Spirit Keeper’s Tarot

MEDIUM WHITE BOOK

FOR THE VITRUVIAN EDITION
Copyright © 2019 Benebell Wen.

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 ANGEL WHO RECORDS,
whose Hand seals upon the
Book of Remembrance, who
bears witness to All to
enumerate every deed, since
Creation, from the beginning
of the world to this day, from
my cradle to my grave, I
invoke you to read to me, to
show me, to transcribe upon
my heart, to place upon the
mantle of my mind the pages
of the Book I petition for. Let
it be the Truth. Let that Truth,
come what may, ever be used
to work the Highest Good.
And so may it be.

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 Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................... 6
THE VITRUVIAN EDITION ......................................................................................................................................... 12
MAJOR ARCANA: PRIMORDIAL REALM ................................................................................................................ 14
The Significator ................................................................................................................................................... 16
First Septenary ..................................................................................................................................................... 25
Second Septenary ................................................................................................................................................ 38
Third Septenary ................................................................................................................................................... 50
MINOR ARCANA: SEVEN UPPER REALMS............................................................................................................. 64
Realm of Aces: Nucleic Seeds ......................................................................................................................... 66
Realm of Twos: Provision ................................................................................................................................ 75
Realm of Threes: Fruition ................................................................................................................................ 80

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 Kings: The Archangels ...................................................................................................................................... 85
Queens: The Shields ............................................................................................................................................. 92
Knights: The Shining Ones ............................................................................................................................. 98
Pages: The Strongholds ...................................................................................................................................103
MINOR ARCANA: SEVEN LOWER REALMS .........................................................................................................110
Realm of Fours: Building ................................................................................................................................112
Realm of Fives: Expanding ............................................................................................................................116
Realm of Sixes: Nurturing .............................................................................................................................120
Realm of Sevens: Reasoning ..........................................................................................................................124
Realm of Eights: Manifesting .......................................................................................................................128
Realm of Nines: Culminating .......................................................................................................................132
Realm of Tens: Mounting ..............................................................................................................................138
THE INITIATE’S TAROT READING .........................................................................................................................142
THE SEEKER’S TAROT READING ...........................................................................................................................144
THE KEEPER’S TAROT READING ...........................................................................................................................146
A STRATEGIC PLANNING SPREAD ........................................................................................................................150
SHUFFLING YOUR TAROT DECK ...........................................................................................................................153
HOW TO READ TAROT INTUITIVELY ....................................................................................................................154
INITIAL READING TIPS .............................................................................................................................................165
TAROT FOR PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT ..................................................................................................................166
READING WITH REVERSALS ...................................................................................................................................170
TAROT SYSTEM EQUIVALENTS..............................................................................................................................174
CORRESPONDENCE TABLES....................................................................................................................................180
ABOUT BENEBELL ....................................................................................................................................................198

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 INTRODUCTION
Spirit Keeper’s Tarot begins with a personal quest for the prisca theologia, a universal
religion—a pursuit since the Age of Enlightenment and earlier that became the bedrock of esoteric
schools such as Hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, and Thelema.
Seeking revelation of that prisca theologia, I journeyed in the same manner the early
Hermeticists did: by studying the ancient Egyptian religions, Zoroastrianism and the Persian magi,
Hinduism, the Eleusinian Mysteries of ancient Greece, Jewish mysticism, and esoteric Christianity.
These studies are then refracted through my cultural lens and inherited roots in esoteric Buddhism
and Taoist ceremonial magic.
Building around fundamental premises of the prisca theologia, I begin with Zoroastrian
angelology and the Arda Fravash, or Fravashis. The design and sacred engineering of Spirit
Keeper’s Tarot facilitates connection to your Holy Guardian Angel by using the theory of prisca
theologia to tap into a universal channel of divine, beneficent beings. I’ll get to what I mean by
Holy Guardian Angel later. The concept can be approached through either a religious framework or
a secular, psychological one.
The architectural blueprints that I have created this deck with is premised on the belief in a
Holy Guardian Angel who has accompanied you since birth, who is your guide throughout your
lifetime, a beneficent celestial entity that connects you directly to God, the Holy One, or a divine
monad. We can invoke our Holy Guardian Angel whenever we are in danger, whether that is danger
that threatens us externally, or danger that threatens us from within.

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 Within the mind, that Holy Guardian Angel is your divine higher genius. It is the part of you
that is pure genius, the facet of you that is the face of Holy Spirit, a Holy Spirit of many faces and
many names.
In Zoroastrian angelology, there is a vast realm and a hierarchy of celestial beings on a
spiritual plane created by a Supreme Being, which Zoroastrians refer to as Ahura Mazda. These
angels are in essence beneficent immortals that are personifications of ideas or key archetypal
aspects within our cosmos.
To that end, every tarot card in Spirit Keeper identifies the immortal spirit that personifies a
key aspect of our cosmos.
Key 0, which in my particular deck will always be the significator card, is not so much an
immortal spirit as it is the astral self that also stands in for your higher self, or super-consciousness.
Key 0 is the potential of you as a beneficent immortal.
The cards are heavily encoded with protection symbols and sigil-crafting to cast a ward
around the deck and reinforce its own built-in security defense system.
My purpose is to produce a deck system where the collective design taken altogether shields
itself from interference by malefic spirit energies of any kind or nature. Furthermore, gatekeepers
are employed to patrol the bounds of every threshold for oversight.
Though darkness, shadow, revelations of pain, suffering, trauma, and tribulations can come
through (and, if we’re being realistic, often will), such feeds are always in the beneficent spirit of
truth, never malefic.
Assuming you’re open to an animistic view of the deck, the spirits communicating with you
through your cards will never bring malefic entities to your front doorstep, but rather, alert you to
those that are and have been present, so that you have the full insights needed to extinguish any
present malefic entities.
If and when malefic entities do appear, they remain at the bounds and the gatekeepers of the
deck serve as informants to the tarot reader, transmitting the information needed from or about
those malefic entities. Corrupted or nefarious spirits not in alignment with the beneficence of your
Holy Guardian Angel cannot influence you through the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot.
You already possess latent connections to your Holy Guardian Angel, though for most of us,
we seem to lack the right telecommunication device to receive clear signals from our Angel.

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 “Holy Guardian Angel,” by the way, is simply a personified representation of your higher
self, that latent core of you born of the Divine Nature. You have already seen glimpses of that
higher self when you experience spontaneous sparks of inspiration, genius, and innovation. When
you operate at your personal best and have work product to show for it, you are in knowledge and
communion with that divine higher genius.
In simpler terms, actualization of your Holy Guardian Angel is the unleashing of your full
creative potential onto the physical, material world. It is nothing more—and nothing less—than
summoning up from deep within you your greatest inborn capabilities, talents, karmic gifts, and you
produce for this world a work of significant contribution.
Although the intricate or “busy” art style of this deck might give the first impression that it’s
going to be complex, I assure you it is not. I aspired to design a tarot deck that any Rider-Waite-
Smith or Thoth tarot reader would be able to pick up and start reading straight out of the box,
without any dependency on a guidebook. (Except to the Thoth readers, you’ll need to make do with
the Strength card in the position of Key 8 and the Justice card in the position of Key 11.)
Though the deck operates beautifully for everyday tarot readings, I’ve illustrated Spirit
Keeper’s Tarot with the designed purpose of conveying esoteric knowledge and creating a platform
for divine transmissions. To that end, each card is layered with symbolism and allegory. Each card
is also designed to tell a story, to introduce you to a complete psychic realm, and to invite you to
pathwork and journey into that realm. The more you pathwork with the cards, the stronger you build
the foundations of your inner temple. What is within you is reflected outward, so when you possess
a strong inner temple, the rest of your physical life will seem to just fall in place, harmonized,
fruitful, productive, and fulfilled.
From the early Egyptian and Greek mystery traditions down the ages to Freemasonry and
even in the reconstructionist mystery traditions of the modern era, the science of the occult
traditions that the seeker undertakes knowledge of are veiled in allegory. Symbolism encoded into
rituals, the tradition’s religious iconography, religious and alchemical texts or grimoires, and
parables are designed to instruct an initiate on the tradition’s teachings.
In other words, it is through imparting symbolism that esoteric and occult teachings take
place, not in the literal transmission of ideas or practices. Pictorial keys, not spoken or written
words, illuminate the mind’s darkness. It is with that reasoning that the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot is
cast: to amplify a tarot reader’s psychic knowledge through symbolism.

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 The Holy Trinity is another recurring topic I explored in illustrating these cards. Beyond
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost or Maiden, Mother, and Crone as a motif, this is the structure of every
Initiate’s path, no matter the tradition: to understand Man, then to understand the Universe, and
finally, to understand God, or the Divine (i.e., the trinity of Homo, Rota, and Deus).
In Eastern tradition, this is the Holy Trinity of Man, Earth, and Heaven, which is reflected in
the Hermetic Trinity (“First, God; Secondly, the World; Thirdly, Man,” from Corpus Hermetica).
This is also the Trimūrti of creation, maintenance, and destruction—Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva—
and how the three can form a Union Incarnate, a three-headed avatar, Dattatreya. The Trinitarian
Principle will also be expressed through the mythology of Osiris, Isis, and Horus.
It is the Tria Prima, or ingredients for the Bread of Life. In Tarot of the Bohemians, Papus
quotes Hesiod: “I feel that hidden beneath this mystical formula of the Trinity is one of the most
important scientific laws that man has ever discovered.” And so on the spiritual quest, Key 0: The
Seeker is the Spirit in Search of Science. Understanding the Holy Trinity unlocks the gates of
understanding Spirit, that 1 x 1 x 1 = 1.
The crafting of Spirit Keeper’s Tarot was steeped in ritual—both a process I’ll refer to as
evidence-based ritual and intuition-based ritual. For evidence-based ritual, prior to work on each
(and every) card, I would read its entry in Waite’s Pictorial Key and Crowley’s Book of Thoth, then
reference Papus, Macgregor Mathers, Ouspensky, and Wynn Wescott.
While working on this deck, I was reading the Corpus Hermeticum, The Book of the Cave of
Treasures, The Cloud of Unknowing, Albert Mackey’s The Symbolism of Freemasonry, the Avestan
texts of Zoroastrianism, the Gathas (Songs of Zarathurstra), The Chaldean Oracles of Zoroaster,
The Oracles of Nostradamus, and Kapadia’s The Teachings of Zoroaster. Egyptian, Persian,
Gnostic, and Hermetic texts on magic and medieval grimoires from both Europe and the Middle
East were consulted during the crafting of Spirit Keeper’s Tarot.
Yet I didn’t merely transcribe from those texts onto my tarot cards. I filtered it all through
my own perspective, my life, my experiences, and painted those ideas through the colors of my own
emotion. Thus, the final expression for each card is decidedly my own perspective, reflecting how
the realms materialized by the Key energies looked to me in my own mind’s eye.
Balancing the evidence-based ritual was also intuition-based ritual, where I would pathwork
through each card, enter lucid dream states, petition deity and spirits, perform summonings,
evocations, invocations, and I also found myself frequently pulled to reciting the Lord’s Prayer and

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studying the Torah, Bible, and Quran. I read verses from these three sacred texts daily during the
entire crafting process of Spirit Keeper.
Every single card was an attempt to capture in pen and ink the landscapes I traversed
through pathworking and depictions of the angelic beings guiding me. Every card is drawn with
consecrated ink only. I anointed myself with holy oil prior to working on the cards and I only
worked on the cards within closed sanctified sacred space. I began each session of work with prayer
and closed with prayer. I constantly stopped to monitor my own frame of mind and my environment
to ensure a steady atmosphere of beneficence.
I say all that not to convince you or to even presume we share similar spiritual belief
systems. I say all that to document the heavy sense of responsibility I felt throughout the crafting of
this deck and the measures of faith I took to honor that responsibility.
The final result, I hope, is a working tarot deck that will read like a sacred text, one
imparting directly to you the Divine Word. Readings with the Spirit Keeper Tarot are representative
of communion with your higher angels. Once you’ve cultivated a spirituality-based discipline
through the mechanisms of reading with this deck, you’ll be able to take that discipline into any
area of your life to reap success, fruition, and acumen.

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11
 THE VITRUVIAN EDITION
The 2019 remastered Vitruvian Edition of Spirit Keeper’s Tarot is in monochromatic sepia
tones with redesigned architecture. Sepia ink was purportedly Leonardo da Vinci’s ink of choice.
Sepia ink is made from cuttlefish ink, which is used in holistic medicine for healing wounds,
reducing and inhibiting the growth of tumors, and to protect against cellular damage. Also, the very
purpose of cuttlefish having ink is to shield themselves. Cuttlefish use their ink to create a
smokescreen, a shield or block to ward off predators and those who seek to do them harm. These
functions related to sepia ink can then be translated into sympathetic symbolism that I worked with
in this redesign.
The decision to go sepia is also part of lending to the redesigned deck’s accessibility. Warm
sepia tones evoke into our cultural consciousness nostalgia, or memories. The sepia tones are
evocative of a form of remembering. And so readings with the deck, even when reading about
events that have yet to happen, suspend ordinary perception of space-time so that you can get a
different angle on the situation.
You shift your consciousness to the moment in space-time of whatever you’re using the
tarot deck to read for, observing, taking in all the information you can, and then returning to your
current moment in space-time, and thus remembering. The sepia tones induce you to remember the

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future, to remember any point along the theoretical space-time continuum. All the redesign choices
I made were toward helping your subconscious and your psychic mind to facilitate that sentiment of
remembering.
The namesake for this edition comes from Vitruvius, who lived around 80 BC to 15 BC.
Vitruvius was a Roman architect who taught that every structure must exhibit three qualities:
stability, utility, and beauty (firmitas, utilitas, venustas). These three qualities have come to be
known as the Vitruvian Triad.
I strived for the physical quality of the deck and also the symbolism contained in the art to
be durable, to be able to endure into longevity. This deck’s architecture must possess immense
inherent strength. I also sought for the deck to be versatile and conversant with all occult purposes.
May this deck facilitate clear, direct access into the Akashic Records. May this deck function for all
uses in ritual magic. May this deck connect you to spirit realms, those who have passed on, and
even those who have never lived. Admittedly my final objective is the most subjective: I strived to
consider aesthetics. I hope that in totality, this deck expresses a certain beauty, an undeniable
passion—even obsession—for the craft and the craftsmanship by the craftsman.
A millennium after Vitruvius, Leonardo da Vinci was inspired by the Roman architect’s
works. One of da Vinci’s most famous sketches, which was rendered originally in sepia ink, is the
Vitruvian Man (1487). With the history of tarot linked to 15th century Florence and so much of my
deck’s symbology tied to Renaissance humanism, the Vitruvian Edition seemed like the perfect
name for this remastered version.
My ambition for crafting the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot deck was to craft the most powerful
divination and ceremonial magic deck humanly possible. Whether I achieved that can only be
determined by you. I don’t have the right or qualification to say one way or the other about my own
deck. I can only convey what my aspirations were.
With the black and white First Edition, I—and I hope many others as well—did indeed
sense an effervescent power contained within the cards, but at the same time, there was also a
palpable barrier of entry that obstructed some individuals from getting optimized mileage out of
their decks. The remastered Vitruvian Edition is designed to overcome that barrier of entry in the
hopes of enabling that power to be more accessible to more individuals.

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 MAJOR ARCANA: PRIMORDIAL REALM
1. First Septenary: Integrating the Self (7 Keys, 7 Gateways)
2. Second Septenary: Integrating the Cosmos (7 Keys, 7 Gateways)
3. Third Septenary: Integrating the Divine (7 Keys, 7 Gateways)
4. The Fool (Key 0 / Number 4)

The cards of the Major Arcana are the primordial spirits in the compendium. They articulate
the 22 facets of Holy Creation propagated from the Four Worlds corresponding with the Holy
Creator’s name. Just as there are 22 letters in the sacred alphabet of Western esotericism, 22 Paths
in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, 22 fundamental roots in the Chinese celestial dial (10 heavenly
stems and 12 earthly branches), an esoteric system in operation since 1200 BC, and the 22 sacred
astrological features, the numbering of the 22 Keys of the Major Arcana represent the perfected
compendium of primordial spirits that build every universe, macroscopic and microscopic. YHVH
corresponds to Keys 9, 4, 5, and 4 respectively, with the total sum of 22.
Reading the Top Captions

The top caption on each Major Arcanum features the elemental or astrological
correspondence at left; the center is the name of the spirit as revealed to me that occupies the depths
beneath the pulse point of the classic tarot Key; and to the right is the associated Logos, or letter
from the Proto-Canaanite/Phoenician alphabet corresponding with that Key.
To integrate astrology into a tarot reading, consider the astrological correspondence of the
Key. For example, if Key 11: The Chancellor comes up in a love and relationships reading, note
that the zodiac sign is Libra, which can signify marriage or partnership. This still aligns with the
essence of Key 11, which can often denote social institutions or rendering judgment. Consult the
Correspondence Table, “Glyph Correspondences of the Major Arcana Keys” in the back of this
book. You can also combine tarot with an astrological natal or transits chart reading by locating the
astrological correspondence of the Key in either the natal chart or transits chart cast for the time
period relevant to the reading.

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THE PERSONIFICATION OF ANNEALING, the alchemical symbol for which is emblazoned upon her
blouse. To anneal is to strengthen, to temper, and the working of craft to render malleable that which
was too rigid or unyielding. She endows the power to make compliant that which had been incompliant,
to bend the unbending, and change what had been fixed. She personifies the genius of the alchemist.

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 The Significator

A classical divinatory technique in tarot reading transplanted in from horary astrology is the
use of a significator. In Spirit Keeper, the significator card will always be Key 0 (traditionally The
Fool card in both the RWS and Thoth). However, which version of Key 0 being used will depend
on where in the path of discovery the operator of the deck is at.
In The Book of Thoth, Crowley notes three distinct traditions for interpreting The Fool card
in tarot. There are the archetypes of the Green Man (embodied in The Initiate), the Great Fool of the
Celts (embodied in The Seeker), and the Holy Ghost (embodied in The Keeper).
The Green Man personifies the return of spring and the cycle of growth. The suggestion here
is of rebirth and perhaps even the idealization and romanticizing of spring. One notable symbol here
is the Easter Egg, a symbol we can find on Key 0: The Initiate.
The second distinct tradition is the Great Fairy Fool of the Celts. Waite, W.B. Yeats, and
Crowley all reference Dalua, the Great Fairy Fool of the Celts, from a poem by William Sharp, who
also wrote under the pseudonym Fiona Macleod. Sharp, writing under the pseudonym Fiona
Macleod, described Dalua as being the “Dark Fool, the Faery Fool, whose touch is madness or
death for any mortal: whose falling shadow, even, causes bewilderment and forgetfulness.”
Contemporary mystic Ellen Goldberg notes about The Fool: “We start our spiritual quest because
we’ve been bitten by the shadow.” The Dark Fool, or Faery Fool is that shadow and thus, Key 0 is
the start of a spiritual quest.

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 The Great Fool as a doctrine conveys the human tendency to seek out its own savior, a
savior who must appear “as the result of some extraordinary accident.” Here, the Fool denotes a
sense of unreasonableness to salvation: salvation cannot be obtained on reasonable terms. Thus,
salvation and the messianic archetype are personified in the Great Fool: there is a requisite madness
to religion and the pursuit of salvation—so it is the pursuit of the Fool. The Fool is the savior.
Finally, there’s the tradition of reading The Fool card as the Holy Ghost, the spirit of God.
In this tradition, the Fool is on a quest for the Holy Grail, much like Percival, one of the knights of
King Arthur’s Round Table. Here, there is an interpretation of fate and destiny woven into Key 0—
Percival was born to a noble knight, but after the father dies, Percival’s mother raises him secluded
in the woods so that he would never walk his father’s path. When a band of knights pass through the
woods and encounter Percival, the boy walks the path of his destiny anyway, despite his mother’s
best efforts to thwart it, and becomes a Knight of the Round Table.
Early on Percival comes across the Holy Grail, kept by the Grail King, a wounded man who
cannot walk, and so fishes in a small boat. However, at the time, the young Percival does not
recognize what he sees as the Holy Grail, so he misses his opportunity. Later, in retrospect when he
realizes he had in fact found the Grail but did not know he had, he makes a vow to rediscover it
once again. Later, it is Sir Galahad who finds the Grail, but does so accompanied by Percival and
led to the Guardian Ship of the Grail by Percival’s sister. In this third tradition, Percival is The Fool.
Key 0 is interpreted through the allegory of Percival’s quest for the Grail, an embodiment of the
Holy Ghost.
The three versions of Key 0 skate upon these three traditions of interpreting The Fool. In
The Initiate card, there are the two reliefs of the Green Man in the archway and the Easter Egg. In
The Seeker, the hands in prayer and the hands seeking to receive from the divine powers suggest the
quest for salvation. Note that in Spirit Keeper’s Tarot, Key 0 signifies the astral self, and so it is the
astral self—The Fool—who is the savior, though it will take a long and arduous externalized quest
before the seeker realizes who, after all this time, the savior is. The Keeper, or “Spirit in Petition of
Spirit,” is a rendering of the Holy Ghost and the depiction of one appointed to lead the Keeper to
the Guardian Ship of the Grail. Here, the trinity of doves also stands in for the Triune God.

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 Key 0: The Initiate personifies a return to spring, starting a new cycle of
growth. The Orphic Egg is the alchemical Hen’s Egg, where the four elements join: the yolk is Fire,
the white is Water, the membrane between the white and the shell is Air, and the shell is Earth. The
fifth element, the potential for life that the egg carries, is the element of Spirit.
This Orphic Egg is what the Initiate seeks to alchemize into the philosopher’s stone. The
coiled serpent is creative life force. This is you in search of your philosopher’s stone, to define what
exactly is your Great Work. You see upon the Orphic Egg: ab initio mundi, since the beginning of
the world, since Creation, emblematic of a cosmogonic story. Who are you? Why are you here?
How did you get here? You, as the Initiate, want to know your own cosmogonic story.
Inscribed upon the first step of the gateway, prior to entering beyond the threshold between
realms, ab incunabulis—from the cradle to the grave. For you to even be here now, facing this
gateway, destiny has orchestrated the events leading up to this point in space and time.
You embodied within the astral spirit of The Initiate is one in the springtime of a greater
cycle, and it is cyclic. We are not the initiate just once in our lives, but many times over. After the
chasm depicted on the card, ab aeterno, since the beginning.
Use The Initiate for Key 0 when inquiring about a new undertaking, when a Path has not yet
been chosen or taken, or when insight is needed on which road to take forward.

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 Use The Initiate as your significator card when what is sought is experience. How might you
decide between potential paths? Are you embarking on a fresh start in life? What is your potential
anyway? Do you need a little divine guidance on how to map out your Path? Access the cards
through The Initiate as your significator.
Layered here are references to the warrior Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster, and the goddess
Morrigan; Hecate; the kitsune fox spirit of Japanese lore; and Anubis. A fox is a faithful companion
and guide to the mystic. The fox is also emblematic of the Norse goddess Sigyn, consort to Loki.
Here is both a familiar waiting for the Initiate to take the first steps over the threshold and an omen
of guardian spirits standing by. In Zoroastrian magic, the dog symbolizes a beneficent spirit
companion who protect a magus against demons and curses.
The cosmic egg depicted here is also the alchemical Hen’s Egg, where the four elements are
joined together (the yolk is Fire, the white is Water, the membrane between the white and the shell
is Air, and the shell is Earth) with the fifth element, which is that potential for life at the center of
the yolk. The Hen’s Egg is said to be the perfected metaphor for producing the philosopher’s stone.
The serpent coiled around the egg symbolizes the creative life force, a divine masculine, and
both the power of healing and potential for immortality. The serpent is also a manifestation of the
Green Man, a symbol of spring and the cycles of nature. The many lifetimes and incarnations of
The Initiate is what has led to this moment.
In medieval lore, a serpent coiled around an egg was the symbol of the World Egg, which is
the totality of all creative forces in the universe. The classic imagery of Key 0: The Fool card in
tarot is that of a mendicant carrying a sack, with the esoteric implication that within the sack are the
tools of the magus, or the totality of creative forces for bringing together heaven and earth.
In alchemy, the World Egg is also symbolic of prima material, the essential ingredients for
creating the philosopher’s stone. The yolk of the egg is symbolic of gold and the white of the egg
symbolic of silver.

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 Key 0: The Seeker personifies a Fairy Fool with a trickster persona, and yet
one on a spiritual quest. This is The Fool who seeks answers, who seeks to know.
Before the threshold, marked by the twin pillars, two hands clasped in prayer offer three
white roses to the divine spirits. One is in full bloom and two are still rose buds. White roses
symbolize reverence, esotericism, to keep silent, and purity of spirit. It indicates that the Seeker has
been cleansed and consecrated, and in a serene state prior to coming before the threshold for
communion with the Divine. This is the adept as a Mystic Fool.
The two closed rose buds indicate that which still has not been revealed to the Seeker. After
crossing over to the other side of the threshold, upon communion with the divine, the closed rose
buds will open in full bloom.
Supporting the clasped hands on either side are palms open and ready to receive. Upon the
right wrist of the open palm, the astrological glyph for Uranus, the planetary correspondence for
Key 0. Astrologically, Uranus represents science, progress, ingenuity, and unconventional
knowledge.
A luminescent halo of light shines out from the other side of the pillars. It is the light that the
Seeker is about to enter and, on the other side, find illuminated the Answers the Seeker has been
looking for.

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 This is you in search of how to utilize the philosopher’s stone, to help you navigate the ways
in which your Great Work has been intended by the Holy Spirit to contribute to this material world.
This is the determination of how your Great Work can make the world a better place.
Here, the rose is symbolic of divine protection, in the Iliadic tradition of Aphrodite anointing
the corpse of Hector with rose oil. The rose is depicted here as the offering you give to the gods in
exchange for knowledge of the sacred mysteries, and for safe passage through that threshold into
the beyond.
Use The Seeker for Key 0 when divinatory insight is sought, when the adept needs guidance
mid-stream along a path, or when you seek divine counsel on a material matter.
“Science” here means knowledge, the quest for truth, or seeking to better understand the
system, the architecture upon which your world is built. This is about revealing the operation and
the laws.
This is the Mystic Fool represented by the Mystic Rose, who seeks knowledge, wisdom, and
truth. The Seeker is the one who is on a quest to better understand the operations of the Universe
and of the Divine. This is the Seeker in search of systematic knowledge of the cosmos.

Key 0: The Keeper has reconciled all that is the Keeper’s worldly fate and now
seeks knowledge of the spirit realms and communion with those realms. This is The Fool who has
become practiced and learned in a spiritual path and now engages in a more interactive relationship
with the many names and many faces of the Holy Spirit.
Another way to put it is The Keeper is one who masters control over the many states of
consciousness and levels of Awareness one is capable of.
The Keeper for Key 0 is the significator used by the seasoned practitioner of the Craft to
empower the tarot deck as calling cards for the roster of spirits embodied within the sigils and seals
of these cards. When spell-crafting, using the energy of the cards for faith healing, and modalities of
advanced esoteric practice, work with The Keeper.
Use The Keeper for spirit petitions, invocations and evocations, or direct communion with
the spirit entities resident within the cards. Using The Keeper for Key 0 will enliven the deck
immediately and open it to spirit communications.

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 This is also the version of Key 0 to use in mediumship work, ancestor contact, or to reach
beyond and beneath the physical realm to interact directly with the spirit realm.
Through paneled doors, the Keeper readies to cross a threshold and meet The Annealer, who
appears near translucent to the Keeper prior to crossing that threshold. The Annealer is an
alchemical beneficent spirit.
In alchemy, the process of annealing is to take metal or glass, heat it, and then allow it to
cool methodically and gradually so that the process itself eradicates internal stresses in the material
and thereby strengthens the metal or glass. The result is strength through flexibility, because the
alchemized material becomes so malleable it is less easily destroyed.
Visible in the foreground after the threshold is the hand of one of The Annealer’s faithful
attendants. Upon the hand is perched a raven. To some keepers, the raven will appear white; to
others, the raven will appear black. To guard certain types of journeys, it is the white raven that will
appear by your side; for others, it will be the black raven.
The raven here is the Keeper’s guardian spirit protecting you through your transitions and
journeys between worlds. Thus, Key 0: The Keeper card is a talisman for safe astral or psychic
travel through the other realms.
Words, here as sigils and commands, are inscribed upon the two pillars.

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 Upon the left pillar, top to bottom: “king” in Old Persian cuneiform; “luminescence” in
Chinese oracle bone script; “journey” in bone script; “path” or road in Egyptian hieroglyphics;
“path” or teachings in oracle bone script; “spirit” in oracle bone script; and “earth” in cuneiform.
Upon the right pillar, top to bottom: “god” in Old Persian cuneiform; “benevolence” in
Chinese oracle bone script; “fate” or destiny in bone script; the divine right eye of Ra or utchat in
Egyptian hieroglyphics; the divine left eye of Ra; “ka priest,” priest, or shaman in hieroglyphics;
“Keeper” or guardian in oracle bone script; “open” or commencement in oracle bone script; and an
ideograph in cuneiform that would be pronounced with a “B” sound, beta, (one of the earliest
alphabetical letters in human history, over 3,000 years ago). The letter means “house.”

Providing three versions of Key 0s to convert The Fool card into a significator is offered only as an
option, not a requirement. If you do not use significator cards in your tarot readings, then simply
choose one of the Key 0s to use in place of The Fool card. Make your selection based on the nature
of your inquiry, even when not working with Key 0 as a significator, tuck that selection into the
deck, and proceed with your reading as usual. E.g., The Initiate card if you have seeking out a new
path for yourself, have yet to take any steps in any direction, and want to know more about the
possibilities in your horixon; The Seeker card if you are inquiring for further information about a
situation already in motion; The Keeper card if you seek to use the deck to access the Akashic
Records, for mediumship, or for doing a divination where you seek answers back directly from the
spirit realm.

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 The Three Septenaries
Keys 1 through 21 in the Major Arcana can be subdivided into three sets of sevens, the
Three Septenaries. Each set of seven corresponds with seven milestones of wisdom attained per
Theosophical principles. The first key in each Septenary (Keys 1, 8, and 15) correspond with
attaining wisdom of the Self. In the First Septenary, that wisdom of the Self is acknowledging
personal identity. In the Second Septenary, that wisdom is how the Self relates to the material world
you dwell on. In the Third, wisdom of the Self is what you must do to transcend the temporal and
achieve union with the divine.
Likewise, the second key in each Septenary (Keys 2, 9, and 16) correspond with attaining
wisdom of the Soul. In the First, it’s intuitive knowledge; in the Second, it’s cultivated knowledge;
and in the Third, it’s experiential knowledge, or wisdom of the soul attained after suffering. The
third keys correspond with attaining wisdom of Will—how you change the circumstances you seek
to change. The Empress is kinetic creativity; the Wheel of Life is changing one’s fate by changing
one’s karma; and The Healer is conscientious choice to mend one’s open wounds.

Wisdom Attained First Septenary Second Septenary Third Septenary

SELF 1 – The Magus 8 – The Force 15 – The Demon
SOUL 2 – The Priestess 9 – The Erudite 16 – The Tower
WILL 3 – The Empress 10 – Wheel of Life 17 – The Healer
DESIRE 4 – The Emperor 11 – The Chancellor 18 – The Necromancer
FORCE 5 – The Holy See 12 – The Outlaw 19 – The Warrior
ASTRAL 6 – The Lovers 13 – The Reaper 20 – Apocalypse
MATERIAL 7 – The Chariot 14 – The Angel 21 – New World Order

The Emperor facilitiates wisdom of our desire for temporal power. The Chancellor gives
access to wisdom of our desire for justice. The Necromancer gives access to all other unseen and
unspoken desires we harbor. The keys of Force avail us to the wisdom of the external powers that
influence who we are, external powers that we either let hold us back and limit us or we overcome.
Key 19, the traditional Sun card in tarot, is typically interpreted as success, which I agree with, but

24
the force of success is like flying too close to the sun. You will get burned. And so, too, Key 19 is
like Keys 5 and 12—forces that cause events to happen to us, which we then must navigate with
care.
With the three Astral keys, The Lovers are the guides for astral journeying to Eden; The
Reaper is the guide to the Underworld; and Key 20: Apocalypse is the threshold for journeying to
the world that has yet to come. The Material keys each signify manifestation.

First Septenary
Integrate the Self

The First Septenary is the exposition of the narrative arc when the precise setting of a life
path is revealed. This is about coming to terms with who you are, your identity. Note how the
serpent coiled around the cosmic egg in Key 0: The Initiate transitions into Key 1: The Magus
where that coiled serpent arranges itself into an intelligent design of the double ouroboros. This is
the initiated power of the self, of Spirit evident in Man.
The first four keys bear many cross-relations. There is the intuitive pairing of Key 1 and Key
2 as the divine masculine and divine feminine, then Key 3 and Key 4 as the temporal feminine and
temporal masculine. Yet Key 1: The Magus and Key 3: The Empress are also related by their
common trait of manifestation and productivity. Meanwhile Key 2: The Priestess and Key 4: The
Emperor are related to each other by their common trait of intelligence, aptitude, and reasoning. The
Priestess is psychic intelligence while The Emperor is social intelligence. Key 5 hearkens to
influential values, culture, and ideologies that form the personal identity. Key 6 marks the
consummated relationships of our personal history that have an impact on the psyche. Key 7: The
Chariot marks the rising action or triggering events that set the protagonist into motion on the hero’s
journey.
These seven Keys represent the primordial family, both in terms of a divine pantheon that
governs us and as the relatives that make us who we are. The First Septenary is about making sense
of the Self, based on where we’ve come from, what influences us, and how we commence the
journey of personal actualization.

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Key 1: The Magus. This is the primordial Mark of Creation, and of Logos. The Magus is
the personification of creative thought. When this Key appears to you, the call to action is
exercising the powers of your mind and you will achieve your greatest potential. The Magus
appears to you now to help you manifest discipline and focus toward mastery over your own innate
talents. Never forget: you have the capability to manifest your thoughts into reality. That is the
divinity in man and the powers embedded within your spirit.
Along the four corners of the cards are the four gifts of The Magus. In the top left is the
alchemical symbol for mercury. This is your genius defined. Bottom left is salt. This is the fertile
earth that gives you nourishment. Bottom right is sulfur. This is the fire that breathes passion into
your spirit. To the top right is water. This is the love that gives you strength. Mercury, salt, and
sulfur are the Tria Prima of alchemy, but water unites them, brings synthesis so that the
philosopher’s stone can be attained.
The only symbol that touches the intertwined Serpent of Wisdom is the symbol for mercury.
Mercury stands in for the mind. Water is power, salt is matter, sulfur is energy. Through the mind
and mentalism, the magus can also have power, matter, and energy (control over the other three).
Mercury is also the astrological correspondence for Key 1.

