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Hermetic tarot booklet

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  • The illustrations, cover design, diagrams, and contents are fully pro-tected by copyright. No part of this booklet may be reproduced inany form without permission in writing from the publisher, exceptby a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection witha review written for inclusion in a magazine or newspaper.

    10 9 8 7 6 5 4

    Copyright 2006 by U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS INC.

    ISBN 10: 0-913866-92-X ISBN 13: 978-0-913866-92-4All rights reserved. Made in China

    Water Earth Fire Air

    Sun Moon

    Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter

    Saturn Pluto Neptune Uranus

    Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer

    Leo Virgo Libra Scorpio

    Sagittarius Capricorn Aquarius Pisces

    ELEMENTAL & ASTROLOGICAL SYMBOLS

  • 3INTRODUCTION

    THE UNIQUE TALENT OF GODFREY DOWSONis revealed in The Hermetic Tarot deck. U.S.Games Systems, Inc. is proud to reissue this deckin recognition of its historical and artistic impor-tance. The details and symbols in each card revealmany of the esoteric workings of the Secret Orderof the Golden Dawn that flourished around theturn of the century.

    Founded in 1888 as a secret magical fraternity,the Order counted among its members some ofthe foremost occultists and writers of the periodincluding MacGregor Mathers, Arthur EdwardWaite, Dion Fortune, Paul Foster Case, AleisterCrowley, and W.B. Yeats.

    After cessation of the Orders activities somefifteen years after its inception, Waite, Case, andCrowley went on to issue their own decksTheRider-Waite, B.O.T.A., and Thoth tarot decks,respectively. Crowley first published a descriptionof the Orders card designs in The Equinox in1912. Prior to World War II, Israel Regardieincluded a description of the cards in his four-volume set, The Golden Dawn.

    Crowleys deck was not published during hislifetime. He worked with Lady Freida Harris, theartist, for five years from 1938 to 1943 before thedeck was completed, but it was not actually pub-

  • 4lished until 1969, 22 years after Crowleys death.The early members of the Hermetic Order of

    the Golden Dawn were encouraged to preparepersonal tarot packs for their own use basedupon Mathers deck and his work. The Society setdown certain instructions for its members to fol-low, but these instructions were abbreviated atbest. Not surprisingly, as time went on and newmembers copied decks based upon previouslydrawn cards, the variances and modificationsgrew more and more pronounced.

    Since Mathers original tarot deck has notbeen handed down, todays researchers of theOrder of the Golden Dawnwhose numbersgrow and flourish in Europe and the USAoftenassign personal interpretations and modifica-tions to their own version of the tarot as it mighthave existed in the Order more than 80 years ago.

    In 1978, Robert Wang, in collaboration withDr. Isreal Regardie, prepared The Golden DawnTarot Deck which has taken its place amongimportant esoteric tarot packs of the 20th century.

    The Hermetic Tarot deck by Godfrey Dowsondraws heavily upon the work of Mathers,Crowley, Case, G.H. Soror, Q.L. [GreatlyHonored Sister Q.L.] and Elias Levi. A slightlydifferent description of the cards is found in TheBook T: The Tarot by S.R.M.D. [Mathers] and

  • 5others. Crowley included The Book T in 1912in his Equinox, Vol. I, No. 8. The public disclo-sure caused considerable friction betweenCrowley and Mathers and eventually led to anunsuccessful lawsuit by Mathers to prevent fur-ther publication.

    In 1967, a limited edition of 200 copies of TheBook T appeared in Great Britain and it wasreproduced again in 1978 by Robert Wang in AnIntroduction to The Golden Dawn Tarot.

    Godfrey Dowson's cards in The HermeticTarot reveal a combination of detail and symbol-ism that capture the mood and sense of eachpictorial image. Subtle variations exist in almostevery card. For example, fingertips touch thestem of a rose bush in the 8 of Pentacles (Lord ofPrudence) in contrast to the firm grasp of a handin the 4 of Pentacles (Lord of Earthly Power). Themangled swords in the 9 of Swords (Lord ofDespair and Cruelty) and the roses in full bloomin the 6 of Pentacles (Lord of Material Success)illustrate how skillfully the artist has created thecards. Repeated study of each card often revealsfor the first time a new dimension and scope notseen in a previous reading. One of the mostimportant features of Dowsons Hermetic Tarot ishis emphasis on the Golden Dawn astrologicalattributions of the cards.

  • 6Working prior to the turn of the century, anddrawing on a great deal of published informa-tion, library manuscripts, secret documents, andextensive personal research, Mathers assigned acomplete set of correspondences between thetarot and the zodiac. Dowson has also providedclear symbols in his card designs which help thestudent correlate these astrological correspon-dences each time he or she reads the cards.Crowley, of course, does the same in his deck, butthe symbols are frequently less clear than por-trayed here. A knowledge of astrology can greatlyaid in the interpretation of the tarot, and viceversa. It was the genius of the Golden Dawn tosynthesize these systems.

    Godfrey Dowson successfully creates in TheHermetic Tarot a compelling reconstructed ver-sion of the tarot that has taken its place as one ofthe most important esoteric tarot decks pub-lished during the twentieth century.

    The Hermetic Tarot deck is collated in the fol-lowing sequence: V. The Hierophant; 0. TheFoolish Man; I. The Magician through IV. TheEmperor; VI. The Lovers through XXI. Universe;knight, queen, king and princess in the suit ofwands, followed by court cards in the suits ofcups, swords and pentacles; ace through 10 inwands followed by cups, swords and pentacles.

  • 7Readers and students of tarot may prefer tomaintain the Minor Arcana cards from TheHermetic Tarot deck in the sequence of cards asdescribed in Book T. This sequence is based onan extremely complex astronomical and kabalis-tic correspondence system which forms the basisof the astrological attributions. Briefly, the acesrule the four quadrants of the North Pole of theUniverse, and Kether on the Tree of Life. TheKnights, Queens and Kings are broadly attributedto the zodiacal signs. Each of these court cardsrepresents 3 decans (1 decan=10 degrees) of thezodiac, hence 30 degrees. The Princesses form thelink between the elemental energies of the acesand the celestial zodiacal energies of the othercourt cards. Then the tarot follows the furtherastrological division into individual decans byassigning one numbered card (210) to onedecan. As there are 36 decans and 36 numberedcards (excluding the aces) this fits rather neatly.

    The true astrological year was begun by theGolden Dawn with the star Regulus at 0 Leo,rather than the more common 0 Aries. Thus the5 of Wands, 010 Leo, is the first pip carddescribed in Book T, and the 4 of Cups, 2030degrees Cancer, is the last. The trumps then fol-low the pip cards. Refer to Book IV of IsraelRegardies Golden Dawn for a more complete

  • 8explanation of his subject. The sequence thusgiven in Book T is as follows: ace of wands,cups, swords and pentacles; 5 to 7 of wands; 8 to10 of pentacles; 2 to 4 of swords; 5 to 7 of cups; 8to 10 of wands; 2 to 4 of pentacles; 5 to 7 ofswords; 8 to 10 of cups; 2 to 4 of wands; 5 to 7pentacles; 8 to 10 of swords; 2 to 4 of cups; 0. TheFoolish Man; and I. The Magician through XXI.The Universe.

    The back design of The Hermetic Tarot deck isa rose in full bloom. Each card contains thesigilthe mark of a master craftsman. All thework by Godfrey Dowson bears this mark. Theoriginal artwork for the Hermetic Tarot deck wasexecuted between 1975 to 1977 by the artist andis now is included in the Stuart and Marilyn R.Kaplan Playing Card Collection.

    Stuart R. Kaplan

  • 9THE HERMETIC TAROT DECKby Godfrey Dowson and Stuart R. Kaplan

    revisions by Uri Raz

    The tarot is a perfect symbolic picture of thecosmos as seen through the eyes of man.Tarot also reflects the many facets of man in hisenvironment.

    The catalytic nature of tarot enables it to por-tray all possible relationships that can developwithin the human sphere and the environment ofthe cosmos. Thus, the concept of the microcosmwithin the macrocosm is fully expressed.

    The tarot is a mirror of reality. Its construc-tion, based on the four elements, the celestialphenomena, the Holy Qabalah, and a veryevolved psychology, can lead its devotees to theinner recesses of psychic and intuitive awareness.The tarot itself can be used as the basis of occultstudy, as it may be said to possess all aspects ofthe inner wisdom tradition.

    The standard tarot is composed of seventy-eight cards divided into three main groups. Thereare twenty-two Major Arcana or trump cards,and fifty-six Minor Arcana cards. The MinorArcana is comprised of two groups, sixteen courtcards and forty pip or point cards. The fifty-sixcards of the Minor Arcana are also divided into

  • 10

    four suits of fourteen cards each.The four suits are attributed to the four ele-

    ments. Wands are Fire, Cups are Water, Swordsare Air, and Pentacles are Earth. It must beremembered that these qualities are not the sameas normal fire, water, etc., but indicate broadphilosophic principles of great scope.

    The sixteen court cards are divided into fourgroups of Knights, Queens, Kings, andPrincesses. The forty numbered or pip cards arein a sequence of ace through ten. The four acesare called the Roots of the Elemental Power. TheAce of Wands, for example, is the purest and firstradiation of the Fire element. The remainingthirty-six cards (2-10 in the four suits) are attrib-uted to the thirty-six decans of the zodiac (a 360circle). One pip card rules one decan (30).

    There are only seven planets used in theancient system of astrology and this is the systemused by the Golden Dawn. As there are thirty-sixdecans, it follows that each planet rules fivedecans. However, one planet must rule six decansin order to reach thirty-six (5 x 7 plus 1 equals36). This planet is the energetic Mars which rulesthe last decan of Pisces and the first decan ofAries, as the long cold winter requires a greatburst of sustained creative energy to overcome itsresistance and initiate the spring.

