The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn introduced what I consider the most extensive and elegant set of correspondences among the tarot and other magical systems. Here is a permutation I hadn’t seen before. It’s from The Magical Writings of Ithell Colquhoun edited by Steve Nichols. Colquhoun was an artist, magician and the biographer of MacGregor Mathers (Sword of Wisdom-o.p.). Magical Writings contains over a hundred pages of text on the Major Arcana (material on the last five cards added by Steve Nichols), plus reproductions of pages from Colquhoun’s tarot notebooks. It’s a treasure-trove for the discerning reader.
THE PLANETARY TRIPLICITIES – based on correspondences to the planets and the signs they rule.
MERCURY: Magus, Lovers, Hermit (Mercury, Gemini, Virgo)
MOON: Priestess, Chariot, Hanged Man (Moon, Cancer, Elemental Water)
VENUS: Empress, Hierophant, Justice (Venus, Taurus, Libra)
SUN: Sun, Strength, Judgment (Sun, Leo, Elemental Fire)
MARS: Tower, Emperor, Death (Mars, Aries, Scorpio)
JUPITER: Wheel, Temperance, Moon (Jupiter, Sagittarius, Pisces)
SATURN: World, Devil, Star (Saturn, Capricorn, Aquarius)
(Fool = Elemental Air)
These groupings can be very handy in a reading where the occurrence of two or three cards from one of the triplicities indicates a strong influence by that planetary energy. Mythically, it suggests the presence of that God/dess messing around in one’s life.
Mary K. Greer has made tarot her life work. Check here for reports of goings-on in the world of tarot and cartomancy, articles on the history and practice of tarot, and materials on other cartomancy decks. Sorry, I no longer write reviews. Contact me
Mary K. Greer's Tarot Blog 
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August 5, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Beth Roth (Igraine)
Thank you Mary:) Very intersting to see it laid out this way!
August 8, 2008 at 2:59 am
Texas Tarot
Thank you for posting this. These correspondences are very well thought out. Although when I was first introduced to them, I wondered why the Moon planet wasn’t the correspondence with the Moon card. I think I know where they are coming from now.
It is a sublime system of magickal correspondence, and it will forever always be a part of my tarot journey.
August 8, 2008 at 7:07 am
Annette
This is really very interesting. I can see how these triplicities could really inform a reading — thank you!
April 21, 2011 at 11:18 am
Astrological Picture Book ~ Cards of Taurus, The Major and Court Cards « Auntie Moon
[…] When reading cards from an astrological perspective, it’s good to keep a transit chart at hand. Reading in this way can offer confirmation of the energy of a transiting planet and bring ideas about the situation to mind that may otherwise have been overlooked. Mary Greer says, “Mythically, it suggests the presence of that God/dess messing around in one’s life.” (See her blog post on the triplicities here.) […]