TarotCraft

The Archangel blows his trumpet to signal an ending and a new beginning. Even though something is fading away, perhaps a phase of life or a situation, there is no cause for regret because bigger and better things are coming your way. New and life changing opportunities are around you now and dramatic change is likely. It’s time to look back, reflect, tie up loose ends and get ready to move forward.

You may have a sudden realisation – an ‘Aha!’ moment. Spiritual growth is indicated; in fact it’s unavoidable when this card appears. Any chaos around you is actually a catalyst for growth. The best thing you can do is simply surrender to what is happening. Resistance is futile.

When positively aspected, you may have been judged, but you have conducted yourself in a respectable and responsible manner. There are no skeletons in the closet waiting to leap out and give you a fright when you least expect it. A negatively aspected card could show that judgments against you or of you actually have some truth to them. Judgement means you will reap what you sow.

A new lease of life is indicated, along with challenges that will help you to grow even more. If there is anything you have been procrastinating about or have put on hold due to other commitments, now is the time to get those things done. Clear away the old energy to make the transition easier.

This is not the time to shy away from change or a break in your routine. Embrace the new energies and opportunities around you. You are receiving exactly what you have asked for.

This card may indicate a legal dispute, especially when linked with Justice and/or any of the Swords court cards. A positively aspected card means the outcome will be in your favour. In relation to timing, Judgement means that things will happen more quickly than anticipated.

It’s Hebrew Letter is Shin, which means ‘Fire’ and ‘Holy Spirit’. It’s also corresponds to the Element of Fire itself and astrologically, to the planet of Pluto.

Pluto represents necessary personal change as well changes that affect others. Hence this card could indicate that changes are affecting the workplace, the family or community, not just you as an individual. Transformation arising from chaos is a key theme here.

A negatively aspected Judgment card can indicate obsessions and conflicts, even going as far as revenge and vendetta. Resisting a necessary transition is indicated along with avoiding change and making decisions. You might be resisting something that threatens the status quo. The only thing to do is let go and allow the forces of Judgment to transform you.

After the destruction and chaos of the Tower, The Star is like the light at the end of the tunnel, bringing wholeness, healing and peace. She establishes her authority over the physical (land) and spiritual (water) planes, the conscious and the unconscious. From her vessels she pours the waters of life and the gifts of spirit.

The goddess is Venus/Aphrodite, pouring out the waters of fertility upon the earth. Where Temperance pours water between two vessels, blending but not emptying the contents, the star goddess pours the water freely, trusting that there will always be more from the source.

An eight pointed star is above the head of the kneeling goddess. One view is that the eight pointed star is the Dog Star, Sirius. Sirius is associated with the Egyptian myth cycle as it rose on the Summer Solstice and heralded the rising of the waters of the Nile. When the Nile flooded, it brought fertility to the Nile Valley.

Some consider the star to be the North Star, the symbolic centre of the universe. Others say it is the Morning Star, or the planet Venus – it is the last ‘star’ seen in the morning and the first evening star. It’s also symbolic of the descent into the Underworld, the place where our fears are born and live. The pool of water represents our subconscious. Our fears come to the surface of the water from time to time and sometimes we see that they aren’t so terrible after all. Even when our fears surface, we know that they will subside again some point. Nothing is permanent.

The eight pointed star also links the card to the eight spokes in the Wheel of Fortune and to the star in the crown of the charioteer in The Chariot. The pool is also the collective unconscious filled with archetypal knowledge. Everything you need to know is available to you.

The seven smaller stars the might represent the seven classical planets by which astrology charts our lives. It’s worth noting that the number of points on a star give the star different symbolic meanings. For example, in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, a five pointed star was interpreted as ‘rising upwards to the point of origin’.

The Star represents the beginning of an initiatory process that will continue in the next four cards - The Moon, The Sun, Judgment and The world. The Star is the initiation of a vision or dream that has yet to be fully realized.

In a reading, this card is an excellent omen and can also relate to teaching, wisdom and astrology. It indicates success in any endeavor. If this card is representing a person, or the querant, the person is likely to be creative, psychic, or possibly an Aquarian.

When the card appears the Star Goddess gives her blessing, as in Doreen Valiente’s ‘Charge of the Goddess’:

“I give unimaginable joys on earth: certainty not faith, while in life, upon death; peace unutterable, rest, ecstasy; nor do I demand aught in sacrifice.”