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    The twenty-two Major Arcana are constructedof the three elements, seven planets and twelvesigns. One letter of the Hebrew alphabet is desig-nated to each of the Major Arcana. Concurrently,each represents one of the twenty-two Paths ofthe Tree of Life (see diagram page 72), and may beused as the appropriate magical image of the Pathin mediation practices. As will be noticed, onlythree of the four elements are assigned to cards.The reason for this is twofold. From a practicalstandpoint, since nineteen cards are used for theplanets and zodiac signs, only three are left. Moresignificantly, perhaps, the tarot is concerned withthe invisible hierarchy of causes. We, the readerand querent, form the fourth element of Earth. Itis, therefore, unnecessary to acknowledge this ele-ment in the trumps. Instead, the trump cardsindicate the causal action of the planets, signs,and elements of Fire, Water and Air on the finalsynthetic element of Earthourselves.

    The three elemental cards of the Major Arcanaare the following:

    The Foolish ManAirThe Hanged ManWaterThe Last JudgmentFireThe seven sacred planets of the ancient world are

    attributed to seven of the tarot trumps as follows:

  • 12

    I. The MagicianMercuryII. The High PriestessMoonIII. The EmpressVenusX. The Wheel of FortuneJupiterXVI. The Blasted TowerMarsXIX. The SunSunXXI. The UniverseSaturnThere are, however, three additional planets

    that were not entered into the scheme of tarotbecause they were not known to the ancientastronomers. Uranus was discovered in 1781,Neptune in 1846, and Pluto in 1930.

    If the three elemental trump cards are nowassigned to the three planets, the construction ofthe tarot is not only purified, but the meaningand significance of the three cards becomes moreeasily understood. Indeed, the function of thesethree planets readily fits the expression of thecards.

    The Foolish ManPlutoRegeneration.Survival of the sublime.

    The Hanged ManNeptune Sacrifice.The Last JudgmentUranusSudden

    uncontrollable change.When studying these three cards, the above

    suggested attributions should be carefully con-sidered in addition to the elemental attributions.

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    So that the attributions are readily identifi-able, following is a list of each Major Arcana cardand its applicable zodiac sign or planet.

    0. The Foolish ManAirPluto(alternately Uranus)

    I. The MagicianMercuryII. The High PriestessMoonIII. The EmpressVenusIV. The EmperorAriesV. The HierophantTaurusVI. The LoversGeminiVII. The ChariotCancerVIII. FortitudeLeoIX. The HermitVirgoX. The Wheel of FortuneJupiterXI. JusticeLibraXII. The Hanged ManWaterNeptuneXIII. DeathScorpioXIV. TemperanceSagittariusXV. The DevilCapricornXVI. The Blasted TowerMarsXVII. The StarAquariusXVIII. The MoonPiscesXIX. The SunSunXX. The Last JudgmentFireUranus

    (alternately Pluto)XXI. UniverseSaturn

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    The fifty-six Minor Arcana comprise forty pipand sixteen court cards. Cards of the same num-ber from each suit can be viewed together.The Four Aces. The aces rule the North Pole,

    pertain to Kether on the Tree of Life, and are theroots of the four elements. The aces provide theinitial thrust of the pure elemental energy in eachof the four suits. This initial energy progressesmaterially as we go from the aces to the tens.The Four 2s. These cards refer to Chokmah

    on the Tree of Life and rule the first decans of thecardinal signs, the zodiacal points where the fourseasons begin. The elements here are in theiroriginal harmonious condition, uncontaminatedby any outside influences. The two cards in thefour suits imply the initiation power of the fourelements. The twos are the first tangible manifes-tation of the elemental energy.The Four 3s. These cards refer to Binah on

    the Tree of Life and rule the second decans of thecardinal signs. They express understanding andthe idea of stability as well as action commenced.The Four 4s. These cards refer to Chesed on

    the Tree of Life and rule the third decans of thecardinal signs. They express solidification, crys-tallization, materialization, completion, andmaking a situation fixed.

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    The Four 5s. Refer to Geburah on the Treeand rule the first decans of the fixed signs. Thesecards suggest the idea of ultimate success or fail-ure and the appearance of obstacles. Theobstacles are not necessarily evil, but rather areseen as trials to be overcome.The Four 6s. Refer to Tiphareth on the Tree

    of Life and rule the second decans of the fixedsigns. These cards represent accomplishment anddemonstrate the respective elemental energies attheir practical best.The Four 7s. Refer to Netzach on the Tree and

    rule the last decans of the fixed signs. In thisinstance, each element is in degeneration and atits weakest point on the material plane. Thus, themeaning of the sevens in a reading dependslargely upon the influence of the neighboringcards which may strengthen or weaken themaccordingly.The Four 8s. Refer to Hod on the Tree and

    rule the first decans of the mutable signs.Generally show solitary success and remedy ofthe error seen in the preceding sevens. However,this does not lead to any great creation. Rather,they are a reaction to the previous imbalance.The Four 9s. Refer to Yesod on the Tree and

    rule the second decans of the mutable signs. After

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    the problems and misfortunes of the sevens andeights, we now have a great crystallization ofenergy, powerfully formed on a strong and firmfoundation for good and evil.The Four 10s. Refer to Malkuth on the Tree

    and rule the last decans of the mutable signs.Here, elemental forces of the suits reach theirultimate materialization, for either good or evil.The situation or circumstance is finally and thor-oughly determined. The whirling force of the acehas become the concrete force of the ten.The Four Knights. Refer to Chokmah, the

    figures are all mounted on steeds representing theYod force of Tetragrammation. This suggests thefather and the beginning of material force. Theiraction is swift and violent, but passes quickly.The Four Queens. Refer to Binah, the figures

    are all seated upon thrones representing the Hehforce of Tetragrammatonmotherhood thatnurtures and develops the forcefulness of theknight, steady, unshaken, and enduring.The Four Kings. Refer to Tiphareth, the fig-

    ures are all drawn in chariots representing theVau force of Tetragrammation, the mighty sonsof the knights and queens. These are the truekings of kings, the emperors, princes. They repre-sent the union of forces of the parents; they are amanifestation of the two, but not as rapid as the

  • 17

    knight, nor as enduring as the queen.The Four Princesses. Refer to Malkuth, they

    stand alone and represent the final Heh force ofTetragrammaton. This is original energy in itscompletion and crystallization, the mightydaughter of the knight and queen. The princesswill then be exalted to the throne of themother(the queen), where she awakens the fatheronce again. In this dynamically regeneratingcycle, the process of creation continues endlesslyabout itself. These cards suggest violence andpermanence and they also represent the return ofenergy by reabsorption.

    MAJOR ARCANA

    The twenty-two Major Arcana cards aredescribed in numerical sequence beginningwith 0. The Foolish Man through XXI. Universe.O~The Foolish Man. The Spirit of Ether.

    Aleph. Ox. Pluto. The sun indicates a brightspring morning. The two-part triangle in theupper right of the card represents air. The symbolof Pluto appears in the mist to the front of theman. The Foolish Man stands with his worldlybelongings at the edge of a precipice, ignorant ofthe lashing waves and the crocodile with openjaws. The Foolish Man holds in his right hand therose of joy, signifying perfect innocence and he

  • 18

    holds a fierce wolf in check by a leash. Behindhim sprouts the flower of silence. The higher sig-nificance of this card suggests that The FoolishMans perfect innocence is holding the wolf, thusthe anger of worldly wisdom is held in check byperfect innocence. MEANINGS: Idea. Thought.Sensitivity. The Flesh. Eternal life. Spirituality.Initiative. Folly. Foolishness. REVERSED: Baddecision. Indecision. Apathy. Hesitation.l~The Magician. The Magus of Power. Beth.

    House. The symbol of a winged Mercurial crestappears at the top of the card. The snake-likecreatures that issue from beneath the crest aresimilar to those found in the Caduceus held bythe radiating figure of Mercury to the left of thecard. The Magician is seen as a communicatorwith the gods and the storer of knowledge whichhe willingly dispenses, similar to Mercury who, inmythology, is the winged messenger of the gods.Thus the Magician, through his actions and exhi-bition of will, can bring unity between the divine,intellectual, and physical worlds. By intelligence,the idea of God is conceived, and by willpower,works of good nature are accomplished. The altarat his feet contains the symbols of the four suits;swords, wands (represented as a dagger), cups,and the image of a pentagram on a book. There isalso a burning candle and the triangular symbol

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    for earth. The picture of Mercury appears to radi-ate before him. MEANINGS: Wisdom. Skill.Adaptation. Originality. Self-confidence.REVERSED: Insecurity. Ineptitude. Weak-willed.II~The High Priestess. The Priestess of the

    Silver Star. Gimel. Camel. The moon appearsabove the seated priestly figure of Isis, TheEternal Virgin. She is adorned in the purest fem-inine light of the moon; the same light that servesas a veil to hide the moon; the same light thatserves as a veil to hide the Eternal Spirit. TheHigh Priestess holds upon her knee a book, par-tially concealed by her mantle, which holds thetruth behind the veil of feminine light. At herbreast, she holds a lyre, the law of Artemis, for sheis also a Huntress and, and like Diana, she huntsby enchantment. This card rules the path of thecamel that runs from Kether to Tiphareth on theTree of Life. This same path runs between the twogigantic pillars beside the throne upon which TheHigh Priestess is majestically seated. The HighPriestess controls the energy of life between thetwo pillars that are topped by spiraling pinnacles.At the bottom of the card are the large spheres ofher throne. Some researchers view the seated fig-ure in this card as the illustrious andcontroversial Pope Joan who allegedly reignedduring the middle of the ninth century.

