by Brian Clark
Capricorn is an image of control, casting its need for authority over those in its environment. When there is an unlived life, the King of Pentacles may also reflect an insecure and dominating autocrat. If the individual who has drawn the card feels manipulated by a strict parent, dominated by a controlling partner, or overshadowed by a rigid boss, the King of Pentacles reflects the need to master the environment and become more self-directive. On a divinatory level, the appearance of the King of Pentacles appeals to the individual to follow his or her own vocation. As the depiction of worldly success, the King of Pentacles reflects the need to be more autonomous and in control of one’s destiny. His appearance augurs a period of productivity and management of worldly affairs. The individual who has drawn this card has received permission to strive for mastery over one's chosen path.
The King of Swords:
Libra, Cardinal Air
Libra, the ruler of Justice, represents the King of Swords, the human surrogate who champions the divine virtues of equality and justice for all. As the master diplomat, the King of Swords has governorship over the abstract sphere of thinking, personifying the strategic and decision-making skills necessary for intellectual leadership and vision. As an embodied individual, the King is scholarly and thoughtful. He distances himself from emotional chaos to penetrate to the heart of the dilemma, so that solutions and alternate courses of action can be discovered. The perceptive King of Swords personifies the function of rational thinking and logos, the power of the word. When this card appears, it suggests that discrimination and rationality are the functions required for a current situation to be clearly thought through.
Balance is the key. The King of Swords holds the sword of discrimination and mental prowess in one hand, while holding the scroll of knowledge in the other. Both the sword and the scroll are symbolic of his power over the rational realm. Using his discernment, logical skills and reflective ability, the King is empowered to make the right choices. Signifying the ability to choose wisely, the card usually appears when a difficult decision needs to be made or a more conscious examination of the situation is necessary. The King of Swords may appear as a professional, such as a teacher, lecturer, writer, or diplomat who acts as a guide to developing this realm of one’s self. As qualities within the individual, the King may manifest the conscious awareness to act tactfully, diplomatically, and conciliatory in all negotiations.
Aware of the swinging scales, the King continuously tries to align them by being just, equal and fair, upholding human values and morals. The darker side is constellated when the King’s sword cuts him off from his own feelings, rendering him unsympathetic, sarcastic and cruel. When the shadow emerges, the King becomes cold and stern and wavers in his loyalty to others. Therefore, the card reiterates the need to be conscious of personal relationships and to honor those of value. This card’s appearance foretells a time when it becomes necessary to follow logic, rather than emotion. The King is sovereign over the realm of personal ideals and beliefs, and encourages the individual to follow his or her own, and not be swayed by others. It is imperative to be masterful at what is said, for ill-chosen words are hurtful and are not retractable. Therefore, the King may also appear as a warning to be responsible for the messages your words send to others.
The King of Cups:
Cancer, Cardinal Water
Honoring the crab of Cancer with his chalice, the King of Cups acknowledges his anointment as its deputy. Both hands hold the cup, signifying that feelings are being upheld. Cancer was associated with the Chariot, the card that challenged the hero to become emotionally mature. Now the King of Cups celebrates his seasoned relationship to his feeling life. Master of the watery realm, the King’s openness to its natural tides makes him aware of the floods and storms of emotions, the intensity of feelings, and the responsibilities of relationships. Cancer is synonymous with caring and nurturing, and the King indicates the ability to govern this realm of inner feelings and fantasies, having developed the capacity for love and intimacy. The King is also aware of his emotional attachments, protecting and supporting those he loves.
Embodying these mature feelings allow him to be adept at counseling and caring. He can be deeply loving and paternal, or highly imaginative and creative. Therefore, the King is often personified as a therapist or healer, a loving father or caring confidant, a writer or an artist. Becoming adept at this realm implies that the King has experienced both the pain of a broken heart and the dark night of the soul, the requisite passages of initiation for mastering the soulful realm of the feelings. This realm also encompasses the wounds and severed feelings from broken attachments. When the card appears the individual is called to master the emotions that are dominating the personality. On a divinatory level, it heralds a period of healing when unresolved feelings can be made more manageable, and the heart more in control.
Cardinality is about expression and initiation, while the element of water is more inclined to be passive. Therefore, the mix is difficult and King energy may often try to dominate or control the feelings rather that let them be. The King’s shadow may conceal his unresolved emotional scars, resentment, and cynicism. However, the card is a sign that the individual has developed enough perspective to let the feelings reign even though they may seem chaotic and irrational, or shameful and angry. The appearance of the King suggests a mature approach to this realm, knowing that an honest encounter with feelings will be a healing balm for everyone concerned. On an oracular level, the King suggests a period of connection to life with more vigorous emotional attachments. A new phase of family life may be starting, a new level of relationship emerging, or a purchase of a home may be approaching, heralding a time of emotional security and safety.