This card is number 17 and added together 1+7 = 8, which is Strength. Here we see “the lion of desire no longer simply tamed but transformed into light and joy” . Our emotional and psychic energy is no longer repressed or misdirected, and we are at a place of inner calm.

Astrologically, this card is linked with Aquarius, the sign of the Water Carrier. Its Hebrew letter is Tzaddi, which means fish hook. You could think of the pool of water as your subconscious and the fish hook bringing things to the surface.

Tzaddi also relates to words such as to lie in wait, capture and adversary. For this reason, some people say that it should be linked with the Emperor, and that the Emperor’s Hebrew letter, Heh.

Heh means window, and might seem at first to be a more apt and feminine correspondence. I think that Tzaddi is an appropriate correspondence because there are many ‘mother’ and creator goddesses such as Tiamat and Ishtar who also had warlike and vengeful aspects to their natures.

This theory also links the card to the myth of the Innana, the mother goddess of Sumeria. She later became the goddess of Ishtar of Babylon. Both goddesses are associated with the planet Venus. Ishtar particularly has two aspects – she is both the compassionate mother and the goddess of lust and war. Others connect the card to the goddess Astraea, whose name means ‘like a star’. Astraea later became the constellation of Virgo.

The Devil card is firmly grounded in the element of Earth, as its astrological association is Capricorn – the earthiest of the Earth cards. It represents the realm of nature and all the earthly pleasures, both sexual and sensual. Saturn represents discipline and responsibility and rules Capricorn and thus The Devil, so we can infer from this that The Devil is also about self-discipline and taking personal responsibility for our actions and choices. Did the Devil really make you do it?

The Devil is creative energy in its most powerful and tangible form. He represents the throwing off of limitations and restrictions. This card represents both power and the abuse of power. The reversed Pentagram that appears on most Rider-Waite style Devils represents the material world and that the Devil rules over it, as God rules over the spiritual world.

The Devil encourages us to discern illusion from reality. There is no room for fanciful ideas in Capricorn’s world. The Devil also represents humour and laughter is particularly associated with him. No wonder the early Christian fathers didn’t like him! He represents freedom from fear and ignorance, too. The symbol of Capricorn is the mythical sea goat. The goat symbolises fertility, creativity and sexual energy. The figures at the Devil’s feet represent repressed creativity and the bondage we keep ourselves in.

The goat headed figure featured on many Devil tarot cards has been linked to a number of different deities and mythological figures. The Templar Knights recognised him as Baphomet, to some he is the Egyptian god, Set, the Etruscan Dionysus – the god of wine, intoxication and creative ecstasy - in disguise and even Pan, the goat-foot god and his Celtic counterpart, the Green Man.

Devil is ‘lived’ spelled backwards. Evil spelled backwards is ‘live’. The Devil card in Tarot warns against becoming enmeshed in the world of consumption, consumerism and fulfilling material wants. He reminds us we are here to experience all aspects of life and learn from them, not to be trapped by one or some aspects of life. Wisdom is the child of experience and the Devil gains wisdom through experience.

In a general reading, the Devil card can represent our desires for material goods consuming a disproportionate amount of our energy. It also serves as a waring of addictions and succumbing to our baser natures. A positively aspected Devil can represent taking on an onerous obligation that is ultimately for the higher good, such as a mortgage or caring for an elderly or sick person.

If this card is a birth card or significator, then the person needs to be aware of the ways in which they limit themselves, how they allow others or situations to limit them. “But I don’t have a choice!” they say. The Devil says “Yes, you do.” Take off your blinkers and find a creative solution.

Qabalistically, the Devil corresponds to the Hebrew letter Ayin, which means ‘eye’. Some people think this means the eye of the phallus given the sexual nature of this card and it certainly can, but it also relates to the ‘Eye of God’ - the watchful eye of God watches over all creation. It can also be interpreted as ‘well spring’ and in Aramaic, as ‘sheep’.

Death is the harbinger of irrevocable change. A physical death is not necessarily indicated but something has come to an absolute end, a cold malaise has set in and things will never be the same again. In the Rider Waite deck, Death rides at dawn. Night has swept away lies and illusion, only truth remains. The change heralded by Death is usually a blessing in disguise.

