by Brian Clark
Personal health, hygiene, diet and well-being, work, daily habits and rituals, self-improvement, pets, co-workers.
1. Literal level: health, well-being, and work.
2. Psychological level: introspection and the desire for personal growth and improvement.
3. Spiritual level: acceptance of imperfections, and the ability to wisely use analytical judgment.
The 7th card~Partners
Your partner or your relationship
Contracts, agreements, lawsuits, one-to-one rela-
tionships, business partners and close associates, committed relationships.
1. Literal level: the equal partner, contractual relationships.
2. Psychological level: the awareness of shadow aspects of the self objectified and projected onto others, an encounter with the disowned foreign and unfamiliar qualities of our self through relating.
3. Spiritual level: consciousness of shadow qualities and their integration into the self.
The 8th card~Intimacy
The deeper feelings and what the soul wants to express
Trust, secrets and suspicions, intimate issues, deep emotional concerns, shared resources and finances, inheritances, taxes.
1. Literal level: death, sex, and taxes.
2. Psychological level: learning to share and trust those to whom we are intimately attached.
3. Spiritual level: the surrender of personal attachments and ego identifications to intimately merge with another.
The 9th card~Foreign Travel
The possibilities beyond the present boundaries
Travel abroad, cross-cultural issues, religion, metaphysics and philosophy, postgraduate education, vision quests, publishing, and belief systems.
1. Literal level: philosophy, travel, religion, higher education.
2. Psychological level: the expansion of consciousness and the desire to search for meaning beyond the familial and everyday level of reality.
3. Spiritual level: Acceptance and integration of our own instinctual and learned knowledge, the awareness of the archetype of the wise woman and/or shaman.
The 10th card~Career
Your current place in the world and career prospects
Vocation, long-term goals, authority figures, status and reputation, ambitions.
1. Literal level: career, honor, status, authority, socialization.
2. Psychological level: consciousness of our role in the world and the need to contribute to society and the greater community.
3. Spiritual level: development of integrity, autonomy, and self-regulation.
The 11th card~Friends
Your place in the community and important social concerns
Friends, colleagues and associates, group participation and dynamics, political issues, community concerns, hopes and wishes.
1. Literal level: friends, groups, organizations and social circles.
2. Psychological level: understanding our political nature and communal concerns. The need to be part of a larger entity without losing our individuality or personal identity.
3. Spiritual level: participating in the evolution of the collective psyche in our own individual and unique way.
The 12th card~Hidden Resources
Your private thoughts and space for retreat and reflection
Spiritual awareness, institutions and places of confinement, retreats, dreams, inherited generational patterns, mental health, hidden resources and strengths.
1. Literal level: the secret aspects of the self, institutions, karma.
2. Psychological level: awareness of the familial past, and aspects of family fate that cause discomfort. Respect for imagination and the restoration of our ability to think magically and creatively. Using the imagination to contribute to the collective redemption of lost images and restoration of the soul.
3. Spiritual level: the invisible thread that connects personal salvation and spirituality to the redemption of the collective.
THE LUNAR CYCLE:
An Eight Card Spread
The lunar cycle is a powerful symbol as it depicts successive phases of unfolding. This spread is excellent for amplifying the possibilities of a current cycle, pointing up options for what might develop, and receiving insight into your current situation. You may read each card as part of a cycle, or use the reading to indicate the atmosphere surrounding the individual at present. Each phase of the cycle will present its own perspective on any question. Doing this spread during the New Moon every month reveals omens and information as to how the month may unfold, within the time frame from New Moon to New Moon, or 29–30 days.
Another way you can use this spread is to let the cards show you when it is necessary to push forward and when it is necessary to let things happen. The waxing or building half of the cycle is represented by the first four cards, which are more subjective, instinctual, and spontaneous. The last four cards represent the waning or dispersing of the cycle. These cards tend to be more objective, purposeful, and considered. Each card represents a phase of the cycle as follows:
1. New Moon represents the seeds of the cycle, what is about to be projected forward, and the atmosphere at the beginning of the new venture. The card may indicate an unconscious agenda, a new plan, or what lies in front of the individual. An appropriate question to explore might be, “What seeds have been sown which I must nurture?” or “What has been set into motion?”
