Let’s start our exploration of Sagittarius in the tarot with
the Major Arcana. In astrology,
Sagittarius is the last of the three Fire signs that we encounter as we go
around the zodiac – the first being Aries, the second Leo. It’s the mutable one – taking what’s been
established in Scorpio and transforming it into something else. It combines fiery passion and creativity with
the expansiveness and benevolence of Jupiter, its ruler, to give us the
visionary, the explorer, the philosopher.
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Temperance (trimmed):
© Sharman-Burke Caselli Tarot
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The key word for me here is ‘transforming’ – that ability to
take what we have and change it, to temper it... ah, you’ll see where I’m going
with this now! In the astrological
correspondence system for the tarot that I follow, the Major Arcana card
associated with Sagittarius is Temperance.
It’s THE alchemical card, for me – all those symbols of alchemy present
in most depictions of the card. In the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot we see an angel
pouring liquid from one cup to the other.
An angel also appears in the Sharman-Burke/Caselli version (Beginners Guide to Tarot); here the alchemy
is emphasized by the colours of the cups – gold and silver. There’s a need for flow between the conscious
and unconscious, indicated by the flow between left and right hands, as well as
one foot being on land and one in water. The rainbow symbolizes promise, as
does the sun. So, transformation gives
us the link to the mutable nature of Sagittarius, but what about the Fire?
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XIV Art(trimmed):
© Thoth Tarot
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Well, fire plays an essential part in alchemy – some of the
main alchemical processes take place in a furnace. The Crowley Thoth tarot’s version of
Temperance, entitled ‘Art’, depicts the alchemical union of fire and
water. We see here the lion and eagle,
representing the Fixed signs of Leo (Fire) and Scorpio (Water), on either side
of the cauldron, balancing each other.
While water can extinguish fire, it can also join together with fire to
form steam – which we see rising through the centre of the card, forming two
rainbows enveloping the woman’s shoulders. Again, that symbol of hope and
promise – which is part of the Sagittarian’s vision.
This symbolism also
appears in the Druid Craft Tarot’s Fferyllt, the Druid alchemist.
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XIV The Fferyllt (trimmed):
© Druid Craft Tarot
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(The actual alchemical process associated with Sagittarius
is that of ceration – the softening
of hard material, achieved by continuously adding a liquid to a hard, dry
substance while it’s being heated, ending up with something the consistency of
molten wax. That’s a simplification, of
course... and there are a number of different definitions.)
Margarete Petersen calls this card 'Mediatrix' in her deck, reflecting the idea of moderating but in more of a mediating way. Mediation is a form of tempering, bringing together opposing sides and trying to find a more 'tempered' solution. In the image both light and dark are represented - the light and warmth of the sun, the cold and dark of the unknown/universe, separated by Iris' rainbow.
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Mediatrix (trimmed):
© Margarete
Petersen Tarot
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Alchemist angel
Carefully
measures, tempers,
From lead produce gold.
So then, Temperance – or Art, if you will – is about uniting, integrating, blending, bringing things into balance and harmony, drawing on Sagittarius’ mutability and, if you think of this as an alchemical process, on fieriness!
If you’ve enjoyed this post, you might be interested in my
e-book, Astrology in Tarot, now
available from Amazon.
Beginner’s Guide to
the Tarot created by Juliet Sharman-Burke, illustrated
by Giovanni Caselli, published by Connections
DruidCraft Tarot created by Philip
Carr-Gomm and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Will Worthington, published
by Connections
Margarete Petersen Tarot,
AGM-URANIA/Deep Books, 2004.
Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by
Lady Frieda Harris, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
