Capricorn in the court cards

Now let’s look at Capricorn in the court cards. But which one – or ones?  For instance, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn chose to assign cardinal attributes (initiating things) to the Queens, fixed (maintaining order) to the Kings, and mutable (being able to adapt and transform) to the Knights.  Each court card is also linked to the elements, with Pages with Earth, Knights being associated with Fire, Queens with Water, and Kings with Air. 

Queen of Pentacles (trimmed):

© Universal Waite Tarot

Following this system, we end up with Cardinal Earth sign Capricorn being associated with the Queen of Pentacles (Water of Earth). What qualities do we associate with this Queen? Pragmatic, well-organized, good with finances, a loyal friend who’s always ready to listen and dispense practical advice.  As well as finances and possessions, she also represents taking care of – and taking pleasure in – the body.  We also associate her with caring for the earth – and enjoying its wealth.

Plenty of goat imagery in the Universal Waite's Queen of Pentacles! We also see plenty of symbolism around nature, a connection to the land, and the enjoyment of its riches.

Queen of Disks (trimmed):

© Thoth Tarot

The Crowley Thoth’s Queen of Disks is one of my favourite representations of this card. We see her resting in a green and fertile oasis, looking back over the barren, difficult landscape that she’s had to travel through to reach this point. The goat looks at us, rather cheekily, I always think – as if to say “see? We made it!” – reminding us of the tenaciousness and independence of the mountain goat as he surmounts obstacles in his way. We see this too in the curved horns on the Queen’s headdress.  Remember too, what we said about the goat when we looked at the Devil – that it also represents procreation and new life.  This Queen knows what she needs in order to nourish herself – and others – and has worked hard to achieve it. Now she can rest and enjoy the fruits of her labours.

King of Pentacles (trimmed):

© Sharman-Burke/Caselli Tarot

If you work with a system that assigns cardinality to the Kings, you’re looking at the King of Swords.  In the image from Juliet Sharman-Burke’s Beginners’ Guide to the Tarot, we see the King on his throne, adorned with carvings of goats’ heads, symbolizing Capricorn and the steady, determined hard work that’s helped him to realize his ambition. Behind him we see his castle and grounds – symbols of his achievement, both in terms of material success but also of his status in society. They also appear to be on top of a mountain, reminding me of the sure-footed-ness of the mountain goat as he picks his way around obstacles in his way to the top. Security and stability have been gained through effort and sheer determination, and the King is now in a position to share this wisely and generously.

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

Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Universal Waite Tarot created by Mary Hanson-Roberts & Pamela Colman-Smith, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Capricorn in the Minor Arcana: The Two of Pentacles

Of all the cards in the tarot that have associations with Capricorn (in the system of correspondences that I follow), the one that seems most appropriate for my last blog of 2017 is the Two of Pentacles, linked to the first ten days of Capricorn. Why? Because the association I use is that of Jupiter in Capricorn.  Big, expansive, benevolent Jupiter – in the cardinal, initiating, down-to-earth, practical sign of the sea-goat... Just what we need as we approach a new year: sea-change.

Jupiter in Capricorn symbolizes looking to expand and grow through hard work. Self-discipline will be required in order make progress – which will be steady but sure.  There’s plenty of optimism around, as long as the Saturnian side of Capricorn (remember this sign is ruled by Saturn) isn’t allowed to constrict that expansive faith and confidence by becoming too serious or fearful.  The faith and optimism of Jupiter here is rooted in reality and experience – while the opportunities for change and development come through reliability, sense of responsibility, and patience.

Two of Pentacles (trimmed):

© Universal Waite Tarot

So how might this play out in the Two of Pentacles?  Let’s start with a relatively ‘traditional’ depiction of this card – as illustrated here by the Universal Waite deck. Here we see the familiar figure juggling two pentacles.  Keeping things up in the air, keeping things moving, allowing for change and fluctuation.  The ships, representing fortune (Jupiter also being associated with luck and fortune), are making steady progress through choppy but not life-threatening waves.  And the lemniscate, the symbol for infinity (from the Latin lemniscus, meaning ‘ribbon’), surrounding the two pentacles in the RWS version reminds us that the only constant is change!

