AUTHOR’S NOTE: The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn assigned astrological correspondences to all of the Major Arcana, a group comprised of twelve zodiacal trumps, seven planetary trumps and three “primary” elemental trumps (Air, Water and Fire). The zodiacal trumps were placed in the Chaldean zodiac such that each card has a diametrically-opposite counterpart of the same polarity across the wheel. The three Fire and three Air zodiacal trumps form three complementary pairs encompassing six cards, as do the three Water and three Earth trumps. The pairs are the Emperor and Justice (Aries-Libra); the Hierophant and Death (Taurus-Scorpio); the Lovers and Temperance (Gemini-Sagittarius); the Chariot and the Devil (Cancer-Capricorn); Strength and the Star (Leo-Aquarius); and the Hermit and the Moon (Virgo-Pisces).

The Emperor lays down the law and defers its administration to Justice; he is already planning his next campaign and doesn’t want to sweat the petty details of jurisprudence.

The Hierophant aspires to mediate between Man and God with his dogmatic catechism, while Death bows to nobody’s gods or demons.

The Lovers stands at a crossroads, unsure of which path to take, while Temperance skillfully reconciles all options.

The Chariot celebrates the liberating triumph of action over inertia while the Devil revels in the besotting “tyranny of the senses.”

Strength conveys the vigor of applied force, while the Star deals in airy abstractions that may amount to nothing more than “wishful thinking.”

The Hermit has his head above the clouds, seeking clarity of vision and purpose in profound isolation, while the Moon visits its nebulous vapors upon the Earth.

Among the planetary trumps, two of the cards of positive polarity – the Sun (as itself) and the Wheel of Fortune (as Jupiter) – are of a benevolent nature, and one – the Tower (as Mars) – is malefic, while two of the cards of negative polarity – the Empress (as Venus) and the High Priestess (as the Moon) are largely beneficial and one – the World (as Saturn) – is ambivalent, on one hand meaning successful completion and on the other delay and possible frustration. As Mercury, the Magician is androgynous and therefore neutral in polarity.

Of the three elemental trumps, the Fool (Air) and Judgement (Fire) are of positive polarity while the Hanged Man (Water) is of negative polarity. Earth is not considered a discrete element in the Golden Dawn model but rather an amalgam of Fire, Water and Air; however, it provides a secondary attribution for the World and thus carries a negative polarity. Consequently, the Fool and Judgement are of a mutually sympathetic disposition while the Hanged Man and the World are similarly disposed toward one another. Some more recent systems of correspondence assign Uranus to the Fool, Pluto to Judgement (or vice versa) and Neptune to the Hanged Man, but as a traditional, “seven-planet” astrologer I prefer to stay with the original arrangement (although I am kind of partial to Uranus, as the mythological father of Saturn, immediately preceding the World, and Pluto – as a “cosmic messenger” – at the head of the line).

When dealing with any one of the Major Arcana in a reading it is a good idea (at least mentally) to summon its astrological counterpart(s) to the table and examine whether the situation might come down somewhere between the two (or three). If nothing else it will offer a more nuanced perspective on the significance of the trump of interest. For example, when considering the Wheel of Fortune (which in modern practice simply means “change” and not necessarily “fair winds and smooth sailing”), I might take a side-trip into the Sun and the Tower to “triangulate” on its likely trajectory toward “good” or “ill” in the matter. Similarly, any exploration of the Empress could involve her virginal sister, the High Priestess, along with their older, wiser sibling, the World (Aleister Crowley says it’s the Star but that is of the opposite polarity), who invites their hard-nosed “big brother,” Saturn, to join Venus and the Moon in charting a course. Nobody is putting anything over on that family!