Tag Archive

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.