Tarot and Astrology

By Louise Edington

In my book, The Complete Guide to Tarot and Astrology, I demonstrate how to use Astrology to understand the Tarot at a deeper level and ways to use the Tarot to deepen your Astrology readings. This article takes extracts from the book and illustrates how to combine Tarot and Astrology in an actual reading of an astrological event.

In the book I state that;

Both Tarot and Astrology are symbolic maps of our consciousness. Tarot is more accessible than Astrology in that it’s a more intuitive form of divination and Astrology requires study. The benefit of using Astrology with Tarot is a deepening of understanding and, therefore, aids in sharpening our intuition and the ability to unlock our potential. It’s my firm belief that alignment with our innermost voice as reflected by the Hermetic axiom “That which is above is like to that which is below, and that which is below is like to that which is above” meaning that we live our lives in alignment with the cycles and energies that guide the whole of our universe. Working with both tools together can give us a road map for our life.

Tarot cards contain imagery, symbolism, and stories that unlock our inner wisdom and the subconscious self to reveal the journey and story of our lives.

The Tarot is used to receive guidance by tuning into the intuitive higher self and to access archetypal imagery and symbolism that can help to understand the soul’s journey and to receive answers to questions. It’s believed that Tarot contains a blueprint to consciousness that can help us to tune into both spiritual and practical guidance throughout our lives.

In other words, the Tarot helps to reveal our inner wisdom that we already have within us and we ‘read’ that wisdom through the symbolism of the cards. The cards illuminate possibilities and choices and can aide us in making decisions to open the next path for us. By making space to tune into a Tarot reading, whether it be a single card or a spread, you are making the space to reflect on your inner guidance as it projects onto the cards.

Each card is associated with Astrological symbolism. The Empress card, for example, is the Venus card and the full description in the book is:

3: The Empress

• Venus
• Earth
• 3: creation
• Blue/Green, Red, yellow
• Throne, scepter, grain, crown
• Mother archetype, mother nature, creativity, nurturing, sensuality, passion
• Lack of love, feeling unnurtured/unloved, blocked creativity

Venus is a complex energy and is said to represent the higher energy of Earth in some Astrology and that is how she is represented in the Empress card. This is Gaia, the Earth Mother who is fertile, nurturing and abundant. As ruler of Libra (air) and Taurus (earth), Venus is in her earthly energy in this card. This is sensual Venus, connected to all that you can see, hear, touch, smell and taste. This is connection with the earth and nurturing and that’s what the card represents. A passionate connection with life and nature and a call to make sure the querent is making self love and love a priority, that someone needs that from them or that they need to seek support from a mother archetype or from mother Earth. Creative endeavors are also something that is represented by the Empress.

In a reading where the querent asks about love and relationships the Empress could be a call to embody the energy of Empress both in self care, so that the person is able to come from a place of wholeness in the relationship, and/or guidance that embodying sensual, loving Venus will encourage healthier relationships. Also that a motherly figure archetype may be involved in the question. Reversed would generally lead to guidance around making self care a priority.

For Career and Wealth this card is a great sign as Venus also represents manifestation or creating abundance. It can refer to promising growth in abundance. Career wise it could indicate a pay raise or promotion and can also mean pursuing a career in a creative field. Reversed would generally mean blocks to this abundance.

The Empress is also a great card for goals and values as Venus also represents core values. In this case the card suggestions abundant goals and a focus on bringing love front and center as a core value.

When the Empress is a wild card it can represent a supportive, loving motherly presence or the querent embodying these qualities, dependent on where it shows up in a reading. Remember this is archetypal so speaking to bigger, ongoing, themes.

In the book, there is a history and story of the Tarot, Astrology 101, Tarot 101, and full descriptions of each card and their astrological symbolism. But where using Tarot and Astrology comes alive is through practice and practical use.

Whilst my book demonstrates example Tarot spreads, I encourage the reader to practice and develop their own spreads intuitively as most seasoned tarot readers do. Whilst also reading the Astrological symbolism in the cards, Tarot can also be used for intuitive reading of the Astrology chart itself or for events such as New and Full Moons or transits to the natal chart.

In order to demonstrate the practical use of the Tarot and Astrology together, I thought it would be helpful to do an actual Tarot reading around a major Astrological event that is occurring at the end of July and beginning of August 2022, the Mars, Uranus, North Node conjunction at 18˚ Taurus. Using excerpts from my book to describe the energies as interpreted through the Tarot.

To do this I first laid down the cards for Taurus (the North Node and the sign the conjunction is in, Mars, and Uranus.

