The “Zodiacal Strip” Monthly Astro-Tarot Reading
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is not nearly as messy as it looks. Those who are familiar with astrology will be able to make good sense of it.
Here is a different take on the 12-position astrological spread that I adapted from Donald Tyson’s book, Tarot Magic. It uses the twelve zodiacal trump cards and the seven planetary trump cards in a manner similar to Tyson, but it lays out the zodiacal trumps in a row reminiscent of the series of panels in an old-fashioned newspaper comic-strip, after which the planetary trumps displaying the current “sky pattern” are placed below them in the array. (The three “Primary Elemental” trumps, the Fool, the Hanged Man and Judgement, are not used with this spread.)
The sequence begins with the card corresponding to the sign that is rising on the eastern horizon (along with the Sun) at dawn on the first day of the zodiacal month, on or about the 21st, and follows the usual order from there, moving left-to-right. The reading is intended to be effective until the start of the next zodiacal month, but each subsequent card is not linked to a specific range of dates within the present month. It merely defines an experiential “envelope” within which the planetary energies will play out. I recommend performing this reading at the very beginning of a new month to give circumstances ample time to unfold as predicted by the cards.
Once these twelve cards are laid down, an astrological ephemeris must be consulted to find the sign position of each of the seven traditional planets at the start of the month (the three modern planets have no place in the Golden Dawn’s system of correspondences). These placements are symbolic and will not change over the period (for example, although the Moon travels approximately 13 degrees of arc across the sky every 24 hours, that fact is not relevant to my purpose here). The seven planetary trumps are then aligned with the zodiacal trumps reflecting those positions.
Next, shuffle the 56 minor and court cards, allowing for reversal, and deal one card for each of the planetary trumps. If the card is upright, place it above the trump-card pair to represent overt events that could be encountered during the month; if it is reversed, lay it below the “strip” to indicate events that are likely to be more covert. In Tyson’s method, he considers the minor cards to be “realizers” that express the concrete actualization of forces evoked by the magical operation. I’ve stayed with that premise, but have assumed that those cards will show conditions that occur of their own volition, while I’m proposing the court cards as “achievers” that offer an opportunity to control and direct the influence.
After laying these additional seven cards, examine the angular relationships between the signs emphasized by the card combinations. Classical astrologers held that planets were “in aspect” if they occupied signs that were mixed-and-matched in various ways according to the “whole-sign” (30-degree segment) approach to the zodiac, regardless of the actual number of degrees between their locations (in other words, aspect orbs were meaningless). For example, all planets in Fire signs were either conjunct when in the same sign or trine when located anywhere within other two. In this exercise I’m only using amplifying conjunctions between neighboring planets; discordant squares in signs 90 degrees apart; harmonious trines in those 120 degrees distant; and tension-producing oppositions when they are separated by 180 degrees. The 60-degree “sextile” aspects may be useful if there are no other major connections present; otherwise I intend to ignore them.
Begin reading the spread by focusing on those zodiacal positions that have both a planetary trump card and a “realizer” or “achiever” card associated with them (the others will just create “background noise” during the month, like unoccupied signs in a horoscope). This is where the “action is likely to occur during the coming weeks. The relationship between the three should be analyzed according to the principles of “elemental dignity” (e.g. Fire is friendly to Fire and Air, unfriendly to Water and neutral to Earth; Water is friendly to Water and Earth and neutral to Air; Air is friendly to Air and unfriendly to Earth; and Earth is friendly to Earth). When empowered by auspicious dignity, the “realizer” or “achiever” card will produce the effect indicated by the nature of that card (which may or may not be beneficial to the querent). If the combination is ill-dignified, the emphasis of the “realizer” or “achiever” will be diminished. These interrelationships will alter the potency of the cards involved either positively or negatively.
Once the relative strength or weakness of the “realizer” and “achiever” cards has been established, construct a narrative from these cards, going from left-to-right. Here is a detailed study of the above example reading.
The reading is for the period from January 20 to February 19, 2025. The Sun was in Aquarius on January 20, the sign on the eastern horizon at dawn, so that is the first sign of the “zodiacal strip.” The Moon was in Sagittarius; Mercury was in Capricorn; Venus was in Pisces; Mars was in Cancer; Jupiter was in Gemini and Saturn was in Pisces, so these seven zodiacal and planetary trump-card pairs will form the foundation of the reading.