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 The Magus personifies the Hermetic principle of mentalism. The message to you is this: The
All is Mind. The Mind is All. What transpires across the material landscape of the universe is also
connected to the astral landscape within your mind. Will your control over one and you can will
your control over the other. When The Magus has called to you, find the method of control over
your circumstances through the control over your own mind.
Key 1 is also connected to the Work of specialized trades, economics or merchantry, of
cultural exchange, or information exchange. This card bodes well for commerce.
The Magus is the touchdown point of Divinity in Man, when the Divine Unconscious Will
becomes the Conscious Personal Will. The card is emblematic of the Powers of the Spirit. As
above, so below: worldly knowledge is psychic knowledge. What you master inside of you, you
will also master beyond you.
[RWS: The Magician, Thoth: The Magus or The Juggler]

Sulfur, mercury, and salt comprise the Tria Prima of alchemy. Water is what the alchemist uses to
unite the three base elements and produce the philosopher’s stone.

Alchemical Alchemical / Elemental Suit

Metaphysical Significance
Glyph Sophic Base Correspondence Correspondence

Sulfur Fire Scepters Brimstone; initiates change;

essential for life; the Red King

Water Water Chalices The womb and the primordial

soup; Tria Prima combined in
water begets abiogenesis
Mercury Air Swords Quicksilver (metal); catalyst for
change; the White Queen

Salt Earth Orbs Removes pestilence; neutralized

acid and base

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Key 2: The Priestess. This is Sophia, or wisdom personified. She guides you toward
the deepening and broadening of your knowledge. The Priestess is the Queen of the Angels. This
Key marks the threshold into the Sanctuary of Isis.
When The Priestess appears to you, she instructs on the cultivation of your wisdom and
intuition. The summation of choices you have made and the landscape of thoughts you have painted
for yourself have taken you to the threshold of a particular Path, and that Path awaits you behind the
veil of The Priestess. The sign of the pomegranate here portends fruitfulness when you learn the
teachings of this Path: yes, you are headed in the right direction. You are doing exactly what you
need to cultivate the knowledge for success.
The Priestess now calls to you to advance that knowledge of your Path, and to read the
Literature of Wisdom. “Isis” also means “throne.” The Sanctuary of Isis is the throne room of your
inner temple. This is the seat of the monarch, where you preside in majesty and from where you
command the architecture of your Great Work. When The Priestess has called to you, your Work to
be endeavored upon now is one of esoteric knowledge—of mysteries that are known to only the
few.
[RWS and Thoth: The High Priestess]

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Key 3: The Empress. This is the unconscious feminine and the spirit who springs forth
your productivity. Poetry, the arts, your creativity, and the prophesy of your path to realizing the
Holy Grail are what this spirit brings.
Push your creativity to its limits and there you will realize your personal greatness. The
Empress appears to those who are on the verge of producing a Work of worthy admiration. The
magic of The Empress transforms your hopes into reality. A divinity of Universal Love is present in
your life path and The Empress appearing to you is the affirmation you need for acknowledging that
presence.
The Empress is your connection to the primordial divinity of Earth. This is your ancestral
mother calling, and in divination, Key 3 affirms an offering to you of abundance, fruition, and the
material resources you need to thrive.
Her crown symbolizes Musica Universalis—the Harmony of the Spheres. The constellations
are a form of music, a harmonic of mathematics and the Holy Spirit. When Key 3 appears, you are
being called to conduct the Harmony of the Spheres—the spirit of music, math, and the Holy Spirit
will work through your two hands.

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 In the foreground, a swan guards the Empress Mother’s scepter, the swan being an emblem
of Venus, symbolic of poetry, the arts, and creativity. The orb atop the scepter is reminiscent of the
alchemical symbol for salt. Placed before the swan are raspberries, symbolic of fertility. The single
knotted button on The Empress’s mandarin collar is also reminiscent of a raspberry, a fruit that has
been with us since prehistoric times. The raspberry symbolizes the heart of the Messiah. It flows
with the red juice of compassion. Raspberries possess the spiritual power to ward evil.
Irises hang from her ears. The iris symbolizes the balance of power and wisdom and thus
emblematic of the divine-mandated right to sovereignty. A dragonfly—a symbol of self-
actualization— masks her true identity. She is an encoded revelation of the Holy Grail.
The swan and scepter are fenced in by an abundance of golden grain. She is the Giver of
Plenitude, emanating of Ceres or Demeter; she can manifest as the Empress Mother of the West.
Deep green waters in the distance are symbolic of how humankind evolved from algae blooming in
the seas. In the background, behind her right shoulder is the resting alchemical Pelican: only by
blood, sacrifice, and resurrection comes to fruition the Great Work.
Gloria Mundi is the muse for poets, writers, artists, and musicians. The Empress also
embodies the spirit of Rhetoric. She wields the art of persuasion.
This is the Mother of Thousands, who wears a crown inscribed with the twelve signs of the
zodiac, a tribute to Ourania (Urania), and the seal of a lotus blossom with three orbs symbolizing
the Holy Trinity and the Three Pure Ones. Ourania is the daughter of Zeus, granddaughter to
Uranus, and the divine feminine personification of the Supreme One. This is also the card of
prophesy and sooth-saying through the study of stars and celestial configurations.
The Empress is connected to Venus, and so she is the Bringer of Light. Note that Key 19,
The Warrior, is the Bringer of Dawn. The spirit of Key 3 is Gloria Mundi—the glory of the world.
The pelican behind her conveys a Mother’s Love. Cf. The spirit of Key 21 is Anima Mundi—the
soul of the world. Their numerical relative Key 12 is the bridge between glory and soul.
[RWS and Thoth: The Empress]

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Key 4: The Emperor. This is the unconscious masculine and your temporal power.
This is the spirit personification of order and authority. This is how you create and destroy your
world to mold it into the image of yourself and your will. When The Emperor appears to you, your
power of self-determination is being affirmed. You have the power to determine what is and what
will be for yourself. Summon the audacity to choose for yourself, to stand in your own truth and by
your own principles. The Emperor calls to you to fight for what you believe in. This is your
temporal power: The Emperor is the omen that you possess the capability of understanding the
material universe.
Key 4 corresponds astrologically with the sign Aries. In that correspondence is revealed the
spirit’s divine purpose. The Emperor is the primordial spirit of leadership and to be the leader, you
must know where you are going. The Emperor appears to you now to challenge you: do you know
where you are going? Your task: define your destination, and then lead. The Emperor appears when
you are being called to lead.
The ram’s horns at the top of the card are the horns of tenacity. The cubic stone between the
horns is the skeletal structure of your ambitions. You must now solidify those ambitions and bring

31
them into form. When The Emperor appears to you, the message is this: overcome your fears,
because it is now time for you to conquer new frontier.
The Orb wielded by the Emperor features a pictorial map of the formulas for creation and
destruction. The lines forming a pentagon within the orb signify the formula for creation while the
paths of lines forming the pentagram signify the formula for destruction. Key 4 can also be the
personification of the rules of the game. This is the Key that expresses Reason as the supreme
authority, that knowledge must be self-evident for it to be the Truth.
[RWS and Thoth: The Emperor]

Key 5: The Holy See. The spirit of The Holy See personifies tradition. Between
twin pillars is the Right Hand giving the ecclesiastical sign of Divine Secrets.
This is the establishment and cultural values that form your identity. When The Holy See
appears to you, you are confronting what you have inherited and are now tasked to evaluate that
inheritance with individual responsibility.

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 This is the spirit of sovereignty over your soul purpose. Is your purpose to be a vessel for
passing on the ideologies of a predecessor? Or is your purpose one that you will define for yourself?
When you are being told how to think and how to behave, you are facing the diverging Two
Paths—the essence of universal duality—compliance or defiance.
Key 5 personifies the Hermetic principle of correspondences. It is the mastery over
knowledge of how to bridge what occurs in one plane of reality to what occurs in another. The
Master of the Arcanes wields the power of a priest, an interpreter of signs.
Whose voice is truly speaking for the Holy Spirit? Take great care here when The Holy See
appears. Interpretations of the sacred mysteries are subjective. Whose interpretation will you listen
to?
Key 5 is also the primordial spirit of material culture and social norms justified by claims of
higher spiritual authority. When The Holy See appears to you, this spirit is appealing to you to
evaluate your material culture, your social norms, and discern for yourself whose interpretation of
the Arcanes is the correspondence that rings true with your divine higher genius.
Coiled around the pillar to the Hand’s right, a vine of red roses; around the pillar to its left, a
vine of white lilies. Inscribed upon the triple crown: “Vicarius Filii Dei” (Vicar of the Son of God,
in reference to Saint Peter, though by another view, also denotes the Antichrist, where the Latin
phrase, reduced to its Roman numerals, sums up to 666). Inscribed in the red and orange halo
surrounding the hand: χξϛ (Greek, “cxz”), Man’s Number associated with the Beast. Standing in the
foreground is the white bull, with one black horn and one gold, and sapphire eyes. Behold the
powers of the divine, manifested as exoteric, orthodox doctrine. An inverted ankh adorns the bull’s
head, representing the absence of the blessing from the Divine Mother. In a different light, this is
also the Holy Bull, the beneficent bull of the Avestan scriptures.
In Spirit Keeper, The Holy See is the card of challenge: challenge authority, defeat the papal
bull, and walk through, beyond, and to the other side of the twin pillars toward Key 12: The Outlaw,
the counterpart to Key 5: The Holy See. These two cards reveal the building and establishing of
your inner temple so that you might commune directly and personally with the Divine, no longer
relying on intermediaries.
[RWS and Thoth: The Hierophant]

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Key 6: The Lovers. The Lovers is the spirit of pairs. This is our internal binary. The
Lovers portend the sacred marriage of your higher self and your ego. This is the guardian at a
threshold where you face the diverging fork in your destiny, a moment of choice. Thus, Key 6 is
also the spirit of choice.
In the foreground, a dragon and phoenix face off. The dragon guards the Tree of Life,
rendered per the Ari Paths, though the tenth sefirah Malkuth is concealed from view. The phoenix
guards the Tree of the Knowledge, upon which the Kundalini serpent is coiled, guarding a single
born fruit, a fruit implying the hidden sefirah Malkuth.
In Chinese symbology, the phoenix and dragon together represent the perfected marriage of
yin and yang, matrimonial bliss, and are a power couple, as two of the most powerful celestial
animals of heaven’s kingdom.
The Arch of Swords is formed from a bow and arrow, appearing over the dragon and
phoenix, cast by their Holy Guardian Angel. The feathers of the arrow are from the Angel’s own
wings. The arrow is also a symbol for Mercury, the planetary ruler for Gemini.
Inscribed on one side of the bow: Solve et Coagula (“dissolve and concentrate,” an
alchemical maxim balancing a time to rest and a time to act, which leads to successful completion

34
of the Great Work). Inscribed onto the other side: Mutatis Mutandis (“the necessary changes having
been made”).
Upon the arrow itself: Law of Providence. The arrow is aimed into an empty chalice placed
between the dragon and phoenix. This is the Secret Law of Divine Providence. Note that the Secret
Law of Divine Providence is not in solid physical form. It is illuminated and present only in spirit.
The bow and arrow reveal God’s love for humanity. This is the sacred marriage of the
higher self and the ego.When The Lovers card appears, you are at a crossroads and your next step is
to choose between two paths. These two choices might best be described as either choosing the Tree
of Life, in which case mutatis mutandis, or the Tree of Knowledge, in which case the divine
instruction to you is solve et coagula.
The developmental stage marked by The Lovers precedes integration and temperance, so at
the stage of Key 6, the path is to choose either one side of the binary, the dragon’s path, or the other,
the phoenix. At this stage, the Two Paths feel (and are) at odds.
Key 6 appears to you when you must decide between instant gratification or delayed
gratification. When The Lovers card appears, it can also be a call to evaluate your interpersonal
matters. In modernity, The Lovers card might appear so that attention can be called toward a
romantic relationship or to the themes of Eros.
Key 6 marks The Two Ways. First is the choice that must be made between the Two Ways.
Key 6 is also the choice between instant gratification in your Path and delayed gratification. Second
in the Mystery of the Covenant comes the marriage of both ways so they become one and the same.
It is the anima and the animus in conflict, in struggle, and then in perfected harmonious union. In
alchemy, the Two Ways are Analysis then Synthesis.
The realm that Key 6 leads to is the first realm to achieve dominion over toward Perfection
of the Soul. This is the card of interpersonal relationships to integrate.
[RWS and Thoth: The Lovers; Thoth: also The Brothers]

35
Key 7: The Chariot. An armored knight, adorned with an eight-pointed star on the
helmet—the Seal of Prophets, steers a canopied chariot pulled by two sphinxes, dark and light,
representing the Urim and Thummim. One sphinx has eyes for seeing the light; the other has only
an open mouth, for speaking the truth. The hind leg of the sphinx who speaks is crushing its own
tail, symbolizing the self-inflicted pain of speaking your truth. Crescents on their headdresses are
reminiscent of divination moon blocks.
This is the primordial spirit and personification of free will. The Chariot is the spirit that
helps you create change. You have attained a certain mastery of knowledge, and now you must
determine how you will use that knowledge to create change in the world around you. The spirit of
The Chariot is here giving momentum to your knowledge and intuition so that the skills you have
acquired can be used to drive you forward along your Path.
Key 7 appears to affirm that you have triumphed over your obstacles. The charioteer
reminds you that you are in control of yourself. When The Chariot card appears, you have arrived at
a critical milestone, and are in movement toward victory. Success will come to the one who refuses
to stop fighting. You are capable of making the extraordinary happen, if you take control of what

36
you have power over and release control from what you do not. Let your faith be the chariot that
drives you when you do not have the power to change your circumstances.
Lux et Veritas: Light and Truth, a translation of the Urim and Thummim. In the journey
toward the godhead, Free Will must be steered by Light and Truth. The sphinx to the left with eyes
and no mouth can see the Light, but cannot speak the Truth. The sphinx to the right with a mouth
and no eyes cannot see the Light, but can speak the Truth. Its hind leg crushes its own tail,
symbolizing the self-inflicted pain that can sometimes come from daring to speak one’s Truth.
In ancient mythos, the chariot was associated with the sun and therefore an emblem of solar
deities, such as Mithra, Apollo, or Cybele. The chariot is also symbolic of spiritual elevation. In
antiquity, the charioteer represented control over one’s passions, desires, and therefore symbolized
the exercise of logic and Divine Reason. The canopy of the mind is held up by the four pillars
symbolic of the Tetragrammaton, YHVH, in the Proto-Canaanite alphabet. A shield bearing the
cardinal zodiac signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn, indicated by the ram, crab, balancing
scales, and goat respectively, conceals the knight’s acquired treasures: the Sacred Relics.
[RWS and Thoth: The Chariot]

A previous table on the Three Septenaries noted that Keys 7, 14, and 21 signified the attainment of
wisdom relating to the Material. Signifying physical manifestation are the zodiac signs by their
modalities, to represent the four seasons and the four quadrants of the earthly plane. Thus, the three
Material Keys in the Majors bear the zodiac signs of their corresponding modality.

Major Arcanum Zodiac Glyphs Zodiac Signs Modality

Aries, Cancer, Libra,
Key 7: The Chariot Cardinal
Capricorn
Gemini, Virgo,
Key 14: The Angel Mutable
Sagittarius, Pisces
Taurus, Leo, Scorpio,
Key 21: New World Order Fixed
Aquarius

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 Second Septenary
Integrate the Cosmos

The order of Keys in the Second Septenary initiates your understanding of the cosmos, or as
Papus notes, the keys to understanding the Constitution of Man. The Second Septenary reveals the
collective system of principles governing the human condition. It’s about understanding the
compositional nature of humanity.
If the First Septenary is the pathwork for understanding yourself, then the Second Septenary
is the pathwork for understanding the social order and natural laws of your world. When Keys from
the Second Septenary appear to you in a reading, you’re at the stage of gaining understanding about
the metaphysical laws that govern nature (including magic and how the human world interacts with
the spirit world) and the physical laws of nature (chemistry, mathematics, physics).
Where the First Septenary revealed Divine Providence so that you might integrate the Self,
the Second reveals your Destiny. These seven Keys are about heightening your awareness of the
world around you and gaining more experiences so that you can make positive, constructive
changes to your life path.
The Second Septenary is the most volatile and changeable. It is the part of your path that is
in flux. This is due to its astrological attribution to the Mutable modality.
The three modalities in astrology are Cardinal, Mutable, and Fixed. The First Septenary
corresponds with the Cardinal zodiac signs (which are the signs depicted on the shield of the
charioteer in Key 7: The Chariot).
The Second Septenary corresponds with the Mutable, so at the parallel point to Key 7, which
is Key 14, the Angel’s robes feature the Mutable signs. Finally, later in Key 21, the four Fixed signs
corresponding with the pathworking of the Third Septenary are depicted along the four corners of
the New World Order. In astrology, the Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) are
keenly attuned to the world around them, and perceiving the unseen that is underneath the seen
comes easier for the Mutable signs. Likewise, pathworking through the Second Septenary gains you
perceptivity of that unseen beneath the seen, which is to understand how the world works, and by
what divine and natural laws it seems to operate.

38
Key 8: The Force. This is the spirit of mastery over your own fears. A maiden in white
radiates with the double-headed ouroboros in a double lemniscate knot—it is the same lemniscate
knot of the manifested Magus.
You have tamed the beast and thereby now actualized your potential and kinetic power. The
Force is the personification of audacity to achieve personal miracles. In spite of all the setbacks
you’ve endured, you prevail, you endure, you persist.
When the beast growls at the maiden, instead of responding with violence or with fear, the
maiden shows love, kindness, and compassion. Her loving-kindness tames the lion.
The Force appears to you now to remind you that when you are facing the beast, face it with
love, kindness, and compassion, not violence or fear. The most powerful force is the force of Love.
Sometimes, that beast is our inner selves threatening to undermine the progress we have achieved. It
is appetite and desire, cruelty, inner depravity, or savagery.
When the beast that threatens you is yourself, show yourself love, kindness, and
compassion. The answer is not to beat the beast into submission; the answer is integration of the
beast. Acknowledge the dark side and meld it lovingly with the light. Key 8 symbolizes the Acts of
Love we’re capable of.

39
 The Force is the spirit of inner strength, and when Key 8 appears to you, you are being
called to acknowledge the beast and show that beast love, kindness, and compassion. Let the
maiden and the beast stand as one, and not against each other in rivalry.
The astrological glyph for the north lunar node hovers above the awakened serpent that has
manifested itself from within the maiden. One head of the serpent emerges from her crown, and the
other from her root, the Gate of Life and Death, where the serpent is first awakened. She wears a
garland of roses. This is the adept who has acquired some active, working knowledge of the mystic
arts, and mastery over fears and fearsome situations.
In the heavens shining down is the constellation for Leo, with the star Regulus illuminated
the brightest. Perched upon a bush in the background is a baby eagle facing leftward back toward
The Emperor.
The maiden and the lion together symbolize the alchemical force of having achieved balance
and reconciliation of the polarities within us. This is the spirit of Inviolable Innocence because in
spite of all that you have endured to get to where you are now, all the darkness you have seen, the
cruelty and suffering, you remain willful, strong, resilient, and untainted.
[RWS: Strength, Thoth: Key XI: Lust]

Key 9: The Erudite. This is the inner light of wisdom and

guidance that shines through the darkness—Lux ex tenebris, meaning
the light in darkness, the light that the darkness cannot comprehend
(from the Gospel of John).
The Erudite bears this message: as you walk through the valley
of darkness, fear no evil, for the Holy One is with you. The Holy One’s
rod and staff shall comfort you so that you always shine, but never
burn—luceo non uro.
The Erudite is the prophecy of a wise teacher. This is someone
who has learned and mastered many subjects, and therefore possesses
great knowledge as broad in scope as that knowledge is deep. When
The Erudite appears to you, you are being called to shine with the light
of the heavens. Shine for others, so others can see themselves and the

40
world clearer. Light the life of humanity—lux hominum vita.
The bars of music in the open book symbolizes the language of Key 9. The Erudite speaks
with the Voice of Light and that Voice, the universal language that unites all of mankind is music.
Here, the page features Pachelbel’s Canon in D. (Pachelbel was a sun sign Virgo, and Key 9
corresponds with the zodiac sign Virgo.)
When you understand why The Erudite has appeared to you, then this spirit leaves you with
one final message: “Where I am, you also may be,” says the Hermit of the Mysteries.
[RWS and Thoth: The Hermit]

Key 10: Wheel of Life. When Key 10 appears to you,

you are at a major turning point in your life.
This is the symbol of changing cycles and even the cycles of our
mind, how we change our perspectives based on the evolution of our
experiences. This is our karma and the law of causation. The Wheel of
Life doles out the consequences played out in our life path. This is the
guardian spirit present during a major shift in your life.
When the Wheel of Life appears, watch to see if history will
repeat itself. What had turned before may come to turn again. Yet when
the Wheel appears to you, it is also an affirmative opportunity to
change. History does not need to repeat itself. What had turned before
does not need to turn again.
The Wheel is emblematic of Friedrich Nietzsche’s discourse on
eternal recurrence. This is the principle that with infinite time and
infinite space but finite events, every physical mass that exists in the
present has existed in a self-similar form in the past and will return to
exist in a self-similar form in the future. The principle applies to every individual sentient being and
also to every grand designed universe. Our universe, too, has existed before and will exist again.
In that sense, Key 10 is the divinatory notice to you that this is your last clear chance to
change an outcome.

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 If you are discontent with how you see your current life trajectory, then seize the present
moment to reorient yourself and make corrections. The Wheel of Life is the law of avoidable
consequences: exercise effort now in this final window of opportunity and you can prevent the
outcome you seek to avoid, thereby manifesting that which you seek for your fortunes.
[RWS: Wheel of Fortune, Thoth: Fortune]

Key 11: The Chancellor. This spirit represents rectification measures that counter
karmic consequences. It is the spirit guiding you toward balanced judgment and making clear
decisions. Do not judge based on appearances. Choose balanced action, balanced words, and
balanced thought.
When Key 11: The Chancellor appears to you, it is a call to make the necessary adjustments
so that you might restore balance.
The Angel of Justice arrives when all considerations have been
duly weighed and the resulting outcome of the choices you’ve made,
your actions and your speech has now been determined.
Key 11 marks that point when the truth comes out. It is the
moment of deliberating whether an action taken was moral and if not,
how the action can be rectified.
The Angel of Justice is tasked with maintaining the equilibrium
of the universe and thus the equilibrium of your inner temple. The
scales of your life are about to get tipped so that balance can be
maintained. What the Angel of Justice wields in her right hand appears
as a sword, but serves as a pen. The Chancellor is also the primordial
spirit of the scribes and of scripture memorialized after experiencing the
turning Wheel of Life. The Chancellor works through scribes and
scripture. The spirit who works through Key 11 is the personification of
discourse that achieves harmony, justice, and reveals the truth.
The imagery depicted on Key 11 is the Angel seated in the Hall of Two Truths weighing
your heart against the Feather of Ma’at, the Egyptian goddess of Truth and Justice. Thus, when the
Angel appears to you, it is now your turn to have your heart weighed against the Feather of Ma’at.

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Key 11 marks your moment of divine accounting for all that you have done and how it shall weigh
toward an outcome.
[RWS: Justice, Thoth: Key VIII: Adjustment]

Key 12: The Outlaw. Examine your situation from a different perspective. Be the
outlier. This is the spirit designating how we break from establishment to serve a higher purpose. A
guardian spirit has come to support you as you scrutinize both the fundamentalism around you and
the personal dogma embedded deep within. Key 12 sends the message of psychic mindfulness. Tap
in to your own deep sea of unconscious.
The Outlaw hangs from pillars supporting the opposing side of the temple depicted earlier
on Key 5: The Holy See. This is the vantage point in opposition of tradition. We are seeing that
which defies orthodoxy.
This is the heretical, the eccentric, the dissident. This is the rejection of authority and
rebellion against establishment. The Outlaw appears to you when the answer is to operate outside of

43
and in contention with the established rules of institution. Yet be aware that there are consequences
to nonconformity and noncompliance.
The spirit of The Outlaw is showing you both the way of your path and also the
consequences of that way. If you choose to be the sacrifice, then those who come after you will be
redeemed.
Do ut des: “I give so that you may give.” Take heart, as the swan is the omen of grace and
the fish is the omen of prophecy. Coram Deo: In the presence of God. You act against the laws of
the material, worldly establishment, but not against the laws of God. Divinity is on your side.
The appearance of Key 12 designates a figurative baptism: a spiritual purification by the
element Water. This is the Key of Grace.
The Outlaw is the consciousness that each individual, no matter the karma, the fate, the
capacities, or integrity, can speak directly to God and can receive directly from God the Revelation
of the Mysteries.
When The Outlaw appears to you, you may find yourself presently suspended in suffering,
but a greater good and a Grace is to come.
Key 12 is the expression of the Dying God. The red anemone depicted upon the top stones
of the twin pillars are reminiscent of Adonis (Adonai) of Greco-Roman lore where the blood of the
dying Adonis and Aphrodite’s tears transformed into the anemone. In common fortune-telling Key
13, classically titled the Death card, is often the Key among the Majors associated with death and
dying, but it is Key 12 where a death or departure transpires. In the lore of the Dying God, Key 12
is the death and Key 13 is the resurrection. Thus, here in The Outlaw, we have already the prophecy
of a resurrection.
[RWS and Thoth: The Hanged Man]

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Key 13: The Reaper. This is the guardian spirit present when you’ve arrived at a life
stage of transition and personal transformation. You are being guided through an initiation phase
and the suffering you experience serves a greater divine purpose. A change that you know in your
heart is imminent but have been denying is the change that you will face.
The Reaper appears to you when the circumstances you face call for this gentle reminder:
All is not fair to the human perception. You toil for the Bread of Life until sweat seethes from your
brow, and yet that Life will be taken away no matter who you are or what you have done. Ashes to
ashes, dust to dust. That is the purpose and the absence of purpose to human Genesis. Nevertheless,
keep your focus on that which is the Light. Follow your own True North and The Reaper will
protect you. Endure through the difficult changes to come and when those winds of change have
settled, you will find yourself better for it. There will be rebirth after this death.
[RWS and Thoth: Death]

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Key 14: The Angel. This is the first sight and recognition of our inner divine genius. It is
the presence of your own Holy Guardian Angel. Key 14 marks the transition point to a higher state
of consciousness, and thus a heightened state of personal wellbeing. This is the first omen that you
are on the path to ascension.
When The Angel appears to you, exceptionalism amplifies your ordinary consciousness. The
tempering of what is higher divine with what is physical brings healing, rejuvenation, and changes
toward the better. This is where it gets better. When The Angel appears to you, it is an omen that
troubles are passing, pains subsiding, and you are growing closer to Divinity.
The Angel is your patron deity. Genius, in Greco-Roman lore, is one’s tutelary deity, or a
guardian spirit that protects an individual person. It is your daimon from your cradle to your grave,
the realization of an inner divine.
Circumstances in your life path have converged and a work of personal inspiration becomes
your productivity. You realize your innate talents and bring into material being that which is
extraordinary.

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 This is the primordial spirit of exceptionalism. Key 14 corresponds with Sagittarius, the sign
of the archer, which expresses a compelling nature of the divine higher genius: “Genius hits a target
no one else can see.” (Arthur Schopenhauer, 1788-1860)
Look for the omens in your path: your Angel will always reach out to you and forewarn you
of dangers or troubles to come. That is not to say your Angel averts danger from coming your way.
The reason why you must suffer is from a divine creed well beyond human wisdom.
Invest more confidence in your own intuition. It is precisely your intuition that actualizes the
inner genius. Trusting in your own intuition is what begets genius. To come in to knowledge and
conversation with your Holy Guardian Angel, you must first trust fully in your own intuition. When
genius is realized, the product is art.
One foot of the Angel is dipped into the Great Salt Sea of Awareness while the other keeps
balance on the material plane. Written upon one sash: Solve et Coagula (“dissolve and concentrate,”
an alchemical maxim balancing a time to rest and a time to act, which leads to successful
completion of the Great Work); and upon the other: Mutatis Mutandis (“the necessary changes
having been made”)—reminiscent of the bow from Key 6, the astrological polarity of The Angel.
Key 6, The Two Ways, hinted at the presence of The Angel, who is The Two Urns. This is also the
Time card—the indefinite progress of events and existence; the fourth dimension. Tempered
between her goblets: the Universal Medicine that is later used by The Healer to replenish the earth
in Key 17.
When the spirit of The Angel appears, it is Divinity showing its face to you. It is Divinity
assuring you that you are never alone. You do not suffer the slings and arrows without your Angel
standing by—the Threads of Fate knotted around The Angel’s gown signify that the path of Higher
Genius is always intertwined with you. The iris by Her foot reveals to us that She was the Angel of
Justice and a protégé of The Empress. The Angel now reveals that the light in Key 13 was Her all
along.
[RWS: Temperance, Thoth: Art]

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 Inscribed upon the Metternich Stela and pyramid texts is the story of Horus, a story thought to be
secret and reserved for the pharaohs.
Isis, pregnant with Horus, has been in seclusion, on the counsel of Thoth. One evening she asks the
woman of a dwelling if she could have shelter for the night. The woman brazenly shuts the door on Isis. The
Seven Scorpion goddesses accompanying Isis are angered by this offense and send a scorpion to sting the
woman’s son to death. The woman is overcome with grief and Isis seeing the woman’s sorrow, feels
compassion despite the woman’s earlier disrespect, and so Isis uses her magic to bring the woman’s son back
to life. Overjoyed about her son, the woman repents for her sins against Isis.
However, as soon as Isis resurrects the woman’s son, her own son Horus, whose right eye is the sun
and left eye is the moon, dies by the sting of a scorpion. Now it is Isis who laments.
Thoth comes to her and, authorized by Heaven, utters the words of the Great Spell, which are so
powerful, the words send the fluids of life from the sun god Ra into Horus and resurrects him. Isis expresses
her deepest gratitude to Thoth, who tells her that it is not him, but her Love that has brought her own son
back to life.
Thoth goes further to pledge to Isis that when her son enters the Halls of Judgment, Thoth will be the
advocate on behalf of Horus and no matter who speaks out against Horus, Thoth will be there to defend her
son. He also states that Heaven has ordained Horus to inherit the Throne of the Two Lands. The pharaohs of
the earthly realm would all be the incarnations of Horus.
The death and resurrection of Horus is encoded in the Keys of the Second Septenary.

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49
 Third Septenary
Integrate the Divine

The Third Septenary reveals the Keys toward ascension. Papus describes it as the
revelation of the Human Will, or more precisely, the divinity and power of Will, integrating
Providence and Destiny.
You will know that the Third Septenary of your Path has been reached when you are
battered and besieged with the most adversarial forces you have yet to encounter. It is only at
the ascended point of the Third Septenary that antagonists seem most determined to thwart
your every effort toward even higher cultivation.
As Hildegarde of Bingen (1098—1179) known as the Sibyl of the Rhine put it, to reach
God, man must first pass through Hell. Thus, the Third Septenary begins with Key 15: The
Demon. When faced with The Demon and then struck by The Tower, do you give up and
abandon the Path because of the obstacles that have beset your success? Or do you dig deeper,
persist, perspire, and confront those obstacles?
When a prominent Major Arcanum in your tarot spread is from the Third Septenary or
there are multiple Majors from the Third in the reading, a higher purpose is at stake. The
matter you are divining on is a matter of much greater significance than perhaps you’ve
initially realized. Underlying the matter is the question of what will bring you a sense of
spiritual fulfillment. What is it that truly speaks to your soul?
In the Third Septenary, six of the cards (all except Key 21) correspond with a
divinatory art based on the seven mystic arts in Renaissance magic. Keys 15 and 18 together
represent the dark arts, both demonology and necromancy; Keys 16 and 19 together
represent oracle bone divination; and Keys 17 and 20 represent the integration of palmistry
and astrology. The remaining four are found in the Threes of the Minor Arcana: pyromancy,
hydromancy, aeromancy, and geomancy (Scepters, Chalices, Swords, Orbs, respectively).
The Third Septenary reveals the Keys toward ascension. This is a figurative Return to
God or to Manifest the Inner God (the Two Paths). These are the trials and the omens that
determine whether the hero succeeds on the perilous journey.

