These card descriptions provide basic correspondences from the Golden Dawn tradition and a few common themes for interpretation. Typically, the characteristics of the correspondences lend themselves to many of a card’s popular modern key themes. Card meanings have greater depth and diversity when they are a part of a reading. This guide is merely a brief introduction to the general overall atmosphere of individual cards.
Detailed explorations of individual cards will be posted under Tarot Insider as they are written.
The Fool
Element: Air
Zodiac/Planet: Uranus
Hermetic Title: Spirit of Ether
Hebrew Letter: Aleph
Tree of Life Path: Kether to Chokmah
Popular
Keyword Themes: Innocence, beginnings, freedom, sense of wonder, fresh
outlook, opportunity/Folly, aimlessness, carelessness, apathy, madness,
irresponsibility, instability, learned helplessness, embarrassment
The Magician
Element: Air
Zodiac/Planet: Mercury
Hermetic Title: The Magus of Power
Hebrew Letter: Beth
Tree of Life Path: Kether to Binah
Popular
Key Themes: Skill, willpower, capability, manifestation, confidence,
talent, mastery, creation, innovation, adaptability /Deception,
swindling, being scammed, silver tongue, self-serving, unscrupulous,
lacking knowledge or ability
The High Priestess
Element: Water
Zodiac/Planet: Moon
Hermetic Title: The Priestess of the Silver Star
Hebrew Letter: Gimel
Tree of Life Path: Kether to Tiphereth
Popular
Key Themes: Wisdom, secrets, perception, unseen forces, “forbidden”
knowledge, intuition, epiphany, spirituality, meditative silence/
Ignorance, surface knowledge, self-righteousness, paranoia, concealment
The Empress
Element: Earth
Zodiac/Planet: Venus
Hermetic Title: Daughter of the Mighty Ones
Hebrew Letter: Daleth
Tree of Life Path: Chokmah to Binah
Popular Key Themes: Abundance, fertility, creativity, luxury, productivity, fruitfulness, maternal instincts, enterprising woman / Overindulgence, abuse of feminine power, vanity, hedonism, custody battle, broken relationship, neglect
The Emperor
Element: Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Aries
Hermetic Title: Son of the Morning, Chief Among the Mighty
Hebrew Letter: Heh
Tree of Life Path: Chokmah to Tiphereth
Popular Key Themes: Stability, power, endurance, reason, duty, responsibility, leader, leadership, tact/ Immaturity, tyranny, abuse of masculine power, war, rigidity, narrow mindedness
The Hierophant
Element: Earth
Zodiac/Planet: Taurus
Hermetic Title: Magus of the Eternal Gods
Hebrew Letter: Vav
Tree of Life Path: Chokmah to Chesed
Popular
Key Themes: Religion, traditions, institutions, teacher, theology,
learning, mercy, instruction, philosophy, organization, orthodoxy,
service/ Dogmatism, fundamentalism, zealotry, doubt, hypocrisy, conformity, self-righteousness, blind faith, propaganda
The Lovers
Element: Air
Zodiac/Planet: Gemini
Hermetic Title: Children of the Voice Divine, the Oracles of the Mighty Gods
Hebrew Letter: Zayin
Tree of Life Path: Binah to Tiphereth
Popular Key Themes: Love, partnership, choice, harmony, unity, marriage, chemistry, compromise /Troubled relationships, painful decisions, misunderstandings
The Chariot
Element: Water
Zodiac/Planet: Cancer
Hermetic Title: Child of the Power of the Waters, Lord of the Triumph of Light
Hebrew Letter: Cheth
Tree of Life Path: Binah to Geburah
Popular Key Themes: Success, triumph, focused movement, conquest, level headedness, coordination, balance, focus, control, steadiness, pilgrimage, travel/ Defeat, division, pyrrhic victory, infamy, pushover, stalled, lost, erratic
Strength
Element: Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Leo
Hermetic Title: Daughter of the Flaming Sword, Leader of the Lion
Hebrew Letter: Teth
Tree of Life Path: Chesed to Geburah
Popular
Key Themes: Fortitude, courage, standing up for your ideals, following
through, mastering unhealthy desires, facing the monster, integrating
shadowy aspects of the personality, animal care /Despotism, weakness, cowardice, obstinance, arrogance, power struggle, bullying, animal cruelty, forcefulness
The Hermit
Element: Earth
Zodiac/Planet: Virgo
Hermetic Title: The Magus of the Voice of Light, the Prophet of the Gods
Hebrew Letter: Yod
Tree of Life Path: Chesed to Tiphereth
Popular
