Astrology in the Major Arcana of the Tarot

Astrology and tarot represent two of the most recognizable tools for spiritual work.  Therefore, it is not surprising to find numerous attempts to relate the two, especially in terms of which tarot cards represent which signs of the Zodiac and points in the chart.

This article will take a new approach by assigning points from astrology that include the traditional ten bodies of the solar system, starting with the Sun and ending with Pluto, as well as newly discovered asteroids and one Uranian/imaginary point.

An Easy Fit: The Court Cards

In another article, I have written about the use of the Court Cards in the suits of the Minor Arcana to identify signs of the Zodiac (“The Court Cards and Astrology in the Tarot”).  Ask Astrology writer, Miriam Slozberg has written an article using the traditional correspondences, which applies the common 10 points of the solar system with the 12 signs of the Zodiac to get 22 matches for the 22 cards of the Major Arcana.

This article will complement my previous article by leaving the signs of the Zodiac to correspond with the Minor Arcana court cards, as follows:

Fire

• Aries – King of Wands
• Leo – Queen of Wands
• Sagittarius – Knight of Wands

Water

• Cancer – King of Cups
• Scorpio – Queen of Cups
• Pisces – Knight of Cups

Air

• Libra – King of Swords
• Aquarius – Queen of Swords
• Gemini – Knight of Swords

Earth

• Capricorn – King of Pentacles
• Taurus – Queen of Pentacles
• Virgo – Knight of Pentacles

Astrology and the Major Arcana

In the tarot deck I created with photographer Sasha Campbell, the Tarot of the Human Experience, I assigned a unique point to each card in the upper right corner of the card, as follows:

The Fool

Mars rules the Fool and Aries because the energy is impulsive.  The journey of life is one giant leap of faith made up of many, many small leaps of faith.  Mars represents energy that often leaps before it looks, which can lead to both wonderful and terrible outcomes.

The Magician

Mercury, the point of Communication, rules the Magician card, and the insignificant and significant choices we must make throughout our life journey.  Mercury rules Gemini, which represents our curiosity, need for information, and how we try to understand the world intellectually.

The High Priestess

Here you will find the assignment of a new point, Eris, the Goddess of Discord, and what we learn from disruption.  We gain knowledge from difficult situations that mark us as “priests” and “priestesses” of those experiences if we have successfully transmuted them into wisdom.  She is the co-ruler of Scorpio and the feminine counterpart to Pluto.

The Empress

The asteroid Ceres, the Goddess of the Harvest, rules the Empress.  Ceres represents nourishment and the Empress is the Queen of the Queens of the Minor Arcana.  She leads through adaption, organically, as a power in the natural world.  I have assigned her as a co-ruler to Capricorn.  Her masculine counterpart is Saturn.

The Emperor

Jupiter, the King of the Gods in Roman mythology, rules the Emperor.  He is the King of the Kings of the Minor Arcana.  Jupiter is expansive and the ruler of Sagittarius, which represents exploration and authority.  The Emperor leads through action and transforms the natural world into something “human” made.

The Hierophant

Chiron, the wounded healer and master teacher, rules the Hierophant card and the sign Virgo.  Due to an incurable wound, Chiron discovered cures to many illnesses and ailments and he shared his knowledge and wisdom with others as a great teacher.  His feminine counterpart is Hygeia, the Goddess of Health.

The Lovers

Venus rules the Lovers card, which represents the support and love we get from another.  In a radical rethinking of rulership, I move Venus, a Goddess born from the ocean, to co-rule with Neptune the sign of Pisces.  Thus, she embodies the physical aspect of love universally ruled by Neptune.

The Chariot

Another new point, an asteroid, rules the Chariot card, Pallas Athena.  The Chariot is about asserting your will.  In her origin, she bursts forth from Zeus’ head, an adult woman in full armor.  She is not impulsive or emotional like Aries, she is willpower personified.  She co-rules Libra with her counterpart and father, the asteroid Zeus.

Strength

The imaginary point Vulcan rules the Strength card.  In the early days of astronomy, Vulcan was “theorized” to explain the erratic movement of Mercury, assuming a small planet was between the Sun and Mercury.  Vulcan is the blacksmith of the Roman gods, who forged the weapons of the Gods.  He is the co-ruler of Taurus, with Vesta.