In the random draw, I pulled the 9 of Cups (Happiness) reversed for the Sun’s covert emphasis; the 2 of Disks (Change) for the Moon’s overt emphasis; the 7 of Wands (Valour) for Mercury’s overt emphasis; the 5 of Swords (Defeat) for Venus’ overt emphasis; the Princess of Wands for Mars’ overt emphasis; the 4 of Cups (Luxury) reversed for Jupiter’s covert emphasis; and the 3 of Swords (Sorrow) reversed for Saturn’s covert emphasis.
Although both are reversed, the Sun’s 9 of Cups relates harmoniously to Jupiter’s 4 of Cups; the Sun and Jupiter are considered benevolent planets, suggesting that “good feelings” are percolating behind the scenes. There are no other aspects to the Sun-card pair, but it is favorably disposed toward Aquarius.
The Moon’s 2 of Disks is in a discordant relationship with Venus’ 5 of Swords and a tense one with Jupiter’s 4 of Cups reversed. The Moon is normally on good terms with both Venus and Jupiter, so these conditions may represent no more than minor irritations. The 2 of Disks is also elementally favored by the Moon trump, the Priestess, and is neutral to the Sagittarius trump, Art. Since the astrological Moon is all about cyclical change, this card should bring it about in a small but telling way.
Mercury’s 7 of Wands is in a tense relationship with the Princess of Wands, but they are elementally attuned, so the Princess may be challenged to “put her money where her mouth is” but will not otherwise be hampered. The 7 of Wands is elementally friendly with the Mercury trump, the Magus, and neutral to the Capricorn trump, the Devil, so it should be able to pursue its task of goading the Princess without too much fanfare.
Venus’ 5 of Swords is in a harmonious relationship with the Princess of Wands, helping her to “sharpen her wits” in confronting the 7 of Wands. The 5 of Swords is also in close affinity with the 3 of Swords and in a discordant match with the 4 of Cups (as is the 3 of Swords), both of which insert a sharp “thorn in the side” of the Empress. Venus (the Lesser Benefic) and Jupiter (the Greater Benefic) are normally great friends, but this bit of nastiness could drive a wedge between them, resulting in emotional discomfort and anxiety that could remain buried. The Air of Swords is elementally hostile to the Earth of the Empress and isn’t cutting Venus any slack; however, Earth also suppresses the ruthlessness of the Swords, so I wouldn’t expect unbridled aggression, just a “bad attitude.”
The fiery Princess of Wands allied with Mars can tap into the volatile energy of the Tower without getting her fingers burned, and I think she has the 7 of Wands and the 5 of Swords (as well as the 2 of Disks by extension) under her control, making her the “mistress” of overt conditions for the coming month. While she is elementally unfriendly to the Chariot and may not see eye-to-eye with the Charioteer, they both have energetic advancement at heart.
The aspects to the 4 of Cups have already been discussed. It is elementally unfriendly to the Fire of the Wheel of Fortune, and may try to dampen the latter’s enthusiasm for change when it is applied to the decision facing the Lovers. It suggests that the Wheel is “standing in quicksand” when it should be “walking on water.”
The aspects to the 3 of Swords have already been discussed. It is elementally antagonistic to the Earth of the World and not much more sympathetic to the Water of the Moon. Its hand-wringing may aggravate the delays associated with Saturn (it is itself a “Saturn” card) and deepen the angst of the Moon.
Summary:
On the overt front, I believe the Princess of Wands will hold her own and generate achievements that overshadow the unsettled state of the other cards “above the strip,” especially if she can harness the energy of the Tower and the resolve of the Chariot. In pragmatic terms, it might be a good month to push forward on opportunistic projects or initiatives.
In covert circumstances, the 9 of Cups and the 4 of Cups are quietly minding their own business, but change is in the wind with the 2 of Disks, and that 3 of Swords drops a big rock in the placid waters. Emotional trauma may sneak up from behind, so getting too comfortable with the status quo is not advisable.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.org on January 25, 2025.