Key Themes: Seeker, solitude, prudence, advice, contemplation,
introspection, elder, mentor, quest, patience /Fear, agoraphobia,
isolation, apathy, detachment, curmudgeon
The Wheel of Fortune
Element: Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Jupiter
Hermetic Title: The Lord of the Forces of Life
Hebrew Letter: Kaph
Tree of Life Path: Chesed to Netzach
Popular Key Themes: Luck, change, cycles, fate, good fortune, changing seasons, rising above, a second chance /Misfortune, monotony, pride before a fall, karma
Justice
Element: Air
Zodiac/Planet: Libra
Hermetic Title: Daughter of the Lord of Truth, The Holder of the Balances
Hebrew Letter: Lamed
Tree of Life Path: Geburah to Tiphereth
Popular Key Themes: Law, balance, equilibrium, equality, fairness, divine order, establishing peace, important decisions /Corruption, bias, crime, scandal, scapegoating, red tape
The Hanged Man
Element: Water
Zodiac/Planet: Neptune
Hermetic Title: The Spirit of the Mighty Waters
Hebrew Letter: Mem
Tree of Life Path: Geburah to Hod
Popular
Key Themes: Sacrifice, suspension, new perspective, discernment,
putting things on hold, patience/ Restraints, treachery, isolation,
martyr, punishment
Death
Element: Water
Zodiac/Planet: Scorpio
Hermetic Title: The Child of the Great Transformers, Lord of the Gates of Death
Hebrew Letter: Nun
Tree of Life Path: Tiphereth to Netzach
Popular Key Themes: An ending, legacy, memoir, time capsule, morbid fascinations/Inertia, death, neglect, depression
Temperance
Element: Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Sagittarius
Hermetic Title: Daughter of the Reconcilers, the Bringer Forth of Life
Hebrew Letter: Samekh
Tree of Life Path: Tiphereth to Yesod
Popular Key Themes: Moderation, combination, distribution, harmony, teamwork, restraint, equity, self-improvement /Bad combinations, failure to compromise, withholding, bad company
The Devil
Element: Earth
Zodiac/Planet: Capricorn
Hermetic Title: Lord of the Gates of Matter, Child of the Forces of Time
Hebrew Letter: Ayin
Tree of Life Path: Tiphereth to Hod
Popular Key Themes: Sex appeal, earthly delights, physical pleasure, natural instincts/Vice, addiction, obsession, hedonism, wickedness, temptation, materialism, bondage, social ills
The Tower
Element: Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Mars
Hermetic Title: Lord of the Hosts of the Mighty
Hebrew Letter: Pe
Tree of Life Path: Netzach to Hod
Popular
Key Themes: Disruption, dramatic change, revelations, out with the old,
illumination, the culmination of a situation, breaking free/Destruction, catastrophe, downfall, wrath
The Star
Element: Air
Zodiac/Planet: Aquarius
Hermetic Title: Daughter of the Firmament, Dweller Between the Waters
Hebrew Letter: Tzaddi/Heh
Tree of Life Path: Netzach to Yesod
Popular Key Themes: Hope, healing, assurance, wishes, peace, right direction, recovery/Hopes unfulfilled, wishful thinking, illusions of grandeur, passivity
The Moon
Element: Water
Zodiac/Planet: Pisces
Hermetic Title: Ruler of Flux and Reflux, Child of the Sons of the Mighty
Hebrew Letter: Qoph
Tree of Life Path: Netzach to Malkuth
Popular Key Themes: soul searching, spiritual journey, changing phases, imagination, dreams, the subconscious/Dark night of the soul, lunacy, deception, concealment, illusion
The Sun
Element: Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Sun
Hermetic Title: Lord of the Fire of the World
Hebrew Letter: Resh
Tree of Life Path: Hod to Yesod
Popular
Key Themes: Joy, pleasure, accomplishment, attention, affirmation,
self-expression/Arrogance, vanity, shadow, obfuscation, overconfidence
Judgement
Element: Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Fire/Pluto
Hermetic Title: The Spirit of the Primal Fire
Hebrew Letter: Shin
Tree of Life Path: Hod to Malkuth
Popular Key Themes: Decision, resolution, change, awakening, facing fears, moving forward/Delay, hesitation, missed opportunity, denial
The World
Element: Earth/Spirit
Zodiac/Planet: Saturn/Earth
Hermetic Title: The Great One of the Night of Time
Hebrew Letter: Tav
Tree of Life Path: Yesod to Malkuth
Popular Key Themes: Completion, wholeness, end of a chapter, enlightenment, understanding, attainment /Stagnation, dead end
Card images are from the Aquatic Tarot by Andreas Schröter