, ruled
by Venus: Seven of Cups
Illusionary Success
Debauch.
Scorpio is ruled by Mars and Pluto and
Venus rules the third decan of this sign.
Whenever Venus and Mars get together,
sexual excitement comes to the fore.
Venus is at a disadvantage here
because in Scorpio she is in her
detriment, which gives Mars and Pluto
the upper hand. Scorpio, being a fixed
sign, means that Pluto is not willing to
compromise. Pluto wants what he
wants, which is his dream-lover
Persephone and Mars wants her now.
To Crowley the debilitated Venus in
Scorpio suggested sinking into the
mire of false pleasure.[12] Venus in
this decan becomes Persephone
abducted and violated by Pluto/Hades,
an action that led directly to the onset
of icy winter. At the end of this decan
Persephone begins her annual four-
month sojourn in Hades underworld.
She returns to earth at the end of
Pisces, the beginning of spring.
Although Persephone became Queen of
the Underworld, her success was
illusory. From her disadvantaged
position in the domain of Hades, all
Persephone could do was to fantasize
about how to escape and what life
would be like if she were free. If only
she hadnt eaten Hades pomegranate
seeds! Given the abduction and rape
of Persephone, Agrippa associated this
decan with drunkenness, fornication,
wrath, violence and strife, and
Picatrix saw here a bad marriage due
to subjugation, plunder, or rape.
Given lack of virtue suggested by the
decan, Crowley labeled the Seven of
Cups Debauch.
Victory is possible (Netzach) in your
enthusiastic pursuit of personal
ambitions (Knight of Wands) if you
can avoid the temptations of
seductive desires and perverse
pleasures (Venus in detriment in
Scorpio).
The Fool Visits the
Mutable Fire Sign
SAGITTARIUS
Dates: November 23 December

21 (tropical); December 16 -
January 15 (sidereal).
Sign Ruler: Jupiter.
Major Arcanum: Temperance
(XIV).
Exalted: n/a
Debilitated: Mercury (in
detriment).
Court Cards: Knight of Wands
(decans 1 & 2); Queen of
Pentacles (decan 3).
Pip Cards:
Mercury/Sagittarius.
Moon/Sagittarius.
Saturn/Sagittarius.
Ninth Stop: SAGITTARIUS
(mutable pips 8, 9, 10).
Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius is a mutable

