Seeking the Truth with Major Arcana 18, the Moon

Major Arcana 18, the Moon, has amongst its keywords, ‘confusion’. This is apt since this card can be extremely confusing when it appears in a reading.

Recently a friend reached out to me with this question about the Moon.

I am studying the Moon today and the keywords I have are very confusing: intuition, illusion, deception, darkness, reflection, fear, subconscious, dreams, difficulty, imagination, journey, spirituality, mystery, and psychic awareness. How do I decipher this card among all these unrelated descriptions?

I think it is fair to say that the Moon is one of the deepest and most confusing cards of the tarot. Our collective relationship with this card has changed over time. Go-to interpretations seem to vary depending on each reader’s cultural background.

I blame misogyny and fear of witchcraft for some of the negativity historically associated with this card. The moon in the sky has always been associated with feminine spiritual power. What was and is feared and persecuted by some as witchcraft is practiced and celebrated by others. This easily explains the dichotomy between deception and spirituality.

The moon in the sky ‘steals’ its light from the sun. The full moon has long been associated with insanity. The words ‘lunacy’ and ‘lunatic’ have ‘luna’ as their root word.

This makes sense, too. I often say that there is a thin line between psychic and psychotic.

There is a deeper and more provocative consideration with the Moon as well. We can see the twenty-one numbered cards of the Major Arcana as three groups of seven, and the final seven as the journey toward spiritual enlightenment.

The Devil is the gatekeeper. To begin this journey, we must see ourselves as we truly are. The Tower is the first step toward releasing false foundations. The Star allows us to heal. Then we approach the Moon.

The Moon represents spiritual truth. As we walk through the moonlight, we know that things do not appear as they do in the sunlight. Walking at night is fraught with danger. The path to spiritual truth is likewise fraught. There are cults, fundamentalism, and scams. There is egotism, and spiritual bypassing. There is greed and lust for power and control. There are many ways to be trapped as we pursue the spiritual truth and knowledge that leads to enlightenment.

The Moon shows us the path, and the Moon shows us that there are dangers along the path.

As part of this search for spiritual truth, the Moon speaks of intuition. How often intuition can be subverted in favor of fear and desire!

In a reading, the Moon may speak of this deep, dark, and important journey. Yet, as with all tarot cards, the Moon may speak of more mundane things as well. The Moon may appear to tell us of simpler hidden dangers, such as a false friend, or an infestation of termites.

The Moon may encourage our psychic development. The Moon may tell us to pay attention to our dreams. The Moon may encourage us to practice magick and witchcraft. The Moon may warn us about someone’s ill intentions toward us.

The Moon may simply make note of the confusing mysteries of life. Sometimes when the Moon appears regarding a particular department of life it is an invitation to dig deeper into that department to reveal something that has been hidden. The Moon might indicate that we are confused about something, or that something will turn out differently than we imagine.

The obvious question is this. When we see the Moon in a reading, how do we know whether to encourage psychic development, call an exterminator, or deeply explore hidden aspects of our romantic relationship?

As with all tarot interpretation, context is the key. We need to look at the spread position meaning, or the question that was asked. We need to consider the surrounding cards, and our intuitive reaction to the card. The person for whom the card is drawn also provides context. For a devout Catholic, the Moon may offer a suggestion to light a candle in church and pray for a loved one. When drawn for a practice Pagan, this card may be a directive to dance naked in the moonlight. When drawn for a person who is seeking consultation regarding a career situation, the Moon may indicate confusion about career goals and direction, or a coworker or boss who is stealing credit or sabotaging projects.

It is possible, too, that the Moon will have more than one message for us. We can interpret the same card multiple times in a reading.

Tarot study is different than tarot interpretation. Tarot study teaches us, in theory, to interpret the cards. Tarot study also gives us access to the spiritual lessons inherent in the cards. Our spiritual understand of each card can be expansive. That understanding can become part of the spiritual code by which we live every day. The interpretation of a card in a reading will likely not involve all aspects of those deeper spiritual lessons.

While the possibilities for interpretation of Major Arcana 18 are vast, there is a simple thing we can remember about this card. Whenever the Moon appears, we might consider that things may not be as they seem.

When we study the Moon, we learn vital lessons about our path to spiritual understanding. We learn to avoid cheap and easy answers that pose as simple spiritual truths. We learn that we must dig to expose the depths of dark murkiness pierced by glimpses of light that spiritual growth truly is.

