The Planetary Spread with the Rosetta Tarot

The Rosetta Tarot © 2011 M.M. Meleen

Last week I received the magickal Rosetta Tarot in the post, and I'm very impressed with the stunningly vibrant images.

This self-published limited edition tarot deck by artist and author M.M. Meleen is based on Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot and the Golden Dawn tradition. 

Some images are very similar to those in the Thoth deck, but others vary a lot, and some images have even been given a modern, 21st century overhaul

This isn't a lengthy review of the Rosetta Tarot. Overall, I love this deck, and it has inspired me to create an 8-card planetary spread, which can be used as a condensed overview, ideal for general readings.

If you are interested in buying this deck, you will need to be quick, because only 777 copies have been printed, and I received number 520.

I would also recommend buying the companion book, the Book of Seshet, as it offers a wealth of information on the artwork and symbolism of the deck, astrological correspondences, an introduction to Qabalah and explores the Golden Dawn based tarot structure.

In ancient Greco-Roman astronomy five planets and two illuminaries (sun and moon also referred to as planets) were identified, which could all be seen with the naked eye:

Moon - Mercury - Venus - Sun - Mars - Jupiter - Saturn

It was also believed that the Earth was at the centre of the solar system, circled by the seven planets.

The planetary spread is based on this ancient model.

Each planet is associated with characteristics and psychological energies, which we all express in various forms and at different times.

In Tarot, the planets are linked to Major Arcana cards, which can already offer you an insight, what the individual planet is all about, and what the position in the spread refers to.

This spread doesn't contain a future/outcome position. Instead, each card may reveal new information or confirm what you already know. It may also offer guidance on what action to take, perhaps even suggest future possibilities:

1. Earth

The self; present situation; your current role; how you express yourself; where you are right now; your reality; identity

2. Sun (The Sun)

Power source; what motivates you; energy levels, creative endeavours; level of contentment

3. Mars (The Tower)

Action; the male principle; what actions need to be taken; what needs to be confronted; power and control issues; leadership; what existing structures need to be broken up and rebuilt; in a relationship reading, this position can relate to the male (or male-orientated) partner

4. Venus (The Empress)

Love; the female principle; relationships; family; home life; what needs to be nurtured; sensual pleasures; health; in a relationship reading, this position can relate to the female (or female-orientated) partner

5. Jupiter (Wheel of Fortune)

Opportunities to look out for; things in your favour; changing circumstances; new experiences; growth, expansion; what helps you to reach a long-term goal or is necessary for survival

6. Mercury (The Magician)

Messages that clarify a situation; potential; communication; resources available; what needs changing; intention and goals; generating ideas

7.  Saturn (The World)

Opposition or teacher; obstacles, limitations and boundaries; what has been achieved and completed; lessons learned; what adversity have you overcome that has made you stronger; likewise, which apparent positive situations/people in your life can turn out to be a problem in the future

8. Moon (The High Priestess)

Feelings and emotions; how you have been feeling recently; moods; fears, insecurities; doubts; perceptions, what is hidden; intuition

How to read the Cards in this Spread

Shuffle the deck and arrange the cards face-down. Although the cards are placed in the numerical sequence of the spread, they can be read in any order.

If you do the reading for someone else, you could ask the querent to choose, which card to start with (whilst the cards are still lying face-down). This can give you an indication, what the querent’s subconscious priorities are or what concerns them most.

See this spread in action with the Rosetta Tarot in the follow-up post.

⭐In the meantime, grab the FREE planetary spread worksheet on my Ko-fi page to do your own reading⭐

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

Why I no longer rephrase my Clients' Questions

As a professional tarot reader I have been asked hundreds of questions, such as Is my husband cheating on me?, Will I ever find love again?, Am I pregnant?, When will I get a new job?, Does he love me? etc...

At first glance it's easy to roll your eyes at some of the questions, but I have learned over the years to take these questions seriously and treat them with respect.