The brief descriptions of the cards in my book are as follows:

The Hierophant/Taurus

In ancient times a Hierophant was the interpreter, or revealer, of sacred mysteries and esoteric principles. The Hierophant Tarot card is numbered five in the deck, the number of change, divine grace, and of the mind. This card is associated with Taurus, a receptive, stable, and self-indulgent, earth sign which suggests this card is about receiving and interpreting divine grace so that we understand how to live as humans in the material world. It’s about understanding and living within well-established principles and values as reflected by the fixed and steadfast quality of Taurus. In a reading, the card can also suggest a spiritual counselor type figure who will help the querent understand and make sense of their lives.

The Tower/Mars

The card numbered sixteen, the number of strength of will, card of the Major Arcana is the Tower card, and, at its essence, Mars’ relationship to the card is that of cutting out the old (Mars rules knives and sharp objects) and starting the new, new projects, new relationships, new cycles. Mars also represents action and when change calls action is needed and also willpower, strength, and assertion. The strength to release that which needs to be left behind as you make a fresh start.

The Fool/Uranus

The Fool is card zero, the infinite potential at the start of the soul’s journey, and is associated with the planet Uranus, who in the pantheon of the Gods was Father sky and creator of all life with Gaia, the Earth. When the Fool card appears, this is a call to be open to anything in the path of life, and Uranus, the bringer of awakening, surprise possibilities, and lightning bolts, reflects the unconstrained potential contained in The Fool. Like Uranus, the Fool asks us to be spontaneous, a free spirit, and to expect the unexpected. Both the Fool and Uranus are exciting energies, full of untapped potential on life’s journey, and all the elements are contained in the whole of this card.

The use of the three cards to deepen our understanding of this major transit helps us to understand what could, perhaps, be described as a deeper, spiritual understanding of this transit beyond the mundane predictions around climate events and financial shocks.

My own understanding of the three cards in this instance is that the surprises and shocks brought by this conjunction can reveal things that can help us to understand how to survive the changes being brought by the sudden shifts and changes and to understand how we can better survive and thrive in the material world. The messages we are receiving are messages of divine grace (the Hierophant) around what we need to cut out and leave behind (the Tower) and how we can find new possibilities and begin a new journey (the Fool). An invitation to look at the potentiality and possibility rather than the chaos and destruction alone.

After laying down the cards for the energies themselves I would also pull clarifying cards to give guidance around moving forward after the conjunction itself. I pulled the Sun, the 2 of Pentacles (Jupiter in Virgo), and The Tower again (Mars).

The Sun/Sun

The Sun, card number Nineteen, the alpha and omega number of the circle of life, is represented by the Astrological Sun, our core, life force, and the central organizing principle of the Solar system and us. As the Sun invites us to shine our light, the card represents optimism, vitality, joy and confidence and happiness. Pure positivity and fun radiating outwards.

The 2 of Pentacles

……..the two is about finding balance between expansion and strong boundaries, not taking on too much whilst also moving forward with determination. Hence the balance message of the card as the opposing energies of Jupiter and Capricorn are being asked to work together in equilibrium.

The Tower/Mars

The Tower is another card that brings fear in most people when it shows up in a reading and, like Mars, the planet associated with the card, it’s not always the easiest of energies as the change heralded by Mars and the Tower can be sudden and quite aggressive. However, like all things there are deeper meanings that are represented here. Chaos and change are a part of life and sometimes change comes quickly. Foundations that are shaky are toppled by this card and Mars likes fast action. Mars is, however, a protector, a guard, as well as a warrior and if foundations are not solid they often need rebuilding so think of this card as the breakdown before a breakthrough in some area of life, that leads to rebuilding something more lasting.

My reading of this as guidance to help us to move forward after the triple conjunction is that there is cause for optimism rather than fear. The Sun is a really positive indicator. The 2 of Pentacles invited us to move forward with determination but not to expect too much too quickly. The Tower appearing again reminds us that what is destroyed was shaky and that we can rebuild.

I hope this article with short excerpts from my book, The Complete Guide to Tarot and Astrology, has given you a brief insight into the infinite possibilities (the Fool) that combining Tarot and Astrology can bring. Tarot can enhance your Astrology readings and Astrology also greatly enhances the Tarot. There are many, many ways that the two can work together. Just understanding the Astrological symbolism in the Tarot is a huge step for Tarot readers but I hope I inspired you to practice combining both.

Published in: Timelords Magazine, Aug. 2022.

Note:
Quotations from the book are printed in italics.

Author:
Louise Edington's third book, The Complete Guide to Tarot and Astrology, can be ordered from https://amzn.to/3BacCO6 and all major booksellers.

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