Major Arcana pairs

Pardon if this sort of thread has already been done. As you all know, I'm new to the Marseilles playground so I laid out the Majors in pairs - I & XI, II & XII, etc. I think I found some themes and I wanted to share what I came up with for comment. I've been finding amazing things since I started working with this deck.

So here goes... *bowing before the Marseilles masters*

Le Basteleur and La Force
Power - commencement, use of tools & total personal mastery
This pair reminds me of magicians and witches. The beginners tend to use a lot of tools to get into the right mindset (I) while the more experienced know that it's all about Will and the tools are just icing (XI).

La Papesse and Le Pendu
Wisdom - gnosis, reflection & wisdom gained through acceptance
La Papesse knows without needing to have her world turned upside down, but as a result of his new perspective, what does Le Pendu know that perhaps she doesn't? Also, it seems to me that La Papesse knows more about spiritual matters and Le Pendu has to accept worldly and personal circumstances.

L'Imperatrice and Un-named
Life cycle - birth & death
L'Imperatrice is about creativity and intellect. The Un-named Arcana ends creativity and cannot be grasped with intelligence.

L'Emperour and La Temperance
Leadership - rule by one & rule by blending disparate elements

Le Pape and Le Diable
Unification with God - through the spirit and learning & through the flesh and passions
Many religious sects have been built up around these poles of experience.

L'Amoureux and La Maison Dieu
Enlightenment - through choice and love & through swift events
I'm a little foggy on this one...

Le Chariot and L'Estoille
Contribution to the world - victory and politics & quiet competence and hope

La Justice and La Lune
This is another one I'm having trouble with. I got nothing.

L'Hermite and Le Soleil
Self-knowledge - through self-reflection and experience & through letting it shine, innocence

La Roue and Le Jugement
Fate - randomness & divine plan

I have a better grasp of some than of others. I'm looking forward to learning with and from you all.

Kes

Pairings... absolutely exquisite, they are!

Sometimes, it is not so much the interpretation that can easily connect them, but also simply the imagery.

Just two brief examples: VI & XVI

In the first, we have an arrow about to be released and pierce the heart of the loved one, resulting in, amongst other things, a tumulteous turning around within the established home - felt like a lightning bolt that turns things in turmoil (but also, how divinely wonderful);

VIIII & XVIIII

Here, the Hermit holds his inner light for others to perhaps see, or for himself to guide his own steps. But it is the stage just prior to integration, prior to the Alchemical wedding of the two young brother-sister within the confines (or wall) of one's self.

In addition to pairing them (and I would add the un-numbered with XXI), the other question I would add is how the outer manifestation is internalised, or is completed, by the post-X correlation.

Also, the sequence, as paired, towards spiritual awakening.

Wonderful reflections, and a method that I personally prefer to introduce right from the beginning as one journeys through the deck.

Keslynn said:

So here goes... *bowing before the Marseilles masters*

Click to expand...

Then you can stand in front of a mirror and bow to yourself.

Wonderful work you've done there. And you've got me pondering about l'Amoureux and La Maison Dieu. All sorts of things have come to mind. Maybe I'll share them one day, maybe not. Sometimes it's just enjoyable to read other people's discoveries instead of one's own.

*Diana sits back and waits for more posts and threads from Keslynn.*

jmd said:

Just two brief examples: VI & XVI

In the first, we have an arrow about to be released and pierce the heart of the loved one, resulting in, amongst other things, a tumulteous turning around within the established home - felt like a lightning bolt that turns things in turmoil (but also, how divinely wonderful);

Click to expand...

And one of the old names for the tower card is 'the arrow'.

Kwaw

Keslynn: Keep up the good work, and please continue
to confidently express your ideas (and feelings) always.
Exploring and discovering one's "core beliefs" is what
I have found Tarot study to be all about. Here's mine:

XVII > V >< XII < Le Fol
II > VI >< XIIII < XIII
... > VII >< XV < ...
XX > VIII >< XVI < IIII
XXI > VIIII >< XVIII < I
XI > X >< XVIIII < III

Beginning with V (Aries) and going through XVIIII (Pisces),
this peculiar diagram shows how the Major Arcana dovetails
together by Sign, Planetary Exaltation, and the 3 Elements.
It's as perfect as my poor imagination may comprehend and
utterly incomprehensible to anyone in the world but me.

Wonderful interpretations - I'm learning so much.

La Justice and La Lune
This is another one I'm having trouble with. I got nothing.

Click to expand...

Scruples & fairplay even in the darkest hour. Justice is a two edged sword, seeing through personal motives so that we don't delude ourselves as to the true justice of the matter.

Just my ponderings.

jmd said:

In the first, we have an arrow about to be released and pierce the heart of the loved one, resulting in, amongst other things, a tumulteous turning around within the established home - felt like a lightning bolt that turns things in turmoil (but also, how divinely wonderful);

Click to expand...

It's so funny because I noticed that last night when I sat down to re-examine after posting. I'm becoming quite taken with the Marseilles. I feel like I am still L'Amoureaux, working with both decks (RWS + Marseilles) but so attracted to the Marseilles. As I get further into my love affair, I feel like I am reaching La Maison Dieu, with all those wonderful sparks of wisdom floating in the air.

milfoil said:

Scruples & fairplay even in the darkest hour. Justice is a two edged sword, seeing through personal motives so that we don't delude ourselves as to the true justice of the matter.

Click to expand...

I like your comments on this pairing, Milfoil. I was also thinking that Justice might be the surface and La Lune could be the mechanisms under the surface that actually make Justice work. We like to pretend that Justice isn't as messy as all that, but it's not so cut and dried.

Thank you all for your kind words.

Kes

Keslynn, this is interesting - I like your thoughts.

I was thinking of II-La Papesse and XII-Le Pendu pairing: both visually and philosophically I see the notion of gestation - the Papesse who is sitting on her knowledge (waiting for its physical or mental materialisation -hence her position as Mother); and Le Pendu, whose upside-down suspension reminds us of a foetus.

VIII -La Justice and XVIII - La Lune
I have trouble seeing La Lune in this negative, fear-inducing way, though I know it can be that too (it was my card on Monday, and definitely described the melancholy mood I was in that morning) - I tend to view its more positive qualities - inspiration, unconscious wellsprings, the night that bears counsel in a different way from the day, that illuminates elements we might not have considered. Don't we say "I'll sleep on it" before making a decision? So maybe the connection between Justice and the Moon is through the decision-making process?