           Lesson Nine:
  Fifth Stage of Tarot Divination


1. Shuffle the entire pack, and let the Querent cut once, as before.

2. Turn the cards face up in your left hand, and run through the pack,
   without disturbing the order of any of the cards, until you come to
   the card you have selected as Significator. Put all the cards
   preceding this one, as you have run through the cards, at the back
   of the pack, without disturbing their order.  That is, cut the pack
   at the Significator, so that this will be the top card when the pack
   is turned face up.

3. Place this card on the table.

4. Deal the next thirty-six cards in a ring around him, beginning at
   the usual position of the sign Aries, or of the First House, in a
   zodiacal wheel. The first three cards dealt will represent the three
   decanates of Aries; the next three the three decanates of Taurus,
   and so on through the twelve signs.

5. Judge each card as it is placed on the table, according to its
   agreement or disagreement with the position in which it falls.  Key
   4, L'EMPEREUR, for example, would be Well-dignified anywhere in the
   first group of three cards. So would any card of the Wands suit, and
   any card of the Swords suit except those representing the three
   decanates of Libra; those representing the three decanates of
   Cancer, and those representing the three decanates of Capricorn (in
   the Cups and Coins suits respectively) would also be Ill- dignified
   in Aries. In general the strength or weakness of any card will be
   practically the same as those given on pages 27, 28 and 29.

6. After the cards have been judged and read as above, count (beginning
   with the first point in Aries, or the first card following the
   Significator) and pair as in preceding stages of the divination.
   Note carefully in which division of the zodiac the final card
   appears.

   N.B. The pairing, in this stage, is across the wheel, that is card 1
   with card 19, card 2 with card 20, card 3 with card 21, and so on.
   The final card referred to above is not card 36 (or the one
   corresponding to the last decanate of the twelfth sign, Pisces). It
   is the card to which the counting returns, that is, the card which
   shows up a second time as the result of counting, and so brings the
   counting to an end.

7. As in the preceding stage of divination, judge the time represented
   by this final card as relating to the corresponding ascending sign
   in a question that refers to the day following the divination. If
   the question is one that has to do with a problem in which a
   solution is desired within a comparatively short time, look in the
   current ephemeris for the next passage of the Moon through the
   decanate of the sign in which the final card falls. Otherwise
   consider the final card as applying to an event or condition which
   will become manifest when next the Sun passes through the decanate
   of the sign in which the final card is placed.


Further As To Dignities Of The Cards

These remarks apply particularly to this layout of 36 cards, although
they have some bearing on all stages of the operation.

1. In considering the strength or weakness of any card, consider what
   cards are next it on either side. Cards of the same suit strengthen
   it for good or evil, according to their nature.  Similarly, major
   trumps on either side of a minor trump strengthen or weaken the
   latter, according to their nature. But minor trumps have less effect
   on major trumps. Wands are friendly with Swords and Pentacles.

   Wands are inimical to Cups. Cups are friendly with Swords and Coins.
   Swords are friendly with Cups and Wands. Swords are inimical to
   Coins.

2. When a card falls between two others which are of contrary nature,
   or inimical to each other, it is not much affected by either. For
   example, if the Ace of Wands should fall between Key 7, the Chariot
   and Key 8, La Justice, it would not be very much affected. Neither
   would it be greatly affected if there were a card of the Sword suit
   on one side, and a card of the Coins suit on the other.

3. A greater number of one suit or the other in this fifth stage of the
   operation has a particular relevance:

A majority
of this
suit
or card...
          ...shows this.
Wands
          there will be much mental
          energy expended in the
          matter. Many wands also
          portend some opposition
          to the Querent, and
          possible quarrels.
Cups
          intensifies the emotional
          element present in the
          solution of the question.
          In general, many cups in
          a layout intimate
          pleasure, social
          activity, merriment.
Swords
          a portent of sickness,
          sadness, trouble, or
          death.
Coins
          the emphasis in the
          reading will be on
          business, money or
          possessions.
Major
Trumps
          an intimation that strong
          forces are at work in the
          matter under
          consideration. These are
          usually beyond the
          Querent's control,
          whether for good or evil.
Court
Cards
          the influence of persons
          other than the Querent
          will be exerted in the
          shaping and decision of
          the matter. They also
          intimate that the Querent
          will be a good deal in
          the company of others, or
          at social gatherings.
Aces
          Strength.

