In these posts, I'm going to concentrate on using the numbers to add meanings to the minor arcana. You may have noticed that some Tarot decks have minor arcana that do not carry scenes or fully illustrated pictures, but instead arrangements of the suit symbol. The Tarot of Marseilles is one example. Look at the 3 of Swords and the 8 of Pentacles:
A more modern example is the Crystal Tarot. Here is the 2 of Wands:
One way of generating meaning for these cards would be to combine number and suit symbol. You will also find that the meaning of the Rider-Waite cards--and many other decks based on this system--relate to suit + number.
What comes to mind when you think of the numbers?
The number one could make you think of: the One; "There can only be one"; being alone or lonely; the first; unity as in "being one", "being one in mind and body", Genesis (first book in the Bible).
Two: balance (balancing two things), me and you, opposition (one against the other), two-getherness
Three: a triangle, a chair missing a leg, "third party", "three is one too many", the trinity, spirit as in the third of "body-mind-spirit" and "Father, Son and Holy Ghost", synthesis as in "thesis, antithesis, synthesis", "three musketeers"--and so on.
All of these fairly universal associations can be used to add meaning to the cards.
The Aces of every suit is associated with the number one. According to Aleister Crowley, the Aces are therefore "The root of" their element associated with their suit (root=the seed, the first real number etc.). The Ace of Wands is therefore "The Root of the Powers of Fire"; the Ace of Cups is "The Root of the Powers of Water"; the Ace of Swords is "The Root of the Powers of Air"'; and the Ace of Pentacles is "The Root of the Powers of Earth". Not only are Aces "roots", but also associated with beginnings (1=the first number, the beginning, Genesis). The Ace of Cups could therefore point to a new relationship, the Ace of Wands (spirituality) to a new inspiration or a new project.
The suit of Cups is most often associated with emotions and relationships. The interpretation of the 2 of Cups could therefore join emotions/relationships with the associations of the number two (duality, "me and you", relationships, balance) to form balanced and harmonious partnership, loving relationship, harmony between opposites in a relationship.
In the suit of Pentacles, the number two will be combined with the associations of the pentacle (called coins until the 1909 Rider-Waite deck, thus money, finances, physical needs, the body). On the physical plane, the balance, harmony and duality of the number two can become rhythm (as in dancing, juggling), balancing (either physically as in jugging or circus tricks, or balancing body/mind or work/family).
In the suit of Swords, often associated with justice (as in executions or war), wounding, healing (the surgeon's knife) and "cutting arguments", the 2 of Swords can take on the meaning of balancing opinions or statements (as in judging a matter), or two ideas at cross-purposes, weighing options, or a temporary truce (harmony in Swords).
The number 3 disturbs the balance of 2, so in the suit of Swords you might resolve the issue of the 2 of Swords, in either a satisfactory or a painful manner.
Now look at some cards with illustrated scenes on them, and you will see some or all of the "meanings" generated in the previous section:
The 2 of Cups in the Rider-Waite deck:
The 2 of Pentacles in the Bohemian Gothic Tarot and the Baroque Bohemian Cats:
The 2 of Swords in the Rider-Waite:
and the 3 of Swords in the Victorian Romantic, the Bohemian Gothic, and the Rider-Waite:
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