The Year of the Hierophant and the Need for Temperance

This is a post about numerology and the Major Arcana. Often, we think about the numerology of the Major Arcana to figure out our birth cards, or our personal year cards, or the calendar year cards.

It is the fact that 2021 will be the year of the Hierophant that inspired this post, and my subsequent dive into Major Arcana numerology.

For the uninitiated, the Major Arcana is numbered Zero through Twenty-One.  If you look at the numbered cards One through Twenty-one and reduce the double-digit numbers by adding their digits together, you will see, for example, that there are three “One cards”. The three “One cards” are (Card One) the Magician, (Card Ten) the Wheel of Fortune, and (Card Nineteen) the Sun.

The Magician, the High Priestess, and the Empress each have two Major Arcana cards with which to form a triple. The rest of the single-digit Majors, that is, the Emperor through the Hermit, each have one card with which to form a pair.

There is a school of thought which ascribes the number Twenty-two to the Fool, making card Zero a Four, and thusly having the Fool join the Emperor and Death, turning that pair into a triple.

As in all things tarot, each of us must figure out what works for us and what resonates for us. I personally have no interest in re-numbering the Fool. I believe the Fool is numbered as card Zero for a reason, and, as such, must keep its own place as a singular and unique card with no specific connection nor affinity with any other card.

2021 is the year of the Hierophant because the numerals within that number add up to Five, and the Hierophant, of course, is card Five.

Five, in tarot, is a difficult number. If we think of Four as the comfort zone and Six as victory, Five is the space of expansion where we have left the comfort zone but have not yet come to the place of secure victory. I can think of many ways 2021 could potentially reflect this energy of Five.

2020 was the year of the Emperor. We often discuss Major Arcana cards such as Death, the Devil, and the Tower as sometimes being problematic or unwelcome in a reading. Many of us can sometimes have a similar mistrust of the Emperor and the Hierophant. This is for obvious reasons; they are both symbols of patriarchy and authority. The Emperor is government and state, the Hierophant is church and religion. Both these cards  represent necessary structures and can have positive interpretations. Yet, both can speak of governance and dogma in ways that can be troublesome.

The Emperor can be reliable, respected and responsible, yet can also be unyielding and inflexible. The Hierophant can be wise and learned yet can also be dogmatic and authoritarian.

When we look at the Hierophant as the card of 2021 there is at least one aspect that is extremely hopeful. The Hierophant can be associated with medicine, and good medical advice and practices. This could be a very good indication that, in 2021, we will see some needed solutions and advances in medicine.

There is another aspect of the Hierophant that is already showing itself around the globe. The Hierophant can be an indicator of strict religious adherence. In many countries around the world, we see a rise of fundamentalism.

In turning this aspect of the Hierophant around in my brain, it came to me that the Hierophant needs Temperance to keep him balanced. Then I remembered that Temperance is actually the Hierophant’s numerological pair!

When thinking about how the numerological pairs and triples operate, I have in the past confined my thinking to what it means when they appear together in a reading, or how they work together as birth cards. I have considered how my own birth pair, Strength and the Star, reflect both positive and negative traits in my personality. Never before have I thought about how the cards in pair or triple might impact each other.

In considering this, I realize that Temperance can actually temper the Hierophant. I realize how well these seemingly dissimilar cards go together.

The Hierophant is the doctor who performs the diagnosis and writes the prescription. Temperance is the pharmacist, the nutritionist, the physical therapist, and the naturopath who promotes the healing.

The Hierophant is the book of law. Temperance provides the fair and considerate implementation of the law.

Then I wondered if other pairs and triples might affect each other in similar ways. I can see that Death brings needed change to the rigid Emperor. I can understand that the Wheel teaches the Magician to work with the cycles of nature. The Sun keeps him from hiding his power from himself, and from hiding from others his trickster aspect.

In my own birth pair, I can see how the healing of the Star might allow the lion of Strength to regulate his fierce nature and allow him to safely roam without a leash.

This exercise of considering how numerological pairs and triples impact each other is something I will be playing around with for a long time.

As we approach a new year, I find hope and confidence in the energy of the Hierophant and Temperance.

The Hierophant brings us structure and wisdom. Temperance brings balance, patience and caution to that structure.

Temperance adds creativity to the faith of the Hierophant.

