Subj: RE: TAROT CARD LISTING AND EXPLANATIO
Newsgroups: alt.magick
From: ed@cwis.unomaha.edu (Ed Stastny)
Subject: Re: Tarot card listing and explanations
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1993 14:18:22 GMT

Welp...I'm answering my own call!  I went to the library and compiled
this list.  Forgive me if it contains some obscure references to a
collaboration project...I'm just to lazy to take them back out (plus, it
might intice you to join the fun!)....


        -------------------------------------------------------------
        THE DECK

        There are 78 cards in the entire Tarot deck.  The deck is
        divided into two groups, the Minor Arcana and the Major
        Arcana.  The Minor Arcana resembles, in some ways, the
        traditional playing card deck.  It consists of 56 cards, 14
        cards of each of 4 suits.

        The Major Arcana is a group of 22 individually named cards,
        each with a distinct meaning and symbolism.  These cards are
        often called the "Triumph" cards and feature the Tarot
        "celebrities" like "Death", "The Devil" and "The Fool".

        To follow is a list of Tarot cards that may be rendered for the
        ARCANA project along with a list of common symbols and
        interpretations that pertain to the suits and cards.  It's
        recommended that you do some of your own research on the
        topic, a bibliography will be provided in the ARCANA directory
        of the FTP site under the name "biblio.txt".
                ^^^^^
                (sunsite.unc.edu /pub/multimedia/pictures/OTIS/ARCANA)

        The cards listed will each be accompanied by a
        brief summary of common imagery used and traditional
        meanings/interpretations.  Though the card-code is mandatory,
        the meanings and symbolism expressed and used by the cards
        you design doesn't have to follow those expressed here...though
        it would be keen to use stick to the traditional cards in some
        regard.

        ------- THE MINOR ARCANA -------

        There are four suits in the Minor Arcana: Pentacles, Wands,
        Cups and Swords. Each suit consists of 14 cards: ace(1), 2 through
        10, Page, Knight, Queen and King.  The latter four cards are
        called the "Court Cards".

        [collaboration project info taken out for brevity]

        Each suit holds it's own traditional sphere of influence and
        meaning. Indeed, each card of every suit holds some special
        significance.  I'll provide the general overviews here.  If
        you're curious as to individual interpretations, please take
        a look at some of the books in the bibliography.

        PENTACLES (money, coins, stars, pentagrams)
                Lowest suit of the deck.
                Symbolism/Interpretation: pure sensation, material gain,
                                           man, winter, new moon, night,
                                          old age, four elements of
                                          human nature

        WANDS (leaf, wands, tree-branches, twigs)
                Symbolism/Interpretation: fire, inspiration, intellect,
                                          creativity, glory, air,
                                            feasting, dawn, childhood,
                                          animation, growth, will

        CUPS (grail, chalice, mugs, vessels, water)
                Symbolism/Interpretation: intuition, water, pleasure,
                                          merriment, powers of water,
                                          instincts, lovemaking, lion,
                                          summer, full moon, noon,
                                          youth, love and happiness

        SWORDS (blades, swords)
                Symbolism/Interpretation: air, thought, misfortune,
                                          intellect, trouble, sadness,
                                          sickness, death, powers of
                                          air, aggression, strife,
                                          stress, authority, autumn,
                                          last quarter of moon, evening,
                                          maturity, hatred, the bull


        -------- THE MAJOR ARCANA ---------

        There are 22 cards, numbered 0 through 21, in the Major Arcana.
        Each represents an individual character or force and holds it's
        own unique traditional meanings.

        [more collab info deleted, for your pleasure]

        Listed here are the 22 cards and brief descriptions gleaned
        from a few of the books in the bibliography.

        0- The Fool: a jester figure, sometimes shown beginning a
                     journey and being attacked by some sort of cat,
                     sometimes accompanied by a dog, representing
                     impulse, birth and youth
                     Associated with URANUS

        1- The Magician: sometimes shown as a juggler or illusionist
                         at a fair, sometimes playing with the symbols
                         of the four suits, representing consciousness,
                         sense of self, control, dexterity
                         Associated with MERCURY

        2- High Priestess or Papess: shown as a female religious leader,
                         representing women's liberation, wisdom,
                         independence
                         Associated with the MOON

        3- Empress: shown as queen on throne or mother goddess,
                    representing illumination, intelligence,
                    understanding, maternity, creativity
                    Associated with VENUS

        4- Emperor: sometimes shown holding sphere and scepter, king on
                    throne, representing sight, vision, realization,
                    power, strength
                    Associated with ARIES

        5- Hierophant or Pope: sometimes shown as pope seated on throne,
                               religious leader, representing the
                               link between god and man, spiritual
                               discovery, paternal, transcendent, teacher
                               Associated with TAURUS

        6- Lovers: shown as two people orbited by cupids, flowerbeds,
                   representing struggle, beauty, sovereignty,
                   synthesis, union
                   Associated with GEMINI

        7- Chariot: sometimes shown as warriors parading triumphant in
                    chariot or an icon of a hero being paraded around,
                    representing victory, domination of man over nature,
                    power, war, self-control
                    Associated with CANCER

        8- Strength or Lust: representing love as a source of strength,
                             endurance, will to survive, strong desires,
                             perserverence
                             Associated with LEO

        9- Hermit: representing withdrawal, solitude, abandonment of
                   convention via inner conviction, preoccupation with
                   details, often shown as a hermit holding an hourglass
                   Associated with VIRGO

        10- Wheel of Fortune: representing karma, reincarnation,
                        consequences of chance happenings, cycles,
                        motifs, optimism, generosity
                        Associated with JUPITER

        11- Justice: often shown as "lady justice" (blindfolded with
                     scale), representing decision, equilibrium
                     Associated with LIBRA

        12- Hanged Man: representing sacrifice, violence, transition
                        Associated with NEPTUNE

        13- Death: often shown as skeleton or grim reaper, representing
                   stagnation, constipated, sticking in a rut, beginning
                   anew, clean slate, liberation, renewal
                   Associated with SCORPIO

        14- Temperance or Art: representing enthusiasm, moderation,
                        truthfulness, mixing of opposite ingredients in
                        proper proportion, working together
                        Associated with SAGITTARIUS

        15- The Devil: representing superficiality, confusion,
                       ignorance, apathy, limitations, unconscious mind,
                       police, sexual problems
                       Associated with CAPRICORN

        16- The Tower: representing downing of the defenses, spiritual
                       awakening, destiny, often shown as "house of god"
                       or a ruins
                       Associated with MARS

        17- The Star: representing meditation, inexhaustible
                      inspiration, hope, immortality, often shown as a
                      woman kneeling on a sea shore
                      Associated with AQUARIUS

        18- The Moon: representing illusion, self-deception, confusion,
                      primitivity
                      Associated with PISCES

        19- The Sun: representing enlightenment, clarity, understanding,
                     comprehension, wisdom, happiness, splendor
                     Associated with THE SUN

        20- Judgment or Aeon: often showing angels blowing trumpets,
                               representing awakening to new, rebirth
                               Associated with PLUTO

        21- The World or Universe: representing conscious of
                                   limitations, prize, reward,
                                   perfection, unity of positive and
                                   negative
                                   Associated with SATURN

ed@sunsite.unc.edu   | OTIS digital net-gallery, GIFs, JPGs, animations
PO BX 241113         | FTP: sunsite.unc.edu (/pub/multimedia/pictures/OTIS)
Omaha, NE 68124-1113 |      aql.gatech.edu (/pub/OTIS)
ed@cwis.unomaha.edu  |      141.214.4.135 (projects/otis)