The greatest unknown is Death. What happens when we die? Where do we go? Where do we come from? Life and Death go hand in hand – we pass through the Veil on our way into life and on our way out. Likewise, an enforced change can be a fearful unknown. The loss of a job, a relationship or some other part of our lives can throw us into a tumultuous state of grief and anguish. We need to remember that change is an inevitable part of life and so learn to embrace Death, or Change, instead of avoiding Her.

The tears of sadness we shed at the loss of a loved one, or the loss of anything familiar, can also be tears of joy when we know that the kiss of Death is one that liberates the spirit. We must die in order to be born!

Death is sometimes shown carrying a scythe, a symbol associated with the Gods Saturn and Chronos - Father Time - reminding us that our physical existence, and everything that makes up the fabric of that existence, is ruled by Time and will eventually be cut down.

The power of Death brings transformational change in one’s life and psyche. You, and your life, will never be the same again. Its Hebrew letter is Nun, which strangely means ‘fish’, a well known Christian symbol of death and resurrection.

However, when used as a verb, Nun means to sprout, or to grow. Death is the great recycler! She rides in on her pale horse and cuts down all in her path, letting in the air and the light so that new growth can surface. She has the ultimate wisdom and knows when to let a thing stand, and when to cut it down.

Astrologically, Death is linked with the zodiac sign of Scorpio and rules October 24 to November 22. Scorpio is an intense, emotional planet and its effect is to heighten sensitivity and awareness of the emotions of others. Scorpio can also indicate secrets and hidden things. When negatively aspected, Scorpio can display destructive anger and jealousy.

Sometime ago I was part of a weekly guided meditation group. One evening the leader took us on a journey to the astral plane and I found myself walking through a forest. I ended up in a small glade and seated there were the 3 Fates - the Sisters who Spin, Weave and Cut the threads of Fate on their spinning wheel (or Wheel of Fortune). They asked me what I would like them to make for me. I asked for a map of my life.

They handed me a piece of linen with a beautiful picture embroidered onto it, like an antique map that might have the words ‘beyond here be dragons’ at the edges of the known world. It was being colored in to track the years of my life. My admiration turned to horror as I realized the map was almost entirely colored in! My entire life flashed before my eyes. I thought of how far I had come and how far I had to go and that I wasn’t ready to die. I panicked.

One of the Sisters leaned forward, winked at me and said conspiratorially, “We can make it longer, you know.” I quickly said “Yes!” and they handed me another map, this one a beautiful silken tapestry. It came complete with a flashing neon sign shaped like an arrow that said “You are here.” (Who said the Gods don’t have a sense of humour?) The good news is that the map was less than half complete.

That night as I was driving home, a huge truck was traveling next to me. The truck began to change lanes but the driver wasn’t aware I was there. I had a cement wall next to me and cars behind me and I couldn’t slow down, speed up or change lanes. I thought I was going to be crushed between the truck and the wall. I don’t remember clearly what happened next, the cars behind me must have intuited what was happening because I ended up slamming on my brakes, as did everyone else behind me and the truck completed the lane change and carried on unaware. Now you tell me how 3 cars can go from 90kph to almost a complete stop in complete synchronicity in less than a second. The Wheel of Fortune certainly spun in my favour that night.

The 3 Fates are Goddesses of Fortune said to weave the web of the fate of each person on their spinning wheel. Some early Tarot decks depict the goddess Fortuna, or Lady Luck as the arbiter of human destiny. Many modern decks depict four sacred creatures around a central wheel, which represent, among other things, the 4 lessons of the suites of the Minor Arcana which when mastered, bring equilibrium to the Spirit (represented by the Sphinx).

It’s Hebrew letter is Kaph (path 21 joining Chesed (Mercy) to Netzach (Victory)). It means Palm or Hand and could be seen a cupped hand hiding it’s contents. A cosmic lucky dip or roulette wheel, perhaps.

Although the appearance of this card is an omen of good fortune, rewards and being in the right place at the right time. All things have their season and natural cycles and a positively aspected Wheel indicates that things are in a growth stage and will, or are, taking a turn for the better. Whilst you are riding on the top of the Wheel, you have the opportunity to prepare for times to come that may not be so fortunate – perhaps when you are caught at the bottom of the Wheel.