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 Key 15: The Demon. The Demon, with its serpent tail, bat wings outstretched,
and the head of a goat, has chained the Lovers—the dragon and phoenix. In Renaissance Europe,
bats were associated with demons, darkness, ghosts, but also intelligence. In Biblical mythos, the
bat is the enemy of the Light. Since the bat was observed to sleep upside down, the bat also came to
symbolize disruption of the natural order. Another name for The Demon is Melancholia. The
serpent’s tail bears his relationship with the Magus. The Demon also calls to mind the Ophiotaurus
in Greek mythology—part bull and part serpent (recall the symbolism of the bull in Key 5). The
entrails of the Ophiotaurus have the power to defeat the gods when burned.
You know you’ve begun the final prong of your spiritual journey when you’re thrust into a
battle with the Typhon. This is the mental and emotional chains of bondage you must break, and to
break those chains, you must see clearly that those chains have always been an illusion. To break
the chains, you have to break the illusion. Though he has cast an illusion that he controls the chains
binding the Lovers, the ends of his chain, which go off-frame, do not in fact link to the chains
around the dragon and phoenix.
The Demon is a beneficent spirit from your inner universe who appears to you when you are
letting your Beast take control over your Self. When you have been letting the darker, destructive

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aspects of human nature prevail over your own spirituality, The Demon will appear in an effort to
redirect you on the rectified Path.
While the name of the spirit conjures supernatural and sinister denotations, put simply, The
Demon is the primordial spirit of harm, and more often than not, self-harm. This is self-sabotage.
Even when your conscious intent appears to be to hurt others, your subconscious intent is to punish
yourself.
An inverted alchemical symbol of the squared circle appears in front of the Demon’s belly,
indicating the sacral chakra. At his crown is the astrological glyph for the south lunar node.
Together, the symbols reveal the Demon’s relationship with Key 8, The Force, its parallel
counterpart back in the Second Septenary.
The Demon is beneficent because it is the divinity that compels humanity to confront that
which they fear, because that is necessary for actualizing your God within. This is the spirit that
guides you to confront what you are avoiding.
The Demon is the personification of interferences that undermine our pursuit of our
aspirations or the advancement of our knowledge and wisdom. The Demon is that which holds us
back.
When Key 15 appears, you are letting forces of harm inhibit your progress. You have been
surrendering your self-control. The Demon is thus trying to alert you to manipulation, abuse,
deception, or undue influences that are causing you sabotage in the long-term. Key 15 is a sign of
impairment.
The action to take now is to battle the Typhon and overcome that manipulation. Break
yourself free from the undue influences that are causing you harm. There is no easy way around the
battle to come and there is no avoiding the battle: you will need to exert an extraordinary amount of
strength to defeat your Typhon.
The Demon is also Exalted Creativity. The lesson to learn from The Demon is this: the
Mystery of Sorrow; the Mystery of Change; and the Mystery of Selflessness. Key 15 as Capricorn is
both the Great Builder and the Great Destroyer. You wouldn’t even be worthy of confronting The
Demon if you weren’t destined for greatness. And thus Key 15 is also the mark of prodigy and
exceptionalism.
[RWS and Thoth: The Devil]

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Key 16: The Tower.
The blasted Tower is struck: the Staff of Moses from Key 9
has transformed into a lightning bolt. Alongside it, the trishula
descends down—the Trident of Shiva, which in mythos, was used to
sever the first head of Ganesha (recall the imagery evocative of
Ganesha in Key 5). The trishula is also symbolic of the Holy Trinity.
This is a Fall, a trial that will test the Soul.
The Tower is the spirit of disappointment when you feel what
you have worked hard for is not propelling you toward the higher
ground you desire.
The Tower of Babel was constructed when a united humanity
endeavored to erect a tower that could lead straight up to Heaven and
thus would provide humans with direct and easy access to the
celestial realm. Yet such an endeavor was struck down by the the
divine fires of lightning, crushing the human pretension that there
could be an easy way to enter Heaven.
The Tower card is a beneficent spirit borne out of that narrative and that memory, appearing
before you to prevent you from falling prey to the delusion that material conveniences can
accelerate spiritual awakening.
The tail of the Demon is present here because Key 16 portends having to face the potential
for malevolence both within you and in the world around you. This is the spirit of having to
voluntarily accept suffering. There is no spiritual transformation until you accept that your own
suffering and also the suffering of the world are your responsibility.
There is no easy or direct path to awakening. To complete your Great Work, there is only
the path of toil, labor, suffering, sacrifice, and attainment of wisdom through experience. That
experience can only come through the passage of time.
The spirit of The Tower appears when the message you need to hear is this: change your
direction. Before the physical construction of your Great Work can manifest, you must build a solid
inner foundation. Focus on that inner foundation and then when the conditions are ripe, the physical
construction of your Great Work will manifest.

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 This is the moment your material and spiritual worlds collide. The spirit of The Tower
appears to you now in an effort to guide you through the challenge of dismantling your own
preconceived notions. A talisman is given to you: a battle axe, which you must wield to remove the
obstacles in your way.
Heed these teachings: there can be joy in sorrow and stability in change.
In the background, an erupting volcano makes known the presence of Pele. The bolts of
lightning strike the Tower, which begins to crumble, but also, it strikes to break the chains that had
linked the Tower to the chains of the Demon from Key 15—the Initiate now realizes that the
Demon’s chains bind the material Tower, not the Lovers.
In the foreground, a battle axe dripping with blood is offered. A message this card delivers
to you is to find that battle axe, because it is the axe that will empower you to navigate the matter at
hand. Blood dripping from the blade symbolizes past experience, which must now be utilized and
applied to the situation.
The two crescent moons from the headdresses of the two sphinxes in Key 7—Key 16’s
numerological relative—are inscribed upon the axe. (The crescent moon is also an iconographic
representation of Shiva.)
The axe is a symbol of war and sacrifice, but it is also associated with lightning. Per Biblical
lore, an axe striking the root of a tree symbolizes the Last Judgment: Key 16 is the second key in the
final Septenary and Key 20: Apocalypse, also known as the Last Judgment, is the second to last key
in the final Septenary. The axe is also significant in Freemasonry, symbolizing one’s initiatory
courage to reveal the Divine Mysteries.
For the magus to return to the Light and Glory of God, magic must be pursued without
arrogance or ego. Another word for magic is science. When The Tower card appears, reevaluate
your intentions. An adjustment of those intentions can bring an adjustment of fates for the better.
Key 16 can also be an omen of armed conflict.
[RWS and Thoth: The Tower; Thoth: also War]

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Key 17: The Healer. This is the Star of the Magi, Queen of Infinite Space.
You have overcome a brutal yet necessary trial in your life, and now your Holy Guardian
Angel returns as The Healer to nurse your battle wounds.
The Holy Guardian Angel manifests as Our Lady of the Stars to heal your broken world. She
sheds a Tear of Compassion, feeling your pain as her own. She pours from one chalice into the
Great Salt Sea of Awareness, purifying the soul and unconscious, and from the other onto the
material plane, healing the physical realm and restoring the body.
This Key is a blessing. She is curative Love who meets and embraces you after you have
survived the gauntlet of adversity. In Key 17, the Titan goddess of nocturnal oracles Asteria—The
Starry One—mother of Hecate, can appear in revelations to the Seeker.
Your Angel—your inner divine genius—sheds a tear because your pain is the Angel’s pain.
Yet lest we forget, this is the spirit of Hope, the spirit of agape Love, and the spirit of Divine
Beauty.
An eight-pointed star, the Seal of Prophets—a reference to the Islamic prophecy of The
Messenger—and Star of the Magi, radiates overhead, casting its light down onto your world. When

55
this world is being overrun with darkness and injustice or the teachings of The Paths are being
corrupted, Divinity will send a prophet to restore light and justice and clear the teachings of The
Paths.
This star, the Seal, is also emblematic of the masonic Keystone, which is the center stone
that holds an archway together. The Keystone represents enlightenment and stability at the peak
point. The Star of the Magi is also Faith. Faith is expressed through communion with Divinity and
service to Humanity.
The smaller stars form the constellation Aquarius. The Aquarian mission is to understand
life’s mysteries, to serve a greater good, and to be a champion for that greater good. The Healer’s
companion, a scarlet ibis, flies close. The ibis here is symbolic of Thoth, the ancient Egyptian god
of the sciences, the inspiration for Hermes and medieval alchemy, Hermeticism, and even Middle
Eastern magic.
In the distance, the structure of the Tower has been restored, visible along the horizon—this
time, built in accordance with the Divine Will.
The Healer appears to mend what was broken. Capax Dei: capable of receiving the Divine.
The mind is formed in the image of God, and in that, it is capable of Divinity. Your capacity of
holding Divinity within you is now being revealed. The goblets pour forth Hope and Faith—hope
and faith in yourself that you are capable of greatness.
Key 17 is the Star of the Magi and when The Healer appears to you, the fragments of your
broken world will be healed. This is the omen of restoration, of rebuilding, salving, and alleviating
your pains.
The lotus blossom of The Healer depicted on the card sends this message to you: No mud,
no lotus. Suffering is the mud in which the lotus flower of divine awakening can grow.
When The Healer is making her presence known to you, it is the prophecy that a blessing is
soon to be conferred.
Note: The woman in The Star card is more commonly depicted as nude, to associate her with
the Egyptian sky goddess Nut. In lieu of nudity, Nut is represented here by the veil of emanations
covering the sky and her presence is made known by the sycamore tree in the background.
[RWS and Thoth: The Star]

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Key 18: The Necromancer. Key 18 is the Moon of the Magi. The Necromancer
is the spirit of unseen influences. It is the spirit personification of uncertainty and illusions.
When the Moon of the Magi appears to you, the matter at hand is steeped in ambiguity.
It is the guardian who walks you toward mastery of seeing beyond perception and
unraveling illusion. The Necromancer is the spirit of your own imagination, an imagination
that shines now so that the Truth can finally be illuminated.
The Necromancer appears when you are coming toward the crossroads of having to endure
through a dark night of the soul. The Necromancer will be your guide and ally through the darkest
night.
Yet there is prophecy here: journeying through the dark night of your soul will take you onto
the path that leads to your Holy Grail. What is to come is part of your Quest, and reflects what is to
be your chosen Path. Thus, while Key 18 bodes uncertainty, can feel ominous, and portends a
coming darkness, there is also the foretelling of Greatness to come. Of all the spirits in all the
Realms, it is only The Necromancer who can unveil the passageway to the Grail.
Oftentimes this Key can mark the dark night of the soul or having to pay closer attention to
your dreams. A waning crescent moon—the moon of witchcraft and sorcery—appears at the zenith

57
point of the skies. A scarab flies close, symbolic of eternal life, divine teachings, and a spiritual
crossroads. Twin stone pillars symbolize a sacred gateway and mystic passage into the unknown. A
cut-out window in one pillar suggests the Eye of Spirit watching over.
The Necromancer is also the spirit of resurrection. In Egyptian symbology, the scarab is an
omen of life after death. The parting seas depicted on the card symbolize climactic miracle.
Through the doubt and mystery, maintain an unwavering faith and that is what will power
resurrection and miracles to happen.
[RWS and Thoth: The Moon]

Key 19: The Warrior. Key 19, the Sun of the Magi,
signifies competence and reciprocity. This is the primordial spirit of
Dazzling Light. Here we see your consciousness expanding.
We are predisposed to seeking out competence—the
mastery of knowledge, skill, and to possess qualification—and also
reciprocity—for there to be mutual exchange in all our social
interactions.
The spirit who has appeared before you in Key 19 is the
Bringer of Dawn. The armor she wears is made of dragon skin. In
both ancient Eastern and Western lore, the skin of a dragon
produces the most impenetrable armor.
Thus, in The Warrior we have the indomitable spirit. The
Master of the Mystic Light appears to you when you are on the
verge of confronting potential with Reason and Truth, through
which you shall create Goodness.
Goodness is Creation with purpose arrived at through Reason and Truth.
Libertas perfundet omnia luce is inscribed upon The Warrior’s right gauntlet or
armored glove: freedom will flood all things with light. The Warrior’s mission is to ensure that
all may live with dignity and to be self-governing. The Sun of the Magi is personal sovereignty
that radiates out as manifested contributions to the world.

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 Here is victory in the battles you’ve fought for your own independence of mind, body,
and soul. You’ve broken all chains. You’ve detached yourself from that which had tried to
control your will. And now your light shines freely out into the world.
The Warrior is also the spirit of fighting to protect others, fighting in service. This is
success and glory you achieve not for yourself, but so you can be in the empowered position to
help others thrive and grow. Once you are delivered into freedom, you bear the responsibility
to deliver others to the same.
The Warrior is the spirit beckoning you to vow a life in service of others, to always
strive for personal greatness, and to live by your own honor code. This is the spirit of heroic
acts. Inscribed upon The Warrior’s other glove, luceat lux vestra: let your light shine. You are
now liberated and triumphant.
This is the Key of Expanded Consciousness, the Sun, charged with a Rose, the budding
of solar influence, with Aries rising in the east. The Sun—a mystic rose—illuminates at the
zenith point of the skies.
Inscribed in the three petals from the top clockwise: Aleph, Mem, Shin in the Proto-
Canaanite alphabet, for the three mother letters. The ring of seven petals bears the symbolism
of the sacred seven planets, also for the seven metals of antiquity, and the seven double
letters. The outer ring of twelve bears the symbolism for the twelve zodiac signs. Within the
Sun, an amber lemniscate bears a cross for the four directions and rose. The three-tiered rose
as the Sun is emblematic of the philosopher’s stone, but more than that, it designates full
blossom—achievement of the Great Work.
The emanating rays of sunlight feature the cubic stone, in reference to the masonic
Stone of Foundation. When Thoth resurrects Horus, he uses the fluids of life siphoned from
Ra, the Egyptian god of the sun. Those fluids of life are now used to cast the cubic stones for
the construction of your inner temple. When The Warrior appears to you, success is imminent.
Glory comes.
[RWS and Thoth: The Sun]

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Key 20: Apocalypse. This is the spirit presented upon your path when you have
arrived at a point of no return. What has transpired is now irreversible.
“The only way out is through.” (Robert Frost, 1874-1963)
This is that moment of full realization for why all that has happened to you has
happened. The Apocalypse is the spirit of revelation, when the answers that were hidden
before are now obvious. This is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.
When the Apocalypse appears in divination with other cards, it adds an emphasis of
significant spiritual importance to those other cards. Pay closer attention when Key 20 is present.
When the Apocalypse appears in a single card draw, it is the first sign to you that God’s
presence will be made known to you imminently. It is the foretelling that an important message is to
come, and that message will unveil what had been obscured to you, and give you knowledge of
what you did not know of before. Self-actualization is to come.
The spirit of the Apocalypse presented to you can also be a sign of a true ending. You have
walked beyond the point of no return for a path. A certain way of life you had grown accustomed to
is coming to an end. In its place will be a new way of walking your life path.

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 The Apocalypse is a mythic personification of an event horizon—this is a space-time in
which no event that comes subsequent can affect the outcome, because all that could have affected
it has either transpired or not transpired. The Apocalypse card appears when you have crossed the
boundary of where gravitational pull over you is such that turning back is impossible.
[RWS: Judgement; Thoth: The Aeon]

Key 21: New World Order. This is the Crown of the Magi. It is both the
beginning and the end of the Great Work. It is Oneness with the Great Calling, and the final state of
actualizing divine consciousness. Key 21 marks the World to Come, Heaven on Earth, and the
materializing of a new Paradise.
This is the spirit present upon your path after change has taken place. This is the spirit you
encounter when a cycle has come to its completion.
At the center is a pelican with wings outstretched who has pierced her own heart and is now
feeding her young, a set of three nestlings at her feet, suckling upon three rivulets of their mother’s
blood. In old medieval lore, it was believed that in times of need, a mother pelican will pierce her

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own breast with her beak and feed her young with blood. Thus, the pelican became an allegory for
the Messiah and the self-sacrifice of Christ.
Great balance and stability come when the catalyst has succeeded at creating a new zeitgeist.
You are the New World Order who brings positive change to the zeitgeist. You are the catalyst.
This is the spirit of you succeeding at creating the change you have wanted to see in your world.
What do you see in your world right now that is broken or causes suffering? What is your dream of
how your world can be repaired?
The New World Order is the spirit ready and by your side, aiding you, guiding you, so that
you can truly and fully embody the catalyst to a most wonderful change, a change that will make the
world you live in a much better place for all. The New World Order ushers in a period of
renaissance and unification.
When Key 21 appears to you, it is the divinatory mark of a new epoch in your life. With it
comes dramatic changes to your world. This is the spirit of a great power rising. The New World
Order is the spirit personification of a newfound peace, one that will be stable and enduring. That
peace ushers in a period of prosperity and a sense of security. All is balanced. This is the primordial
power of social change.
The allegory of the Messiah embedded into Key 21 appears to you now to remind you that
your suffering and the suffering of the world is your burden. Know yourself as a perpetrator, not a
victim: do not look for what the world has done to you; see what you have done to this world.
Determine what it is you need to do, how you must act in a manner that shoulders responsibility so
that you can confront not only your own suffering but the suffering of this world and rectify it. Take
ownership to take control.
The New World Order is the rectification of past adversity. It is only when you accept
hardship and affliction, truly accept it, that you can transform yourself physiologically,
psychologically, and spiritually.
[RWS: The World, Thoth: The Universe]

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63
 MINOR ARCANA: SEVEN UPPER REALMS
If the Majors are the primordial spirits, then the Minors are the spirits of our world who
operate among us to orchestrate the mundane. The Upper Realms are the transitory states of
Creation from spiritual to temporal.
The Minor Arcana gives the actual formula for the philosopher’s stone: it gives the logistical
step by step instructions for achieving the your Great Work. The Minor Arcana reveals how you can
achieve that Great Work, instructing on the interior design, styling, and psychic accoutrements of
your inner temple.
Here, the Upper Realms relate to conception and the first signs of growth or development.
The Aces are the divine seeds that are implanted into our minds and hearts, which we then channel
outward to materialize.
In lay terms, the Upper Realms relate to conception and the first signs of growth or
development. The Aces are the divine seeds that are implanted into our minds and hearts, which we
then channel outward to materialize.
MINOR ARCANA KEYS WITH TRINITARIAN PRIMORDIAL INFLUENCES
Lower Realm Upper Ream Lower Realm
Ten Ace Two Three Four
Key 1 Key 1 Key 2 Key 3 Key 4
Key 10 Key 10 Key 11 Key 12 Key 13
Key 19 Key 19 Key 20 Key 21 Key 0

The Tens from the Lower Realms are linked to the Aces because, after the material
pinnacles that the Tens represent, what had manifested is returned to dust, back into the intangible
realms from where they first sprung—and that’s the Aces. The cycle continues, and what is in the
intangible realm of the Aces will begin to manifest in the Realm of Twos. The Threes, then, give
birth descending from the Upper Realm to the Lower Realm, and the first sign of what has
materialized having function is in the Fours.
Within each Realm, there are four guardian spirits that correspond with the four elements.
The spirit of that Realm reigning over the Scepters emanates with Fire; the spirit reigning over the
Chalices emanates with Water; the spirit reigning over the Swords emanates with Air; and the spirit
reigning over the Orbs emanates with Earth.

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 THE FOUR SACRED RELICS

The Aces in the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot represent the four sacred relics that represent actualized
knowledge of Divinity. They signify the four attainments in the four key quadrants of your life: the
work that you do, the relationships that fulfill you, the name and legacy you leave behind, and the
material prosperity that you manifest for you and your loved ones.

The Ace of Scepters (Sacred Fire) is the SPEAR OF DESTINY, which manifests your
courage and audacity. It imparts knowledge, which then becomes wisdom, and it
fosters your utmost creativity, willpower, and ability to innovate. It infuses everything
that you do with passion and zeal. Those who find their figurative Spear of Destiny
will achieve the pinnacle of career success and productivity in their lifetimes.

The Ace of Chalices (Holy Water) is the HOLY GRAIL, which manifests as not only your
connection to the spiritual universe around you and the unseen energies that
influence that which is seen, but the Grail is what nurtures and feeds your soul, that
saves your soul, that brings alchemical concord to your life, your emotional wellbeing,
your interpersonal relationships, and your internal sphere. Those who find their
figurative Holy Grail will achieve an unshakeable sense of inner peace and spiritual
conviction.

The Ace of Swords (Sacred Cinnabar) is the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT that helps you to
achieve knowledge of all things—a knowledge and wisdom that advances what was
attained through the Spear of Destiny, and empowers you to become an indomitable
spirit, to be undefeatable and to achieve the penultimate of sophistication. This is the
consummation of all that you worked for that begets glory and defines your legacy.

The Ace of Orbs (BREAD OF LIFE) is what brings you access to a plenitude of resources,
always. It is what avails to you at all times the abundance in all things that you need. It
is your physical health, your material assets, your industry, and the physical
accoutrements of your dominion. The Bread of Life feeds you in such a way that you
always have the physical capability to do what you seek to do.

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 Minor Arcana: Seven Upper Realms, 28
(In each Realm, 4 Keys, 4 Gateways)

1. The Aces: Nucleic Seeds

2. The Twos: Provision
3. The Threes: Fruition
4. Holy Guardians of Fire
5. Holy Guardians of Water
6. Holy Guardians of Air
7. Holy Guardians of Earth

In “Tarot System Equivalents” toward the back of this book, you’ll find a card to card
correspondence table for reference. These tables will help you understand the Tarot de Marseille,
Rider-Waite-Smith, and Thoth equivalents in the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot deck.

Realm of Aces: Nucleic Seeds

There are four elemental worlds that the One Creator bore from Logos (“In the beginning
was the Word”), the four letters of the Creator’s name. From those four elemental worlds, we can
see the 22 facets of the Creator, which are the 22 primordial spirits of the Major Arcana.
To then materialize from the spiritual realm into the material and corporeal realm, four
nucleic seeds are planted, and those are the Aces.
In Book of Thoth, Crowley noted that the Aces are not materialized forms of their respective
elements but are the root from which materials of their respective elements will spring form. The
Ace of a suit is the formless essential nature of the element, which is needed for the matter to be
created of that elemental realm.
According to Crowley, the Ace of each suit also corresponds with a geographical region of
the world: Root of Fire, or Ace of Scepters, for Asia; Root of Water, or Ace of Chalices, for the
Pacific; Root of Air, or Ace of Swords, for the Americas (North and South); and Root of Earth, or
Ace of Orbs, for Europe and Africa. The German theologian and occultist Heinrich Cornelius
Agrippa associated Fire with the Orient, Water with the North, Air with the Occidental West, and
Earth with the South.

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 In the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the Realm of Aces arises from the sefirah Keter, the Crown,
and that which is beyond the human mind’s comprehension. It is the primordial intentions of Ein
Soph, or the infinite void from which God manifested. Thus, Aces in a reading point to intentions to
conceive or can even be thought of as predictive and prophetic. Aces in a spread direct your
attention to that which has yet to happen, but which will, should, or could.
The Aces in this deck also signify the next alchemical phase for you to transition in to on
your path toward success, achievement, and fulfillment.
Four Alchemical Phases to the Magnus Opus
Alchemical Stage Element Tarot Suit Color Metaphor Phase Correspondence

Nigredo Earth Orbs Blackening Purging earthly nature; completion

(Phase 1) Salt Release, banish, of decay; new life begins only after
take control putrefaction; dark night of the soul
Albedo Water Chalices Whitening Stage of the Moon; cleansing the
(Phase 2) Transform, soul; awakening to our Light
awaken, atone, nature after experiencing Darkness;
clease, refine, becoming fully conscious of one’s
sublimate true being
Citrinitas Fire Scepters Yellowing Stage of the Sun; capable of
(Phase 3) Sulfur Discipline, exert emanating with our own Light;
active influence, creativity; intelligence; actualizing
science, have a knowledge; revelation; a mystical
vision; genius experience
Rubedo Air Swords Reddening Climax; rising to a crescendo; the
(Phase 3) Mercury Accrue power, crowning achievement; actualized
intensify; the manifestation of the Magnus Opus
turning point (Great Work)

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Sacred Fire. Ace of Scepters: Above the Celestial Lights is an Incorruptible Flame, always
sparkling, the Spring of Life, the Formation of all Beings. This Flame produces all things—and so
states the Chaldean Oracles of Zoroaster.
This is the root of the powers of Fire, when spiritual alchemy of Fire is about to materialize
in your world as a creative project, a venture of innovation, entrepreneurship, passion project, or
career development. This is the prophecy of an exciting new venture.
The Ace of Scepters is the Awakening stage of your path to achieving the Magnum Opus.
Alchemically, the Ace of Scepters corresponds with Sulfur. The color associated with the Ace of
Scepters is yellow, symbolizing the transmutation of silver into gold, or the yellowing of lunar
consciousness. Through the presence of Sacred Fire, you realize your own inner Solar Light.
When the Ace of Scepters appears, it signifies your Spear of Destiny—that which will
manifest your courage and audacity. Illuminate your mind with the pursuit of higher knowledge.
Foster creativity and willpower so that you will have the ability to innovate. Infuse all that you do
going forward with more passion and more zeal.

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Holy Water. Ace of Chalices: This is the root of the powers of Water, when a spiritual or
artistic realization is about to materialize in your world. This is the seed of concord, fruitful
developments in home and family on the domestic front, or promising prospects in love and
relationships.
Alchemically, the Ace of Chalices is the Purification stage of your path toward achieving
your Magnum Opus. Your world is being detoxified, cleared. Through Holy Water, you connect to
your allies, both among the people in your world who love you and your spirit protectors. The color
associated with the Ace of Chalices is white for purification and blue for spiritual serenity.
When the Ace of Chalices appears to you, you are about to receive, and what you receive
will fulfill. What fills you will wash away past hurt. There is renewal.
A three-tiered fountain contains the essence that is the prima materia, or first matter to begin
the Great Work. The top tier pours forth three streams of the alchemical primes, or tria prima:
sulfur, mercury, and salt. In alchemy, the flying dove symbolizes the spiritual force that tempers the
opposites—it is the spirit of Divine Union. Here, the dove symbolizes the presence of the Holy
Ghost.

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 The Ace of Chalices is the omen that what you seek now is the pursuit of your personal
Holy Grail. The Grail itself is inscribed with the ichthys, and the circular ichthys symbol (ΙΧΘΥΣ),
for Christ consciousness. Embedded into the detailing is also signs for the triple goddess.
The Ace of Chalices marks the alchemist entering the White Stage of the Work, or White
Work. It is purification of the subconscious and realization of lunar light. White Work is meditation,
channeling, and the you as a receiver of divine communications.
Holy Water appears to you when what it is you need most is purification so that you might
have a clearer sense of what it is that truly will fulfill you—what truly is your Grail. Those who find
their figurative Holy Grail will achieve an unshakeable sense of inner peace and spiritual
conviction.

Sacred Cinnabar. Ace of Swords: This is the root of the

powers of Air, when spiritual alchemy of Air is about to materialize in
your world as intellectual property, achievement of glory, social
advancement, or that which shall become memorialized in written
form, documented.
The Ace of Swords is the card of Actualization in alchemy. It is
realization of your Magnum Opus ready to enter physical form.
Alchemically, the Ace of Swords corresponds with Mercury (cinnabar
is refined mercury in a brilliant scarlet form—hence, the alchemical
phase name Rubedo, associated with the element of Air).
When Sacred Cinnabar appears to you, glory and success is
imminent. The elements of your Great Work have come together and
consummated. All that you have worked hard for shall culminate in
attainment. The sparks for victory and conquest have ignited around
you, and for you. The masterpiece shall be complete. When the Ace of Swords appears, the message
is this: the deed shall be done. Yet the Ace of Swords is not victory itself; it’s the foretelling of
victory while itself, is presented to you as a challenge. You have to accept the challenge to achieve
the promised victory.

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 Cinnabar is the key to producing the philosopher’s stone, mythologized to resemble a ruby.
In medieval Chinese alchemy, cinnabar was believed to be the critical ingredient in the elixir of
immortality. When cinnabar is heated, it produces quicksilver, or mercury.
Above to the sword’s right is a palm leaf symbolizing victory; to its left, red hollyhock for
ambition, and thus cinnabar is the stone of victory and ambition. The Ace of Swords appearing in
your reading is such a talisman for ensuring your victory and a prophesy that your ambitions are to
be consummated. Courage and strength are the final measures to produce Sacred Cinnabar; the Ace
of Swords is the quality of Enforcement.

Bread of Life. Ace of Orbs: This Ace of Orbs

prognosticates plenitude and well-being to come.
Walls that blocked you before come down and you are about to
gain access. In the bottom right, there is the image of an illuminated
virgin mother. She is at the entrance of a dark cave. The outer walls of
the cave are etched with the letters from various ancient ideographic
writing systems: pre-Columbian Aztec/Nahuatl logograms; Egyptian
hieroglyphs; Chinese oracle bone script; Old Persian cuneiform; ancient
Aramaic; the Proto-Canaanite alphabet; the Ge'ez script from the Horn
of Africa; Old Nubian; Elder Futhark runes; and Hebrew.
The wall of ancient languages makes reference to some of the
essential natures of how Earth comes from Air. In the Opening of the
Four Worlds telling the story of Creation, Air (the intellectual plane)
begets Earth (the material plane). The Formative World (Air, the wall
of languages) opens into the Active World (Earth, the orb inside the cave). “And the Word became
flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of
grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Inside the cave is the sacred orb, the essential ingredient in the recipe for the Bread of Life.
This portends your receiving of that essential ingredient you’ve been searching for, that completes
the formula for you.

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 The orb is set within a hexagonal six-pointed geometric pattern, symbolizing God’s role as a
sacred geometer. This is the geometric blueprint for the origins of the universe. There are three pine
cones inside the cave, two at the bottom and one in the top left corner. The pine cones symbolize
enlightenment and the Sacred Seed within that can be nurtured into divinity. The pine cone is an
emblem of Divine Wisdom, spiritual ascension, and immortality. You are coming in to realization
of your greatest power and potential.
This is the root of the powers of Earth, when spiritual alchemy of Earth is about to
materialize in your world as a productive investment, gains in your assets or resources, gains in
property or commerce, and matters of economics. There are strong ties here to that which is
occulted, and the esoteric—you come in to revelation of that which had been concealed to you
before. The Ace of Orbs endows you with beginning access to the Sacred Mysteries and the
beginning stage of acquiring the Gift of Prophecy, which is what will help you uncover for yourself
the Bread of Life.
The quality of this Ace is Fruition—the fruit born after achievement. In a reading, the Ace
of Orbs portends that you have now acquired all the ingredients for and the knowledge of how to
produce your Bread of Life. When this card appears to you in a reading, you are about to receive
that which shall nourish you spiritually and also bring you a sense of worldly prosperity. What is to
come will feed the many.
The color associated with the Ace of Orbs is black, for putrefaction, or the state of
decomposition and decay, because after the full bloom of fruit, the branches will whither and the
seasonal cycle repeats itself, back to the beginning. This beginning, though, will lead to
accomplishment.
The Ace of Orbs is the first sign of movement from darkness into the light. To ensure
movement onward into the light, release, banish, and take control. New life as promised by the Ace
of Orbs will come only after you’ve cut the cords that still bind you to that which no longer serves.
At this stage, the Sacred Seed has been given to you, but you still have to sow it, and to sow
it, it is plunged deep into the darkness of the earth before it springs forth growth and sees the light
again.

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73
 Reading the Top Captions
After the Aces in the Minor Arcana, the Twos and onward up to the Tens feature top
captions that give the decan ruler of the Key. The correspondence system used here is following the
Golden Dawn, and while there are many different astrological correspondence systems that can be
ascribed to the tarot deck, the Golden Dawn based system has become the most popular and
ubiquitous, so it is the system adopted by this deck.

To the left is the planetary ruler (one of the traditional Sacred Seven) and to the top right is
the zodiac sign. For example, The Discerning One (Two of Scepters) corresponds astrologically
with the decan ruler Mars in Aries.

The Gardener (Seven of Orbs) features Saturn in the top left corner and Taurus in the top
right corner, so its decan ruler is Saturn in Taurus.
Each zodiac sign, as it governs space-time, is subdivided into three decan rulerships.
Under Hermetic doctrine, God created Seven Ruling Lords (corresponding with the Sacred
Seven planets, sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) to govern the fates of
mankind. Those Seven Ruling Lords are expressed in the primordial spirits (the Major Arcana).
Here, decan rulers explain how, exactly, the Seven Ruling Lords are governing over specific facets
of space-time.
The decan ruler correspondences can be insightful when a tarot reading is integrated with a
birth chart or astrological transits chart reading. If inquiring about a career change and the card
pulled is The Discerening One, locate the house that Aries governs in the querent’s solar return
chart for the year that the career change is contemplated for, then locate the area of the decan
rulership (1° to 10° in Aries). Then based on the house location of that decan ruler in the solar return
chart and any transiting planets occupying that area, interpret whether the career change is
auspicious or inauspicious, reconciled with the reader’s interpretation of the Two of Scepters.

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 Realm of Twos: Provision
In the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the Realm of Twos arises from the sefirah Chokhmah, or
Divine Wisdom. It is God’s agent in Creation. It is the intellection behind that creation. This is the
number of balance and cooperation. It is the sacred number of the Minister.
The Twos in tarot express balance and choice. The four Twos also designate the influence of
the Egyptian ogdoad (four gods and their four consorts), or primordial deities as they dwell here on
earth. Note the card back designs with the plaques down the center in Hieroglyphs, which read: the
glory of divinity manifesting in earthly nature.

Kuk is the dawn and the bringer of light. Kuk and his
Kuk female consort Kauket are also the darkness of night,
Fire & the obscurity from which dawn and light arise. They
Two of Scepters Kauket also reign over thunder and lightning. In hieroglyphs,
they are identified with a staff or scepter.

Nun and his female consort Naunet are in every

droplet of water. They are the Sacred Lake and forces
Nun
of chaos from which the world was born. In
Water &
hieroglyphs, they are identified with water jugs and
Two of Chalices Naunet
ideographs symbolizing water (similar to the
alchemical glyph for water).

Amun, god of both the air and the sun, along with his
Amun female consort Amunet are the hidden ones. Amun
Air & reveals and transmits the Divine Will through oracles.
Two of Swords Amunet There is an inherent contradiction to Amun’s
expression: he is both what is seen and what is unseen.

Heh is the god of the infinite and of eternity. He and his

Heh
female consort Hauhet are the floods and forces
Earth &
majeure that created the material world we dwell
Two of Orbs Hauhet
upon. This is the black of the earth along the Nile river.

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The Discerning One. Two of Scepters: Determine your boundaries and define the
scope of your own dominion. This is a moment for you to map out your ambition. Exercise
discernment before you proceed any further on this path you’ve chosen. Look out to the horizon and
discern whether this is the sea you want to embark from. Decide: do you want the kingdom or do
you want an empire?
The crossed diamond vajra symbolizes irresistible force and indestructible force, expressing
the primordial nature in the Two of Scepters. This is acute and accurate judgment that will unleash
your indestructive personal forces. You perceive at a heightened level, which shall gain you
sovereign authority. You wield the control.
Rest assured that proceeding will bring good auspices to you, but before you take another
step, define your vision, know that vision, and then pursue that vision.

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The Joined One. Two of Chalices: In external alchemy, The Joined One guides us to
choose our allies, and also is the spirit leading us to the most fruitful alliances. The Joined One
designates an outer accord, but also an inner accord. In internal alchemy, this spirit guides us to
unite our anima (unconscious feminine in the conscious masculine) and animus (unconscious
masculine in the conscious feminine).
This is the spirit of two becoming one, and an omen of Perfected Love, love in all its divine forms.
Abyssus abyssum invocat: sea calls to sea, or the depths of me calls out to the depths of you. One
deep reservoir of yearning is filled with the love of another and it is mutual.
Do not neglect the relationships you cherish. Reach out across the aisle (isle?) and offer
amity. Act toward peace and accord. An alliance brings you the balance and strength you’ve been
seeking. Love fills both chalices of the Two Ways.