2. Crescent Phase is the time for disentangling from the past and engaging in hard work to overcome past agendas that no longer support. This card denotes a breaking away from what is outmoded. It is important to consider which direction the instincts are urging the individual and what blocks that course.
3. First Quarter is a phase of instinctual action. It is important to act on what feels right and not try to rationalize or legitimize your actions. The card will be helpful in contemplating what needs to happen and encouraging the individual to move forward. At this stage in the cycle, the individual may not be aware of his/her destination, yet it is necessary to act on hunches. Discuss the risks involved.
4. Gibbous Phase is the time in the cycle to prepare. It signifies approaching the goalpost, where the individual is close to accomplishing his/her objectives, but needs to plan, analyze, and evaluate the process to ensure the best results. This is the grooming stage. Ask “What needs to be improved, better organized, and set up?”
5. Full Moon represents more objectivity about what is taking place, greater awareness of the process, and a clearer picture of the individual’s goals and objectives. As the cycle is coming to fruition, it is important for the individual to bear in mind what he/she is trying to accomplish, what needs to be completed, and what is most likely to be fulfilling. This card represents the rewards of the process.
6. Dissemination Phase suggests the distribution of creativity and productivity. This is the phase of spreading and publishing what has been accomplished. Therefore, this card offers images of what can be shared, sold, taught, and published. It suggests both what needs to be creatively expressed and how to circulate the work done to date. It is time to interact.
7. Last Quarter is a critical time in the cycle as it evokes the need for reflection. Now is the time to review and reorganize. Think about what needs to be changed, what revisions and edits can be made, what has been created, and what can be improved. This is the period where consciousness needs to be focused on what can be enhanced, as developments are shifting or coming to an end. This suggests the beginning of winding down a project and a time of re-visioning new ones.
8. Balsamic Phase is the ending of this particular cycle. As an ending, it symbolizes relinquishing attachments to make way for the future. The individual needs to create space for new projects, ideas, and relationships. It is a time that brings release, yet also promise of new possibilities and endeavors. This is
the threshold between the past and the future. Reflect on what can be released to make space for new phases of life.
THE TRINITY: A Three Card Spread
The Trinity Spread is an excellent introduction for beginners, as well as experts who want a more in-depth examination. Only three cards are used. The trinity of cards is symbolic of the holy matriarchal trinity of goddesses. The reading can be highly creative and problem-solving, as there are many ways to reflect on the three cards. The trinity suggests the cycle of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, or the nature of the question, what seems to be opposing or blocking the question, and the possible integration and outcome of the situation. The three cards represent a triumvirate of possibilities.
This spread allows your creativity to define the meanings of each card in the trinity. Once the cards have been shuffled well, with a meditative attitude, place the deck down in front of the querent. The first three cards from the top of the deck will be taken and laid out from left to right, as shown.
Remember that each card meaning is connected to the others in the cycle of experience, and each one informs the others.
Card One
The Crescent
Moon:
Beginnings
Card Two
The Full
Moon:
Manifestation
Card Three
The Dark of
the Moon:
Integration
Card One
Past
Card Two
Present
Card Three
Future
Card One
Concerns:
What is the nature
of the situation?
Card Two
Influences:
What is the main
influence on the
present situation?
Card Three
Outcome:
What is the
outcome of this
situation?
Card One
I: My present
attitude towards
my relationship
Card Two
Us: The current
nature of
my relationship
Card Three
You: My partner’s
role or attitude
in the relationship
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brian Clark is the co-founder of the Chiron Centre, a multidisciplinary center in Melbourne, Australia, where he teaches applied astrology. The four-year program, Astro* Synthesis www.AstroSynthesis.com.au is also offered as a comprehensive correspondence course. Brian has been active in astrology since 1972, having served as president for The Fraternity for Canadian Astrologers, The Federation of Australian Astrologers (FAA), and the Association of Professional Astrologers. He has twice received awards from the Canadian Astrological Society, received the Education Award from the Federation of Australian Astrologers, and has been nominated three times for the International Regulus Award at the United Astrology Congress (UAC). He is registered with the FAA as an Accredited Astrology Teacher. Brian also lectures on mythology in the Nexus program and conducts tours to sacred sites in Greece with Oddyssey tours.
