Significator = Zodiac / Major Arcana

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 13 Feb 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Briarfoote	13 Feb 2002
I have heard that there is way to determine a Significator card from the Major Arcana based on the zodiac. The case in mind was the Aries = the Sun card and Pisces = the Moon. I have been told that as a Scorpio my significator would be the Death card. I am not real sure I would want to remove Major Arcana from the deck for the purpose of a significator, however, I would like to know what sign equals what. I have not seen such a list in my limited searching. (limited because I figured someone here could answer the question :) )

Liliana	13 Feb 2002
ok Aries-Emperor Taurus-Hierophant Gemini-Lovers Cancer-Chariot Leo-Strength Virgo-Hermit Libra-Justice Scorpio-Death Sagittarius-Temperance Capricorn-Devil Aquarius-Star Pisces-Moon

Briarfoote	13 Feb 2002
Thank you. :) Hmm... I was told that Aries is the Sun card... A different system? A mistake? I think Aries : the Emperor might be more fitting. /shrug Mostly, I was just curious. I have seen plenty of Zodiac to Court card references. After a reading (where the Reader selected a significator from the Major Arcana based on the zodiac sign), I was trying to track down a Zodiac to Major Arcana reference. Thanks again. :)

Liliana	13 Feb 2002
Well the rest of the Majors are assigned to the planets, in the list I have, from the back of the all inclusiveTarotFor Yourself, Sun is for the sun (duh) :) Of course, moon isnt for the moon, the high priestess is, so maybe not so duh hehehe, I have no idea which system this is, probably Waite's. Her list also has interesing things like musical note, gem. animal, plant, and perfume associate with each major :) Oops, i just looked at the High Priestess perfume, and Im sorry Im NOT going to use menstral blood lol (Camphor and Aloe are also listed)

Thirteen	14 Feb 2002
Quote: Briarfoote (14 Feb, 2002 07:55): Hmm... I was told that Aries is the Sun card... A different system? A mistake? Might be a mistake. Sun card is Leo and has always been according to ye ole Golden Dawn (both Waite and Crowley agree on the signs). But you know, I really wouldn't use major archana as signifiers. They're much too important, I think, to remove from a reading for that purpose. Better, I think, to use court cards, which are also Zodiac related, but far less important. Consider the difference between using the Queen (or King) of Cups for Scorpio rather than the Death Card. Or the Queen (or King) of Wands for Leo rather thant the Sun Card. Imagine a reading. In the "outcome" spot, you get "The Queen of Wands." Now imagine that same reading, outcome "The Sun." See what I mean? Better to have the Queen of Wands as signifier and leave the Sun to be in the reading then vice versa. Makes a huge difference.

Briarfoote	14 Feb 2002
Oh, I agree. I thought it odd to remove a potientially pivotal card like a Major from the deck to be the significator. But, having encountered the system, I was just curious. Thanks for the input though. :)

vhrsn	15 Jun 2005
I was wondering, what about using any of the minor arcana cards like 6 of swords, wands, cups and disks/pentacles? Would these work fora significator? I'm totally blind and I had a reading and she didn't shuffle the deck, but she chose a significator. How do you think she did it? Any info will be welcomed. from Vhrsn

Flidais	15 Jun 2005
For me, the problem with using any card as a significator is that it removes the card from the reading, and I am just not comfortable doing that. As to how another reader chose a significator for you, I think you'd have to ask that reader what she did. I think some readers pull a card at random to be the significator, relying on their intuition or what-have-you to help them choose the right card.

vhrsn	15 Jun 2005
Hello guys, Any ideas on how I can choose a significator from the thoth deck that I have ain braille for me? Now sure, I look fora court card, but you know what? It takes forever! Any ideas would be aprreciated. By the way, What about looking to see if the cards are dark and bright. Since I can tell from my right eye that it's light or dark, would that help me in reading the tarot? I will gladly take any info into consideration! from, Vhrsn

Flidais	15 Jun 2005
Not to be rude, but why do you feel you must use a significator?

wizzle	15 Jun 2005
Sorry to disagee with Thirteen, but Crowley assigns Leo to Lust/Strength. Astrological correspondence thus are: Aries - Emperor Taurus - Hierophant Geminii - Lovers Cancer - Chariot Leo - Lust/Strength Virgo - Hermit Libra - Adjustment/justice Scorpio - Death Sagittarius - Art/Temperance Capricorn - Devil Aquarius - Star Pisces - Moon I'm not much on significators, myself. If you must, use a court card. Some systems use the following: Aries - queen of wands Taurus - king of pentacles Geminii - knight of swords Cancer - queen of cups Leo - king of wands Virgo - knight of pentacles Libra - queen of swords Sagittarius - knight of wands Capricorn - queen of pentacles Aquarius - king of swords Pisces - knight of cups The system above is hardly cast in jello, much less concrete. There are them that would say the associations between the kings (fixed signs) and the queens (cardinal signs) should be reversed. If that feels better to you when picking a significator, feel free. Just be consistent.

Flidais	15 Jun 2005
I believe Crowley associates The Aeon (Judgment) with Libra as well, at least there is a representation of Libra on that card in the Thoth deck which is pointed out by Crowley in The Book of Thoth.

wizzle	15 Jun 2005
I'm staring at my Aeon card and I don't see libra anywhere. I do see a triangle. Libra is very prominent at the bottom of the Adjustment card, however. Color me confused.

Flidais	15 Jun 2005
wizzle wrote: Sorry to disagee with Thirteen, but Crowley assigns Leo to Lust/Strength. Yes, Crowley assigns the Sun to The Sun card -- but since the Sun rules Leo, it's easy to make that connection and to therefore view The Sun as a "Fire" card elementally.

Flidais	15 Jun 2005
wizzle wrote: I'm staring at my Aeon card and I don't see libra anywhere. I do see a triangle. "At the bottom of the card we see the letter Shin itself in a form suggestive of a flower; the three Yods are occupied by three human figures arising to partake in the Essence of the new Aeon. Behind this letter is a symbolic representation of the Sign of Libra..." -- Crowley, Book of Thoth So could this be a case where Frieda Harris did not draw what Crowley envisioned? edited to add: No, never mind. I see it now!

wizzle	15 Jun 2005
Ah, gottcha Fidelus. But this is where I think we end up with inherent conflicts in the GD system. The letter association (which Fulgor posted) and to which you refer doesn't agree with the signs/planets one for one. Anyhoo, I think if one must use a significator, pull a court card rather than a major.

Flidais	15 Jun 2005
wizzle wrote: But this is where I think we end up with inherent conflicts in the GD system. The letter association (which Fulgor* posted) and to which you refer doesn't agree with the signs/planets one for one. Actually, the OGD does not assign a planet or sign to Judgment but attributes it to "Spirit and Fire." Crowley's associations do not match the OGD attributions 100%. * For those who are totally confused -- here's a link to Fulgour's highly relevant post in another thread: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=43477

The Significator = Zodiac / Major Arcana thread was originally posted on 13 Feb 2002 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.