Tarot

Question 1

I. THE MAGICIAN

Answer 1

Skill, diplomacy, address, sickness, pain, loss, disaster, self-confidence, will, the Querent himself (if male).

Reversed: Physician, Magus, mental illness, disgrace, disquiet.

Question 2

II. THE HIGH PRIESTESS

Answer 2

Secrets, mystery, the future as yet unrevealed, the woman who interests the Querent (if male); the Querent (if female), silence, tenacity; wisdom, science.

Reversed: Passion, moral or physical ardor, conceit, surface knowledge.

Question 3

III. THE EMPRESS

Answer 3

Fruitfulness, initiative, action, long days, clandestine, the unknown, difficulty, doubt, ignorance.

Reversed: Light, truth, the unraveling of involved matters, public rejoice, also, according to another reading—vacillation.

Question 4

IV. THE EMPEROR

Answer 4

Stability, power, aid, protection, a great person, conviction, reason.

Reversed: Benevolence, compassion, credit, also
confusion to enemies, obstruction, immaturity.

Question 5

V. THE HIEROPHANT

Answer 5

Marriage alliance, captivity, servitude, mercy and goodness, inspiration, the man to whom the Querent has recourse.

Reversed: Society, good understanding, concord, over-kindness, weakness.

Question 6

VI. THE LOVERS

Answer 6

Attraction, love, beauty, trials overcome.

Reversed: Failure, foolish designs.

Question 7

VII. THE CHARIOT

Answer 7

Succor, providence, also war, triumph, presumption, vengeance, trouble.

Reversed: Riot, quarrel, dispute, litigation, defeat.

Question 8

VIII. STRENGTH

Answer 8

Power, energy, action, courage, magnanimity.

Reversed: Abuse of power, despotism, weakness, discord.

Question 9

IX. THE HERMIT

Answer 9

Prudence, also and especially treason, dissimulation, corruption, roguery.

Reversed: Concealment, disguise, policy, fear, unreasoned caution

Question 10

X. WHEEL OF FORTUNE

Answer 10

Destiny, fortune, success, luck, felicity.

Reversed: Increase, abundance, superfluity.

Question 10

XI. JUSTICE

Answer 10

Equity, rightness, probity, executive.

Reversed: Law in all departments, bigotry, bias, excessive severity.

Question 11

XII. THE HANGED MAN

Answer 11

Wisdom, trials, circumspection, discernment, sacrifice, intuition, divination, prophecy.

Reversed: Selfishness, the crowd, body politic.

Question 12

XIII. DEATH

Answer 12

End, mortality, destruction, corruption.

Reversed: Inertia, sleep, lethargy, petrifaction, somnambulism.

Question 13

XIV. TEMPERANCE

Answer 13

Economy, moderation, frugality, management, accommodation.

Reversed: Things connected with churches, religions, sects, the priesthood, also unfortunate combinations, disunion, competing interests.

Question 14

XV. THE DEVIL

Answer 14

Ravage, violence, force, vehemence, extraordinary efforts, fatality, that which is predestined but not for this reason evil.

Reversed: Evil fatality, weakness, pettiness, blindness.

Question 15

XVI. THE TOWER

Answer 15

Misery, distress, ruin, indigence, adversity, calamity, disgrace, deception.

Reversed: According to one account, the same in a lesser degree, also oppression, imprisonment, tyranny.

Question 16

XVII. THE STAR

Answer 16

Loss, theft, privation, abandonment, although another reading suggests hope and bright prospects in the future.

Reversed: Arrogance, impotence, haughtiness.

Question 17

XVIII. THE MOON

Answer 17

Hidden enemies, danger, calumny, darkness, terror, deception, error.

Reversed: Instability, inconstancy, silence, lesser degrees of deception and error.

Question 18

XIX. THE SUN

Answer 18

Material happiness, fortunate marriage, contentment.

Reversed: The same in a lesser sense.

Question 19

XX. THE LAST JUDGEMENT

Answer 19

Change of position, renewal, outcome.

Reversed: Weakness, pusillanimity, simplicity, also deliberation, decision, sentence.

Question 20

XXI. THE WORLD

Answer 20

Assured success, route, voyage, emigration, flight, change of place.

Reversed: Inertia, fixity, stagnation, permanence.

Question 21

0. THE FOOL

Answer 21

Folly, mania, extravagance, intoxication, delirium, frenzy, bewrayment.

Reversed: Negligence, absence, distribution, carelessness, apathy, nullity, vanity.

Question 22

Origin of Suits

Answer 22

Suit origins are believed to represent the four estates of life during medieval times: nobility or persons who held their rank by military service were symbolized by swords; peasants or working class people by clubs; clergymen and statesmen by cups; and tradesmen and the industrial class by coins.

Question 23

KING OF WANDS

Answer 23

The physical and emotional nature to which this card is attributed is dark, ardent, lithe, animated, impassioned, noble. He uplifts a flowering Wand and wears, like his three correspondences in the remaining suits, what is called a cap of maintenance beneath his crown. He connects with the symbol of the lion, which is emblazoned on the back of his throne.

Divinatory Meanings: Dark man, friendly, countryman, generally married, honest and conscientious.

Reversed: Good, but severe; austere, yet tolerant.

Question 24

QUEEN OF WANDS

Answer 24

Throughout this suit the wands are always in leaf, as it is a suit of life and animation. Emotionally and otherwise, the Queen’s personality corresponds to that of the King, but is more magnetic. Divinatory Meanings: A dark woman or a countrywoman, friendly, chaste, loving, honorable. If the card beside her signifies a man, she is well disposed towards him; if a woman, she is interested in the Querent. Also, love of money. Reversed: Good, economical, obliging, serviceable. Also signifies opposition, jealousy, deceit, and infidelity.

