I've noticed that a number of Tarot cards have astrological symbols in them, and I'd love to know what other people think about this.
I've seen a list of Tarot cards that go with signs of the Zodiac, but I found it puzzling. Cancer went with the Chariot, and I thought that was pretty odd. Surely Cancer went with the Moon? The card even has a crab on it! Not to mention that the Moon has always been said to rule Cancer. But then, this list had the Moon card going with Pisces. True, the Moon is a watery card, but there are others. What about the Star? But this list had the Star for Aquarius. It looks like a good fit, until you remember that there is another card that looks a lot more like Aquarius - Temperance! And what sign does the list have for Temperance? Sagittarius. Can't figure out why. Sagittarius, if anything, looks to me like it might go with the Lovers - at least the versions of the Lovers with Cupid in it. But this list had the Lovers as Gemini. That seems sensible, until you remember that the Sun card, in many decks, has twins in it.
So my question is - is there a widely recognized correspondence between Tarot cards and signs of the Zodiac, or is it more like each astrologer and each deck have their own views on it?
Maria, I had the same puzzled reaction when I first saw the zodiac attributions — Cancer on the Chariot felt random until I learned it connects to the crab's protective, homeward-moving energy. What helped me was learning the Golden Dawn system, which is the widely recognized correspondence most modern decks are built on: each major arcana card gets a planet or zodiac sign, like the Emperor with Aries and the Lovers with Gemini.
Once I studied those, the symbols in the card art stopped feeling decorative and started reading like a second language. It's one of my favorite layers of the cards now.
@mirasolbergnotes You are truly seeing the depth of the Thoth deck. Each part of each card is intentional on the part of the team who created them- Aleister Crowley and
@jeanne-mayell @mirasolbergnotes During his life, Aleister Crowley never presented himself in a way that inspires trust and loving energies. For this reason, I don't find it reassuring that he co-created the tarot card deck and imbued them with his mindset. Frieda Harris, on the other hand, artistically transformed the card set into a profound spiritual space that you can trustfully enter to gain deep insights. For this reason, I believe it is important to use the deck with very clear questions and very focused intentions.
PS Very focused intention need not mean trying to control the answer. It can mean creating a very clear inner space in which an unexpected insight can arise, while remaining grounded in your own values. For example, rather than asking: What does the universe want me to know? You might ask, e.g.: What inner attitude would help me meet this challenge with wisdom and compassion? or Which decision best reflects my deepest values? or What essential truth should I recognise at this point in my life which contributes to the greater good? or What important developments may unfold now and how can we navigate them in alignment with the highest good of all? or etc. ....