A negatively aspected Wheel could be indicating a vacillation between hope and despair, delays or a stop-start approach. Life is uncertain and unpredictable and things are bound to work out in ways you could never have imagined.

The Wheel constantly turns, sometimes slowly and other times more quickly, but you can be sure that that whatever you are experiencing, “This too, shall pass.”. Resist comparison with those around you because we each are on different parts of the wheel that may be incomprehensible to someone else.

The Universe, and our planet, creates Order out of Chaos. Nothing lasts forever in a finite form. The tectonic plates that cover the surface of Earth are constantly shifting, creating and recreating the valleys and mountain ranges that form the landscape of the world over millions of years. The ‘tectonic plates’ of our lives also shift, changing the landscape of heart, mind and soul.

The Emperor represents authority figures, laws and agreements, social order and often one’s father. He represents the rules and regulations that allow us to live safely in a community. The fabric of society would disintegrate into chaos without them.

Play by the rules or suffer the consequences is one of the messages of this card. Conform to social mores and legal agreements, suppression of personal ego for the greater good of the community. Could you imagine trying to drive to work if we all expressed our individuality with an artistic interpretation of the road rules?

As a group, the citizens of the nation or the employees of a company choose to follow the rules. We willingly give control over to a higher authority and trust they will take care of us.

The Emperor’s world is black and white. In his opinion things are right or they are wrong. There is no grey area. Although I would prefer to spend my rent on shoes, I can’t live in one so I choose to honour the terms of my lease and in doing so I experience the discipline and security of the Emperor.

Solid foundations and lasting success are built by the Emperor. He brings freedom through discipline. When he sets his sights on a goal, he knows he has the power to make his dreams a reality. The Emperor moves steadily toward his vision and uses his logic to create a plan of action. He has the self-discipline to ignore any distractions along the path and to keep going when things get rough.

This card can also talk about setting limits and boundaries with other people. Being able to say ‘No’ is one of the lessons of the Emperor. He is not afraid to make tough decisions, even when it seems like there is no decision that can be made, like being caught between a rock and a hard place.

The Emperor can represent someone in an authority position over you, like your boss, or the leadership qualities in yourself. You make decisions and accept responsibility for yourself and those under your leadership. You value the logical over the emotional.

The Emperor can represent a situation that is stable, having structure and form. He wears armour under his robes, showing that he is ready to defend both his position and the people under his leadership.

Astrologically, The Emperor is linked with Aries the Ram, which is ruled by Mars. Aries is a fire sign and has the characteristics of passion, energy and dynamism. As the counterpart to the ‘Mother Goddess’ of the Empress, the Emperor is ‘Father God’.

The Emperor is numbered four and four is a solid, stable number. There are Four Elements of creation, four arms to a cross – four represents balance and form. Three is the number of the spiritual body and four is the number of the physical body. In Pythagorean numerology, four = perfection, harmony, justice and also, the Earth itself. To the Egyptians, four is the sacred number of Time.

The essence of the Emperor is the combination of fiery Mars energy and the stability of number four.
The Emperor corresponds to the Hebrew letter ‘Heh’. This word translates as ‘window’. A window lets Light, which is knowledge, and Air, which is spirit, into a house. The number Four also corresponds numerologically to ‘memory’.

Remember that the Magician is represented by the Hebrew letter Beth, which means House. You are the Magician, are you not? The creator of your own life? The Emperor is the structure and discipline you use to achieve your goals.

When negatively aspected, the Emperor can go from being a strong leader to a tyrant – it’s his way or the highway. He may be closed to the opinions or needs of others, or abusing his power over them. He dominates rather than leads.

This card can also show that you are following your logic, or what you think you ‘should’ do to your detriment – the reversed Emperor is out of touch with his feelings. You might be jaded or disenchanted with life.

The Tower represents breakthrough which is the second Alehcmic stage - dissolution. The lightning, or insight, threatens to destroy the Tower, which is really your created facade or persona. The lightning struck Tower is your ego, or lower self going up in flames to allow the Phoenix of your higher self to rise from the ashes.