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    MEANINGS: Change. Alteration. Fluctuation.Wisdom. Sound judgement. Common sense.REVERSED: Ignorance. Shortsightedness. Lack ofunderstanding.III~The Empress. Daughter of the Mighty

    Ones. Daleth. Door. The sign of Venus appearsabove The Empress and the sign of Libra (ruledby Venus) at the top of the card. The Empress isthe Greek figure AphroditeUrania. The spiral-ing flames at her side represent her birth fromwater. The twelve stars overhead represent thezodiac that surrounds her. She holds a diamondscepter. The Empress has wings and is clothed inthe sun. The Empress is the center of TheEmperor. She has a black eagle at her feet whichis the counterpart of the alchemical eagle in thenext card. Above the eagle, at the Empress knees,is the inverted crescent moon. MEANINGS:Beauty. Happiness. Pleasure. Success. Action.Development. Luxury. REVERSED: Lack of inter-est. Inaction. Vacillation. Lack of concentration.IV~The Emperor. Son of the Morning. Heh.

    Window. Beneath the Emperors left foot is a bee,the alchemical equivalent of the ram. Two wild,Himalayan rams heads, one at the upper left andthe other at center right, relate to the sign of Arieswhich appears at the right. The eagle and the flagcombine to suggest a conqueror and the idea of

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    authority. Supernatural powers are suggested atthe top of the card by the celestial bodies thatpersonify power and also sudden, random andviolent activity. The orb surmounted by a Greekcross at the lower left signifies that energy hasreached a successful end and that governmentand/or governmental rule has been firmly estab-lished. MEANINGS: War. Conquest. Victory.Strife. Worldly power. Ambition. REVERSED:Ineffectiveness. Immaturity. Lack of strength.V~The Hierophant. Magus of the Eternal

    Gods. Vau. Nail. The seated figure wears thepapal tiara. The elephant is of the nature ofTaurus and symbolizes the strength of theHierophants foundation. The star-shaped figureat the top of the card is the monogram ofHermetic Truth and also represents the seal of themacrocosm. The diagram is actually two trianglesformed into a six-pointed star; the seal ofSolomon and the star of David. The Pentagramto the right is the seal of the microcosm; themicrocosm is a reflection of the Macrocosm. Themicrocosm is man and his will; he is a reflectionof the Universe which is the macrocosm. TheHierophant holds in his hand the philosophictriple-crossed wand which represents the partic-ular knowledge essential to all magical work thatunites the microcosm with the macrocosm. Each

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    ring of the triple cross is also an indicator of thethree aeons of Isis, Osiris, and Horus. With hisright hand, The Hierophant gives the sign ofoccult wisdom. The symbol at the foot of the cardis a horned sigil of Taurus. MEANINGS: Divinewisdom. Manifestation. Ritualism. Teaching.Explanation. Kindness. Timidity. REVERSED:Foolish exercise. Overkindness. Unorthodox.Frail. Vulnerable.VI~The Lovers. Children of the Voice

    Divine. Zain. Sword. Andromeda is shownchained to a rock and threatened by a dragon ris-ing from the waters of stagnation. Perseus quicklywields a sword to protect her against the dragon.At the upper right of this card appears the signfor Gemini. It is important to study this cardalong with card XIV, Temperance (Sagittarius).The Lovers card also pertains to SagittariustheArcherhence the bow and arrow at the uppercenter. Although The Lovers and Temperance areopposite cards they are very closely and stronglyconnected. MEANINGS: Inspiration. Motivation.Love. Beauty. Action. Impulse. Harmony.REVERSED: Separation. Frustration in love andmarriage. Failure to meet the test. VII~The Chariot. Lord of the Triumph of

    Light. Cheth. Fence. At the top of the cardappears the sign of Cancer and between the

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    sphinxes at the bottom appears the sign of thecrab. The charioteers garments are made ofchain mail and steel, giving protection similar tothat of a crabs shell. The four pillars reach upinto the sky of Binah and the ten stars representthe stars of Assiah, the material world. The wheelsof the chariot represent the energy of Geburah.At the center of the card is the Holy Grail. Thecard depicts the chariot of Hermes drawn by twosphinxes, Jachin signifying love and Boaz signify-ing power. Thus, the sphinxes represent powerand love held under control. Samuel guidesJachin and Anael guides Boaz. The Chariot is notin motion because this card represents equilib-rium. The figure of a crowned Hermes, erect inhis Chariot, controls with magical sword andwand the powers of good and evil, thus main-taining a state of absolute equilibrium.MEANINGS: Triumph. Victory. Perseverance.Health. Success, though temporary. A possiblevoyage. REVERSED: Unsuccessful. Defeat. At thelast minute, to lose something that was withinyour grasp.VIII~Fortitude. Daughter of the Flaming

    Sword. Teth. Serpent. The sign of Leo appears atthe upper right above a rose of five petals signify-ing the fifth sign of the Zodiac. The female figureof Fortitude represents the mastery of the lower

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    by the higher. Her feet are planted firmly on earthand she controls the lion in a manner similar tothe soul holding passions in check. Leo is a firesign and Fortitude is shown holding in her righthand a cup spewing flame. Here is the joy ofstrength exercised, showing complete ease, self-possession. The card also depicts a lion on theshield of fortitude; its meaning is perseveringstrength and energy. MEANINGS: Strength.Fortitude. Courage. Power. Control. REVERSED:Weakness. Pettiness. Impotence. Sickness.IX~The Hermit. Magus of the Voice of Light.

    Yod. Hand. The magical lamp appears above thesolitary figure wrapped in hood and mantle. Thelamp burns without wick or fuel. It is lit only bythe lux of the universal fluidic agent. Even with-out fuel, the beams radiate in all directions. Theface that burns in the golden triangle is a symbolof the fecundity of the infinite and the eternal. Atthe bottom of the card are the cosmic egg and ashaft of wheat, dormant for years, but easy tonurture to life at the opportune time. To the backof the Hermit is a large plant yielding a seed at itssummit. The snake, coiled and passive around thesymbols of Virgo and Mercury (Virgos rulingplanet), is also ready to spring to life.MEANINGS: Wisdom sought. Knowledge. Divineinspiration. Counsel. Inner strength. REVERSED:Imprudence. Hastiness. Rashness. Prematurity.

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    X~The Wheel of Fortune. Lord of the Forcesof Life. Caph. Palm. The wheel of all life ispresided over by the sworded sphinx of Egypt.The letters TARO[T] appear at the four direc-tions of the wheel and also form the word ROTA(wheel). The glyph at the center of the wheel isthe seal of Ezekiel, and the symbol for Jupiterappears in the cushion at the bottom. The letterCaph means palms of the hand, in the lines ofwhich ones fortune may be read. MEANINGS:Good fortune. Happiness. Destiny. Fate.REVERSED: Failure. Bad luck. Broken sequence.XI~Justice. Daughter of the Lord of Truth.

    Lamed. Ox goad. The sign of Libra at the top ofthe card is ruled by Venus, whose symbol isshown on the left side of the scales. Saturn isexalted in Libra, and balances the scales on theright. The figure of Justice triumphantly holdsthem aloft, and a large sword, resting at her feet,further symbolizes her importance. The lowerportion of the card depicts the dual symbols ofyin and yang, or black and white. The spheres ateach corner of the card also represent equilib-rium; they are half dark and half light, suggestingthe balance of negative and positive. MEANINGS:Balance. Eternal justice. Strength. Fairness.Equity. Good intentions. REVERSED: Bigotry.Bias. False accusations. Intolerance.

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    XII~The Hanged Man. Spirit of the MightyWaters. Mem. Water. The inverted ankh is inharmony with the inverted man. The ankh andthe rose cross symbolize the supreme formula ofadeptness and the sacrifice that has to be under-taken to complete any great work. The invertedfigure forms a cross upon an equilateral triangle,representing the descent of light into darkness.The serpent on the right foot suggests both cre-ator and destroyer. The symbol for water appearsat the left center and the symbol for Neptune atthe right center. MEANINGS: Enforced sacrifice.Punishment. Loss. Suffering. Suspension.REVERSED: Lack of sacrifice. Failure to give ofones self. False prophecy.XIII~Death. Child of the Great Transformers.

    Nun. Fish. The sign of Scorpio appears at theupper right. At the upper left the Phoenix risesfrom smoldering ashes. Death is a skeletal figurewith a long scythe, whose metal tip gouges thetop of a skull. A serpent rests on the top ofanother skull at the lower left of the card, while ascorpion crawls through a pile of broken bones.The skeleton alone survives the destruction oftime and the aggression of nature, slowly workingits way upwards. MEANINGS: Time. Involuntarychange. Transformation. Death. Destruction.REVERSED: Stagnant. Immobile. Slow changes.

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    XIV~Temperance.Daughter of the Reconcilers.Samekh. Prop or support. This card is the fulfill-ment of Card VI, The Lovers. The sign ofSagittarius, the arrow, appears both at the upperleft and beneath the disc in the center. The glyphof Capricorn is represented on the left and thesign of Scorpio on the right. In the upper back-ground a volcano erupts and its ash forms arainbow extending toward earth. The angel ofoccult wisdom wears a crown of gold and pourswater from the cup of white gluten into the caul-dron. The leopard-faced cauldron is symbolic offire. The fire burns along the water and the waterextinguishes the fire. Thus, fire and water mixharmoniously, fanned by the slow circulation ofair created by the slowly flapping wings of thebirds. To the left and right of the vessel are the tri-angular symbols for water and fire respectively.The marriage of fire and water, Shin and Qopa, isheld by power of Saturn and concentrated byMars. Thus, the glyph of Capricorn ruled bySaturn, and Scorpio ruled by Mars. MEANINGS:Realization. Combination of forces. Temperance.Moderation. REVERSED: Discord. Disunion.Conflict of interest. Hostility.XV~The Devil. Lord of the Gates of Matter.

