Correspondences Between Major Arcana and Zodiac Signs

 

Fundamental Correspondences Between the Major Arcana and the Zodiac Signs

 

In the world of esoteric knowledge, few associations are as powerful and revealing as that between Tarot and astrology. Both systems are rich in symbolism and archetypes, and they complement each other with striking precision, offering the reader a holistic understanding of the psyche, life cycles, and the invisible forces that shape our experience.

In Western esoteric tradition, each of the twelve zodiac signs is associated with a specific Major Arcana card, reflecting the archetypal qualities of that sign. These associations are not arbitrary, but follow astrological, alchemical, and Kabbalistic principles that underpin the entire symbolic structure of the Tarot.

One of the cornerstones of this system is the direct correspondence between the Major Arcana and the planets, zodiac signs, and astrological elements. These links were developed by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and later systematized by authors such as Aleister Crowley (The Book of Thoth) and Paul Foster Case (The Tarot: A Key to the Wisdom of the Ages).

Below is a detailed table showing the signs and their corresponding cards:

Zodiac Sign	Tarot Card	Associated Principles
Aries	The Emperor (IV)	Will, leadership, drive, authority
Taurus	The Hierophant (V)	Tradition, values, spiritual structure
Gemini	The Lovers (VI)	Duality, choices, communication
Cancer	The Chariot (VII)	Directed emotion, emotional control, home
Leo	Strength (VIII or XI)	Courage, self-assertion, inner power
Virgo	The Hermit (IX)	Analysis, wisdom, introspection
Libra	Justice (VIII or XI)	Balance, law, harmony, discernment
Scorpio	Death (XIII)	Transformation, rebirth, hidden power
Sagittarius	Temperance (XIV)	Integration, synthesis, transcendent wisdom
Capricorn	The Devil (XV)	Attachments, material tests, confronting the lower self
Aquarius	The Star (XVII)	Hope, vision, collective ideals
Pisces	The Moon (XVIII)	Dreams, intuition, ego dissolution

 

These correspondences allow the tarot reader to recognize zodiacal qualities at play during a reading. For example, if Death appears in a spread and the querent has strong Scorpio influence in their birth chart, it reinforces the idea that they are undergoing a deep cycle of inner metamorphosis

 

Planetary Cards and Their Astrological Associations

In addition to zodiac signs, several Major Arcana cards are linked to planets. These cards represent universal archetypal forces that go beyond specific zodiac signs and connect with the dynamic principles of the cosmos.

 

Planet	Tarot Card	Essential Meaning
Sun	The Sun (XIX)	Vitality, clarity, joy, illumination
Moon	The Moon (XVIII)	Unconscious, intuition, confusion
Mercury	The Magician (I)	Communication, active mind, manifestation
Venus	The Empress (III)	Creativity, love, fertility, beauty
Mars	The Tower (XVI)	Necessary destruction, conflict, liberation
Jupiter	The Wheel of Fortune (X)	Cycles, destiny, expansion
Saturn	The World (XXI)	Structure, completion, mastery, fulfillment
Uranus	The Fool (0 or XXII)	Freedom, disruption, originality
Neptune	The Hanged Man (XII)	Sacrifice, inner vision, surrender
Pluto	Death (XIII)	Regeneration, ego dissolution, rebirth

 

The Alchemical Triangle: Fire, Water, Air, and Earth

Elements also play a role in this symbolic architecture. Tarot cards and zodiac signs are divided into elemental groups:

• Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius): The Emperor, Strength, Temperance → action, energy, transformation

• Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn): The Hierophant, The Hermit, The Devil → stability, inner work, boundaries

• Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius): The Lovers, Justice, The Star → thought, balance, vision

• Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces): The Chariot, Death, The Moon → emotion, depth, mystery

 

This expanded system offers a complete guide to how the Major Arcana interweave with zodiacal, planetary, and elemental astrology, greatly enriching any advanced Tarot reading from an astrological perspective.

  

Correspondence Table: Minor Arcana and Zodiac Decans

 

Each zodiac sign is divided into three decans of 10 degrees, and each decan corresponds to a numbered card from the suit that matches the sign's element:

• Wands (Fire): Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

• Cups (Water): Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

• Swords (Air): Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

• Pentacles (Earth): Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

 

Each decan is also linked to a planetary ruler, which adds nuance to the card's energy.

 

Sign	Decan	Degrees	Tarot Card	Planetary Ruler
	Aries	1st decan	0–10°	2 of Wands	Mars (Aries)
	2nd decan	10–20°	3 of Wands	Sun (Leo)
	3rd decan	20–30°	4 of Wands	Jupiter (Sagittarius)
Taurus	1st decan	0–10°	5 of Pentacles	Mercury (Virgo)
	2nd decan	10–20°	6 of Pentacles	Moon (Cancer)
	3rd decan	20–30°	7 of Pentacles	Saturn (Capricorn)
Gemini	1st decan	0–10°	8 of Swords	Jupiter (Sagittarius)
	2nd decan	10–20°	9 of Swords	Mars (Aries)
	3rd decan	20–30°	10 of Swords	Sun (Leo)
Cancer	1st decan	0–10°	2 of Cups	Venus (Taurus)
	2nd decan	10–20°	3 of Cups	Mercury (Virgo)
	3rd decan	20–30°	4 of Cups	Moon (Cancer)
Leo	1st decan	0–10°	5 of Wands	Saturn (Capricorn)
	2nd decan	10–20°	6 of Wands	Jupiter (Sagittarius)
	3rd decan	20–30°	7 of Wands	Mars (Aries)
Virgo	1st decan	0–10°	8 of Pentacles	Sun (Leo)
	2nd decan	10–20°	9 of Pentacles	Venus (Taurus)
	3rd decan	20–30°	10 of Pentacles	Mercury (Virgo)
Libra	1st decan	0–10°	2 of Swords	Moon (Cancer)
	2nd decan	10–20°	3 of Swords	Saturn (Capricorn)
	3rd decan	20–30°	4 of Swords	Jupiter (Sagittarius)
Scorpio	1st decan	0–10°	5 of Cups	Mars (Aries)
	2nd decan	10–20°	6 of Cups	Sun (Leo)
	3rd decan	20–30°	7 of Cups	Venus (Taurus)
Sagittarius	1st decan	0–10°	8 of Wands	Mercury (Virgo)
	2nd decan	10–20°	9 of Wands	Moon (Cancer)
	3rd decan	20–30°	10 of Wands	Saturn (Capricorn)
Capricorn	1st decan	0–10°	2 of Pentacles	Jupiter (Sagittarius)
	2nd decan	10–20°	3 of Pentacles	Mars (Aries)
	3rd decan	20–30°	4 of Pentacles	Sun (Leo)
Aquarius	1st decan	0–10°	5 of Swords	Venus (Taurus)
	2nd decan	10–20°	6 of Swords	Mercury (Virgo)
	3rd decan	20–30°	7 of Swords	Moon (Cancer)
Pisces	1st decan	0–10°	8 of Cups	Saturn (Capricorn)
	2nd decan	10–20°	9 of Cups	Jupiter (Sagittarius)
	3rd decan	20–30°	10 of Cups	Mars (Aries)

 

These correspondences are a treasure for tarot readers who wish to deepen their work with personalized astrological readings, or to enrich spreads such as the Twelve Signs reading, natal charts in Tarot, or solar return interpretations.