Traditionally a feared card, it’s really the death or dissolution of the lower self that causes the pain reflected in the Tower. We cannot cocoon ourselves away from reality, or away from the consequences of our actions. At some point the piper must be paid.

There is a crown atop the Tower and the lightning strikes it. The crown represents authority and authority our lower self has over our consciousness. This is mirrored in the Tree of Life, where the Divine spark enters Kether, the Crown, and descends to Malkuth, the Earth. Our job is then to ascend the Tree of Life, experiencing the energies of each Sephiroth and balancing the Middle Pillar as we go.
The Tower challenges us to examine our beliefs and psychological defences, to reevaluate those things that we may have developed to protect us, but which we no longer need. In fact these defences are probably now to our detriment and preventing us from fully realising our potential.
In a reading, this card could signify the loss of an important foundation - a job, a relationship, a financial loss, or finding out that something you believed in is not true.

Margaret Starbird wrote a book called The Woman with the Alabaster Jar. It is her investigation into the role Mary Magdalene had in the life of Jesus. There is circumstantial evidence that Mary Magdalene was in fact Jesus’ wife, not the prostitute she is widely believed to be. When Margaret’s investigations cast doubt on what she thought was biblical truth, she suffered a nervous breakdown. The idea that the Roman Catholic Church had lied to its followers by misrepresenting and concealing the truth brought her Tower crashing down.

The collapse of the Tower could be any life experience that causes chaos and mayhem that forces you to take a closer look at your life and psyche. I experienced a job loss, the sudden end of a relationship and an eviction in the space of about three days. My Tower came crashing right down. It took some time for me to recover from the losses and at one stage I had no income, I was too ill to work and I relied on the generosity of friends for places to stay. In spite of the difficulties, I would not swap the experience for the entire world because I ended up in a space where I was able to ‘find myself’ and accept what I found. I was forced to simplify the incredibly stressful life I had been living. I could not have maintained my pre-Tower life any longer, but I wasn’t brave enough to make the change, so lightning struck.

Sometimes we allow ourselves to become trapped in mundane reality and the collapse of the Tower brings freedom and liberation. All that remains is all that you really need.

Astrologically, The Tower corresponds to the planet Mars. Mars rules Aries and Scorpio. Any card connected with Mars shares its flow of a rather aggressive energy. This is the kind of energy that is needed for survival, but once these base needs have been met (the base chakra); it provides the impetus to achieve success. Mars is a very masculine card - all brawn and no brain (in the nicest possible way!). We can channel this energy in a creative, constructive way, or we can let it run riot and mow down anything in its path. Mars is single-minded, focused and goal driven. He is determined, courageous and driven by honour and a fierce independence. An ill dignified Mars can indicate arguments escalating to violence, reckless actions, serious injuries and fevers (Mars is linked to blood and heat).

Mythologically, Ares started out as a fertility god (no surprises there) and eventually became Mars, the Roman god of War. Ares was a very masculine god, a fierce warrior and his earthly followers would hold fighting festivals in his honour. The Ares archetype can act without thinking - fight first, ask questions later. This mean energy is often wasted on lost causes or imaginary enemies. One of his challenges is to develop the ability to reflect on and learn from his behaviour. When this balance of reflection and action is achieved (the Middle Pillar) Ares/Mars is an indefatigable warrior who can attain any goal and overcome any obstacle.

Qabalistically, The Tower corresponds to Peh, which means mouth. What goes into the mouth is nourishment and what comes out is speech. Our higher selves know what events to ’speak’ into being to allow us to be nourished spiritually and emotionally.

Numerologically, the Tower is 16. 16 is a higher version of 7 (1+6). This number is associated with danger, primarily caused by over-confidence. Its lesson is to pay careful attention to detail and to trust your intuition.

The word Temperance is derived from the latin word ‘temperare’ which means to mix or combine. The angel on the Rider-Waite Temperance card is shown pouring and combining the spiritual and the physical between two Cups. He has one foot on the land and one foot on the water, showing both mastery of the physical world and the emotional realm. Energy flows from the unconscious to the conscious (from the higher cup to the lower cup) and back.

This card talks about having a true and proper response to situations as they arise, rather than a rigid adherence to an externally applied moral code. Each individual must decide for themselves what is the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ thing to do in any situation, because determinations of right and wrong change constantly and between cultures. The Holy Books of different religions put forward their versions of right and wrong, but most of us find that neither our spiritual needs nor our need for guidance cannot be met by the dogma of organised religion. Therefore it falls to each person to look into their hearts to find their own truth and personal values.

