The end of 2020 is in sight, but before we can turn our backs on this most crazy year ever, the upcoming Solstice is accompanied by a major astrological event – the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius.
This event last occurred in 1623, a time when migration to the Americas took off as wars were raging in Europe.
What will this Great Conjunction have in store for us?
The Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the Tarot offers visual guidance of the direction humanity is taking over the coming years.
In tarot terms, we are looking at the Wheel of Fortune (Jupiter) combining forces with The World (Saturn) guided by The Star (Aquarius). On a global scale, this is a game changer.
Progress and innovation during the 21st century will accelerate especially in the areas of science, medicine and technology, mainly due to climate catastrophes and more pandemics to come.
Necessity is the mother of invention, and the current pandemic was the wakeup call the world needed to speed up responses to the challenges awaiting us.
Aquarius – an air sign of logic, intellect and reason – will teach us that conspiracy theories are mere deflections from the real issues that need to be tackled.
The King of Swords is unlikely to be sucked into the twilight zone rabbit hole by a dodgy YouTube video or condescending meme on social media.
But that doesn’t mean we don’t question and call out what is wrong in the world. Critical thinking is definitely high up on the agenda, and not putting up with BS any longer.
What really counts are facts, such as social injustice, corruption in politics, polarisation of communities (in order to divide and conquer) and the ongoing destruction of our planet.
But thanks to The Star there are glimmers of hope. New movements, innovations, and radical mindshifts are all part of evolution and the rebirthing of humanity.
And it all starts with each one of us on a personal level, continuing to shed the old and outdated to grow and evolve.
We all have to realise that active participation in creating our future is our only option, if we want to survive and thrive. Dystopian or utopian…it’s our choice.
All this awaits us in 2021, the year of The Hierophant, and beyond. It’s exciting, but we need to stand firm and persevere when sometimes our journey can feel exhausting.
You will need all your energy to step up and move forward, and for that purpose I have created the Energy Tarot Spread, a tarot wellness exploration for nourishing and maintaining your inner power.
While you are on my Patreon page benefitting from this spread, please consider joining a membership tier to support my work and in return receive monthly printable tarot resources, guidance and more.
That’s also the place, where you can download my printable Solstice Divination Game Kit, exclusively created for my patrons, a magical addition to your spiritual toolkit.
It’s been a tough year. Let’s focus on coming together rather than drifting further apart.
Pluto is one of the three modern planets discovered in 1930, and it was later added to the Tarot as the ruling planet for Judgement.
Together with Mars, it is one of Scorpio’s ruling planets, so in the Tarot it is also linked to Death, the zodiac card for Scorpio.
Pluto in the Tarot is not associated with any Minor Arcana cards, which have all been assigned to the traditional seven planets.
While all planets represent gods, Pluto is the God of the Underworld, so it makes sense that it is now linked to Scorpio and Death.
The energy of Pluto is that of transformation, regeneration, letting go as well as the unconscious.
It is associated with sexuality, physical and spiritual birth, with death and resurrection.
Pluto nudges us to confront our – and nature’s – darker, more instinctive side.
Pluto energy offers us psychological insight and the ability to heal and regenerate.
On the other hand, it can generate obsessive compulsive tendencies.
So what does this all mean for Judgement and Death in the Tarot?
“I was dreamin’ when I wrote this, forgive me if it goes astray But when I woke up this mornin’, could’ve sworn it was judgment day The sky was all purple, there were people runnin’ everywhere Tryin’ to run from the destruction, you know I didn’t even care…” – Prince, 1999
Pluto’s influence on Judgement suggests the ability and necessity to let go of old patterns and baggage in order to move on.
After all, a change of direction is an ending, just like putting closure on a situation by having learned a lesson or practicing forgiveness.
Pluto’s influence on Death suggests the need for detachment, a rite of passage, an emotionally painful transition, resurrection.
Both cards remind me of the rise of the Phoenix from the ashes, endings and new beginnings, but while Judgement’s ending feels more upbeat and the rise is imminent, Death’s ending is lingering and comes together with Scorpio’s sting in its tail – ouch.
If both cards were present in a reading, it can suggest the transformative nature of Pluto intensified and a sense of upheaval, life being turned upside down as a result of external events or decisions being made.
If you would like to learn more about how to combine tarot with astrology, check out my course.
The Lion’s Gate is opening on the 8th August (8/8), but what does that mean? And how can you make the most of it?
In astrology, the alignment of the earth, sun (currently in the zodiac Leo) and Sirius (the brightest star in the sky) is called the opening of the Lion’s Gate.
It is said that during this time you can harness the power of the Lion’s Gate to activate your third eye.
