Actually, it's a bit more complex. The original "Tarot Lecture", part of the Golden Dawn's Cypher MS, says nothing about the decans: just the sephiroth. The Decans appear later, in "Book T", presumably added by Mathers.
For example, the 2 of Cups will be Love, because 2 is good, the top of the Pillar of Mercy, and Cups are emotions, Water. The decan reading in the Picatrix says "Dominion, science, love, mirth, subtlety, and magistracy". Woo-hoo! We've got a reference to love – forget the rest.
Sometimes Mathers just had to give up. 5 of Coins must be Material Trouble: Coins are Earth and the 5th sephirah is trouble. But the Piccatrix says "working the land, knowledge, and manufacturing". Well, forget that one.
Waite usually follows the Golden Dawn, but he was quite capable of preferring Etteilla:
6 of Swords: Journey, as in E., where GD has Earned Success
or having his own ideas
8 of Coins: Work instead Prudence (GD) or a brunette (E)
Actually its a LOT MORE COMPLEX than your simple explanation .
LRichard alluded to the decans ... he didn't allude to the Picatrix - you did that and then set about demolishing your own associations .
I still don’t get why people go to a Picatrix source PRIMARILY for decanic meaning relating to a tarot card. ??? What about Ibn Ezra and Agrippa? What about, instead of some obscure image (which IMO is totally obscure; as it {the decanic image} is a memory device to help visualise and locate astronomical/astrological information . [ - start here ;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giulio_Camillo ]
I didn’t detect that LRichard was recommending that source … he said … " as interpretations of the 36 decans "
What is a decan? Is it just a strange image that one quotes with no understanding of its background and then when the 'short association' falls down it is all thrown out?
There is SUCH an aversion to look AT THE STARS … even in astrology …. Go figure <shrug>
You were citing the 5 of Discs yes? Lets look at a more obvious one ... the 7 of discs; the third decan of Taurus? One of the most obvious asterisms in this part of the sky is the Pleiades. [Usually I would calculate a significant star or combo in the decan … but to do each one of these individual stars (when they are ‘in a bunch’ ) seems messy, and in any case, often their influence is taken as a group.]
“According to Ptolemy they are of the nature of the Moon and Mars; and, to Alvidas, of Mars, Moon and Sun in opposition. They are said to make their natives wanton, ambitious, turbulent, optimistic and peaceful; to give many journeys and voyages, success in agriculture and through active intelligence; and to cause blindness, disgrace and a violent death. Their influence is distinctly evil … “ [Robson, p.182.]
“The Pleiades causes bereavement, mourning, sorrows and tragedies.” [The Living Stars, Dr. Eric Morse, p.39.]
“Pleiades Rising: Blindness, ophthalmia injuries to the eyes and face, disgrace, wounds, stabs (operations nowadays), exile, imprisonment, sickness, violent fevers, quarrels, violent lust, military preferment. If at the same time the Sun is in opposition either to the Ascendant or to Mars, violent death.
Pleiades culminating: Disgrace, ruin, violent death. If with the luminaries it makes its natives military captains, commanders, colonels of horse and emperors.
“Pleiades with Sun: Throat ailments, chronic catarrh, blindness, bad eyes, injuries to the face, sickness, disgrace, evil disposition, murderer or murdered, imprisonment, death by pestilence, blows, stabs, shooting, beheading or shipwreck.
“Pleiades with Moon: Injuries to the face, sickness, misfortune, wounds, stabs, disgrace, imprisonment, blindness, defective sight especially if in the Ascendant or one of the other angles, may be cross-eyed, Color-blind or the eyes may be affected by some growth. If in the 7th house, total blindness especially if Saturn or Mars be with Regulus and the Moon be combust.
Pleiades with Mercury: Many disappointments, loss of possessions, much loss from legal affairs, business failure, trouble through children.
Pleiades with Venus: Immoral, strong passions, disgrace through women, sickness, loss of fortune.
Pleiades with Mars: Many accidents to the head, loss and suffering through fires. If at the same time Saturn is with Regulus, violent death in a tumult.
Pleiades with Jupiter: Deceit, hypocrisy, legal and ecclesiastical troubles, loss through relatives, banishment or imprisonment.
Pleiades with Saturn: Cautious, much sickness, tumorous ailments, chronic sickness to family many loses. “ [ Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923. p.182 -184.]
A bit further along we have the Hyades - Pliny wrote of them as being "a violent and troublesome star causing stormes and tempests raging both on land and sea". [Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning, Richard H. Allen, 1889.]
The star El-nath might be considered an influential candidate but this is a modern attribution to Taurus … it used to be assigned to Auriga (Burritt's Atlas calling it Aurigae or El Nath. As a member of Auriga it lies on the right ankle of the Reinholder and was the Arabic Al Ka'b dhi'l Inan, usually translated "the Heel of the Rein-holder" . )
What about Aldebaran? Suelry that is significant and portends greater fortune ? Yet; “Catastrophe by weather conditions, floods, shipwrecks. Acknowledged and leading position, but will make enemies through whom danger will threaten”. [Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation, Elsbeth Ebertin, 1928, p.30.]
“ If Rising, and in conjunction with the Moon, a good fellow, but if in conjunction with both the Lord of the Ascendant and the Moon it denotes a murderer.
“ With Sun: Great energy and perseverance, high material honors but danger of losing them, danger from quarrels and the law, honor and riches ending in disgrace and ruin, liable to disease, fevers and a violent death.
“ With Moon: Favorable for business, honor and credit, especially if in the 1st or 10th house, but danger of calamity. Favorable for domestic, public and religious matters; danger of a violent death. If at the same time Mars or Saturn is with Antares (opposite) the native is liable to be hanged or killed by a sword thrust.
“ With Sun or Moon, culminating or rising: Great honor through violence with difficulties and casualties.
“With Mars: Great military preferment but attended by much danger; liable to accidents, fevers and a violent death. If at the same time the Moon is with Antares, especially in an angle, death will come through a stab, blow or fall.
“With Saturn: Great afflictions, strange mind, great wickedness, sarcasm, eloquence, good memory, studious and retiring nature, legal abilities, domestic and material success, losses through mercurial friends. If at the same time the Moon is with Antares there will be a violent death, probably by hanging” [Robson p.120 – 121.]