Temperance can be advising you to take the middle road, to apply moderation and constraint, but also that seemingly impossible oppositions can be united.

As we work on mixing the elements within the personality, such as an appropriate balance of activity, introspection etc, we become more balanced externally and increase our ability to handle life’s problems and challenges. We are able to draw on the strength of a balanced and peaceful personality.

Qabalistically, the path of Temperance joins the spheres of Yesod and Tiphareth – the Sun and the Moon. Once again this shows power of Temperance to unite opposites. It’s Hebrew letter is Samekh which means ‘prop’ or ‘tent peg’ – a vital piece of equipment, but the shape also connection it to ‘womb’ and ‘moon’. Alchemically, Temperance consummates the process of Unity that we saw begin in The Lovers.

Temperance is ruled by fiery Sagittarius, so we need to remember that Temperance is essentially fiery in nature – it’s creative, passionate and positive.

The Hierophant was the name given to the High Priest of the Greek Elusian mysteries. The Hierophant also has connections to occult initiations. Occult simply means “secret”. There is nothing untoward or evil about the word. Anything you want to keep hidden from other people could be considered occult.

Historically, the Hierophant represented the leadership of the Church, it’s spiritual heads and traditions. I invite you to take a more contemporary view of the Hierophant and see him as the “High Priest” - counterpart to the High Priestess.

There are some interesting and universal symbols appearing in The Hierophant:

Roses and Lilies: These refer to the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of The Valley from the biblical “Song of Songs”. The red roses represent the occult way and the white lilies the mystic way. They are also a reference to Jesus and Mary.

Pairs or couples: A number of cards in the Tarot depict two figures before a higher power (The Devil, The Lovers, for example). This imagery indicates that there is something emerging from the sub-conscious into the conscious. You could also look at images of other pairs in the tarot, such as a pair of columns or a pair of sphinxes. The pair of acolytes at the Hierophant’s feet could represent theology and mysticism, your inner spiritual experiences balanced against what you have been taught by others.

Colours: The alchemic meaning of red and white shown together is a conjunction or sublimation of opposites.

St Andrews Cross: Represents a cross roads as well as the union of he higher and lower worlds, or consciousness. The crossed keys also indicate this.

In her classic Tarot book, 78 Degrees of Wisdom, Rachel Pollack says:

To really discover God inside yourself, you must undergo some uncomfortable confrontations with your own psyche. Similarly, to decide for yourself what is the moral thing to do in all situations might require an agony of choice. Nevertheless, many people today simply cannot accept either society or a Church bearing the ultimate responsibility for their lives.

The Hierophant is a guide or teacher on your spiritual path. He could be an external figure like the Dalai Lama or the Pope, or your own local church minister or your Wiccan High Priest. He is someone who follows a recognised and traditional path who you can turn to for advice and guidance about spirituality.

Like all the Tarot cards, the Hierophant could also be an aspect of yourself or an archetype. He could represent your Higher Self or your conditioned responses to religion and tradition.

In a divinatory sense, the Hierophant indicates education and spiritual development. In the early days of Christianity even the wealthiest and most powerful people were likely to be illiterate. The Church offered education and literacy as a way of gaining social and political power as well as converts to their new religion.

As the High Priest, he offers occult and esoteric knowledge through books and formal learning as well as through the experiences of every day life. He performs rites of passage and can provide counsel to seer the seeker through a dark night of the soul.

As I have already said, The Hierophant is a teacher, but this Hierophant can only teach those who are ready and willing to learn. The student submits his will to his teacher, a higher authority or Higher Power in order to benefit from their wisdom.
As well as words written in books and established doctrines, the Hierophant teaches lessons of self-control, focus and discipline - qualities needed by those who aspire to spiritual development and growth.

In a reading, the Hierophant would indicate taking the road that is tested and true. It’s not the time to strike out on a path that is new and untried. You may also be need to exercise your moral judgement about what is right and what is wrong. (Even if no one can see you do it, it doesn’t make it ok!)

In a relationship reading, this presence of this card could be indicating marriage - a traditional institution by any stretch of the imagination.