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The Blind Seer. Two of Swords: A blindfolded Seer sits on a stone bench, wielding two
crossed swords over her heart. Above her is the Eye of Providence radiating with light. The twin
swords are the Ego and the Self.
The Blind Seer helps us navigate the stalemate between the Ego and the Self. The twin
swords, or twin paths, form the cross that you bear. You have yet to attain the realization you need
to make an intelligent, reasoned decision. So take the time to look inward. Arrive at an inner peace
and restore a sense of calm before you proceed any further.
Think about your social connections with others and how those connections can help in your
endeavor. Your social influence will determine your success in navigating the stalemate. Block out
external influences and those who might try to manipulate your decision. Seek counsel inward.

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The Nocturne. Two of Orbs: The Nocturne is balanced, harmonious change after the
dark night of the soul. It bears good tidings, because this is the spirit of commerce, enterprise, and
far-reaching new ventures forward after a past series of failures and disappointments. Two promises
of production are made to you, a result and prophecy from your own karma, and your own destiny.
Forming a lemniscate around the twin promises of product is the alchemical Black Dragon gnawing
its own tail, and this is the totem, the daimon brought before you by The Nocturne: the Black
Dragon’s venom is also the Great Medicine: past suffering sires future opportunity.
When The Nocturne appears to you, this is your revelation: “To make gold, you must first
have it.” Attain the capital for investment and then invest it for the greater return. That is how you
overcome the recession. The Nocturne is the alchemical Black Dragon (a reference to the works of
Nicolas Barnaud, 1538—1603) gnawing its own tail, where venom is the Great Medicine.

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 Realm of Threes: Fruition
In the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the Realm of Threes arises from the sefirah Binah, or
intuitive understanding. If the Realm of Twos is knowledge, then the Realm of Threes is
contemplation. The Realm of Threes is also known as the Palace of Mirrors. It is the number
associated with Divine Awakening.
In freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, and medieval Christian mysticism, which in turn entered
Western ceremonial magic, the pelican is one of the most important occult symbols. Here, you’ll
find a pelican depicted in the Three of Scepters, Three of Chalices, and also earlier in the Majors,
Key 3, Key 12, and Key 21.

The Politic.
Three of Scepters: Three priests stand around an open fire,
each wielding a scepter of prophesies. They are performing a
ritual to commence divination—to scry into the flames of the
open fire. The magic being conjured here is tact, diplomacy,
and shrewdness toward achieving a targeted purpose. This is
the expansion of vision and the expainsion of opportunities.
This is the spirit of Established Strength.
The Politic is an omen validating glory achieved
through artful negotiation, pragmatism, and prudence. The
Three of Scepters portends expedient success. This is the spirit
of ingenuity and wielding your personal brilliance, social
intelligence, and psychic dexterity to successfully navigate
complicated social or political situations. Here, we also see
powerful allies supporting you in your endeavor.

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The Kindred. Three of Chalices: Three priestesses stand by the waters. They’re scrying into
their chalices. The one to the left with a crescent waxing moon on her sleeve is a young maiden; the
center with full moons on her sleeves (not visible) is a mother; the third priestess to the right with a
crescent waning moon is the crone.
The Kindred is the spirit of affinity within the tribe. This is abundance in love, camaraderie,
and the prophecy of jubilee to come.
A personal zenith point is reached in your community relations.
Mutual trust benefits all. Creativity requires input.
Fellowship edifies the psyche.

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The Bereaved. Three of Swords: This is the spirit of bereavement by your side. There is
sorrow, mourning, sadness, and deprivation of love. Yet this is also the power of resurrection after
sorrow. Take heart, because you will prevail in the end.
The Bereaved tells the story of Isis mourning the murder of her husband, the king Osiris by
his brother Set. Osiris is the symbol of order; Set is chaos. Chaos dismantles order. When Isis quests
to find her husband’s corpse, she was said to have taken on the form of a falcon in search of the
carrion. In the end, through a magical healing spell, Isis resurrects her husband and conceives her
son Horus. Horus becomes the falcon god.
There was fruition and then there was sabotage, but there is also the foretelling of
resurrection. The hurt shall pass. Forge onward like a falcon in search of the carrion. In the end, you
will find the magical healing spell and the wrongs will be rectified.

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The Mason. Three of Orbs: Steps lead up to a stone archway and through it, a long
tunnel.Upon the first stair: ex nihilo nihil fit—nothing comes from nothing, the philosophy that
every Work is built or comes from a preexisting Work. Any world you create can only be created by
you because another world existed before yours.
Labor omnia vincit: Hard work conquers all. Within the circle, the alchemical symbol of the
squared circle, the emblem of your Great Work. A brilliant idea is nothing without execution.
Genius is nothing without dedication and tenacity.
The Mason is completion and inauguration, with a materialized work product to show for
yourself. Your success comes from true merit, hard work, and dedication . This is the spirit of
architecture, of construction, and material works erected brick by brick, stone by stone. This is the
dream come true through toil, determination, and hard work.

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 THE FOUR EMPYREAN COURTS
The four suits of pips—Scepters, Chalices, Swords, and Orbs—correspond with the four
elements Fire, Water, Air, and Earth respectively. The fifth element of aether, or quintessence,
referred in contemporary times as Spirit, corresponds with the court cards. Passages from the
Hermetica (Latin translation circa 1471 AD) note that after God molded the four elements into our
world, with seven rulers to govern our fates, culminating with the Realm of Threes: Fruition, God
“filled a mighty Cup with Mind, with Spirit, with Light, and sent a Herald to take the Cup to earth.”
The Four Empyrean courts in Spirit Keeper’s Tarot are the Herald.
The Empyrean Courts in the Upper Realms are sectioned by elementals.
1. Holy Guardians of Fire
2. Holy Guardians of Water
3. Holy Guardians of Air
4. Holy Guardians of Earth

However, in this booklet the court cards will be explained by hierarchy, so the Kings
(Archangels) will be covered together, then the Queens (Shields) covered together, and so on, even
though each King governs a different realm from the others.
The bridge between the 22 Keys of the Major Arcana (occupied by the 22 primordial spirits)
and the Aces through Tens in the Minor suits (occupied by 40 universal spirits) are the Four
Empyrean Courts (occupied by 16 angelic beings). Each suit Court is held by four Holy
Guardians—the angelic beings from an Empyrean realm. The Holy Guardians of the Empyrean
Courts are the direct communication channel to God.
Working within the framework of traditional tarot court titles King, Queen, Knight, and
Page, in Spirit Keeper, the positions are occupied by a hierarchy of Guardians: Archangels, Powers,
Virtues, which are referred to as the Shining Ones, and Strongholds, respectively. Despite
borrowing terms from Western angelology, god and goddess energies from pantheons around the
world have descended down to lend symbolism, omens, and references as sigils into these court
renderings so that they can occupy the face of these Court cards as your Holy Guardians and
through the face of the cards, deliver messages to you.

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 Kings: The Archangels
There are four Archangels that correspond with the four Kings in tarot. Although in the
temporal world, “king” often equates to male, in the spiritual realm, “king” is a title of ranking. The
Archangels manifest as Divine Androgyne, possessing both the male and female manifestation, a
perfected union of anima and animus in their beings, each one by nature intersex.
Thus, here in Spirit Keeper, for the purpose of appearing before you, the Archangels of the
active suits appear as male, and the Archangels of the passive suits appear as female, even though
the title of rank for all four are “King.”
With regard to these four Archangels who lend their Grace to this deck, per Gnostic and
Kabbalistic traditions, the four Archangels correspond with the four elements, four directions, and
each governs a quadrant of the zodiac. However, texts will differ on the specific direction and
elemental attributions of the four archangels.
The earliest Kabbalistic texts do not assign directions, but positions. It was said that
Archangel Michael stood to the right of the throne of God, Archangel Gabriel stood to the left,
Archangel Raphael protected from behind, and Archangel Uriel guarded from the front.
It was later that specific directions and elements were ascribed, and then those
correspondences differed and often contradicted. Still other sacred texts refer to the frontlines being
occupied by the Seven Archangels, not Four. So Biblical names of archangels are not used here, and
instead, their respective titles are attributed to the Kings.
Although the tarot Kings are titled after the Abrahamic concept of archangels, or chief
angels, the theological concept is found across many cultural traditions. The Archangels in Spirit
Keeper are immortal beneficent beings born of the Divine Sparks as revealed in Zoroastrian
theology. Divine Sparks are sacred personifications of philosophical concepts, like faith, devotion,
beauty, creativity, elegance, eternity, loyalty, excellence, logic, or the many ascribed virtues.
When an Archangel (tarot King) appears in your reading, the bar is being set exceptionally
high. You are being directed to embody the idealized traits of divinities you would associate with
that tarot King.

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Archangel of Glory King of Scepters: The angelic title for the King of Scepters
is the Archangel of Glory, a patron of the arts and bringer of salvation. This is the Angel of Glory
and Grace. His symbol is both the flame and papyrus scroll, representing wisdom and knowledge.
The Archangel of Glory is a divine teacher of the arts and all forms of scholarship. This is
the Angel now by your side to facilitate success in artistic, literary, academic, or scholarly
endeavors. He is also known as having the sharpest and clearest vision of all the heavenly spirits,
and is now present to lend his Sight to you.
The Archangel of Glory was once also the patron deity of the Delphic Oracle, and so your
attunement to the King of Scepters brings you closer to the gift of prophecy. Those to whom this
King appears will have innate affinity to the arts, music, poetry, and to the science of medicine.
When the Angel of Art and Grace appears in your readings, you are an incarnate of
Alexander the Great and thus hold the potential to conquer realms far beyond what you currently

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perceive for yourself. Dream big, aim high, and the Archangel of Glory will lift you to the heights
you set upon.
The Archangel of Glory is the absolute epitome of intellectual, innovative, and creative
excellence. This is the angel who makes an appearance in your reading when you’ve been ordained
by the powers that be to be more motivated yourself so that you can motivate others, to quell your
own fears and anxieties so that you can placate the fears and anxieties that others are feeling, and to
replace uncertainty with calculated risk, self-confidence, and visionary thinking.

Archangel of Healing
King of Chalices: The angelic title for the King of Chalices is the
Archangel of Healing. She is the Exalted One. The Archangel of
Healing is a reigning angel over the healing arts and purification of
mind, body, and soul. Her symbol is an alabaster jar filled with
healing oil.
She presents herself to you now to guide you through
precarious times, and she is here, by your side, to salve, to heal, and
to purify what is currently diseased, debilitated, feeble, or unwell.
This Archangel appears to those who most need healing. She has a
tender place in her heart for those who are like fish out of water,
caring for them the most.
The lotus upon her ear symbolizes one of her many names,
“The One Who Perceives the Sounds of the World,” and her
personification of mercy, compassion, and a commitment to
alleviate human suffering. Through meditation on this card,
connect to the divinity of this King within you to amplify your
personal powers of healing, rejuvenation, alleviation of pain, and to restore spiritual or emotional
health.
When the Angel Who Salves and Purifies appears in your readings, you are an incarnate of
Charlemagne and are on the verge of achieving a personal Renaissance. Your receptivity to learning

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and scholarship has been duly noted by the greater powers that be, and the Archangel of Healing
will impart to you the ways of the healer, the shaman, the mender of fractures.
The Archangel of Healing is the power to make whole, to restore, to free from ailment, to
bring conflicts, harms, or damage to an end, to reconcile, and to broker peace. This is the divine
archetype of the miracle worker. If you’re asking me, in contemporary times, that often is getting
translated to social worker—someone who is deeply and empathetically concerned with the welfare
of people, someone who seeks to be of service to those in crisis. The Archangel of Healing appears
when you are to receive teachings of the sacred arts, the healing arts, or forms of counseling to
others.

Archangel Commander
King of Swords: The angelic title for the King of Swords is the
lead commander of the Divine Forces. He is the most powerful and
most formidable of Heaven’s Warriors. His full title is the
Archangel Commander of the Light.
The Archangel’s symbol is the spear, though the spear can
shapeshift into other weapons as needed. The Archangel
Commander appears to you now to bring strength, conviction,
courage, and manifest fearlessness.
He is tasked to assist you with navigating the storms, inner
and outer, and to defeat any demons that threaten to harm you.
The Angel of Storms and Battles will defend you and
protect against malefic attacks and snares of demons you face.
A warrior general from Heaven is present beside you,
guarding you so that you will withstand what is to come. The
Archangel Commander is a guardian deity, a fearsome protector when you call upon this King to
cast an impenetrable shield around you.
Connecting to this King within you will amplify your personal powers of strength, stamina,
resolution, courage, fearlessness, and prevail through the storms and battles you face. The great gift

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of the Archangel Commander to those who attune to the King is the gift of military success and
victory in wars, both in the conflicts waged on the earthly realm and the conflicts that rage within
you. The Commander of the Light shall ensure that the Light prevails.
The King of Swords is your divine warrior who will lead heavenly armies against your
adversaries. When the Commander of the Light appears to you, it is because you need
reinforcement and now that spiritual reinforcement has come, led at the helm by your greatest
champion, the Archangel Commander.
The Archangel Commander the most formidable warrior who embodies fearlessness,
courage, audacity, and who succeeds in all areas of conflict, whether that’s as mundane as legal
matters or navigating politics within a community or actually having to run toward danger rather
than away from.
As comforting as it can be to come into the presence of the Archangel Commander, it is also
a divine edict to take up metaphorical arms. You are being appointed the hero and you cannot run
from the battle, and not only are you barred from running away, you must fight that battle under a
strict code of honor and integrity.
When the Angel of Storms and Battles appears in your readings, you are an incarnate of
King David and thus prophesied to grow from a creative, intuitive dreamer to a hero and great
warrior. You started out in life as the underdog, but it is you who kill Goliath. You are the anointed
one—marked for greatness. The Archangel Commander will lift you in your rise to power.

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Archangel of Mysteries
King of Orbs: The angelic title for the King of Orbs is the Archangel of Mysteries. Another one of
her many names is the Archangel of Revelations. She reveals to you the Sacred Mysteries, of
revelations direct from the Divine, and confers to you the Gift of Prophecy.
She is also known by her title Archangel of Revelations. She is a beneficent guide connected
to the underworld, one authorized to act as an intermediary and mediator between the angelic realm
still subservient to the Divine and the realm of the fallen angels. She can also traverse through all of
the lower realms to guide lost souls.
The Archangel of Mysteries appears now because these qualities and powers of protection of
hers are needed by you. In the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot, the Archangel of Mysteries is the reigning
archangel of your inner temple constructed through the blueprints of this tarot architecture.

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 This spirit of the King of Orbs illuminates the darkness for you and appears now to assist
you, who are about to traverse the realms of shadow. You are about to uncover great mysteries. This
is the Archangel who protects you against all forms of darkness along your initiatory path of
discovery.
Her symbol is the illuminated lantern. Within her six-pointed lantern is a sacred orb. The
Angel Who Illuminates the Shadow is entrusted by the Divine to hold the most sacred of powers:
To give Life and administer souls from the formless world into the material. This is now the sacred
power conferred to you.
The Archangel of Mysteries is the divine and beneficent personification of Craft and when
she appears to you frequently in your divinations, she is calling to you, for your soul is connected to
the Craft, to the initiatory path of Revelations.
With her lantern, she illuminates crossroads; she will reveal to you any presence of ghosts
and the supernatural; and she is the great master of spells and incantations. The ears of corn
symbolize the seeds of spiritual enlightenment through the erudite study of esoteric practices. She is
an angel connected to the underworld, one authorized to act as an intermediary and mediator
between the angelic realm still subservient to the Divine and the realm of the fallen angels. She can
also traverse through all of the lower realms to guide lost souls.
The Gorgoneion amulet in the bottom left corner of the card is a symbol of protection
conferred by the King of Orbs. So when you are in crisis and the Archangel of Mysteries appears to
you, the one of the spirit realms who has come to your aid now is a divinity of formidable
supernatural power.
The Archangel of Mysteries confers the power and capability to use Logos and transform
that which was hidden or intangible into that which is open to all, accessible, and tangible in
physical form. The Archangel of Mysteries appears when the message is this: There is so much you
still don’t know and that is unacceptable, because you’ve been tapped by Divinity to be One who
does know.
The Angel Who Illuminates the Shadow is the guardian angel over this tarot deck. She is the
only Angel to be seated upon a throne, a symbol of stability, of structured power, and the highest
direct authority to transmit the Divine Word.

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 Queens: The Shields
The angelic Power in each court corresponds with the four Queens in tarot. These are the
Shields. Like the Archangels, the Shields are Divine Androgyne with perfected union of male and
female, anima and animus, but to appear in the physical realm for you, the angelic Powers of the
four active suits appear before you as male (The Golden Shield and The Scarlet Shield), and the
angelic Powers of the passive suits appear before you as female (The Ivory Shield and The Ebony
Shield).
The Shields in each court wear armor and are formidable fighters. The Shields are a line of
defense against demonic entities and malevolent spirits. These angelic Powers in celestial hierarchy
are always addressed by their respective titles, “The Shield.” The coloring notation of their shields
(Golden, Ivory, Scarlet, and Ebony) is based on the four alchemical processes necessary for
achieving the philosopher’s stone. The angelic Shields, inspired by the traditional practice of
heraldry, are emblematic of the achievements, glory, and divine pedigree of their respective
elemental worlds.
The Shields protect, nurture, and maintain the integrity of their worlds. By extension, they
are the fierce protectors of all you have accomplished in correspondence with their element. The
querent or seeker’s ancestors often come through appearing as the Shields in a reading.
In tarot, Queens are typically ascribed the qualities of nurture and support, since they signify
feminine force. While I agree with that, my concept of “nurture” doesn’t translate tenderness and a
gentle demeanor. To nurture is to feed, to protect, to support, to encourage, to foster strength and
personal growth, to train, and to push you to new heights of development. Thus, when a Shield
appears to you, you are being pushed to new heights of development. Meanwhile, as you move
upward, you are being protected.
The Queens are the last line of angelic defense in Heaven. They’re warriors, but in the
capacity of warriors, are nurturing and supportive in function. Shields protect. Queens protect their
Kings. Thus, Shields signify to you the measures to take to ensure achievement (the Kings).
When a Shield shows up in your reading, instead of expanding, set your boundaries and now
go deep. Focus on what resources or attributes you already possess, and not on trying to acquire
more.

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The Golden Shield Queen of Scepters: You are
shielded against those who are sending you psychic arrows of
envy, ill will, resentment, someone who covets what you have
and who is just waiting for a vulnerable opening to strike.
Thus, the Golden Shield defends you, and this spirit is now
making his presence known so that the angelic Power of Fire
can keep you safe, healthy, and flourishing.
The Golden Shield is a sign to block out new
distractions and instead, mine deep into your current reservoirs
of creativity or ingenuity. As you focus on the endeavors that
stoke your passion and give you that raison d’etre, the Golden
Shield is protecting you from the evil eye, from malefic
energies others are sending you, such as envy, or provoking
your insecurities and self-doubt, or just trying to drain you of
your wellspring of energy.
The design on the Golden Shield the angelic Power
holds up features a flaming cross. On either side of the cross is
a seven-pointed star symbolizing the perfection of God and the
seven days of Creation. One star symbolizes the diurnal Sacred
Seven; the other symbolizes the nocturnal Sacred Seven. Below it in a V formation are six single-
fold tomoe from Shinto, which put together would form twin gankyil, wheels of joy per Tibetan
Buddhism, symbolizes pieces of the wish-fulfilling jewel.
Assembled into one, they form the philosopher’s stone. One triplet forms the Power of
Inspiration and the other, the Power of Exploration. At their midpoint is a solar cross and below
that, a column of four power crosses that lead to another solar cross, in a different design. The
crosses here are also reminiscent of a double vajra, for the powers of thunder. Visualize alternating
bright colors of the sun and fire further fortify the shield.
Here, the angelic Power and Queen of the Scepters wears a kabuto helmet from feudal Japan
and the armor of a Chinese Qin Dynasty warrior. The scepter he wields can also be used in the
manner of a rattan fighting stick prevalent in the traditional martial arts of Southeast Asia.

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 The Ivory Shield Queen of Chalices: You are
shielded against ailments, disease, and infirmity. Malefic
energies that can cause malady or emotional afflictions are
present in your space, challenging your vitality, and so the
Ivory Shield appears in your path to help you preserve your
own wellness. Under The Ivory Shield, you are being sheltered
from a worse malady that this Queen has seen coming your
way. What is to come is lessened, but you still have inner soul
journeying to do on your own. Strengthen that which is in the
realm of your emotions and soul and you shall strengthen the
body.
When the Queen of Chalices appears, she is here to
give you shelter, to accompany you by your side as you make
your way out of danger. She is your defender as you walk
through the valley of shadows. Know that she is present. Know
that you are not alone in your dark hour.
Concealed behind her shield, the Queen of Chalices
bears the ciborium, which contains the Blessed Sacrament. In
architecture, a ciborium is also a canopy, and here the Queen is
your canopy, covering you.
The Ivory Shield blocks distractions that have been holding you back from either focusing
on your intimate relationships, the familial relations that matter the most to you or from focusing on
your own spiritual development. The Ivory Shield can also come up when you need to focus more
on protecting yourself from ailments and infirmity.
The design on the Ivory Shield the angelic Power holds up features ten chalices arranged in
a circle and at the center, an eleventh chalice. Note that there are two more chalices on the Power’s
shoulder armor for a total of thirteen, indicating the thirteenth card in the suit of Chalices. One
alchemical glyph for Water on the right and the outer cross formed on the shield calls in the Power
of Concord; the other glyph on the left and the inner cross calls in the Power of Silence, the two
pillar forces at the Ivory Shield’s command.

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 Inscribed into the design of the shield are the letters forming the Latin phrase, “Nam et si
ambulavero in medio umbrae mortis non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es.” (Though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.) In between the
chalices are crosses that resemble the mmusuyidee, a West African adinkra symbol for purification
and sanctity that brings good fortune and protection. The four symbols in the circle around the
center chalice are the name of God, YHVH, written in the Proto-Canaanite alphabet. The rays
symbolizing rays of light emanating outward in the circles around the shield’s design amplify the
power of the talismanic sigils.
Here, the angelic Power and Queen of Chalices has taken on features of Viking and Celtic
cultures in her revelation to you. A Trinity Knot on her chest symbolizes the powers and authorities
of the Holy Trinity and calls in the divine protection of deities, old as space-time, that the Knot
represents.

The Scarlet Shield

Queen of Swords: He, the Queen of Swords, is a Shorn One, a
warrior priest who shall be your formidable line of defense as
you charge forth confidently to face your battles. When The
Scarlet Shield appears to you, he is making his presence known
so that you might go forth into combat, taking your stand, with
might and confidence. When The Scarlet Shield appears, it is
time for you to stand your ground, hold your position, and this
warrior priest is here, ready to face the fight with you.
The Scarlet Shield is not about attaining new
knowledge, but rather, it is about blocking distractions so that
you can deepen your understanding of the knowledge you have
already acquired. The Scarlet Shield is the key to transforming
knowledge into experience, and insight into outcome.
Encoded into the Scarlet Shield’s imagery is the story
of Judith beheading Holofernes. You undertake what others are
not willing to do, and you do so for those you love and toward
a greater good. The plight of others move you to take on a

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martial persona. The message from the Queen of Swords is echoed in the words of George Bernard
Shaw: “Doing what needs to be done may not make you happy, but it will make you great.”
The design on the Scarlet Shield the angelic Power holds up features an ornamental
Mesoamerican style mosaic mask made of precious stones of gold, silver, turquoise, obsidian,
serpentine, amethyst, opal, and talismanic designs of a chimalli, or defensive armament. The head
imagery at the base of the shield is also a subtle reference to the head of Holofernes and the Biblical
story of Judith, which is often associated with the Queen of Swords.
Above the mosaic mask is the depiction of an eagle devouring a serpent—an important
divine omen of establishing dominion under the blessing of the gods. This shield as a talisman
confers the Power of Intellection, victory, and fortuitous good luck in all defensive battles.
Behind the angelic Power is a wall of adobe mud brick—one of the earliest building
construction materials in global history, symbolic of methodical discipline behind the Power, the
strongest of protection and defense, and ensuring barrier to
entry so that what does not belong in the landscape of the
Keeper’s inner universe shall not enter.
Here, the angelic Power and Queen of Swords takes on
features of indigenous American cultures in his revelation to
you. At the bottom right in the foreground by the shield is a
macauhauitl, a sword-like weapon from Mesoamerican
civilizations consisting of sharpened obsidian blades.
The angelic Power is dressed as a Shorn One from
Aztec warrior culture, wearing golden tlahuiztli armor that
identifies the Power’s high rank. The headdress he wears
indicates his priesthood, nobility, and prestige. The tattoos on
his sword arm denote his victories.

The Ebony Shield

Queen of Orbs: The Queen of Orbs brings nourishment so that
you have the vitality to accomplish your goals and the strength
to overcome your challenges. She bears the apple of

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knowledge that will fortify you with all that you need to be your most resourceful. The Ebony
Shield brings protection around your wealth, luck, gains, and earthly dominion so that others cannot
take what is yours.
When The Ebony Shield appears to you, she is making her presence known so that you
might take prudent action to preserve your assets and capital. Save, invest, and be more mindful of
your security.
The Ebony Shield is about development of the material resources you already have on hand,
and not to reach out and grasp at new, possibly illusory ones. The Ebony Shield is about gratitude
for your daily bread—focus your efforts on being industrious at what you’re already doing, and
don’t get distracted by what you wish you were doing.
The Queen of Orbs appears in your reading to endow you with resourcefulness and to help
you activate your own intelligence. Encoded into the Ebony Shield is the story of Rachel, Jacob’s
great love. When you’re feeling barren, look around you to conceive of an alternate yet equally
viable solution to your problem. Here, there might also be the theme of being the more beloved one,
but having to endure the greater burden of suffering and personal sacrifice.
The design on the Ebony Shield the angelic Power holds up features four quadrants with a
Triskele, or Triple Spiral, at the center. It stands in for goddess protection over the three earthly
realms of land, sea, and sky.
In the top left quadrant is the West African adinkra symbol eban, meaning fence, which
symbolizes safety, security, and protection. In the top right, bese saka, representing a cluster of cola
nuts, which symbolizes abundance and affluence. In the bottom two quadrants, aya, representing a
fern leaf, which symbolizes the Power of Industry.
Above and below in total are two orbs of primordial matter encrusted into the Shield,
empowering it and also connecting her to her elemental realm of Orbs.
In her right hand, the angelic Power holds an apple for knowledge of the Divine Mysteries
per pagan lore. Her earrings are the symbol of the goddess; in her right ear, a crescent waxing moon
and in her left, a waning moon. Upon her headdress is the full moon and above it, the rune fehu for
wealth, luck, gains, fertility, and abundance.
Emanating behind her is a veil projecting designs of the cubic stone.
Here, the angelic Power and Queen of Orbs has taken on fusion features from the pagan
cultures of Western Europe and also Moroccan cultures of Northwest Africa.

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 Knights: The Shining Ones
Supporting the Archangels and Shields in their missions are the angelic Virtues, who are
known as the Shining Ones. The Shining Ones are titled as such because in spiritual theory, their
movement is so swift that all you would see is glistening light. In other words, they represent active
forces. Put most simply, when a Shining One appears in a reading, something that had been
intangible is about to materialize into tangible form. Angelic Virtues are the active control of the
elements. They are divinities who sway the metaphysical forces behind the materialized forms of
the physical world.
Virtues correspond with the four Knights in the tarot. Here, the four Virtues appear to the
keeper as horse spirits. They signify active engagement with forms of outer alchemy. They
represent alchemical transmutation. Each Shining One corresponds with the actions of its element.
In each element, Quality 1 as noted in the subsequent table dominates. When Quality 1 combines
with Quality 2, the binary of qualities transmute to form the manifested element. The formulas of
alchemical transmutations for the four elements are the theoretical basis of The Shining Ones, or
Knights.
TABLE OF ALCHEMICAL TRANSMUTATIONS

Element Quality 1 Quality 2

Fire = Heat + Dryness
Water = Cold + Fluidity
Air = Fluidity + Heat
Earth = Dryness + Cold

The Knight of the Scepters is The Shining Flame, a red horse named Bellum. The Knight of
the Chalices is The Shining Dew, a pale horse named Mortem. The Knight of Swords is The
Shining Winds, a white horse named Victorum. The Knight of Orbs is The Shining Quarry, a black
horse named Denarius. They are the four horsemen, represented here as angelic beings that appear
in your visions in the form of horse spirits, of the apocalyptic vision.

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The Shining Flame Knight of Scepters: The Shining Flame is alchemizing the
elemental nature of Fire to advance your professional work. Transmuted Fire is the qualities of Heat
and Dryness. Heat is the quality the Shining Flame endows you with now to help you accelerate,
hasten, and advance your progress. Dryness is crystallization and the creation of something that will
finally be in defined, concrete form.
When the Knight of Scepters appears in a reading, angels are illuminating upon the ways a
seed of Divine Intellect has been sown into your mind, which you are now being called to manifest.
This Knight is also a spiritual guide who appears to you to lead you to an awakening. The
appearance of this card is a prophecy that awakening is imminent.

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The Shining Dew Knight of Chalices: The Shining Dew is alchemizing the elemental
nature of Water to enhance social charisma. Transmuted Water is the qualities of Cold and Fluidity.
Cold is the quality the Shining Dew endows you with now to help you decelerate, slow down your
frenetic movements, find your calming center, and reflect. Fluidity is the quality of being like water,
as is the Taoist philosophy of wu wei, and here the spirit is here to guide you toward free-flow so
you might roll with the waves and let the natural movements of karma take you where you need to
go. The Knight of Chalices is your guide as you navigate the waters of destiny.
The Shining Dew marks the alchemizing of our soul nature, or the alchemical stage of
albedo. Here is the quenching of thirst for the waters of life. When this card appears in a divinatory
reading, Spirit is telling you to sublimate what is deep within your psyche into the material world as
creative or artistic product—allow your soul to be visible. This is Spirit reminding you that you are
sacred, and to express Divinity is to express who you truly are.

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 The Shining Dew is elemental water that will imminently fuel a realized outcome in your
life relating to your interpersonal relationships, personal spirituality, psychic development, or
matters relating to family, past lives, or ancestors.

The Shining Winds Knight of Swords: The Shining Winds is alchemizing the
elemental nature of Air to win a battle. Transmuted Air is the qualities of Fluidity and Heat. Fluidity
is the quality the Shining Winds endows you with, and the alchemical instructions this spirit brings
to you now is this: conform to a shape of reference that is around you and be a flowing form of
energy. While yielding yourself to the established forms and framework around you, accelerate your
activities, because the conditions are ripe for your advancement and you will make great progress
soon.

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 This spirit is the active key of illuminated consciousness, the confirmation of a fully-formed
idea bound for manifestation, so long as progressive action is taken. When the Knight of Swords
appears in a reading, mind and body are acting in collaboration toward achieving your goal. This is
the card that prophesies imminent victory, so long as you continue your proactive progress along
the Path you have chosen.
The Shining Winds is the card that confirms full realization and understanding of a dilemma
and figuring out how to troubleshoot or solve that dilemma. Now, what is left to do is to act upon
the solution. This card also marks the need to change your personality so you can advance further
on your Path, so that mind and body can be aligned. Shift your mindset and you will accomplish
more.

The Shining Quarry Knight of Orbs: The

Shining Quarry is alchemizing the elemental nature of Earth to
increase your material resources, assets, and to cultivate fruitful
abundance. Transmuted Earth is the qualities of Dryness and
Cold. Dryness is the quality the Shining Quarry now endows
you with, and the alchemical instructions the spirit brings you is
this: crystallize your work ethic into something finally solid and
tangible; create definitions. Then slow down, decelerate so that
you have a chance to reflect and meditate. You do not need to
be on the path of rapid increase, not yet. Now is the time to
cultivate your resources organically, without giving in to the
temptation of urgency. Be methodical.
The Shining Quarry marks the encounter with one’s own
earth nature and making sense of our material attachments. This
Knight is the spirit of elemental earth that will imminently fuel
a realized outcome in your life relating to your personal
economics, finances, property matters, access to resources,
business, income, or earnings. The Shining Quarry is here as a
guardian spirit to help you navigate the work cut out for you: having to build a stronger, earthy
foundation so that you can increase your access to sources and thus bring about the success you
have been seeking.

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 Pages: The Strongholds
Strongholds, the tarot Pages, are identified by the rooks, a chess piece that symbolizes
guardianship over one directional corner fortress of your inner temple. The rook has another layer
of meaning: a rook—the black raven, a messenger between worlds.
When a Stronghold appears in your card reading the beneficent comes to deliver a message
from a greater Divinity, often a Divinity associated with the elemental realm the Stronghold is from
(i.e., a fiery divinity if it is the Stronghold of the Flame, a god or goddess of the waters or of healing
powers of it is the Stronghold of the Grail, etc.).
Thus, take the sealed envelope in the bottom right corner as a sign: draw an additional card.
The additional card you draw after the Stronghold is the message this spirit is delivering to you.
The angelic Strongholds are messengers who bring signs and miracles. They make the
Divine Will known to you, bringing the Gnosis of God’s gifts.
The Strongholds are also the mediators and connecting points between Heaven and Earth.
They are emissaries and appear in your tarot reading as an emissary on behalf of a greater Divine
Being. Here, the four Strongholds appear to you as female.
Pages suggest an unknown and a matter pending in your life path that is still malleable.
When a Page appears, Divinity is giving you “insider knowledge.” Nothing is set in stone yet. Pages
signify possibilities, opportunities, and the power is still entirely in your hands as to whether you
want to act on those offerings.
The tarot Pages are the closest to the material world, associated with the sephira Malkuth,
where the four elements of fire, water, air, and earth are concentrated. They signify what has
already taken form in your world and now it’s a matter of you acknowledging or coming to terms
with that which has already taken material form.

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 When a Stronghold shows up in your reading, all the decisions that need to be made and all
variables have already played out, so the Stronghold appears as prophecy of what is a certainty and
what is inbound based on everything that has already transpired to date.
The Strongholds help us to construct the materialized worlds we seek to build, to manifest
that Great Work, and do so by bringing us messages from beyond. The Strongholds are messengers
by nature and every time they appear in a tarot reading, they come bearing a message from the Holy
Spirit, whatever name or face of that Holy Spirit you’re working the closest with at that given
moment.

