Astrology Archives - Energetic Tarot

Star Signs Within the Tarot

Aug 4, 2020 | Learn Tarot

If you’re going to be joining me for the Tarot For Beginners course starting the 1st of September, knowing the associations between the star signs and the tarot will help you level up just that little bit more, as you go through the course.

Associating the zodiac personalities and traits to the major arcana cards can help us better understand the energy each card holds. Tarot reading is all about understanding the different energies that ebb and flow throughout our lives and adding in the zodiac helps us to narrow down the differences between them even further.

Below, you’ll find a full list of all the zodiac associations within the tarot, specifically the Rider-Waite Smith tarot deck.

Aries

The Emperor

The Emperor is filled with a fire and passion that is shared with those under the star sign of Aries. An Aries person is said to be brave, assertive and confident, the perfect description of the energy of The Emperor. In the imagery of the card, we can see the presence of Aries in the rams heads that adorn The Emperor’s stone throne.

Taurus

The Hierophant

Taurus and The Hierophant are very well paired, with the stable and traditional energy of The Hierophant, perfectly complimenting Taurus’ sturdy and reliable nature. Those born under Taurus are said to be strongwilled and a bit of a homebody. They love to be around family and friends and feel most comfortable when in the safety of their own homes. This is reflected in The Hierophant’s commitment properties and this card can even represent marriage.

Gemini

The Lovers

The Lovers are associated with Gemini, a star sign that refers to those who always have a surprise up their sleeve. Geminis are known for getting along with everyone and being filled with a huge amount of love, perfect traits to pair with The Lovers. The Lovers can also represent a battle between our vices and our virtues, which can be seen in Gemini’s struggle to control their emotions.

Cancer

The Chariot

Those born under the star sign of Cancer are known for their tenacity, ambition and occasional restlessness. These are all properties that can be heavily associated with The Chariot, as it is a card of ambition and forward movement, especially towards goals and dreams. If you look very carefully, you can also see the symbol of Cancer on the charioteers belt.

Leo

Strength

The lion is a well-known symbol of strength and being able to tame our more wild emotions and instincts. This applied to both the Strength tarot card and the star sign of Leo. Leo’s are creative, energetic and loyal, all traits that are hinted at when we talk about strength in this card. Both the Strength card and Leos have an inner strength that helps them cope with anything and makes them into a strong but empathetic leader.

Virgo

The Hermit

The Hermit is a card of isolation and inner wisdom. There is a deep need to just remove yourself from reality for a while, in order to get your head on straight, something that Virgo’s may need to do, as they tend to keep their emotions tightly locked away. Like The Hermit, Virgos are very private people, but they are also always thinking, which means sometimes they have to go away and collect their thoughts in order to carry on effectively.

Libra

Justice

The reference to Libra is pretty obvious in the Justice tarot card, the main figure clearly holds the scales in her hand, showing her power to make critical decisions and choices. Libras are known as very diplomatic people and actively look for balance and fairness. Justice does the same, it is a card of weighing up pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses and coming to a fair and honest conclusion.

Scorpio

Death

I’m a Scorpio and when I found out the tarot card for Scorpio was Death, things made a little more sense. The Death card is about the end of chapters and dealing with change, there is a mystery to it. Scorpios are said to be very mysterious, stubborn and can move forward easily when they puy their emotions to one side. When faced with the end of a cycle, it’s important that we can accept what has to be and move on, something Scorpios do better than any other star sign.

Sagittarius

Temperance

There is a truth and honesty to Temperance that perfectly sums up a Sagittarius. Sagittarius star signs are not only adventurous, but they are also dependable, don’t hold grudges and have no time for people that are too emotional or extra. Temperance is very much a Sagittarius card, with one foot in the water, in touch with emotion and creativity, and one on land, grounded and sure of themself.

Capricorn

The Devil

Although Capricorns have a great deal of strength and resilience, they are also prone to being swallowed up by their own egos. The Devil symbolises the need for willpower and to fight against our vices, something that Capricorns have to work extra hard at. They can sometimes come across as cold or blunt, but inside they are trying to keep their emotion under wraps.

Aquarius

The Star

The Star is about hopes, big dreams and believing in infinite possibilities, something that Aquarius star signs are famous for. We can even see the symbol of Aquarius reflected in the two water jugs being poured on the ground and into the pool. Aquarius is a sign that can’t be held down and they are always dreaming big and thinking outside of the box. They have no desire to conform and that is exactly what The Star encourages us to do, test the boundaries and reach for the stars.

Pisces

The Moon

The dreamy and intuitive properties of Pisces are the main traits we see in The Moon tarot card. This card is all about trusting and tapping into your intuition and subconscious. We are asked to face our darker side and come to terms with it, something that Pisces are very good at doing. Pisces can be overly emotional and moody at times, something that we see in the different phases of the moon. One minute they can be fool and bright, the next they can be dark and dismissive.

There are also appearances from the astrological signs in other Tarot cards. For example, in the Wheel of Fortune Tarot card, we see the four fixed astrological signs; Aquarius, Leo, Scorpio and Taurus.