Both the Hierophant and Temperance can work with science. The Hierophant brings the rules of research and the structure of protocol, Temperance asks the questions and finds the solution.

The Hierophant can represent the overall structure of society. Temperance can find power in our differences by blending together the best that each of us has to offer.

If you, like me, enjoy diving into tarot cards, don’t miss StaarCon, our online conference coming up in January. It will be a wonderful way to begin the year of the Hierophant!

Considering the Emperor in 2020

2020 is the year of the Emperor. This is so because the Emperor is card Four in the Major Arcana, and the numerals of 2020 add up to four.

At the end of December and beginning of January, tarotists were speculating how the energy of the Emperor might be expressed over the next twelve months. Now, as we begin month eight of the oddest year of our lives, we might all have some new insights into the Emperor.

The Emperor is a card that often receives more negative press than I feel it should. 2020 is not going to help its reputation, I’m afraid.

It seems that many tarotists limit their understanding of the Emperor to power-hungry male authority. They see the Emperor as an overlord, a stern father, or a negative expression of the patriarchy. Certainly, these energies can be aspects of the Emperor. Yet, I believe there is so much more to be found in card Four.

What are positive aspects of the Emperor? I think the spiritual lesson of the Emperor is about responsibility. The Emperor is a community leader. He might be a politician, with the power to declare war. Yet, he might also be a loving father, or a caring community steward.

The number four generally speaks of stability. In the Emperor’s stability there could be rigidity, but there could also be dependability and loyalty.

How does the energy of the Emperor show up in the year 2020? Certainly, in the United States, we are preparing for an election which will determine who our leaders will be. Worldwide, during the pandemic, we have looked to our leaders for answers, and often have felt that our leaders weren’t doing enough, or weren’t doing the right things.

The death of George Floyd put the ongoing questions of how policing should be done in the front of everyone’s mind. Everything from the concept of centuries of systemic racism to the concept of police reformation can be seen in the Emperor.

The Emperor asks who will govern us, and in what way.

The Emperor is uncomfortable with moving away from the status quo, whether in an effort to stop the spread of a virus, or in an effort to change unjust societal norms.

As we look at the events that have unfolded over the past eight months, we can see the Emperor present in all of them.

As we move forward, we can learn from the Emperor as well. We can hold ourselves accountable for our behaviors. We can keep our word. We can nurture our communities. We can govern our own affairs with responsibility to ourselves, and to our families and our communities.

Mystery and the Moon

Of all the seventy-eight tarot cards, the Moon is one of the most confusing to understand and interpret. I think there are a few reasons this is so.

First, perhaps more than chariots, hermits and magicians, for example, the moon in the sky has so many cultural attachments. We all experience the moon in one way or another.

We associate the moon with lunacy, werewolves and menstrual cycles. The moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie to signal that you are in love. To the moon is where Ralph wanted to send Alice, back in the time when everyone seemed to think that spousal abuse was funny. When we ask for the moon, we are asking for the impossible. When we love beyond reason, it’s to the moon and back. When we are super-duper happy, we are over the moon.

In Ashtanga yoga, devotees refrain from their yoga practice during the new and full moon.

Wiccans and Pagans celebrate the moon cycles with specific sacred ceremonies.

In Judaism, Passover begins on a full moon.

In Christianity, Easter is held on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

In the Lenormand oracle, the Moon is card 32. While the tarot Moon can indicate secrecy and things that are hidden, the Lenormand Moon can speak of fame and recognition. The Moon shines brightly in the dark sky. In the Lenormand system, that bright light may be shining on you. The Lenormand Moon can also indicate romance, and reference activities that happen in the evening.

In astrology, the Moon represents emotions, comfort, your maternal side, feelings and vulnerability.

Does any of that help us understand Major Arcana 18, the Moon in tarot? For me, perhaps the most illustrative thing here is that the moon in the sky is something we all see, and something with which we all have some sort of relationship. The fact that the moon means so many things to so many people may help explain why the tarot Moon can be so confusing.

Very often in tarot the way we react to a card can be a clue to its meaning. So, if we feel confused by the Moon when it appears, we might interpret that to say that we are experiencing confusion in the situation for which we have consulted the cards.

Yet, the Moon can mean so much more.

If you read an older tarot book, you might see that keywords for the Moon include lunacy and treachery. The Moon may serve as a warning against hidden enemies and secret plots.

