The Hermetic key to understanding the Minor Arcana is knowing the
Elemental and Numerical associations. The Astrological
associations will also provide meaning for many Minor Arcana cards.
The elements
Element (Suit) |
Essence |
Qualities, Signification |
Jung |
Tree of Life
|
|
| Fire (Wands) | expansion | creative, energetic, inspiration, projects | Intuition | Atsiluth (Archetypes) | |
| Water (Cups) | reflection (flowing) | emotional, relational, responsive, connectedness, intuitive, psychic, un/sub-conscious | Feeling | Beryah (Creation) | |
| Air (Swords) | distinction (logic) |
mental, reason, rational, change, conflict, strategizing, communication, wit, cunning | Thinking | Yetsirah (Formation) | |
| Earth (Pentacles, Disks) | manifestation (skills) | material, pragmatic, factual, traditional, form, body, results/rewards | Sensation | Asiyah (Action) |
Numbers have meanings/properties of themselves. When these combine with the Elements they form the basic meaning for each card. With the Elemental and Numeric energies, we can create a matrix of the energies represented by each card. "The Key to the Minor Arcana" presents a grid showing the cross-relationship between The Elements and the Numbers.
The first word of meaning is the most general consensus of traditional decks. The second work is the Occult (Golden Dawn, Thoth) meaning. When there is disagreement between the two systems, it is usually explainable by examining the Astrological attributions (below) which carry more weight in the Thoth.
|
Element |
FIRE | WATER | AIR | EARTH |
|
Numerology |
Wands | Cups | Swords | Disks |
| 1 Potential, initiative | Opening: project, initiative | Beginning/Opportunity for emotional, inspirational, spiritual | Epiphany, Communication, Focus | Invitation, opportunity, improvement |
| 2 Duality, Polarity | Assessment / Dominion | Partnership / Love | Balance / Peace | Juggling / Change |
| 3 Expression, Creativity, Synthesis | Seeking / Valor | Celebration / Abundance | Upset / Sorrow | Skillful work / Works |
| 4 Foundation, Solidification | Celebration / Completion | Discontent / Luxury | Retreat / Truce | Holding, covet / Power |
| 5 Strife, Crisis | Competition / Strife | Loss / Disappointment | Loss, dishonor / Defeat | Poverty / Worry |
| 6 Harmony, help | Victory | Happiness, childhood / Pleasure | Movement, healing / Science | Generosity / Success |
| 7 Trial, Seeking, Mystery | Perseverance / Valour | Whimsical, fantasy / Debauch | Deceit / Futility | Seeking / Failure |
| 8 Mastery, Manifestation, Expansion, Action | Progress, Communication / Swiftness | Seeking, moving on / Indolence | Frustration / Interference | Dedication / Prudence |
| 9 Inward, composure | Reserve / Strength | Joy / Happiness | Grief / Cruelty | Abundance / Gain |
| 10 Culmination, Abundance | Burden / Oppression | Contentment / Satiety | Failure / Ruin | Stability / Wealth |
| FIRE | WATER | AIR | EARTH |
Next we can map out the Astrological attributions for each card. Notice the patterns:
In each element: 3 Cardinal, then 3 Fixed, then 3 Mutable signs of the Zodiac
The planetaries rotate (Mars ... 2 in Wands... then 5 in Cups ... then 9 in Swords.. then (wrapping around) 3 in Disks)
So, for example:
--- Mars in Aries - gives the character to the 2 of Wands (and the numerology of the number 2 (duality) combined with Fire)
|
Element----> |
FIRE | WATER | AIR | EARTH |
|
Numerology |
Wands | Cups | Swords | Disks |
| 1 Potential, Beginnings | Aries -- Leo -- Sagittarius | Cancer -- Scorpio -- Pisces | Libra -- Aquarius -- Gemini | Capricorn -- Taurus -- Virgo |
| 2 Duality, Relation, Antithesis | Mars in Aries | Venus in Cancer | Moon in Libra | Jupiter in Capricorn |
| 3 Expression, Creativity, Synthesis | Sun in Aries | Mercury in Cancer | Saturn in Libra | Mars in Capricorn |
| 4 Foundation, Stability, Completion | Venus in Aries | Moon in Cancer | Jupiter in Libra | Sun in Capricorn |
| 5 Strife/Change, Conflict | Saturn in Leo | Mars in Scorpio | Venus in Aquarius | Mercury in Taurus |
| 6 Harmony | Jupiter in Leo | Sun in Scorpio | Mercury in Aquarius | Moon in Taurus |
| 7 Limitation, Seeking, Mystery | Mars in Leo | Venus in Scorpio | Moon in Aquarius | Saturn in Taurus |
| 8 Mastery, Manifestation, Expansion | Mercury in Sagittarius | Saturn in Pisces | Jupiter in Gemini | Sun in Virgo |
| 9 Completion/Integration | Moon in Sagittarius | Jupiter in Pisces | Mars in Gemini | Venus in Virgo |
| 10 Culmination | Saturn in Sagittarius | Mars in Pisces | Sun in Gemini | Mercury in Virgo |
| FIRE | WATER | AIR | EARTH |
|
Planetary |
Attributes ---- Astrology Step 1 |
| Sun | energy of life |
| Moon |
the Reigning needs of the Personality; how the Sun's energy is expressed in Personality |
| Mercury | Mind; Nervous System, Movement, Communication |
