Planetary Energies and the Tarot: Seven Daily Meditations
AUTHORS NOTE: The seven days of the week all have a planet associated with them, and there are seven “planetary” trump cards in the tarot. Both the planetary energy-of-the-day and the related trump card create an environmental theme or situational backdrop against which the events of the 24-hour period play out. Thirty-six of the Minor Arcana also have a planetary connection that can be used to assess the mundane circumstances for the day in which they apply, and each of them has a court card attached to it (as shown in the Golden Dawn’s “Chaldean” zodiac at the bottom of this essay) that offers social or psychological commentary. The combined influence of the planet and trump card would be primary but more atmospheric or attenuated, while the subordinate card’s energy would be specific and immediate. (An ideal use for this approach might be short-term weather forecasting, with both seasonal and diurnal considerations.)
Following is a list of correspondences, accompanied by suggestions on how it can be used both for contemplation and for evaluating daily concerns and conditions. Cards in bold type are elementally cooperative — either friendly or supportive — with their trump card (and other daily trumps of the same element); cards in plain text are unsympathetic. Fire is friendly with Fire and Air, mutually supportive with Earth and unfriendly with Water; Water is friendly with Water and Earth, mutually supportive with Air and unfriendly with Fire; Air is Friendly with Air and Fire, mutually supportive with Water and unfriendly with Earth; Earth is friendly with Earth and Water, mutually supportive with Fire and unfriendly with Air. Elemental pairs can be cooperative, neutral or antagonistic.
Monday
Planet: Moon
Trump Card: Priestess (Water)
Court Cards (Thoth Deck): Prince of Pentacles; Prince of Wands; Queen of Swords; Knight of Wands; Knight of Cups
Minor Arcana: 6 of Disks (Moon in Taurus); 4 of Cups (Moon in Cancer); 2 of Swords (Moon in Libra); 9 of Wands (Moon in Sagittarius); 7 of Swords (Moon in Aquarius)
Tuesday
Planet: Mars
Trump Card: Tower (Fire)
Court Cards (Thoth Deck): Queen of Wands; Knight of Swords; Knight of Pentacles; Prince of Cups; Queen of Pentacles
Minor Arcana: 2 of Wands (Mars in Aries); 9 of Swords (Mars in Gemini); 7 of Wands (Mars in Leo); 5 of Wands (Mars in Scorpio); 3 of Disks (Mars in Capricorn): 10 of Cups (Mars in Pisces)
Wednesday
Planet: Mercury
Trump Card: Magician (Air)
Court Cards (Thoth Deck): Knight of Pentacles; Queen of Cups; Queen of Swords; Knight of Wands; Prince of Swords
Minor Arcana: 5 of Disks (Mercury in Taurus); 3 of Cups (Mercury in Cancer); 10 of Disks (Mercury in Virgo); 8 of Wands (Mercury in Sagittarius); 6 of Swords (Mercury in Aquarius)
Thursday
Planet: Jupiter
Trump Card: Wheel of Fortune (Fire)
Court Cards (Thoth Deck): Knight of Swords; Prince of Wands; Prince of Cups; Queen of Pentacles; Knight of Cups
Minor Arcana: 8 Of Swords (Jupiter in Gemini); 6 of Wands (Jupiter in Leo); 4 of Swords (Jupiter in Libra); 2 of Disks (Jupiter in Capricorn); 9 of Cups (Jupiter in Pisces)
Friday
Planet: Venus
Trump Card: Empress (Earth)
Court Cards (Thoth Deck): Prince of Pentacles; Queen of Cups; Knight of Pentacles; Knight of Wands; Prince of Swords
Minor Arcana: 4 of Wands (Venus in Aries); 2 of Cups (Venus in Cancer); 9 of Disks (Venus in Virgo); 7 of Cups (Venus in Scorpio); 5 of Swords (Venus in Aquarius)
Saturday
Planet: Saturn
Trump Card: World (Earth)
Court Cards (Thoth Deck): Knight of Swords; Prince of Wands; Queen of Swords; Queen of Pentacles; Knight of Cups
Minor Arcana: 7 of Disks (Saturn in Taurus); 5 of Wands (Saturn in Leo); 3 of Swords (Saturn in Libra); 10 of Wands (Saturn in Sagittarius); 8 of Cups (Saturn in Pisces)
Sunday
Planet: Sun
Trump Card: Sun (Fire)
Court Cards (Thoth Deck): Queen of Wands; Queen of Cups; Knight of Pentacles; Prince of Cups; Prince of Swords; Minor Arcana: Sun in Aries (3 of Wands); 10 of Swords (Sun in Gemini); 8 of Disks (Sun in Virgo); 6 of Cups (Sun in Scorpio); 4 of Disks (Sun in Capricorn)
To use this template for a weekly reading, separate the seven planetary trump cards from the deck and lay them face-up in a left-to-right line from Monday (Priestess) to Sunday (Sun); set the rest of the trump cards aside. Shuffle the 56 court and pip cards while concentrating on the week ahead and deal seven of them face-up from left-to-right beneath the trump cards; allowing for reversals is recommended to add nuance to the complexion of each day. If a random card that is listed in bold type above lands with a trump card that is of a friendly or supportive element, for the duration of that day it will be empowered “for good or ill” according to its inherent nature and its upright or reversed orientation. If a plain-text card lands with a trump of an unfriendly element, it’s influence on the affairs of the day will be less noticeable when it is upright, but it could be counterproductive or even obstructive if it is reversed.