    Ayin. Eye. On a pedestal sits the fierce figure ofPan, with his hairy body, goats head, bats wings,

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    spiked crown, and a flaming torch. His crest isthe winged solar disc. The pentagram at its cen-ter is inverted, indicating dark forces. Chained tothe foot of the pedestal are two demons, onemale and one female, half animal and halfhuman. At the foot of the pedestal appears thesign of Capricorn. The symbol of Saturn (rulerof Capricorn) at the top left. The fire wand is theenergy of Mars. MEANINGS: Material force.Material temptation. Subordination. Bondage.Ravage. REVERSED: Release from bondage.Respite. Divorce.XVI~The Blasted Tower. Lord of the Hosts

    of the Mighty. Peh. Mouth. A blast of lightningrenders total destruction and clears the way fornew forms to emerge. An outline of the Tree ofLife appears at either side of the Tower, thesephiroth black on one side and white on theother, suggesting the wide scope this card maycover. The symbol of Mars appears at the upperleft of the card. MEANINGS: Ambition. Fighting.War. Courage. Destruction and ruin. Change.Breakdown of beliefs. REVERSED: Continuedoppression. Following old ways. Entrapment.XVII. The Star. The Daughter of the

    Firmament. Tzaddi. Fish hook. The seven-pointed star of Venus, surrounded in turn by

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    seven more stars each also bearing seven points,shines above the waters of Aquarius. The smallerstars appear as symbols for the sacred planets.Each sephiroth of the Tree of Life appears in theform of a black and white quartered disc repre-senting day and night hours. From these, one canselect the most suitable time for completion ofthe work. The dove of Hermes hovers effortlesslyabove the Tree of Knowledge, giving promise ofultimate attainment. In front of the dove is themathematical conception of the shape of theuniverse. The woman pours ethereal water fromthe golden cup, and the immortal liquor of lifefrom the silver cup. MEANINGS: Hope. Dreams.Faith. Unexpected help. Promising opportunity.REVERSED: Unfulfilled hopes. Disappointment.Pessimism. Bad luck. XVIII~The Moon. Ruler of Flux and Reflux.

    Qoph. Back of head. The sign of Pisces at theupper portion of the card is shown by the newfull moon. Emanating from the moon are six-teen principal and sixteen secondary rays,totalling thirty-two, the number of paths of theSepher Yetzirah. Four golden yods fall like dropsof water from the moon, showing its power overthe flux of the world. The two towers representthe gateway of Resurrection. The towers areguarded by dogs, the jackals of the Egyptian psy-

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    chopomp Anubis, witness to the disruption andanxiety. The dark waters of night appear below,cast in turmoil by the compelling influence ofthe moon, suggesting the dark paths of toil andeffort. At the center of the card, the wingedscarab follows the path of all heavenly bodies,rising in the East and setting in the West. He car-ries the solar disk in front and behind.MEANINGS: Deception. Error. Falsity.Dissatisfaction. Change. REVERSED: Triflingmistakes. Minor deception recognized.XIX~The Sun. Lord of the Fire of the World.

    Resh. Head. Beneath a fiery sun, two childrendance wildly and roses appear between them andbehind each of them. The roses represent theflowering of the solar influence. The dancingsirens are young, shameless, and innocent. Thesun and its heat are a beneficent source of life,and a melter of the waxen wings of ambition andcuriosity. The sun radiates upon the children. Itis Heru-Ra-Ha, Lord of the New Aeon.MEANINGS: Glory. Gain. Riches. Satisfaction.Arrogance. REVERSED: Unhappiness. Possiblybroken engagement. Loneliness. XX. The Last Judgment. The Spirit of the

    Primal Fire. Shin. Tooth. This card refers to theelemental path of fire. A bearded angel sounds

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    the shofar, his horn of judgment, and three fig-ures emerge from their tombs. A fullyresurrected soul flies upward. The symbol ofUranus appears at the upper left. MEANINGS:Final decision. Judgment. Sentence.Determination. Atonement. Rejuvenation.REVERSED: Failure to face the facts. Delay.Disappointment. XXI~Universe. The Great One of the Night

    of Time. Tau. Egyptian cross. This card is attrib-uted to Saturn, whose sign appears on thedouble-headed eagle and is represented by thetwo sickles. The background of the cardsun,moon, and starsrepresents the ever-expand-ing, ever-changing universe. In the middle of thecard at the left, the sign of Taurus represents thebull. The sign of Leo the lion, appears to theright. The man at the bottom suggests Aquarius.The eagle of Scorpio above completes the fourkerubic signs. MEANINGS: Synthesis. World.Kingdom. Perfection. Recognition. REVERSED:Failure to complete a task. Imperfection.

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    MINOR ARCANA

    The elemental signs at the top of all courtcards are derived from the rulership of the cardand offer important clues to card meanings.

    FIRE WATER AIR EARTH

    Knights Queens King Princesses

    Wands Cups Swords Pentacles

    WANDS ~ COURT CARDSKnight of Wands. Lord of Flame and

    Lightning. The symbols of fire appear in the toppanel on either side of the card title. Thus, Fire ofFire. A winged warrior rides upon a black horsewith flaming mane and tail. The riders head-dress is a winged, Gaulish helmet and he wears aflowing mantle. The symbols for Scorpio andSagittarius appear beneath the flaming club inthe warriors right hand. Rules from above 20Scorpio to the first two decans of Sagittarius andthis includes part of the constellation Hercules.MEANINGS: Generous. Impetuous. Departure.Active. Fierce. REVERSED: Evil-minded. Cruel.Bigoted. Brutal. Discord.

  • Queen of Wands. Queen of the Thrones ofFlame. Water of Fire. A crowned queen withlong falling hair and resolute face is seated upona throne surrounded by flames. Her right handrests on the crest of a leopards head. She bears along wand with a very heavy spherical head. Thewand is suggestive of the mysteries of Bacchus.The symbols for Pisces and Aries appear beneaththe orb of her wand. Rules from the last decan ofPisces to above 20 of Aries, including part ofAndromeda. MEANINGS: Adaptable. Steadyforce. Sympathetic. Understanding when shewants to be. REVERSED: Revengeful. Obstinate.Domineering. Deceitful. Tyrannical. King of Wands. Prince of the Chariot of

    Fire. Airy part of Fire. A kingly figure with agolden rayed crown and large white wings sits ina chariot drawn by a lion. The king wears acorselet and bears the Phoenix wand of theSecond Adept, the wand of great power andenergy. Beneath the chariot are flames, and fromabove appears his crest of a winged lions head.In front of the lion are the symbols for Cancerand Leo. Rules from above last decan of Cancerto second decan of Leo. MEANINGS: Swift.Strong. Rather violent. REVERSED: Intolerant.Prejudiced. Cruel. Ill-natured. Austere.

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  • Princess of Wands. Princess of the ShiningFlame. Earthy part of Fire. A beautiful, strongwoman with flowing hair is attired like anAmazon. She is bare-chested and clothed only ina short kilt. Around her waist is a broad belt ofscale mail. She wears a Corinthian-shaped hel-met with several plumes. A mantle lined withtiger skin falls back from her shoulders. Her lefthand holds a long, curved wand swelling at thelower end where the sigil is placed. At the top ofthe wand is a large rose. A rams head, part of heraltar, is to the right of the Princess and her crest,a winged tigers head, hovers overhead. Flamesdance all about. Rules over one quadrant of theportion around the North Pole. MEANINGS:Desire for power. Enthusiasm. Revenge. Can befaithful. REVERSED: Superficial. Theatrical.Cruelty. Instability. Domineering. A gossip.

    CUPS~COURT CARDSKnight of Cups. Lord of Waves and Waters.

    Fiery part of Water. A youthful winged warriorwith billowing hair rides upon a white horse. Hiscrest is a peacock, for one of the stigmata ofwater in its most active form is brilliance; as isthe representation of the phenomena of fluores-cence. Beneath the horses feet are the waters ofthe sea. A crab, the symbol of Cancer, emerges

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  • from the cup. Peacock feathers and a crab alsoappear on the lower portion of his shield. At thetop of the shield is a crab-like sigil. Rules fromabove 20 Aquarius to 20 Pisces; including thegreater part of the constellation Pegasus.MEANINGS: Graceful. Poetic. Enthusiastic ifaroused. Venusian. Indolent. A proposal.REVERSED: Untruthful. Sensual. Idle. Subtlety.Artifice.Queen of Cups. Queen of the Thrones of

    Waters. Watery part of Water. A fair youngwoman wearing a crown walks amid the lotusesof Isis and streams of water. To her right is an ibisand behind her is a cup from which issues a cray-fish representing Cancer. Rules from 20 Geminito 20 Cancer. MEANINGS: Imaginative. Poetic.Kind. Coquettish. Good-natured. REVERSED:Possible immorality. Inconsistency of honor. King of Cups. Prince of the Chariot of

    Waters. Airy part of Water. A crowned andwinged figure is seated in a chariot drawn by aneagle. Beneath the chariot is the calm lake. Thearmor of the kingly figure is decorated withfeathers. In his right hand, he holds a droopinglotus and in the other, a cup charged with thesigil of the scales of Libra. A snake hovers infront of the man and an eagle with outstretched

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  • wings is poised overhead. Rules from 20 Librato 20 Scorpio. MEANINGS: Subtle. Violent.Crafty. Artistic. Fierce nature with calm exterior.Powerful. REVERSED: Merciless. Intensely evil.Artistic temperament. Shifty in dealings.Princess of Cups. Princess of the Palace of

    the Floods. Earthy part of Water. A beautifulfigure, similar in attire to the Princess of Wands,stands in a turbulent sea of foaming spray.Nearby are a large dolphin, two swans and a tor-toise. The regal dolphin represents the power ofcreation. The swans are of oriental philosophy,suggesting Aumthe symbol of the entire cre-ation process. In Hindu philosophy, the tortoisesupports the elephant, on whose back sits theentire Universe. Rules a quadrant of the heavensaround the North Pole. MEANINGS: Sweetness.Poetry. Gentleness. Reflective. Kind. Dreamyimagination. REVERSED: A flatterer. Selfish.Luxurious. Deviation.

