Star signs

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 10 Oct 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Little Orange	10 Oct 2003
I ´m sorry , another question ..... Does Tarot have a card for each Star sign? If so, can i have them please???? Thank you.... L.Orange

Minderwiz	10 Oct 2003
I don't think there's a unique identification of cards against signs. The one most quoted derives, I think, from the Golden Dawn, of which A. E. Waite was a member: They are Aries Emperor Taurus Hierophant Gemini Lovers Cancer Chariot Leo Strength Virgo Hermit Libra Justice Scorpio Death Sagittarius Temperance Capricorn The Devil Aquarius Star Pisces Moon Tony Louis (Tarot Plain and Simple) also cites an association which he says is popular in South America - there are significant differences, such as an association of the Hierophant with Leo and Cancer with the High Priestess.

jmd	11 Oct 2003
Minderwiz mentions the GD allocations, and also that these are not, of course, either intrinsic to the cards nor the only ones made. Some imagery reflects astrological depictions, such as the Moon card and Cancer, or the Sun card and Gemini. The others, however, have been variously allocated zodiacal signs. In addition to Taurus and Leo been allocated to the Hierophant, another common attribution, due to Kabbalistic associations similar (but different) to the GD, is Aries. Some card depictions of the Hierophant, for example, clearly have Ram's horns depicted (such as on the Major Arcana which illustrates Mouni Sadhu's book). Tarot and Astrology are distinct, and though many will continue to made correlations, and then illustrate decks with those allocations, they do not intrinsically 'belong' to the cards.

Minderwiz	11 Oct 2003
Yes, as you will see from some of my other posts, I agree very much with jmd about correlations between Astrological significators (like signs and planets) and Tarot cards. They may provide a useful push to think about the meaning of cards but it is very important that you don't begin to see them as being intrinsic to the cards.

The Star signs thread was originally posted on 10 Oct 2003 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.