Two of Pentacles (trimmed):

© Shadowscapes Tarot

The Shadowscapes deck gives us a more 'ethereal' image to work with, but the idea of juggling, keeping things moving, is still there.  The dragon or iguana or lizard, however you see it, on which the juggler stands, to me is a symbol of fire - you need to keep the fires burning in order for gas to expand (thinking here of Jupiter as one of the 'hot gas' planets).  Heat (in terms of temperature) is also part of the equation of state or thermodynamic equation...without delving too much into the science, I see this as a reminder that fire (Jupiter) is needed to make things happen (Capricorn)!

Two of Stones (trimmed):

© Wildwood Tarot

Then there's the Wildwood Tarot. Although not created with astrology in mind, we can still see the need to keep a balance between things, even when sparring! It requires a firm base to stand on, so that we feel grounded, as well as a willingness to fight to establish ourselves - that's the link to Capricorn. Through that hard work, new possibilities and opportunities open up - for both hares. 

Two of Disks (trimmed):

© Thoth Tarot

One of my favourite versions of this card comes from the Thoth deck. The serpent is coiled in the shape of the lemniscates, which we also see in the pattern of the juggled pentacles in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck.  In the loops formed by the coils, we see the yin and yang symbols, representing balance and harmony - and both internal and external change - which will bring the stability and security so important to Capricorn.  The boundless optimism of Jupiter initiating change for the better - good fortune, health, stability, and harmony ... a great message as we move into the new year! 

Shadowscapes Tarot created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn

Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Universal Waite Tarot created by Mary Hanson-Roberts & Pamela Colman-Smith, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Wildwood Tarot created by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Here comes the Sun!

XIX The Sun (trimmed):

© Margarete Petersen Tarot

The Sun, the astrological ruler of Leo, is also represented in the tarot’s Major Arcana by, of course, the Sun card! 

Our sun is the source of all warmth and light; it’s the centre of our solar system. It’s a star. Margarete Petersen has truly captured this in her image of The Sun!

Warmth and light, and being the centre of the solar system are certainly Leonine themes – Leos want to be the star, in the spot-light, on centre stage.  So, how does this show up in the Sun in the tarot?  We associate happiness, joy, child-like pleasure, love of life with this card, all of which fit the image of Leo!

XIX The Sun (trimmed):

© Universal Waite Tarot

In the traditional Rider-Waite-based decks, we have a white horse, representing life.  The child obviously symbolizes child-like joy in the simple pleasures of life, as well as being an image of renewal.   Interesting to think that neither the child nor the horse (we assume!) is concerned about what might happen next – both are very much ‘in the moment’, living for now, taking pleasure in the present.  One could say, well, isn’t that the same as The Fool?  In a sense, perhaps, but there’s a difference.  Astrologically, the sun rules the day, while the other luminary, the moon, rules the night.  The sun shines; we see things in the ‘clear light of day’, so you might say that the sun is linked to the conscious self, or rational thought. The moon, on the other hand, doesn’t shine – we see it thanks to the light of the sun, which is reflected off the surface of the moon.   No wonder, then, that the moon/Moon is linked to what’s not seen clearly, to illusion, to the imagination, the unconscious.  Remember - we looked at The Moon in the tarot earlier in the year, when we were in the sign of Pisces.

XIX The Sun (trimmed):

© Thoth Tarot

The Sun follows The Moon in the tarot – with the break of day comes clarity.  The sun can often carry a sense of optimism. How many people do you know who find their spirits lifting on a beautiful sunny day?  What might have seemed impossible in the dark of the night now seems possible.  Yet we need the dark of the night, the Moon time, to rest – otherwise we might burn ourselves out in all that solar energy!

In some decks we see sunflowers or other gold and orange flowers, as well as oranges – called, by some, ‘solar fruit’.  We might also see signs of laurel, symbolizing success.

In the Thoth, the horse disappears and we see two children dancing instead. They dance for the sheer joy and fun of it, celebrating the freedom of the moment.  

XIX The Sun (trimmed):

© Shadowscapes Tarot

In the Shadowscapes, we see the King of the Birds in all his solar glory...not flying too close to the Sun, though, as Icarus did.

