The Astrological Major Arcana Part II
Welcome back, fam! We’re one week into June and we’re also moving through 2021’s first eclipse portal. An eclipse portal begins with a lunar eclipse and ends with a solar eclipse. It’s a (roughly) two week window of potent energy that typically happens a few times a year.
I like to imagine these eclipse windows of time as a space where manifestations + major life changes are most likely to arise without our control or could be more easily initiated by our own efforts. The window opened with a total lunar eclipse (full moon) on May 26th in Sagittarius. We will exit the eclipse portal with a total solar eclipse (new moon) on June 10th in Gemini.
If this is news to you, don’t panic! There is plenty of energy for manifestation coming for you with this New Moon on Thursday. I encourage you to take a gut check on what’s been coming up for you (internally and externally) for the past week (since the full moon). Revelations, inspirations, and motivations you’ve entertained or initiated should definitely be on your new moon intention-setting lists this week.
Through my own investigation, I realized that since 2018, all of my major life changes have occurred during eclipse portals (new jobs, new homes, new relationships). This portal is of course no exception, as I just moved into the home I began manifesting + daydreaming about last October. I don’t believe in coincidences, so let’s call it what it is: magic.
Speaking of major life transitions is the perfect segway into this week’s topic: part II of my astrological major arcana series! This is a 3-part series investigating how the zodiac signs associated with certain trumps (cards) in the major arcana of the tarot add new flavors + meanings to the archetypes we’re meeting.
There are 78 cards total in the tarot, and if you’re looking for detailed + historical insight on each card in order, I recommend Rachel Pollack’s book: Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Book of Tarot. It is from this book where I learned how the major arcana begins with The Fool (at 0, at the top) and breaks into 3 lines of seven cards.
Line 1: Magician, High Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant, Lovers, Chariot.
Line 2: Strength (or justice), Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice (or strength), Hanged Man, Death, Temperance
Line 3: Devil, Tower, Star, Moon, Sun, Judgement, World (Universe).
I personally turn to my tarot deck on both a micro (daily) and macro (monthly / yearly) check-in basis. When I pull a major arcana card (listed above), I take that as an invitation to zoom out and understand how that card is speaking to the larger themes of my life journey: where am I on my path? What is moving and influencing me through this time? (great questions for eclipse portals, wink wink). When I pull one of the minor arcana cards (the number + court cards of the cups, the wands, the pentacles, and the swords suits), I take that as an invitation to anchor in the present + tend to the emotions/lessons that day wishes to provide me.
This doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to apply the tower, for example, to a regular Tuesday (since there are levels to the tower, and it doesn’t always mean major breakdowns on the macro level of your life). This practice just helps me to anchor into and interpret cards for my own soul’s journey, choosing not to lean so much on the traditional meanings of the cards found online or in books I’ve collected.
Getting comfortable with self-guided tarot readings + developing personal interpretations of the cards takes time and intention. You don’t necessarily need to research all 78 cards in one go before you can “master” the tarot and read for yourself (you may want to do that if you’re reading for others, but that’s not my place to advise anyone). Understanding the tarot through your own relationship to the cards happens one card at a time. Like any muscle being trained, showing up every day curious + willing to learn from the cards you pull will strengthen that confidence.
The cards, in my own practice and from the brilliant teachings of Lindsey Mack, are here to show us what is present. Being present with the tarot means you’re not asking what will happen in the future (though divinatory tarot is a beautiful method if that’s what you’re into), you’re asking what is here with you in the moment. You’re being told to pay attention, because the answers you’re seeking can be understood through the meanings of the card when they are applied to what is (literally) happening within you or in your life on that given day, in that given moment.
This form of self-guided tarot reading has helped strengthen my tarot knowledge immensely and this series is meant to deepen that knowledge. Through the birth chart basics (an astrological foundational series I’ve been running on the blog since November of 2020), we’ve built a basic understanding of the foundational elements that make up the birth chart + “beginner’s” astrology. It blew my mind to discover that the astrological signs + planets + elements + modalities all have associations with cards in the tarot. That realization hurled me into a Scorpio-worthy rabbit hole of research + intuitive downloads that has up-leveled my personal interpretations of the cards.
