Tarot and Astrology: Planetary Correspondences for the Major Arcana
When tarot readers say a card has "Mars energy" or "Neptune vibes," they're using the Golden Dawn system—a set of links between the 22 Major Arcana and planets or zodiac signs. This isn't decorative. It's a shorthand for how fast something moves, what it costs, and whether you're fighting it or flowing with it.
The Golden Dawn system, developed in the late 1800s, became the backbone for most modern decks, including the Rider-Waite-Smith.
Why This Matters
Planets move at different speeds and govern different life areas. Saturn takes 29 years to orbit the sun—it's slow, heavy, about consequences. The Moon cycles every 28 days—it's emotional, reactive, constantly shifting. When you know which planet corresponds to which card, you know whether the reading is talking about a quick decision (Mercury) or a years-long reckoning (Saturn).
The zodiac signs add another layer: cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) initiate. Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) hold ground. Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) adapt.
Major Arcana Correspondences
| Card | Number | Astrological Correspondence | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Fool | 0 | Uranus | Air |
| The Magician | 1 | Mercury | Air |
| The High Priestess | 2 | Moon | Water |
| The Empress | 3 | Venus | Earth |
| The Emperor | 4 | Aries (Mars) | Fire |
| The Hierophant | 5 | Taurus (Venus) | Earth |
| The Lovers | 6 | Gemini (Mercury) | Air |
| The Chariot | 7 | Cancer (Moon) | Water |
| Strength | 8 | Leo (Sun) | Fire |
| The Hermit | 9 | Virgo (Mercury) | Earth |
| Wheel of Fortune | 10 | Jupiter | * |
| Justice | 11 | Libra (Venus) | Air |
| The Hanged Man | 12 | Neptune | Water |
| Death | 13 | Scorpio (Pluto/Mars) | Water |
| Temperance | 14 | Sagittarius (Jupiter) | Fire |
| The Devil | 15 | Capricorn (Saturn) | Earth |
| The Tower | 16 | Mars | Fire |
| The Star | 17 | Aquarius (Uranus) | Air |
| The Moon | 18 | Pisces (Neptune) | Water |
| The Sun | 19 | Sun | Fire |
| Judgement | 20 | Pluto | Fire |
| The World | 21 | Saturn | Earth |
*Jupiter's elemental correspondence is debated—most lean toward Fire or Water
Speed order: Moon → Mercury → Venus → Sun → Mars → Jupiter → Saturn → Uranus → Neptune → Pluto.
How to Actually Use This
If you pull The Tower (Mars), expect something fast and combative. Mars doesn't negotiate—it breaks through. If you pull The Hanged Man (Neptune), you're in slow-motion dissolution. Neptune doesn't act—it erodes boundaries until you surrender.
When multiple cards share a planetary ruler, that energy is amplified. Three Saturn cards in one spread? You're being tested, and patience is non-negotiable. Multiple Venus cards during a Venus retrograde? Relationship patterns are surfacing whether you're ready or not.
You can also cross-reference this with transits. If your spread is heavy on Mercury cards during a Mercury retrograde, the message may be review, don’t act.
A small nod to real-time astrology keeps it fresh for readers who track both.
You can also use this for timing. Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) suggest weeks to months. Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) suggest months to years. Water and Air depend on context—emotional urgency or mental processing speed.
Want to understand how these planetary energies show up in your birth chart and influence your readings? Explore our Zero to Zodiac course.
If you want to dive deeper into how the Golden Dawn wove astrology into tarot, Understanding Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot by Lon Milo DuQuette is a solid starting point. He unpacks the symbols with wit and a wink, turning dense occult theory into something you can actually use.
Purchases made through the Bookshop link above support independent bookstores and help fund future educational content here at Tarot Guru—so your study time does double duty for a good cause.
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