I'm new, & -What elements exactly don't get along?

balenciaga said:

So then one should think dust blowing on an empty plain?

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I don't know. I tend to think of image like you've given more so for the Court cards where the elements are combined (So dust on an empty plane may make you think of Earth of Air and hence the Princess of Swords.)

For dignities I tend to break the Elements down to their more basic categories (Male, Female, Hot, Cold, Dry, Wet) and use that to compare cards. So for example the "Future" position may be Hot and Dry, while the "Goal" is Hot and Wet, but the "Environment" is Cold and Dry, so that tells you something about the story that is happening, or where problems might lie.

Its a different idea than what Teheuti explains in the thread I linked to, which seems to me to be based on the GD spread, or similar reading methods where each position has many cards and you need to decide which are applicable, so you use dignities to remove some cards from the equation.

I sometimes use these properties too, similia. This way you get something like a continuum, from totally same to totally different and two intermediate states. It's very symmetrical and allows more complexities than (what I understood from) the Book T method. Then depending on the context, some relationships seem to pop out more in a reading.

Are these referred to by Crowley anywhere? The only place I have found so far referencing these explicitly in relation to tarot is the Pythagorean tarot book (and website). The Arcus Arcanum deck implies these relationships in the imagery for the suits, but the book doesn't talk about them. Are there any other tarot references to this stuff? (sorry if this a bit off topic)

ravenest, I kind of agree with you. Perhaps 'get along' isn't the most helpful way of thinking about it. If e.g. wands/fire and cups/water are total opposites and share no common properties, this possibly creates some tension, or they could complement each other perfectly. In Book T terms, they 'weaken' each other, but this may be a good thing if they balance each other. On the other hand, it may imply they have no common ground. This could lead to the two energies going their separate ways, or being ineffectual or it could lead to a head on conflict and a huge bang, depending on the situation. In readings, it's never a clear cut one plus one equals two equation, more like non-linear dynamics in a complex system

Lillie said:

And anyone who has been married will tell you that they are complete opposites and although they can do stuff together they are always talking different languages at each other.

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And SOME couples that have been married will say its great and others say its horrid.

Lillie said:

That's cos men think with their wands.
and women are utterly justified in nagging them.

Chuck a cup of water at it, I say.
That will put the fire out.

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Cold and wet?

Lillie said:

Now, I made a washing up rota and why aren't you sticking to it?

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Hot and wet.

Most problems seem to occur (for the wanded one) as a result of a cold and dry state

similia said:

For dignities I tend to break the Elements down to their more basic categories (Male, Female, Hot, Cold, Dry, Wet) and use that to compare cards. So for example the "Future" position may be Hot and Dry, while the "Goal" is Hot and Wet, but the "Environment" is Cold and Dry, so that tells you something about the story that is happening, or where problems might lie.

Its a different idea than what Teheuti explains in the thread I linked to, which seems to me to be based on the GD spread, or similar reading methods where each position has many cards and you need to decide which are applicable, so you use dignities to remove some cards from the equation.

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This is very interesting, thanks for sharing your method. I think I even apply it instinctively at times.
Also, I am familiar with Teheuti's thread; I think I posted an entry on that one. The method she adheres to is indeed very explicit.

elvenstar said:

This could lead to the two energies going their separate ways, or being ineffectual or it could lead to a head on conflict and a huge bang, depending on the situation.

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Yes, sometimes I think of reading cards as similar to driving: sometimes you have all green lights (good positive energies that are working with you), and other times lots of obstacles and traffic jams to contend with (oppositional or ineffectual placements, etc.)

ravenest said:

And SOME couples that have been married will say its great and others say its horrid.


Cold and wet?

Hot and wet.

Most problems seem to occur (for the wanded one) as a result of a cold and dry state

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Proves my point, really.

Not just thinking with his wand, talking with it too!

There is more to life than that...
For a woman, anyway!

ravenest said:

Fire and water dont get along? In some cases they make steam, contain it and focus it and its an amazing source of energy, dont contain it, it just wafts off, contain it but dont control it - kablooey!

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Mixing fire with water is an "Art"

Valentine's Acronym

DoctorArcanus said:

Mixing fire with water is an "Art"

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One best learned with V.I.T.R.I.O.L.

...and perhaps a little vitriolum too: http://www.levity.com/alchemy/val_symb.html