    SWORDS~COURT CARDSKnight of Swords. Lord of the Winds and

    Breezes. Fiery part of Air. A winged warrior ismounted upon a beautiful steed. The warriorscrest bears a six-pointed star and he holds adrawn sword. The star-winged crest is similar tothose on the heads of the twins, Castor and

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  • Pollux (Kastor and Polydeuces), the Dioscuri(Gemini) which the Knight of Swords partlyrules. Beneath the horses feet are dark, drivingstratus clouds. Rules from 20 Taurus to 20Gemini. MEANINGS: Active. Clever. Delicate.Subtle. Brave. Fierce. Courageous. Skillful.Inclined towards domination. REVERSED:Deceitful. Tyrannical. Crafty. Imprudence.Disunion.Queen of Swords. Queen of the Thrones of

    Air. Watery part of Air. A graceful woman withcurly hair stands amid a multitude of rollingclouds. The crest above her head is the wingedkerubic head of Air. Across her shoulders sheholds a large sword, and in her right hand shegrasps the newly-severed head of a man by thelock of his hair. Rules from 20 Virgo to 20Libra. MEANINGS: Perceptive. Observant.Subtle. Quick. Confident. Graceful. REVERSED:Cruel. Sly. Deceitful. Unreliable. Narrow-minded. King of Swords. Prince of the Chariots of the

    Winds. Airy part of Air. A crowned king sits ina chariot drawn by fairies. There are pentagramsupon their youthful foreheads and also on theirwands. They wear butterfly wings on their headsand feet. The king bears a sword and sickle. With

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    the sword he rules, and with the sickle he slays.Beneath the chariot are grey rain clouds ornimbi. Above the king is the crest of a butterfly-winged, angelic head with a pentagram on itsforehead. Rules from 20 Capricorn to 20Aquarius. MEANINGS: Ideas. Thoughts. Designs.Distrust. Suspicion. Cautious. Controlled butdetermined. REVERSED: Malicious. Plotting.Obstinate. Harsh. Hesitating. Unreliable. Sadistic.Princess of Swords. Princess of the Rushing

    Winds. Earthy part of Air. An Amazon figurewith serpentine hair is attired in a loosely-fittinggarment. She has the characteristics of bothMinerva and Artemis. She stands in front of abarren altar to avenge its profanation. In onehand is a sword; the other hand is attached to thealtar. She stabs downward with her sword andbeneath her feet, the heavens and clouds areangry. Above her head is the crest of Medusa.Rules a quadrant of the heavens around theNorth Pole. MEANINGS: Wisdom. Strength.Acuteness. Insight. Vigilance. Subtleness inmaterial things. Grace. Dexterity. REVERSED:Frivolous. Cunning. Revealed as an impostor.Illness is possible.

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    PENTACLES~COURT CARDS Knight of Pentacles. Lord of the Wild and

    Fertile Land. Fiery part of Earth. A warriorwith winged helmet is mounted on a horsedressed for battle. The warriors shield andscepter both depict the hexagram. The fieldbeneath the horse is fertile with ripened corn.Above the warrior is the head of a winged stag.Rules from above 20 Leo to 20 Virgo.MEANINGS: Heavy. Dull. Laborious. Patient andclever. Methodical. REVERSED: Lack of courage.Avaricious. Jealous. Grasping. Stagnant.Queen of Pentacles. Queen of the Thrones

    of Earth. Watery part of Earth. A beautifulwoman appears in profile. She wears an ornateByzantine helmet with the spiral of the snailrepresenting the never-ending fertility of theearth. She holds in her hand a scepter sur-mounted by a large cube, the three dimensionalhexagram. In her other hand she bears an orb ofgold. A large goats head with horns entwining acrystal sphere at the bottom of the card repre-sents the fertilizing power of the Great Work.The Queens throne is very large, rising from theearth and surrounded by luxuriant oak leaves.Rules from 20 Sagittarius to 20 Capricorn.MEANINGS: Impetuous. Charming. Intelligent.Timid. Kind. Melancholy. Truthful. Graceful.

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    Moody. REVERSED: Undecided. Capricious.Foolish. Changeable. False prosperity.King of Pentacles. Prince of the Chariot of

    Earth. Airy part of Earth. A winged figure isseen behind a chariot drawn by a bull. He wearsan ornate headdress and holds an orb downwardto imply the planning involved in agriculture. Inhis right hand, the orbed scepter topped by across signifies the Great Work accomplished.Beneath the chariot grow many beautiful flow-ers, representing fertility. The crest of the king isthat of a bull, representing the element earth.Rules from 20 Aries to 20 Taurus. MEANINGS:Increased good and/or evil. Solid. Character andintelligence. Steady. Practical application.Reliable. REVERSED: Animalistic. Material.Stupidity. Corruption. Avarice.Princess of Pentacles. Princess of the

    Echoing Hills. Earthy part of Earth. A strongand beautiful figure stands behind a circularpentacle of the earth. She carries in her arm ascepter topped with a large circular disc. Super-imposed behind her is a rams head. Grass andvegetation grow wildly in front of her. Rules overthe fourth quadrant of the heavens around theNorth Pole of the Ecliptic. MEANINGS: Kind.Generous. Diligent. Pitiful. Deep concentration.Benevolent. Cautious. Courageous. Persevering.

  • REVERSED: Wasteful. Dissipation of ideas.Prodigal. Unrealistic.

    WANDSAce of Wands. Lord of the Root of the Power

    of Fire. Kether appears in Hebrew within thesymbol of fire on the upper right. An angelichand issues from clouds grasping a flamingheavy club. The whole is a great flaming torch.MEANINGS: Force. Strength. Rush. Vigor.Energy. Gain. REVERSED: False start. Vexation.Cancellation.Two of Wands: Lord of Dominion. The

    names of the ruling angels, Vehooel andDeneyal, appear in Hebrew on the left and rightrespectively. A hand grasps two crossed wands.Flames issue from the point of junction. Eachwand is topped with a rams head representingAries, and a globe with pointed arrow at the bot-tom to represent Mars. Two small wands, aboveand below, have flames issuing forth. The sym-bols for Aries, and Mars appear at the top and thebottom. This card pertains to the first decan ofAries rules by Mars, thus Mars in Aries, 110.MEANINGS: Strength. Dominion. Harmony ofrule. Justice. Boldness. Courage. Shamelessness.Revenge. Restlessness. REVERSED: Turbulence.Sagacious withdrawal. Sadness. Trouble.

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  • Three of Wands. Lord of EstablishedStrength. A hand issuing from heavy cloudsholds three wands in the center; two crossedwands and one upright. Flames emanate fromthe junction and from both sides, like giganticpillars. The center wand has a sun at the top, andthe head of a ram representing Aries at the bot-tom. The symbol for the sun and Aries areshown. This card pertains to the second decan ofAries ruled by the Sun, thus Sun in Aries,1020. Angels Hechashiah and Aamamiah arewritten in Hebrew on the left and right respec-tively. MEANINGS: Established force. Strength.Acumen. Realization of hope. Completion.Success. Nobility. Wealth. Power. REVERSED:Conceit. Rude. Insolent. Obstinant. Treacherous.Four of Wands. Lord of Perfected Work. Two

    hands, issuing from clouds on each side of thecard, clasp four crossed wands at the center. Thetwo outside wands are topped by rams heads,the inner two wands by swans heads. Flamesissue from the point of junction. Above andbelow are small flaming wands which touch atthe points of fire. The symbols for Venus andAries appear at the top center and bottom cor-ners. The four of wands refers to the third decanof Aries ruled by Venus, thus Venus in Aries,

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  • 2030. Angels Nanael and Nithal are written inHebrew on the left and right of the card.MEANINGS: Perfection. Rest after labor.Completion. Subtlety. Cleverness. Beauty.Romance. Mirth. Success. REVERSED: Anxious.Unprepared. Unreliable. Hurried. Insincere.Insecure. Five of Wands. Lord of Strife. Five wands

    cross each other. Flames leap from the point ofjunction. The symbols for Saturn and Leoappear at the center and also at the top and nearthe bottom of the card. Two of the crossed wandsare topped by lions heads, one fierce and theother dementedindicating strife. The othertwo crossed wands have a sickle. Two serpentshand down from the winged solar disc of theupright wand and entwine the sickles which rep-resent Saturn. At the bottoms of two of thewands are crocodile heads which also representSaturn. Two wands have small orbs, and the cen-ter wand of the Zelator Adeptus Minor of theGolden Dawn has an arrow. The burning ends ofthe two wands at the bottom of the card faceaway from each other. Saturn is not well placedhere. This cold, dry nature is not complimentaryto the fiery royal nature of Leo, hence this card isnamed Lord of Strife. The five of wands pertains

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  • to the first decan of Leo which is ruled by Saturn,thus Saturn in Leo 110. Angels Vahaviah andYelayel. MEANINGS: Strife. Contest. Struggle.Conflict. Boldness. Rashness. Cruelty. Violence.REVERSED: Lust. Desire. Trickery. Complexity.Six of Wands. Lord of Victory. Two hands

    grasp six crossed wands. Flames issue from thepoint of junction. At the tops of two of thewands are eagle heads representing Jupiter. Onthe others are arrows and wings emerging fromflowers. Above are two small wands with pointedflames together, the bottom two flaming wandspoint away from each other. (These wands wereall used by the Secret Order of the GoldenDawn.) At the lower center are flames risingfrom clouds. The symbols for Jupiter and Leoappear at the top and bottom of the card. Jupiterin Leo 1020. Angels Saitel and Olmiah.MEANINGS: Victory after strife. Conquest.Triumph. Success through energy and industry.Insolence. Pride of riches. REVERSED: Delay.Fear. Apprehension.Seven of Wands. Lord of Valour. Seven

    wands appear in this card. Six wands intertwine.The center upright wand has a winged solar discand two serpents on top, and on the bottom is anorb with an arrow representing Mars. The

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  • crossed wands are topped by lingams and flow-ers. The lions tails at the bottom of two of thewands represent Leo. Flames leap from the pointof juncture of the wands. Above and below thewands are the symbols for Mars and Leo. Mars inLeo 2030. Angels Mahashiah and Lelahel.MEANINGS: Victory. Valor. Advantage. Gain.Overcoming opposition. REVERSED: Obstacles.Ignorance. Pretense. Wrangling. Threats. Minorvictories.Eight of Wands. Lord of Swiftness. Four

    angelic hands issue from clouds; each handgrasps two wands. Flames issue from the differ-ent points of juncture. The arrow wands pertainto Sagittarius. Placed in the center at the top andbottom of the card are the symbols of Mercuryand Sagittarius. Two small wands, separated andburning, also appear at the top and bottom ofthe card. This card pertains to the first decan ofSagittarius ruled by Mercury, thus Mercury inSagittarius, 110. Angels Nithahiah andHaayah. MEANINGS: Excessive force. Rapidrush. Violence. Swiftness. Courage. Boldness.Freedom. Warfare. Violence. Love of open air.Field sports. Generosity. REVERSED: Eloquent.Not trustworthy. Rapacious. Insolent. Theft.Oppressive. Dispute. Jealousy.