19 The Sun(trimmed):

© Wildwood Tarot

In the Wildwood, we have a single figure against the backdrop of a blazing sun, with flowers bursting into bloom in the light and warmth of the sun’s rays. Joy, strength, good health... the warmth enters our bodies and ‘lights our fire’, enthusing and exhilarating us!  Go on – go and do something for the sheer fun of it!

Margarete Petersen Tarot, AGM-URANIA/Deep Books, 2004.

Shadowscapes Tarot created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn

Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Universal Waite Tarot created by Mary Hanson-Roberts & Pamela Colman-Smith, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Wildwood Tarot created by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Cancer in the tarot... ruled by the Moon: the High Priestess

The ruler of Cancer is the Moon, so I thought it might be fun to have a quick look at the card in the tarot that’s associated with it. It’s not the Moon card, as you might imagine - that corresponds to Pisces - but the High Priestess. 

When we think of the High Priestess, we think of mystery, the unconscious, wisdom, intuition, inner guides – all of which come under the auspices of the Moon.  In many depictions of the Priestess, we see a crescent Moon – something new starting to grow deep in the unconscious, that we may not be fully aware of at a conscious level, the New Moon representing unrealized potential.  That depth of feeling feeds into all of the cards associated with the sign of Cancer.

The High Priestess (trimmed):

© Universal Waite Tarot

Traditional depictions of the High Priestess show her sitting between two pillars, often – but not always – black and white, symbolizing her role as bringing together opposites. She carries the number ‘2’ in the Major Arcana, reminding us not only of the early stages, the newness of the Fool’s Journey, but also that duality.  She acts as a conduit between the conscious and unconscious – the creativity and intuition that can link the two realms.

She sits in front of a curtain or veil, behind which can sometimes be seen water, symbolizing the unknown – the mystery.  The High Priestess represents our intuition, something long linked with the Moon – the need to trust our instincts, to look inwards for answers, rather than to the outer world.  The Moon has come to symbolize the feminine, as well as psychic energy.  Through the Moon’s rulership of Cancer, a water sign, we see the links between the formlessness of water and the shapeless unconscious.

The Priestess (trimmed):

© Thoth Tarot

The High Priestess often holds a scroll, which in some decks carries the letters ‘TORA’.  Unlike the Jewish Torah, which is unrolled every Sabbath in order to read its wisdom, the High Priestess’ scroll remains rolled up, keeping its secrets.  To uncover them, we have to reach within; we have to learn to listen to our intuition in order to unearth the truth.

In both the Thoth and the Haindl decks, we see the Hebrew letter ‘gimel’, meaning camel – in fact, at the bottom of the Thoth’s High Priestess, a camel appears. This represents the idea of emotional self-sufficiency, the Moon being all about our emotional needs.  Like the camel, which can go long distances without additional water, we contain the resources – the ‘fertile oases’ depicted at the bottom of the card - within us that are needed to sustain us on an emotional level.

The High Priestess (trimmed):

© Haindl Tarot

The Haindl’s version of the High Priestess also shows us the rune ‘Ur’, meaning ‘aurochs’ as well as ‘rain’.  The aurochs, an extinct European bison, reminds us that both the buffalo and the cow have been symbols for the goddess in many cultures – the feminine...bringing us back to the Moon again.  The crescent Moon is often seen reflected in the shape of the horns.

‘Ur’ is also known as the rune of secret passage – the flow of intuition between those two pillars seen in the more traditional images of the High Priestess – and can also mean ancient, primal. Again, the High Priestess takes us deeper, to an instinctive level, leaving the conditioning of the conscious world on the other side of the veil.

Haindl Tarot, created by Hermann Haindl, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Universal Waite Tarot created by Mary Hanson-Roberts & Pamela Colman-Smith, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Gemini in the Minor Arcana: The Ten of Swords

The Ten of Swords, in the astrological correspondence system I follow, is linked to the Sun in Gemini – and to the final ten days in this sign.   The Sun brings out the creativity in Gemini, inspiring new ways of thinking, of acquiring information.  The Sun in Gemini radiates mutability and mental energy – it’s talkative, happily making connections and contacts that allow complete self-expression.  The downside of this is that it may become hard to concentrate of any one thing at a time, as it will be attracted to so many different things!

