Learn Tarot Blog | Tarot Elements

Learn how to apply timing to your tarot readings using the traditional method that uses the tarot suits and numerology to the more complex astrological associations refined by the Golden Dawn. Learn about thematic timing, degrees, the decans, zodiac timing, cardinal, fixed and mutable timing; the role of the Pages and Aces and how to find timing associated with the planetary trumps when they have no clear timing association. Follow seven colour coded tables that presents the information clearly including discussion around them that explain points you may be unfamiliar with.

In Timing Events Using Tarot and Astrology, I’m going to show you how to approach timing associated with tarot cards, from the traditional method to the more advanced Golden Dawn offering which focuses on astrology.

This post employs the use of tabs and accordions to keep the information accessible without the need for lots of scrolling. Simply click on the title to access the information presented there.

Traditional Tarot Timing* talks about the seasons and numerology while the other titles explain the Golden Dawn and astrology method of tarot timing. This includes the zodiac, the planets and the ten day periods the Golden Dawn* applied to the Minor Arcana called the decans, or decantes. Finally, for simplicity, and ease of access, I have combined all the information into one table allowing you to look up any of the cards in your tarot spread for an idea of timing those events.

Certainly in predictive tarot readings, either face to face or over the phone on a psychic line, the question is asked: “when will xxx happen?” The association between tarot and astrology gives us the largest amount of information regarding timing events. As twelve of the 22 major arcana cards are associated with zodiac signs, their relatively fixed date positions help us with exacting time periods. It becomes a little trickier when we are left with the seven planets of ancient astrology and the primordial elements to help us time events in tarot readings, but as you will see, there is a way to derive timing from the Planetary Trumps.

Begin your journey into tarot timing with Traditional Timing and progress to the next table to the right, and so on, until you reach the final table, named after this post: Timing Events Using Tarot and Astrology.

Traditional

Traditional Tarot Timing

Traditional tarot timing relies on a less sophisticated method than the Golden Dawn’s astrology model. It can touch on the zodiac signs for timing associated with the relevant major arcana cards. However, it mostly uses the aces, suits and numerology for timing events, with an addition of thematic timing – using the nature and characteristics of each card in a prominent or outcome position.

General Traditional Tarot Timing Correspondences

These are the traditional tarot timing correspondences I used when I began reading tarot. I moved to the Golden Dawn astrology and decan system but still refer to this system from time to time. It is a good place to begin and easy to remember.

	Wands	Cups	Swords	Pentacles
Seasons	Spring	Summer	Autumn	Winter
Speed	Days	Months	Weeks	Years
Time	Quickly	Mixed	Quickly	Slowly

The Tarot Suits, the Aces and the Seasons

Traditionally, the tarot suits represent the seasons and depending on which system you follow, you may see differences in their associations. I follow the method of the Ace bringing in the suit and these are the correspondences I have shown in the table above.

You can of course make any association you like, if it feels right to you. You can look to the fixed signs of the zodiac to determine which season is represented by which suit, or ace. For example, in the Golden Dawn system, the Ace of Pentacles covers Aries, Taurus and Gemini. Taurus is the fixed sign in that grouping and so you could say that Pentacles represent spring instead of Wands. The suit of Wands is associated to Aries, the cardinal part of the group. I go into a little more detail about the Qualities (cardinal, fixed and mutual signs) for timing further into this post.