The same signs can also be seen in the very final card of The World. Keep your eyes peeled for other appearances as you explore your own Tarot deck.

Your In Depth Guide to Mercury Retrograde

Jun 16, 2020 | Soul Purpose

Welcome to another Mercury retrograde, the famous astrological time that people dread, even when they don’t know why they’re supposed to dread it. So many things get blamed on Mercury retrograde, memes come flying out the woodwork and every inconvenience is pinned on it, but do you actually know what Mercury retrograde means?

There are always a lot of questions when it comes to this astrological phenomena, so I wanted to put together an in-depth guide to help you better understand the legendary Mercury retrograde.

What is a retrograde?

Let’s start with the basics, what even is a retrograde? Well, if you’re not familiar with astrology, you may not be aware that it’s not just Mercury that enters into retrograde, the other planets in our solar system have their own retrogrades too. Some last for months on end!

The word retrograde means the following:

Retrograde – adjective

Directed or moving backwards

Now, planets don’t ACTUALLY move backwards in the sky, so when a planet is in retrograde, it means it just appears to be moving backwards. This is caused by the relative positions of the planet in question and the earth, and how they are making their way around the sun.

What mercury retrograde means

In astrology, each of the planets in our solar system have their own properties. They control a certain type of energy down here on Earth. These are as follows:

Mercury – Communication, intellect, reason, language and intelligence
Venus – Attraction, love, beauty, art and harmony
Mars – Action, sex, courage, passion and competition
Jupiter – Understanding, growth, optimism, abundance, expansion and luck
Saturn – Structure, law, discipline, responsibility, structure and obligation
Uranus – Eccentricity, rebellion, reformation and unpredictable changes
Neptune – Dreams, intuition, mysticism, delusions and imagination
Pluto – Transformation, power, death, rebirth and evolution

When a retrograde happens, these properties become problematic and can cause issues down here on Earth. For example, if Venus is in retrograde, then we may notice issues in our love lives, or we may have trouble seeing our own beauty and worth.

When Mercury is in retrograde, all of Mercury’s properties become heightened, muddled and overpowering. This is why we often experience issues with communication or intelligence during Mercury retrograde. Things like forgetting where we put things, getting confused easily or being unable to articulate what you need to say concisely.

In modern times, we have an endless amount of communication devices, so Mercury retrograde is also often blamed for problems with technology, such as email, social media, phones or WiFi. Plus, things may be more prone to getting lost, due to poor communication or a lapse in judgement.

Why is mercury retrograde a big deal?

So why do we make a big deal out of Mercury retrograde, more than we do with the other planetary retrogrades? Well, the majority of the hype has just been a snowball effect on a trend. It’s now ‘trendy’ to blame everything on Mercury retrograde and its infamy has just grown and grown over time.

Another reason is that it is the retrograde we notice the most, because it affects our conscious and rational mind. The properties of Mercury focus on areas that affect our daily lives, so we pay more attention when our email is not working, then a subconscious desire to find love for example.

How Mercury retrograde affects us

With all this confusion and muddled interactions, we can often feel frustrated, disheartened and fed up. Failed communication can cause stress, mistakes and anger, so this is a time where you may feel more on edge than usual.

Mercury retrograde is an emotional time and if you let these emotions take the driver’s seat, you may have a bumpier ride through the it all. Some of the signs to look out for during this time are:

Feeling fed up with others
Increased anger and frustration
Feeling like nothing is going your way
Feeling confused or muddled
Being unable to communicate your thoughts and feelings effectively

Ways to shield against Mercury retrograde

There are a few superstitions to watch out for when it comes to Mercury retrograde, some of these vary from not signing contracts during this time to staying away from big financial investments. However, Mercury retrograde doesn’t have to be a time where you put your life on hold.

A lot of the discomfort and negativity during Mercury retrograde comes from our own reactions to the world around us. Things may test us more than usual and if you allow it to get on top of you, that’s when the problems start.

To have an easier time of things, here are a few suggestions for navigating the worst that Mercury retrograde has to offer:

Technology not doing what you need it to? Try taking a step back and if you can use a manual alternative, do so. If you can’t, take a deep breath and seek help, advice or if someone is relying on you, explain what is happening in an open and honest way.
Feel like you’re getting your wires crossed? Whether you’re face to face or over email/messenger, slow things down, think before you speak and try and simplify what you want to say. We can often panic when our words aren’t coming out right, so stay calm and take your time.
Intelligence seems to have disappeared from others or yourself? Be patient, whether it’s with them or with yourself. Take comfort in the fact that this is only temporary and things may take a little more time and explanation than usual.
Need to make an important decision or sign important documents? Make sure you get all the facts, leave no stone unturned, ask every question that pops into your head. Be as thorough as you possibly can and put things in place to provide a safety net should things go sideways.

Remember, the planets don’t rule us, we have free will and can make our own decisions. Take control of things and ride out the storm. Be flexible, be patient and most importantly of all, don’t take it out on yourself!

If you want some support with your energy during this time, try picking up the following crystals: