Delving Into Tarot and Astrology in the Golden Dawn Tradition

delving into tarot and astrology in the golden dawn tradition
I know very little about Tarot and Astrology, yet I do know that astrology and Tarot are inextricably linked. So imagine my joy when I met Richard Palmer, Tarot and Astrology Extraordinaire, and when he offered to write a guest post on this immense topic.

In the following post, Richard takes us through how astrology underpins Tarot, using the Golden Dawn methodology. He makes it accessible and useable, even to us astrology novices.

Over to you Richard!

Astrology plays a major role in the interpretation of Tarot cards and spreads derived from the spiritual current represented by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, an esoteric order that was founded in Great Britain and was active from the later part of the 19^th century until the early part of the 20 century.

golden-dawn From this spiritual current four Tarot decks emerged: The Waite-Smith Tarot; The Thoth Tarot; The Golden Dawn Tarot and the BOTA tarot and each of these decks can be linked to four men who were instrumental in bring them to birth, respectively: Dr. Arthur Edward Waite; Mr. Aleister Crowley; Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Paul Foster Case.

The following blog post will discuss the relationship of astrology to the Tarot decks which emerged out of this spiritual current in Western civilization. While these astrological concepts may be applied to other decks, it is outside the scope of this discussion to attempt to accurately apply them to any deck not derived from the spiritual current of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

Applying Astrological Meaning to the Tarot Cards

The application of astrological meanings to Tarot decks derived from the Golden Dawn spiritual tradition is somewhat specialized and structured specifically towards the Tarot. It varies in some ways from the common meanings associated with astrological practice in the interpretation of Natal birth charts and should not be confused with Natal, Sun Sign, Horary or any other form of conventional astrology.

To attain a comprehensive understanding of the relationship of astrology to the Tarot, we must first build a foundation from which to proceed as we must first come to understand the meaning of the Ancient Elements, Planets and Signs as they apply to the Tarot.

As promulgated by the Order of the Golden Dawn, the Tarot system uses only the seven sacred planets of the ancients (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) and does not use the outer planets of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. The outer planets have been grafted onto the decks by later interpreters but were not utilized by the Golden Dawn.

The Ancient Elements

Fire – Intuition; Spirit; action of the will; inspiration, creativity, energy, initiative, goal directed activity;
Earth – Sensation; materiality; strength, endurance, growth; reliability; practicality; accumulation;
Air – Thinking; thought; spoken and written communication; strife and conflict; expressions of the mind
Water – Feeling; the action of the emotions; love and affection, dreams, desires, fantasies; pleasure, friendship, social activity, romance, receptivity

The Seven Sacred Planets of the Ancients

Sun = self consciousness; the will
Moon = emotional self; imagination; instinct
Mercury = individual mind; intellect and reason
Venus = desire nature; love; relatedness; pleasure; material prosperity
Mars = vital energy; sexuality; ambition
Jupiter = expansive growth energy; good fortune
Saturn = materiality; restriction; limitation; self unknowing

The Signs of the Zodiac

Aries = dynamic manifestation; energetic growth; birth of new potential
Taurus = stability; security; self substantiation; expression; permanence
Gemini = mental expansion; self- development; connectivity; union; duality;
Cancer = internalization; emotional bonding; birth; giving form to that within;
Leo = outward expression of self; courage; creativity; strength; determination
Virgo = harvesting; integration; self realization; analysis; self improvement
Libra = balance; karmic law; weigh and measure; practicality
Scorpio = desire; passion; regeneration; renewal; decay
Sagittarius = expansion; transformation; spiritual awareness
Capricorn = materialization; order; structure; sacrifice; achievement;
Aquarius = higher mind; relatedness; selflessness; unity; consensus
Pisces = spiritual waters; the psychic realm; dreams; faith; sacrifice

Golden Dawn Astrological Correspondences in The Major Arcana

The Elements

Elemental Fire – Judgement
Elemental Earth – World
Elemental Air – Fool
Elemental Water – Hanged Man

The Planets

Mercury – Magician
Moon – High Priestess
Venus – Empress
Jupiter – Wheel of Fortune
Mars – Tower
Sun – Sun
Saturn – World

Golden Dawn Astrological Correspondences in The Minor Arcana

The Suit of Cups

Ace of Cups – “The Root of the Powers of Water”; Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces; The Water Signs of the Zodiac
Two of Cups – “The Lord of Love”; Venus in Cancer
Three of Cups – “The Lord of Joy”; Mercury in Cancer
Four of Cups – “The Lord of Blended Pleasure”; Moon in Cancer
Five of Cups – “The Lord of Pleasure Lost”; Mars in Scorpio
Six of Cups – “The Lord of Friendship”; Sun in Scorpio
Seven of Cups – “The Lord of Illusionary Success”; Venus in Scorpio
Eight of Cups – “The Lord of Abandoned Success”; Saturn in Pisces
Nine of Cups – “The Lord of Happiness”; Jupiter in Pisces
Ten of Cups – “The Lord of Perfected Success”; Mars in Pisces
Page of Cups – “The Prince of the Waters”; Earth of Water
Knight of Cups – “The Prince of the Chariot of the Waves”; Air of Water
Queen of Cups – “The Queen of the Throne of Waters”; Water of Water
King of Cups – “The Lord of the Waves and Waters”; Fire of Water

The Suit of Pentacles

Ace of Pentacles – “The Root of the Powers of the Earth”; Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Two of Pentacles – “The Lord of Balance”; Jupiter in Capricorn
Three of Pentacles – “The Lord of Material Works”; Mars in Capricorn
Four of Pentacles – “The Lord of Material Power”; Sun in Capricorn
Five of Pentacles – “The Lord of Material Trouble”; Mercury in Taurus
Six of Pentacles – “The Lord of Material Success”; Moon in Taurus
Seven of Pentacles – “The Lord of Unfulfilled Success”; Saturn in Taurus
Eight of Pentacles – “The Lord of Material Prudence”; Sun in Virgo
Nine of Pentacles – “The Lord of Material Gain”; Venus in Virgo
Ten of Pentacles – “The Lord of Wealth”; Mercury in Virgo
Page of Pentacles – “The Rose of the Palace of Earth”; Earth of Earth
Knight of Pentacles – “The Prince of the Chariot of Earth”; Air of Earth
Queen of Pentacles – “The Queen of the Throne of Earth”; Water of Earth
King of Pentacles – “The King of the Spirits of Earth”; Fire of Earth

The Suit of Swords

Ace of Swords – “The Root of the Powers of Air”; Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Two of Swords – “The Lord of Inner Balance”; Moon in Libra
Three of Swords – “The Lord of Sorrow”; Saturn in Libra
Four of Swords – “The Lord of Rest”; Jupiter in Libra
Five of Swords – “The Lord of Defeat”; Venus in Aquarius
Six of Swords – “The Lord of Earned Success”; Mercury in Aquarius
Seven of Swords – “The Lord of Shortened Force”; Moon in Aquarius
Eight of Swords – “The Lord of Bondage”; Jupiter in Gemini
Nine of Swords – “The Lord of Despair and Cruelty”; Mars in Gemini
Ten of Swords – “The Lord of Ruin”; Sun in Gemini
Page of Swords – “The Prince of the Rushing Winds”; Earth of Air
Knight of Swords – “Lord of the Winds and the Breezes”; Air of Air
Queen of Swords – “Queen of the Thrones of Air”; Water of Air
King of Swords – “King of the Spirits of Air”; Fire of Air

The Suit of Wands

Ace of Wands – “The Root of the Powers of Fire”; Aries, Leo and Sagittarius; The Fire Signs of the Zodiac
Two of Wands – “The Lord of Dominion”; Mars in Aries
Three of Wands – “The Lord of Established Strength”; Sun in Aries
Four of Wands – “The Lord of Abundance”; Venus in Aries
Five of Wands – “The Lord of Strife”; Saturn in Leo
Six of Wands – “The Lord of Victory”; Jupiter in Leo
Seven of Wands – “The Lord of Courage”; Mars in Leo
Eight of Wands – “The Lord of Swiftness”; Mercury in Sagittarius
Nine of Wands – “The Lord of Strength”; Moon in Sagittarius
Ten of Wands – “The Lord of Oppression”; Saturn in Sagittarius
Page of Wands – “The Rose of the Palace of Fire”; Earth of Fire
Knight of Wands – “The Prince of the Chariot of Fire”; Air of Fire
Queen of Wands – “The Queen of the Thrones of Flame”; Water of Fire
King of Wands – “King of the Spirits of Fire”; Fire of Fire

The relationships that have been presented in this post can be of great value in Tarot interpretation within the context of reading on certain questions as, according to the Golden Dawn, they reflect the most fundamental underlying astrological energies related to the cards. The astrological associations with the Tarot cards are important in that they embody the expression of the energy and meaning of their astrological associations and express them in symbolic form.

It is of course the judgment of the Reader as to what weight to assign to the astrology of the card within the context of a specific reading or whether to use it at all.

I hope that this information will aid you in expanding your understanding of the Tarot decks emerging out of the Golden Dawn tradition as well as be of value to you in your own usage of the Tarot.

Delving Into Tarot and Astrology in the Golden Dawn Tradition