Since learning the tarot happens one card at a time and it could be confusing where to begin, I’ve built this 3 part series to familiarize you (and myself) with the 12 cards in the major arcana that are associated with the 12 zodiac signs. To make it more digestible, each part covers 4 cards and each 4-card chunk honors the seasonal shifts of the astrological year.
Last week, we talked about the cards associated with Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer (Spring to Summer). This week, we’re looking at the cards associated with Leo, Virgo, Libra, and Scorpio (Summer to Fall).
For each zodiac sign, we’ll relate the given modality + element + planet + symbol + house to the archetype of the associated tarot trump.
THESE ARE NOT TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATIONS AND CREDIT IS DUE TO:
-My own intuition + bank of birth chart research accumulated through my BCB series as well as
-My tarot guru, Lindsey Mack, and
-The analytical audio lessons provided by the Fortune’s Wheelhouse podcast.
So let’s get into-it!
Leo
I will. I shine. I succeed.
Fire
Fire as illumination. Fire as the declaration of existence. Fire as a pilot light for identity and the physical manifestation of the unstoppable self. To exist without question.
Fixed Fire
Fiercely loyal. A resilience to follow through when that which is being chased is rooted in the identity one wishes to protect.
The Sun
Who we externally claim to be. How we identify ourselves. How we wish to be externally perceived. Identity.
Fifth House
Our playfulness, our creativity, our children + our childlike expressions.
The Lion
To be golden and glorious, powerful from a position of integrity and borderline intimidation. A fierce loyalty to one's pack with the added benefit of being the alpha—the leader, the respected. To identify deeply with one's role in a group. To actively prove one's right to remain in their power. To have a sense of worth rooted in pride of oneself and one’s values. The lion oversees its territory from the highest perspective—the metaphorical Sun of that ecosystem.
Strength
The courage of the lion. To exist in one’s worth without apologies. To be ready to defend that worth when boundaries are crossed. To sit regally in one’s position of power; the power of standing one’s ground and one’s right to take up space.
The ferocious roar which asserts dominance and demands respect of one’s space + boundaries. The strength of a pack, the drive to lead with an unwavering degree of self-confidence. To identify strongly with one’s own authentic being.
To defend oneself + one’s tribe when called and to have the will + discernment to retreat when it is appropriate. The fierceness of loyalty and the resilience to show up for one’s values + one’s territory (fixed fire).
Virgo
I analyze. I investigate. I sense.
Earth
Earth as immediate sensation. Earth as methodical and tangible extensions of the spirit. Earth as stability. Earth as a harmonious presence. To navigate esoteric development through the senses.
Mutable Earth
Level-headedness when navigating new terrain. A deliberate and calculated mode of innovation. A patient demeanor when rolling with the punches.
Mercury
What we think and how we communicate. Our analytical approach to information, our personal style of absorbing + sharing it.
Sixth House
Our day-to-day life. Our habitual instincts. Our relationship to our body.
The Virgin
A symbol of serving oneself, not necessarily needing to be tied to the idea of sexuality, the lack of sexual drive, or the antiquated idea that virginity and purity/prudence are synonymous. Perhaps we should entertain a new perspective on prudence, that the Virgin can symbolize someone that is considerate + deliberate + patient before taking action. The virgin is capable of retaining or resisting parts of themselves until the timing feels authentic for them. The virgin can also be seen as a clean slate, a state-of-mind which allows the virgin to initiate a journey with a beginner’s mentality—one of vigilance, sensitivity, and intention.
The Hermit
To be enveloped + immersed in a journey without a clear idea of what the destination will be. Through sensation + mindfulness, the hermit takes one step at a time once the outcome of that single step has been fully assessed. The hermit moves forward with only a lantern to light the way.
Each new step reveals only enough of the path to inform the next move. There is a guided + intuitive focus on what is present, not what comes next or what was left behind. The lantern symbolizes that tunnel vision for the present moment only. The hermit guides themself and takes their journey alone.
Like the virgin, the hermit moves with a beginner's mind. They ask what the present moment is communicating (Mercury) and move with intention (mutable). An invitation to ground into (earth) and learn from the present moment.
Libra
I balance. I justify. I mediate.
Air
Air as objectivity. Air as all-knowing. Air as the unconfined winds of change. Air as movement that shifts + alters anything in its path.