Ten of Swords (trimmed):

© Universal Waite Tarot

But how does this fit with the Ten of Swords? Again, as with the Eight and Nine of Swords, it’s not easy to see the astrological associations.  This card is often linked to the ending of a phase or stage, and with the Swords being the most challenging of the four suits, the ending is perhaps not easy.  I’ve heard this card called ‘the drama queen’ – that figure lying on the ground with ten swords in his back does have the touch of the melodramatic about it!  But whatever’s ending is ending because it needs to – the situation is untenable and needs to change. The figure lies face down because we don’t want to see that this change is needed, that we want to hold on to our illusions and not admit that things have to move on. This is where I see the connection with the Sun; dawn is breaking – it’s a new day, a new start.  The rising of the sun brings hope and optimism, helping us to let go of the illusions that all’s well with the status quo, and that we have an opportunity to start afresh.

Ten of Swords (trimmed):

© Shadowscapes Tarot

The Shadowscapes' version of this card gives us that same sense of 'melodrama'; as she falls, the ravens hover above and around her like vultures, waiting for death. Not very Sun-like! The very first time I saw this card, though, I saw her being swept upwards by the red cape-like swirl, as if to show that there's a way up and out of the apparent drama. What do you think?

Ten of Swords (trimmed):

© Thoth Tarot

In the Thoth Tarot, both the Sun and Moon in Gemini are linked to this card.  The card carries the word ‘ruin’, meaning that negative thoughts can have a devastating, destructive effect.  The Moon represents a fear of going insane – destructiveness in the extreme – while the Sun symbolizes the need to shine a light on those thoughts and fears. We need to bring them into the light of day in order to defeat them.

Shadowscapes Tarot created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn

Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris. Published by US Games Systems Inc.

Universal Waite Tarot created by Mary Hanson-Roberts & Pamela Colman-Smith, published by US Games Systems, Inc.

Gemini in the court cards

Today let’s have a look at Gemini in the court cards.

Knight of Swords (trimmed):

© Universal Waite Tarot

If you work with a system that assigns the mutable mode to the Knights, as I do, you’re looking at the Knight of Swords.  Mutable Knight in a mutable sign – is it any wonder that this Knight always looks as though he’s moving so quickly?!  The Knight and his horse appear to be almost flying, in some depictions.  We’d expect this card to be about change and transformation, then, in the realm of thoughts, ideas, and beliefs. 

Knights are associated with quests, too, so this Gemini Knight is probably searching for knowledge and information, not necessarily deep wisdom but knowledge for its own sake.  As we can see, this team want to find this information quickly before dashing off again.  No wonder this Knight has the reputation for rushing into things, turning them on their heads, and then leaving in a rush!  I’m reminded of the butterfly (which we often see on the trappings of the horse), another symbol for airy Gemini, stopping briefly to gather nectar before moving onto the next flower.  

Easily bored? Another trait that’s sometimes associated with this Gemini Knight – but remember that Gemini is not about the shallow, the superficial; there’s real strength in its intellectualism. He’s likely to say what he thinks, and won’t have any problem in articulating his thoughts in a direct way. 

Prince of Swords (trimmed):

© DruidCraft Tarot

The Druid Craft Tarot has Princes, not Knights, but they express similar qualities. The Prince of Swords here looks as though he’s moving swiftly – the background’s all blurry!  

This can also indicate a radical change, a shaking-up of routines that have perhaps become too fixed, a change in studies or career – especially if it involves the collecting and absorbing of facts and ideas - or a change in the social network.  It doesn’t have to be bad - sometimes a good shake-up is needed! It’s all about stimulating and developing the mind – Gemini at work!

Knight of Swords (trimmed):

© Shadowscapes Tarot

I’m intrigued by the fact that this is the only one of the DruidCraft’s Princes whose horse wears a protective mask. The Prince carries a shield, although the Prince of Pentacles does too, so he’s not alone there.  I wonder if the spikes on the horse’s headgear and the sword and shield the Prince wields are for pushing the boundaries of his intellect (hence HEAD-gear) – a Gemini concept if ever there was! Or perhaps sword and shield represent the yang and yin and the marrying of opposites we saw in the Lovers.  This ‘union’ is also represented by the horse and rider appearing to be a single entity.  We need this balance, this union, in order to forge ahead and find what we seek on our quest.

