Celestial Tarot Book

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Celestial Tarot Book Page 23

by Brian Clark


  Swords, the suit associated with air, follow Pentacles. Air represents the principle of both separation and relationship. The objective of air is to separate from the object to be able to see it, to become conscious of it. When air feels separate from the object, it is more inclined to move toward that object. In this way, the element helps develop and support consciousness, allowing a relationship to develop with the object and to become a part-ner to the other. Air is the element of relationship, however, it is also the element of mental discrimination and separation. Therefore, its polar tendency is to remain disconnected or disengaged. Air’s other-ness is followed by water, which is the element of merging, union, and knowing

  Water, an element of fusion or bonding, is the natural extension of air and is associated with Cups, the final suit in Celestial Tarot. Its function is to dissolve boundaries to permit union. The lack of separateness and fusion leads to the unconscious, the territory often evoked by water. In union and merger this element bonds and loves and obliterates differences. Water is the last element before the cycle begins again in fire. A spark of imagination or vision emerges out of water and the cycle of life and energy commences again. Because they are archetypal energies, elements have both bright and dark sides, which can be underdeveloped or overcompensated in our lives. It is important to be alert to both the light and shadow aspects of each element when examining a spread.

  VI. The 36 Constellations of the Minor Arcana

  Celestial Tarot employs the astronomical constellations known to the ancients. 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 of these ancient constellations are represented in the Minor Arcana cards except three: Equuleus (the Colt,) Triangulum (the Triangle,) and Corona Australis (the Southern Crown.) The minor constellations of Equuleus, Triangulum, and Corona Australis have been replaced by Coma (Berenices’ Hair, which in antiquity was part of Leo), Crucis (the Southern Cross that was part of Centaurus,) and Al Risha (the binary fixed star in the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 constellations and their corresponding tarot cards have been listed and tabled at the beginning of each suit section, with their history and mythology described for each card. Each Minor Arcana card is animated by the potent history, mythology, and symbolism that the ancients projected onto the constellations, endowing the tarot with new meaning.

  The three charts below identify Ptolemy’s original categorization of the 48 constellations, as he knew them in the 2nd century, and the corresponding Celestial Tarot cards.

  THE ZODIACAL:

  CONSTELLATIONS

  Constellation

  Translation

  Celestial Tarot

  1. Aries

  Ram

  The Emperor

  2. Taurus

  Bull

  The Hierophant

  3. Gemini

  Twins

  The Lovers

  4. Cancer

  Crab

  The Chariot

  5. Leo

  Lion

  Strength

  6. Virgo

  Virgin

  The Hermit

  7. Libra

  Scales

  Justice

  8. Scorpio

  Scorpion

  Death

  9. Sagittarius

  Archer

  Temperance

  10. Capricorn

  Sea-Goat

  The Devil

  11. Aquarius

  Water-Bearer

  The Star

  12. Pisces

  Fish

  The Moon

  THE NORTHERN CONSTELLATIONS

  Constellation

  Translation

  Celestial Tarot

  13. Andromeda

  Andromeda

  9 of Cups

  14. Aquila

  Eagle

  2 of Pentacles

  15. Auriga

  Charioteer

  6 of Pentacles

  16. Boötes

  Ploughman

  9 of Pentacles

  17. Cassiopeia

  Cassiopeia

  Ace of Wands

  18. Cepheus

  Cepheus

  8 of Cups

  19. Corona Borealis

  Northern Crown

  3 of Swords

  20. Cygnus

  Bird, Swan

  6 of Swords

  21. Delphinus

  Dolphin

  3 of Pentacles

  22. Draco

  Dragon

  9 of Wands

  23. Equuleus

  Colt

  not represented

  24. Hercules

  Man Kneeling

  6 of Cups

  25. Lyra

  Lyre

  7 of Wands

  26. Pegasus

  Pegasus, Horse

  5 of Swords

  27. Perseus

  Perseus, the Hero

  3 of Wands

  28. Sagitta

  Arrow

  Ace of Pentacles

  29. Serpens

  Serpent

  4 of Cups

  30. Serpentarius

  Ophiuchus

  5 of Cups

  31. Triangulum

  Triangle

  not represented

  32. Ursa Major

  Great Bear

  2 of Cups

  33. Ursa Minor

  Little Bear

  Ace of Cups

  THE SOUTHERN CONSTELLATIONS

  Constellation

  Translation

  Celestial Tarot

  34. Ara

  Censer, Altar

  8 of Wands

 
35. Argo

  Ship

  3 of Cups

  36. Canis Major

  Great Dog

  8 of Swords

  37. Canis Minor

  Little Dog

  9 of Swords

  38. Centaurus

  Centaur

  8 of Pentacles

  39. Cetus

  Whale

  2 of Wands

  40. Corona Australis

  Southern Crown

  not represented

  41. Corvus

  Crow

  6 of Wands

  42. Crater

  Bowl

  5 of Wands

  43. Eridanus

  River

  5 of Pentacles

  44. Hydra

  Water-Snake

  4 of Wands

  45. Lepus

  Hare

  7 of Swords

  46. Lupus

  Wild Beast

  2 of Swords

  47. Orion

  Orion

  4 of Pentacles

  48. Pisces Australis

  Southern Fish

  4 of Swords

  VII. The 36 Decans of the Minor Arcana

  The first nine cards of each suit are divided into decans. Decans are 10-degree arcs that divide the zodiac into 36 equal divisions. The first decan refers to the first ten degrees of the sign, the second decan is the next ten degrees of the sign, and the third decan is the last ten degrees of the sign. Each of the 36 cards, including the Ace to Nine of each suit, is associated with one decan.

  Decans were commonly used reference points in classical astrology. Today, they are used in sun sign columns and for differentiating transits and progressions moving through different spheres of the zodiac. In modern astrology, there are generally two systems of decans in use, the Chaldean System, which uses the classical planets only, and the Oriental System.

  Celestial Tarot follows the Oriental System, which is preferred by modern astrologers. In this system, the first decan of each sign is sub-ruled 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. Modern astrologers use both classical and modern planets in this rulership. Therefore, in this system the Fire signs (Wands) have three sub-rulers of the decans: Mars, Sun, and Jupiter. The Earth signs (Pentacles) decan rulers are Venus, Mercury, and Saturn. The Air (Swords) decan rulers are Mercury, Venus, and Uranus. The Water signs (Cups) have the Moon, Pluto, and Neptune ruling the decans. The decan rulers in the Oriental system would be as follows: (see Chart I, page 265 for key to Astrological Symbols used.)

  The Oriental System

  of Decan Rulerships

  (Tap on the table to view the enlarged image)

  In Celestial Tarot, the sign that initiates each suit is 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 that element. The four, five, and six of each suit are represented 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.

  In addition, 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 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.

  BIBLIOGRAPHY

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  Clark, Brian. Mythic Signs, the Zodiacal Imagination, Astro*Synthesis, Melbourne: 2000.

  Cornelius, Geoffrey. The Starlore Handbook, Duncan Baird Publishers, London: 1997.

  Greer, Mary K. Tarot for Your Self, The Career Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ: 2002.

  Kerenyi, C. The Gods of the Greeks, Thames and Hudson, London: 1951.

  Kerenyi, C. The Heroes of the Greeks, Thames and Hudson, London: 1959.

  Krupp, Dr. E.C. Beyond the Blue Horizon, Harper Collins, New York, NY: 1991.

  March, Jenny. Cassell’s Dictionary of Classical Mythology, Cassell, London: 2002.

  McDonald, Marianne. Star Myths: Tales of the Constellations, Michael Friedman Publishing Group, New York, NY: 1996.

  Morford, Mark P.O. and Lenardon, Robert J. Classical Mythology, Fifth Edition, Longman Publishers, White Plains, NY: 1995.

  Morris, Mark R. (ed.). Larousse Astronomy, Hamlyn Publishing, Twickenham: 1987.

  Pollack, Rachel. Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Part I and Part II, The Aquarian Press, Wellingborough: 1984.

  Robson, Vivian E. The Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Samuel Weiser, Inc., New York, NY: 1977.

  Sharman-Burke, Juliet and Greene, Liz. The Mythic Tarot, Eddison/Sadd Editions Limited, London: 1986.

  Steventon, Kay. Spiral Tarot, U.S. Games Systems, Inc., Stamford, CT: 1998.

  Willis, Roy (ed.). World Mythology, Duncan Baird Publishers, London: 1993.

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