The Hermit

Vesta, the asteroid representing the Goddess of the Hearth and Home, rules the Hermit card.  Our home needs to be our sanctuary and the place where we can find truth in time alone.  She is the co-ruler to Taurus, displacing Venus, and the feminine counterpart to Vulcan.

The Wheel of Fortune

Juno, the Queen of Heaven in Roman mythology, and the point representing duty and commitment rules the Wheel of Fortune and how we handle outside forces that impact us.  She, along with Jupiter, rules Sagittarius, and the aspect of the sign related to authority and what must be done.

Justice

Astraea, the Goddess of Community, rules the Justice card and sign Aquarius.  Justice requires analysis and detached decision making to build and protect a community.  She co-rules the sign of Aquarius with Uranus.

The Hanged Man

Neptune rules the Hanged Man and represents surrender, which is a form of knowing sacrifice.  Neptune, along with Venus, rules Pisces, which, in turn, oversees humanity as we each try to navigate the physical world as spiritual beings.  Often a short-term difficulty is necessary for a long-term gain.

Death

The ruler for the Death card is Pluto, which is the point that rules Scorpio.  Pluto represents death/rebirth, and the most extreme, but never final, a form of transformation.  He co-rules Scorpio with Eris, the Goddess of Discord.

Temperance

Hygeia, the Goddess of Health, rules Temperance because the healthiest state for any being or system is equilibrium.  With Temperance, we learn to go with the flow.  And Hygeia shares the rulership of Virgo with Chiron.

The Devil

Lilith, the asteroid, gets her name from Adam’s first wife. She represents what we are unyielding about, ruling the Devil card.  She refused to submit to Adam and was cast out of the Garden of Eden.  Her independence makes her the perfect co-ruler of Aries, with Mars.

The Tower

Uranus rules the Tower card.  When this point moves across the chart and connects with a natal point, it usually brings sudden, unexpected, and dramatic change.  Uranus is the masculine ruler of Aquarius, sharing co-rulership with Astraea.

The Star

Urania, one of the Muses and the Goddess of Astronomy, is a fitting ruler for The Star.  She is the feminine partner to Mercury and the co-ruler of Gemini.  She lights the way of hope in the face of obstacles.

The Moon

The card of the Moon is ruled by the Moon, and like the Sun does not co-rule a sign of the Zodiac.  She rules the sign of Cancer on her own because she is the other luminary in the night sky bright enough, when in her full stage, to illuminate the night with her reflected light.  She represents our feelings to express and explore.

The Sun

The Sun rules its own card, and like the Moon does not share rulership with its sign of the Zodiac, Leo.  When the Sun card shines in a reading, we must embrace the truths revealed to us.  There is nothing and no reason to hide.

Judgment

Zeus, king of the Greek Gods, rules the Judgment card.  He is the final decision-maker who will enforce the truth.  He co-rules the sign Libra with his daughter, Pallas Athena.  Together they express the cold logic and decisiveness of cardinal air energy.

The World

Saturn is the point that rules the World card, which represents the sum of your life experiences, up to any given point.  The Fool completes a cycle with the World card, ready to make new decisions (1 – The Magician).  Saturn co-rules Capricorn with Ceres, as both focus on responsibility, productivity, and what it takes to make the world run successfully.

• Read More About Major Arcana Tarot Cards

Conclusion

The total vision of astrology and tarot merged with energy points and signs comes together when we look at the signs of the Zodiac through the lens of the Court cards and each individual Major Arcana, we can also connect the cards in the following way:

Air

• Libra – King of Swords – Chariot/Judgment
• Aquarius – Queen of Swords – Justice/The Tower
• Gemini – Knight of Swords – The Magician/The Star

Earth

• Capricorn – King of Pentacles – Empress/The World
• Taurus – Queen of Pentacles – Strength/Hermit
• Virgo – Knight of Pentacles – Hierophant/Temperance

Fire

• Aries – King of Wands – The Fool/The Devil
• Leo – Queen of Wands – The Sun
• Sagittarius – Knight of Wands – The Emperor/Wheel of Fortune

Water

• Cancer – King of Cups – the Moon
• Scorpio – Queen of Cups – The High Priestess/Death
• Pisces – Knight of Cups – The Lovers/the Hanged Man