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| Let's explore some of the symbolism of the tarot by studying the Wheel of Fortune. This is the eleventh card of Major Arcana and it is given the number ten, which corresponds to the sephiroth in the Tree of Life. The card above is from the classic Rider-Waite deck, which is rich in symbolic imagery. In the four corners of the card, you'll notice four winged creatures, a bull, a lion, an angel, and an eagle. These correspond to a variety of things. They are mentioned throughout the Bible as four of the mystical creatures given dominion over certain aspects of human existence. (see Revelations 4:7) They are also referred to as "Ezekiel's creatures." They also correspond to the four elements-- earth, air, fire, & water; And to the fixed signs of the zodiac--Taurus, Leo, Aquarius, and Scorpio, and in turn, to the four suits of the Minor Arcana--cups, wands, swords, and pentacles. These beings have also been related to the apostles who wrote the four gospels, and they are also found in Babylonian mythology. The associations are numerous! The wheel spins in the midway point of the Major Arcana, indicating a crucial turning point. It is a metaphor for karma, fate, & destiny. To the left of the wheel, you'll notice a snake. He is symbolic of Typhon, who is the Egyptian god of evil. Traditionally, he is two-headed, and tempts people away from God with his double-talk. Typhon or "the devil" also represents humans allowing themselves to be dominated by matter instead of spirit. On the right, you'll notice a strange looking critter. He is Hermes-Anubis, the Egyptian god of Intelligence and learning. He asks people to use their intelligence to grow closer to God and/or to make the world a better place. Arcanum ten teaches that in spite of your best efforts, there are times in life when "doo-doo happens" and things come up over which you have no control. The sphinx is symbolic of placing wisdom above fate. Just because the wheel turns for everyone doesn't mean that you should live passively and not try to gain insight. The four letters of the Hebrew Tetragrammaton are in the wheel, interspersed with the letters T A R O. The tetragrammaton is the divine name, and is made up of four Hebrew letters, Yod, Heh, Vau, and Yahweh. Each of these also corresponds to a suit in the lesser arcanum. The appearance of the tetragrammaton in the wheel is symbolic of the presence of God in all things. The letters T A R O mean different things (you should be used to this theme by now). TARO is latin for TAROT. ROTA is Latin for WHEEL. TORA represents the laws of God or of the universe. ORAT is the Latin word for SPEAKS. ATOR is the name of the Eqyptian Goddess of life. TARO TOTA ORAT TORA ATOR--Tarot Wheel speaks the laws of Life! (Pretty cool, huh?) The inner part of the wheel contains the magician's symbols for mercury, salt, water, and Aquarius. Now that you have been introduced to the symbolism of just one card, I hope that you will continue your studies. True, you can learn to read the cards without knowing a thing about the symbolism. But some knowledge of it will deepen your understanding of the tarot and its energies. Good luck to you in your studies! |