For your reading pleasure, here's how Eden Gray describes the suits of the tarot, which he associates with Fire, Water, Air and Earth.
Some of the symbolism was derived from old Germanic mythology, where certain real or imaginary creatures were associated with the elements. The salamander, supposed to be unscathed by fire, was chosen to represent Fire; the undine, a female water sprite, was associated with Water; the sylph, and elemental of Air, with Air; and a little gnome, with Earth.
WANDS: Energy, growth, enterprise, animation, glory.
The wands are of green wood that retains a few live twigs, signifying growth. They are sometimes used as a club in fighting or as a staff to carry the victor's crown. Their position in relation to the other cards in a layout will determine whether this category will be constructive or destructive. Wands are associated with the world of ideas and with creation and agriculture. The suit of clubs used in modern playing cards was derived from the Wands.
CUPS: Love, happiness, the emotions, fertility, beauty.
Cups, which appear in all the cards of this suit, are associated with water, a symbol of the subconscious mind and the instincts, as opposed to the conscious mind and reason. The modern suit of hearts is derived from the cups.
SWORDS: Aggression, force, ambition, courage, strife, misfortune.
Many cards of this suit depict fighting or people who are bowed down with misfortune. Swords represent the world of action, both constructive and destructive. They correspond to the spades in the modern deck.
PENTACLES: Money, industry, material gain.
Except for the Five of Pentacles, these cards all depict people either working with or enjoying the fruits of labor. The coinlike disks are pentacles, here inscribed with pentagrams-- five-pointed stars that are time-honored symbols of Man. In ancient days, people wore pentacles decorated with magic symbols as a protection from the evils of life.
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For your reading pleasure, here's how Eden Gray describes the suits of the tarot, which he associates with Fire, Water, Air and Earth.
Some of the symbolism was derived from old Germanic mythology, where certain real or imaginary creatures were associated with the elements. The salamander, supposed to be unscathed by fire, was chosen to represent Fire; the undine, a female water sprite, was associated with Water; the sylph, and elemental of Air, with Air; and a little gnome, with Earth.
WANDS: Fire, Lion, South, Salamander
CUPS: Water, Water-Carrier, West, Undine
SWORDS: Air, Eagle, North, Sylph
PENTACLES: Earth, Bull, East, Gnome
WANDS: Energy, growth, enterprise, animation, glory.
The wands are of green wood that retains a few live twigs, signifying growth. They are sometimes used as a club in fighting or as a staff to carry the victor's crown. Their position in relation to the other cards in a layout will determine whether this category will be constructive or destructive. Wands are associated with the world of ideas and with creation and agriculture. The suit of clubs used in modern playing cards was derived from the Wands.
CUPS: Love, happiness, the emotions, fertility, beauty.
Cups, which appear in all the cards of this suit, are associated with water, a symbol of the subconscious mind and the instincts, as opposed to the conscious mind and reason. The modern suit of hearts is derived from the cups.
SWORDS: Aggression, force, ambition, courage, strife, misfortune.
Many cards of this suit depict fighting or people who are bowed down with misfortune. Swords represent the world of action, both constructive and destructive. They correspond to the spades in the modern deck.
PENTACLES: Money, industry, material gain.
Except for the Five of Pentacles, these cards all depict people either working with or enjoying the fruits of labor. The coinlike disks are pentacles, here inscribed with pentagrams-- five-pointed stars that are time-honored symbols of Man. In ancient days, people wore pentacles decorated with magic symbols as a protection from the evils of life.