If you read a newer tarot book, you might see the Moon interpreted as an invitation to explore dreams, intuition and magic.

I have a theory about why this dichotomy might exist.

The moon in the sky has long been associated with feminine mysteries. The patriarchy of centuries past feared witchcraft, which was and is associated with feminine power and intuition, along with the cycles of the moon.

When meanings for the tarot cards were coming into being, the Moon might have been seen as a warning again witchcraft.

Today, more people understand the beauty and strength associated with the practice of witchcraft and magic. Many in the tarot community honor the traditions of the divine feminine.

That means that when the tarot Moon appears in a reading, we might see it as a call to honor your intuition, and to remember your own magical power.

We can square these two divergent meanings this way.

The path to spiritual understanding and clarity is fraught with dangers. Things are harder to see by moonlight than by sunlight. There are those who would trick us, like charlatans and false prophets. There are those who would ensnare us, like fundamentalists and cultists.

When we journey toward enlightenment, we must step carefully, and use our intuition to make sure our path is correct.

In a reading, the Moon can tell us to pay attention to the wisdom of our dreams. It can also speak to us of our spiritual faith, and of deepening our relationship to the divine.

When the Moon appears in a reading to speak of mundane matters, the allegory of the spiritual journey translates into the dangers of the pursuit of any goal. We must step carefully, we must cultivate clarity within, especially when the situation at hand lacks clarity.

In answer to a more mundane question, the Moon asks us to vet our associates and our plans carefully.

In any circumstance, the Moon may tell us to look for what is hidden. All is not how it seems.

When the Moon appears, there is a mystery to be solved, whether mundane or magical.

The Major Arcana in Action

In a reading, any tarot card can be anything. In other words, any card, whether Major, Minor, or Court, can give a spiritual message to ponder, a specific answer to a mundane question, or represent aspects of yourself, or another person in your life.

Very often, readers try to relegate card meanings based on the section of the deck from which the card comes. For example, wanting Court cards to always be people, wanting Minor Arcana cards to always suggest mundane action, and wanting Major Arcana cards to always give deep spiritual meaning.

In some readings, this sort of structure will play out perfectly. Yet, if we only interpret cards from the perspective of those boxes, we often miss the deeper and more helpful directives that could be available within a reading.

Tarot only has seventy-eight images with which to tell every story of human experience. Given that obvious limitation, tarot does an amazing job with this daunting task. Yet, it does a better job when we occasionally allow the cards to come out of their boxes to give us the messages we need.

Those boxes to which we assign the cards are helpful and necessary. The book of spiritual wisdom that tarot is would not function as well without its structure. Yet, just as a university professor might moonlight as a DJ, and as the local priest might play a mean game of darts, each card can do a variety of tasks, determined by the situation in which you find them. The priest won’t play darts while celebrating Mass, but might when gathered with friends over a beer on Monday evening. When you know the priest, you might know which skills he will be using, and which responsibilities he will be tending to, in which places and on which days. Tarot is much the same.

A great exercise is to take a group of tarot cards and imagine what each card might represent in a specific situation, or in answer to a certain question. Of course, in an actual divination, sometimes a card may speak in a way that it never has before and may never again. When that happens, we need to be able to justify our interpretation, as well as simply trust our intuition.

As an example of this exercise, and as a way to demonstrate how the Major Arcana cards might work as other than spiritual lessons and insights, I have challenged myself to list for each Major Arcana card a particular directive, or action step, that the card might suggest. Of course, this list is neither comprehensive nor definitive. You might come up with a completely different list and be equally correct. Give it a try!

The Fool may tell us to take a calculated risk, or to do some activity that we enjoyed in childhood.

The Magician may tell us to go to school, take a class, or study something new.

The High Priestess may suggest we meditate, or do shadow work.

The Empress may tell us to call Mom, or to remember our mother’s wisdom.

The Emperor may tell us to run for a political office, or get involved in community leadership.

The Hierophant may tell us to see a lawyer, or a doctor.

The Lovers may tell us to integrate more than one thing into a plan or project.

The Chariot may tell us to take control of something, or to travel.

Strength might tell us to get a pet, or it might remind us to hold our tongue.

The Hermit might instruct patience, or that we should be working toward advanced education.

The Wheel of Fortune might ask us to break hurtful patterns. It might also suggest taking a gamble.

Justice reminds us to do the right thing. It also can tell us to seek legal advice.