Question 25

KNIGHT OF WANDS

Answer 25

He is shown as if upon a journey, armed with a short wand, and although mailed is not on a warlike errand. He is passing mounds or pyramids. Divinatory Meanings: Departure, absence, flight, emigration. A dark young man, friendly. Change of residence. Reversed: Rupture, division, interruption, discord.

Question 26

PAGE OF WANDS

Answer 26

In a scene similar to the former, a young man stands in the act of proclamation. He is unknown but faithful, and his tidings are strange. Divinatory Meanings: Dark young man, faithful, a lover, an envoy, a postman. Beside a man, he will bear favorable testimony concerning him. He is a dangerous rival, if followed by the Page of Cups. Has the chief qualities of his suit. Reversed: Anecdotes, announcements, evil news. Also indecision and the instability which usually accompanies it.

Question 27

TEN OF WANDS

Answer 27

A man oppressed by the weight of the ten staves which he is carrying. Divinatory Meanings: A card of many significances, and some of the readings cannot be harmonized. I set aside that which connects it with honor and good faith. It is oppression simply, but it is also fortune, gain, any kind of success of these things. It is also a card of false-seeming, disguise, perfidy. The place which the figure is approaching may suffer from the rods that he carries. Success is stultified if the Nine of Swords follows, and if it is a question of a lawsuit—there will be certain loss. Reversed: Contrarieties, difficulties, intrigues, and their analogies.

Question 28

NINE OF WANDS

Answer 28

The figure leans upon his staff and has an expectant look, as if awaiting an enemy. Behind him are eight other staves erect, in orderly disposition, like a palisade. Divinatory Meanings: The card signifies strength in opposition. If attacked, he will meet the onslaught boldly. With this main significance there are all its possible adjuncts, including delay, suspension, adjournment. Reversed: Obstacles, adversity, calamity.

Question 29

EIGHT OF WANDS

Answer 29

The card represents motion through the immovable—a flight of wands through an open country. Divinatory Meanings: Activity in undertakings, the path of such activity, swiftness, as that of an express messenger; great haste, great hope, speed towards an end which promises assured felicity; that which is on the move, also the arrows of love. Reversed: Arrows of jealousy, internal dispute, stingings of conscience, quarrels.

Question 30

SEVEN OF WANDS

Answer 30

A young man on a craggy eminence, brandishing a staff, six other staves are raised towards him from below. Divinatory Meanings: It is a card of valor, for on the surface, six are attacking one, who has, however, the vantage position. On the intellectual plane, it signifies discussion, wordy strife, in business—negotiations, war of trade, barter, competition. It is further a card of success, for the combatant is on the top and his enemies may be unable to reach him. Reversed: Perplexity, embarrassments, anxiety.

Question 31

SIX OF WANDS

Answer 31

A laureled horseman bears staff adorned with laurel crown; footmen with staves are at his side. Divinatory Meanings: The card has been so designed that it can cover several significations. On the surface, it is a victor triumphing, but it is also great news, such as might be carried in state by the King’s courier. It is expectation crowned with its own desire, the crown of hope. Reversed: Apprehension, fear—as of a victorious enemy at the gate, treachery, disloyalty, as of gates being opened to the enemy.

Question 32

FIVE OF WANDS

Answer 32

A posse of youths are brandishing staves, as if in sport or strife. It is mimic warfare, and hereto correspond the... Divinatory Meanings: Imitation, for example, sham fight, the strenuous competition and struggle of the search after riches and fortune. Hence some attributions say that it is a card of gold, gain, opulence. Reversed: Trickery, Contradiction, litigation, disputes.

Question 33

FOUR OF WANDS

Answer 33

From the four great staves planted in the foreground there is a great garland suspended, two female figures uplift nosegays and at their side is a bridge over a moat, leading to an old manorial house. Divinatory Meanings: They are for once almost on the surface—country life, repose, concord, harmony, prosperity, peace, and the perfected work of these. Reversed: The meaning remains unaltered—increase, felicity, beauty, embellishment.

Question 34

THREE OF WANDS

Answer 34

A calm, stately figure, with his back turned, looking from a cliff’s edge at ships passing over the sea. Three staves are planted in the ground and he leans slightly on one of them. Divinatory Meanings: He symbolizes established strength, enterprise, effort, trade, discovery, commerce; those are his ships, bearing his merchandise, which are sailing over the sea. Reversed: The end of troubles, suspension or end of adversity, disappointment, and toil.

Question 35

TWO OF WANDS

Answer 35

A tall man looks from a battlemented roof over sea and shore. He holds a globe in his right hand and a staff in his left rests on the battlement, another is fixed in a ring. The Rose and Cross and Lily should also be noticed on the left side. Divinatory Meanings: Between the alternative readings there is no marriage possible, on the one hand, riches, fortune, magnificence. And on the other, physical suffering, disease, chagrin, sadness, mortification. The design gives one suggestion—here is a lord overlooking his dominion and alternately contemplating a globe. It looks like the malady, the mortification, the sadness of Alexander amidst the grandeur of this world’s wealth. Reversed: Surprise, wonder, enchantment, emotion, trouble, fear.

Question 36

ACE OF WANDS

Answer 36

A hand issuing from a cloud grasps a stout Wand or Club. Divinatory Meanings: Creation, invention, enterprise, the powers which result in these, principle, beginning, source, birth, family, origin, the beginning of enterprises, according to another account—money, fortune, inheritance. Reversed: Fall, decadence, ruin, perdition, to perish, also—clouded joy.