| Venus | Romantic, Relational, Social, Aesthetic Concerns |
| Mars | Applied energy, assertion, aggression |
| Jupiter | Expansion, enthusiasm, and optimism (benefits) [higher mind] |
| Saturn | Ambition, Necessary Controls |
| Uranus | Intensification, Eccentricism, Individualism |
| Neptune | Creative Visualization; Camouflage |
| Pluto | Perspective; Empowerment (transformation rebirth) |
In the Sign planetary associations:: Positive (+) is often described as Masculine; Negative (-) described as Feminine
Signs of the Zodiac |
|||||
| FIRE | WATER | AIR | EARTH | ||
| Aries -- Leo -- Sagittarius | Cancer -- Scorpio -- Pisces | Libra -- Aquarius -- Gemini | Capricorn -- Taurus -- Virgo | ||
| Cardinal | Aries +Mars | Cancer -Moon | Libra +Venus | Capricorn -Saturn | |
| Aries - Ego importance, assertive,
exerting force, being number one [adventurous, perceptive, personal focus to life] impulsive selfish |
Cancer - emotional and domestic security [seeks popularity] tenacious, sensitive, clinging |
Libra - to please and gain appreciation
socially; being popular, fair, attractive[reformers, prophets, idealists; sensitive,
humanitarian, truth, beauty] co-operatively, lazy |
Capricorn - making things happen;
organizing, strategizing and deploying resources, ambition, worldly [power, hardworking, serious...but an ascent is possible into spiritual/householder] prudent, cautious, suspicious |
||
| Fixed | Leo +Su n | Scorpio -Mars, Pluto | Aquarius +Uranus [+Saturn ] | Taurus -Venus | |
| Leo - seeks recognition, respect, love and honor,
ego triumph, Will generous, proud, theatrical |
Scorpio - control by knowing; get to the
bottom of things; research; being significant, self-sufficient, right [mysterious ++ occult, yoga (Tantra) >> profound insight] passionate, sensitive, anxious |
Aquarius - Innovation, social outreach,
humanitarianism (mw) [self-negation or sacrifice; no charisma] democratic, unconventional, detached |
Taurus - Keeping things as they are, or
making them as they should be, to maintain structure, organization and
security [stable, enduring, strong sense of relationships, happy homelife] resourceful, thorough, indulgent |
||
| Mutable | Sagittarius +Jupiter | Pisces (mw) Neptune [-Jupiter] | Gemini +Mercury | Virgo -Mercury | |
| Sagittarius - Opinionation;
self-assertion to know what is proper; affecting thought; idealistic mutable [harmony, moral or higher mind disposition, conventional] freedom, straightforward, careless |
Pisces - Feeling, understanding, having
compassion and identifying the ideal; working with the intangible [intuitive, mutable, sentimental, past, ceremony, music, amorphous, weak confidence] imaginative, sensitive, distracted |
Gemini - diversity, communication,
cleverness, inquisitive, wit, and the idea of being scintillating,
clever [energy] logical, superficial |
Virgo - refinement, discrimination, being
exact, cerebral, correct, accuracy practical, efficient, critical |
||
| FIRE | WATER | AIR | EARTH | ||
House |
Qualities |
||||||||
| 1st | The self, one's appearance, the body, physical characteristic etc. The Ego. The start of anything. | Self | |||||||
| 2nd | Money and Possessions, values and priorities. Growth of anything | Possessions | |||||||
| 3rd | Communications, siblings, neighbors and neighborhood matters, local travel and transport, education, everyday matters | Communication | |||||||
| 4th | The home and family, the mother or mother figure, caring for someone or something. Conservation. The beginning and end of life. | Home | |||||||
| 5th | Pleasures and leisure, holidays, games and gambling. Children. Creativity. Love affairs and sex for fun rather than a deep relationship. | Pleasure | |||||||
| 6th | Work, duties and chores. Employers, employees and one's job. Health and well-being. | Health | |||||||
| 7th | Relationships, marriage and business partnerships. Agreements and treaties. Also open enemies and war. | Partnership | |||||||
| 8th | Birth, death, beginnings and endings. Sexual relationships and deeply committed relationships of all kinds. Joint monies, taxes, legacies, and corporate finances. The occult and psychic matters. | Sex | |||||||
| 9th | Foreign travel and foreign countries and cultures. Religion, the law and higher education. All things which seek to expand one's experience. Freedom. | Philosophy | |||||||
| 10th | Aims and ambitions, direction in life. Your status in society, your career. The house of celebrity. | Social Status | |||||||
| 11th | Detached relationships such as friends and acquaintances. Groups, clubs and societies, especially with a charitable or humane aim. | Friends | |||||||
| 12th | Mysticism, the occult, psychic matters. Places of seclusion such as hospitals, prisons and institutions. Retreat and reflection and self-sacrifice. | Unconscious | |||||||