Cardinal Air
Leadership and action driven by diplomacy + neutrality. To pioneer new methods of serving + enforcing balance.
Venus
What we value and how we invest in it—financially and energetically. The curation, investment, and sense of what we value most in ourselves, in others, and in physical reality.
Seventh House
Our deep + long-term relationships. Our own relationship to internal + external duality.
The Scales
A symbol of ideal balance, the restoration of balance, and a sense of harmony. A connection from one thing (self) to another (otherness in the self + otherness in humanity). A tool which evens the playing field by weighing the pros + cons. A tool that demands we fall or rise to the same level as our opposites. To mediate dualities as a neutral, third-party observer.
Justice
A result of the scales, a restorative power, an equalizer. To be in balance, to restore balance, or to receive + dish out rightful justice. Acting, mediating, and championing the service of that justice. Contextually, one could be the neutral observer, the tool for mediation (scales), or the force which shifts the scales in either direction (cardinal air).
Justice looks to defend what is valuable, or to weight existing values in order to shed what no longer serves us or tips us out of ideal balance (Venus). To feel valued is a form of fairness, to seek what is fair in our relationships is to be fair to ourselves (Seventh House).
Justice restores balance but balance does not guarantee peace. Balance requires compromise and flexibility (air). It is an act of courageous honesty—to be able to handle or communicate the truth. To fight for that truth.
Scorpio
I desire. I uncover. I hypnotize.
Water
Water as the depths of the unknown, the unfamiliar, and the uncomfortable. Water as a willingness to be submerged in mystery. Water as a sensual and or pervasive presence.
Fixed Water
To be fixated on strength. A fixation required to hit a target. A fixated dive (water) into the depths of the unknown (Pluto, Eighth House).
Pluto
Our relationship to our shadow, our trauma, and our soul’s evolution. Unavoidable but necessary internal + external change.
Eighth House
Figurative + literal death. Taboos. Sexuality. Crisis. Change. Regeneration. Our relationship to all of these things.
The Scorpion
An armored warrior, traditionally ruled by Mars, whose weapon of choice is an extension of itself. The watery venom hidden within which penetrates with a shocking sting—the necessary medicine if administered in responsible doses. The epitome of “truth hurts.” The scorpion is resilient (fixed) and authentically blunt (Pluto). A keeper of the forbidden + deadly + necessary venom of knowledge + power. One who digs for the truth and boldly dishes out what is found.
Death
Death in the figurative sense of the word. The death of beliefs, of ideas, and or relationships which no longer serve (or are currently harming) the soul. Death of what holds one back, which is not always a welcomed or comfortable experience. Growth can be necessary and painful at the same time. This knowledge is a death served by the tail of the scorpion—truth hurts.
The serpentine side of Scorpio, which sheds the skin of the past in order to evolve further. It is often painful but it is natural (Pluto). A shedding of the self that mimics lunation, to wax and wane without shame. What is in that scorpion venom? What makes it sting? We are invited to dig deeper into the shadows to find the true source of the pain (Eighth House, Pluto) and surrender to the feeling (water) in order to release + renew (Scorpio).
I hope you’re enjoying this new series, and I look forward to sharing more astrological + intuitive tarot insights with you in the coming months. Drop me a DM on instagram and tell me about your relationship with the tarot: are you new to it like me? Have more experience and want to teach me something? Looking for more resources to deepen your practice? Nothing is off the table, except for tarot readings because I’m not personally interested in reading for others at this point in my practice.
As I said in last week’s post, my insights are a mix of traditional research, a collection of insights from my favorite tarot readers + intuitives, and my own experiences moving through the cards. I would never want to take credit for original interpretations that are not my own, so I’ve built a list (below) of the resources I pulled inspiration + insight from that helped me strengthen my own personal interpretations of the cards for this series.
Next week, we’ll be talking about the cards associated with Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces (Fall through Winter).
Until then, stay present, stay curious, and stay in your magic!
SELF-GUIDED TAROT RESOURCES
MY ASTRO-INTUITIVE-TAROT SERIES
Spring-Summer Zodiac Signs in the Major Arcana
WEBSITES
PODCASTS
BOOKS
Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Book of Tarot by Rachel Pollack