Here are examples of all the ED techniques described thus far.
The meaning of a single card will depend on what the reading is about - use the general definition of the card.
Two cards have a relationship between each other dependent on their elemental nature. Analysing Pairs rely on similarity. This measure is quite crude, as you can see - in this example we do not know which card is stronger, so the description is short.
Enemies, both weakened, Neutral.
Paired cards need to have a product, a third card, to define their relationship:
Each card is defined in terms of the other two, so a hierarchy can be established in terms of strength, weakness, activity or passivity. With Three cards, the Centre card assumes greater importance, and is known as the Principal card. Where there are only two elements, the situation is still not satisfactory, so my description is only slightly longer than for two cards:
Excess Water, passive, the Principal Fire is extinguished
Greater subtlety is now possible, since two elements will always be inimical to each other, with the third card friends of both, creating a tension and dynamism that mirrors life to a greater extent.
Fire strengthened by the energy of Air, but attenuated by Water. Water and Air are friendly but neutralise each other. We have a neutral situation represented by Air/Water, with the Principal, Fire, attempting to get some energy going, probably without much success.
Having an Elemental Position gives the individual cards the opportunity to interact with the environment as well as themselves, which is a more realistic representation of life. In the example below, the influence of the 'missing' element Earth can be judged.
Fire and Water are strengthened because they are friendly with Earth, so Air is the weakest element, even though it is next to strengthening fire. Water is probably the strongest, but the Principal holds sway, even if it is oscillating between Air and Water. A final decision would depend on the nature and character of the actual Tarot cards in a spread.
The dynamics of a four card spread are complex since the Tarot Reader can introduce several Kabbalistic models to aid interpretation, but here I will expand the Three Card method to give two Principal cards.
Two Principals, Fire and Water, surrounded by Air. Air is friendly to both, so we can safely assume it is strongest, especially as Fire/Water are inimical to each other. Since Air is the realm of thought and division (Swords cards), we could intimate that we have a person vacillating over whether to act or not, but would rather do something (there are 3 active elements: only Water is passive).
Just as with Three Card spreads, putting four cards on an elemental position enables them to interact with their environment as well as between themselves. Below I give examples of the same cards in four elemental positions to show how excesses, weaknesses and strengths change dramatically.
Water is weak - friendly but neutral to Air, while an enemy to Fire. The Air cards are strengthened, but since Fire and Water are still enemies, we would expect some coercion or pressure to act in a certain way. Odds are that action takes place, but with some misgiving. The absence of Earth suggests impracticality, or that whatever action is taken, it does not last, or the results do not happen.
The Air cards are still very strong, so there is a lot of thought going on, probably exploring emotional issues. The likelihood of action is diminished. Someone thinking about doing something, but unlikely to do so. A man and woman arguing over nothing.
Excessive Air. Conflicts arising on whether to act or not. A committee meeting where nothing is resolved.
Enemies abound. Air on Earth is weakening. Earth shows solidity, certainty, security, while Air is literally making cracks. Even though Fire and Water are friendly with Earth, they are surrounded by weakened Air, so Fire has no confidence in what to do, while Water is very unhappy. Everybody runs for cover and nothing happens.
By now you may be impressed with how much can be said about the same cards depending on the circumstances. Now is a good point to bring in the concept of time. The above examples of 4 cards in 4 positions can be read sequentially - there is a beginning, middle and end. What happens if we reverse the sequence of elemental bases using exactly the same cards? Now we know the rules of EDs, a commentary should suffice on what is happening:
Vague thoughts are arising making the person want to change his life, but nothing is done about it.
Thinking about thinking. The absence of earth shows a desire to escape, but no goal can be formulated.
"Maybe I am better staying as I am?"
"Nope. Gotta change my life - anything is better than this." "Where am I going? Dunno - but I am gonna do it!"
Easy isn't it? And all from a couple of 'crude' rules! Feel free to come up with alternative interpretations using real Tarot cards.
Five Card Readings gives the opportunity to extend the concept of reading in groups of three. Since we know AFWA so well, let us insert an Earth card in the centre of the sequence.
There are now 3 Principals that can be interpreted: Fire, Earth and Water.
Previously we had a problem with determining if Fire or Water was dominant, but with the addition of one card, we have a Centre card in the sequence since there is an odd number of cards. Whether or not the Centre Card is strong or weak, active or passive, it will have prominence in the reading. In this example, Earth strengthens the reading, since Fire and Water are separated - they no longer fight, and Earth is friendly with both of them. Not only that, but Fire and Water separate the inimical Earth and Air elements. The Golden Dawn system of Tarot Reading exploited this peculiarity: the reader is required to pair the cards, working in from the extremities to the centre, interpreting them on the way. Odd numbers of cards will always produce a Singleton card, or resolution of the matter, which is more satisfactory than even numbers of cards.
In the context of the examples above, the addition of Earth, an element that is an enemy to the dominant element Air, creates greater stability! It is paradoxes like these that make reading Tarot using EDs such a fascinating exercise.
I will leave you to work out possible interpretations for AFEWA on the four elements...
One problem solved, and another arises. Now that we have three 'Principal' cards we have the problem of knowing which one to interpret first; which direction do we go, and where do we end? The Golden Dawn comes to the rescue on this problem too: Card Counting. The possibilities are endless with this system, and it does not matter how many cards we have to read. Not only does the system tell the reader where to start the reading but in which direction, which card is next, and when to change direction, and so on; it even tells the reader when to stop! The cards that are 'ignored' have significance too, since they can represent sub-plots (or areas that the querent may be unaware of) within the story that is unfolding.Here is the concept of story-telling within Tarot, the combination of EDs and Card Counting are sophisticated and powerful tools for the Tarot Reader. When I lay out a sequence of cards, I start by looking at what sort of cards are there: excess of an element, groups of Court cards, absence of major cards, etc, etc, and then I start counting from whatever significator card to see how long the sequence is - whether it meanders, or bounces back and forth between court cards, maybe the sequence "misses" cards representing issues important in the querent's life, and so on. For example, if the question is "Will I go out with this man?", and there is only one male court card, but the card counting misses him, I would examine why it is being avoided, and I can suggest actions that might bring about success. Alternatively he might be there but he is unobtainable, and I can give reasons as to why this might be so too.Now that I have presented a full overview of how to read Tarot cards using Elemental Dignities, feel free (if you have not already done so) to explore in detail the system in detail.
Summary of techniques using Elemental Dignities
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