The Hanged Man may advise against any action, and instead suggest a time of waiting. The Hanged Man can also suggest devoting to a yoga practice, or, if needed, a Twelve-Step program.

Death can ask us to consider taking a serious step or making a significant change in life.

Temperance may instruct us to create art, or to cook.

The Devil may tell us to seriously commit to something.

The Tower may ask us to radically examine our current belief system.

The Star may ask us to seek healing of body, mind, or spirit.

The Moon may tell us to do dreamwork.

The Sun may suggest a relocation to a place with year-round warm weather.

Judgment may tell us to advertise a business or to communicate more clearly.

The World may ask us to look at the larger picture. It might also suggest an international trip, or to share our skills with a worldwide demographic.

The Major Arcana as Photographers

The Major Arcana as Photographers

copyright © 2019 Joanne Matthew

The budding new photographer is the Fool – just beginning his photographic journey. He has acquired all the tools he believes he needs from the Magician – the digital SLR, the memory card, battery charger, and various lenses. The High Priestess has shared some of her innermost secrets to success with the Fool, advising him on lighting techniques, close-ups, landscapes, and more.

The Empress urges him to photograph the children of the world who are the most vulnerable and in need. The more the public sees, the more help they might receive. The Emperor has taken a stand to protect the children in whatever way possible, and agrees with the Empress.

The Hierophant is what you call “old school” in the way that he can only see straight through the lens. He cannot adapt to digital technology and photo manipulation, but knows that you may develop your own style and techniques.

The Lovers want the Fool to photograph the “couples” in nature – the birds who choose life-long mates, for example. – partnerships such as the bees who carry the pollen from plant to plant, the rain that falls to allow growth, the snows that cover and protect the earth throughout the coldness of winter, and so much more. The Lovers know that alliances in nature are the reason for life, and without them, we may cease to exist.

The Chariot honors the photographer’s ability to take charge of how he photographs what he sees, how he manipulates his views, and what he ultimately shows to the public. Strength may often put the photographer in a dangerous situation, but gives the courage to put aside the fear and continue the mission. This is also in conjunction with the Hermit, who has shone his light on the photographer’s inner soul, thus guiding his vision and ideas every time he pushes the shutter button.

The Wheel of Fortune knows that not every picture will be perfect. Wheel knows that every photographer must sometimes take many shots of the same scene or subject, hoping that one out of all those shots will be the perfect photo to convey his feelings.

Justice tells the Fool to not be so harsh on himself – do not judge yourself by your failures, or by what others think. Be fair to yourself – keep everything in the proper perspective.

The Hanged Man knows what it’s like to feel burned out. When this happens, he tells Fool, take a break, chill out, think about approaching your goals from a different position.

Death, always trying to be a downer, wants the Fool to give up, but perhaps it’s just some new, more advanced equipment that will make all the difference. Fool is advised to put aside the old, outdated software, and learn a new technique.

Always the peacemaker, Temperance wants Fool to stay calm. Keep the dreams and desires in check with reality. If you keep your head in the clouds, know that your feet are still planted firmly on the ground.

The Devil, devious as he is, likes to sabotage the photographer, especially if he knows the photographer has many bad habits – not taking good enough care of the equipment, not having the battery charged at a pivotal moment----but all this can be avoided, as long as the photographer is aware of his bad habits and strives to avoid them.

Accidents do happen, and the Tower will sometimes cause a lens to fall, or some other tragic pitfall to happen. Often, the photographer will miss the opportunity for that one outstanding photograph, and knows the chance at that one spot, or one subject may never come again. But, Tower tells Fool, there will be other “perfect” subjects, and you will be at the right place, at the right moment.

The Star realizes every photographer’s dream is to become famous – to be recognized for the exceptional talent he/she has with a camera. Keep shooting, keep dreaming – nothing is impossible, and everything is possible.

Major Arcana Christmas Season 2018

As the Universe prepares to celebrate Christmas, the Major Arcana is facing a crisis. World is alternating between depression, anxiety, anger, and hopelessness. They have gathered together in hopes of finding a solution to save the World.

The Fool admits to not knowing which path to take, and the Hanged Man is contemplating different directions.  Empress worries about the children taken from their parents and confined to camps without the comforts of loving homes and parents to protect them, as well as her concerns for children all around the World who do not have safe homes, clean drinking water, medical care, and food on their tables. She has asked Strength to find a way to help and has turned to the Hierophant for spiritual guidance in her endeavor.