Interpret the planetary energy-of-the day and the associated trump card as establishing the daily climate and setting the “tone” for the conditions described by the random card, which should be read as the kind of circumstances and events that may surface during that time. For example, although with Mars and the Tower in residence Tuesday may seem like the most ominous day of every week, a highly positive card like the 6 of Wands (even though it’s an expression of Jupiter and not Mars) would be tremendously energized by landing upright in that position. (I’m thinking of Jodorowsky’s unique view of the Tower: “What shall I celebrate today?”) Conversely, “Jupiter’s day” (Thursday) exudes optimism due to its namesake, the “Greater Benefic” of astrology, but a “wet-blanket” card like the 5 of Cups (a Mars and not a Jupiter card) landing there would feel like being ambushed with a water-balloon. (See below for an example reading covering the week of June 3–9, 2024.)
If you’re going to meditate in a philosophical or mystical way on the combination of planetary and cartomantic energies rather than attempting divination with them, the recommendation to use reversals can be ignored. For meditation purposes, try taking the planetary and trump card qualities and any one of the bold-type Minor Arcana and create a “mental projection” about their their interaction; then try it with the plain-text pip cards.
On Monday, the energies are elementally congenial (Water and Earth), suggesting cultivation and nurturing. However, Jupiter is uncomfortable in Capricorn (it sign of fall, opposite to its exaltation in Cancer), making me think “Back to work!” for many of us. The weather could be mild and slow to change.
Tuesday brings a double dose of fiery heat. But the reversal of the Knight of Wands could rein in its impulsiveness and inconstancy, which would be a good thing. A fine day to do something that requires tremendous energy and enthusiasm but not one to take risks. You may have to deal with an overly assertive individual who has an ax to grind, probably male. The weather could be hot and generally dry but with a chance of thunderstorms; beware of sunstroke.
Wednesday offers a mix of Air and Water, which are mutually neutral and supportive. It could be a day of mental dyspepsia, bringing an inability to grapple with the simplest of problems. Take off the thinking cap and let your bottled-up emotions flow. Weather-wise, it implies a “washout” with persistent rain; stay indoors and don’t think too hard about what you’re letting slide.
Thursday is another energetic day, with a doubling of Fire energy. If there is something that needs changing, this is a day to tackle it with an expectation of positive results. However, with the Prince of Wands reversed, there can be a tendency to leave tasks unfinished, diminishing the benefit. A less-industrious friend may want you to “come out to play” (the idle grasshopper to your diligent ant), further undermining your intentions. The weather could be moderately hot and breezy.
Friday is the “flip-side” of Monday, with compatible Earth and Water energies in relative balance but with less fluidity in the equation. The 5 of Cups could become impatient with the lax attitude of the Empress, suggesting frustration. The weather looks to be warm and wet.
Saturday “doubles down” on Earth energy, with a chance to make practical gains in one’s affairs. However, with the 9 of Disks reversed there may be difficulty finding the groove, which seems to advise starting early or not at all. I foresee a cool, cloudy day.
Sunday delivers antagonistic Fire and Water influences, promising a day of false starts (or “starts-and-stops”) and resistance to one’s will and purpose. Although the Knight of Cups is a “steam-powered” card of fiery Water energy, it’s reversal takes its concentration down a notch, suggesting that it will lose momentum under the fierce glare of the Sun. An unwelcome guest may come to call, further derailing your plans. The weather prediction is for gathering clouds producing heavy overcast with a chance of rain; not a good day for an outing or picnic.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on June 1, 2024.