Fire sign related to freedom,
adventure, enthusiasm, exploration,
travel, expansion, lofty ambitions, new
vistas, grand ideas, higher learning,
philosophy, religion, preaching, the
legal system, the search for truth and
broad-based communication. When
Sagittarius cards appear in a reading, it
is wise to consider how well you have
expanded your horizons and taken on
challenges that open your mind to
things you never dreamed were
possible.
Sagittarius is ruled by benefic Jupiter,
the fiery adventurous god of expansion,
exploration, broadmindedness and
higher learning.
Golden Dawn assigns Sagittarius to the
Temperance trump and Jupiter to the
Wheel of Fortune. Hence, issues of
moderation, skillful blending, luck and
changes of fortune form a backdrop for
sign.
First decan of Sagittarius,
ruled by Mercury: Eight of
Wands Swiftness
variety and diversity).
Mercury, the messenger of the gods, is
known for being fleet, clever and agile.
The archetypal trickster, Mercury is the
god of travelers, merchants and
thieves. Sagittarius is the centaur-
archer, half man and half horse, who
can run like a horse and shoot his
arrow over great stretches of the
countryside with tremendous velocity
and accuracy. Mercury is in his
detriment in Sagittarius and tends to
display some of his negative traits.
Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius,
expands whatever he contacts and here
he can turn Mercurys speed into haste
or, in the words of the Golden Dawn,
too much force applied too
suddenly. The high-spirited Knight of
Wands resides here, making matters
move very quickly when the Eight of
Wands is in the picture. The speedy
trajectories of Mercury and the
centaurs arrows link this card to air
travel.
Everything seems to be moving almost
too fast (Mercury in detriment) and
you are filled with a sense of
exuberance, expansion and
excitement (Sagittarius) as you seek
to fulfill a creative ambition (Knight
of Wands).
Second decan of Sagittarius,
ruled by the Moon: Nine of
Wands Great Strength
calls this card Strength.
The energetic, valiant Knight of Wands
dwells in the second decan of
Sagittarius, the centaur-archer. Unlike
the first decan, which is ruled by fleet-
footed Mercury, this second decan of
Sagittarius belongs to the Moon whose
issues of nurturing, caring and
protecting her loved ones come to the
fore. Luna calls upon the powerful
centaur and the fiery Knight of Wands
to use their great strength to defend
what they hold most dear, which is
usually a matter of high emotional
significance.
In Sagittarius, the sign of the centaur-
archer, the Moon may refer to Diana of
Roman mythology, the virgin Moon
goddess of the hunt, woodlands, wild
animals and birthing. Diana too was an
archer and she used her skills to
protect vulnerable maidens, for which
she needed great strength. Her favorite
companions were a deer and a hunting
dog.
gut reaction is to protect what is
emotionally most dear (Moon) as you
venture forth into uncharted territory
(Sagittarius) and face challenges
anew (Knight of Wands).
Third decan of Sagittarius,
ruled by Saturn: Ten of Wands
- Oppression
Somber Saturn is a traditionally
malefic planet known as the Great
Taskmaster, Father Time, or the Grim
Reaper the great heavy of the zodiac.
Saturns traditional metal is dull and
weighty lead. Wherever Saturn
appears, he usually indicates delays,
abandonment, deprivation,
dissatisfaction, burdens, setbacks,
austerity, frustration, confrontation
with harsh reality, lessons to be
learned, a sense of loss and just plain
hard work. With Saturn, there is no
free lunch: as ye sow, so shall ye
reap. Saturn tends to feel out of
place in Sagittarius, the traditional
land of expansive and adventurous
Jupiter. Saturn wants to chill, conserve
and contract whereas Jupiter wants to
warm, enlarge and initiate even more
ventures. As the great teacher of the
zodiac, Saturn warns Jupiter that he
needs to practice the virtue of
temperance associated with his sign,
Sagittarius. Otherwise, Jupiter will
burn himself out by biting off far more
than he can chew. Having too many
irons in the fire can make even Jupiter
feel oppressed and overburdened.
Possible Keyword Delineation: As a
result (Malkuth) of your inspired
enthusiasm (Sagittarius), you may
have bitten off more than you can
chew (Saturn). You must learn to
delegate tasks and manage your
responsibilities with greater
efficiency (Queen of Pentacles).
WINTER: DECEMBER
22 MARCH 20;
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS PISCES
<><><>
The Fool Visits the
Cardinal Earth Sign
CAPRICORN
Dates: December 22 January 20

(tropical); January 16 February
12 (sidereal).
Sign Ruler: Saturn.
Major Arcanum: The Devil (XV).
Exalted: Mars.
Debilitated: Jupiter (in fall), Moon
(in detriment).
Court Cards: Queen of Pentacles
(decans 1 & 2); King of Swords
(decan 3).
Pip Cards:
Jupiter/Capricorn.
Mars/Capricorn.
Sun/Capricorn.
Tenth Stop: CAPRICORN (cardinal
pips 2, 3, 4).
Zodiac Sign: Capricorn is a cardinal