The Shadowscapes gives us another knight, rushing headlong into conflict to defend what he believes in, slicing through the stormy sky with his sword, heading upwards towards the light. “Piercing the chaos”, as The Shadowscapes Companion (Stephanie Pui-Man Law and Barbara Moore, Llewellyn Publications) puts it.

Knight of Swords (trimmed):

© Thoth Tarot

The search for knowledge can also indicate a change in studies, or even career, if it involves the collecting and absorption of facts and ideas – developing the mind.  He’s a seeker – of knowledge.  It’s about ‘goal-oriented mental activity’, to quote Gerd Ziegler (Tarot: Mirror of the Soul,published by Weiser Books). 

Quick-thinking (Mercury, ‘quicksilver’, rules Gemini) and imaginative, this Knight combines strong intellect with emotional perceptiveness.  In the Thoth image, we see two swords of different lengths, symbolizing the yin and the yang, and the need to keep a balance (the ‘marrying’ of opposites we looked at in The Lovers). This ‘union’ is also represented by the horse and rider appearing to be a single entity.  We need this balance, this union, in order to forge ahead and find what we seek on our quest. 

DruidCraft Tarot created by Philip Carr-Gomm and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Shadowscapes Tarot created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn

Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris. Published by US Games Systems Inc.

Universal Waite Tarot created by Mary Hanson-Roberts & Pamela Colman-Smith, published by US Games Systems, Inc.

Gemini in the Major Arcana: The Lovers

Today let’s look at the tarot card from the Major Arcana that’s traditionally (well, in the tradition I follow!) associated with Gemini - The Lovers.

Although many people connect The Lovers to romantic love – the sign of a new relationship, perhaps – I see this card being wider-ranging.  Following on from cards that can represent Mother (Empress), Father (Emperor), and Education (Hierophant), the Lovers, in these terms, could suggest the teenage years, when we start to make our own choices – often beginning with what, or who, we are attracted to.  So yes, it can be about love and affairs of the heart, but it’s more about reminding us that we always have a choice.

The Lovers (trimmed):

© Universal Rider-Waite Tarot

The Gemini glyph symbolizes the idea of duality and opposites that we all contain – masculine and feminine, yin and yang, light and dark, however you choose (!) to name them. 

There are many versions of The Lovers. The most familiar, perhaps, is that of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. Here we have the young man and woman being blessed by an angel, with a serpent behind the woman and the Trees of Life and Knowledge in the background.  Here, love becomes the path to wisdom, with the man representing the conscious mind and the woman the unconscious.  Both need to be brought together, or ‘married’, through love.

The Lovers (trimmed):

© Shadowscapes Tarot

The Shadowscapes’ version follows this tradition, in that its Lovers card depicts a couple. No angel, though...just a giant sun overhead. The choice is symbolized by turtledoves (innocence) and a red apple around which is wrapped a snake (Garden of Eden reference, perhaps?!), representing temptation, as well as the calla lily (purity) and the rose (‘lush and sensual complexity’, says the LWB). Purity/youth and passion/maturity, say.

The Lovers (trimmed):

© Druid Craft Tarot

In the Druid Craft Tarot’s Lovers, we see the young couple together, having chosen to unite. The transformation (remember, Gemini is a mutable sign) resulting from their choice is represented by the winged orphic egg and the serpent coiled around it, carved into the rock beneath them.

The Lovers (trimmed):

©Sharman-Burke/Caselli Tarot

Other versions of this card show a young man standing between two women, with Cupid about to shoot an arrow in his direction. Juliet Sharman-Burke has followed this tradition in her Beginner's Guide to the Tarot. Each woman represents something different (youth/purity and maturity/experience). By making that choice, by electing to commit to one person, idea, thing, way of life – whatever it is – we need to be aware of the potential consequences or ramifications of that decision.