The Devil knows that current and past bad habits are contributing to the problems, and vows to change course. The Wheel of Fortune admits we cannot leave change to chance. We must act immediately. Chariot chimes in that there must be greater control in the Universe and has asked the Emperor to step up and take command.

Tower admits there has been too much destruction – floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and fires rage out of control. We cannot sit around and wish for all to suddenly improve, says Star.

The Moon, Hermit, and High Priestess are deep in meditation, seeking answers. The Lovers know a solution cannot be achieved alone – that we need strong partnerships around the globe in order to effect change.

Those who have done wrong to the Earth must one day answer for their ill deeds, says Judgement, and our friend Justice will be there to administer their punishment.

Death wants to end the strife and trials, and to begin anew with hope. He wants Sun to once again shine on this beautiful planet. Temperance pleads for understanding how important it is to not place blame, and not make demands, but to work alongside each other.

They now all look to the Magician. He is the one who has everything needed to start the process of healing. He has the knowledge and the tools to make the World happy once again.

This holiday season, may we all work together and do our part to save the world. The Major Arcana can offer suggestions as to how we might help. They cannot do it alone. They need us to do our part, and make it a Merry Christmas for our World.

Group Behavior: A Tool for Learning and Teaching Tarot

I am happy to be teaching a rare, live and in-person tarot class series at Dream Angels coming up in May. It’s an advanced class, and I will be assisted by my good friend and colleague, Mary Ellen Collins.

For the first class of four, which will be held on May 11, our topic will be the twenty-two cards of the Major Arcana.

When I used to teach beginner classes I would always cover the Majors in the first class, and the Minors in the second. Even now, working with one-on-one tarot mentoring, I like to start with the Majors.

I once had a respected teacher who advocated starting with the Minors instead. He reasoned that he could cover forty cards (four suits Ace through Ten) and give the students a handle on more than half the deck in the first class.

I understand that strategy, but I am not interested in teaching anyone to “learn tarot fast”. There are plenty of popular teachers who claim to do exactly that. I’ve worked with some of their students, however, and find evidence that it is possible to study tarot fast and shallow, or slow and deep, but not both.

So, what will Mary Ellen and I do with the Major Arcana, two hours and a room full of students who already have a basic concept of the cards?

First, we’ll discuss the differences between the Major and Minor cards. I bristle against the common wisdom that suggests that Major and Minor cards behave differently on the tarot table.

I’ve heard teachers and students alike suggest that Major cards always speak of spiritual things, while Minor cards speak only of the mundane.

I’ve heard people say that Major cards always refer to the things you can’t change, and Minor cards refer to the things over which we can have influence.

One of the things I strive to teach is that the cards speak to each of us in the way we can hear them. I don’t doubt that some people, at some times, may experience the Majors and Minors in the ways described above. However, I find any general rule that limits the voices of the cards didactic and unhelpful. Let’s not make our tarot journey more arduous by intentionally closing our minds to any way the cards could possibly speak, or any subject they might tackle.

How, then, can we teach the concept of “Greater Secrets” versus “Lesser Secrets”, or Majors versus Minors?

For me, the concept of greater and lesser secrets becomes relevant when we talk about the lessons and archetypes of tarot, rather than its interpretations.

One mistake I think many tarotists make is to see tarot only as a tool of divination, or a fortune-telling device.

Ironically, when we neglect to study tarot as a book of spiritual lessons, archetypes, meditation and magick, we limit our ability to interpret the cards in the process of divining wisdom.

When I teach the Major Arcana, I ask that my students consider the life lessons, or “path lessons” that we learn from each card.

Just like memorizing Bible verses in Sunday School, there is value in simply studying a card to embrace its lesson.

I think the twenty-two greater secrets are in fact the lessons of each of those cards, rather than their divinatory meanings.

The Minor Arcana cards teach lessons as well.  The is, however, something unique, greater and “major” about the archetypal journey of the Fool, and the lessons, characters and experiences he encounters in the twenty-one numbered Major cards. The story these cards tell very clearly gives us an allegory for life on planet Earth that is just as pertinent now as it was when the cards were first designed five hundred years ago, or when Eden Gray first coined the term “The Fool’s Journey” almost fifty years ago.