Earth sign related to ambition, hard
work, structure, order, discipline,
rules, lawfulness, practicality, career,
earthly power, worldly success and
material security. When Capricorn
cards appear in a reading, it is wise to
consider how well you have managed
your talents and material resources to
provide a secure emotional and
financial foundation from which you
can make your mark on the world.
Capricorn is ruled by restrictive
Saturn, the cold dry god of boundaries,
limits, structure and lessons to be
learned.
Golden Dawn assigns Capricorn to the
Devil trump and the planet Saturn to
the World card. Hence, issues of
temptation, greed, desire, ambition,
self-imposed bondage, completion and
fulfillment form a backdrop for
sign. Because Mars is exalted in
Capricorn, the Lightning-struck Tower
also plays a role in this sign, adding an
element of surprise and upheaval but
also warning against overconfidence
and excessive pride. Capricorn being
an Earth sign suggests that the Devil
is in the details.
First decan of Capricorn,
ruled by Jupiter: Two of
Pentacles Harmonious
Change
Crowley simply calls this card
Change.
new season. Winter has just begun and
the Earth energy depicted in the suit of
Pentacles is starting to grow and
develop. If the suit of Pentacles were a
plant, the Ace of Pentacles would be
its roots. In this first decan these early
earthy shoots would be pushing up
through the ground, wondering how
and where they might find material
security.
There is an inherent push-pull in this
decan. Jupiter wants to expand but
Saturn, Capricorns ruler, wants to
contract. The net effect is a state of
flux, accompanied by a need to juggle
competing demands and balance the
cycles of increase and decrease in a
way that fosters harmonious change.
Because Jupiter is in his fall in
Capricorn, Saturn has the upper hand
and the number of responsibilities
tends to outweigh the means to manage
them all. Fortunately, the pragmatic
Queen of Pentacles, who resides here,
is a skillful manager who can keep
things organized and find agreeable
solutions to lifes ups and downs.
must act wisely to bear the fruit
(Chokmah) of opportunities to expand
your life (Jupiter), all the while
taking into account inevitable
boundaries and limitations (Saturn).
Second decan of Capricorn,
ruled by Mars: Three of
Pentacles Material Works
learned). Crowley calls this card
Work.
Mars is exalted in Capricorn where the
discipline of Saturn, Capricorns ruler,
helps to steady his impetuous phallic
energy and put it to constructive use.
Channeled wisely, the assertive drive
of Mars can accomplish great things.
Capricorn is an enterprising cardinal
Earth sign whose persistence,
pragmatism, ambition and fondness for
tangible results can accomplish great
works in the material world. The
pragmatic Queen of Pentacles, who
resides here, works well with the
exalted Mars by attending to detail and
managing the practical aspects of
whatever project needs to be done.
Possible Keyword Delineation: To
achieve your material ambitions
(Capricorn) you must work
energetically (Mars) and
methodically (Queen of Pentacles)
over time (Saturn) to put your good
ideas into action (Binah).
Third decan of Capricorn,
ruled by the Sun: Four of
Pentacles Earthly power
future). Crowley simply calls this card
Power.
The Suns metal is precious glittering
gold and aspiring Capricorn often sets
material security and wealth as its
primary goals. As the Devil card,
Capricorn can represent greed, vanity,
pride, addiction and excessive
preoccupation with worldly gain. Such
slavish bondage to material goods
comes at a cost to our spiritual life.
The no-nonsense King of Swords, who
resides in this decan, does his best to
assist the Sun in achieving its worldly
ambitions.
Capricorn is an Earth sign, the Sun is
of Fire and The Prince/King of Swords
is of Air. Absent from the mix is the
element Water with its focus on
emotions, caring, nurturing and human
relationships. This imbalance of
elements is reflected in the miserly
character on the Waite-Smith Four of
Pentacles who, like King Midas, has
amassed a fortune but remains isolated
and alone. The Golden Dawn name for
this card reminds us of President
Andrew Jacksons comment that money
is power.
Possible Keyword Delineation: The
power (Sun) to achieve ones worldly
ambitions (Capricorn) follows from
the establishment of material security
(Chesed), which in turn depends on
luck (Jupiter) as well as carefully
formulated plans (King of Swords).
Air Sign AQUARIUS
Dates: January 21 February 18

(tropical); February 13 March 14
(sidereal).
Sign Ruler: Saturn; Uranus
(modern).
Major Arcanum: The Star (XVII).
Exalted: n/a
Debilitated: the Sun (in detriment).
Court Cards: King of Swords
(decans 1 & 2); Knight of Cups
(decan 3).
Pip Cards:
Venus/Aquarius.
Mercury/Aquarius.
Moon/Aquarius.
Eleventh Stop: AQUARIUS (fixed
pips 5, 6, 7).
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius is a fixed Air

