Aquarius & The Tarot
I’ve started including the associated tarot cards with my new and full moon correspondence sheets. I think it really adds another layer of understanding to the tarot and the respective zodiac sign. When we start to look at the narrative the cards create alongside the themes of the sign it illustrates a larger picture and new ways that we can read and interpret the cards. I find it helpful in my own practice so I thought you all might enjoy it as well. For Aquarius, these cards are The Star and the 5/6/7 of Swords.
Aquarius is the water-bearer, and in the traditional RWS image of The Star, the figure is pouring water from two vessels. There is a duality between inner and outer worlds, intuition and action, and how we manifest our spirit – our innermost ideas and inspirations – into physical being. Water heals and nourishes, and is a vehicle for expression, allowing both The Star and Aquarius the ability to nurture our individuality but also to share it freely with the world, especially through creative and artistic endeavors.
In tarot, the Swords are associated with air and the exchange of ideas and communication. Aquarius is focused on complete and true awareness of the self, along with intellectual clarity and innovation. This gives the water-bearer a rebellious streak, a tendency to go against the grain and question everything. The 5, 6, and 7 of Swords represent a narrative of intellectual conflict, often when we are on the brink of a spiritual and moral shift.
The 5 of Swords can symbolize the beginnings of that combative nature, resulting in us challenging others intellectually or being challenged ourselves. There is a duality in this card of defeat and triumph because even though the battle may have been won we must ask ourselves ‘at what cost’. When we are focused solely on mental victory it is easy to lose our emotional and compassionate selves.
The 6 of Swords represents a passage away from old thoughts and habits, perhaps recognizing the losses from the 5 and wishing to change our perspective to something happier and healthier overall. By reevaluating our position we can prioritize which mental and emotional weight we must continue to carry and which are no longer serving us in our new journey ahead. There is a shedding of the old, breaking previous traditions, conventions, and constraints in favor of a liberated and truer self.
The 7 of Swords takes that turn toward innovation to the next level, representing a mind that is strategic, thoughtful, and agile. This card illustrates times when intelligence can be utilized as a weapon or tool. It comes with a reminder that we must weigh the necessity of this skill, and the importance of balancing it with compassion and caution, otherwise it turns to trickery and manipulation. Again, we are faced with the responsibility of using creative and innovative thinking, but is it for the betterment of the collective, or is it for our own personal gains?
If you’d like to see the correspondence sheet for Aquarius, along with some zodiac/new moon-themed tarot spreads, please take a look at my Patreon page and consider joining the community!