THE MINOR ARCANA: The Lesser Mysteries
In the 2nd century c.e. Ptolemy catalogued 48 constellations. Twelve of these constellations bordered the ecliptic and represent the zodiac, while the other 36 are extra-zodiacal, illuminating the southern and northern skies. All but three of these ancient constellations are represented in the Minor Arcana cards of Celestial Tarot. The minor constellations of Equuleus (the Colt), Triangulum (the Triangle), and Corona Australis (the Southern Crown) have been replaced by Coma (Berenices’ Hair, which in antiquity was part of Leo), Crucis (the Southern Cross that was part of Centaurus) and Al Risha (the binary fixed star in the zodiacal constellation of Pisces).
The fifty-six cards of the Minor Arcana reveal the more personal mysteries of our lives. Each suit of the Minor Arcana is represented by one of the four elements. Astrologically, these elements are the foundation stones of the zodiac and are embedded in each card. The constellations and their corresponding cards are listed in the tables at the beginning of each suit, and their history and mythology is explored under each individual card.
The first nine cards of each suit are divided into decans. Decans (or decanates) are 10-degree arcs that divide the zodiac into 36 equal areas. The first decan is the first ten degrees (0-10°) of the sign, the second decan is the next ten degrees (10-20°) of the sign, and the third decan is the last ten degrees (20-30°) of the sign. Each of the 36 cards, including the Ace to Nine of each suit, is associated with one decan. The first decan of each sign is influenced by the ruler of that sign. The second decan is ruled by the ruling planet of the next sign in that element. The third decan is ruled by the ruling planet of the successive sign in that element. Therefore, the Wands’ three rulers are Mars, Sun and Jupiter; Pentacles’ decan rulers are Venus, Mercury and Saturn; Swords’ decan rulers are Mercury, Venus and Uranus, while Cups have the Moon, Pluto and Neptune ruling their decans.
In Celestial Tarot, each suit is initiated with the cardinal sign. The first three cards of each suit are cardinal, the next three are fixed, and the last three are mutable. Therefore, the Ace, two and three of each suit are represented by the first, second and third decan of the cardinal sign of the element. The four, five, and six of each suit are represe
nted by the first, second and third decan of the fixed sign of that element. The seventh, eighth, and ninth card of each suit are represented by the first, second and third decan of the mutable sign of that element. The sign associated with that decan and its ruler are illustrated on each card, giving an astrological combination specific to that card.
Finally, the essence of the Ten of each suit amalgamates all three signs of the element, representing a synthesis of the experiences to date. The Tens represent both the manifestation and culmination of the process. They are unique in that they combine all three signs of their element to bring its full force, suggesting a culmination of the stages experienced through the nine phases represented by the previous cards.
The sequence of the first nine cards follows the sequence of cardinal, fixed and mutable signs. Astrologically, the cardinal signs, Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, represent the points of the compass and govern the changes of the seasons. Marking the commencement of a new season, they represent the equinoxes (Aries/Libra) when the day force and the night force are equally balanced, and the solstices (Cancer/Capricorn) when the sun is at its maximum distance north or south of the celestial equator. The essential energy of these signs is to initiate action, start projects, and to get things going. Representing the first three cards of each suit, the cardinal signs symbolize the beginning of the process as well as the potential of the journey.
The fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio & Aquarius) correspond with the middle of each season. The midpoint of the fixed signs (15°) coincided with potent pagan rituals in antiquity to celebrate the turning of the seasons. Later, religions based their festivities on these pagan rituals known as Beltane, Lammas, Samhain and Candlemass. The essential nature of these signs is to preserve and sustain what was started in the cardinal phase. Whereas cardinal signs start projects, fixed signs develop and complete them. The four, five, and six of each suit are represented by fixed signs and suggest the challenges that are necessary to stabilize and build the projects underway.
The mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) close each season when it is necessary to complete the work of one season while preparing for the next. These are the times of seasonal change. The essential nature of mutable signs is to take what was initiated in the cardinal, stabilized in the fixed phase, and adapt these energies to the changing conditions. Mutable signs redirect and blend ideas into an overview. The seven, eight, and nine of each suit are the mutable signs that represent what can be shaped and made out of the process that has taken place.