4. At this fifth stage of the divination note how many times a
   particular card number appears in the entire reading:

If this
card...
   ...appears these times in a reading,
   it means...
   4 times:
                      3 times:
Aces
   Great power and
   force
                      Wealth, success.

Kings
   Meetings with the
   great
                      Rank and honor.

Queens
   Authority,
   influence, help
   from women.
                      Strong friends, or
                      partners.

Warriors
   The events in the
   matter move
   swiftly
                      Sudden changes.
                      News. Unexpected
                      meetings.
Servants
   New ideas or
   plans. Youthful
   associates
                      Help from the
                      young, or from
                      inferiors.
Tens
   A Burden of
   anxiety; "too many
   irons"
                      Commerce.
                      Speculation.
                      Buying and
                      selling.
Nines
   New
   responsibilities.
   Firm foundations
                      Much
                      correspondence.
                      Delays.
Eights
   News. Rumors.
   Gossip.
                      Much moving about.
                      Short journeys.
Sevens
   Disappointments.
                      Contracts.
                      Alliances.
                      Partnerships.
Sixes
   Pleasure. Control
   over conditions.
                      Success. Gain.
                      Balance of power.
Fives
   Magic power.
   Unusual strength.
                      Competition.
                      Fights.
                      Dissension.
Fours
   Order. Regularity.
   Rest. Peace.
                      Abundance.
                      Industry.
Threes
   Determination.
   Definite plans.
                      Deceit.
                      Misunderstanding.
                      Uncertainty.
Twos
   Conferences.
   Conversations.
   Adjustments.
                      Cliques.
                      Separations.
                      Reorganizations.

To some extent the foregoing applies to any stage of the divination,
but more particularly to the fifth stage and to the sixth.

By this time you should be fairly familiar with the meanings of all the
cards. In studying them, begin always with the keywords as given in the
lesson on the four suits and the twenty-two major trumps. It is
absolutely impossible to divine at all satisfactorily until the
significance of the entire pack is thoroughly learned.

Spend at least half-an-hour every day with the Tarot. Shuffle the
cards, cut them at random, and run through the whole pack. Lay out the
cards in rows on the table, and practice making sentences from the
various sequences. You must first saturate yourself with tarot, so that
you do not have to spend any time in trying to recall what a card is
supposed to mean. If possible, do this work with a friend.


Blending Astrology with the Tarot

The better you understand the underlying astrological principles
governing Tarot divination, the sooner will you become a proficient
diviner. To this end, there is no better low-priced book than The
Student's Chart Reader, published by Llewellyn George at 8921 National
Boulevard (Palms), Los Angeles, Cal.  The price of this little book in
paper is only $1.00, or $1.50 in cloth. It can be had from us, or
direct from the publisher.

Its use in connection with the stage of the Tarot divination just
explained is as follows:

Suppose that in the first section of the wheel containing 36 cards
there were Key 14, Temperance, the King of Swords, and the Servant of
Wands. The position of the first of these would specifically relate it
to the first ten degrees of Aries, which have a Martian quality; and
the quality of Key 14 itself is that of its ruler, Jupiter. Thus the
first card would be the same as the astrological influence of Jupiter
in the first decanate of Aries. This is explained on page 43 of the
book just mentioned.

The second card in the series would represent, in the main, the
influence of the sign Libra, and thus the active force of Venus. Venus
in Aries is explained on page 23 of the little book.

The third card is itself a symbol of the whole sign Aries, and of the
two signs following. Its position in the 3rd decanate of Aries would
confirm the suggestion represented by the presence of Key 14 in the
first decanate.

The same book also gives the significance of the various planets in the
12 houses, and as every card of the Tarot represents either a planet
itself, a sign of the zodiac ruled by a planet, or a decanate of the
zodiac under the sub-ruler-ship of a planet, there is a sense in which
every card represents some aspect of planetary force, and may therefore
be read as a planetary influence in a given sign or house.  So learn
the meanings. Then it will be easy to combine them.

