Astrological Alignment of the High Arcana
This alignment is set up with three distinct astrological key words. When dealing with astrological signs, these are used a great deal in interpreting an element’s placement in a sign. These are:
Cardinal – This is the mode of Initiation. It gets things moving forward.
Fixed – This is the mode of Persistence. It pushes to get things completed.
Mutable – This is the mode of Flexibility. It can adapt or alternate.
The Element Alignment of the Astrological Signs
Capricorn – Cardinal Earth
Aquarius – Fixed Air
Pisces – Mutable Water
Aries – Cardinal Fire (Active)
Taurus – Fixed Earth
Gemini – Mutable Air
Cancer – Cardinal Water
Leo – Fixed Fire
Virgo – Mutable Earth
Libra – Cardinal Air
Scorpio – Fixed Water
Sagittarius – Mutable Fire
Table Of Contents
Meaning of the
Four Suits
By understanding the background influences, it helps build a foundation. Traditionally, the four suit symbols have magical connotations. For those of you who have studied esoteric beliefs, this phrase may sound familiar. “To know, to dare, to will and to keep silent” are the four laws of the magical mysteries. Look at how they apply to the suits:
To Know – This represents the Cups suit. All of Life’s experiences and what you have learned from them is applied to the cup symbol.
To Dare – This represents the Swords suit. It means to penetrate matter. One must learn to face oneself and cut away the things that hinder growth.
To Will – This represents the Wands suit. It means that anyone has the ability to accomplish what he or she wants through the sheer act of will.
To Keep Silent – This represents the Pentacles suit. Man’s possibilities – realizing that all things can manifest. The void can be filled with the right knowledge.
Starting with the Cups suit, let’s break down the meaning of each card in the Minor Arcana.
CUPS – (To Know) This family suit is sometimes called the artistic or emotional family suit. They are very caring, nurturing and intuitive. Traditionally, these folks are light in coloring and have brown or blondish hair. This suit represents the astrological signs Cancer, Pisces, and Scorpio.
King – The man of your dreams, a father figure; a man of vision; a religious figure.
Reversed – A weak or faithless man; a liar or emotional manipulator.
Queen – A caring woman, mother figure. A psychic or knowing person.
Reversed - A clinging woman, emotionally overwhelmed. Not trustworthy.
Knight – A lover; a messenger of love. A dreamer. An artistic man.
Reversed – An unfaithful lover; can also mean avoiding emotional problems or confrontations.
Page – A baby. A gift of love. A message of happiness.
Reversed – Unwanted emotions; being open to be deceived.
10 – Rebuilding of a home; a move; marriage.
Reversed – A tearing down; emotional upheaval or violence.
9 – Happiness; emotional fulfillment. Success. Trust.
Reversed – Being unhappy; looking back at mistakes in life.
8 – Emotional completion. A good working relationship.
Reversed – Walking away emotionally; being fed up with a relationship. Risking too much for love.
7 – Setting goals for projects. Artist creation. Wishes, daydreams and fantasies.
Reversed – Stepping back in a negative way in dealing with emotions. Not allowing yourself to feel. Using your head instead of your heart.
6 – Memories – Looking back at the past. Family.
Reversed – Looking ahead; to renew. Letting go of the past.
5 – Emotional upheaval. Losing some but not all.
Reversed – Isolation; feeling impoverished.
4 – Emotional choice. Can also indicate boredom.
Reversed – Something new is coming your way. A relationship.
3 – Celebration; a family or social gathering. Birth.
Reversed – To bring things to a close; an achievement.
2 – Love; relationship, friendship.
Reversed – False friends; false love. Seeing things through rose-colored glasses.
1 or Ace – A new emotional beginning; love in its first moments of passion.
Reversed – Unstable emotions; false joy.
SWORDS – (To Dare) This suit is called the scientific or warrior class. Intelligent, aggressive, and focused, they use their mind to achieve their goals. They are somewhat withdrawn and have a tendency to analyze and pick things apart. White - blond or gray haired people, though in some traditions, their hair is dark. They represent the air signs Gemini, Aquarius, and Libra.
King – An intelligent man; a private person. He could be a veteran of the war or policemen. If one looked at age, he would be an older man.
Reversed – A controlling man; a man lacking emotion. A self-centered man.
Queen – A widow. A divorced woman. Highly intelligent and in control of situations. Could represent an older woman, veteran of the war or policewoman.
Reversed – A cunning and deceitful woman; bitter.
Knight – An intelligent or blunt young man.
Reversed – A cruel person; actions without thought; lawlessness.
Page – An intelligent child; a rash child.
Reversed – Holding in anger; being confused or stressed.
10 – Pain; depression; sorrow, endings. Could be a cycle card of abuse.
Reversed – Temporary success or power that quickly falls apart.
9 – Nightmares; sleep problems; being at war with yourself; poisoning.
Reversed – Fear, being ashamed.
8 – Bondage; imprisonment; sickness.
Reversed – Insanity; mentally picking things apart.
7 – Doing too many things at once; plans that fall through.
Reversed – To take what is not yours; slander.
6 – A journey across water; overcoming hard times.