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  • Nine of Wands. Lord of Great Strength.Eight crossed wands are seen behind one uprightwand. The tops of the wands are decorated withbird skulls, arrow heads, suns and flowers. Thesuns imply the great strength of this card. Thebottoms of the wands include hooks, discs,arrow feathers and serpents. Above and belowthe wands appears the symbol for Sagittarius.Moon in Sagittarius, 1020. Angels Yirthiel andSahiah. MEANINGS: Tremendous power.Unshakable force. Herculean strength. Greatsuccess. Strife and energy. Victory preceded byapprehension and fear. Health. Good recovery.Intractable. Fond of external appearance.REVERSED: Obstinate. Calamity. Delay. Disaster.Ten of Wands. Lord of Oppression. Two

    large, upright wands are followed by eightcrossed wands. In this card, the points of junc-ture are evenly spaced. Flames issue from thepoints of juncture. The eight crossed wands con-tain arrows at the top and discs at the bottom.The two upright wands bear evenly spaced discs,and at the bottom are sickles representingSaturn. The symbols of Saturn and Sagittarius,both aflame, appear at the top and bottom of thecard, respectively. The card is the last decan ofSagittarius ruled by Saturn, thus Saturn inSagittarius, 2030. Angels Reyayel and Avamel.

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  • MEANINGS: Cruel and overbearing force.Excessive pressure. Selfish and material ends.REVERSED: Lying. Malice. Slander. Envy.Obstinance. Swiftness in evil. Subterfuge.

    CUPSAce of Cups. Lord of the Root of the Powers

    of Water. The symbol at the upper right isKether in Water. A radiant white angelic handissues from clouds and supports on its palm alarge cup from which rise fountains of clear andglistening water. The spray falls on all sides intothe clear, calm water below where lotuses andwater lilies grow. MEANINGS: Abundance.Fertility. Productiveness. Beauty. Pleasure.Happiness. Opulence. REVERSED: Alteration.Erosion in circumstance. Unrequited love.Two of Cups. Lord of Love. A hand at the

    lower part of the card holds in its palm an openlotus. Near the top of the card another lotussprouts two gushing streams of water whichdrop into two cups and then, in turn, overflow.Two dolphins swim between the sprays of water.At the upper and lower left and right appear thesymbols for Venus and Cancer, respectively.Venus in Cancer, 110. Herein rule the angels,Ayoel and Chabooyah. MEANINGS: Harmony.Pleasure. Mirth. Love. Friendship. Passion.

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  • REVERSED: Subtlety. Folly. Dissipation. Waste.Silly action. Disunion.Three of Cups. Lord of Abundance. From

    three cups rise lotuses and water lilies. Streams ofwater pour from the flowers into the cups. Theflowers on the top pour water into the lowercups and the flowers in the lower cups pourwater into the lower part of the card in a contin-uing process of replenishment. Above and belowappear the symbols for Mercury and Cancer.Mercury in Cancer, 1020. Angels Rahael andYebomayah. MEANINGS: Abundance. Success.Pleasure. Healing. Problem resolution. Goodluck. Sensuality. Fortune. Love. Gladness.Kindness. Bounty. REVERSED: Overabundance.Excessive pleasure. Loss of prestige. Four of Cups. Lord of Blended Pleasure. A

    flower rises up the center of the card from whichwater issues into two cups. The upper cups inturn overflow into the two lower cups which donot overflow. This card has leaves instead offlowerssuggesting pleasure approaching anend. Thus, the two lower cups do not overflow.From the center, two leaves pass from right to leftforming a cross composed of the stem of the tallflower and the leaves. A large inverted quartermoon appears at the top and the symbol for

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  • Cancer appears above and below. The moon in Cancer, 2030. Angels Hayayel andMevamayah. MEANINGS: Success or pleasureapproaching their end. The good with the bad.Stationary period in happiness. Swiftness.Hunting. Pursuit. Acquisition by contention.Injustice. REVERSED: New approaches to oldproblems. New events and possibilities. Five of Cups. Lord of Loss in Pleasure. Five

    empty cups surround a large inverted pentacle inthe center of the cardsuggesting loss. At thebottom of the card are fallen water lily petals.Although the lotus stems ascend between thecups in the manner of a fountain, no water flowsfrom any of the cups. Above and below appearthe symbols of Mars and Scorpio. This card per-tains to the first decan of Scorpio ruled by Mars,thus Mars in Scorpio 110. Angels Livoyah andPehilyah. MEANINGS: Death or end of pleasure.Partial loss. Disappointment. Sorrow. Treachery.Sadness. Deceit. Ill-will. Detraction. REVERSED:Charity. Hope. Kindness. New alliance. Six of Cups. Lord of Pleasure. Six flowers rise

    up in the center of the card and each flowerbends over a different cup. The stems of theflowers are haphazardly intertwined. A handgrasps all the stems and four large leaves. From

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  • each flower glistening water flows into the cups,yet the cups are never full. Above and below arethe symbols of the Sun and Scorpio. Sun inScorpio, 1020. Angels Nelokhiel and Yeyayel.MEANINGS: Contention. Pleasure. Past memo-ries. Nostalgia. Steady gain. REVERSED: Strifearising from unwarranted self-assertion andvanity. Presumptuousness. Thanklessness. Seven of Cups. Lord of Illusionary Success.

    A hand emerging from clouds holds the lotusstems which rise from the central lower cup.With the exception of the central lower cup, eachcup is overhung by a drooping lotus flower, butno water flows from them and the cups appearempty. Venus in Scorpio, 2030. AngelsMelchel and Chahaviah. MEANINGS: Fantasy.Wishful thinking. Deception at the moment ofapparent victory. Neutralized victory. Illusionarysuccess. Lying. Promises unfilled. Drunkenness.Violence against women. Selfish dissipation.Deception in love and friendship. Success oftengained but not followed up. REVERSED: Desire.Lust. Vanity. Wrath.Eight of Cups. Lord of Abandoned Success.

    A hand holds three stems of water lilies. Twowater lily flowers are shown, which bend over thetwo center cups pouring water into them. Thesetwo cups are not yet filled.The other cups remain

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  • empty and abandoned. At the top and bottomare the symbols for Saturn and Pisces. This cardrepresents the first decan of Pisces ruled bySaturn, thus, Saturn in Pisces, 110. AngelsVavaliah and Yelahiah. MEANINGS: Temporarysuccess. Things thrown aside as soon as gained.Nothing of lasting value. Indolence in success.Journey from place to place. Searching for riches.Instability. REVERSED: Happiness. Festivity. Joy. Nine of Cups. Lord of Material Happiness.

    At the bottom of the card a hand emerges fromthe clouds and grasps the stems of the lotuses.One flower overhangs each cup from whichwater pours. All the cups are full and runningover. Above and below are the symbols of Jupiterand Pisces. Jupiter in Pisces, 1020. AngelsSaliah and Ariel. MEANINGS: Complete realiza-tion of pleasure and happiness. Self-praise.Vanity. Conceit. Much talking of self, yet kindand lovable. High-minded. Not easily satisfiedby small and limited ideas. Apt to be malignedthrough too much self-assumption. Good.Generous, but foolish nature. REVERSED:Mistakes. Material loss. Imperfections.Ten of Cups. Lord of Perfected Success. A

    hand at the top of the card holds a cup sidewaysthat pours water into the cup beneath it. A singlelotus flower surmounts the top cup and is the

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  • source of all the water. All the cups are shownoverflowing. Above and below are the symbolsfor Mars and Pisces. This card represents thethird decan of Pisces ruled by Mars, thus, Marsin Pisces, 2030. Angels Aasliah and Mihal.MEANINGS: Lasting success. Home. Generosity.Kindness. Happiness inspired from above.Pleasure. REVERSED: Dissipation. Debauchery.Pity. Quietness. Wantonness. Waste.

    SWORDSAce of Swords. Lord of the Root of the

    Powers of Air. The symbol at the upper right isKether in air. A large hand issues from the cloudsand grasps the hilt of a sword which supports awhite, radiant celestial crown. To the right is anolive branch of peace and to the left is a palmbranch of suffering. Six Vaus fall from the uppertip of the sword. The symbolism of this card sug-gests invoked force as contrasted to naturalforce. Raised upward, it invokes the divine crownof spiritual brightness. But reversed, it symbol-izes the invocation of demonic forces andbecomes a fearfully evil symbol. MEANINGS:Invoked power for good or evil. Whirling force.Strength through trouble. Affirmation of justice.Great determination. REVERSED: Debacle.Tyranny. Disaster. Self-destruction.