sign related to detachment, objectivity,
freedom, altruism, humanitarian
values, friendship, brotherhood,
sisterhood and the sense of community.
When Aquarius cards appear in a
reading, it is wise to consider how
well you have respected the rights and
feelings of others in your pursuit of
individualistic aims and personal
independence.
Aquarius is ruled by Saturn, the austere
god of boundaries, limits, structure and
lessons to be learned. Aquarius is a
masculine air sign, noted for its
detachment, objectivity, theoretical
orientation and fondness for
abstraction the nerd energy of the
zodiac. Modern astrologers assign
Aquarius to unpredictable Uranus, the
god of sudden disruptions, technology,
eccentricity, rebellion, individual
freedom, freestyle activities and
willful independence.
Golden Dawn assigns Aquarius to the
hopeful Star trump and links the planet
Saturn to the World card. Modern
astrologers have assigned Uranus to
the Fool card, although some align
Uranus with the Judgment trump.
Hence, issues of hope, guidance,
fulfillment and completions form a
cards of this sign.
First decan of Aquarius, ruled
by Venus: Five of Swords -
Defeat
self-interest).
Like King Solomon of the Bible, The
Prince/King of Swords a person of
clarity of thought, decisiveness and
impartiality feels at home in the first
two decans of objective Aquarius. The
cold dry planet Saturn, traditional ruler
of Aquarius, has little use for pesky
human emotions. Love cant pay the
rent, or so Saturn has been heard to
say. The highly feminine planets, like
Venus and the Moon, are decidedly
uncomfortable here. Venus wants a
close, meaningful, personal, touchy-
feely relationship; but nerdy Aquarius
is happiest when watching football on
TV with the guys or texting on his cell
phone about the latest video game that
he plays online with anonymous
characters from around the globe.
Ambitious Saturn just wants to get the
job done as efficiently as possible and
he doesnt understand what all this
female emotive stuff is all about.
Saturn is the kind of guy who might
take his leave because the job is done,
without seeing any need to say
goodbye. No-nonsense Saturn simply
focuses on the work he needs to do to
achieve his goals. As a result, Venus
feels defeated in her efforts to have a
warm, fuzzy, close personal
relationship with him.
may be looking for love (Venus) in all
the wrong places (Aquarius, Saturn),
perhaps with a cool detached partner
(Aquarius, Kings of Swords) and you
may be left feeling wounded (Mars)
by the consequent disruption and
strife (Geburah).
Second decan of Aquarius,
ruled by Mercury: Six of
Swords Earned Success
success).
As mentioned above, the no-nonsense
King of Swords feels quite at home in
the first two decans of the emotionally
detached Aquarius. Mentally agile
Mercury is more than happy to take on
the traits of airy, intellectual Aquarius.
Its a match made in heaven. Mercury
is clever with words and ideas. Non-
emotional Aquarius loves reason,
science, logic, technology, abstractions
and theoretical ideas. Mercury, as the
Magician of the tarot, can earn
enormous success with his
technological know-how.
Aleister Crowley, in reflecting on
Mercury and Aquarius, renamed the
card of this decan Science for
obvious reasons. Waite-Smith depicted
a journey over water away from
troubles, perhaps because Mercury is
the god of travelers and Aquarius, the
hopeful Star card, suggests locations
where land and water meet.
Spurred on by disruptive
circumstances (Tiphareth) where you
were not able truly to be yourself (Sun
in detriment), you have analyzed the
issues (King of Swords) and decided
to move on (Mercury) to a more
hopeful situation (Aquarius).
Third decan of Aquarius, ruled
by the Moon: Seven of Swords
Unstable Effort
Futility.
The third decan of Aquarius belongs to
the watery Knight of Cups whose
exploits are emotionally driven and
who gallops through the countryside in
search of love and emotional
fulfillment. The sensitive Knight of
Cups feels uncomfortable in
emotionally cool Aquarius, as do
Venus and the Moon, who happens to
rule this lunar decan. The Moon is the
most emotive of planets and mental
Aquarius is the most non-emotional
sign of the zodiac.
The Knight of Cups finds himself in a
classic mind versus heart dilemma.
His gut, prompted by the Moon, tells
him if it feels right, do it; but his
Aquarian mind advises him to follow
reason and not be swayed by emotion.
The Knight of Cups wants a close
personal union with another person,
but Aquarius preaches universal
brotherhood and emotional detachment.
We saw a similar dilemma in the Two
of Swords; its dj vu all over again.
Because Knights by their nature must
always set off on a quest, the net result
of this heart-mind conflict is unstable
effort.
gut feelings (Moon) urge you to
march to the beat of your own
drummer (Aquarius/Uranus) if you
wish to achieve success (Netzach),
especially in matters that are dear to
your heart (Knight of Cups).
The Fool Visits the
Mutable Water Sign
PISCES
Dates: February 19 March 20