Reversed – To make something public knowledge.
5 – Picking up the rest of the pieces after a struggle.
Reversed – A loss of honor.
4 – To make plans; to rest.
Reversed – Ideals that become reality. Taking time to do things right.
3 – Change of mental attitude.
Reversed – Sorrow and tears.
2 – Mental balance; peace.
Reversed – Stress; running on the edge of a situation.
1 or Ace – An idea; a new mental attitude.
Reversed – Slanted ideals; an abrupt cutting away.
WANDS – (To Will) This suit is called the traditional or worker family. They create from scratch to build a foundation. Stubborn, willful, and faithful, they are usually the people who fight for causes and are strong friends. Dominant and sexual, they represent the fire signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius in astrology. They are defined as having red or brown hair.
King – A fiery, dominant, willful man. Creative and sexual; could be a workaholic. A traditional man.
Reversed – A brutal man; someone who feels that only his way is the right way.
Queen – A sexual woman. Strong willed and stubborn. Spiritually traditional. A staunch friend.
Reversed – An over-dominant woman. Territorial to the point of being vengeful. A frustrated woman.
Knight – A creative young man. Impulsive and restless. Could also be a message of travel.
Reversed – A young man that is flighty and lacking responsibility. Could represent an irresponsible act.
Page – A child with red or brown hair. A child from a traditional family. This Page is called “The Messenger” page. The card can mean a message is coming.
Reversed – La
ck of communication.
10 – To move or uproot. Carrying more than your share.
Reversed – To be overwhelmed or over-worked. Spiritual or creative hardships. Divorce.
9 – Gut feelings that pay off. Things manifesting through hard work or creative endeavors.
Reversed – To defend yourself or your situation. To prepare.
8 – Traditionally called “swiftness,” this card deals with communication and travel. Airplane trips, E-mail, telephone and written letters fall under this card.
Reversed – Things not happening quickly enough. Lack of communication.
7 – To be able to step back and be successful. To have the high ground.
Reversed – Putting yourself on a pedestal. Keeping apart from people or things. Stepping back and losing out.
6 – Victory and success. Honor.
Reversed – Lack of success, Loss of honor or respect.
5 – Creative situations or society. Social or sexual pursuits.
Reversed – Competition or game playing.
4 – Creative foundation. Writing. Signing of papers. Can be one of the cards indicating marriage or celebration.
Reversed – Lack of foundation, situation built on dreams and nothing more. Not having a choice in creating what you want.
3 – Waiting for changes to occur. Creating something new.
Reversed – No change at this time. Having to wait for something to change.
2 – Dominion. Creation.
Reversed – Lack of balance or creativity; ungrounded.
1 or Ace – New spiritual, creative or sexual beginning.
Reversed – Needing to start anew but not going forward.
PENTACLES – (To Be Silent) This suit is called the merchant class or landowner suit. Practical, independent, earthy and disciplined, these people construct and build. The astrological signs Taurus, Capricorn and Virgo align with this group. Here are some examples of what this suit can represent: stable and down to earth; could be dark-haired people, foreign or black people, business owners or supervisors, well to do or wealthy people; anything that can deal with money or property.
King – A foreign or dark haired man. A well to do man. Business owner or lawyer. A person who is practical in his dealings.
Reversed – A con man. A man who uses power to get his own way. A selfish man.
Queen – A mysterious woman. A practical mother figure. An independent woman. A woman with money.
Reversed – A sneaky or unscrupulous woman. A manipulator.
Knight – A practical or earth signed young man. Characteristics of all of the above because he is the son of both mother and father of this suit. The Knight can also represent contracts, legacy, or the cleaning out of a situation.
Reversed – Not taking practical measures at hand. A spend thrift.
Page – A foreign, black or dark haired child. This card can also mean a grounding situation, a gift, a raise or a small project.
Reversed – Not being acknowledged for the effort put forth.
10 – Wealth, land or property. A strong foundation. Physical fulfillment.
Reversed – Loss of physical things. Structure turned upside down.
9 – Working towards physical completion. Taking time alone to set out what you want and what you don’t. Making last minute changes to something already constructed.
Reversed – Not being able to sort out all the pieces. Being too high minded rather than practical.
8 – Work, craftsmanship or construction. Business. Completion of a project.
Reversed – Running too many risks. Making money through other people’s hard work and not your own. Being too picky.
7 – Analyzing physical situations. Stepping back to see what has been completed.
Reversed – Allowing things to fall apart. Stagnant. Not getting involved when you are needed.
6 – Being practical by taking things one step at a time. Working towards a goal that will fulfill your heart’s desire. Giving things away.
Reversed – Doling things out. Not spending time or attention at home with people or things.
5 – Realizing there is a light at the end of the tunnel; taking a bad situation and making it a good one.
Reversed – Poverty; physical disruption. Conflict or physical fights.
4 – Physical structure; first foundation. Reality check.
Reversed – Being too tight with money or things. Holding things inside yourself. Holding on to the past.
3 – Physical changes. Growth through ideas by making them a reality. A money change for the better. Physical movement.
Reversed – A lack of change or physical growth.
