The Tarot

A tool for personal introspection, the Tarot allows you to look at your life – and the situations you may find yourself in – in a very different light. I currently use primarily Aleister Crowley’s Thoth deck, but also use the Rider-Waite, Wildwood, Dark Grimoire, and Necronomicon decks.

The Tarot is a representation of both our life-course and the world around us. As the cards are largely subjective, they mean different things to different people. My thoughts on the cards come from two major sources: the first is my interpretations of the deck I learned to read Tarot with, the Rider-Waite deck, and the second is my interpretation of the Thoth deck and the cards’ relation to the tree of life. For the more practical interpretation of each card, I lean more on the meanings of the simplistic artwork of the Rider-Waite deck, but for the more abstract and deeper voices of the cards, I lean more on Crowley’s Thoth deck and his (and my own) interpretations of the Tarot with regards to the Sefirot and the Tree of Life.

The way that I envision the Tarot is as a divided representation of the Tree of Life; the Kabbalistic idea of how the divine energy of EinSof flows from heaven to earth, manifesting itself. Each numbered card in the suit, 1-10, represents one of the ten Sefirot; Kether, Chokmah, Binah, Chesed, Geburah, Tiphareth, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malkuth. The meaning of each of these Sefirot and how they apply to the cards, as well as words on the organization and nature of them, will be delved into in more detail after I finish discussing each card. The suits of each card shape the way that each numbered card manifests the Sefirot they represent. Additionally, each Sefirot represents a number in the Naples arrangement: Position, Line, Plane, Matter, Motion, Experience, Bliss, Knowledge, Being, and Reality. Essentially, each Sefirot represents one level of the world’s – and life’s – basic construction.

The four court cards in each suit correspond to a particular Sefirot as well: Kings are Chokmah (the active male), Queens are Binah (the passive female), Princes are Tiphareth (Experience), and Princesses are Malkuth (Reality). Again, the suit of the court cards also reflects how they express each Sefirot; each court card also represents distinctive personalities we may see in ourselves and those around us, and between them all cover most aspects of personality that we see.

The Major Arcana, on the Tree of Life, are placed between each of the Sefirot. As such, they represent the paths the energy from EinSof must take to reach the Earth. In this sense, they also reflect the natures of the Sefirot that they connect. Additionally, when numbered 0-XXI, they tell the story of one’s life from a baby to their integration with the world.

My Spreads:
Personality Spread
Conquering Fear Spread
Simple Deadly Sins Spread

Favorite Readings:
Middle East (Celtic Cross)
Middle East (Yin-Yang)
Personality of the World (Personality)
Occupy Movement (Celtic Cross)
2012 New Year (Celtic Cross)
Current State of the Occupy Movement (Celtic Cross)
The World’s Greatest Fear (Conquering Fear)

Decks:
Rider-Waite Tarot
Thoth Tarot
Necronomicon Tarot
Dark Grimoire Tarot
Wildwood Tarot

The Reading
Throwing the Spread
Interpreting the Cards

Thoughts on the Celtic Cross

The Cards:
The Numbered Cards
The Court Cards
The Major Arcana

Wands
Ace of Wands: The Origin
Two of Wands: Dominion
Three of Wands: Virtue
Four of Wands: Completion
Five of Wands: Strife
Six of Wands: Victory
Seven of Wands: Valour
Eight of Wands: Swiftness
Nine of Wands: Strength
Ten of Wands: Oppression
***
Knight of Wands: The Young, New Ruler
Queen of Wands: The Old, Proud Ruler
Prince of Wands: The Playful Romantic
Princess of Wands: The Daring Pioneer

Cups
Ace of Cups: The Potential
Two of Cups: Love
Three of Cups: Abundance
Four of Cups: Luxury
Five of Cups: Disappointment
Six of Cups: Pleasure
Seven of Cups: Debauch
Eight of Cups: Indolence
Nine of Cups: Happiness
Ten of Cups: Satiety
***
Knight of Cups: The Wealthy, Isolated Only Child
Queen of Cups: The Intuitive, Passive Dreamer
Prince of Cups: The Aloof, Genius Artist
Princess of Cups: The Caring, Mystical Hedonist

Swords
Ace of Swords: The Thought
Two of Swords: Peace
Three of Swords: Sorrow
Four of Swords: Truce
Five of Swords: Defeat
Six of Swords: Science
Seven of Swords: Futility
Eight of Swords: Interference
Nine of Swords: Cruelty
Ten of Swords: Ruin
***
Knight of Swords: The Idealistic, Intelligent Martyr
Queen of Swords: The Perceptive, Just Diplomat
Prince of Swords: The Inaccessible, Rational Intellectual
Princess of Swords: The Problem-Solving, Clever Manager

Disks
Ace of Disks: The Realization
Two of Disks: Change
Three of Disks: Works
Four of Disks: Power
Five of Disks: Worry
Six of Disks: Success
Seven of Disks: Failure
Eight of Disks: Prudence
Nine of Disks: Gain
Ten of Disks: Wealth
***
Knight of Disks: The Industrious, Cautious Entrepreneur and Father
Queen of Disks: The Helpful, Discontented Hostess and Mother
Prince of Disks: The Ponderous, Unstoppable Problem-Solver
Princess of Disks: The Strong, Pregnant Woman

Major Arcana
O – The Fool
I – The Magus
II – The Priestess
III – The Empress
IV – The Emperor
V – The Hierophant
VI – The Lovers
VII – The Chariot
VIII – Adjustment
IX – The Hermit
X – Fortune
XI – Lust
XII – The Hanged Man
XIII – Death
XIV – Art
XV – The Devil
XVI – The Tower
XVII – The Star
XVIII – The Moon
XIX – The Sun
XX – The Aeon
XXI – The Universe

Thoughts on the Tarot
Symbolic Charge in the Tarot