(tropical); March 15 April 13
(sidereal).
Sign Ruler: Jupiter; Neptune
(modern).
Major Arcanum: The Moon
(XVIII).
Exalted: Venus.
Debilitated: Mercury (in its fall
and detriment).
Court Cards: Knight of Cups
(decans 1 & 2); Queen of Wands
(decan 3).
Pip Cards:
Saturn/Pisces.
Jupiter/Pisces.
Mars/Pisces.
Twelfth Stop: PISCES (mutable pips
8, 9, 10).
Zodiac Sign: Pisces, the Fishes, is a

mutable Water sign related to
emotions, intuition, poetic imagination,
sensitivity, compassion, forgiveness,
renunciation, deeper realities and
higher spiritual values. When Pisces
cards appear in a reading, it is wise to
consider how well you have lived up
to your spiritual principles, especially
those ideals that have to do with self-
sacrifice and caring for the less
fortunate.
Pisces is ruled by benefic Jupiter, the
fiery adventurous god of expansion,
tolerance, joviality, broad horizons and
higher learning. Modern astrologers
assign Pisces to illusory Neptune the
god of the oceans, poetry, fog, illusion,
imagination and mysticism.
Golden Dawn assigns Pisces to the
Moon trump and Jupiter to the Wheel
of Fortune. Modern astrologers have
assigned watery Neptune to the Hanged
Man. Hence, issues of intuition, lack of
clarity, luck, changes of fortune,
suspension and sacrifice form a
cards of this sign. Because Venus is
exalted in Pisces, the Empress trump
also plays a role in this sign, bringing
up issues of mothering, nurturing,
fertility, fecundity, pregnancy, child
rearing and female authority.
First decan of Pisces, ruled by
Saturn: Eight of Cups
Abandoned Success
variety and diversity). Crowley calls
this card Indolence.
Saturn is a traditionally malefic planet
known as the Great Taskmaster the
great heavy of the zodiac. Saturns
traditional metal is dull and weighty
lead. Wherever Saturn appears, he
usually indicates delays, abandonment,
deprivation, dissatisfaction, burdens,
setbacks, austerity, frustration,
confrontation with harsh reality,
lessons to be learned, a sense of loss
and just plain hard work. With Saturn,
there is no free lunch: as ye sow, so
shall ye reap. Saturn tends to feel out
of place in this land of Jupiter, the
traditional ruler of sensitive, idealistic
Pisces. Saturn wants to freeze and
contract, whereas Jupiter wants to
warm and expand. No wonder the
figure on the Waite-Smith card has
decided to look elsewhere to pursue
his dream. Like the watery Knight of
Cups who governs this decan, the
Waite-Smith figure sets off on a quest
for emotional fulfillment.
Although you have experienced
success in the past (Hod), you now
feel a sense of loss (Saturn) regarding
an idealized expectation (Pisces),
perhaps in the area of romance or
artistic expression (Knight of Cups)
and so you wish to move on to
experience greater diversity
(Mercury/Hod).
Second decan of Pisces, ruled
by Jupiter: Nine of Cups
Material Happiness
calls this card Happiness.
As the traditional ruler of Pisces,
Jupiter is quite at home in the sign of
the fishes and can be at his benefic
best. Pisces is the sign of daydreams,
fantasies, illusions, mysticism and
forgiveness. As the Wheel of Fortune,
Jupiter can make our dreams come
true. He might even help the Knight of
Cups, who governs here, find the love
and emotional fulfillment he so
cherishes.
Possible Keyword Delineation: Good
fortune (Jupiter), material benefits
(Venus) and perhaps a romantic offer
(Knight of Cups) now flow your way,
fulfilling some of your idealized
fantasies (Pisces) and making you
feel like the universe (Pisces) is
looking out for you (Moon/Yesod).
Third decan of Pisces, ruled by
Mars: Ten of Cups Perfected
Success
progression of the suit. Crowley calls
this card Satiety.
Mars always has sex on his mind and
seizes every opportunity to spend time
with a beautiful woman. In this case,
his love interest happens to be the fiery
Queen of Wands the hottest woman in
the deck. Fortunately, Venus is exalted
in Pisces, which gives the Wands
Queen, with the aid of Venus, an
advantage over Mars. Her fiery royal
highness is able to rein Mars in and
establish a happy home and the family
life she always desired, including
beautiful children as the fruit of their
passionate lovemaking. Under the spell
of Venus, warlike Mars feels that all is
right with the world. The cold winter
is ending and the verdant spring the
product of their coital encounter is
about to be born. Be mindful, though,
that malefic Mars never completely
loses his sting and this card carries
with it a warning that bliss cannot last
forever.
Through your own assertive efforts
(Mars) you have finally achieved the
stability (Malkuth) of idealized
emotional connectedness with
something greater than yourself
(Pisces).
The Fools journey is now complete.
He began on the first day of spring and
ended on the last day of winter in the
following year. May the lessons the
Fool learned during his travels speed
you on your own journey toward
enlightenment.
[1] Dag Hammarskjld quoted at