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  • Two of Swords. Lord of Peace Restored. Twocrossed swords are each held by a hand issuingfrom the lower clouds. At the point where thetwo upright swords cross is a rose of five petalsemitting ten pointed rays and a multitude ofsmaller rays. The symbol for the moon appearsin a horizontal position at the top and bottom ofthe card adjacent to the symbol for Libra. Twodaggers also appear at both top and bottom endsof the card, the points of the small daggerstouching the points and handles of the largecrossed swords. This card represents the firstdecan of Libra, ruled by the Moon, thus Moon inLibra, 110. This is the card of the AutumnEquinox. Herein rule the angels, Yezalel andMebahel. MEANINGS: Strength through suffer-ing. Pleasure after pain. Balanced force.Contradictory characteristics in the same nature.Sacrifice and trouble. Peace restored. Truce.Arrangement of differences. Justice. Sorrow andsympathy for those in trouble. Aid to the weakand oppressed. Unselfishness. Inclination to rep-etition of affronts. Talkative. REVERSED:Duplicity. Falsehood. Misrepresentation. Disloyalty.Three of Swords. Lord of Sorrow. Three

    hands hold three upright swords. The hilts of thetwo outer swords are different from the hilt of

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  • the middle one. The center sword with quartermoon hilt cuts the rose of five petals seen in thepreceding card at the junction of the swords.Broken petals fall to the ground. Above andbelow are the symbols of Saturn and Libra.Saturn in Libra. 1020. Angels Harayel andHoqmiah. MEANINGS: Disruption. Interruption.Separation. Absence. Quarreling. Sowing of dis-cord. Strife. Mischief. Sorrow. Tears. Mirth in evilpleasures. Singing. Faithfulness in promises.Honesty in money transactions. Selfishness.Dissipated, yet sometimes generous. REVERSED:Deceitful. Alienation. Distraction. Confusion.Disorder. Mistake. Error. Mental anxieties. Four of Swords. Lord of Rest from Strife.

    Two clenched fists emerge from the clouds at thebottom corners of the card. Between the fists arefour swords that cross in the center at the pointof a rose with five petals. Around the roseemanate numerous radiations that serve as ashield. At the top are two small daggers whosepoints meet, and at the bottom two small dag-gers whose hilts meet. The symbols for Jupiterand Libra are incorporated into the design of thehilts of the daggers. This card represents the lastdecan of Libra ruled by Jupiter, thus Jupiter inLibra 2030. Angels Laviah and Kelial. In this

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  • card an agreement has been reached and Jupiterand Libra are in harmony. Because of the truce,the hands do not hold the swords. MEANINGS:Rest after strife and sorrow. Respite. Peace afterwar. Abundance. Relaxation of anxiety. Ease.REVERSED: Not knowing when to stop or rest.Circumspection. Activity. Five of Swords. Lord of Defeat. Five swords

    point upward, their hilts depicting birds, exceptfor the center sword which has an interlacedhandle. On the swords from left to right, theswan and dove pertain to Venus, the pheasantand hawk to Aquarius. In the center, the image ofthe man relates to Aquarius. The petals of therose, which in the four of swords had been rein-stated, are now torn asunder and falling. Thepointed rays are broken and dispersed. Aboveand below are seen the symbols of Venus andAquarius. This card represents the first decan ofAquarius ruled by Venus, thus Venus inAquarius, 110. Angels Aniel and Chaamiah.MEANINGS: Contest finished with disappointedoutcome. Failure. Defeat. Anxiety. Trouble.Poverty. Avarice. Grieving after gain. Laborious.Unresting. Vile nature. Spiteful. Malicious.Slandering. Lying. Busybody and gossip.Resentful of peace and harmony between others.Cruel yet cowardly. Thankless. Unreliable. Clever

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  • and quick in thought and speech. Feelings of pityeasily aroused but unenduring. REVERSED:Uncertain outlook may turn more favorable.Weakness tested.Six of Swords. Lord of Earned Success. Two

    hands each hold three crossed swords. The rosereappears in the center, its ten pointed raysstraight and strong. At the top of the card aresymbols for Mercury and Aquarius supported bythe points of two short daggers. The same sym-bols and daggers appear at the bottom. Mercuryin Aquarius, 1020. Angels Rehaayal andYeyeziel. MEANINGS: Success after anxiety andtrouble. Beauty. Conceited yet sometimes mod-est. Dominion. Labor. A journey. REVERSED:Stalemate. Unwanted proposal. Confession.Seven of Swords. Lord of Unstable Effort.

    The center upright sword is held by a hand at thebottom of the card. The swords are of differenttypes and proportions, suggesting instability.The points of all seven swords touch oneanother, the shortest two swords not quite reach-ing all the way to the top. The rose of theprevious card of this suit is pierced by the centralsword. At the top of the card, and in the discs atthe bottoms of the two largest swords, appear aquarter moon and the symbol for Aquarius.

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  • Moon in Aquarius, 2030. Angels Michael andHahihel. MEANINGS: Partial success, yieldingwhen victory is within grasp. Inclination to loseby discontinuing effort. Love of abundance.Fascinated by display. Given to compliments.REVERSED: Affronts. Insolences. Detect and spyon another. Inclined to betray confidences, notalways intentionally. Vacillating. Unreliable.Argumentative. Eight of Swords. Lord of Shortened Force.

    Eight swords point upward, crossing andtouching near the top of the card. The rosereappears darker but intact, except for two bentrays at the upper left and right. There are eightrings, one for each sword. The force is short-ened in this card as evidenced by the ringswhich are incomplete. The symbols for Jupiterand Gemini appear at the top and bottom.Jupiter in Gemini, 110. Angels Vemibael andYehohel. MEANINGS: Excessive force applied tosmall things. Too much attention to detail at theexpense of principles and more importantpoints. Malice. Pettiness. Domineering. Greatease in some things, countered by equal disor-der in others. Impulsive. Equally fond of givingor receieving. Generous. Clever. Acute. Selfish,without strong feeling of affection. REVERSED:Treachery. Difficulty. Disquiet. Accident.

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  • Nine of Swords. Lord of Despair andCruelty. Nine swords appear, eight of which arecompletely mangled. The eight swords arecrossed, four from each side, and the ninthsword, largest of all and curved, rises uprightfrom the bottom of the card. Even the hilt of thissword is barbaric in its sharpness. The centerrose is transformed into a disfigured disc withtwelve distorted rays. The symbols for Mars andGemini appear above and below. Mars inGemini, 1020. Angels Aaaneval and Mochayel.MEANINGS: Despair. Cruelty. Lack of pity.Suffering. Want. Miscarriage. Loss. Misery.Burden. Oppression. Labor. Subtlety and craft.Lying. Dishonesty. Slander. Yet also obedience.Faithfulness in its fashion. REVERSED: Patience.Unselfishness. Doubt. Suspicion. Shame. Timidity. Ten of Swords. Lord of Ruin. The eight

    swords, four from each side, are pointed in a dif-ferent direction than in the previous card. Thehilts are now on the outside and the tips faceinward, six of the tips actually going through thehilt of the opposite sword. The swords are disfig-ured to suggest total ruin. The two center swordsare crossed at the middle and they appearundamaged. Although no rose, flower or bud isshown, the remnants of the center rose, seen in

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  • the previous card, now appear in total disinte-gration. The symbol for the sun appears at thetop of the card and the symbol for Gemini at the bottom. Sun in Gemini, 2030. AngelsDambayah and Menqal. MEANINGS: Completedisruption and failure. Undisciplined warringforce. Ruin of all plans and projects. Disdain.Insolence and impertinence, yet mirth and jolli-ness therein. Loving to overthrow the happinessof others. Given to much unprofitable speechand many words. REVERSED: Clever. Cute.Eloquent at times. Beneficial. Improvement.

    PENTACLES

    Ace of Pentacles. Lord of the Root of thePowers of Earth. The symbol at the upper rightis Kether in Earth. A large hand holds twobranches of a flowering rose between its fingers.The branches encircle a large pentacle formed offive concentric circles and twelve rays. Theinnermost circle is white with a Greek cross.From the center emanate twelve rays that inter-twine with the concentric circles and terminateat the circumference, making the whole some-thing like an astrological figure of the heavens. Athe top, surmounted on the large circle, is asmaller circle depicting a large Maltese Cross andbearing two wings. Four roses and two buds are

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  • shown. MEANINGS: Materiality in all senses,good and evil, and in a sense, illusionary.Perfection. Power. Material gain. Labor. Wealth.Attainment. REVERSED: Prosperity withouthappiness. Misused wealth. Corruption.Two of Pentacles. Lord of Harmonious

    Change. Two pentacles, similar to the pentacleon the ace of this suit, are shown united by a ser-pent biting its tail. A hand grasps the center ofthe serpent in the space formed between the twodiscs. The figure eight suggests the symbol of theinfinite. At the center of each disc is a Greekcross, a revolving symbol. Above and below arethe symbols of Jupiter and Capricorn. This cardrepresents the first decan of Capricorn ruled byJupiter, thus Jupiter in Capricorn, 110. Hereinrule the angels, Lekabel and Veshiriah.MEANINGS: The harmony of change.Alternating gains and losses, weakness andstrength. Ever-varying occupation. Wandering.Discontent with fixed condition of things.Alternating elation and melancholy. Industriousyet unreliable. Prudent, yet sometimes foolish.Argumentative. Kind, yet inconsistent andwavering. REVERSED: Forced gaiety. Inflexibility. Three of Pentacles. Lord of Material Work.

    A large hand at the bottom loosely holds

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  • between its fingers the branch of a rose bushwhich entwines upward through the card. Twowhite rose buds surmount the topmost pentacle.The three pentacles are arranged in a triangle;each pentacle has twelve emanating rays, but thecenter is darkened. A winged disc is at the top ofthe card. Above and below are the symbols forMars and Capricorn. Mars in Capricorn.1020. Angels Yechavah and Lehachiah.MEANINGS: Working and constructive force.Great skill in trade or work. Building up.Erection. Creation. Realization. Increase ofmaterial things. Gain in commercial transactions.Rank. Increase of substance. Influence. Businesssaavy. Selfishness. Commencement of matter tobe established later. Keen in matters of gain.Sometimes given to seeking the impossible.REVERSED: Low quality. Mediocrity. Lack ofskill. Sloppiness. Preoccupation. Four of Pentacles. Lord of Earthly Power. A

    hand at the bottom holds a branch of a rose bushwithout flowers or buds, except for the rose inthe center which is fully in bloom. At the topcenter is a radiant sun. Four discs appear in thecard; each disc is crowned with a winged disc.The four discs form the shape of a square. Thecenters of the discs have a swastika-type hexa-

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  • gram symbolizing the union of the motherearth. The hexagrams are strange in their designto suggest the feeling of power. The symbol forCapricorn appears above; the sun and Capricornappear below. Sun in Capricorn, 2030. AngelsKeveqiah and Mendial. MEANINGS: Materialgain. Success. Rank. Love of material wealth.Earthly power completed, but leading to nothingbeyond. Covetous. Suspicious. Careful andorderly. Discontented. REVERSED: Obstacles.Lack of enterprise or originality. Prejudice.Setbacks.Five of Pentacles. Lord of Material Trouble.