Most tarot students have a basic idea of the journey of the Fool. In this class, I will teach that they must understand themselves each as the Fool, and the twenty-one numbered cards as the lessons they have learned, are learning, and need to learn in life.

If you’ve read my book “Tarot Tour Guide” (new edition will be available this autumn), then you know that I see the Fool’s Journey through the twenty-one numbered cards as divided into three sections. I see the first section of seven cards, Magician through Chariot, as the lessons of the material world. That is, things we must learn to live well on the planet.

I see the second section, Chariot through Temperance, as the lessons of emotional balance. That is, what we must learn to find inner peace and emotional wellbeing.

I see the final section, Devil through World, as the lessons that lead us to our spiritual enlightenment.

When the individual cards appear in a spread, those lessons may or may not be pertinent in that particular reading. Major Arcana cards have key words and interpretations that do not necessarily reflect their lessons in every context.

In the process of divination, any card might deliver any message, spiritual, mundane or both. But the twenty-two Major cards are “Greater Secrets” because, in twenty-two short lessons, they teach us everything we need to know about life.

While we often talk about the elemental associations of the suits of the Minor Arcana, we often don’t think about the elemental associations of each Major Arcana card. Adding that elemental and astrological perspective is another way to give us a deeper understanding of the Majors.

 When we understand the Fool as Uranian Air and the Magician as Mecurian Air, we see the subtle similarities and difference between those two cards which both speak of beginning and initiation.

When we understand the Lovers and the Star as Air, we find new options for ways we might interpret these cards in readings. When we understand the Chariot as water, we find a level of compassion in the Hero that we might not have seen before. When we see the Hierophant as Earth we see the paradox of his limitations more clearly. When we see the Emperor as Fire, we understand his ability to wage war.

I’ve discussed two ways of grouping the Majors together to increase our understanding of them; by element, and chronologically broken into three sets of seven. There are an infinite number of ways to group Major Arcana cards with each other, and we learn new things each time we do.

You may try grouping your Majors by symbols, color, attire or similarities and differences. You’ll notice that you find new depth in cards as you assign them to different groups.

When you create a group of cards, consider what the cards have in common, and how they differ. How the unifying energy of the group expressed in each individual card? What determines the differences between the cards?

For example, when I group the Hermit with the Hierophant and the Magician, I see education. Perhaps the Magician is the bachelor’s degree; the Hierophant is the master’s degree, and the Hermit is the doctoral degree.

When I take the Hermit and group it with the High Priestess and the Moon, I see our eternal quest for spiritual wisdom and psychic knowledge.

When I group the Hermit with the High Priestess and the Hierophant, I see the clergy of the tarot.

When we consider small groupings of tarot cards, we find many aspects of each card’s personality. Then, if we ever see that particular group of cards appear together in a single spread, we may receive additional insight by interpreting the group, as well as interpreting the individual cards.

I think that Major Arcana cards reveal information about themselves when we put them in small groups, just as people do. You learn a lot about a person when you know the people they associate with, the clubs they belong to, and the places they frequent. When we are with different groups of people, or in different environments, we may act in different ways specific to the goal of the group. The same is true for tarot cards!

Once we have tarot cards arranged in small groups, the logical exercise is to pull one card at random from each group to create a tarot reading that gives information about the department of life to which the group is related.

When I teach tarot, I have neither intention nor ability to teach another person to read the way I read. Tarot is an intensely personal thing. The cards speak to each of us in unique ways. My job as a teacher is simply to create the environment in which students can begin to understand how the cards speak to them.

For the first class in this series at Dream Angels, one of my primary teaching tools will be grouping the Major Arcana to see what we can learn about the individual cards.

If you would like to attend the class at Dream Angels, please call Angela at (561) 745-9355. If you would like to study privately with me, or are interested in other tarot learning opportunities with me, please call or text me at 561-655-1160, or send me an email.

Operational Tarot: Majors and Minors without Limits

Tarotists all learn that the Major Arcana cards contain the “Greater Secrets” of the Universe, and the Minor Arcana contain the “Lesser Secrets”.

When we learn tarot, and teach tarot, we discuss the Fool’s Journey through the Major Arcana as a journey toward spiritual enlightenment and attainment. We typically discuss the Minor Arcana from a more basic perspective.

The seeker may get the idea that, within a reading, Major Arcana cards speak only to larger, more spiritual issues. They may believe that the only function of the Major cards is to remind us of our spiritual nature, or to instruct or correct us in our thinking and attitudes.