PRACTICE GUIDE

When a Stronghold (tarot Page) appears in your reading, draw an additional card.
If a Stronghold appears in your reading, read it as indicating a divine message is being
delivered to you, one for an area of your life corresponding to the element of that Stronghold.
Broadly, Scepters/Fire for a creative or passion project, entrepreneurship, or innovation;
Chalices/Water for personal relationships or spiritual development; Swords/Air for law, science,
communications, or your public persona; and Orbs/Earth for finances, property, resources, or
personal industry.
Even if your question pertains to a different subject matter than the elemental suit of the
Stronghold, the appearance of the Stronghold suggests that you may want to reconsider. For
example, if you ask a question about a romantic relationship and the Stronghold of the Vale (Page
of Pentacles) appears, there is a divine message for you with regard to money and resource matters
that relate to your question about the romantic relationship. So after seeing the Stronghold of the
Vale appear in your reading, pull an additional card, which is the divine message the Stronghold
brings to you from Holy Spirit about money and resource matters that ultimately relate to your
question at hand.

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Stronghold of the Flame Page of Scepters: The Stronghold of the Flame, or
Page of Scepters, comes bearing an important message to you or an opportunity about career
matters, schooling, creative or artistic endeavors, employment, or passion projects. The symbols
here are the salamander—symbolizing invincibility—and the angelica root, which wards evil.
The Page of Scepters appears as affirmation of a coming adventure, a quest that will be
presented to you. Your creativity and ingenuity will be the deciding factors on how you navigate
that quest. The presence of the Stronghold of the Flame could be an emissary sent by a solar deity.
It could be Sekhmet, the protetive lioness goddess of the sun and fire; Oya, goddess of fire, Ekhi,
Marici; Amaterasu, goddess of the sun; Agni, god of fire and purification; Brigit, Vesta, Freya, or
Vulcan, god of the crafts. From the Stronghold’s message—the additional card you pull to
supplement the reading—and your own inner light and intuition, you will know who is calling to
you.

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Stronghold of the Grail Page of Chalices: The Stronghold of the Grail
comes bearing an important message to you or an opportunity about matters relating to love,
relationships, domestic affairs, or your spiritual path. The symbols here are the crayfish for
regeneration and immortality, and chamomile blossoms, for the strength to overcome adversity.
The Page of Chalices appears to deliver important messages about an interpersonal
relationship, love and family, domestic relations, or personal spirituality. The Page of Chalices is
the Stronghold most connected to transmitting messages about the sacred mysteries between the
heavenly realm and the earthly realm, with revelations that will help humanity in their pursuit of
true happiness. Thus, she is the Stronghold of the Grail.
The presence of the Stronghold of the Grail could be an emissary sent by a lunar deity. It
could be Artemis, Hecate, or Thoth; Mayari, the goddess of the moon in Philippine lore; Avatea,
father of the gods and men; the Maya moon goddess or the rebellious Huitaca of the Colombian

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Andes; a divinity of the waters, healing, and wisdom, such as Anahita; a goddess of love and
beauty, such as Aphrodite; Mazu, goddess of the seas and protégé of Kuan Yin; or Nu, the
primordial watery abyss calling out to you; or Thalassa, spirit of the seas. From the Stronghold’s
message—the additional card you pull to supplement the reading—and your own inner light and
intuition, you will know who is calling to you.

Stronghold of the Zephyrs

Page of Swords: The Stronghold of the Zephyrs, or Page of
Swords, comes bearing an important message to you or an
opportunity about your social status, community relations, a
political or legal matter, higher education, greater social
network that you are a part of or engaged with, or a matter
pertaining closely to your pursuit of glory. The symbols here
are the owl for knowledge and witch-hazel blossoms for the
gift of shape-shifting and perseverance.
The Page of Swords appears as affirmation of glory to
come if you pursue the challenges that will be presented to you
in the times to come.
The presence of the Stronghold of the Zephyrs could be
an emissary sent by a sky deity or a god of the winds. Nuada of
Celtic lore is the god of the skies, of the winds, and war.
Perhaps it is Uranus. The Page of Swords is also an emissary
of the gods and goddesses of war and combat, such as
Kartikeya, the Hindu god of war; Kokou, a fear warrior orisha
of Yoruban mythos; Andarta sending omens to help you with
victory and overcoming your adversaries; The Morrigan calling; Athena; Eris, goddess of discord
and strife bringing prophecy; or Inanna. From the Stronghold’s message—the additional card you
pull to supplement the reading—and your own inner light and intuition, you will know who is
calling to you.

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Stronghold of the Vale Page of Orbs: The Stronghold of the Vale comes
bearing an important message to you or an opportunity about your assets and resources, money or
business matters, and that which relates to your personal economics or industry. The symbols here
are a wolf and apple blossoms.
When the Stronghold of the Vale appears in a reading, the offer, events, or opportunities to
come are ones that will help you to make your mark in your world. These are opportunities for
establishing yourself.
Perhaps there is a mundane matter you are facing at the moment or will face. The Page of
Orbs may appear to you to offer insights on how best to navigate that situation. The Stronghold of
the Vale appears when you need to hear whispers of counsel on what measures to take next. Of all
the Pages, she is most connected to the everyday ongoings of your world, of mortal and earthly life.

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 The presence of the Stronghold of the Vale could also be an emissary sent by an underworld
deity or a divinity of the earth. Perhaps it is Hades. Hermes, too, might appear here bringing
prophecies of commerce, your area of trade, or travel. The Page of Orbs might be a messenger sent
by Persephone, or the Mater Larum, Mother of the Lares, a goddess of fruitfulness. From the
Stronghold’s message—the additional card you pull to supplement the reading—and your own
inner light and intuition, you will know who is calling to you.
The Page of Orbs brings a message that echoes of Gilgamesh and Enkidu. There is a lesson
for you to learn about your situation from the Epic of Gilgamesh.While Gilgamesh, part god and
part human, embodies the cultured, civilized, and refined warrior king, Enkidu, part beast, embodies
the wildman or witch in the woods. Yet the two are equals, both with a dark stirring in their hearts.
Though at first rivals, once they cooperate, together they set out on an adventure to slay the demi-
god Humbaba for glory. Before they depart, Gilgamesh’s mother, the goddess Ninsun, adopts
Enkidu as her son.
When Gilgamesh and Enkidu enter the Cedar Forest, where Humbaba dwells, they perform
dream rituals and receive prophecies of what is to come. With the help of the gods, Gilgamesh and
Enkidu manage to subdue Humbaba, but not before he curses them. Ultimately, the two kill
Humbaba and his seven sons, then return home, taking with them as a giant cedar tree as a prize.
Continuing their adventures, they slay the Bull of Heaven, or the Sacred Bull. In antiquity,
the killing of the Bull by Gilgamesh and Enkidu signified rebellion against the gods. Enkidu has an
ominous dream where the gods say that one of the two heroes must die. In yet another of Enkidu’s
dreams, he is taken to the Underworld by the Angel of Death. Ultimately, Enkidu does die and
Gilgamesh deeply mourns his brother’s death.
The Page of Orbs is the goddess Ninsun of Sumerian mythos, the Lady of the Wild Cows
and an interpreter of dreams. When she appears in a reading, there is a message for you encoded in
the story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, her two sons.

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 MINOR ARCANA: SEVEN LOWER REALMS
The Lower Realms are the nature or terrestrial spirits, personifications of emotions or
archetypal conditions found on the realm that humanity dwells upon. In other words, these are the
spirits who oversee everyday life, who have the most direct impact on our routine and the minutiae.
These cards are about your day to day mindfulness and the minutiae or baby steps you take toward
achieving your greater goals.
Minor Arcana: Seven Lower Realms, 28
(In each Realm, 4 Keys, 4 Gateways)
1. The Realm of Fours: Building
2. The Realm of Fives: Expanding
3. The Realm of Sixes: Nurturing
4. The Realm of Sevens: Reasoning
5. The Realm of Eights: Manifesting
6. The Realm of Nines: Culminating
7. The Realm of Tens: Mounting
The Seven Lower Realms correspond with the two lower Triads of the Kabbalistic Tree of
Life: the Ethical Triangle and the Astral Triangle, passing into Malkuth below the two Triads. Thus,
within the inner temple, the landscape of that internalized universe, the Seven Lower Realms inform
on codes of morality (or “what is the Will of my God?”), codes of self-governance, and seeking to
understand both the persona of the self and the persona of the world that the self occupies. For the
Seeker on a Path of Craft, the Seven Lower Realms are where that Craft is learned and mastered.
In creating the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot, the first card I drew was Key 0: The Fool and then I
went in consecutive order of the Keys through the Major Arcana. When I finished Key 21, I
returned to draw a second Key 0. Once the Majors were complete, the first Minor Arcana cards I
worked on were the Fours, beginning with the Four of Scepters: The Demiurge. That’s because the
Fours are the first point when Divinity manifests on the earthly physical plane, when that which is
Divine creates the world. In Platonic philosophy, the Demiurge is the creator of the physical
universe, with etymological roots to the word “craftsman” and “artisan.” The Seven Lower Realms
is where you mold and shape your life path. The Fours are the first visible signs of the craft and the
Tens are completion, the aftermath.

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 The Green Lion Alchemical Allegory for Vitriol
by Johann Theodor de Bry for Michael Maier’s Atalanta Fugiens (1687)

THE ZOROASTRIAN ETERNAL FLAME PRAYER

Listen with your ears, the highest ideals—Consider the most enlightened thoughts—Then let the
path between the two be chosen—person by person, each for oneself.

On three noble ideals, be ever intent—the good thought well thought; the good word well spoken;
the good deed well done.

Every good thought, every good word, every good deed is of wisdom born. Every good thought,
every good word, every good deed is the best existence.

I am of good thoughts, not evil thoughts. I am of good words, not evil words. I am of good deeds,
not evil deeds.

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 Realm of Fours: Building
The fours represent reign, rule, and order. Here, we also see God’s presence below the
abyss, initiating the architecture of the Divine Plan into material reality.
The fours represent the sequence that formulates the Rule of Law. In the Kabbalistic Tree of
Life, the Realm of Fours arises from the sefirah Chesad, the emanation of virtue, justice, and
receptive intelligence.
The fours are about strength, power, and conviction. These are the four cornerstones of your
iner temple.

The Demiurge.
Four of Scepters: The Demiurge builds our physical
platform of success. This is the attending spirit who
guides your intangible idea into tangible work product
in the material world. The Demiurge marks progress,
achievement attained, and is the spirit presence with
you through a momentous rite of passage. The
Demiurge is the spirit to help you cull from the
spiritual or intellectual plane and bring perfected work
into form on the physical plane.
Two women hold up the Seal of the Demiurge,
the tool with which the architect of the universe has
created this world. The woman on the left is a maiden
nurse in white with rosaries (or mala prayer beads)
around her neck. The other is an archer, symbolic of
God’s infantry. Archers on battlefields instigate the
action and ar at the frontlines. Together they personify
the cycles of creation and destruction, of peace and
strife. In the background, a manorial fortress
symbolizes stability and establishment.

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 The Hollow Void.
Four of Chalices: The Hollow Void builds our psychic inner
platform for spiritual strength. This is the spirit presence with
you as you look inward, reflect, meditate, and reach independent
insight on why there is the hollow void.
This is the spirit that helps you to conduct reevaluation.
How do you find meaning in that which feels meaningless? The
Hollow Void is the spirit here to help you navigate personal
sensations of worldly discontent.
Here, a sorceress goddess of magic and healing signified
by the scorpion perched in the tree, has compelled a divine hand
to offer you waters blended from the Mystic Sea and Sea of
Awareness—spiritual revelation and attainment of worldly
knowledge that will fill that hollow void.
When The Hollow Void appears to you, it reflects back
at you your discontent. Meet that discontent with inner reflection
and personal reevaluation. You want more out of your
circumstances than what you’ve been granted. Go inward to
determine the root cause of that discontent. Here, there is a questioning of purpose.
The Four of Chalices is the first touchdown point of the elemental Water, with Water
representing intuition and wisdom. As the first touchdown point, the Four of Chalices is
undeveloped intuition and wisdom.You don’t yet trust your own hunches, so you try to rely on
reason and rationalism. Thus, the numerological significance of the fours come in to play—the Rule
of Law. You’re now questioning that Rule of Law. When the Four of Chalices appears, learn how to
cultivate and thus begin to trust and rely on your intuition. The Hollow Void in a reading is an omen
for you to deepen and advance the cultivation of your spiritual practices.

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The Convalescent. Four of Swords: The Convalescent is the net loss after
construction. This is needed rest and restoration after enduring strife. It might indicate stress and
anxiety that you aren’t properly addressing. Focus on your health, be that physical or mental health.
The Convalescent is the spirit of nursing you back to full strength. Never forget that your body
hears everything your mind says, so think kind thoughts of yourself.
You may have lost a battle, but the war is still ongoing. Take respite and recuperate before
you return to the fight. Here, we see imagery reminiscent of both Key 13: The Reaper and Key 14:
The Angel, a subversion of the classical Death and the Maiden motif. The Convalescent is the spirit
of a transition phase and is present along your path when you experience affliction. This is the spirit
to bring you rehabilitation after fighting battles. Fortune comes to you after you have taken the time
to restore both inner and outer balance in your life. The Convalescent in a reading is an omen for
you to ground and center. Before healing others, heal yourself.

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The Conservator. Four of Orbs: A human figure with a goat’s head—embodying
Capricornus—sits upon an unseen throne. The figure also calls to mind Baphomet, or the Sabbatic
Goat symbolizing the sum total of the knowledge availed in this universe and the materialized
product of Astral Light. We also see an association to Pan and thus here in the suit of Orbs in the
realm of Fours, we see the product of created nature.
The Conservator is the maintenance work, investments, and natural resources needed in
reign, rule, and order. This is the spirit presented in your life path when you are demonstrating an
inordinate attachment to the material. This is earthly power you are clinging desperately to, at the
expense of greater spiritual realization. The Conservator is both the spirit of that which is empirical
and orderly, efficient and pragmatic, and also that which is self-serving, covetous, and
parsimonious. Here we also see the Horned God.

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 Realm of Fives: Expanding
The fives represent the principle of Motion coming to propel Matter. Fives indicate
destabilizing forces. The theme of the fives in the Minor Arcana is storm and stress, and yet
emerging from the tensions of conflict will be that which enables greatness.

The fives express the discernment of spirits, both good and evil. In the Kabbalistic Tree of
Life, the Realm of Fives arises from the sefirah Gevurah, the emanation of strength, the power to
create change, and an active intelligence. This is warrior consciousness, perspiration, the source of
courage, and that which is the inner drive.

The Contender.
Five of Scepters: Five hands of five princes extend their
scepters in battle, fighting to be the king. The five rods here
symbolize the essential nature of strife in this card: each
hand wielding a rod points an index finger at another. They
each in turn blame each other for the troubles, uncertainty,
and instability that has come to pass.
The Contender is the spirit of a zero sum game. This
is the spirit appearing before you when you face
competition. This is the battle, the contention you fight for
domination. This is the spirit who helps you through a
rivalry for supremacy. There is strife in your world, but The
Contender is the spirit here to help you navigate that
strife—the five rods form the rune Ingwaz, for love, peace,
creativity, and great potential.
A circuit of pentagons in the background symbolize
not just the material world, but the material world occupied
by Mankind’s intelligence, ingenuity, and zealotry.

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The Grotesque. Five of Chalices: The Grotesque is loss after the waning of joy, a
personal feeling of disfigurement, a mystery, and unseen power rising. You feel rejected and alone.
When your blood, sweat, and tears have been expended without yielding fruition or meaning, The
Grotesque is the spirit who will appear by your side. Yet behind The Grotesque are two intact
chalices, symbolic of hidden powers that the grotesque ones possess. Though the disfigured ones
feel indept in social circumstances, they are the ones who possess the greatest arcane powers. You
walk alone, and it is for that reason you will venture to places no one has ever ventured to before,
and see what has never been seen before. Do not run from who you are, even when others run from
you.
Your differences, which others have denigrated, are the very powers that will catapult you
above all others and toward greatness. We see these powers in the two intact chalices. The
Grotesque is the spirit here to guide you on that daunting aspiration.

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The Hector. Five of Swords: He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command
(Niccolo Machiavelli). Hector was the greatest warrior of ancient Troy, and through that namesake,
The Hector is the spirit of indomitable strength, but it is indomitable strength at any cost. The Five
of Swords marks a defeat of your opponents by unfair advantage. And yet never was anything great
achieved without danger.
The Five of Swords personifies self-interest. The card can denote an imbalance of power in
the situation at hand. Heed also: the Hector is the spirit of that which upon first impression is
predicted by all to be victorious, but who will end in defeat if you do not learn the important lessons
The Hector is here trying to impart to you: indomitable strength does not come from lording your
power over others; it comes from using your charisma to sway others. He who is highly esteemed is
not easily conspired against.

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The Vagabond. Five of Orbs: The Vagabond is the spirit of alienation and feeling
alienated. Crowning the holy temple is a lotus blossom that features five petals symbolizing the five
aggregates of suffering: sensation, consciousness, physical forms, perception, and thought forms.
To live is to suffer; to survive is to find some meaning in your suffering. When you find that
meaning, you emerge the stronger soul.
The Vagabond appears by your side when you are the wanderer with no sense of home or
identity. This is the spirit that comes to you when your spirit is restless and when you are in search
of meaning. The Five of Orbs appears when it is a moment for you to learn toughness and
resilience. You are being put through the gauntlet of material trouble.
The Vagabond also appears when there is a poverty of aspirations. You limit yourself before
any condition of deficiency limits you. Aspire for more. Demand greater success and higher
achievement from yourself. Do not restrict your potential.

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 Realm of Sixes: Nurturing
Pythagoreans called six the Number of the Soul. This is harmony between heaven, earth, and
man. After the material world is formed, it remains connected to the spirit realm from where it
came, and the sixes in the Minor Arcana are the remaining tethers and bridge between the material
and spirit.
In the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the Realm of Sixes arises from the sefirah Tiferet, the
emanation of heart consciousness, the quest for balance, and pulchritude.
This is also the consciousness of spiritual teaching. Note that the numerological essence of
the tarot (7+8=15, 1+5) is 6. The four Archangel magic squares featured in the Kings bear
numerical values that add up to 15, which reduces to 6 (1+5).

The Champion.
Six of Scepters: The Champion is the spirit of victory.
When the Six of Scepters appears, success will be yours.
There will come the exhilaration of triumph.
Yet here we are reminded there are two sides to
victory. The Champion can bring wisdom, wealth, seed,
life, dominance, peace, and grace, as noted in the Seven
Double Letters corresponding with the Sacred Seven
planetary rulers occupying the archways. Likewise, The
Champion can bring folly, poverty, desolation, death,
subjugation, war, and ugliness.
The imagery of the spirit here conveys the core of
the message: to be the champion, one must be oblivious to
pain. For there to be victory, there must be self-sacrifice. If
you seek to defeat your opponents in competition or
combat, then with the support of The Champion, you will
be victorious, though with it comes personal sacrifice.

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 Victory always necessitates personal sacrifice. The spirit resident in this card is the
competition or combat. This is also the spirit of confidence. The spirit of the Champion lifts the
Initiate up to the top, but never forget that even when earned through merit, victory always comes
with a price. A message: self-inflicted pain is the necessary sacrifice to become a champion.

The Memory Keeper. Six of Chalices: The

Memory Keeper is the spirit of reminiscence. There is nostalgia
for more innocent times. Memory is the trail of light after the
shooting star of Time.
Each of the six chalices bears a daffodil and from top left
clockwise, the six blessings are: hope, honor, joy and cheer,
(which are the top three chalices left to right), self-love (center
right), unrequited love (foreground), and fortune (center left).
Had one of the six chalices pulled your attention more than the
others? The blessing offered by that one chalice is the one Spirit
is sending your way.
The Memory Keeper is your custodian of past memories,
both fond and adverse, the reflection of your inner child. When
The Memory Keeper appears to you in a reading, the past and
the present converge. The warm glow of memory illuminates
your soul, and space-time converges in the mind for good
reason. Understand that reason. Here, the dragon and phoenix
from Key 6: The Lovers and Key 15: The Demon are but
infants…or is it their scions? There is unfinished karma with
another and so what had passed will pass again, what had come and gone, will reappear.
This is also the flow of time, and when the Six of Chalices appears to you, you know in your
soul the time is right. Here is Spirit giving the affirmation. With the astrological correspondence sun
in Scorpio, when The Memory Keeper comes to you, it could be a sign that the veil between worlds
is thin around you for the time being.

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The Ferryman. Six of Swords: The Ferryman navigates you to calmer waters. When The
Ferryman appears to you, you are about to embark upon a journey in the hopes of leaving behind
turbulence and achieving earned success. The success factors that The Ferryman endows you with
are intellectualism, acute and accurate analysis, and claircognizance. The emblem of Universal
Mercury the Ferryman wields symbolizes specialized knowledge and a methodical plan. Plans move
forward. When the Six of Swords appears, a pathway out of danger is being revealed to you.
Note here how The Ferryman is also the passenger on the boat. To some, Arianrhod may
appear disguised as the Ferryman, her Silver Wheel concealed from view. When she appears in the
Six of Swords, the card indicates reincarnation, the full moon, perhaps even retribution, and the
river is the Aurora Borealis.

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 The Ferryman is the spirit of navigating troubled waters. This is the archetype of Charon of
the River Styx. This card is also the sign of the psuchopompos (Greek), a guide that escorts souls
during their journey to the underworld. Aqen, the Egyptian god of the underworld, was a Ferryman
and called the Mouth of Time, just as the river depicted on this key flows forth from the sea. The
river itself is the Rope of Time and it runs forward.

The Giver.
Six of Orbs: Let the karmic circle remain unbroken: give to
receive; receive, but give back. A kind gesture heals a painful
wound. The Giver is the spirit of provision. Seeking
anonymity, The Giver shows only the hand in offering.
Emanating from the Six of Orbs is the divine essence of
Anesidora—the “Giver of Gifts.”
When the open palms are what call to you, then The
Giver is Gaia, who endows you with vitality and the gift of
creation that yields fruition. When the orbs are what call to
you, then The Giver is Pandora, the all-gifted, who manifests
hope into your heart, to help you counter the adversity you’ve
had to face. When the flower is what calls to you, then The
Giver is Demeter, blessing you with harvest, abundance, and
nourishment. The Holy Trinity Giver of Gifts endow you with
the blessings of material success. The ley lines forming
trinitarian knots in the background mark their presence.
When The Giver appears to you, the spirit of nurture is
all around. Give freely, mercifully and you shall receive freely,
and mercifully. This is the spirit of philanthropy. Compassion is not a quality; it is an act. It is a
powerful energy one conjures.
We assume that the gifts flow from the have to the have-not, but that is not so; there is
balance and harmony here in the gift-giving. What flows from upper to lower also flows from lower
to upper.

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 Realm of Sevens: Reasoning
Seven is a sacred number that represents the Divine Law. Pythagoreans called it the Number
of Life. The Realm of Sevens is the realm of knowledge and wisdom. This is the world-weary spirit.
In the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the Realm of Sevens arises from the sefirah Netzach, the emanation
of optimism, faith, and an awareness of Oneness. It is the emanation of victory and endurance.
Seven also signifies challenge and interrogation.

The Dark Horse.

Seven of Scepters: The Dark Horse is the underdog who
blindsides the naysayers and will emerge victorious. When
you are being cornered or are outnumbered, The Dark
Horse appears to you, ready to stand shoulder to shoulder
with you as you take on your opposition. You will emerge
in prominence and glory: take that fighting stance and ready
yourself.
The Dark Horse is marginalization personified, and
yet this spirit is extraordinary in both strength and stealth.
This is the spirit of valor who has come now to empower
you with courage. When outnumbered, you resist. The
Seven of Scepters is the spirit of resistance.
When The Dark Horse appears to you, the message
is to be fearless and to stand your ground, advocate and
fight for yourself. You may be the victim of injustice or the
one expected to lose, but when The Dark Horse appears to
you, Divinity reminds you that in fight or flight, you are the
One who chooses fight.
Resist fear. Master your own anxieties and you will defeat even the most formidable foes. At
first glance, The Dark Horse appears outnumbered, but a closer study of the offense will reveal its
weakness. Not only does The Dark Horse stand a chance, with one clever and strategic move,
victory is guaranteed. The underdog endures.

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The Corrupter. Seven of Chalices: The Corrupter is the master of sophistry—
superficially your current reasoning seems plausible, but it’s fallacious. This is the spirit of faulty
logic, where emotions and desire rule over the senses. The Corrupter appears to you when you need
a threshold guardian to caution you that it is time to redirect yourself.
The Corrupter personifies the pursuit of wisdom that derails into folly, wealth that leads to
poverty, the sowing of seeds that becomes desolation, seeking dominance but finding subjugation; it
is peace that becomes war, or well-intentioned grace that becomes ugliness. The Corrupter is
illusory success and wishful thinking. You’re dreaming big but acting small. We see the allegory of
the seven sins. The pig is gluttony, the snake for envy, peacock for pride, snail for sloth, lion for
wrath, toad for avarice, and the goat for lust. The symbology here is taken from the 18th century
Tableau de Francois-Marie Balanant.

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 Do not act on impulse. When The Corrupter appears to you, rethink that idea you’ve been
contemplating: it might not be prudent. Also, pay closer scrutiny to your environment: there are
poisons around. The Seven of Chalices is falsehood appearing as truth. This spirit appearing to you
is a warning that misleading perceptions abound. When this card appears, the action to take is
challenge and interrogation.

The Rogue. Seven of Swords: The Rogue is mischief

personified. Here you see the story of Loki cutting off Sif’s
beautiful golden locks of hair while she sleeps. Sif is the Norse
goddess of the earth, of plenitude and the grains, affinity,
fertility, family, marriage, Mother of Might and Magnificence.
She was also a seer. The mind, the thought plane, and the
intellect are the weakening barriers to materialized success.
The Seven of Swords denotes an unstable mind, and unstable
efforts. Your own thoughts and judgment are what undermine
fruition.
The Rogue is the spirit of cunning and scheming. We
see compromised integrity. Yet The Rogue is also the
personification of one who is misunderstood, so when this
spirit appears to you, you are the rogue in pursuit of an
undertaking that diverges from the mainstream. You may get
blowback for it, and yet take heart that the toad on the lily pad
is symbolic of a rainmaker, an omen of ambition that begets
plenitude, while the snail calls in the grace of The Eminence,
the blessings of the Nine of Orbs.
Where the Realm of Sevens is the province of
reasoning, the Seven of Swords is the reasoning that convinces you to act in a clandestine, cunning,
or devious manner because you’re clever enough to get away with it. The Seven of Swords is the
spirit of acting impulsively. It also shows someone fleeing from social norms, who embraces the
role of being the outcast in society.

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The Gardener. Seven of Orbs: The Seven of Orbs expresses fiscal responsibility and
deferred gratification—resisting the temptation of immediate reward and instead, investing in the
future for the harvesting of a much greater reward later. Thus, this is the key to success, stronger
physical health, and promotions. When The Gardener appears to you, what you have invested will
be returned in abundance back to you.
The Gardener is the nature spirit of low magic, and the spirit of harvest. When The Gardener
appears, close by is the presence of Goddess. The Seven of
Orbs card is a threshold, a special nexus point between the
physical realm and the spirit realm. The Gardener calls to mind
the Magna Mater, the goddess Cybele, and She appears to you
now to help you take what is formless matter within your mind
and spirit to yield meritorious work product and a presentment
of harvest. The Gardener is also a spirit who oversees spell-
crafting for financial gains, romance, and worldly success, and
can be called upon to assist with the Craft, utilizing herbs,
stones, roots, oils, and the crafting of charms.
The Gardener appears to you when you are
experiencing success unfulfilled. The Seven of Orbs is a
liminal gateway between states of consciousness. When this
card appears to you, take time to visualize yourself entering the
landscape of the card and when you are there, The Gardener’s
eyes open and you will hear words whispered to your inner ear.
Receive the words with faith, reverence, and gratitude. Make
your way toward the willow tree. There will be a small door
etched into its trunk. Open the door and reach inside without
looking. Your fingers wrap around and grip an object and
when your hand re-emerges, look down to see what that object
is. The very first visual that comes to mind, that immediate
impression before you have had any moment to rationalize the visualization, is the object in your
hand. Note what that object is: it is a symbol, a divine omen from the spirit realm that is a prophecy
for what is to come, why you are here, and how best to navigate the present circumstances of your
life path.

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 Realm of Eights: Manifesting
The Realm of Eights is the realm of manifestation. It is the number of the Universal Order
and said to symbolize the Eleusinian Mysteries. In Burmese astrology, the number eight symbolizes
cosmic balance and energetic equilibrium.
In the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the Realm of Eights arises from the sefirah Hod, the
emanation of glory and splendor. Hermetic associations for Hod relate the emanation to intellection,
communication, and reasoning. Judaism connects Hod to prayer, meditation, and yielding to Faith.

The Sharpshooter. Eight of Scepters: Swift

movement abounds around you. This is the spirit of
marksmanship. When the Eight of Scepters appears, it bears
notice to pay attention to messages being directed at you
coming from your world, for Spirit is presenting itself
through the words of those speaking to you. Momentous
words coming at you within the next eight days are the
spoken Words of Spirit.
The Eight of Scepters is the spirit of inbound tidings
that bear your name. When The Sharpshooter appears in a
tarot spread, pay attention to what she is aiming and
shooting at in the context of the spread’s landscape. What
she points at is what Spirit is directing you to pay your
attention to.
The Sharpshooter might be appearing to you as a
protégé of Anat, an old Canaanite maiden goddess of war.
She might also be a messenger from Artemis. Perhaps she
is a priestess-daughter of Minerva, or Pallas Athena. The
Sharpshooter in the Eight of Scepters is the spirit oft called
upon to be an emissary

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into our world to deliver messages from a divine feminine embodying courage, wisdom, military
strategy, war and battles, or a patron goddess of the arts. When The Sharpshooter appears to you,
such a divine consciousness is calling to you.

The Defector. Eight of Chalices: This is the spirit of abandoned success, to desert one
path to endeavor on a different path. The Defector is the spirit personification of abandoning one
path to walk a contrasting and entirely different one. This is walking away from what you have
otherwise devoted a great deal of effort to, and not looking back. This is the spiritual quest for that
which will be more emotionally fulfilling.
The five chalices stacked on the ground symbolize the material work that The Defector
leaves behind. The three hovering above symbolize the beliefs and ideologies The Defector now

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abandons. When the Eight of Chalices appears, you are at the foot of a steep mountain, about to
embark onto challenging, yet personally fulfilling terrain. Wisdom will be attained and the path of
that mountain is the path toward achieving your Great Work, toward fulfilling your life purpose.
The scarlet ibis with wings outstretched, flying overhead is the material manifestation of a
guardian deity who will be overseeing your difficult journeying ahead. The Defector is the guardian
spirit guiding you to abandon illusory success and to scale new heights in a different direction.

The Captor. Eight of Swords: You are feeling

bound by the Threads of Fate. You’re being pulled in so
many oppositional directions that now you cannot move in
any direction at all.
When The Captor appears to you, it is a message
from beyond warning you that there has been undue
interference to your path. The themes here are having to
confront the evils of oppression, aggressions of those in a
superior position to hurt those who are helpless and meek,
feelings of isolation, but also, that prophecies will be
delivered to you through your dreams. When The Captor
appears to you, begin paying closer attention to your
dreams.
This is the spirit of shortened force, of obstruction.
When the Eight of Swords appears to you, take immediate
action toward unbinding yourself and cutting loose from all
that is trying to hold you down. The way out is not to exert
your own force against the oppression, but to use the
oppression against itself.
Instead of struggling with your own strength to escape the bindings, use the blades of the swords
blocking your path to cut yourself free. Is this the sun on a dark day or is this the full moon on a
clear night? Which you see will reveal the true location of where you are.

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The Journeyman. Eight of Orbs: The Journeyman
is the spirit of apprenticeship, of perfecting one’s craft, of
routine work that leads to mastery. This is also the spirit of
prudence. When The Journeyman appears to you, you are being
called to apply discipline, a strong work ethic, and
perserverance to hone your skills in a particular trade.
The Journeyman is the grind of dedicated work,
practice, and careful, methodical study of a specialized craft.
Note the orb set into a master’s staff: this is prophetic of an
adept who is currently an apprentice, but who will someday
exceed the master. It has been foretold: you will become The
Warrior, or The Erudite, or perhaps it is The Healer. One of
these three paths manifested—that is the prophecy of The
Journeyman. Even magic and genius requires toil,
determination, and hard work.
Behind the Journeyman and into the dark woods: can you see
the forest through the trees? When The Journeyman appears to
you, look again at your surroundings. Can you discern the
holistic pattern from the details? Try to understand the bigger
picture.
The Eight of Orbs expresses the perfecting of your craft and being methodical in the ways
you hone your skills. You possess a natural talent already; now you need to train yourself so that
you can take that talent to heightened levels of productivity and success.
In medieval trade, the journeyman is the rank of a craftsman between new apprentice and
master. You’ve already established a proficiency for your craft, but you have not peaked yet. Stay
humble, modest, methodical, and continue to work hard. Then the day will come when you far
exceed many masters.
Do not rest on the promises made by Destiny; determine the future for yourself and labor in
every way necessary to Craft that outcome.

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 Realm of Nines: Culminating
The Realm of Nines is the realm of spiritual ascension. It is the realm of artists and healers.
With nine comes spiritual cultivation and karmic lessons. In the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the Realm
of Nines arises from the sefirah Yesod, the foundation upon which God built the material world.
In the Hermetic Qabalah, Yesod is the emanation of communication, dream consciousness,
connections, and the source of where magic begins to take form toward manifestation. The number
nine is divine, receiving completion from three triads—it is the summit of theology. Nine is the
number of crystallization.

The Malaise.
Nine of Scepters: The Malaise is the questioning of
purpose and why we suffer. It is the wearing away of
vitality and innocence when we’ve seen too much of
suffering in this physical world. When the spirit of The
Malaise appears to you, engage in grand strategy, whereby
you reach for all instruments of power availed to you as a
measure of security. Summon all the abilities within you
and direct it outward, now. The Nine of Scepters is the
spirit of Great Strength.
This is also the personification of malaise, reflecting
back at you so you can see clearly your own feelings of
debility or weakening health. This is the spirit of despair,
pessimism, and cynicism. Do not reduce yourself to
feelings of apathy. Feeling feelings, and passions, even
when they hurt, are the necessary gauntlets to overcome so
that wisdom and transcendence might be attained.
Discomfort will unleash your full potency and fortitude.