Each suit contains three trinities. This combination is also reminiscent of the lunar cycle. The first phase, or Ace, Two and Three, represent the Crescent Moon, the beginning stage of the cycle when everything is new and potential. The second trinity of cards, the Four, Five and Six, is akin to the Full Moon when the process is at its peak and the challenges and revelations are taking pace. The final three cards, the Seven, Eight, and Nine represent the dark of the Moon when the wisdom of the cycle is internalized and integrated.
WANDS: The Quest for Fire
Minor Arcana
Wands/Fire Constellation
Decan
Ruler of Decan
Ace
Cassiopeia
1st Aries
Mars
2
Cetus
2nd Aries
Sun
3
Perseus
3rd Aries
Jupiter
4
Hydra
1st Leo
Sun
5
Crater
2nd Leo
Jupiter
6
Corvus
3rd Leo
Mars
7
Lyra
1st Sagittarius
Jupiter
8
Ara
2nd Sagittarius
Mars
9
Draco
3rd Sagittarius
Sun
10
Fire
The quest for fire is a consistent theme throughout all the world’s mythologies. The primal importance of fire, to provide warmth and light, served Neolithic man in warding off wild animals and chasing away evil spirits. From the earliest epoch, fire became invested with the sacred and was respected as the property of the gods. Today, fire remains the transcendent element, symbolizing spirit and the religious quest.
Fire had an important role in the religious and ritual life of the ancients, and a central place in the sanctuaries and temples. Today, the tradition continues through the lighting of candles and the burning of incense. Fire is a dichotomous symbol as it embodies both the sacred and the wild. It is essential for creating sacred space through sacrifice, questing for the spiritual life, and conceptualizing a more enlightened way of being. However, fire can also be wild, untamed and furious, destroying and ravaging whatever stands in its way.
The future and its timeless potential captivate the three astrological fire signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius, who all share fervor to quest beyond their familial and cultural heritage. Mythologically, all three fire signs are inspired by heroic myths. The Golden Fleece of Aries is Jason’s quest; the Nemean Lion of Leo is Hercules’ first labor, and the Centaur of Sagittarius reminds us of Chiron’s tutelage of the solar heroes. Fire longs to be heroic and yearns to adventure into the unknown. Future-orientated fire is inclined to be high-spirited, enthusiastic and optimistic, and eager to be motivated and inspired. Extroverted fire is motivational energy, like a coach or mentor inspiring others to believe in their potentials. Introverted fire is a visionary, a prophet and a weaver of dreams. When wands dominate a spread we are alerted to the multi-faceted spirit of fire and its urge to be heroic. Whether wands appear to inspire us to reach beyond our self-imposed limits and risk our security, or caution us to be less impulsive, their presence suggests that the fires of spirit are aflame, and need to be acknowledged both in ourselves and others in our environment.
ARIES is the fire of personality, the spark of life, and the impulse to incarnate. It symbolizes birth, new beginnings, and the desire to adventure, physically, intellectually, or spiritually. It needs to be free to go for what it wants. A warrior, a fighter, an adventurer, a champion, a brother.
LEO is the fire of affection and warmth, the fires of romance and search for an ideal other. It seeks its reflection in the admiration and applause from others, however, its burning desire is to create and express itself through a creative medium. A loyal friend, a playmate, a benefactor, a hero.
SAGITTARIUS is the fire of wisdom and understanding, the search for meaning and the quest for the answers to life’s big questions. It craves knowledge and freedom to explore what is foreign, pushing past the familiar boundaries of life. A traveler, a professor, a guru, a student, an explorer.
Fire’s gifts include its faith, sense of humor, and ability to see the wider horizons of life. It constantly asks questions about the nature of life and its inquisitiveness leads usdown the path of self-discovery. Fire’s survival strategy is to constantly find meaning in the everyday. Wands reflect t
his spirit of fire.
As the tool of the magician, wands suggest the prophetic power of the soul and the visionary aspect of intuition. The suit of wands represents heroic progress, development of the imagination, and prophetic ability. An abundance of wands in a reading suggests the individual needs to place trust in their intuitive capacity more and suggests there may be important individuals in the environment who are intuitive types. Throughout the suit of wands we will encounter both the hero and the heroic anima, their monstrous adversaries, as well as the totems and patterns of the heroic quest. This fiery journey begins with the cardinality of Aries and Mars and culminates in the Ten of Wands, with the salamander aglow in the flames of the three fire signs. When wands appear in a spread, the fires of the heart are lit. Whether they are the fires of inspiration, transcendence or creativity, passion or heroism, the individual is confronted by this element to be courageous, adventuresome and creative. Through the suit of wands, we engage in the heroic quest and are consistently confronted by the shadow in order to encourage a heroic act.