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Dag_Hammarskj%C3%B6
[2] This image is in the public domain at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tree_of_life_bahir_he
[3] Aleister Crowley, The Book of Thoth, Samuel
Weiser, Inc., 1974, p. 218
[4] Crowley and the Golden Dawn drew a straight
line (meridian) from the North Pole due south
through the Great Pyramid of Egypt and believed
that this meridian governs Asia and is ruled by Fire
and the suit of Wands. The meridian 90 degrees due
east of the Great Pyramid passes through the area
of the Pacific Ocean and is ruled by Water and the
suit of Cups. The following meridian, 90 degrees due
east of the Pacific meridian, passes through the
Americas and is ruled by Air and the suit of Swords.
Finally, the meridian that lies 90 degrees due east of
the American meridian passes through Europe and is
supposedly ruled by Earth and the suit of Pentacles.
[5] April Elliot Kent, The Essential Guide to
Practical Astrology, Alpha Publishers, 2011, p.40
[6] Israel Regardie, The Golden Dawn, Llewellyn:
St. Paul, MN, 1989, p.550.
[7] Israel Regardie, ibid., p. 550.
[8] C.E.O. Carter, Essays on the Foundations of
Astrology, Theosophical Publishing House, London,
1947, p.114
[9] C.E.O. Carter, ibid., p.116
[10] OReilly quoted at
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/09/30/top-5-
moments-from-bill-oreillys-killing-jesus-interview-
with-60-minutes/.
[11] Newt Gingrich speaking at Harvards Kennedy
School of Government in November 2011, quoted at
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/19/gingrich-
laws-preventing-child-labor-are-truly-stupid/
[12] Aleister Crowley, The Book of Thoth, op. cit.
p. 182

The Journey of The Tarot Fool

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

The Journey of The Tarot Fool

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

The Journey of the Tarot

Fool Around the Zodiac

Tracing the Fools journey will deepen

Tarot Associations to the Tree

Note that the above diagram differs

The Watery Queens: The four

The Sun (ruler of Leo) the Sun

We are interested in what Mr.

Dates: March 21 April 20

Zodiac Sign: Aries is a cardinal Fire

Dates: April 21 May 21

Zodiac Sign: Taurus is a fixed Earth

Dates: May 22 June 21 (tropical);

Zodiac Sign: Gemini is a mutable Air

Dates: June 22 July 22 (tropical);

Dates: July 23 August 23

Zodiac Sign: Leo is a fixed Fire sign

Dates: August 24 September 22

Zodiac Sign: Virgo is a mutable Earth

Dates: September 23 October 23

Zodiac Sign: Libra is a cardinal Air

Dates: October 24 November 22

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio is a fixed Water

Dates: November 23 December

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius is a mutable

Dates: December 22 January 20

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn is a cardinal

Dates: January 21 February 18

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius is a fixed Air

Dates: February 19 March 20

Zodiac Sign: Pisces, the Fishes, is a

[1] Dag Hammarskjld quoted at

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen