Here's a few suggestions...but it may take too much time
This is maybe too involved, but here's some ideas:
First I'd write down the upright card words on
Thieren's traditional meanings listed on sacred texts has keywords--at least in my test of three minors, the Ace-Two-Three of Wands--that seem to be very similar within the first suggested keywords that give English alternatives. One can go through a minor suit, having the cards in order on a table or surface next to your keyboard, and page through the link by doing previous or next...and after you are satisfied the keywords are similar enough, write down.
For instance:
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1. Ace of Wands (#35)
Thierens link: Ace of Wands
TRADITION: Birth, source, principle, beginning, origin, cause, reason, creation, invention. Some say also: family, but this is probably to be taken as 'family-descent,' or parentage or origin of the family, which is a different idea. Reversed: Fall, perdition, decadence, decline, ruin, etc.
http://sacred-texts.com/tarot/gbt/gbt31.htm
Keyword on Grand Oracle Jeu des Dames or LS Book of Thoth Etteilla Tarot
Ace of Wands: Chute (Upright- Droit) - Fall/descent (google search)
Reversed: Naissance - Birth/origin (google search)
Two book sources:
Bill Butler Dictionary of the Tarot:
Waite: Creation...birth...family...fall...decadence
Paul Huson Mystical Origins of the Tarot:
Etteilla (Ace of Wands): Birth, commencement, nativity, origin, creation: Reversed: Downfall, cascade, decadence...
So if I want a good collection of collective meanings and want to do the upright interpretations quickly in a list, I'd page through Thierens for each minor, start my list...and then one could go through Waite's Key to the Tarot through Sacred Texts for comparisons if that helps.
But to be honest, you are right, it's food for thought with every card, because our twenty-first centuries sensibilities would say, "Hey, shouldn't birth be the best thing and an upright meaning instead of the reverse? Why is descent or fall the first meaning? Why is Etteilla's meaning so upside down to my thinking and what I am reading?"
In this case, one could be confused when writing this up, but I want to soak up Theiren's ideas...given 18th century sensibilities which might be that the 'descent of the family' might a good thing...or if you are a French enlightenment sort, perhaps the ideas of an old structure falling and making way for a new enterprise isn't a bad thing...or perhaps the querent falling into a new enterprise or new situation...or a birth...hmm...
At least it helps give you a comparative context.
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2. Two of Wands (#34)
The second sample...Two of Wands in the deck (Book of Thoth/Oracle Jeu des Dames) upright meaning of Chagrin and Thierens meaning of melancholy seems to fit:
TRADITION: Melancholy, sadness, surprise, astonishment, consternation, terror, fear, enchantment, trouble, but also on the other hand riches, fortune and magnificence.
http://sacred-texts.com/tarot/gbt/gbt32.htm
Reversed on the card is surprise, which is also included above.
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3. Three of Wands (#33)
Keyword: Enterprises (Upright-Droit)
Reversed: Peines A leur fin ( peine meaning sorrow, sadness, trouble, effort, penalty)
Theirens:
TRADITION: Enterprise, effort, essay, trade, commerce, discovery, usurpation, daring, temerity and also imprudence, interruption, cessation and 'the end of troubles,' discontinuative.
THEORY: The rather contradictory descriptions of this card's significance are well explained by its zodiacal position: Air on the Third house, which doubles the influence of 'air' and of the mercurial vibrations and effects. This card has the accent of the suit of wands. It must consequently denote: communication, reflection and all that comes from these. This needs little explanation.
CONCLUSION: Communication, instruction, reflexion, message, writing, postage and letters, superficial knowledge,
http://sacred-texts.com/tarot/gbt/gbt32.htm
So enterprises is noted above and end to penalty or sorrow as well.
I hope this helps a little. Paul Huson's Mystical Origins of the Tarot has the greatest assortment of collective meanings in text to help compare, but doesn't pick up on the Freemasonry commentary presented by the kind contributors here.
If you don't feel the need to spend the money for Paul Huson's text when you can check through Thieren's text online at sacred text as well get black and white drawings of PCS's pictures on the pages you scroll through--maybe that will be helpful?
Regards,
Cerulean
Bernice says:
I'd just be happy to have a translation of the french divinatory meanings on LS version deck. Not the card name because I have that now.
The info. on the other version decks is very interesting to me, but I've got no further with this LS version.
Bee
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