The Lovers (trimmed):

© Thoth Tarot

The idea of the marriage of conscious and unconscious is depicted in the image in the Thoth deck. We see the marriage of the Empress and Emperor, presided over by the Hermit. The Hermit is associated with Virgo, the other sign ruled by Mercury – and, if you recall the mythology of the Gemini twins, perhaps symbolizing the ‘earth-bound’ twin. The duality of Gemini appears over and over again in this image; we all contain, as individuals, these opposites – the yin and yang, the masculine and feminine, however you choose (!) to name them. Here we see the opposites ready to be united, choosing to be united, choosing to make that connection. The transformation (remember, Gemini is a mutable sign) though the ‘wedding’ (alchemical, perhaps) is represented by the winged orphic egg and the serpent coiled around it. Through this, we become whole.

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

Shadowscapes Tarot created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn

Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris. Published by US Games Systems Inc.

Universal Waite Tarot created by Mary Hanson-Roberts & Pamela Colman-Smith, published by US Games Systems, Inc.

Taurus in the Druidcraft Minor Arcana: The Five of Pentacles

I’ve been working with the Druidcraft, so this year I thought I’d see how – or if – the astrological associations work with this deck.  The Druidcraft follows – obviously – Druid traditions, and was not created with astrology in mind.  Instead it focuses on the elements and the seasons.  Some of that may link to astrology – some of it may not.  We’ll see!

In the astrological correspondence system that I follow, Taurus is linked to the Five, Six and Seven of Pentacles.  Today I’m going to look at the Five of Pentacles, which corresponds to Mercury in Taurus – and the first ten days of Taurus.

Taurus is the fixed Earth sign, so we’re looking at maintaining our resources in a practical, down-to-earth way. Those resources include anything that gives us a sense of security or stability – so this covers financial matters, material concerns, issues around health and well-being...whatever it takes to make us feel safe and comfortable.

Universal Waite Tarot (trimmed)

Mercury is about sharing and trading information and ideas. Normally when we think of Mercury, we might envisage the fleet-footed messenger of the gods, but in Taurus it’s much harder for him to get off the ground, let alone fly!  Instead, he finds himself having to take care with his words, having to speak more slowly and with more consideration.  Having to slow down and be more deliberate and down-to-earth is a challenge to Mercury!  Rather than communicating through words and ideas, he may express himself in a more physical way.

So how might this play out in the Five of Pentacles?  In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck and other variations of that, we usually see beggars shivering in the cold, unaware of the warmth and shelter and help on the other side of the window.   They are aware of physical sensation, in this case the cold, but they are so lost in the physicality that they can’t see beyond that.  The assumption here is that they’ve also lost all their material possessions – a source of concern to the Taurean archetype. If they were to look up at the window though, not only would they see the promise of light and warmth, but also the fruit and flowers carved in the stone around the window, reminding them of the bounty of the earth – which they haven’t lost.

Druidcraft Tarot (trimmed)

The Druidcraft, though, shows us this sense of loss in a woman, obviously in distress, leaning against a tree.  Her eyes are covered by her hands, so she can’t ‘see’ – she only feels what’s within.  On the horizon, a greyhound chases a hare – part of the story of Taliesin, who is trying to escape Ceridwen. In the first part of the chase, he takes the form of a hare, while Ceridwen assumes the shape of a greyhound. The chase – shown in the Fives of all suits in the deck – symbolizes the need to transform, to find a way forward from the crisis, the loss, that the Five of Pentacles represents.

But what about Mercury? Does it play any role here? Well, Mercury is linked to the element of Air, and to the way we think and reason, and to the way we communicate.  If we’re talking about loss of wealth or loss of faith here, Mercury represents the anxiety and worry, through its ‘Air-iness’ – the thoughts and beliefs that we carry in our minds – to the earthy concerns around Taurean comfort and security. But it’s not just about the money; the loss of faith or self-esteem or self-worth can also lead us into a ‘black hole’ of feeling hopeless; it may be time to address more ‘spiritual’ issues too.  Mercury in Taurus reminds us not to let worry and anxiety over such matters prevail to the point that we find ourselves stuck in a rut.  

I also see Mercury in the swiftness of the chase going on in the background – the element Mercury is also known as quicksilver.  The hare and the dog, in Druid tradition, are linked to the Earth, the element of Taurus.

Druidcraft Tarot created by Philip Carr-Gomm and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Universal Waite Tarot created by Mary Hanson-Roberts & Pamela Colman-Smith, published by US Games Systems, Inc.