The Hebrew letter that is associated with The Hierophant is “Vau”. Vau means “hook” or “nail”. It is something that is used to join or link things together, to mend or repair. It is also used as the conjunction “and”, a word that links two things together. A hook or nail pierces or penetrates an object in order to be of use - it facilitates a union.

The astrological sign attributed to The Hierophant is Taurus. This sign is associated with luxury, stubbornness and affluence. It is the 2nd sign of the Zodiac and rules the dates of April 21 to May 21. It’s Element is feminine Earth, and it is ruled by the planet Venus.

In a reading, all correspondences give you extra information about the card. Let them wash around in your subconscious and you will find they will pop up on their own accord. For example, the dates ruled by Taurus could be significant for the person you are reading for, or they could have an issue with a Taurean, or even need to develop their inner Taurean.

Additionally, Venus is not just a planet, she is also the Goddess of Love. Venus loves beauty and luxury but is also jealous and angry. These is all information that may prove handy during a reading. That’s why it’s so important not to get locked into a rigid idea of what each cards means - they have many facets and depending on the way the cards a turned, different facets will shine.

The horns of Taurus the Bull are masculine weaponry, but many early myths refer to horns as a symbol of the Moon Goddess. Horns are also a sign of wisdom.

Like all the cards, the Hierophant also has his shadow side. He can represent being too rigid, judgemental or locked into a fundamentalist religious worldview. Think outside the square and examine your beliefs to see if they are still valid. Are you clinging to beliefs that don’t fit you any more through fear or habit?

A crisis of faith could also be indicated by a reversed or negatively aspected Hierophant.

The High Priestess is Isis seated on her throne, representing sovereignty over the physical plane. She is flanked by the black and white pillars which represent Severity and Mercy. Too much severity is cruelty and too much mercy is weakness. We strive for the ‘middle pillar’, which is the correct balance of each. Behind her is a veil, depicting the Tree of Life in pomegranates, the fruit of the Underworld. Behind the veil is a lake and the scene depicted in the Moon Card.

The crescent moon at her feet represents receptivity – the moon has no light of its own and simply receives and radiates the light of the sun. You could see this as the unconscious/Moon and conscious/Sun minds. Upon her chest is the cross which represents the balance of opposing forces e.g. dark and light, above and below. When I speak of dark and light, I don’t mean these as ‘good’ and ‘evil’ but as necessary and opposing forces such as winter and summer, or day and night.

She represents the deeper, darker, hidden aspects of the feminine archetype – occult knowledge, psychic powers, and intuition. She is the Virgin, or woman unto herself. She is a passive force and points to a time of reflection and the awakening of our inner selves. When she appears, you may not have all the information you need to make a decision, or things may still be hidden from you. Trust your intuition to give you the answers. The High Priestess also represents ideas and possibilities. Every time we look within or meditate, we are on the path of the High Priestess.

The High Priestess, the Empress and the Moon represent the Goddess archetypes of the Maiden, Mother and Crone. The High Priestess is the point where the human meets the Divine. Other Deities that correspond with this card are any of the lunar goddesses, virgin goddesses and huntresses like Diana. The High Priestess is the ‘initiator’. To initiate means to begin and she will initiate you into the journey begun by the Fool. The Magician has potential, but will he break through his own illusions and tricks and be initiated into the journey?

The High Priestess also represents study and learning. In order to fulfil our potential, we do need to expand our minds and explore myth, psychology and religion.

Astrologically, the High Priestess corresponds to The Moon. (The Moon tarot card corresponds to Pisces). Her Qabalistic letter is Gimel, which means camel and has the gematric value of 3.

When negatively aspected, or reversed, the High Priestess can indicate being passive for too long. There is a time to take action and that time is now. She is lost in a world of illusion and dreams, cut off from the realities of life. It is time to leap into the thick of life, to participate fully in the mundane world of work, relationships, sexuality and emotions.
On a personal level, the High Priestess asks us questions such as:

• What seeds or ideas are you planting?
• How healthy is your inner life (i.e. time spent in meditation, reflection, writing in your diary or even just ‘me’ time)
• Do you respect your spiritual growth? Is it a priority for you?
• Are you in touch with your intuition?

Next: The Empress