Likewise, they may see the Minors as the only cards that can provide detailed information about practical happenings.

Many tarotists (even experienced readers) come to the cards with a very didactic sense that the Majors can only mean a certain type of thing, and Minors can only mean a certain other type of thing.

Often, you will hear and read statements like the two following.

Major Arcana cards indicate situations of fate which you can’t change; Minor Arcana cards indicate areas in life where you have control.

Major Arcana cards indicate spiritual matters; Minor Arcana cards indicate mundane matters.

It’s true that, when we learn the lessons of the cards and understand their archetypes, the Major Arcana cards offer deep and universal spiritual lessons. However, so do the Minor Arcana cards, if you look deeply enough.

Tarot is a book of spiritual wisdom to be studied and embraced. Tarot is also a tool of divination. Our relationship to the cards as messengers of wisdom may be radically different than our use of the cards in divination.

Everyone’s tarot practice is unique to them. There is no one correct way to read tarot, and no one correct way to interpret any particular card.

However, I’ve recently noticed that many tarotists seems to artificially limit what information they can receive from their cards by strictly defining the function of the Major and Minor Arcana.

In my experience, all seventy-eight cards are able to perform multiply duties, depending on what is needed. All cards, both Major and Minor, are capable of giving practical information about daily life and great spiritual wisdom, sometimes in the same reading.

If a reader can look beyond a dogmatic understanding of each card and be open to the context of the reading, the reader will notice that sometimes the Major cards will speak of mundane, practical things, and sometimes the Minor cards will reveal grand spiritual insight.

A similar thing can happen within the suits of the Minor Arcana.  A reader may believe that Pentacles can only speak about money, or that Cups can only speak about love, or that Swords are always unwelcome.

The reality is, any card might appear to comment on any aspect of life. As readers, we need to be able to interpret any card in any situation.

Sometimes it’s helpful in a reading to forget the rules of tarot structure, and simply read the cards.

For example, the Magician may remind you of your power, and instruct you to take an accounting of your personal tools. The Magician may also speak to attending a school.

The Hierophant may counsel you to seek higher spiritual knowledge. The Hierophant may also tell you to seek a medical doctor and begin a standard course of treatment. 

The Ten of Pentacles may predict that you will be buying or selling a house. The Ten of Pentacles may also instruct you to connect with your ancestors in spirit.

The Page of Cups may indicate your daughter. The Page of Cups may also be a directive to speak from a place of love, and to be a channel for the high vibration of unconditional love.

Learning about tarot structure helps us incorporate the wisdom of tarot into our lives. Sometimes, though, in a reading, it is best just let the cards speak without the limitations of structure.

Tarot only has seventy-eight images with which to describe every possibility of human existence. The less we limit what each card can and cannot do, the more information we can derive.

Major Arcana Haiku

Fool, please take a chance.
Spread your wings and make that jump
Into a new world.

Magician card says
I have all the tools I need
To aid my journey.

Sitting on her throne,
High Priestess holds all knowledge.
Share your wise secrets.

Empress nurtures all,
Animals, birds, all that live
Hold your children close.

Emperor, so strong,
A father to all mankind.
Teach us right from wrong.

Hierophant so wise,
Allow us our own choices
We will not lose faith.

Lovers love to love.
Togetherness is the key.
Compromise binds all.

Chariot power,
Move forward with greatest speed.
Always keep control.

Strength tempts her lion.
The lion shows great restraint.
Stay composed and calm.

Hermit, shine your light.
Illuminate those below,
With wisdom and peace.

Wheel of Fortune turns
Ever changing by each day.
What will be will be.

Justice will prevail.
All are held accountable.
We all must answer.

Hanged Man, upside down,
Hanging from that tree all day.
Make your decision.

Death used to scare me.
What dies will be born again.
A new beginning.

Temperance will mix,
A life formula for you
To help ease your stress.

I must break the chains
That Devil holds so tightly.
I will soon be free.

Tower, you will fall
Crashing quickly to the ground
Now we can rebuild.

Wish upon a Star
Wish your dreams will all come true.
Always trust your dreams.

Moonlight from above,
Do you hide secrets from me?
You are my life force.

Sun shines brightly down,
Warming our hearts and our souls.
Take care to not burn.

Judgment will call us.
All our deeds are recorded.
We must defend them.

My World is open
To experience the joy
I have found my way.