The Connection Between Astrology and Tarot
- Jul 13, 2022
- 3 min read
People often treat astrology and tarot as separate practices. The longer I explore them, the more they feel like two dialects of the same language. Both are rich in symbolism.
Both invite reflection. And both seem less interested in predicting the future than helping us understand the present.
Perhaps that's why they've endured for centuries. Human beings have always searched for meaning. We've watched the stars, shuffled cards, asked difficult questions, and hoped the universe might offer a clue or two along the way.
Astrology and Tarot Speak a Similar Language
One of the reasons astrology and tarot work so naturally together is that many tarot cards are connected to planets, zodiac signs, and elemental energies.
The Magician is often associated with Mercury.
The Lovers are linked to Gemini.
Death is connected to Scorpio and transformation.
The connections run deep.
It's almost as if astrology provides the blueprint while tarot highlights the rooms currently asking for attention.
One offers the map.
The other points to the highlighted section and says,
"Maybe start here."
Tarot as a Mirror
I've never been particularly interested in using tarot as a crystal ball.
As a mirror?
Now that's interesting.
A tarot reading often reveals less about some distant future and more about what's already quietly unfolding beneath the surface.
Imagine feeling restless in a career but avoiding the conversation.
Or sensing that a relationship has shifted while pretending everything is fine.
Sometimes the cards don't reveal hidden truths.
Sometimes they simply shine a flashlight on truths we've carefully tucked behind the furniture.
Not because we're dishonest.
Because being human is complicated.
The Major Arcana: Life's Bigger Lessons
A traditional tarot deck contains 78 cards.
Twenty-two of those cards belong to the Major Arcana.
These are the cards most people recognize.
The Fool.
The Magician.
The Lovers.
The Hermit.
Death.
The Star.
Despite their dramatic names, these cards aren't usually about catastrophe.
They're about growth.
Transformation.
Choice.
Awakening.
The Major Arcana reflects the larger chapters of life and the lessons that shape who we become.
In many ways, they feel similar to the major planetary influences found within astrology.
They point toward themes.
Not guarantees.
The Minor Arcana: Everyday Life
The remaining 56 cards make up the Minor Arcana.
These cards tend to focus on daily experiences, relationships, decisions, challenges, opportunities, and practical realities.
Their four suits correspond beautifully with astrology's elements.
Cups: Water
Associated with Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces.
Cups govern emotions, intuition, relationships, spirituality, and the inner world.
Wands: Fire
Associated with Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius.
Wands represent creativity, passion, action, courage, and growth.
Swords: Air
Associated with Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius.
Swords focus on communication, thought, perspective, and decision-making.
Pentacles: Earth
Associated with Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn.
Pentacles relate to work, finances, health, resources, and the practical side of life.
Together, these suits remind us that life is both spiritual and practical.
Insight is wonderful.
Paying the electric bill still matters.
The Cards Do Not Replace Free Will
This may be my favorite thing about both astrology and tarot.
Neither removes responsibility.
Neither overrides choice.
Neither hands us a script and demands we follow it.
A birth chart can reveal patterns. A tarot reading can offer perspective.
But neither determines what happens next.
The stars may suggest possibilities.
The cards may reveal opportunities.
The decision remains ours.
Always.
Why Astrology and Tarot Continue to Matter
The older I get, the less interested I become in certainty.
Life has a way of humbling certainty.
What continues to fascinate me is awareness.
Astrology and tarot both invite awareness.
They encourage curiosity.
Reflection.
Honesty.
Not because they have all the answers, but because they help us ask better questions.
And sometimes a better question changes everything.
Whether viewed as spiritual tools, symbolic systems, or simply mirrors for self-discovery, astrology and tarot continue to remind us that growth begins with paying attention.
The stars may whisper.
The cards may nudge.
But the story still belongs to us.
Stay grounded, stay growing, and keep a little side-eye for the nonsense.
— Cat V
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