2 – Physical balance. Being able to juggle more than one situation at a time.
Reversed – Having to borrow money from one person to pay another. Juggling more than one sexual relationship or lifestyle.
1 or Ace – New physical beginnings. A new job or money source. Physical or sexual awakening.
Reversed – No follow through when things can be constructed. A loss of money source. No physical thought given to ideas.
Table Of Contents
Meanings of the High Arcana
NOTE: Each card will be broken down in depth later in the second chapter
0. THE FOOL – An opportunity. Innocence. To go out in the world. Being open to new ideas. Androgyny.
Reversed – Foolish acts; betrayal.
1. THE MAGICIAN – Manifestation. Concentrated will. Mind over matter. Communication.
Reversed – Lack of will. Forcing situations to a negative end.
2. THE HIGH PRIESTESS – Secrets. Women’s mysteries. Psychic or Intuitive knowledge. Being independent.
Reversed – Revealing too much. Not following your gut feelings.
3. THE EMPRESS – Marriage; pregnancy; motherhood. A nurturing person. Abundance. Beauty.
Reversed – Sterile. Giving up too much of yourself and having nothing left for yourself.
4. THE EMPEROR – Structure and law. Business. Authority. Men’s issues. Security.
Reversed – Being judgmental. Power hungry.
5. THE HIEROPHANT – Teaching, learning and education. Tradition. Religion or healing. Could be a teacher, doctor or counselor. A priest or minister.
Reversed – Slanted beliefs. Lack of structure or tradition. False or flawed teaching.
6. THE LOVERS– Love or a love relationship. Choices between right or wrong. Contracts.
Reversed – Unfaithfulness. Bad choices.
7. THE CHARIOT – Going forward towards victory. Having your heart’s desire. Moving. A car or ground moving vehicle. Controlling desires.
Reversed – Out of control. Unable to protect yourself or others.
8. STRENGTH – strength; passion or strong desires. Lust for life. Connection with nature or animals. A desire to communicate.
Reversed – Forcing situations by taking control over others. Stubborn. Dominating.
9. THE HERMIT – Introspection; use of intelligence through experience or education. An elderly or learned person. Trying to perfect a situation or idea.
Reversed – Planned betrayal. Using knowledge to cause grief. Picking everything apart.
10. THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE – Fate; fortune of luck. A span of time or life. The end of one cycle and the beginning of another.
Reversed – Downfall. Endings. A change of fortune in a bad way.
11. JUSTICE – Justice and law. Balance. Karma. Contracts.
Reversed – Unlawful acts. Lack of balance. Not getting what is rightfully yours.
12. THE HANGED MAN – Suspension. Sacrifice out of love. Enlightenment.
Reversed – Crippling situations. Drug, alcohol or emotional abuse. Being a scapegoat. Forced sacrifice.
13. DEATH – Dramatic change; transformation. Hidden agenda.
Reversed – Death, stagnation; A breaking down of situations.
14. TEMPERANCE – Cause and effect; actions taken thro
ugh time. Patience. Understanding things through what you have learned.
Reversed – Anger; lack of patience; Pressed for time; Lack of understanding. Action taken without proper information.
15. THE DEVIL – Paradox; reorganization. Mirth.
Reversed – Irony. Being bound to material things in life. Being obsessed. Perverse outlook or sexual situation.
16. THE TOWER – To confront; having the courage of your convictions. The breaking down of false ego. To clean out a poisonous situation.
Reversed – Conflicts; blowups; war; disruption. Ruin. Abrupt endings.
17. THE STAR – Hope. Opportunity. Creativity. The door opening to new possibilities. A return of a person or a situation that brings fortune.
Reversed – False hopes; lack of faith. Dreaming but not doing. Disadvantaged.
18. THE MOON – Birth; dreams; sleep; intuition. Strong nurturing feelings. Female cycles. Ebb and flow of the tides.
Reversed – Fear, obsessions; drug, alcohol or eating problems. Hallucinations. Deception.
19. THE SUN – Freedom; realization; the intelligent mind and use of ideas. Light and success. A card that can deal with children.
Reversed – Lack of thought; boundaries. Not recognizing what is before you.
20. JUDGMENT – To judge in an honest way. A cleansing by fire. Resurrection.
Reversed – A harsh verdict. Dishonor. Legal entanglement. To drag up old situations from the past.
21. THE WORLD – Social announcements or communication. Society. The world itself.
Reversed – Scandal; Gossip. Bad social environment. Time to let go of the past.
Table Of Contents
The Part Intuition Plays
All of the information you have just gone over is considered a mental or intuitive “trigger.”
Intuitive ability is either weak or strong depending on how you train your five senses. The more you are aware, the better you can read. Any type of focus or creative work can strengthen it.
Triggers are something we live with every day. Here’s an example. We drive toward a traffic stoplight. As we are reaching it with our car, the light turns red. We automatically stop because we are taught to do so. Going through a red light may cause damage to us or our cars. The light is red, warning us to stop so the opposite lane can go forward. The red light was a protective warning. It is also a trigger using color.
The Act of Manifestation Page 2