Brian received his B.A. from Sir George Williams University in Montreal, Canada and his Post-Graduate Diploma in Classics and Archaeology from Melbourne University. He has taught astrology for the past 25 years and has lectured extensively for metaphysics, astrology, and psychology groups in Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
Brian Clark is the author of The Sibling Constellation, and a contributing author to Intimate Relationships. Both books have been translated into French and Japanese. Brian has also written numerous articles for leading astrological publications in English (including The Mountain Astrologer), translations in Spanish, French, and German, and is the author of numerous students booklets on astrology available through Astro*Synthesis. He has been interviewed about astrology on numerous television shows and documentaries.
APPENDIX
The following charts and essays provide additional explication for the symbols and associations in Celestial Tarot.
I. Astrological Symbols
Each Major Arcana card is strongly affiliated with an astrological archetype, either a planet or a zodiacal sign. Minor Arcana cards are also associated with astrological archetypes in a unique way. Following are the symbols for the traditional planets and signs.
II. The Elements
The twelve signs of the zodiac are subdivided into four elemental categories. In the Minor Arcana, one element governs the journey undertaken in each suit. In the Major Arcana, the elements oversee the archetypal initiation associated with the card. The following chart shows the symbols depicting the elements, along with their associated qualities.
III. The Inner Pantheon This chart lays out the correspondences between astrological archetypes and ancient Roman deities, along with their Greek counterparts.
Planet
Roman Deity
Greek Deity
Sphere of Influence
Sun
Apollo
Apollo in the Olympian pantheon; Helios as a Titan
God of Light and Reason
Moon
Diana
Artemis in the Olympian pantheon; Selene as a Titaness
Goddess of the Hunt, Wild Things and Childbirth
Mercury
Mercury
Hermes
God of Commerce and Travelers
Venus
Venus
Aphrodite
Goddess of Love and Beauty
Mars
Mars
Ares
God of War and Aggression
Jupiter
Jupiter
Zeus
God of Heaven;
Olympian Patriarch
Saturn
Saturn
Cronus
God of Time and Ruler of the Golden Age
Uranus
Uranus
Ouranus
The Sky God
Neptune
Neptune
Poseidon
God of the Deep Seas
Pluto
Dis
Pluto and Hades
God of the Underworld and Death
Asteroid
Roman Deity
Greek Deity
Sphere of Influence
Ceres
Ceres
&nbs
p; Demeter
Agricultural Goddess of the Corn and Grain
Pallas Athena
Minerva
Athena
Goddess of the City and Civilized Life
Juno
Juno
Hera
Goddess of Marriage and Social Customs
Vesta
Vesta
Hestia
Goddess of Hearth and Hospitality
Dionysus
Bacchus
Dionysus
God of the Vine and Wine
Hephaestus
Vulcan
Hephaestus
God of Fire and the Forge
IV. The Hebrew Letters Each of the 22 Major Arcana cards is linked with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and its associated path on the Tree of Life, as shown here.
V. The Sequence of the Minor Arcana: Wands, Pentacles, Swords, Cups
Celestial Tarot follows the order of the astrological elements, starting with Wands, the fiery element. Fire is related to the principle of conception. Its focus is on the horizon and the path ahead, seeking its expression in the future, motivated by an ideal, a vision, or a future outcome. As an element of spirit it is uncomfortable with embodiment. In the natural order of the zodiac, the element earth follows fire, therefore, Pentacles is the second suit.
Earth is the element of incarnation and embodiment, grounding the vision of fire. Earth’s function is to bring spirit into manifestation. In this way, earth is rooted in the present and is the most defined of all the elements. It has moved from fire’s ideal to becoming manifest or real, anchored in form and substance. Because it is so well defined, it often lacks the agility and mobility to experiment or conceptualize. Therefore, in the natural order of the elements, air, the element that suggests movement, follows next.