Sirius as the brightest star in the night sky is easily visible. Look up and it often stands out from all the other stars.
It pops up in Greek and Egyptian mythology, and it is said that around the 8/8 date Sirius can be seen above the pyramid of Giza.
Sirius is called the spiritual sun hence its alleged spiritual powers we can harness, especially at the time of the Lion’s Gate alignment.
The Lion’s Gate Opening Reflected In The Tarot
In the Tarot, Strength is number 8 in the Major Arcana – a link to the 8/8 date and to the zodiac sign Leo.
Also note the lemniscate above the maiden’s head – the symbol of infinity, and together with the number 8 also holds empowerment and rebirth.
Talking about rebirth, Strength in the Tarot is also linked numerically to key no. 17, The Star (1+7=8), and the star on the image is 8-pointed.
How can I align with my higher self/authentic self?
What does my soul need right now to evolve?
How to harness the power of the Lion’s Gate?
The best thing to do is to take some time out to go inwards.
Unplug from devices and social media.
Meditate. This can involve the classic meditation of sitting still with your eyes closed, but you could also take an evening stroll through the local park or forest. Time out in nature helps to calm down an overactive, over-stimulated mind.
Take a relaxing bath.
Meditate on the Strength card. Focus on where in your life you want to activate your empowerment, passion, creativity and resilience.
But on its own it also offers lots of insight into how the cards and their meanings are influenced by the planetary energies – and how you can make the most of this knowledge in your readings.
In this 22-page downloadable PDF we explore all the cards linked to planets with excercises and activities to help you make sense of the complex associations and apply them in a practical way without new age or away-with-the-fairies jargon.
The aim of this workbook is to help you understand rather than just memorise card meanings on a deeper level, so you can gain new wisdom from the Tarot to guide you further on your spiritual journey.
There are two ways you can get hold of Planets in the Tarot:
1. Buy the Starlight Tarot Astrology course and receive this workbook as a free bonus. It’s inclcuded as a separate ebook with your course material.
2. Join the Cosmic Spirit Skylab on Patreon and gain immediate access to Planets in the Tarot – monthly membership is only $8.88, which includes an abundance of innovative and transformative tarot study material.
For more information and to join today, click here.
If you are curious about learning to combine Tarot with Astrology, the Planets in the Tarot workbook will give you plenty of aha-moments with its clear and plain but insightful content.
Moving on from the Aries cards, let’s take a look at Taurus in the Minor Arcana and how this zodiac sign can be interpreted in a reading.
While Taurus is linked to the Hierophant in the Major Arcana, it is also associated with the King of Pentacles and the following pip cards:
Five of Pentacles – Mercury in Taurus
Six of Pentacles – Moon in Taurus
Seven of Pentacles – Saturn in Taurus
As you can see, each pip card has a planet and zodiac sign assigned to it, but what does it all mean?
Let’s take one step at a time.
Taurus Characteristics
Taurus is an earth sign associated with stability, steadfastness and a practical, down-to-earth attitude.
Taurus people are reliable and loyal. They favour tradition and security over change and uncertainty, which can make them inflexible and stubborn at times.
Now we can link these traits to the individual pip cards:
Five of Pentacles – Mercury in Taurus
This card is associated with hardship, poverty and insecurity.
Influenced by Mercury, the planet of communication and travel, self-reliant Taurus may need to overcome reluctancy to ask for help.
The mercurial energies of change and flux are a disruptive force for Taurus, who has to learn to do things differently in order to overcome this difficult situation.
Mercury and Taurus represent opposing energies, which are reflected in the stark image.
However, Mercury is primarily linked to the Magician, so it can also be a force for good. Taurus needs to tap into the Magician’s power to get back on track.
And while the Magician is focused on power, potential and purpose, the Five of Pentacles may also indicate (temporary) loss of these qualities.
Six of Pentacles – Moon in Taurus
The Moon represents the divine feminine (linked to the High Priestess), intuition and our feelings and emotions.
Combined with Taurus, the energy of the Six of Pentacles is benevolence and charity.
Keywords and meanings that come to mind with this astrological combination are humility, gratitude, generosity, benefactor, favours, kindness.
Here, Taurus gets in touch with feelings, acting on emotions and intuitive guidance.
Seven of Pentacles – Saturn in Taurus
Saturn is linked to the World in the Major Arcana, which suggests a sense of completion in the Seven of Pentacles.
While the World is focused more on being established and content with where you are, the Seven of Pentacles indicates the growing urge to break out of the status quo and do something new.
But Saturn is also ruler of Capricorn – the Devil – and combined with Taurus can create inertia or complacency. New ideas may never be turned into reality as that would involve leaving the familiar behind.