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 Note the resilience of the figure in this imagery. The Nine of Scepters is a powerful key
against debility, weakening, or despair. The Malaise appears to remind you of the powerful
defensive magic that you are capable of conjuring to protect yourself and to revitalize what has been
depleted. This is the key of immunization.

The Wish Granted. Nine of Chalices: Nine

chalices are arranged in the formation of a magic square, a grid
that denotes power. This is the spirit of personal happiness
achieved after earning material gains. The Wish Granted is the
neverending blessing of abundance. All that you conceive of
will manifest, is manifesting.
This is one of the more profound keys in the tarot
architecture. The Nine of Chalices is a channel through which
gift-giving deities of old folklore can pass through and bless
you.
The imagery here is symbolic of a sacred space within
your own inner temple. The well is iconic of Mimir’s Well
from Nordic mythos, where Odin’s eye was sacrificed. At
Mimir’s Well is where you will find wise counsel from the
gods. Drink from Mimir’s Well to gain knowledge.
When this card appears to you, focus on each of the
nine chalices in turn, reciting, “Light, Love, Life” three times
(3x3=9). As you focus on one chalice, recite “Light,” then
focus your line of sight onto the next chalice over, recite
“Love,” and on over again, “Life.” Move to the next row and
repeat so that each chalice has received your focus and the utterance of one word from the
recitation. Such a ritual seals that the wish you have petitioned for shall be granted by the gift-
giving gods of old lore.
The one of the nine chalices you are drawn to reveals further divinatory insight through its
correspondences per the magic square.

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 Magic Square Correspondences in the Nine of Chalices
SOUTH – RED PHOENIX
4 9 2
WIND, Influence, Hoist FIRE, Cultivation, Illumination EARTH, Nurturing, Receptivity
Wealth/Assets Ambitions/Honor Love/Relationships
Finances, Money Validation Mother, Home
Worldly Belongings Happiness, Fulfillment Emotional Wellbeing

A gift of worldly treasure A meritorious accolade is There is harmony in the

to come; financial earnings come bestowed upon you. You are seen inner sanctum. A maternal
your way. Whether you advance and you are heard. Your inner fire embrace. Love enhances. Be
or retreat, both bodes well. burns outward and persistence content with what you already
brings fruition. possess. Find peace in darkness.
3 5 7
THUNDER, Catalyst POWER CROSS, Fountainhead LAKE, Vision, Growth, Intuition
EAST – BLUE DRAGON

WEST – WHITE TIGER

Family/Ancestry Energetic/Metaphysical Health Innovation/Children
Roots, Foundations Luck, Trials, Challenge Creativity; Fertility
Past Lives, Underworld Impact of Fate, Force Majeure Reservoir of Potential Energy

A karmic gift: you reap The wellspring from which A vision of greatness is the
what you sowed long ago. your power springs forth is seed planted within you. You are
Ancestors watch over you. Past recharged and strong. The answer fertile with that greatness. The
losses are restored. An unseen to your question comes when you developmental phase looks
power restores you. are silent. promising. Catharsis.
8 1 6
MOUNTAIN, Discipline WATER, Great Depths, Flow HEAVEN, Authority, Power
Knowledge/Skills Career, Employment Allies/Community
Education Willpower, Goals Father; Blessings
Arts & Culture Occupational Success Physical Body, Vitality

Advancements in the Career success comes your Sovereignty is granted to

scholarship of your discipline. way. The work you do brings you. The greatest of the blessings
You overcome your challenges contentment. Your labors are are bestowed. Your divine genius
and your craft achieves new valued by others, and your self- reigns. Reward your allies. Strength
heights of aptitude. Literacy. control pays off. restored.

NORTH – BLACK TORTOISE

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The Haunt. Nine of Swords: Restful sleep eludes a figure, who sits upright in bed, face
buried in hand, in slight fetal position. Behind the slatted wall of swords is a dark horned shadow.
The shadow is The Haunt.
The background is an illusion of space, a seemingly endless, spacious checkered room
(emblematic of Hermetic duality) that leads through an archway to an endless hall. As Aleister
Crowley calls it, this is the “cathedral of the damned.”
This is anxiety personified, anxiety about what your future holds, because at least for the
moment, your perception of your situation is bleak. The astrological glyphs of planets and zodiac
signs stitched into the bedding signify how you feel: you feel haunted and bound by your fate.

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 And yet what the imagery on the Nine of Swords card reflects back to show you is that your
perception is an illusion of space. You feel despair over the cruelty in this world and you are not
wrong, but you are wrong about your helplessness.
The Haunt is the haunting of our own past actions, our inner demons that we have not
resolved, our regrets, and the actions we have taken both against others and against ourselves. The
Haunt is also your spirit ally and an appearance during divination made by The Haunt could be this
beneficent spirit detecting malefic energies or psychic poison arrows in your vicinity and alerting
you of such presence. Thus, The Haunt is often a sign to conduct a full spiritual cleansing,
banishing, and to engage in more proactive shielding or personal protection rituals. Exorcise that
which is causing debilitation.

The Eminence. Nine of Orbs: The Eminence is the

spirit personification of upward mobility and material fruition,
born out of our own hard work. All that we have done and
invested in has propelled us to the top. And yet now that we are
at the top…are we feeling isolated and alone? All that glitters
is not gold…
The woman pictured here in the Nine of Orbs is the
same woman pictured in the Nine of Swords, and yet upon first
impression, they appear so different. Inner lives versus outer
lives can be unrecognizable from one another. The very top
can be a lonely place to be.
Nevertheless, The Eminence appears as your spirit ally
and when she makes her presence, she is here to support your
endeavors toward elevating rank, reputation, and to increase
your material gains. More importantly, she heps you find
purpose and meaning in eminence. When the Nine of Orbs
appears in your reading, this is the message from Spirit to
heed: Everything is for the best in the best of all possible
worlds (an aphorism from Voltaire).

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Card Back Design on the Vitruvian Edition

The center is a six-pointed knotted

star, sacred in both Eastern and Western
esoteric traditions, formed from three
conjoined strands of twine, symbolizing the
strength of the Trinity. One strand is layered
masonic brick; another is the Ten
Commandments; the third is a mosaic of
ancient ideographic writing systems. Behind
it is a lotus root inscribed with the
tetragrammaton YHVH. The message here:
Logos is Divinity.
The vertical panels feature Egyptian
hieroglyphs: “This is the dwelling and
physical presence of Divinity.” Atop each
panel is a cherubim. Four vases decorated
with the relief of dragon scales and phoenix
feathers hold Ceylon cinnamon for Fire, tears
of myrrh for Water, lemongrass for Air, and
cassia for Earth.
Flowers featured here are the
asphodel lily, three-petal lily, protea
blossoms, lotus, and orchids, each selected
for their symbolic correspondences.

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 Realm of Tens: Mounting
Ten is the number of transformation. It is the mounting atop a peak and now the waning or
unwinding period down, to repeat the cycle in another incarnation. In the Kabbalistic Tree of Life,
the Realm of Tens arises from the sefirah Malkuth, the emanation of the material world. It is the
concentration of the four elements, Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. Malkuth comes not directly from
God, but from God’s creation. Malkuth is the tangible form of all other divine emanations. It is the
world-and condition—Man has created for himself. Ten is the number of work product made by
human skill. It is also the imitation of divinity. Ten is the future, the next generation. Technology
and artificial intelligence are born from the realm of Tens.

The Burdened One.

Ten of Scepters: The spirit resident in this card is the carrier
of sorrows. The Burdened One is oppression we bring onto
ourselves when we don’t temper or when we have
acquiesced to others using us as their beasts of burden. The
series of decisions you have made along the way have led up
to this culminating point of unduly carrying the
responsibilities of others.
Are the Hands of Spirit holding the rods to help you
carry the weight of your load? Or are the Hands of Spirit
presenting the burden to you to test your strength, resolve,
and perseverance? Is this a Divine Trial or Divine
Assistance?
The mystic rose at the center, between the Hands
symbolize a secret, a mystery, indicating that you don’t
know everything. There are greater reasons for why you are
where you are. There is purpose and you are not yet privy to
what that purpose is. The Ten of Scepters is the card of
laborious tasks.

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The Joyous One. Ten of Chalices: The Joyous One is happiness we have earned.
This is the prognostication of spiritual fulfillment. Creativity becomes productivity, and
productivity leads you on a directed path toward contentment.
The glyph etched upon the large chalice in the foreground is the emblem of the Holy Womb,
of Hagia Sophia or Holy Wisdom. The Ten of Chalices appearing before you signifies the
appearance of God the Mother. The rainbow across the heavens is an omen: perpetual success.
The Joyous One is an omen of fertility, and that which was in the figurative womb shall
mature and ripen into a great spiritual and emotional reward for you.
When this spirit appears before you, it reflects back for you to see how along your path, you
have developed your wisdom, your intelligence, and your agape love. The Ten of Chalices is an
affirmation that your learned skills, intellect, and acumen have matured. The Joyous One is the

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personification of wisdom attained. When this card appears for you, it is an affirmation from the
Holy Spirit of your spiritual maturation.
The card can also appear to remind you that you are complete, that your life and world is
perfected and harmonious as it is right now, that it is not necessary for you to pine for more. Bask in
the blessings you’ve been given.

The Destroyer. Ten of Swords: If you fear being

conquered, then you pave the way for your own defeat. The
Destroyer is Ruin personified. Here you are watching the
Dance of Kali, a wave of catharsis crashing onto the shores of
your psyche. The Destroyer is downfall as a consequence of
our acts. There has been a Fall from Grace. The Destroyer
appearing before you can be an omen from a death spirit or a
triple goddess motif portending doom, destruction, or plunder.
And yet defeat will reveal your hidden powers. Learn from this
and you will never lose again.
The gods acknowledge a profound injustice has
transpired: a punishment does not fit the crime. Rightful
sovereignty is brought down by malevolent and petty forces.
Nevertheless, the gods give light:
If you have erred to let pride or glory corrupt you, then
The Destroyer is here to cut down that pride and glory so that
you might find your way back onto the rectified path of
wisdom.
If you have been unduly betrayed or hurt by another,
then The Destroyer is here to pull the swords out from your back and will ravage vengeance on your
behalf. What goes around will come around.
The Destroyer is here to warn you of deception afoot, treachery, perhaps even treason that
threatens your wellbeing. Be cautious of your environment and who you’re trusting. You may bleed
and you may fall, but your gods will never leave your side.

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The Dynasty. Ten of Orbs: The Dynasty is wealth
multiplied. In the foreground, the old man faces the young
man—they personify inheritance, legacy, and the
multigenerational dynasty. This card portends advancing
prestige.
The Dynasty is the spirit of collective power that
strengthens a tribe. The theme here is successorship. It can also
suggest the personal impact on you of much greater national or
global affairs. Something greater going on in the collective has
reached down to directly affect you, at the individual and
personal level. What the Ten of Orbs portends is gains to be had
from that impact. The Ten of Orbs can also indicate the gift of
good physical health or a reawakening of your strengths.
While the Ten of Orbs marks a pinnacle of material
wealth and success, the Book of Thoth reminds us that the
success will quickly go inert, and from that inertia, degenerate
and rot, if the pinnacle is not immediately put to productive use
toward the greater good. Thus, with the benefits and gains you shall reap, you must direct those
benefits and gains toward a greater good. Do not harvest all the blessings for yourself.
The spirit of The Dynasty, with its influence from Mercury in Virgo, can signify social
influence or even ideological influence—the power and capacity to sway culture. The Dynasty
appearing before you can also signify excellence in the arts and letters, scholarship, education, or
occupational training.

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 THE INITIATE’S TAROT READING
Set Key 0: The Initiate down on the table in front of you. This is going to act as an energetic
anchor for your reading. Hold the deck in both hands. Feeling reverence and love toward all divine
and sentient beings, recite the following:
ANGEL WHO RECORDS, whose Hand seals upon the Book of Remembrance, who bears
witness to All to enumerate every deed, since Creation, from the beginning of the world to this day,
from my cradle to my grave, I invoke you to read to me, to show me, to transcribe upon my heart, to
place upon the mantle of my mind the pages of the Book I petition for. Let it be the Truth. Let that
Truth, come what may, ever be used to work the Highest Good. And so may it be.
If you have a specific question you would like answered, present that question to the cards.
If not, simply hold as a thought in your mind: “Please reveal to me what it is I most need to see right
now.” Then shuffle the cards. As you shuffle, repeat recitations of your inquiry. When you intuit
that you’re ready, draw a single card from the deck.
Take a moment to be silent and still. Listen with your inner ear. Listen to your thoughts.
What do you hear? Note which detail or symbol on the card pulls at your attention the most.
Free-write a paragraph in a stream of consciousness style all that comes to you about this
card and what it is revealing to you in answer to your inquiry. Or speak aloud to yourself, voicing
all that comes to mind, as if channeling the revelations.
Then locate the card title in this booklet and read the entry for your card. Take a moment to
be silent and still, to meditate on how the written passages might apply to you. Consider what
impressions you are left with after reading the passages.
When you feel ready to close the reading session and return to your ordinary state of
consciousness and awareness, recite the following as a personal practice of gratitude:
HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL, ever you are by my side, to light and guard, to love and guide. Hear
my thanks for all that you provide.
Start with single card divination readings and as you feel more comfortable with the cards,
expand on the process and find tarot spreads to work with.

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143
 THE SEEKER’S TAROT READING
Select Key 0: The Seeker as your significator card. Place the card face down at the top of
your deck. Place one hand below, in support of the deck and one hand above, covering the deck.
Recite the invocation to the Angel Who Records instructed from the Initiate’s Reading. If you have
a specific question to be answered, hold that question in your mind as you proceed to shuffle.
Otherwise, feel yourself open and receptive to whatever divinatory insights are intended to come
through for you.

Place the deck face down on the table in the position of Card Pile 1. Next, cut the deck in
half, placing one half of the deck in Card Pile 2, so that the cards should be about equally
distributed between Card Piles 1 and 2.
Return to Card Pile 1 and cut that pile in half, so approximately one quarter of the cards are
now transferred over to Card Pile 3.
Do the same to Card Pile 2, taking about half of that pile and transferring over the remainder
one quarter of the total cards to Card Pile 4.
Starting from 1, turn the pile over and look for Key 0: The Seeker. The card pile among the
four that you locate The Seeker card is the area of life for you to focus on or the general themes
pertinent to the question at hand. See the table on the subsequent page for reference.
Pile 1 is the physical plane; Pile 3 is the emotional and spiritual; Pile 2 is social and
intellectual; Pile 4 is the material plane, and the realm of production.
Taking just that quarter card pile in your hands, set The Seeker card down on the table.
Shuffle that quarter card pile.

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 Card Specific General
Pile Question Reading

1 Creation and your ingenuity are the Focus on work, career, or the
factors that bring advancement. inception of a new undertaking.

2 Acquiring more knowledge or further Focus on social relations, higher

research is needed before you proceed. education, a legal or political matter,
or your reputation.

3 Charisma and your personal connections Focus on personal relations, love,

are what will advance the matter. family, spirituality; focus on
emotional fulfillment.

4 Capital or access to resources is the Focus on finances, property, assets,

main factor at play in the matter. debts, business, or economic matters.

As you shuffle that quarter card pile, recite the following: Show me what is in my mind.
Then pull a card (Card 1) and set it down next to Key 0.
Shuffle again and recite: Show me what is in my heart. Pull a second card (Card 2).
Shuffle again and recite: Show me what it is I must do to ensure the outcome that will most
fulfill me. Pull the third and final card (Card 3).

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 Card 1 reflects back your thoughts and mental factors that clarify your self-awareness. Turn
to the page in this book with the card meaning entry for your Card 1. Read the entry and consider
how it applies to you. Add your own interpretation and perspective.
Card 2 reflects back your feelings, the state of your emotions, and what you’re holding in
your heart. As with Card 1, turn to the page in this book with the card meaning entry for Card 2.
Consider both the written entry and your own interpretation.
Card 3 is real world active advice from Spirit on how to proceed, what immediate action to
take next. The astrological, elemental, or numerological correspondences of Card 3 can also foretell
timing for the matter at hand. Consult this book for the card meaning. Read the entry and consider it
alongside your own perspective of the card’s message.
Take time afterward to journal and ruminate on the results.

THE KEEPER’S TAROT READING

Select Key 0: The Keeper as your significator card. Next, extract the four Shields (tarot
Queens) from your deck and place them in the four directions around The Keeper card to form a
cross.
The suit for each Shield corresponds with an element (Fire, Water, Air, and Earth).
Above, below, and to either side of your significator indicate directionality.
Which Shield should be placed along which direction is a determination to be made by you
alone. Will you be following the correspondences of a specific mystery tradition, such as the
Golden Dawn? Will you be working with the directionality from Jewish mysticism, or
Persian/Islamic mysticism? Also consider which hemisphere of the world you are located in. Your
geography can affect how you attribute the four elements to the four directions.
Once the arrangement is set, clasp your hands in prayer and read the Shielding Recitation.

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147
 SHIELDING RECITATION:
I burn bright. The seat of my power is strong. Glory becomes me. No matter what
unkindness is directed at me, my heart is full. I show mercy.
My love is my strength. I give and I receive Great Compassion. My voice is the power of
Good Change.
I am connected to the Akasha. I am connected to the Anima Mundi. I see what is not seen. I
hear what is not heard. I feel what is not felt. I sense what is not present. I awaken the Light within.
A crown of Light protects me. A crown of Light empowers me. This is the Light of the Holy
Spirit. This is the Light of the Holy Guardians.
A crown of light shields my head. The armor of Light encases my body. The Light of the
Light defends every attack, diverts the malevolent.
My shield is impenetrable to all who dissuade my Highest Good. My shield is impenetrable
to all that weakens my essence. My shield is impenetrable to all that weakens my love. My shield is
impenetrable to all that weakens the purpose of my soul.
By the power of the Holy Trinity—my fire within is burning; the winds of my will carry me
far; I am grounded to the earth. The Heaven above sends me Love.
Pick up your deck of cards, leaving the arrangement of the cross on the tabletop.
Shuffle your cards and as you do so, recite:
Spirits of the Light, Spirits of the Sun, Spirits of the Moon, Spirits who Illuminate the Dark: I
call upon you. I call forth the One who hears my cries, who feels my present pain, who knows the
conflicts in my heart. I call forth the One.
Pull a card and set it atop Key 0: The Keeper, your significator. This is the spirit who has
come forth to listen to you and to converse with you.
Here, it can help to read the entry for that card from this little white book or the deck’s
companion book, The Book of Maps to gain a better sense of who this spirit is and the spirit’s
purpose. Based on the spirit who has appeared to you, formulate any question you want to ask the
spirit, addressing that spirit by title as it appears across the top caption of the card.
Shuffle the deck and draw a card for the spirit’s response. Place it on top of any of the four
Shields you’re intuitively pulled to set that drawn card down upon.

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 There is no right or wrong way; only what feels right to you and what feels wrong.
Continue to ask a question, shuffle, and draw a card to place over one of the Shields, up to
four questions whereby four drawn cards cover the Shields. You do not need to ask up to four
questions and can stop any time, even if not all the Shields are covered by a card. However, do not
ask more than four questions.
When you are ready to close the reading, leave Key 0: The Keeper card on the table while
returning the rest of the cards into a single pile. Seek out the Archangel of Healing (Angel Who
Salves and Purifies) and Key 17: The Healer cards from the deck and place one on either side of
your significator. Follow your intuition for which card to place on which side of you.
Communion with Spirit is an opportunity to apply spiritual healing salve to your soul
fragments and to maintain spiritual health. Place the fingertips of your left hand on the card you’ve
placed to the left and your right fingertips on the card you’ve placed to the right. Then recite the
prayer for healing below. You can place a paperweight on this booklet to keep the page open as you
read from the page.

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 PRAYER FOR HEALING:
What had been drained from my body, may the Holy Light hereby restore. What had been
empty inside me, may the Holy Light fill with Curing, Invigorating Love. Mend my fractures. Purify
my impurities. Soothe the disturbances of my spirit. And so may it be.
When you feel ready to close the reading session, recite the following as a personal practice
of gratitude:
HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL, ever you are by my side, to light and guard, to love and guide. Hear
my thanks for all that you provide.
The Keeper’s Reading uses visualization techniques to strengthen your connection to the
deeper regions of your mind and memory, tapping in to unconscious knowledge. The metaphor of
talking to a spirit helps pierce through the veil of our conscious state and dig deeper within.

A STRATEGIC PLANNING SPREAD

To supplement an outline delineating your priorities and strategy for achieving a particular
goal, consult the cards to help you complete the planning.
Start by holding the deck in both your hands. No significator card is necessary for this
reading procedure, though make sure only one of the Key 0s is in the mix. As you’re holding the
deck, steady your breath and calm both your mind and body. Think about the goal you want to
achieve. Consider where you are now and where it is you want to be. Really take your time for a
few moments to meditate on that goal and define it as clearly as you can among your thoughts.
Then proceed to shuffle the deck. Continue focusing on your clearly defined goal for a few
moments longer. Then present the question to the cards:
How do I achieve my goal? Give me insight into the method to adopt.
Repeat the question a number of times that corresponds with numerology that is significant
to you. For example, three for fruition and manifestation, or six to connect deeply into the soul and

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psychic realms, or seven for knowledge and wisdm, etc. Shuffle the cards while you repeat the
question.

Then pull Card 1.

Repeat the steps again for Card 2, this time presenting the inquiry as follows:
What do I need to overcome? What are my main obstacles?
Repeat the steps a third time for Card 3 and present the final inquiry as follows:
What do I need to focus on to ensure success? Counsel me on setting priorities.
Consider Card 1 in your assessment of a strategic plan to implement for achieving your goal.
How are you going to manage yoru time and resources to ensure success? Integrate the message of
Card 1 into that plan.
Card 2 helps to highlight your main challenges, weaknesses, and what it is that could
potentially hold you back or be an obstruction. These are the limitations to eradicate.
Card 3 will advise you on how to begin setting a plan into action. What are your immediate
next steps after this reading? How do you launch your strategic plan and through the launch, what
needs to be your focal point so that you hit your bull’s eye? Consider all the implications and facets
of Card 3 that lend advice on the matter.
If you pull a card from the Major Arcana, consider which Septenary that Key is from. Read
the opening paragraphs for that section on what Keys from that Septenary generally indicate, then
read the card meaning section for that Key. Note the glyph in the top left corner of the card. Consult

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the “Glyph Correspondences of the Major Arcana Keys” per the Golden Dawn attributions at the
back of this book and assess whether very specific omens are being delivered to you through those
corresponding keywords.
If one of the three cards is the Key 0 you’re using in the deck, consider which tradition of
interpreting the classic Fool card that specific version of Key 0 denotes. The Initiate expresses the
Green Man, suggesting a figurative spring season or renewal onto a fresh path and the beginning
steps of a journey toward attainment or prosperity. It can suggest that a resurrection has taken place
and now you’re starting anew. The Seeker is the Great Fairy Fool, the personification of our quest
for the magical panacea, the comprehensive and divine solution to our problems. The Keeper is the
Holy Ghost and your quest for your personal Holy Grail. What you seek is even deeper anad more
profound than you consciously realize.
If you pull an Ace, be sure to read the preceding passages about Aces in the deck and the
four alchemical stages to achieving your magnum opus. What alchemical stage does the Ace you
pull signify? How might that relate to your inquiry?
If you pull a a card from the Realm of Twos, Threes, or any from the Seven Lower Realms,
consider the numerological significance of that Realm. E.g., Drawing the Six of Chalices, or a card
from the Realm of Sixes, could denote a spiritual life lessons and the need to focus on balancing
polarities, or aesthetics. Also, consult the keywords table at the back of this book titled “Force
Majeure Per the 36 Decanates in the Pips” based on the attributions of MacGregor Mathers. Find
the keyword corresponding with your pip card. What does it evoke to you? What thoughts,
sentiments, and ideas does it trigger? Formulate an action plan around that keyword.
If you pull a court card, start by reading about that realm, e.g., what do Shield cards (the
tarot Queens of the deck) generally indicate when the card you’ve pulled is The Scarlet Shield.
Then read the card’s corresponding entry. Also, note the Sefirah correspondence for the court. The
Strongholds (Pages) correspond with Malkuth; Shining Ones (Knights) with Tiferet; Shields
(Queens) with Binah; and Archangels (Kings) with Chokhmah. Consult the correspondence tables
in the back of this book to assess whether the Sefirah indications round out the divinatory messages
that the court card is delivering to you.

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 SHUFFLING YOUR TAROT DECK
Prior to commencing a tarot reading, you’ll shuffle your deck so the cards are randomized.
Seasoned readers will have developed their own signature ways of shuffling. There’s the overhand
shuffle, where you hold the deck in one hand and with two fingers from the other hand, slide a
group of cards out from the deck and stack it either to the top or bottom of the deck. Then you
repeat.
The riffle shuffle, also called the dovetail shuffle, divides the deck into two piles. You grasp
on to each with one hand, hold the cards by their opposing edges, bend or bow them slightly so their
backs arch downward, and then release the cards into each other so they fall one atop the other into
a ragged single pile. Some readers perform an additional final step, called bridging, where they’ll
bow the interlaced cards again, this time arched backs upward, and release so the cards come
together into a neat stack.
The technical method of shuffling your tarot deck is not as important as the centering and
calming of the mind that goes on while you shuffle. No matter how you shuffle, mindfulness is what
matters. You want to settle in to a method of shuffling that’s so comfortable to you that you can
somewhat forget about the shuffling and focus your attention inward.
A form of quick mindfulness meditation takes place while you shuffle. You want to take the
moment while you shuffle to bring your awareness to how you are feeling and what thoughts are
going through your mind. Clear those feelings and thoughts the way you would take an eraser and
wipe the slate of a filled chalkboard clean.
Reciting an affirmation, prayer, or invocation to yourself helps to ground and center. Using
religious language that calls upon Divinity is a powerful way to ground and center, which
strengthens your mindfulness so you approach the reading to come with a balanced perspective.
Secular affirmations can be just as powerful. The following is one example of an effective secular
recitation to say in your mind prior to commencing: I emanate with Love. I receive Love. I am in
Light and I am present. The Light that shields and protects, nurtures and guides is present.
Modifications to exact wording are perfectly fine. What matters is whether the recitation
grounds, centers, and calms you. Then, still shuffling, state your question and continue shuffling as
you visualize the wording of your question as rays of energy flowing in to the shuffling cards.
When you’re ready, proceed with the reading.

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 HOW TO READ TAROT INTUITIVELY
The Spirit Keeper’s Tarot can accommodate those who are improvisational tarot readers, a
method often referred to as intuitive reading. Improvisational or intuitive reading is when you
sidestep deck creator intentions and, without reading any books on the tarot or guidebooks for the
deck, interpret a card by connecting directly and personally to the imagery in front of you.
To read in an intuitive style with the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot, consider what story is being told
by the imagery on the card and which stage of that narrative arc the image is portraying. Is this the
beginning of a story or is it near the end? And because space-time is a loop, it’s not permanently
fixed for each and every card. What you see depicted in The Rogue might be the start of a story in
one reading, but in another reading at a different time, depicts the ending.
When reading intuitively, consider the title given in the top caption of the card. Think of this
title as a character or major theme of your story. Now tell me about it. You can also interpret the top
caption titles as archetypes.
Let’s demonstrate with an
example. Say you’ve drawn two cards:
Key 3, The Empress and The Seven of
Swords, named The Rogue. Here, I’ll
start. “I see a woman who is concealing
the truth about herself. She’s capable of
bringing to fruition something of
incredible, extraordinary beauty. The
swan here is what suggests to me
something of extraordinary beauty, but I
don’t know if she can see it for what it’s
worth.” Moving the narrative on to
include the Seven of Swords, “But I
wonder if it’s naysayers around her who
have caused her to have this
doubting, hesitant view of herself. I sense that someone around her is doing a great deal of
significant harm to her sense of self-worth.”

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 Irrespective of whether you can recall any textbook meaning for
the Four of Orbs (or Four of Pentacles; Four of Disks) and even if you
never bother to read the card entry for this card in this Book, I hope I’ve
illustrated the card sufficiently for you to tell a story. What do you see?
Perhaps the building blocks of life, but this builder is holding all
resources too close to himself and not putting up the investment and
resources needed to multiply productivity. Maybe you see suspension:
something that has already been started is now just hanging mid-air and
something needs to give to break out of the box for the desired business
productivity or career advancement.
Another approach is to first describe something that is going on
in the card’s imagery, in one sentence. Then consider which keyword in
that sentence links to the querent’s life. Then channel out a sentence
about the querent’s life that utilizes that keyword in the new, second
sentence. For example, “There’s a stubborn, ornery figure keeping
possessions too close, who needs to give to receive. You’re being stubborn here, and the message
coming through for you is you need to give to receive.”
What I have to say as the deck creator about the symbolism in each card does not need to
matter to you as a tarot reader. It only matters if you want it to matter. You are not using the cards
to tap in to my knowledge base; you are using the cards to tap in to a universal and collective
knowledge base but accessing that through a very personalized channel wholly unique to you.
While we are all accessing the same universal knowledge base, how each one of us gets there
through the pattern of symbols and how we interpret those patterns of symbols will be different—
has to be different.
A rule or guideline I had set for myself when I crafted each card was that it needed to be a
gateway into a complete, well-built, detailed world, culture, and a paradigm that has its own
concretized ethos, which I hope desperately has been expressed by my illustrations. Then, what is
within view inside the four corners of the frame will tell you a prophetic tale.
We all have the tendency of getting into the mindset that we must interpret a deck of tarot
cards through the lens of its creator. We feel pressured to “get it right” in a way that the creator will
approve. In fact, that is the very foundation of impulses that drives people to create religious
institutions and then become dogmatic—our interpretation of a creator’s intentions is elevated to an
official doctrine and no one else can or should question it. Established religious institutions—all of

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them by definition—are premised on the mindset of interpreting our world through the lens of who
we believe is its creator, and then feeling pressured to get that interpretation “right” in a manner we
hope the creator will approve.
The problem with that mindset is it hinders us from each achieving our own psychic and
spiritual potential. You can’t walk my path to get to where you need to be. You have to walk your
path to get to where you need to be. When you look to role models, always look for theoretical
principles you might be able to adopt. Don’t try to simply mimic the outward motions. Don’t parrot
the way someone else thinks or acts. Try to dig deeper and examine the spirit and the essence. Then
consider what your own expression or manifestation of that spirit and essence might be.
That’s how you approach life, personal spirituality, and in the specific case of tarot reading,
that’s how you approach card meaning interpretation.
Let’s return to the Seven of Swords to demonstrate what I mean.
We see the imagery on The Rogue and for many of us, run the initial risk
of pressuring ourselves to interpret the card the way its creator, or in this
case illustrator, would interpret it. We give ourselves undue anxiety in
trying to walk someone else’s path, channel someone else’s connection
to the universal oneness rather than walk our own paths and attune to our
own direct connection.
Assuming you have a baseline proficiency in reading tarot under
one of the three major systems (Marseille, RWS, or Thoth), the first
impulse when we see The Rogue is to look for similarities between what
we already know and what we see before us. When there are little to no
similarities, we’re reduced to anxiety and apprehension because the
imagery feels foreign to us.
When we can’t manage to pin our preconceived go-to interpretations of the Seven of Swords
onto The Rogue, we have two options: dismiss our own abilities and feel inadequate or dismiss the
tarot deck and judge the deck as inadequate. I challenge you to rise above both tendencies. Release
yourself from your ordinary go-to meanings and also release yourself from any pressure to interpret
the card as you believe I, Benebell Wen, would interpret it.
First, have the faith that the imagery of this card is an accessible portal or gateway to what it
is you’re looking for. So there is that prerequisite—you need to start from a point of faith. Then

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from a place of neutrality, observe what is going on in the imagery of the card. Note symbols and
your immediate, intuitive impressions of what those symbols mean.
One intuitive reader might immediately be drawn to the stormclouds and isolated island of
rain in the background of The Rogue. Another might get drawn to the frog resting on a lily pad in
the bottom right corner or the path of lily pads before that frog, leading to land. Meeting the frog on
land would be the feet of that figure who is cutting off the hair of the sleeping maiden. How will
taking the path of the lily pads bode for this frog?
While we’re asking questions, who exactly is the rogue here, in this scene? Who you
identify as the rogue may not be the same as who I identify as the rogue and that difference is
necessary—makes all the difference in our unique spiritual paths and progress of personal
development.
Say that you are focused on the frog. Does it symbolize fortune and prosperity to come if
you embody the persona of The Rogue? Or does the frog portend evil?
Don’t worry about what your culture or my culture believes a particular symbol to mean.
Don’t worry about Renaissance history, Hermetic principles, Western occult theory, what you’ve
read about the author’s educational background, or any of that nonsense. Just lean in to the
thoughts, emotions, and impressions you get from the symbol or symbols that are standing out to
you at this precise moment.
Then, noting what is depicted within the frame of view, identify a subject.
Is there a prominent theme in the story of this card?
Can you spot motives?
Or motifs?
Do you see a person or personhood and can you describe that persona?
What are the inherent qualities you’re picking up from the imagery of this card?
Work with psychic sympathy. Decide on one subject in the imagery and put yourself in the
position of that subject. See through the eyes of that subject and look out at the scene depicted on
the card, from the perspective of that subject. If you truly were in that position, how would you feel?
What would you be doing next?

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 In the beginning, when you’re first starting
out as an intuitive tarot reader, copy down these
questions and then write out your answers to each
question in a stream-of-consciousness style.
Doing so repeatedly and consistently at the start is
a form of psychic training. Eventually, you don’t
need to force yourself into an intentional
question-and-answer. Your psychic mind will
automatically perform these functions.
I speculate that the court cards in Spirit
Keeper’s Tarot are not immediately easy to read
because they represent a celestial realm we don’t
have immediate and easy access to. If you
determine that this deck is worth your while to
commit to, then how well you connect to the
Empyrean Courts can be used as a litmus test for
assessing your own spiritual progress.
No matter your religious or philosophical
beliefs, when that body of beliefs is solid and
rooted in conviction, you will see those beliefs
reflected back at you in the court cards. When you
don’t yet have a solid sense of beliefs, that’s when
the court cards in the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot will
feel most elusive.
A reliable starting point for reading the
court cards is to ascribe your religious or
philosophical beliefs onto the archetypes that the
cards represent. Even the atheist will find
meaning in the courts.
The Archangel of Glory is the personification of glory—the pursuit of honor and distinction,
to achieve a position of exaltation. The Archangel Commander is the personification of fearlessness,
courage, and not running away from necessary confrontations.

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 The Golden Shield is a defense strategy and might be interpreted as blocking outside forces
from interfering with your determined path. Block out commotions or diversions.
The Ivory Shield might signal to you to protect and safeguard your heart and your emotional
wellbeing. In contrast to The Golden Shield where you’re blocking chaos.
The Shining Winds might suggest creating chaos, drumming up a gale or storm of
controversy to make your point, and to act in a way that embodies “A Swirling Gale.”

A religious approach to intuitive reading of the courts is to attribute the cards to a divinity in
the pantheon you work with. If you subscribe to Christian mysticism, then the four Archangels are,
well, the four Archangels, and every time, say, the Archangel Commander appears in a reading, it is
a divine oracular message delivered to you from the Archangel you associate with the Archangel
Commander card (for instance, to some it may be Archangel Michael).
I see Kuan Yin in the Archangel of Healing. Perhaps you see Yemanya, the Yoruban
goddess of the sea and moon. Or a Shield Maiden in The Ivory Shield (Queen of Chalices),
Abundantia, the Roman deified personification of abundance and prosperity in The Ebony Shield
(Queen of Orbs). The Stronghold of the Grail might appear to you as a messenger from Aphrodite.
To read the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot intuitively, tell stories with the cards. To interpret multiple
cards in a reading spread, apply basic techniques in improvisation. The following are some tips on

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 how to apply basic improv techniques that actors learn and
train on to the art of reading tarot intuitively.
Do Not Deny the Cards
A common rule taught in improv is to not deny what
somebody else has already set up during the routine. If I say
that you are wearing a blue shirt but the shirt you have on as
far as you can tell is red, don’t deny my statement. Build on
my statement that your shirt is blue. Acknowledge that my
shirt is blue and add to it with your own improvised insights or
observations. The genius of well a executed improv routine is,
no matter how incredulous the premise seems to be getting,
what the actors have displayed before us strikes at a core truth
about humanity, and that core truth is so resonant it causes us
to erupt in laughter at the profound resonance.
A well executed tarot reading is no different. When the
divination has completed itself, it doesn’t matter whether your
shirt was blue or red. If your shirt is red and the cards say your
shirt is blue, there was a reason for it and you have to
acknowledge the statement at face value, then add to the
statement. Keep going. There’s more. The improv isn’t over.
At the end, the completed divinatory experience will convey a core truth about who you are and
about your life path and that core truth is going to resonate deeply with you in a way that will
facilitate your growth.
Say that you do a reading on whether John is the right man for you to marry and for all
intents and purposes, you love John and are pretty sure he loves you back (yet here you are, doing a
reading about him…). Let’s also say that you pull The Tower card and your immediate emotional
reaction is to say no, that is not accurate. That does not resonate with you at all.
Instead of denying the veracity of what the card is saying, acknowledge it and add to the
baseline interpretation. Should you marry John? The card in response is The Tower. “The Tower is
the spirit of disappointment,” you read from this book. You’re already shaking your head but you
read on. “This is the spirit of having to voluntarily accept suffering.” Now you stop. This is simply
not true, you say.

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 Apply the “do not deny” rule. Let go of the denial and nod your head instead. Okay, yes,
you accept these premises as expressed so far by The Tower, but there’s more. There’s more to the
story. Okay, what’s the rest of the story?
Finish the rest of the story with your intuition. Yes, the story in response to your question
begins with The Tower card but it is not the whole story. Marrying John without full realization of
who he is and the circumstances of this relationship could lead to disappointment and suffering. So
you need to get the full picture before you say yes (assuming you really, really want to say yes and
the reason you came to the cards in the first place was just for validation).
The tail of the Demon is coiled around the base of the tower and you’ve got your trusty axe.
The lighting bolts striking the chains is a Divine message telling you to break the chains first. In
other words, before you say yes to John, take up that axe and go in search of what could be holding
the marriage back from its full potential of happiness.
“If this is true, then what else is true?”
Let’s say you have no idea what Key 8: The Force means, or even if you have a generic idea
of what Key 8 in the tarot signifies, you’re not sure how it applies to the question you’ve asked.
Recall the previous rule: do not deny the cards. Assume that
everything you see happening as illustrated on the card is true. As
applied to The Force, it is true that the maiden has her hand in the
lion’s mouth and she won’t be harmed. Yet common sense would tell
us otherwise—that putting your hand in a lion’s mouth isn’t going to
bode well—you will certainly be harmed if you do so.
At this point, ask yourself, “If this is true, then what else is
true?” If it is true that the maiden can put her hand in the lion’s
mouth and she won’t be harmed, then what else can the maiden do?
The double ourosboros emanating along the vertical of her spine
might suggest to you that she possesses more power than her simple
demeanor is letting on.
Exercise your imagination, creativity, and psychic muscles to
contemplate beyond what is pictured on the card what else this
maiden could be capable of.

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 Then translate it all in to the situation at hand. The maiden can put
her hand in the lion’s mouth and not be harmed. Thus, you can take risks
but if you do so in a calm, collected, and confident manner, you will
achieve success. You are a force to be reckoned with. Say that when you
were imagining what else that maiden is capable of you decide she also
knows where the Holy Grail is concealed. Translate that to the situation
you’re reading for. Not only will you succeed when you are self-
possessed and fearless enough to take risks, but you are The One who in
fact possesses the solution to the problem. Thus, know that your way will
be the right way.
The “Yes And” Technique
For instance, the “yes and” rule: start by accepting the
implications of one card as true, then compound it with the implications
of the second card.
For example, how might you read Key 5: The Holy See and The
Mason: Three of Orbs together? Apply the “yes and” technique. First,
assess Key 5. Then compound it with your impressions of The Mason.
Here’s what I might say intuitively about my impressions from
The Holy See:
“You’re being confronted with orthodoxy. It has always been done
this one way before, but you want to go a different route. That scares
you.”
I started with the first impressions that came to me when I thought
“Holy See,” which is the caption at the top of Key 5. I also felt an
ominous, confrontational energy from the bull staring straight at me.
From there, I launched into my improvisations inspired by the imagery on
the card.
Next, I consider the first thoughts that come to me when I see The Mason:
“And yet you wouldn’t be where you are without that orthodoxy, without that heritage.
What you need to know is you can appreciate those old values and traditions and still move forward

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in an innovative, even perhaps heretical manner. Whatever you choose to do, though, commit to it.
Hard work and pure merit is what will get you through.”
If you’re not familiar with the Latin phrase “ex nihilo nihil fit” (nothing comes from
nothing), then that might not be the hit you lead with, but for me, it takes me in the direction of
thinking about how the current work has been built on a predecessor’s past work. The alchemical
symbol for squaring the circle front and center on the card calls to mind someone’s Great Work or
pursuit of it. I combined those impressions with what I had already blurted out about Key 5.
Another way to work the “yes and” rule into intuitive readings is to pull out two different yet
complementary messages from the same card. Do not be afraid to venture far “off script” from
textbook tarot card meanings. As you apply the “yes and” technique, also settle yourself into a
mindset of channeling information. Approach the reading as if you are receiving downloads, and
therefore not giving the reading yourself.
Pull out the Archangel of Mysteries (King of Orbs).
Say that this card appears to you in a reading and now you
need to transmit the message of the Archangel. Your
conscious, textbook educated mind has no idea what this
Archangel of Mysteries card could mean. No matter. Latch on
to one symbol on the card and thoughtlessly blurt out your first
impression of what that symbol represents. Lean in to your
emotions rather than your rationalism.
If you latch on to the orb within the lantern and you
blurt out what comes immediately to mind, in complete
disregard for any textbook meanings for the King of Pentacles
or King of Disks, perhaps you say, “You’re the one with the
lantern. You light the way.”
Then your attention moves over to the ears of corn
displayed in the foreground, in front of the angelic figure.
What do ears of corn symbolize to you? Now apply the “yes
and” rule. You’ve already made mention of the lantern. So
what you have to say about the symbolism of the corn has to
follow the lantern. “You are the one with the lantern. You light
the way.” (Now think, “yes and.”)

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 “And when you take up the task to be the lantern
holder, when you light the way for others, that is how you
yourself will find prosperity. Your own prosperity is tied to
that lantern.”
You’ll be pleasantly surprised that more often than not,
these blurted out channeled messages that may or may not have
any bearing on textbook card meanings are the most prophetic
readings you can do about the situation at hand.
Identify the Characterizing Action
You do not need to know any tarot card meanings to
identify something that’s happening within the frame of a card.
The characterizing action is the main event depicted as
happening in the image.
In The Shining Winds (Knight of Swords), the
characterizing action is a horse wearing an armored mask is
galloping on wild grass, heading toward a paved road. You can
even say it aloud as the opening statement in your reading of
the card. Once you’ve said it aloud, you can dismantle the
statement into its parts.
What are the characterizing parts of the characterizing action? In the Knight of Swords, the
horse is galloping. What does that signify to you?
Perhaps it signifies fast movement, velocity, intensity. The horse has an armored mask on.
There’s a sense of needing to protect oneself.
Draw a connection between the first and the second characterizing parts.
The horse is charging out of a sense that doing so is the best way to protect itself. The horse
gallops in the direction from wild, untamed grass to paved road. Perhaps that signifies heading
toward civilization, toward development, advancing development, and representative of progress.
After dismantling the characterizing parts of the characterizing action, but those parts back
together, this time as applied to the issue at hand.

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 INITIAL READING TIPS
You often hear tarot readers talk about bonding with a new deck to connect to it. When the
imagery on a new deck feels unfamiliar to you and you don’t quite know how to interpret the cards yet,
bonding techniques help to get over that initial barrier of entry. To bond with Spirit Keeper’s Tarot,
apply any classic bonding technique or just work with the cards.
Start by focusing on yourself, being mindful of how you think and feel prior to commencing a
reading. Try to clear your thoughts and balance your emotions before you proceed. Take time to just
shuffle and handle the cards with the mindset of assimilating or synthesizing your imprints with the
deck’s.
Try out “The Initiate’s Tarot Reading” first. Feel free to omit the invocation prayer recitations if
the religious phrasing of the recitations are more distracting to you than calming. The whole point is to
calm and center, so if the recitation does not do that for you, then don’t do the recitation. What you want
to do before you start pulling cards for divinatory readings is to clear yourself of fear, apprehension,
volatile emotions, and scattered, frenetic thoughts. If the very first card you pull is the Three of Swords,
Four of Swords, Eight of Swords, Nine of Swords, Ten of Swords, The Demon, or The Tower, then it’s
probably because you haven’t adequately centered yourself and the deck is reflecting back your mindset,
alerting you to start over and work more on your mindfulness first before continuing with a reading.
After pulling an initial card, look up its meaning and message in this book. Identify whether the
card is from the First, Second or Third Septenary of the Major Arcana, one of the Upper Realms in the
Minors, or one of the Lower Realms. Read about the specific Realm it’s from. Then read the specific
card’s entry.
For example, if I pull The Wish Granted (Nine of Chalices), I’ll read the page about the Minor
Arcana and Lower Realms. Then I’ll turn to read about the Realm of Nines. Then I will read the
corresponding passages for The Wish Granted. And note the additional divinatory correspondences in
the magic square reference table accompanying The Wish Granted.
Then turn to the “Tree of Life: Sefirah Correspondences” table in the Correspondence Tables
section at the back of this book. Note which sefirah your card corresponds to and consider those
implications. Then check the “Numerological Correspondences” table and read about the numerology of
your card. Review “How to Read Tarot Intuitively” and apply some of the techniques to your
interpretation of the card. Write out the questions prompted on pages 154 and 155, then answer them for
yourself. Follow these steps consistently for each and every beginner reading until your confidence in
your own abilities has outgrown this book.

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 TAROT FOR PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT
The following practice can be adopted into your daily routine for strength training of your
psychic abilities. This isn’t a tarot reading technique per se. It’s a private training exercise that uses
the tarot deck as a tool for strengthening your four clairs (clairvoyance, clairaudience,
clairsentience, and claircognizance). The Spirit Keeper’s Tarot is crafted intentionally to advance
such forms of psychic training and development.
Start each training session with the following recitation:
Angel Who Records, whose Hand seals upon the Book of
Remembrance, who bears witness to All to enumerate every deed,
since Creation, from the beginning of the world to this day, from my
cradle to my grave, I invoke you to read to me, to show me, to
transcribe upon my heart, to place upon the mantle of my mind the
pages of the Book I petition for. Let it be the Truth. Let that Truth,
come what may, ever be used to work the Highest Good. And so may
it be.
You’ll also need a notebook reserved exclusively for documenting the training exercises. At
the same time every day, proceed with the same simple ritual, then pull a single card, two, or pull
three cards from your deck. Don’t pull more than five. Keep it simple. Also, don’t use tarot spreads.
Just pull cards.
Before you pull the cards, anchor the reading not to a specific question, but to a subject
point. For example, a personal event that will happen that week, or national financial or business
news, political news, science or health, etc.
Next, forget everything you know about tarot reading. Instead, you want to visualize the
imagery depicted on the card or the narrative landscaped formed by the sum of the cards you’ve
pulled.
Then move beyond the physical edges of the card spread to see what is not there. Let’s use
Three of Orbs to illustrate. Study what you see within the four corners of the card’s imagery. Then
visualize the same scene in your mind’s eye. Close your eyes and walk into the scene. Study the
etchings on the stone walls. Pick up the tools on the steps and turn them over in the palms of your
hands. Then make your way through the archway and down through the long tunnel. Keep going
through the tunnel, taking your time, until you make it out the other side. As soon as you emerge

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from the tunnel, beyond the scope of what has been
drawn on The Mason card, look around you with your
mind’s eye. What do you see? How does the landscape
look on the other side of the tunnel?
Document what you’re experiencing and sensing.
Utilize creative visualization and imagine the scene
unfold in as much detail as your creativity can summon
up. Meanwhile, note to yourself: is the landscape
realistic or a fantastical world? Is it a plausible
geographic region on our Earth or are you somewhere
else entirely? Are there a lot of people around you or are
you by yourself? Is the landscape verdant or decayed?
Are there animals? Take in as much as you can and write
all of it down to assess later.
Step into the shoes of the figure in the Four of
Chalices, The Hollow Void. Do you drink from the
chalice offered to you? If you get up and walk around
that tree toward the harbor, what do you see?
In the Five of Chalices, step into the shoes of the
cloaked figure and cross the river toward the pentagram
etched onto the ground. Take a closer look at that
pentagram. Is it made of stones arranged in formation?
Or something else? Head toward the shoes. Listen to the
sounds around you: can you hear the weather and if yes,
how does it sound? Can you hear the waterfall? Beyond what is pictured in the frame, is there any
other life around?
For the exercise, you want to be as literal and as specific as possible. We don’t want themes
or generalities or merely “energies.” We want to literally and precisely see, hear, or experience
something within our mind that is beyond the ordinary chronology of space-time. Case in point, you
pull the Three of Chalices, walk around the three women and head for the pasture behind them.
Right behind the women, out of view in the actual illustration, you come upon apples on the ground.
Pay attention to how your imagination and creative visualization led you to see apples on the
ground. Perhaps it is because the very next day at the grocery store in the fruit aisle, you bump into

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an old childhood friend who is literally holding an apple in her hand. That is the specificity you are
aiming for with your training.

The next important step is to write everything down and journal the visualization exercises.
Date each entry, note the cards drawn, note every impression you experienced with your mind’s
eye, mind’s ear, scents, sensations, emotions, everything. For each entry, leave enough blank space
so you can revisit the entry later and write in feedback. You have to revisit every entry and write in
feedback. The feedback step is how you reinforce the psychic training.
Let’s say the anchor point you give yourself is headline news. Hold the deck in your hands,
recite the invocation to the Angel Who Records while shuffling, then continue shuffling and direct
your focus to headline news in the coming week. Pin that topic—headline news in the coming
week—into your cards as you shuffle. Then draw a single card, or two. If you prefer to work in
narrative sets, pull three. To demonstrate, I’ll pull a single card, and I draw the Six of Chalices.

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I’ll take time to study the imagery of the card, then imprint it into my
mind. I’ll close my eyes, enter the scene, and through creative
visualization, decide to walk into the cottage. Suddenly, however, for
no rational reason, an ominous sensation overcomes me and I that
something inside the cottage is burning and now much of the interior
has caught on fire. I’ve walked in to a burning house. Immediately I
rush back out. I look around for some means of putting the fire out,
but can’t. I run until I am a safe distance away, then tell myself to
emerge from the scene. I open my eyes and I’m back in ordinary
consciousness.
Over the next week or so, I might scour the frontpage news
for articles about fires in residential areas or references to fires. Also
look for the imagery, symbolism, omens, or impressions you saw in
your reading that connect to actual events happening. When you find
a match, document it in your notebook. Or if the anchor point was
more personal, when an event occurs in your life that matches the
reading, be sure to jot that down, noting date, time, location, as many
actual details as you can.
Initially, the psychic hits may feel insignificant, e.g., you saw a puppy and then two days
later on a walk around the neighborhood a similar looking dog came up to you and wagged his tail.
It doesn’t matter. Record the results in your notebook. Over time, the hits will become more
significant, more impactful, and you will be able to measure the improvement of your success rate.
You’ll have dramatically enhanced your psychic abilities and those abilities can now be transferred
into your tarot readings.
Also, the small successes build up your confidence in yourself, and soon you’re more likely
to trust and act on your own hunches. Before long, small successes become big successes. Be
patient with yourself. This is just like working out at the gym to get fit: muscles do not build
overnight. For me, I didn’t notice significant improvement until after a year of dedicated training.
Commit to the exercise and you may just find it to be a radical gamechanger not just in your
readings and the caliber of your intuition, but even in your outlook and convictions in the concept of
psychic ability. Your Spirit Keeper’s Tarot deck was encoded in such a way as to facilitate such
exercises of psychic development.

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 READING WITH REVERSALS

The Spirit Keeper’s Tarot is designed with the intention of being versatile enough to
accommodate both readers who observe reversals and readers who do not. In my own practice, I
have two working SKT decks out on my reading table. One contains reversals and I read with
reversals when using it while the other does not and so I do not observe reversals when reading with
the second. And having had both decks out since the birth of the deck, I can report back to you now
that I tend to reach for the one without reversals. Thus, I primarily read SKT without reversals. But
to each their own. Your copy of the SKT deck may call to you in a different from how my copy
calls to me.
I find that for myself, the tonality of readings from the reversals deck is very different from
the no reversals deck. The reversals deck comes across a little sharper, more direct, and the force
pushing the cards into the reading feels more consistently like it’s coming from the unknown
beyond. The force I intuit pushing cards into a reading from the no reversals deck is more open to a
case by case basis—sometimes it’s something from beyond; most of the time it’s coming from my
own inner voice.
Speaking strictly from the limited perspective of my religious and deeply personal views,
my Holy Guardian Angel comes through with greater clarity in the no reversals deck and the no
reversals deck is the one I reach for when communing with Divinity or the Higher Genius. Whereas
the reversals deck is the one I reach for when I want a more—and this is just me using lazy
terminology to describe it—“lower chakra” reading. The terminology is inaccurate and doesn’t have
any bearing on the lower chakras or chakras at all, but for some reason, when I say “lower chakra
reading” to this audience, you just know what I mean.

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 Whether Spirit Keeper’s Tarot reads better for you with reversals or without will rest on
your style and approach to reading, how your mind works best, and so many other factors that are
case specific to you. What holds absolutely and reliably true for one may not work at all for another.
Reading with reversals has never at any point in space-time elevated a tarot reader’s
sophistication, accuracy, or intellect, much like how taking your coffee black instead of loaded up
with cream and sugar doesn’t make you a better human being.
If you do decide for yourself that you want to read the deck with reversals, here’s how I
recommend reading the reversals within the context of the card meanings provided in this book:
consider the mnemonic WIND. When a card appears in reversed, first read the corresponding card
entry in this book. Then consider the four prongs to interpreting a reversed card:
The WIND Mnemonic for Reading Reversals

W Weakened The energy expressed by the card is present and relevant, but
weakened by overpowering forces. That overpowering force could
very well be yourself, subconsciously, and so the energy expressed
in the card is being weakened or blocked by you.

I Inverted Direction that the energy flows in is the opposite of what you’re
thinking, or the reversed card means the opposite of what it means
when upright.

N Negative The energy expressed by the card has a negative influence, or if that
energy is given space to fully manifest, the impact on you will be
negative.

D Delayed The seeds for the energy has been sowed, so now its prospects are
present, but whether it will indeed come through is not yet certain.
There may be delays in the way the energy ultimately comes
through.

When a reversed card appears, immediately think “WIND.” First ask yourself whether the
energies conveyed by the card might be Weakened. Simply consider it. Intuit whether the shoe fits.

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Maybe The Contender (Five of Scepters) reversed is
suggesting that competition has come and gone and you
weren’t even aware you were in the competition.
Continue on to consider whether the energies of the
card has been Inverted—what you think it is, meaning the
direction you believe the energy is flowing is in fact the
opposite. You think the competition is heavy and you’re being
blamed for the issues, but The Contender (Five of Scepters)
reversed is conveying that might not be the case; instead,
you’re the one who is trying to be in competition with others
and you’re just blaming yourself.
Maybe the reversal is to indicate the energies Negated
(or Negative). The Contender reversed is adding opinion to the
circumstance (upright, an energy that comes through is blame),
where in reversed, the message is: stop blaming others.
Whereas The Defector, or Eight of Chalices, in reverse might
be a message that changing positions or moving on from where
you are now isn’t going to be fruitful for you.
Finally, consider whether the energy is being Delayed.
The Defector reversed might be noting that you’re thinking of
moving on, departing, but the message is to wait—not yet—delay the departure for the time being.
If you’re asking whether to move on from a circumstance in your life and enter a new phase, the
Eight of Chalices reversed might indicate yes, but there will be delays in that transition.
This reversals reading method may seem so simple that it doesn’t feel esoteric or intelligent
enough to be effective. And yet it works. If you’re reading reversals, run through the four
possibilities, WIND, and then make an intuitive determination as to which of the possibilities is
most likely to be the message coming through.
I’ve heard the argument that reading with reversals means you are now working with 156
different card meanings (78 card meanings in the deck, doubled), with the implication that the
reader working with 156 meanings is better than the reader working with 78. Such an argument
shows a rather perfunctory understanding of how a tarot deck works when activated by the psyche
of its handler.

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 There isn’t 156 meanings when you read with reversals
and only 78 when you don’t. The tarot isn’t that kind of
simpleton math.
Card meanings come from you. They always have. Any
sense of “universal card meanings” are coming from a
collective agreement within a culture of what certain symbols
mean, and you are part of that culture, so you share in that
collective agreement.
When you are not a part of that culture, then you do not
share in the collective agreement, so the meaning of symbols
will be different for you.
Within the world of tarot, reading with reversals and
reading without are two distinct and separate cultures. How the
symbols then function within one culture (say, the culture of
reversals) will be different from how they function within the
other (the culture of no reversals).
That is why nothing is added or taken away by your
choice over reversals. It is merely a choice between two
cultures, and then once you’ve made that choice, the way the
deck will read for you and the symbols that come up to convey
the message will be based on the choice of culture. In both cultures of reading with reversals and
reading without, you are working with 78 keys. Those reading with reversals are not suddenly
availed twice the number of keys than those reading without. Rather, reading with reversals is about
approaching those 78 keys with a slightly different perspective from those reading without.

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 TAROT SYSTEM EQUIVALENTS
Major Arcana 22 Keys
Spirit Keeper’s Tarot Tarot de Marseilles Rider-Waite-Smith Thoth
(SKT) (TdM) (RWS)
0: The Initiate 0: The Fool 0: The Fool 0: The Fool
0: The Seeker
0: The Keeper
1: The Magus I: The Magician I: The Magician I: The Magus
(or The Juggler) (or The Juggler)
2: The Priestess II: The Popess II: The High Priestess II: The Priestess
(or The High Priestess)
3: The Empress III: The Empress III: The Empress III: The Empress
4: The Emperor IV: The Emperor IV: The Emperor IV: The Emperor
5: The Holy See V: The Pope V: The Hierophant V: The Hierophant
6: The Lovers VI: The Lovers VI: The Lovers VI: The Lovers
(or The Brothers)
7: The Chariot VII: The Chariot VII: The Chariot VII: The Chariot
8: The Force VIII: Justice VIII: Strength VIII: Adjustment
[XI: Strength] [XI: Lust]
9: The Erudite IX: The Hermit IX: The Hermit IX: The Hermit
10: Wheel of Life X: The Wheel of Fortune X: Wheel of Fortune X: Fortune
11: The Chancellor XI: Strength XI: Justice XI: Lust
[VIII: Justice] [VIII: Adjustment]
12: The Outlaw XII: The Hanged Man XII: The Hanged Man XII: The Hanged Man
13: The Reaper XIII: Death XIII: Death XIII: Death
(Untitled)

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Spirit Keeper’s Tarot Tarot de Marseilles Rider-Waite-Smith Thoth
(SKT) (TdM) (RWS)
14: The Angel XIV: Temperance XIV: Temperance XIV: Art
15: The Demon XV: The Devil XV: The Devil XV: The Devil
16: The Tower XVI: The Tower XVI: The Tower XVI: The Tower
(or The House of God) (or War)
17: The Healer XVII: The Star XVII: The Star XVII: The Star
18: The Necromancer XVIII: The Moon XVIII: The Moon Key XVIII: The Moon
19: The Warrior XIX: The Sun XIX: The Sun Key XIX: The Sun
20: Apocalypse XX: The Judgment XX: Judgment Key XX: The Aeon
21: New World Order XXI: The World XXI: The World Key XXI: The Universe
Minor Arcana Scepters, Batons, Wands
Spirit Keeper’s Tarot Tarot de Marseilles Rider-Waite-Smith Thoth
(SKT) (TdM) (RWS)
Sacred Fire Ace of Batons Ace of Wands Root of the Powers of
Ace of Scepters Fire
The Discerning One Two of Batons Two of Wands Two of Wands:
Two of Scepters Dominion
The Politic Three of Batons Three of Wands Three of Wands:
Three of Scepters Virtue
The Demiurge Four of Batons Four of Wands Four of Wands:
Four of Scepters Completion
The Contender Five of Batons Five of Wands Five of Wands: Strife
Five of Scepters
The Champion Six of Batons Six of Wands Six of Wands: Victory
Six of Scepters

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Spirit Keeper’s Tarot Tarot de Marseilles Rider-Waite-Smith Thoth
(SKT) (TdM) (RWS)
The Dark Horse Seven of Batons Seven of Wands Seven of Wands:
Seven of Scepters Valour
The Sharpshooter Eight of Batons Eight of Wands Eight of Wands:
Eight of Scepters Swiftness
The Malaise Nine of Batons Nine of Wands Nine of Wands:
Nine of Scepters Strength
The Burdened One Ten of Batons Ten of Wands Ten of Wands:
Ten of Scepters Oppression
Stronghold of the Page of Batons Page of Wands Princess of Wands
Flame
Page of Scepters
The Shining Flame Knight of Batons Knight of Wands Prince of Wands
Knight of Scepters
The Golden Shield Queen of Batons Queen of Wands Queen of Wands
Queen of Scepters
Archangel of Glory King of Batons King of Wands Knight of Wands
King of Scepters
Minor Arcana Chalices, Cups
Spirit Keeper’s Tarot Tarot de Marseilles Rider-Waite-Smith Thoth
(SKT) (TdM) (RWS)
Holy Water Ace of Cups Ace of Cups Root of the Powers of
Ace of Chalices Water
The Joined One Two of Cups Two of Cups Two of Cups: Love
Two of Chalices
The Kindred Three of Cups Three of Cups Three of Cups:
Three of Chalices Abundance

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Spirit Keeper’s Tarot Tarot de Marseilles Rider-Waite-Smith Thoth
(SKT) (TdM) (RWS)

The Hollow Void Four of Cups Four of Cups Four of Cups: Luxury
Four of Chalices
The Grotesque Five of Cups Five of Cups Five of Cups:
Five of Chalices Disappointment
The Memory Keeper Six of Cups Six of Cups Six of Cups: Pleasure
Six of Chalices
The Corrupter Seven of Cups Seven of Cups Seven of Cups:
Seven of Chalices Debauch
The Defector Eight of Cups Eight of Cups Eight of Cups:
Eight of Chalices Indolence
The Wish Granted Nine of Cups Nine of Cups Nine of Cups:
Nine of Chalices Happiness
The Joyous One Ten of Cups Ten of Cups Ten of Cups: Satiety
Ten of Chalices
Stronghold of the Page of Cups Page of Cups Princess of Cups
Grail
Page of Chalices
The Shining Dew Knight of Cups Knight of Cups Prince of Cups
Knight of Chalices
The Ivory Shield Queen of Cups Queen of Cups Queen of Cups
Queen of Chalices
Archangel of Healing King of Cups King of Cups Knight of Cups
King of Chalices

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Minor Arcana Swords
Spirit Keeper’s Tarot Tarot de Marseilles Rider-Waite-Smith Thoth
(SKT) (TdM) (RWS)
Sacred Cinnabar Ace of Swords Ace of Swords Root of the Powers of
Ace of Swords Air
The Blind Seer Two of Swords Two of Swords Two of Swords: Peace
Two of Swords
The Bereaved Three of Swords Three of Swords Three of Swords:
Three of Swords Sorrow
The Convalescent Four of Swords Four of Swords Four of Swords: Truce
Four of Swords
The Hector Five of Swords Five of Swords Five of Swords: Defeat
Five of Swords
The Ferryman Six of Swords Six of Swords Six of Swords: Science
Six of Swords
The Rogue Seven of Swords Seven of Swords Seven of Swords:
Seven of Swords Futility
The Captor Eight of Swords Eight of Swords Eight of Swords:
Eight of Swords Interference
The Haunt Nine of Swords Nine of Swords Nine of Swords: Cruelty
Nine of Swords
The Destroyer Ten of Swords Ten of Swords Ten of Swords: Ruin
Ten of Swords
Stronghold of the Page of Swords Page of Swords Princess of Swords
Zephyrs
Page of Swords
The Shining Winds Knight of Swords Knight of Swords Prince of Swords
Knight of Swords
The Scarlet Shield Queen of Swords Queen of Swords Queen of Swords
Queen of Swords
Archangel Commander King of Swords King of Swords Knight of Swords
King of Swords

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Minor Arcana Orbs, Coins, Pentacles, Disks
Spirit Keeper’s Tarot Tarot de Marseilles Rider-Waite-Smith Thoth
(SKT) (TdM) (RWS)
Bread of Life Ace of Coins Ace of Pentacles Root of the Powers of
Ace of Orbs Earth
The Nocturne Two of Coins Two of Pentacles Two of Disks: Change
Two of Orbs
The Mason Three of Coins Three of Pentacles Three of Disks: Works
Three of Orbs
The Conservator Four of Coins Four of Pentacles Four of Disks: Power
Four of Orbs
The Vagabond Five of Coins Five of Pentacles Five of Disks: Worry
Five of Orbs
The Giver Six of Coins Six of Pentacles Six of Disks: Success
Six of Orbs
The Gardener Seven of Coins Seven of Pentacles Seven of Disks: Failure
Seven of Orbs
The Journeyman Eight of Coins Eight of Pentacles Eight of Disks:
Eight of Orbs Prudence
The Eminence Nine of Coins Nine of Pentacles Nine of Disks: Gain
Nine of Orbs
The Dynasty Ten of Coins Ten of Pentacles Ten of Disks: Wealth
Ten of Orbs
Stronghold of the Vale Page of Coins Page of Pentacles Princess of Disks
Page of Orbs
The Shining Quarry Knight of Coins Knight of Pentacles Prince of Disks
Knight of Orbs
The Ebony Shield Queen of Coins Queen of Pentacles Queen of Disks
Queen of Orbs
Archangel of Mysteries King of Coins King of Pentacles Knight of Disks
King of Orbs

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 CORRESPONDENCE TABLES

ELEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCES
For the Four Elements and Spirit Keeper’s Tarot

FIRE WATER AIR EARTH

Astral Body Soul Mind Physical Body

Spirit Soul Astral Body Physical Body

(Paul Foster Case) (Paul Foster Case) (Paul Foster Case) (Paul Foster Case)

SCEPTER in each Realm CHALICE in each Realm SWORD in each Realm ORB in each Realm

Archangel (King) Shield (Queen) Shining One (Knight) Stronghold (Page)

Key 4: The Emperor Key 7: The Chariot Key 11: The Chancellor Key 15: The Demon
(Cardinal, Aries) (Cardinal, Cancer) (Cardinal, Libra) (Cardinal, Capricorn)

Key 8: The Force Key 13: The Reaper Key 17: The Healer Key 5: The Holy See
(Fixed, Leo) (Fixed, Scorpio) (Fixed, Aquarius) (Fixed, Taurus)

Key 14: The Angel Key 18: The Necromancer Key 6: The Lovers Key 9: The Erudite
(Mutable, Sagittarius) (Mutable, Pisces) (Mutable, Gemini) (Mutable, Virgo)

Ceylon Cinnamon Myrrh Lemongrass Cassia Cinnamon

Angelica Root Chamomile Witch Hazel Apple Blossom

180
 GLYPH CORRESPONDENCES OF THE MAJOR ARCANA KEYS (GOLDEN DAWN)
Glyph Major Arcanum
0 – The Seeker
☿ 1 – The Magus
☽ 2 – The Priestess
♀ 3 – The Empress
 4 – The Emperor
 5 – The Holy See
 6 – The Lovers
 7 – The Chariot
 8 – The Force
 9 – The Erudite
♃ 10 – Wheel of Life
 11 – The Chancellor
12 – The Outlaw
 13 – The Reaper
 14 – The Angel
 15 – The Demon
♂ 16 – The Tower
 17 – The Healer
 18 – The Necromancer
☉ 19 – The Warrior
20 – Apocalypse
♄ 21 – New World Order
Conventional Indications
Balancing, rejuvenating; Rationalize
Acumen, strength of mind and voice
Intuitive knowledge
Attracting the auspicious
The warrior king; leading the charge
Steer of heaven; builder of traditions
The great twins: agilility, persuasion
Spiritual protection
Radiance; glory, grace, honor
Learned, perceptive; to enlighten
Success factor; metrics of luck; growth
The Middle Path; impartiality
Receiving; The Idealist receives blame
Unlocking mysteries; shapeshifting
The sage; the polymath; exploration
Power of influence; vainglory
What is at stake in the fight
The humanitarian, the missionary
The martyr, the messiah; vision quest
Public glory, validation
Emitting; The Creator comes forth
Attaining a wise perspective
181
Natal or Transits Astrology
Check house of Uranus
Check Mercury sign and house
Check moon sign and house
Check Venus sign and house
Check house of Aries
Check house of Taurus
Check house of Gemini
Check house of Cancer
Check house of Leo
Check house of Virgo
Check Jupiter sign and house
Check house of Libra
Check house of Neptune
Check house of Scorpio
Check house of Sagittarius
Check house of Capricorn
Check Mars sign and house
Check house of Aquarius
Check house of Pisces
Check sun sign and house
Check house of Pluto
Check Saturn sign and house
 GLYPH CORRESPONDENCES OF THE MAJOR ARCANA KEYS
Glyph Major Arcanum
0 – The Seeker
☿ 1 – The Magus
☽ 2 – The Priestess
♀ 3 – The Empress
 4 – The Emperor
 5 – The Holy See
 6 – The Lovers
 7 – The Chariot
 8 – The Force
 9 – The Erudite
♃ 10 – Wheel of Life
 11 – The Chancellor
12 – The Outlaw
 13 – The Reaper
 14 – The Angel
 15 – The Demon
♂ 16 – The Tower
 17 – The Healer
 18 – The Necromancer
☉ 19 – The Warrior
20 – Apocalypse
♄ 21 – New World Order
Timing (Seasons & Path of the Sun) Gifts of the Magi
The next full moon Astral travel; vision quest
Alchemical science
Prophetic dreams
Power of conjure
March 21 – April 19; March equinox Martial and military arts
April 20 – May 20 Consecration; anointing
May 21 – June 20 Pathworking
June 21 – July 22; June solstice Past life and ancestor work
July 23 – August 22 Animal communication
August 23 – September 22 Edification; arcane sciences
Political prowess
September 23 – October 22; Sept. equinox Theurgy
The next quarter moon (waxing or waning) Scrying; divination
October 23 – November 21 Shamanic journeying
November 22 – December 21 Ritual purification
December 22 – January 19; Dec. solstice Maleficium
Power to defeat
January 20 – February 18 Medicine; astrology
February 19 – March 20 Necromancy, mediumship
Glory and eminence
The next new moon Evocation; palmistry
Great Work achieved
182
 KEY CORRESPONDENCES FOR THE MAJOR ARCANA

Element Major Arcanum Hebrew Letter Pitch Color Wave Golden Dawn
0 – The Seeker Aleph E Pale Yellow Air
1 – The Magus Beth E Bold Yellow Mercury
2 – The Priestess Gimmel G sharp Blue Moon
3 – The Empress Daleth F sharp Emerald Venus
4 – The Emperor Heh C Scarlet Red Aries
5 – The Holy See Vav C sharp Red-Orange Taurus
6 – The Lovers Zain D Orange Gemini
7 – The Chariot Cheth D sharp Amber Cancer
8 – The Force Teth E Lime Leo
9 – The Erudite Yod F Chartreuse Virgo
10 – Wheel of Life Kaph A sharp Violet Jupiter
11 – The Chancellor Lamed F sharp Emerald Libra
12 – The Outlaw Mem G sharp Dark Blue Water
13 – The Reaper Nun G Blue-Green Scorpio
14 – The Angel Samekh G sharp Blue Sagittarius
15 – The Demon Ayin A Blue-Violet Capricorn
16 – The Tower Peh C Scarlet Red Mars
17 – The Healer Tzaddi A sharp Violet Aquarius
18 – The Necromancer Qoph B Magenta Pisces
19 – The Warrior Resh D Orange Sun
20 – Apocalypse Shin C Carnelian Fire
21 – New World Order Tav (rest note) Indigo Saturn

Golden Dawn derives its 12 zodiac attributions and 3 elemental attributions from the Sepher Yetzirah but revised the 7 planetary
attributions to follow their own theosophical system of planetary attributions.