    Five discs form this card. The leaves and dyingpetals of a rose branch appear in the design. Atthe center disc two large horns emerge beneathtwo small wings; the horns symbolize Taurusand the wings Mercury. The symbols for Taurusand Mercury appear in the centers of the topdiscs and at the bottom of the card. Mercury inTaurus, 110. Angels Mibahiah and Pooyal.MEANINGS: Loss of money or position. Troubleconcerning material things. Toil. Labor. Landcultivation. Building. Knowledge and acutenessof earthly things. Poverty. Harshness. Stern.REVERSED: Money sometimes regained aftersevere toil and labor. Determined. Obstinate.

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  • Six of Pentacles. Lord of Material Success. Ahand from the bottom grasps a branch of whiteroses with buds and opened petals, each ofwhich touches a pentacle. In the center discsappear the hexagram and swastika. The upperand lower discs contain the quarter moon andthe symbol for Taurus. Moon in Taurus, 1020.Angels Nemamiah and Yeyelal. MEANINGS:Success and gain in material undertakings.Power. Influence. Rank. Nobility. Rule over peo-ple. Fortunate. Successful. Just and liberal.REVERSED: May be purse-proud. Insolent fromsuccess. Prodigal.Seven of Pentacles. Lord of Success

    Unfulfilled. A hand from a small group ofclouds clutches the branches of several roses.Only five roses overhang, but they droop and donot touch the pentacles. No other buds areshown and none are touching or close to the twolower pentacles. The pentacles suggest wheels inmotion, unfulfilled success. MEANINGS: Loss ofpossible fortune. Hopes deceived and crushed.Successful dealings shortlived. Disappointment,Misery. Slavery. Necessity. Baseness. A cultivatorof land, and yet the loser thereby. Sometimesdenotes slight and isolated gains with no lastingbenefit. REVERSED: Impatience. Uneasiness.Anxiety. Imprudent actions. Unwise investments.

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  • Eight of Pentacles. Lord of Prudence. Ahand at the bottom of the card barely touchesthe stem of a rose bush, while four white rosestouch only the lowermost pentacles. No rosebuds are seen. All the pentacles are without anycrosses or wings. The pentacles are very intricate,signifying intelligence. The alternating black andwhite indicates the negative and positive sides ofprudence. A large sun radiates in the center ofthe uppermost pentacles. Above and below arethe symbols for the Sun and Virgo. Sun in Virgo.110. Angels Akaiah and Kehethel.MEANINGS: Overly careful in small things at theexpense of the great. Penny-wise and pound-foolish. Gain of ready money in small sums.Apprenticeship. REVERSED: Meanness. Avarice.Industrious. Hoarding. Lacking in enterprise. Nine of Pentacles. Lord of Material Gain. A

    rose branch is seen with nine blossoming roses,each rose touches a pentacle. The pentacles aregently turning, suggesting the gradual exhaus-tion of the original whirling energy. The symbolsof Venus encircled and Virgo appear at the top ofthe card. Venus encircled also appears at the bot-tom. Venus in Virgo, 1020. Angels Hazayel andAldiah. MEANINGS: Complete realization ofmaterial gain. Accomplishment. Inheritance.

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  • Covetousness. Treasuring of goods. REVERSED:Sometimes theft. Knavery. Dissipation. Badfaith. Danger.Ten of Pentacles. Lord of Wealth. Ten blos-

    soming roses are shown without any sign of therose branch. Each rose touches a pentacle.Although the pentacles are not turning, they stillimply the great and final solidification of energy.The symbols of Mercury and Virgo are shown atthe center of the grouping of the pentacles.Mercury in Virgo, 2030. Angels Hihaayah andLaviah. MEANINGS: Completion of materialgain, but nothing beyond. The pinnacle of suc-cess. Prosperity. REVERSED: Slothfulness. Oldage. Great wealth, yet sometimes loss in part andlater heaviness. Dullness of mind.

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  • SPREADING THE DECKAND READING THE CARDS

    There are numerous methods of spreading thetarot deck for fortune-telling. One of themost popular methods is based on a ten-cardspread, which is often called the Celtic Cross.The diviner, or reader of the deck, places TheHermetic Tarot pack in numerical sequence topto bottom starting with the Major Arcana from0~The Foolish Man to XXI~The Universe. Thesecards are followed by the suit of wandsknight,queen, king, princess, and ace through ten. Theorder continues in the same manner with thesuits of cups, swords, and pentacles.

    The person seeking an answer to a question isknown as the questioner. The questioner sits at atable opposite the diviner and both personsmaintain a serious mental attitude. The ques-tioner must clear his mind of all thoughts exceptthe specific question he wants answered. Thisquestion is stated aloud to the diviner while thequestioner simultaneously shuffles the face-down deck. The person who handles the cardsimpregnates them with his own personal mag-netism and thereby creates a rapport between hissubconscious and the cards. The cards may beshuffled either hand over hand or by lifting (sep-

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  • arating the deck into two parts and riffling withthe thumb so the cards intermix). The shufflingmust be done by the person seeking an interpre-tation or prediction concerning himself or atopic of interest to himnot by the reader,interpreter, or diviner. When the questioner issatisfied with his shuffling, he places the deckface down in front of the diviner. The cards arealways viewed from the diviners position.Beginning with the top card as number one, thesecond card as number two, and so on, thediviner turns up the first six cards, one at a time,placing them face up on the table in the sequenceshown in the diagram on page 71.

    The diviner should turn the cards over fromleft to right thereby assuring that the cards con-tinue to point in the same direction as placed onthe table by the questioner. The cards which facethe diviner are said to be positioned for a strongpositive reading. The cards which face the ques-tioner are said to be reversed and therefore havea weak, delayed, or reversed meaning. In theevent the first card turned over by the diviner isupside down, the diviner should reverse the firstcard so that it is displayed upright. The remain-ing nine cards should then be turned over frombottom to top in such a manner as to reverse thedirection of each of these cards since the ques-

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  • tioner may have mistakenly handed the deckupside down to the diviner. Generally, if morethan half the cards are reversed, a more consis-tent reading is obtained by returning thereversed cards to their upright position.

    The sequence of card layout is as follows: Card Number 1. Present Position.

    Atmosphere in which the questioner is presentlyworking and living. Shows the area of influencein which the questioner presently exists. Thiscard represents the questioner.Card Number 2. Immediate Influence.

    Shows the nature of the influence or immediatesphere of involvement or obstacles which lie justahead. This card crosses the questioner.Card Number 3. Goal or Destiny. Shows the

    ultimate goal or destiny of the questioner.Indicates the best that can be accomplished bythe questioner based upon existing circum-stances. This card represents the questionerspresent frame of reference. This card crowns thequestioner.Card Number 4. Distant Past Foundation.

    Shows the broad and basic events and influenceswhich existed in the past and upon which thepresent events are based. This card is behind thequestioner.

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  • Card Number 5. Recent Past Events. Showsthe most recent sphere of influence or eventswhich have just passed or which are just passing.This card may also represent distant past influ-ences exerting pressure upon recent events. Thiscard is beneath the questioner.Card Number 6. Future Influence. Shows the

    sphere of influence that is coming into being inthe near future in a broad sense. This card is infront of the questioner.

    After the diviner has read the first six cards,he then turns over the next four cards from thedeck, as shown in the diagram on page 71.Card Number 7. The Questioner. Shows the

    questioner in his present position or attitude withinthe circumstances surrounding him. Attempts toplace the questioner in proper perspective.Card Number 8. Environmental Factors.

    Shows the questioners influence on other peopleand his position in life. Reveals those tendenciesand factors which exist with respect to other per-sons who may have an effect on the questioner. Card Number 9. Inner Emotions. Shows the

    inner hopes, hidden emotions and secret desires,fears and anxieties of the questioner. Includesthose thoughts which will come to the mind ofthe questioner in the future.

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  • Card Number 10. Final Result. Shows theculmination and results which will be broughtabout about from the influences revealed by theother cards in the divination, provided eventsand influences continue as indicated.

    Persons reading the cards should bear in mindthat the various meanings presented in this book-let are suggestive. During a reading, the diviner ofthe cards should freely permit his own consciousand subconscious thought processes to assignexpanded meanings to each card in a mannerwhich feels most comfortable and responsive.

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  • THE CELTIC CROSS LAYOUT

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    BETH

    KETHER THE FOUR

    ACES

    BINAH THE FOUR

    THREES & FOUR QUEENS

    ALEPH

    DALETH

    CHOKMAH THE FOUR

    TWOS & FOUR KNIGHTS

    GEBURAH THE FOUR

    FIVES

    CHESED THE FOUR

    FOURS

    TIPHARETH THE FOUR

    SIXES & FOUR KINGS

    HOD THE FOUR

    EIGHTS

    NETZACH THE FOUR

    SEVENS

    YESOD THE FOUR

    NINES

    MALKUTH THE FOUR

    TENS & FOUR PRINCESSES

    SHIN

    QO

    PH

    RESHTZ

    ADDI

    TAU

    PEH

    SAM

    EKH

    NUNAYIN

    LAMED YOD

    ME

    MC

    HET

    H

    HEH VA

    UC

    AP

    H

    GIM

    EL

    TETH

    ZAIN

    PEH

    The 10 Spheres and the 22 Hebrew Lettersof the 22 Paths of the Tree of Life