Taurus loves being in a comfortable position, and in the Seven of Pentacles we may also detect a hint of laziness and perhaps even unproductiveness. Lots of work to do, but another tea break, please! ?
If you would like to learn how to combine Tarot with Astrology in your readings, check out my course.
The Tarot Love Match Reading is a fun and insightful way of exploring the dynamics of your relationship (or a potential relationship you are thinking of pursuing).
As the twelve zodiac signs are assigned to twelve cards in the Major Arcana, you can pick the two cards that relate to you and your (potential) partner and explore your compatibility.
Here are the Tarot cards with their associated zodiac signs and elemental attribution:
Before you start interpreting the cards, note the ruling element of each zodiac as the combination of the elements offer you a first impression of the potential harmony of your relationship:
We also tend to have more in common with other signs in our own element group, e.g. Earth/Earth, which would also be a friendly combination.
Please note that if the zodiac card combination of your current relationship is an “unfriendly” one, don’t worry!
The Tarot Love Match Reading gives you an insight into how your personalities may interact, and there will always be individual exceptions, which can be explored further by taking into account a full birth chart and associated Tarot cards.
People who are already attracted and connected to each other may well have other planets in compatible signs.
On the other hand, an “unfriendly” match could indicate challenges arising in your relationship, which could result in having to put a lot of effort into making it work long-term.
But being aware of this possibility empowers you to being more mindful about your relationship and explore it on a deeper level.
Examples:
1. Taurus – Cancer
Friendly earth/water combination.
The Hierophant likes structure, routine and tradition; he is patient, practical and faithful.
The Chariot is dedicated, protective and emotionally resilient; both enjoy comfort, security, and even accumulating material possessions.
Together they have the potential for lasting love and to build wealth and success in a long-term relationship.
2. Leo – Virgo
Neutral fire/earth combination.
Strength loves being the centre of attention and perseveres with the object of its desire; passionate, energetic, enthusiastic and optimistic.
In contrast, the Hermit is down-to-earth, introvert and modest.
Whereas Strength enjoys Hermit’s need to please in a relationship, Hermit’s critical nature can be a turn-off.
Likewise, Hermit may be amused by theatrical Strength but put off by Strength’s lack of empathy.
Both need to be more tolerant of each others quirks to make this relationship work.
3. Libra – Capricorn
Unfriendly air/earth combination.
Justice likes an ordered and serene environment; diplomatic, attentive listener, striving for balance in a relationship.
The Devil is ambitious, hard working and loves to be in control; he is often serious and reserved.
Justice can be irritated by the Devil’s tendency to be overpowering and ruthless at times, and overall there doesn’t seem to be a strong mutual attraction.
This relationship could well be a non-starter, or it may need a lot of hard work on both sides in order to succeed.
Tip:
When you look at the card pairs above, take a look at the position of the figures in the images and how they relate to each other.
What does their body language tell you about the dynamics of their relationship?
Now move the cards in each pair around, e.g. from Strength/Hermit to Hermit/Strength; what further insight do you gain from this swap?
If you enjoy this exercise, you can go deeper by adding the matching court cards, which have also been attributed to the zodiac signs:
Aries – Queen of Wands
Taurus – King of Pentacles
Gemini – Knight of Swords
Cancer – Queen of Cups
Leo – King of Wands
Virgo – Knight of Pentacles
Libra – Queen of Swords
Scorpio – King of Cups
Sagittarius – Knight of Wands
Capricorn – Queen of Pentacles
Aquarius – King of Swords
Pisces – Knight of Cups
So, using the examples above, we would be looking at the following card combinations:
1. Hierophant/King of Pentacles – Chariot/Queen of Cups
2. Strength/King of Wands – Hermit/Knight of Pentacles
3. Justice/Queen of Swords – Devil/Queen of Pentacles
What additional information do the court cards offer?
I hope you enjoy doing the tarot love match reading for yourself or even for your friends.
If you love journaling, you can also find this article in my Cosmic Faery’s Journal workbook together with a funky journaling sheet and lots of other tarot spreads and journaling ideas.
And if you want to learn more about how to apply astrology in your tarot readings, please check out my Starlight Tarot Astrology course.
Last year, I transformed the annual edition of the Tarot Moon Journal Magical Planner into an ETERNAL version.
Pluto is one of the three modern planets discovered in 1930, and it was later added to the Tarot as the ruling planet for Judgement.
The Planets in the Tarot is my latest workbook that has been created to be a supplement to my 
2. Join the 
Five of Pentacles – Mercury in Taurus
Six of Pentacles – Moon in Taurus
Seven of Pentacles – Saturn in Taurus
Friendly earth/water combination.
Neutral fire/earth combination.
