Alternative Astrology:
The Images (Generating a Tarot deck)

When designing a Tarot deck based on this system, no concern was given to the number of cards that would result. The pack ended up as 76 cards, only two short of real world Tarot decks.

The pack is divided into five suits corresponding to the five elements, with fifteen cards each, for a total of 75 cards. The 76th card (numbered 0) is, of course, the Ghost.

There are no pip cards. Within each suit the cards are organised into three 'tiers' of five cards corresponding to the three steps of the relevant element. Each tier consists of a central card representing the step, and four cards surrounding that representing particular aspects of that step. This structure echoes the 'four corners' elemental diagram, but the positions are rotated so the surrounding concepts correspond to the 'diagonal' attributes Male/Female and Dry/Wet.

It should be noted when using the pack that the allocation of certain images to the Male and Female positions is reversible, depending on the sex of the Querent.


The Suit of FIRE

PowerEnterpriseIdealism
Centre:The TorchThe LeverThe Rocket
Male:Purifying FlameThe CrafterThe Sun
Dry:The SeedlingStrengthThe Architect
Female:The InnocentThe ToolSacrifice
Wet:The SeekerAdaptationThe Archer

The Suit of EARTH

FormStatusVolition
Centre:The RingThe CrownThe Shield/Wheel
Male:The MerchantThe RulerOppression
Dry:NatureManagementViolence
Female:The Earth-MotherThe ConsortFreedom
Wet:The HomeAmbitionWill

The Suit of AIR

IntellectBalanceHumanism
Centre:The ScalpelThe ScalesThe Pen
Male:UnderstandingJudgementWords
Dry:SanityFortuneTeacher
Female:MemoryAdjustmentSymbols
Wet:ChoiceJusticeTransfer

The Suit of WATER

ExperienceEmotionMorality
Centre:The CornucopiaThe FlaskThe Grail
Male:MayaThe FriendThe Priest
Dry:Base DesireThe FamilyMystery
Female:The MoonThe LoverThe Priestess
Wet:Mystic DesireThe QuestRevelation

The Suit of SPIRIT

ImageExpressionSynthesis
Centre:The MirrorThe MasksThe Lamp
Male:The ArtistThe ActorThe Savant
Dry:VisionThe MusicianThe Universe
Female:The HealerThe DancerDeath
Wet:The StarThe JugglerTime

The GHOST

Unknown

This page originally found at http://www.elvwood.org/Mysticism/TarotImages.html
Last updated: 14 March 2002

Notices & Disclaimers

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