Tarot Class #2 Notes [Please be aware that this file follows TNOTE1.zip, which was the notes from the first Tarot class and covers the minor arcana. This class began with the court cards, and progressed to the major arcana and to laying out cards for readings.] These notes are not meant to be all-inclusive, but are offered for you to annotate and use with additional notes and information you may already have. -=Satinka The Court Cards: being the King, Queen, Knight and Page (or Prince and Princess) of a suit of the minor arcana. Court cards may represent personality types, but do not necessarily represent a person in the querent's life or situation. King=father/authority figure/mature actions,wills,desires=Fire Queen=mother/receptor/mature emotions=Water Knight=active principle/younger viewpoint=Air Page=transmuting power of others/adolescent view=Earth Key Phrases for Court Cards: Wands Cups Swords Pentacles King I think I feel I am I have Queen I analyze I balance I will I desire Knight I know I believe I use I create Page useful/ support/ self-defense/ prosperity/ workable fondness/ protection business gain/ ideas sincerity benevolence (The pages are androgynous) Court cards can represent the emotional age of people you feel they represent. Where you feel they represent real people rather than archetypal energies, they will most often be: Wands: fair hair and blue eyes Cups: lt. brown hair and blue or light colored eyes Swords: dark hair and dark eyes Pentacles: darker races or older people ---------------- The Major Arcana: The Major Arcana includes 22 cards, broken basically into three separate categories: Cards 1-7 include: The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Heirophant, The Lovers, The Chariot. These cards represent powers and channels of the universe, and may be archetypal figures, but are not necessarily particular people. Cards 8-14 include: Justice, The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Strength, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance. These cards represent cosmic and material laws and the variables affecting the existance of all human beings. Cards 15-21 include:The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgement, The World. These cards correspond to conditions of existance which apply to all phases of life (spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, etc.). Card 0, The Fool ...is the inexperienced soul, naieve and innocent, blithely heading out into the world. The card can also be considered Card 22, which is the innocent Fool transformed by wisdom and experienced, but still maintaining the humor and light-heartedness. Each card has a particular meaning: 1. The Magician ...signifies a man or woman in control of self and environment because they can channel higher/cosmic power. It indicates an awareness of inner divinity; inspiration and creativity. This is a person in touch with their higher self. 2. The High Priestess ...represents the highest female spiritual aspects. She is receptive and passive. The High Priestess takes the impulses and actions of the Magician and transforms them into realities. The High Priestess recognizes the connections between past and present, and present and future; opens inner doorways to knowledge. 3. The Empress ...represents the nurturing mother; warm, friendly, loving, sensual, concerned, understanding. Represents fertility, sustanance; the ability to mold and form concepts and guide groth and maturity patterns. 4. The Emperor ...signifies the harsh realities of life (or someone who deals with them); universal codes and laws and how to work within them. Rely on critical facilities in drawing conclusions, rather than jumping to conclusions. Curtail impulsiveness. 5. The Heirophant ...rules spiritual aspects as the Emperor does the physical aspects. A teacher representing the union of spiritual and physical. Through him you learn karma and necessary actions, and utilize mental and spiritual disciplines to strengthen character. He represents fate and experience. 6. The Lovers ...besides the obvious connotation, can represent any polarity or other attractive forces. Also, crossroads where a choice must be made. Love and desire in search of truth. Duty and obligations vs. desire. Balance point of emotion and intellect. 7. The Chariot ...represents physical strength, choice, decision, form; a successful handling of overwhelming everyday life situations. Shows where you need to think and apply pressure to find correct decision. Can also indicate the need to gain and maintain balance. 8. Strength ...indicates a strength of knowledge and conviction. It means having knowledge of yourself and your limitations and abilities. It can also be a call to choose the right path/channel; to follow your inner voice that you know to be true. 9. The Hermit ...represents withdrawal from the physical to contemplate inner/ spiritual ways. He is the way-shower, the beacon for other to follow who also seek. His light indicates knowledge and truth. He represents inner growth and knowledge translated into being and action, and signifies that you must risk in order to gain, not in a rash way, but backed by knowledge. 10. Wheel of Fortune ...represents all cycles (nature, sexual, spiritual, life, etc.). Brings Karma into picture. Actions beget reactions. Counsels adaptability, patience, new avenues of development. Can mean unconventional concepts and ideas. Equilibrium. 11. Justice ...represents justice on all planes. In the highest aspect it is that equilibrium from which all creation manifests. Karma. Applying inner/spiritual truths; counseling to look within and observe the action/reaction. Indicates a need to develop a sense of fair play, and to see all points of view in a situation. 12. The Hanged Man ...represents sacrifice; a giving of energies, of giving (materially or spiritually) withough thought of compensation. Sacrifice of personal gain for spiritual gain. Can also indicate problems in accepting a situation. 13. Death ...can (rarely) mean a physical death, but more often means a change or new situation. It can indicate a point of transformation in a situation or person, and may signal a need to stop resisting change, letting go of the old to make way for the new. 14. Temperance ...represents the cohesive force that ties all manifestation together. Acknowledgement of the imortal soul's oneness with all creation. New ideas combine in ethical/moral codes of life. Participation in ideals and causes. Action causing awareness and growth. 15. The Devil ...indicates a tie to the material/physical world; a physical attraction; temptation, self-destructive action or a self-centered attitude. Disregard of natural laws/karma. Bad habits, attmepted domination of others; spiritual barrenness. Could also represent problems in dealing with the material aspects of life. 16. The Tower ...indicates the destruction necessary to begin anew. Need to build stronger/longer lasting character. Development of self and inner knowledge. Curb impulsive action; don't dissipate energies. Release undesirable traits, modes of being and thinking. 17. The Star ...indicates the spiritual drive in all of humanity. Belief in immortality of the soul and understanding of the divininty within. Wisdom, knowledge; listening to one's own inner voice. Cultivation of aspects of inner conviction and determination. Belief in oneself and others. 18. The Moon ...signifies psychic, occult, subconscious forces; the collective unconscious. Reflection of active/conscious portion of self striving for inner illumination and initiation. Improvement of inner environment. 19. The Sun ...represents the conscious/active principle and the ego. Attainment of heaven on earth. Avoid excessive pride and egotism. Inner happiness. Can also mean a child is on the way. 20. Judgement ...signifies an acknowledgement of inner goals and esires; inner awakening. Establishing a firm foundation in and of one's Self. Making realistic evaluations. Realistic awareness showing a new perspective. Caution to rely on realistic expectations, but not on hearsay or appearances. 21. The World ...indicates successful rulership and regulation of forces of the universe. Control of lower (animal) impulses. Attainment due to application of willpower. Knowing self in order to obtain success. Perfection and completion attained by perseverance and hard work. ----------- The Spreads: Yes/No spreads are the simplest, and require an odd number of cards. Consider the center card as the querent, and move out to both sides, for environment, people, etc. Generally consider that the cards on the left represent the past, and the cards on the right represent the present. Circular or Astrological spreads can be done with a circle of 12 cards. Generally there will be cards indicating past, present, future, and some that may be far past, or far future. Generally read in groups of 3 for a general circular reading. The astrological reading associates each card with a house of the zodiac, therefore, the card falling in House 1 (Self) will represent information about the querent, and that falling in House 2 (partnerships) will talk about relations...etc. Cards can be added as needed for clarification. If laying cards clockwise reads from past into future, try laying them "backwards" (counterclockwise) to go from present to far past.