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Another Approach to the Court Cards

April 26, 2023 by Barbara Moore No Comments

April 26

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Susan Chang is known for her vast knowledge of the cards. Her esoteric foundation shows in her work, and yet her writing and teaching styles are so approachable and relatable. She does have a rare gift of making heady information understandable. Her Tarot Correspondences is an essential reference, full of charts of correspondence. What is exciting about her book is that she teaches how to use the correspondences, something not every book or teacher does. Her Tarot Deciphered (with Mel Meleen) is a brilliant exploration of the Rider Waite Smith and Thoth decks, and their common Golden Dawn roots. In Living Tarot, she gives complete beginners (and those wishing to consolidate their knowledge) and takes a very different approach. Instead of finding the meanings of the cards in old, dusty tomes, she helps us find connections between the cards and our lives. This makes our readings much more practical and relevant.

Many tarot students struggle with the court cards, memorizing lists of personality traits and professions. In one of Susan’s lessons, she helps us develop ideas and concepts that help us pinpoint specific qualities or careers. Here is a sample lesson:

The 16 court cards of a tarot deck are notoriously difficult to interpret. So for this exercise, we’re going to start with some rank and suit keywords to supplement what you see on the card. Feel free to substitute your own keywords.

For example: let’s consider the formidable Queen of Swords. If I use the key word connecting for “Queen” and Thoughts/Words/Conflicts for “Swords,” I know the Queen of Swords must be a connector of thoughts or words. When I look at the list of professions, I see “editor” on the list, and I know that an editor connects thoughts and words, so I know that’s one role this court card can play.

Page:               Reflecting or Studying; messengers

Knight:           Acting or Reacting; agents

Queen:            Connecting; pattern experts

King:              Guiding/Directing; strategists

WANDS:                    Drives/Ambition/Appetites; Fire

CUPS:                        Emotions/Art/Spirituality; Water

SWORDS:                 Thoughts/Words/Conflicts; Air

PENTACLES:           Things/Bodies/Money/Food; Earth

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Written by Barbara Moore
The tarot has been a part of Barbara Moore’s personal and professional lives for over a decade. In college, the tarot intrigued her with its marvelous blending of mythology, psychology, art, and history. Later, she served as the tarot specialist for Llewellyn Publications. Over the years, she has ...