 After all they reflect my client's deepest concern/worry/fear/mystery, and it is the main purpose of my work to offer the best and clearest answer I can possibly give.

When I started learning the Tarot many years ago, I was taught to ask the "right" questions, and there is no doubt that they do invite insightful and enlightening readings in return.

However, I cannot assume that my clients have had a crash course in tarot and question phrasing before they contact me for a reading.

Now it no longer feels right for me to make changes to questions, dilute them, make them fit or even make them more vague for the following reasons:

• Rephrasing a question is judgemental. It implies the client is judged as being stupid, silly, careless, dim, ridiculous...etc. Surely he/she could have thought of a more "empowering" or "intelligent" question to ask? Tut tuut...
• Rephrasing a question is condescending and suggests a hint of arrogance. Tarot readers are NOT superior to their clients, and they shouldn't give that impression by lecturing them about better choice of words.
• Rephrasing a question is rude. Bear in mind that some clients will feel offended. Do your best to avoid that.
• Rephrasing a question can knock a client's confidence. They have taken the courage to ask you something that plays on their mind, troubles them, and all they get in return is some "friendly advice" on how to ask the right question. Ouch.

Can you remember your school days, when your teacher said Don't be afraid to ask. It doesn't matter if you think it's a stupid question. Just ask. You were encouraged to open up without worrying about being ridiculed, and this is my philosophy when it comes to tarot questions my clients ask me.

But...

what if you feel uncomfortable answering certain questions?

It's perfectly okay to say no, and I'm perfectly fine with admitting that my abilities are limited: 

I'm not a qualified doctor, lawyer or financial adviser, and I cannot connect with dead people.

If I feel uncomfortable with a question, I am honest and let the client know I cannot answer it. 

It's the extreme ones like "pregnancy", which I have to decline, but thankfully they come up very rarely.

My experience over the years has also taught me that many questions I would have dismissed immediately in the past were actually quite interesting on second glance and lent themselves to deeper exploration, just like the famous Will I ever find love again?

It is always worthwhile giving any question careful consideration and regard it as an inspirational challenge to answer it with humility, grace and integrity for the highest good of the person, who is asking. 

So much better than slapping the client in the face with a rephrase.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

The Meaning Of The Knights In The Tarot

In a recent light bulb moment I've decided to portray the knights in my tarot deck as birds.

In the Golden Dawn tradition, the tarot knights are linked to the element air, so I thought birds would represent the mutable court card members well.

Knights in the Tarot suggest movement, change and travel.

Following the Pages, they are the juveniles / young adults of the court card family - volatile, unpredictable at times, searching, on a mission, energetic, ready for battle.

Knights can represent people, events or the energy surrounding a situation.

The Knight of Wands is a peacock.

The male peacock is a flamboyant bird; his feathery frock is a mix of dazzling blues, greens, specks of yellow/gold, black and greys.

He impresses the ladies with his extravagant eye-spotted tail.

If the peacock was a human, he would be an ambitious fashion designer or expressionist artist 😄

Esoteric Title: Lord of the Flame and Lightning.

Personality traits and characteristics:

Sagittarius - adventurous, confident, active, optimistic, sociable, creative, enthusiastic, insensitive, cocky, risk-taking, hot-tempered

The quote I've chosen for the Knight of Wands reflects his confidence, determination, enthusiasm and willingness to take risks and overcome any fears.

The Knight of Cups is represented by a swan.

Swans are elegant birds with white plumage and often found on lakes. They are a symbol of peace and tranquillity.

Swans tend to be monogamous birds; swans bond with their mates for life. How romantic!

If the swan was a human, he would work in the medical profession, as a doctor, nurse or carer.

Esoteric Title: Lord of the Waves and Waters

Personality traits and characteristics:

Pisces - romantic, idealistic, affectionate, imaginative, tender, loving, needy, evasive, impractical, over-sensitive, obsessive

The quote I've chosen for the Knight of Cups expresses his tendency to be emotionally dramatic.

He can easily fall in love with his head in a spin, and when love isn't reciprocated, he can then fall into depression and self-pity.

In those dark moments, the Knight of Cups can write the best poems.

The Knight of Swords is a crow. 

These carrion birds are considered to be very intelligent.

They use tools to hunt and access food.

Crows also have excellent memory where they have stored their food.

A flock of crows is sometimes also called a “murder” of crows; this is telling us a lot about the crow’s reputation and mythology.

Crows and ravens are associated with death and the “otherworld”.

In medieval times, they were regarded as bad omens, and even today, a flock of them can look foreboding and their calls sound menacing.

If crows were human, they would work in occupations that tend to bear bad news but also require analytical intelligence such as police force and lawyers.

His mathematical aptitude would also allow the Knight of Swords to work in the banking profession. Now that offers us a new perspective on the bankers, doesn’t it 😄

Esoteric Title: Lord of the Winds and Breezes

Personality traits and characteristics:

Gemini – versatile, curious, cunning, chatty, sociable, lively, inventive, fickle, emotionally detached, cold, restless

The quote I’ve chosen for the Knight of Swords reflects his tendency to act quickly and decisively without deep thought or consideration.

His intentions and actions are clear-cut, sharp and to the point.

The Knight of Swords is unconcerned about anybody in his path getting hurt along the way; he’d simply call it “collateral damage”.

The Knight of Pentacles is a pigeon.

These birds are down-to-earth, eat any grub they can get and don't mind getting mucky.

Pigeons are adaptable; they also mate for life and tend to live in colonies of up to 500 birds.

They symbolise home, security and perseverance.

If pigeons were humans, they would work in outdoor jobs, farming, gardening, cleaning and waste disposal.

Esoteric Title: The Lord of the Wild and Fertile Land

Personality traits and characteristics:

Virgo - prudent, shrewd, practical, meticulous, efficient, dependable, over-critical, pedantic, narrow-minded

The quote chosen for the Knight of Pentacles reflects his willingness to invest continuous effort, self-control and determination to achieve his goals.

The Cosmic Faery Tarot is available as a digital copy as part of the Cosmic Faery Tarot Guidebook.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

My Year Of The Hanged Man

2012 is coming to a close, and here we are on the day of the Winter Solstice and the end of the Mayan calendar cycle.

There has been lots of global anticipation and speculation about the significance of today's date, but those people, who expected the world to end today, may realise with relief (or disappointment?) that the world is still spinning as usual.

We've come to a point, when a lot of us are reflecting on the year that has passed with a view on how we will progress next year (check out my Tarot Moon Journal, which contains useful journalling sheets for this).

On a personal note, 2012 has been my year of the Hanged Man.

Combined with the global year card of the Hierophant, it has taught me some lessons about reconsidering the structures and traditions that I have been accustomed to for so many years and finding a new perspective.

Keywords for the Hanged Man: stagnation, suspension, stasis, being stuck, putting your life on hold, self-sabotage, inaction, avoid making decisions, putting your head in the sand, letting things happen, relinquishing control, letting go, sacrifice, release, new perspective.

The keywords listed in the order above tell a story; nobody can stay in the Hanged Man position for ever.

Sooner or later changes will take place, which will lead to transformation.

No wonder that in the Major Arcana sequence the Hanged Man is followed by Death, which will be my year card next year.

The image I have chosen above for my Tarot of Quotes shows the perspective of the Hanged Man; he is looking up the tree while he is hanging from it upside down. His view is turned around.

The Hanged Man is looking up towards the light for mental and spiritual illumination.

When he finally lets go of something familiar, secure or even treasured, he is making a sacrifice to clear the path for new experiences and growth.

But "sacrifice" is his point of view; it is an emotional word stirring up feelings of self-pity, sadness, regret and fear.

New emotions are released rather than suppressed.

What is once regarded as a sacrifice, will make perfect sense later during the transitional process.

Questions to ask when the Hanged Man comes up in a reading:

• Where in your life do you feel stuck right now?
• What are you holding on to that you need to release?
• Where do you need to relinquish control and be more open, receptive and trusting?
• How can you deal with certain issues in different ways?
• What are you avoiding or trying to escape from?

✨Wishing you a peaceful and happy Winter Solstice✨

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

The Sirian Starseed Tarot Review

The Sirian Starseed Tarot is one of the most new age decks I have come across so far.

The photography-based artwork depicts star-studded skies, galaxies, crystals, orbs, dolphins, Buddha, Shiva, the Sphinx and humans from far away fantasy worlds.

When I first looked through the deck and studied each card, I felt uplifted by enchanting images.

I noticed that a lot of the Major Arcana cards have been renamed; traditional authority figures have been turned into Abundance (Empress), Reason (Emperor) and Guidance (Hierophant), and any Christian Church influence has been removed; the Devil has become Shadow, and Judgement has turned into Karma.

The new names offer a fresh perspective on the somewhat dusty archetypal images, and most of them express very well the universal energies the cards represent.

However, I wasn't so sure about renaming The Sun to Solar Deity, which sounds a bit clunky. What's wrong with calling the sun Sun?

And why turning Justice into Divine Justice? Personally, I regard the sun as a star in the universe rather than a deity, and Justice is simply Justice...not necessarily divine.

The Fool has been renamed Starseed, and at this point you might be asking what Starseed is all about.

According to Patricia Cori, author and co-creator of this deck, Starseeds are humans, who have been planted on our planet by aliens from the Sirian star system, in order to help humanity evolve on to a higher spiritual level.

Starseeds here on Earth are unaware of their outer space origin, so if you want to know, if you are one of them, you can find out with the Starseed identity test.

There is a somewhat wonderful wackiness to this new age concept, but I'm not concerned about its validity; everyone is entitled to their opinions and ideas.

What is most important to me is the quality of this Tarot deck and how well it works for me without getting involved into Alien conspiracy theories.

Needless to say, the suits have also been renamed; Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles are now Flames, Chalices, Orbs and Crystals.

The courts have changed from Page, Knight, Queen and King to Seeker, Adept, Sage and Master.

I love the transformation of the outdated feudal hierarchical structure of the court cards into one that is based on knowledge and experience rather than power and wealth.

But despite adopting a universal approach to the court cards, there is still a gender division present; the Seekers and Sages are all female, and the Adepts and Masters male.

The exception is the Master of Crystals, who is neutrally depicted as a crystal skull.

In true new age spirit I would have liked to see both genders being represented equally in each archetype, e.g. the Adepts could have easily been represented by two males and two females, which perhaps would have further enhanced the essence of this deck's visionary message and energy.

My little quibbles shouldn't distract from the fact, that this is overall a very attractive Tarot deck, which can easily become your favourite, if you love the new age concept and artwork.

The oversized cards (15 x 10 cm) are impossible for me to shuffle, but they are ideal for meditating, manifesting and other magickal workings.

Although the Sirian Starseed Tarot can be described as a non-traditional deck, you can see a connection to the RWS cards in many of its images.

Some offer new perspectives like Starseed (the Fool), the Seven of Flames (Wands) and Adept of Chalices (Knight of Cups), others take the sting out of negative cards like the Nine of Orbs (Swords) and Five of Crystals (Pentacles).

The spirit of the Sirian Starseed Tarot makes this the perfect deck for exploring deeper knowledge, understanding, conscious shift, spiritual growth and life purpose.

I have drawn a card that sums up the overall energy of this deck and what it may offer me.

The message I have received is Abundance - creativity, sustainability, fulfilment, nurture, receiving and sharing.

A good sign to work with this deck more often, especially at this time of year, when we have just experienced the 12/12/12 memorable ascension date (note the number 12 = The Hanged Man - emerging from stagnation to a new perspective and consciousness) and are moving towards the end of the current Mayan calendar cycle on the 21 December 2012.

Sirian Starseed Tarot

Patricia Cori & Alysa Bartha

North Atlantic Books 2012

© Patricia Cori 2012

Update 2025: Sadly out of print, but occasionally available second-hand on Ebay and Abe Books

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

Tarot Moon Journal 2013 Workbook

NEW! World Premiere!

🌛✨Unlock the Magic of Tarot & Astrology ✨🌜

Are you passionate about tarot journaling? 

Elevate your practice with my latest ebook—the Tarot Moon Journal 2013!

This enchanting calendar, tarot diary, and workbook is packed with journal sheets for monthly tarot readings aligned with the moon, helping you effortlessly weave astrology into your tarot work.

And the best part? It's only a fiver—a small price for a year’s worth of magic!

Treat yourself today! Learn more about the journal HERE

⭐Want to master the art of combining Tarot with Astrology?⭐

Explore the Starlight Tarot Astrology Course and grab a FREE exercise to kick-start your journey!

Stay tuned—new Tarot and Astrology articles are coming soon!

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on: 

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

The Meaning of Death in the Tarot of Quotes

In the spirit of Halloween and the upcoming Day of the Dead, let's dive into the meaning of Death in the Tarot.

Death is one of the most feared and misunderstood cards in the Tarot, so I thought that creating a dramatic image of a skeleton trying to escape from its grave would give that reputation justice😄

But of course when this card comes up in a reading, it very rarely indicates physical death.

The skeleton and the Autumn leaves symbolise the shedding of old to allow for new growth in Spring.

Death is all about transformation - endings, conclusions, change, growth.

Astrologically, Death is linked to Scorpio, the zodiac sign of transformation.

At Halloween, Scorpio is the ruling sun sign.

We are celebrating endings, but new beginnings follow swiftly: on the 1st November it’s the beginning of the Celtic New Year and start of winter according to the Celtic tradition.

Transformation is happening gradually.

Endings, change and ultimately growth are no easy processes to go through.

At times there is discomfort, emotional upheaval and pain along the way. 

But the message of this card is that something new will emerge that is taking us into a new direction.

Death in a reading may remind us of our own mortality and therefore asks us to live more consciously.

It also advises us to embrace change as a means for growth, even if it hurts at times.

For your Halloween contemplation, you can explore what this card means to you right now in your life:

• What do you need to let go of that no longer serves you?

• Who or what have you lost recently you need to come to terms with?

• How can you best adapt to changes that you are facing? These changes can be external but also physically and emotionally.

• How can you transform anguish, loss and grief into a new sense of purpose and understanding?

Halloween is also a good time to get in touch with your dark side.

Whatever way you spend Halloween and the Day of the Dead – spooky fun or quiet reflection – have a good one!

Warmest wishes,

Christiane 🎃

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

The Meaning Of The Sun in the Tarot

“Many people lose the small joys in the hope for the big happiness.”  - Pearl S. Buck

The Fool has grown from a seedling into a beautiful sunflower - he's come a long way!

The keyword for the Sun is happiness - being happy with what we have, even if it isn't much; looking beyond the imperfections - nothing is perfect, but that's okay.

Happiness is a way of being wise and enlightened.

Happiness is the key to success (not the other way round).

The Sun is also connected to the self, the ego, creativity, clarity and vitality.

When this card comes up in a reading, it's all about you, positive thinking, your creative potential, joy, gratitude and contentment.

In the Major Arcana, the Sun follows the Moon, so it can also indicate that a confusing situation is now becoming clear.

• What can you do today to brighten up your day? 
• What simple pleasures could you indulge in today that would make you feel happy? 

“We need much less than we think we need.” - Maya Angelou

⭐If you’d like to learn more about the Sun and all the other cards in the Tarot, please check out my ebook The Cosmic Faery Tarot Guidebook⭐

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

The Moon Cards in the Tarot

Most of the cards in the Tarot (except Aces and Pages) are connected either directly or indirectly (via zodiac attributions) to the planets.

When you look closer at the images of those cards that share the same planetary attribution, you can see some visual similarities.

By identifying and studying these similarities, you can gain new insight and a deeper understanding of individual cards.

Here, we are looking at the moon cards in the (RWS) Tarot.

The example above shows the High Priestess and the Two of Swords.

The moon is assigned to the High Priestess, and the Two of Swords' astrological attribution is Moon in Libra.

Both women face us with their backs to the water. Whereas in the High Priestess image the view of the water is concealed by a curtain, the woman in the Two of Swords is blindfolded.

Both women are dressed in a white robe. The moon crescent can be found at the feet of the High Priestess, and in the sky on the Two of Swords.

The High Priestess is holding a book, the woman in the Two of Swords is holding the swords.

Both women are seeking knowledge through quiet contemplation, yet they do so in different ways.

Both cards are connected to feelings, emotions and the unconscious (lunar influences).

But there are more moon cards in the Tarot:

The Chariot - zodiac sign Cancer is ruled by the moon

Six of Pentacles - Moon in Taurus

Four of Cups - Moon in Cancer

Nine of Wands - Moon in Sagittarius

Seven of Swords - Moon in Aquarius

We can also add The Moon to this list, even though this Major Arcana card is linked to Pisces.

Take all these cards from your deck and explore how the energy of the moon is reflected in them.

What new insights are you gaining? 

Bear in mind that the moon also adds the element Water to each card.

Check out my Power of the Moon article for more information about the moon and how it might affect card meanings and interpretations.

And if you love this kind of tarot study, you might be interested in my Starlight Tarot Astrology course, which also includes more in-depth information about the moon and all the other planets.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane 

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

The Meaning of Temperance in the Tarot

Temperance is one of my favourite cards in the Tarot. It's a card of balance, harmony and healing.

In the Rider Waite Smith deck, the angel shown is Archangel Michael, but in my image it's the angel of the North, situated near Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the UK.

I took the photo on my recent summer holiday (see my original photo below), and I must say that the angel is quite a wonderful and impressive monument when you stand right in front of it.

Astrologically, Temperance in the Tarot is associated with Sagittarius, which symbolises the need to create the perfect mix of opposites to achieve harmonious balance and healing.

This skilful blending can be quite an art - intuitive, playful, experimenting, sometimes difficult to master. Hence Temperance is named Art in Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot.

By blending opposites such as yin/yang, wants/needs, less/more, work/life, strengths/weaknesses, excess/abstinence, virtues/vices, we can achieve moderation, tolerance and compromises without losing out.

Temperance in the tarot embodies a harmonious healing balance of mind, body and spirit; it is also a part of the transformational process.

What opposites in your life or within yourself do you need to blend in order to create harmony?

⭐For more insight on Temperance and all other tarot cards, please check out my ebook The Cosmic Faery Tarot Guidebook⭐

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Aries in the Minor Arcana

✨Welcome to the official launch of my Starlight Tarot Astrology Course✨

To mark the occasion, I'd like to share with you a little snippet of what you'll be learning on this course.

My focus today is on astrological correspondences of the pip cards (numbered cards 2 - 10 in the Minor Arcana), specifically Aries in the Minor Arcana.

Each pip card is linked to an astrological correspondence:

• Two of Wands - Mars in Aries
• Three of Wands - Sun in Aries
• Four of Wands - Venus in Aries

We can see that a planet and a zodiac sign are connected to each card.

I won't be explaining today why and how these attributions have come about (but it's explained in the course).

Instead, I will show you how you can make sense of these attributions in a reading and apply them in a practical way.

First of all, you will have noticed that the above pip cards are assigned to the zodiac sign Aries.

Some characteristics of Aries are: pioneering, visionary, initiating and pro-active.

Aries people are enthusiastic about starting new projects and find it easy to take the lead. But they also need to keep focused on their vision in order to reach their goals.

Sometimes they find it hard to sustain the initial enthusiasm, but their ambitions and drive may help them along towards what they want to achieve.

Aries is also linked to the Emperor and the Queen of Wands.

(Note how you can make additional connections with corresponding Major Arcana and Court cards.)

Two of Wands - Mars in Aries

Aries is combined with the aggressive energies of Mars. 

The planet Mars is associated with both positive and negative aggression - competition, ambition, drive as well as anger, ruthlessness and violence.

The combined energies of Mars and Aries in the Two of Wands suggests someone, who is inspired to turn ideas into action, and has that inner urge and drive to succeed.

Both Mars and Aries indicate restlessness and inner energy that needs to be released in a creative and constructive way.

The figure in the image is holding the world in his hand, perhaps thinking of a global conquest, which would be a very Martian thing to do 😄

Mars is also linked to the Tower, and is the ruling planet of Aries (the Emperor).

Three of Wands - Sun in Aries

Here, Aries is combined with the Sun, which is associated with life force, the ego and the need for self-expression.

This combination suggests powerful energies initiating the move from a planning stage to action - new beginnings, the actual start of a journey.

The sun in Aries combination indicates specifically individuality, leadership, confidence and self-assertion.

It can also indicate a tendency to be self-centred or an abundance of energy that could lead to burnout.

Selfishness at this stage doesn't need to be a negative trait but could be a necessity to disregard naysayers and discouragement.

The sun is the ruling planet of Leo (Strength), and is also associated with The Sun in the Major Arcana.

Four of Wands - Venus in Aries

Venus is a grounding force in this combination. 

It is associated with the Empress, but also with the Hierophant and Justice as Venus is ruler of both Taurus and Libra.

Venus relates to love, beauty and indulgence. Together with Aries, there is certainly a party atmosphere, a reason to celebrate and take it easy for a change.

Good times may be connected to business progress, success but also to a house move or family occasion.

The Venus aspect may also indicate an engagement/wedding, or the couple have set up home together.

Because Venus can succumb to prolonged self-indulgence at times, there is a danger of stagnation and complacency, which needs to be overcome by the driving force of Aries.

Once you get more familiar with the planetary and zodiacal traits and characteristics, your interpretation of individual cards will evolve to a new level.

⭐Check out my Starlight Tarot Astrology Course⭐

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling

Cosmic Spirit Tarot and Wellness

 

The Meaning of The Hierophant in The Tarot

The Hierophant in the Tarot is one of those cards I have “issues” with 😄

More specifically, it's the image in the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) deck depicting a pope-like figure, which reminds me of the Catholic Church, making it difficult for me to connect with this card and “warm” to it.

For me organised religion represents dogma, tradition and rules you have to comply with.

If you don't, then you will be in trouble.

Thankfully, nowadays you no longer will be burned at the stake, if you disagree and try to bring about changes and reform.

My Hierophant (Stonehenge) captures a more tolerant, open-minded interpretation.

For me this card symbolises guidance, education, ethics, philosophy, tradition, conformity and organised religion, but all these aspects of the Hierophant need to flow, move and change over time according to the needs of people.

Flexibility is a necessity to avoid being stuck in the past and fall into decay with a false sense of security. Nothing lasts forever.

Currently, organised religion is only reacting to change. It would be refreshing to see religious institutions take the lead in the process of change and come up with new and innovative, progressive ideas.

Astrologically, the Hierophant is connected to Taurus.

Whilst Taurus displays positive traits such as stability, determination and dependability, its vices include stubbornness, complacency and inertia - quite fitting for the Hierophant.

When the Hierophant comes up in a reading, this card may ask you to add something new to an established area in your life - home life, relationship, job/career - or make some adjustment to avoid staleness and feeling stifled.

Consider re-writing some rules, start a debate or gain new knowledge to broaden your horizon.

You can live according to rules and within boundaries set by society, but ensure this is in accordance with your individuality, values and integrity.

If you’d like to learn more about the Hierophant and all the other cards in the Tarot, please check out my ebook The Cosmic Faery Tarot Guidebook.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Connect with me on:

Substack - Live more Magic

Medium - Simplify your Life

Ko-Fi - Creative Tarot Journaling