In her book, Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Rachel Pollack describes how the tarot cards can be separated into three groups of seven. The three groups may represent different experiences of life. One way to divide the three groups may be: personal development, societal influence and spiritual awareness.
We each have different life experiences to draw upon from the archetypes shown in the tarot cards. Each card aligns with the same theme through all three groups. below are some of the ideas of how each group of cards may relate to the three themes of life.
Magician-Strength-Devil: Magician: We figure out our own natural abilities and powers to manifest early on and utilize them freely. Strenth: In time, we know that we have to curb or control certain wants/desires to achieve long term goals that we want more than immediate gratification. Devil: Outward forces beyond our control that will seek to manipulate and lure us in by these weaknesses we work so hard to keep under control.
High Priestess-Hermit-Tower: We obtain insights initially through our intuition (High Priestess) then we may pursue more spiritual insights through solitary activities (Hermit) and other times we have sudden insights from external sources (Tower.)
Empress- WOF – Star: We create with the materials our environment provides and grow from there (Empress) sometimes life gives us great bounty without any rhyme or reason (WOF) yet we still aspire to something greater than what we have accomplished and no matter what we create – it always seems to fall short of the ideal we envisioned (Star) and this keeps us moving towards it.
Emperor-Justice-Moon: We learn to follow the rules of the family with father usually in charge (Emperor) to set an example of rules to follow. Then we make sure to follow the rules or laws of society or we deal with the justice system (Justice.) Finally we wrestle with the mysteries of spiritual rules or laws which aren’t so concrete and discernable and forever debated, inferred and obscure to the material world we inhabit (Moon.)
Hierophant-Hanged Man – Sun: Our family, teachers, and culture guides our beliefs in early life (Hierophant), giving us a sense of right and wrong. As we mature we start to look inward for our moral compass as we may find the traditional ways may not match our modern life (Hanged Man). The journey ends by following the light (Sun) the source of all life giving energy that unifies all life on our planet.
Lovers – Death – Judgement: We are born with a passion to create and later procreate. (Lovers) as this creates more life and joy. We next realize everything comes in cycles and will end (Death) which clears way to create something new. Finally, we look to a higher realm to discover if what has been created is worth resurrecting and continuing on for infinity.
Chariot-Temperance-World: The final group can represent how we focus our desires/beliefs. Early on we just plow through (Chariot) to obtain what we believe is the way to go. As we adapt to society, we recognize that merging with others (Temperance) and joining forces with others is needed to effect the changes we would like to experience. Finally, after trials, tests and patience, if the ideas prove sound then there will be a universal acceptance around the World.
