Cult of Tarot Forum

Does anyone recognise the two symbols on the bottom of the card (in the middle of the robe) ?

I'm sure the one at the bottom is familiar, but can't put my finger on it. The top one I have no idea.

The air sign and Libra at the bottom?

fire cat pickles wrote: ↑18 Sep 2019, 22:14 The air sign and Libra at the bottom?

Ah Libra. Knew I'd seen it somewhere.

So that's an air sign is it ? Interesting. I can get why there's a Libra symbol but not yet the Air symbol. Need to ponder on this. Do you have any idea ?

Thanks a million by the way.

Yes that's the symbol for air (masculine passive). The Fire sign is the phallic triangle without the line through it (masculine active).

Do the other cards have elemental symbols like that on them?

That one is stylized but they're typically triangles with or without lines.

I think those are stylized Alpha and Omega symbols

Oh wow. I feel like that’s really cool and makes a lot of sense, but then I googled other card images from the deck and....

It seems kinda all over the place. It is a French deck though, so maybe it’s because it’s coming from a different tradition....?

Interesting that Empress is Fire, Emperor is Cancer/water, and Batons and Magician are Earth.

8 of Wands also has the alchemical symbol for sulfur. Queen of Cups has the water sign on it, as would be expected. But I don't see any symbols on La Luna, do you?

fire cat pickles wrote: ↑19 Sep 2019, 14:21 Interesting that Empress is Fire

Seems like the Empress is both Fire and Earth. Curiouser and curiouser. . .

Amoroso wrote: ↑19 Sep 2019, 15:23

fire cat pickles wrote: ↑19 Sep 2019, 14:21 Interesting that Empress is Fire

Seems like the Empress is both Fire and Earth. Curiouser and curiouser. . .

Yes it is! I didn't see that

I've had this deck for years (was given to me as a gift by Alain Bocher who is the author to thank me for some translations I did for him.) I used it for the first time a couple of days ago and haven't studied it at all. But I am thinking now it deserves that I look at it more. Alain Bocher, tarologist, writer, painter, calligrapher and so much more, is a fount of knowledge.

Alain Bocher's passion is the Tarot of Marseilles. Absolutely and only and really really passionately. So this deck would be based on the Tarot of Marseilles and what he discovered and researched on the TdM.

I have his book "Le Tarot - Mode d'emploi" which is based on the Conver Tarot of Marseilles (his true love) and I reckon there will be a lot of info in that book which can be found in his deck. I'll see if I can find anything about symbols and astrology and elements.

It's a gorgeous deck isn't it ?

I've heard that some people assigning the Magician earth because of the Mercury - Virgo connection and receptive qualities. And I can see Fire and Water for the Empress....I feel like she gets interpreted in a lot of different ways, from earth mother to sky goddess and queen of heaven. But the Emperor as Cancer/Water really throws me. I was about to consider throwing Astrology out altogether as consideration of the creator but then I saw that.

La Force as the Sun works because of Leo.....somehow the King of Wands has become Earth though....oh, earth of fire. That makes sense. And the Queen of Cups is water, because water of water. The Moon is water. Somehow the 8 of Wands is Earth and Sulfur. What on earth.

There must be a reason hahaha

Marigold you have the book! Oh good. We're saved, hahaha

It is very beautiful and very unusual, a good combination. It's making me think of SacredSeed's videos on the Marseilles. I didn't know there was so much in there, whether that's 'canon' or not.

AstralPasta wrote: ↑19 Sep 2019, 16:38 And I can see Fire and Water for the Empress....I feel like she gets interpreted in a lot of different ways, from earth mother to sky goddess and queen of heaven.

I don't think I'll get much info of what we're looking for in the book I have. I just read the chapter on the Empress. It's hugely interesting and he brings up loads of stuff but nothing really what we're looking for. A lot of the book is also about how to read the Tarot so he had to pick and choose I suppose what he'd say about the cards. Pages and pages about the Golden Ratio which he says is associated with her.

The only things that could interest here slightly about the Empress is this, and it's not much.

For Bocher, the Empress represents the “Terre Mère” – Earth Mother or “Vierge Mère” – Mother Virgin. He also associates her with the “Vierges Noires” the Black Madonnas. He explains this historically - it's not just sort of a repeat of what has been said by many or something plucked out from thin air. And it also relates to what I say later in this post about telluric currents and ancient little statuettes that have been found buried near them by archaeologists.

He also says she plays the same role as Mercury. She transmits and announces important messages from this world and also beyond.

Oh and about the water - he explains that quite well. It's due to a detail on the Conver deck - she has her foot on something that looks like a snake but it's not a snake, it's an underground telluric current. The two things that look like wings behind her are made of stone and they would represent the Celtic tradition of placing two menhir type constructions on these currents to indicate their place. She has control over water and also the earth.

fire cat pickles wrote: ↑19 Sep 2019, 14:21 Interesting that Empress is Fire, Emperor is Cancer/water, and Batons and Magician are Earth.

8 of Wands also has the alchemical symbol for sulfur. Queen of Cups has the water sign on it, as would be expected. But I don't see any symbols on La Luna, do you?

The La Luna has the water as someone pointed out.

One can also see the sign of the crab (Cancer) there.

I wonder if the two opposing dogs can be illustrating the symbol of Cancer - looks like the number 69 laid down?

Tor

I ve never seen this type of tarot, is new¿?

Jhon_zen wrote: ↑31 Oct 2019, 12:11 I ve never seen this type of tarot, is new¿?

1982.