183
 KEY CORRESPONDENCES FOR THE MAJOR ARCANA
Modern Hebrew Phoenician
Major Arcanum Sefirot Path
Astrology Letter Alphabet
0 – The Seeker Keter to Chokhmah ♅ ‫א‬
1 – The Magus Keter to Binah ☿ ‫ב‬
2 – The Priestess Keter to Tiferet ☽ ‫ג‬
3 – The Empress Chokhmah to Binah ♀ ‫ד‬
4 – The Emperor Chokhmah to Tiferet  ‫ה‬
5 – The Holy See Chokhmah to Chesad  ‫ו‬
6 – The Lovers Binah to Tiferet  ‫ז‬
7 – The Chariot Binah to Gevurah  ‫ח‬
8 – The Force Chesad to Gevurah  ‫ט‬
9 – The Erudite Chesad to Tiferet  ‫י‬
10 – Wheel of Life Chesad to Netzach ♃ ‫כ‬
11 – The Chancellor Gevurah to Tiferet  ‫ל‬
12 – The Outlaw Gevurah to Hod ♆ ‫מ‬
13 – The Reaper Tiferet to Netzach  ‫נ‬
14 – The Angel Tiferet to Yesod  ‫ס‬
15 – The Demon Tiferet to Hod  ‫ע‬
16 – The Tower Netzach to Hod ♂ ‫פ‬
17 – The Healer Netzach to Yesod  ‫צ‬
18 – The Necromancer Netzach to Malkuth  ‫ק‬
19 – The Warrior Hod to Yesod ☉ ‫ר‬
20 – Apocalypse Hod to Malkuth ‫ש‬
21 – New World Order Yesod to Malkuth ♄ ‫ת‬

184
 KEY CORRESPONDENCES FOR THE MAJOR ARCANA
Reconciliation and synthesis of Hermetic, Theosophical, and Mary K. Greer texts.

Personality Soul Theosophical Attribute

Major Arcanum
Number Number Septenary Manifested
0 – The Seeker 22 4 ------- Inaugurate
1 – The Magus 1 1 Self Focus, Mastery
2 – The Priestess 2 2 Soul Esoteric Knowledge
3 – The Empress 3 3 Will Creativity, Mettā
4 – The Emperor 4 4 Desire Temporal Power
5 – The Holy See 5 5 Force Spiritual Power
6 – The Lovers 6 6 Astral Passion
7 – The Chariot 7 7 Material Creating Change
8 – The Force 8 8 Self Audacity, Bravura
9 – The Erudite 9 9 Soul Wisdom, Guidance
10 – Wheel of Life 10 1 Will Consequence, Karma
11 – The Chancellor 11 2 Desire Truth, Veracity
12 – The Outlaw 12 3 Force Mindfulness
13 – The Reaper 13 4 Astral Transmutation
14 – The Angel 14 5 Material Equanimity
15 – The Demon 15 6 Self Rapture
16 – The Tower 16 7 Soul Demolish, Oust
17 – The Healer 17 8 Will Healing, Mending
18 – The Necromancer 18 9 Desire Revealing
19 – The Warrior 19 1 Force Heroic Acts
20 – Apocalypse 20 2 Astral Epiphany, Announce
21 – New World Order 21 3 Material Divine Androgyne

According to Greer, the Personality Number is the first theosophical reduction of the sum of your birth month, birth day, and
birth year, down to 1 through 22. If that number is a single digit, then that is also your Soul Number. If the Personality
Number is double digits, then reduce the double digits to a single digit, 1 through 9, and that is your Soul Number. Ex. For
someone born March 18, 1988, the Personality Number is 11 (The Chancellor) and the Soul Number is 2 (The Priestess). The
Personality Number is your innate character, disposition, persona, and temperament. It’s your psyche. The Soul Number
sheds light on your life purpose, the Great Work destined by your soul, and how best you personally contribute to the greater
good. Soul Numbers 1-3 have 3 Keys; all others have 2.

185
 KEY CORRESPONDENCES FOR THE MAJOR ARCANA
Reconciliation and synthesis of texts by Comte C. de Saint-Germain,
Paul Christian, J. Augustus Knapp, and Manly P. Hall

Major Arcanum Stone C. C. de Saint-Germain Spirit’s Journey (Theosophy)

0 – The Seeker Azurite The Crocodile Foolishness
1 – The Magus Fire Opal The Magus Divinity in Man
2 – The Priestess Selenite Gate of the Sanctuary Creative Power
3 – The Empress Jade Isis-Urania Desire, Restlessness
4 – The Emperor Ruby The Cubic Stone Power to Control
5 – The Holy See Bronzite Master of the Arcanes Highest Intellect
6 – The Lovers Apatite The Two Ways Love
7 – The Chariot Pearl Chariot of Osiris Freedom by Knowledge
8 – The Force Carnelian The Tamed Lion Cycle of Judgment *
9 – The Erudite Bloodstone The Veiled Lamp Conquest of Emotions
10 – Wheel of Life Sapphire The Sphinx Destiny Turning
11 – The Chancellor Emerald Balance and the Sword Will Power *
12 – The Outlaw Fluorite The Sacrifice A Probationary Cycle
13 – The Reaper Shungite The Reaping Skeleton Passage to Rebirth
14 – The Angel Amethyst The Two Urns Ability to Harmonize
15 – The Demon Obsidian Typhon / The Serpent Evil Conditions
16 – The Tower Garnet Thunderstruck Tower Unexpected Happening
17 – The Healer Aquamarine Star of the Magi Gift of the Spirit (Hope)
18 – The Necromancer Moonstone Twilight Bringing into Form
19 – The Warrior Amber Dazzling Light Expanded Consciousness
20 – Apocalypse Malachite Rising of the Dead Higher Consciousness
21 – New World Order Lapis Lazuli Crown of the Magi Cosmic Consciousness

* “Cycle of Judgment” corresponds with the classic tarot Justice card (The Chancellor) as Key 8 and “Will Power” corresponds
with Strength (The Force) as Key 11. European Theosophists noted that the trump sequence (per the Tarot de Marseille
structure) charts the spirit’s journey descending into matter and then finally transcending matter (“The Progress of the Soul
through Matter”). In particular, Keys 11, 12, and 13 recapitulate the material obstacles to the spiritual ascent.

186
 KEY CORRESPONDENCES FOR THE MINOR ARCANA
Reconciliation and synthesis of Golden Dawn, Paul Foster Case, and Hermetic Qabalist texts.

Minor Arcanum Astrology (Trad.) Sefirah Western Alchemy

Ace of Scepters Point of Aries; Spring Equinox Keter Sacred Fire: Sulfur
Two of Scepters Mars in Aries, Mar. 21 - 30 Chokhmah Separation + Calcination
Three of Scepters Sun in Aries, Mar. 31 - Apr. 10 Binah Coagulation + Calcination
Four of Scepters Venus in Aries, Apr. 11 - 20 Chesad Conjunction + Calcination
Five of Scepters Saturn in Leo, Jul. 21 - Aug. 1 Gevurah Calcination + Fermentation
Six of Scepters Jupiter in Leo, Aug. 2 - Aug. 10 Tiferet Dissolution + Fermentation
Seven of Scepters Mars in Leo, Aug. 11 - 22 Netzach Separation + Fermentation
Eight of Scepters Mercury in Sagittarius, Nov. 23 - Dec. 2 Hod Fermentation + Calcination
Nine of Scepters Moon in Sagittarius, Dec. 3-12 Yesod Distillation + Calcination
Ten of Scepters Saturn in Sagittarius, Dec. 13-22 Malkuth Double Calcination Process
Page of Scepters Aries, Leo, Sagittarius Malkuth Earth in Fire
Knight of Scepters Aries, Leo, Sagittarius Tiferet Air in Fire
Queen of Scepters Aries, Leo, Sagittarius Binah Water in Fire
King of Scepters Aries, Leo, Sagittarius Chokhmah Fire in Fire

Seasonal correspondence for Ace based on Cardinal Fire (Aries), March.

Stage of the Magnum Opus: Citrinitas (Awakening)
In short-term timing, Scepters might signify days (elemental Fire links to solar energies, solar is day). E.g., Five of
Scepters is five days.

Seven Stages of Alchemy

Stage 1. Calcination: To burn limestone, decompose that which was volatile; heat treatment for transformation; to
corrode so that only the purest essences will remain; to disintegrate worldly and material attachments; self-examination;
to seek spiritual discipline or training

187
 Cont’d. KEY CORRESPONDENCES FOR THE MINOR ARCANA
Reconciliation and synthesis of Golden Dawn, Paul Foster Case, and Hermetic Qabalist texts.

Minor Arcanum Astrology (Trad.) Sefirah Western Alchemy

Ace of Chalices Summer Solstice; Imum Coeli Keter Holy Water: Water
Two of Chalices Venus in Cancer, Jun. 21 - Jul. 1 Chokhmah Conjunction + Dissolution
Three of Chalices Mercury in Cancer, Jul. 2 - 12 Binah Fermentation + Dissolution
Four of Chalices Moon in Cancer, Jul. 13 - 20 Chesad Distillation + Dissolution
Five of Chalices Mars in Scorpio, Oct. 23 - Nov. 1 Gevurah Double Separation Process
Six of Chalices Sun in Scorpio, Nov. 2 - 11 Tiferet Coagulation + Separation
Seven of Chalices Venus in Scorpio, Nov. 12 - 22 Netzach Conjunction + Separation
Eight of Chalices Saturn in Pisces, Feb. 19 - 28 Hod Calcination + Coagulation
Nine of Chalices Jupiter in Pisces, Mar. 1 - 10 Yesod Dissolution + Coagulation
Ten of Chalices Mars in Pisces, Mar. 11 - 20 Malkuth Separation + Coagulation
Page of Chalices Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces Malkuth Earth in Water
Knight of Chalices Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces Tiferet Air in Water
Queen of Chalices Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces Binah Water in Water
King of Chalices Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces Chokhmah Fire in Water

Seasonal correspondence for Ace based on Cardinal Water (Cancer), June.

Stage of the Magnum Opus: Albedo (Purification)
In short-term timing, Chalices might signify months (elemental Water links to lunar energies, lunar is month).
E.g., Three of Chalices is three months.

Stage 2. Dissolution: To reduce to ash, to break down and dissolve solids into a liquid so energy can flow more
freely; to bring to an end that which needs to end; breaking down as the prerequisite phase for restoring stability
Stage 3. Separation: To isolate the parts of a whole and discern that which is unproductive from that which is
productive; the reclaiming of parts within the self that had been eclipsed by other more prominent parts of the self

188
 Cont’d. KEY CORRESPONDENCES FOR THE MINOR ARCANA
Reconciliation and synthesis of Golden Dawn, Paul Foster Case, and Hermetic Qabalist texts.

Minor Arcanum Astrology (Trad.) Sefirah Western Alchemy

Ace of Swords Autumnal Equinox; Point of Libra Keter Sword of the Spirit: Mercury
Two of Swords Moon in Libra, Sep. 23 - Oct. 2 Chokhmah Double Distillation Process
Three of Swords Saturn in Libra, Oct. 3 - 12 Binah Calcination + Distillation
Four of Swords Jupiter in Libra, Oct. 13 - 22 Chesad Dissolution + Distillation
Five of Swords Venus in Aquarius, Jan. 20 - 29 Gevurah Conjunction + Coagulation
Six of Swords Mercury in Aquarius, Jan. 30 - Feb. 8 Tiferet Fermentation + Coagulation
Seven of Swords Moon in Aquarius, Feb. 9 - 18 Netzach Distillation + Coagulation
Eight of Swords Jupiter in Gemini, May 21 - 30 Hod Dissolution + Coagulation
Nine of Swords Mars in Gemini, Jun 1 - 10 Yesod Separation + Coagulation
Ten of Swords Sun in Gemini, Jun 11 - 20 Malkuth Double Coagulation Process
Page of Swords Gemini, Libra, Aquarius Malkuth Earth in Air
Knight of Swords Gemini, Libra, Aquarius Tiferet Air in Air
Queen of Swords Gemini, Libra, Aquarius Binah Water in Air
King of Swords Gemini, Libra, Aquarius Chokhmah Fire in Air

Seasonal correspondence for Ace based on Cardinal Air (Libra), September.

Stage of the Magnum Opus: Rubedo (Actualization)
In short-term timing, Swords might signify weeks. E.g., Seven of Swords is seven weeks.

Stage 4. Conjunction: To combine after separation in order to form a new substance; union of the dichotomy; union
to strengthen and union for advancement; to amplify personal power by acknowledgement and marriage of different
parts of the self
Stage 5. Fermentation: Putrefaction; to first cause decay and then to resurrect and prompt growth; to embody and
acknowledge that which is foul and then to spiritually purify, to cause the decaying self to die and to reanimate the
enlightened self

189
 Cont’d. KEY CORRESPONDENCES FOR THE MINOR ARCANA
Reconciliation and synthesis of Golden Dawn, Paul Foster Case, and Hermetic Qabalist texts.

Minor Arcanum Astrology (Trad.) Sefirah Western Alchemy

Ace of Orbs Winter Solstice; Medium Coeli Keter Bread of Life: Salt
Two of Orbs Jupiter in Capricorn, Dec. 21 - 30 Chokhmah Dissolution + Fermentation
Three of Orbs Mars in Capricorn, Dec. 31 - Jan. 9 Binah Separation + Fermentation
Four of Orbs Sun in Capricorn, Jan. 10 - 19 Chesad Coagulation + Fermentation
Five of Orbs Mercury in Taurus, Apr. 21 - 30 Gevurah Fermentation + Conjunction
Six of Orbs Moon in Taurus, May 1 - 10 Tiferet Distillation + Conjunction
Seven of Orbs Saturn in Taurus, May 11 - 20 Netzach Calcination + Conjunction
Eight of Orbs Sun in Virgo, Aug. 23 - Sep. 1 Hod Coagulation + Distillation
Nine of Orbs Venus in Virgo, Sep. 2 - 11 Yesod Conjunction + Distillation
Ten of Orbs Mercury in Virgo, Sep. 12 - 22 Malkuth Fermentation + Distillation
Page of Orbs Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn Malkuth Earth in Earth
Knight of Orbs Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn Tiferet Air in Earth
Queen of Orbs Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn Binah Water in Earth
King of Orbs Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn Chokhmah Fire in Earth

Seasonal correspondence for Ace based on Cardinal Earth (Capricorn), December.

Stage of the Magnum Opus: Nigredo (Darkening)
Timing wise, Orbs indicate longer periods than the other suits. Orbs indicate years. E.g., Three of Orbs is three
years.

Stage 6. Distillation: To heat and then condense, thereby purifying; to refine; to convert that which was a solid into a
vapor, an intangible power; to elevate
Stage 7. Coagulation: Clotting; to gel that which was liquid; activation to unite and collect the varied into one; this is
the powder of the Sun; immortalizing by fusing the Elixir of Life with blood; coming in to actualized knowledge

190
 FORCE MAJEURE PER THE 36 DECANATES IN THE PIPS
Based on the attributions published by MacGregor Mathers.

Minor Arcanum Force Majeure Minor Arcanum Force Majeure

Two of Scepters Dominion Two of Swords Peace Restored
Three of Scepters Established Strength Three of Swords Sorrow
Four of Scepters Perfected Work Four of Swords Rest from Strife
Five of Scepters Strife Five of Swords Defeat
Six of Scepters Victory Six of Swords Earned Success
Seven of Scepters Valor Seven of Swords Unstable Effort
Eight of Scepters Swiftness Eight of Swords Shortened Force
Nine of Scepters Great Strength Nine of Swords Despair & Cruelty
Ten of Scepters Oppression Ten of Swords Ruin
Two of Chalices Love Two of Orbs Harmonious Change
Three of Chalices Abundance Three of Orbs Material Works
Four of Chalices Blended Pleasure Four of Orbs Earthly Power
Five of Chalices Loss in Pleasure Five of Orbs Material Trouble
Six of Chalices Pleasure Six of Orbs Material Success
Seven of Chalices Illusory Success Seven of Orbs Success Unfulfilled
Eight of Chalices Abandoned Success Eight of Orbs Prudence
Nine of Chalices Material Happiness Nine of Orbs Material Gain
Ten of Chalices Perpetual Success Ten of Orbs Wealth

191
 FIRE WATER AIR EARTH

Knowledge Healing Courage Sacred Mysteries

Wisdom Purification Strength Gift of Prophecy

Work, Career Home, Family Ambitions, Glory Money Matters

Passion Project Love, Romance Community Assets, Resources
Personal Identity Relationships Civic Matters Business
Scholarship Domestic Issues Social Politics Commerce
Expansion Spirituality Your Public Face Physical Body
Innovation Poetry, Art Science, Conflicts Industry, Property
STONES: STONES: STONES: STONES:
Amber Blue Lace Agate Amazonite Bronzite
Carnelian Chrysoprase Aquamarine Dark Agates & Jaspers, Jade
Cinnabar Fluorite Azurite Emerald
Fire Agate Kunzite Blue Tiger Eye Green Aventurine
Red Goldstone Moonstone Chrysocolla Hematite
Red Tiger Eye Pearl Dumortierite Moss Agate
Ruby Rose Quartz Iolite Smoky Quartz
Sunstone Selenite Sodalite

OILS & HERBS: OILS & HERBS: OILS & HERBS: OILS & HERBS:
Angelica Root Aloe Vera Frankincense Apple
Apricot Chamomile Hazel Cedarwood
Basil Cucumber Lemongrass Cumin
Bergamot Jasmine Marjoram Cypress
Chili Pepper Lavender Mint Fern, Grain
Citrus Lilac, Lily Myrrh Jujubes
Clove, Garlic Melon Parsley, Sage Mugwort
Ginger Rose Sandalwood Oak
Marigold Tansy Star Anise Oak Moss
Nutmeg Willow Tea Tree Oil Patchouli
Sunflower Ylang Ylang Witch Hazel Vetivert

192
 TREE OF LIFE: SEFIRAH CORRESPONDENCES

In a reading, if several of the same numerical key shows up (e.g., three Fives from the Minors in a spread, you
repeatedly pull the Shields or tarot Queens consecutively over the course of multiple readings, or you
consistently pull cards all corresponding to one sefirah, like Threes and Shields appearing together in a reading,
or Sixes and the Shining Ones appearing in groups), consider the sefirah correspondence and whether the
indications here offer a cohesive overarching message.

Or if you pull a single card, such as The Nocturne, Two of Orbs, supplement your reading of the card with
consideration of its sefirah correspondence. In the example of the Two of Orbs, after considering your
interpretation of the card, you might look to the correspondences for Chokhmah to better grasp the underlying
theme or energetic roots of the reading results.

Keter THE CROWN. Keter represents completion of the Great Work. It is access to the
most potent source of personal power. Keter is a superconsciousness, a place of
ACES pure, healing White Light and emanation of the Divine. Prognostication of
attainment. This is Divine Union.

Chokhmah WISDOM. Chokhmah is the force of moment toward understanding the Divine
God. It is the active, conscious quest toward attainment. Chokhmah is one
TWOS transcended step beyond knowledge. It blends compassion with knowledge for
ARCHANGELS wisdom, for application of knowledge in a way that will be harmonious with all.
Communion with Divinity has transpired.

Binah UNDERSTANDING. Binah is the force of creation and destruction of matter. It is

empowerment and acquisition of the most powerful forms of knowledge. Binah is
THREES attainment of esoteric and occult knowledge. Consciousness of empowerment.
SHIELDS Prophecy of sorrow; prophecy of wonder.

Chesad MERCY. Chesad represents virtue, justice, benevolence, and a receptive

intelligence. It is the remuneration given for positively accrued karma. Chesad is
FOURS associated with wealth, good luck, and fortuity.

Gevurah STRENGTH. Gevurah is the power to create change. It represents an active

intelligence. Gevurah embodies a warrior consciousness. It is having the courage
FIVES to take action. It is a source of motivation, perspiration, and the inner drive or
push to action. This is the vision of Power.

193
 Tiferet BEAUTY. Tiferet is heart-centered consciousness, and the quest for harmony,
balance, and equilibrium. Tiferet is an elevated consciousness of beauty and
SIXES magnificence. It is the residence of ascended masters, and therefore a
SHINING ONES consciousness of spiritual teaching. To gain access to those teachings of ascended
masters, devote yourself to service. This is also the Mystery of the Messiah.

Netzach VICTORY. Netzach is a consciousness of selflessness, optimism, and faith. It

relates to emotional connections. It is a collective consciousness, an awareness
SEVENS that we are all One. This is the realm of fairies and sprites, where there is much
creativity, thriving arts, and innocence.

Hod GLORY. Hod is the consciousness of analytical reasoning. It is about cogent

communication and transmission of knowledge. Here is where intellectualism
EIGHTS and ideas thrive. It is a consciousness of brainstorming and sharing ideas. There
is robust exchange of information here. There is a consciousness of investigation,
of unraveling deception to find truths.

Yesod THE FOUNDATION. Yesod represents dream consciousness, or the imaginative

world within the mind. It is where physical reality and visionary reality fold into
NINES one another. Yesod is a level of subconsciousness. Here, ideas and knowledge are
on the verge of taking form. Yesod is related to the cycle of changes that run the
course in the natural world. It is about the seasons, the cycle of life, and access to
the nonlinear continuum of space-time. Yesod is the source from where magic
begins to take form toward manifestation.

Malkuth KINGDOM; THE MATERIAL WORLD. Malkuth is the concentration of the four
elements that created our world—Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. Malkuth is the
TENS consciousness of living. Malkuth is the first consciousness of the initiate. It is the
STRONGHOLDS state of the newcomer. It is where you begin to realize how much knowledge
there is for you to still acquire. Malkuth is the foundational study of the physical
world so that you can ready yourself for understanding of the metaphysical. This
is the point of first intuitive perception of the Holy Guardian Angel.

194
 NUMEROLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCES

When a number 1 through 9 repeats itself or is in a position of prominence in a tarot reading, consult this chart for further
information about what the numerology of your reading might be conveying.

Individuality; autonomy; agency; unity. Beginnings; new start; new venture; focus on only
1 one aspect or a single issue and from there you can develop your plan or concept, but start
The Leader small; every journey begins with a single step. You’re about to take that first step. The
Keys 1, 10, 19 number one is all about willpower and preparing your mental faculties to exercise or
Aces, Tens manifest that willpower. This is the number of unbound potential. Life Path Primordial
Strongholds Archetypes: The Magus; The Warrior

Balance; cooperation; needing to be part of a team and not just fly solo. The number two in
2 tarot also corresponds with the need to make decisions, to act decisively. Two is the number
The Minister of choice. In determining how you will choose, think about your personal relationships and
Keys 2, 11, 20 your spheres of social influence. Think about who you love and what that person might have
Twos to do with the matter at hand. Think about love or relationship building. Think about your
Archangels connections with others and how those connections can help you in your endeavors.
Life Path Primordial Archetypes: The Priestess; The Chancellor

Fruition; developmental phase toward personal greatness. You’ve got the concept, but now
3 it’s time to implement and execute. Enough thinking, more doing. This is the next step after
The Creator conception. You are in the gestation phase. Time to use your assets and resources to bring
Keys 3, 12, 21 your concept or goal to fruition. The number three pushes you toward manifestation. Lean in
Threes to your own originality and transcend old canons.
Shields Life Path Primordial Archetypes: The Empress; The Outlaw

Reign and rule. Order, symmetry. In modern terminology, that’s planning. How will you be
4 ruling over your own dominion? You thought you had all the details of your plan worked out,
The Builder and so you moved forward, but now you realize a couple of issues are still unresolved. Take a
Keys 4, 13 breather and do a little bit more planning. Work out the kinks and then continue. Don’t be
Fours deterred, though! You’re fine. It’s just about a little bit more work on the foundation before
you go forward. The number four compels you to think about the way you reign over your
personal domain.
Life Path Primordial Archetypes: The Emperor; The Reaper

Some uncertainty going on. Hanging in the balance and it’s not clear which way you’re going
5 to swing. This is also the number of adventure. It’s about taking risks because that’s how you
The Seeker expand your personal horizon. There is a pioneering or entrepreneurial spirit within you and
it’s time to let that spirit out into the open. You are at the half-way mark. Think about the

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 checks and balances in your life and how that factors into your decision-making. That is how
Keys 5, 14,
you advance past the uncertainty.
Fives
Life Path Primordial Archetypes: The Holy See; The Angel

Harmony of heaven, earth, and man. A need to return to the god principle. Harmony of body,
6 mind, and spirit. This is the number of harmony with the trinity. Success is not just material
The Nurturer gain and social accomplishment. To be truly successful, you must be attuned to your own
Sacred Number of the
Soul spirituality and your own spirit. Six is also the number of connection with the Divine and
with the spirit world around you. Think about that spiritual plane and what messages you
Keys 6, 15
need to receive from “the beyond.” This is the number of psychic ability and intuition.
Sixes
Shining Ones Life Path Primordial Archetypes: The Lovers; The Demon

Knowledge and wisdom. This is the number of the philosopher-sage. Think about what you
7 know. (Also think about what you don’t know, and let your own humility guide you toward
The Philosopher finding the answer.) Think about how to implement what you know to help you get ahead.
Sacred Number of the
Divine Law You know more than you consciously realize and right now, it’s about mining your own Self
for that information. This is also a reminder to exercise wisdom in your endeavor. Be wise.
Keys 7, 16
Be world-weary. Also, access your intellect. The solution to the problem is in your mind. The
Sevens
resolution will relate to intellectualism, knowledge, scholarship, and of course, wisdom.
Life Path Primordial Archetypes: The Chariot; The Tower

You are so close to achieving your goal! This is the construction phase, when you are near
8 completion but still need more material support. Think about how best to use the resources
The Manifestor you have as investments to gain more. Pay attention to your own assets and financial
Eleusinian Mysteries
security. How do you use what you have but also save enough for the future going forward?
Keys 8, 17 How do you maintain the balance between risk and loss? The resolution is in how you
Eights manage and how you use what you have, and I’m talking about the material, not mental. This
is the universal order.
Life Path Primordial Archetypes: The Force; The Healer

Spiritual ascension. You’re in a pretty good place in your life right now; I hope you realize
9 that. If you want more, then you must give more. Think about how you can give back to the
The Exalted world at large. Think about humanitarian endeavors. Think about your karma and how to
Keys 9, 18 improve karmic merits to ensure spiritual ascension. This is the number of inner cultivation.
Nines Life Path Primordial Archetypes: The Erudite; The Necromancer

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 AGRIPPA’S CORRESPONDENCES FOR THE SEVEN SACRED PLANETS

Saffron, amber, musk, agarwood, balsam, cherry, cloves, myrrh, frankincense, mastic plant
Sun resin, storax balsam, ambergris; “balanite stone” (balanites aegyptiaca wood) or ruby (ruby
for boldness, courage, good fortunes in wars and contentions, dispelling disease, expelling
evil); gold and glittering things, chrysolite, heliotrope flowers, hyacinth, marigold, peony,
honey, wood of aloe, cinnamon, marjoram

Moon Selenite, pearls, sea shells, palm, hyssop, rosemary, olive tree, chaste trees, chasteberry,
evergreen shrubs (mastic trees), the whites of eggs, animal fat, marcasite, menstrual blood,
tortoise shells, crab shells, oyster shells, cockles, camphor, bay, myrtle, white poppy

Mercury Gemstones with diverse colors (e.g., picture jasper, calligraphy jasper, tiger eye, unakite,
etc.), hazel, five-leaf grasses, marjoram, parsley, painted ferns, yellow archangel leaves,
yellow loosestrife, phlox, mastic plant resin, frankincense, cloves; image of a rod with a
coiled serpent (confers knowledge, eloquence, wit, memory, success, gains, alliances)

Venus Carnelian, coral, vervain (verbena), violets, valerian, maidenhair fern, thyme, ambergris,
musk, sandalwood, coriander, pears, figs, pomegranates, rose, myrtle, amber, red coral,
potentilla plant, lapis lazuli stone charmed at the hour of Venus

Mars Iron, brass, sulfur, garlic, hellebore plants, euphorbium resin (euphorbia), bdellium resin,
radish, laurel, wolfsbane, stems with prickles or thorns, nettles, onions, leeks, mustard seed,
dogwood, hellebore flowers, lodestone, sandalwood, balsam, agarwood

Jupiter Green jasper, basil, bugloss plants, nutmeg, dracaena spike plant, mints, mastic tears (tree
resin), violets, henbane, poplar, oak, chestnut, beech, hazel, pear, apple, plum, ash, dogtree,
corn, barley, wheat, raisins, licorice, sugar almonds, rhubarb, agarwood, ash, clear, “clear or
white stones”

Saturn Onyx, dark jaspers, dark chalcedony, daffodil, dragonwort, cumin, benzoin, mandrake,
opium, seeds that have never been sown, leaves from trees that have never born fruit, figs,
pine, cypress, black poppy, nightshade, pepperwort, frankincense

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 ABOUT BENEBELL

Hi, I’m Benebell. I’m the author of Holistic Tarot (2015) and The Tao of Craft (2016), both
published by North Atlantic Books. I am not a professional illustrator and have no formal training in
the arts. I just like to doodle on my free time. In fact, my education is in law. I’m a practicing
corporate attorney licensed in California and New York. My livelihood is in venture capital and I
work in Silicon Valley. Outside the legal profession, my key area of interest and study is the occult.

Website YouTube Channel Instagram Twitter

benebellwen.com Benebell Wen @bellwen @tarotanalysis

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 #spiritkeeperstarot
One of the kindest things you can do for a tarot deck creator is to share the deck publicly with your
online social network. Indie deck designers don’t have the luxury of advertising and PR campaigns,
a professional publicist, or a marketing team to help them with exposure. For the most part, we rely
on our friends, like you, and good old-fashioned word of mouth.

When you film a deck walk-through, unboxing, or write a deck review, or just share images of the
cards on your social media, you are doing the biggest favor ever for that deck creator. Everything
helps. So if you’re willing, I would be ever grateful if you’d share your thoughts, commentary,
review, experiences, insights, readings, or just photos of the deck to the public. If you do, please
help link your contributions to others by tagging your post with #spiritkeeperstarot.

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