By Gary Meister
A person can spend a lifetime studying the Tarot, and still never know all there is to know. But – you don’t have to spend a lifetime before you can start doing meaningful Tarot card readings for yourself and your friends and relatives. You don’t even have to memorize all the meanings in the Little White Book (LWB) that comes with each new deck of Tarot cards. All you really need to know to get started is one meaning for each card and know it well. This series of articles will show you an easy way to do that, with Numerology.
But, this series isn’t only for beginners. I didn’t learn this system until I had received two Tarot Master Certificates from two different sources, and after nearly 30 years of Tarot study. And, along with some other systems, I use it to this day. So – if you are a newcomer to Tarot, this might make your learning curve a little faster. If you’re a veteran reader, this could be a new technique to add to your arsenal.
A Brief Review:
Up to this point, we have learned:
0 ~ is for unlimited potential in the situation indicated by the Element of the card drawn.
1 ~ indicates the beginning of action in or on the indicated Element.
2 ~ cooperation with either another person or the forces of the Universe. Of course, according to the Element of the card.
3 ~ creativity begins, expansion of a project indicated by the Element.
4 ~ it’s time to reason things out, to be practical . . . With what? You know; check the Element.
5 ~ changes are coming about; accept them. Don’t let them become crisis situations. Again, check the Element.
6 ~ things have settled down now (in the area the Element suggests), and peace and harmony prevail for a while (at least until we have another lesson to learn).
7 ~ You have learned from the mistakes you’ve made in this area (Element) and see success as the result of this learning.
A reminder: I have given you a couple of choices for the meaning of each number. But, remember, as the introduction to each lesson states, you only really need one meaning for each number, and one meaning for each Element. You are free to learn just one of them if you choose. Also, search the Internet for other numerology meanings. You may find some meanings that you like better than the ones I’ve given you. If so, by all means, use them! Remember, it is your subconscious mind that chooses the cards in a reading. So, pick the meanings you feel most comfortable with; your subconscious will guide you here. The meanings will be easier for you to learn, as well.
In esoteric numerology, the Number Eight is a higher octave of the number Four (2 X 4 = 8). Where four represents a solid foundation through reason and practical thinking and planning, Eight represents the successful culmination of this planning.
Eight is a number of success as well. The major difference here is we didn’t necessarily have to goof-up first. We began the action on our project; we cooperated with whomever or whatever we needed to; we created what we needed to create; we planned it out logically; we accepted the changes involved; we worked hard, and we are successful!
In a reading, Eight indicates that we are successful, or soon will be, in whatever the Element stands for. As a side thought - Eight can also indicate a hard-working and successful person in general, successful in whatever they set their hand to. Roughly, the number Eight corresponds to the sign of Capricorn.
The Number Nine was believed by the ancients to be an extremely sacred number, there is not even a numeric parallel for this number in the Chaldean alphabet. So, in the Chaldean system of numerology, there is no number Nine. You can achieve it through calculation in this system, but no letter has a value of Nine. However, the most common system used in our modern culture, and the system we use, is the Pythagorean system, using the Pythagorean alphabet which has an alphabetical value for the Nines.
Numerologically, life is lived in a series of cycles consisting of nine levels. If one looks back at their life, and at the changes of their life direction, they will readily see how these Nine-year cycles come about. Now: to be more accurate in our description of these cycles, they are actually a series of cyclical spirals. When we complete one cycle, we are a little higher than we started—usually. Unfortunately, if we stubbornly refuse to learn the lessons that come our way, sometimes we end up on a lower level. Most of the time, though, we learn as we go along and slowly work our way up the spiral.
In a reading, Nine indicates the completion of a cycle in the area of life suggested by the Element involved. As an example, the Nine of Swords could indicate that one is completing a cycle of learning. The study has progressed to its conclusion and we have passed the course. The Major Arcana Key IX, The Hermit, could mean we have completed a spiritual cycle of some kind, and are turning back to light the way for one who follows. And, so on...
Separate the five Eights and five Nines from your Tarot deck and study them so you can see in the symbols how each relates to their number and element. And, of course, write it all down in your Tarot notebook to help cement it into your subconscious.
At this point, you have learned meanings for 45 of your Tarot cards, well over halfway through your deck. There are only 12 more basic meanings to go!
One more time, I will repeat the Basic Tables for this course:
Table Of Elements:
Major Arcana = Spirit = spiritual growth
Pentacles = Earth = finances, money, material things
Swords = Air = thoughts, ideas, attitudes
Wands = Fire = imagination, creativity, intuition
Water = Cups = love, relationships, the emotions
Table Of Numbers:
0. Infinite potential
1. Action, Beginnings
2. Cooperation, Coming Together
3. Creativity, Expansion
4. Reason, Practicality
5. Changes, sometimes crises
6. Peace, Harmony
7. Success, Learning From One’s Mistakes
8. Success Through Hard Work
9. End Of A Cycle Of Life
10. Completion, Perfection, Endings Leading To New Beginnings.
Next time, we’ll begin looking at the double numbers and learn how we bring the basic nine numbers to their higher octaves.
See ya next time.... :o)
Bright Blessings – Gary Meister