Universal Celtic Tarot

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The Chariot is another ethereally lovely card. The Charioteer hold a bolt of lightening, symbol of his power over his galloping steeds. They appear to have one body that branches into two front ends. One horse is purple, the other blue, their manes are entwined, in a delicate interlaced pattern sprinkled with stars. The Charioteer wears colours of blue, green and gold, representing Mercy and Strength. Ancient Celts viewed the wolf with awe and respect. Considered very wise, the wolf only chose to share its wisdom with certain people, and many shamans sought the wolf as their familiar. The wizard Merlin was said to have an old wolf companion during his years as a forest hermit. The white wolf Emhain Abhlac once met the druid Bobaran, who threw three rowan berries at the wolf, three into the air, and three into his own mouth to receive the wolf’s wisdom. The Gundestrup cauldron shows a wolf beside the horned god Cernunnos, and the goddess Brighid is often shown with a wolf nearby. The wolf was a totem guardian of Britain, and one of Brighid’s four sacred animals. The path of the Celtic shaman was strongly tied to the land and the cycle of the seasons. By honoring the spirits of nature and learning their wisdom, a shaman sought to transform himself and expand his awareness. Conscious of the subtle connection between all things, Celtic shamans recognized the sacredness within everything, allowing them to form a bridge between the spirit world and the human world. The Knight is a rather somber figure. His hair sweeps across his sorrowful face, as chilling winds blow across the landscape. Symbols of death are around him: crows, hover above, and the flowers he holds are wilted. This is Balin, the Knight who killed the Lady of the Lake. The Hermit is Merlin. A solar disc lights the path in front of him. Ribbons of light from the lamp he holds, stream across his head symbolizing illumination. He bare feet show his humility, and he is supported by his staff, symbol of his faith.

The hillsides of Britain are carved with many chalk horses, but this is the oldest carving, dating to around 1400 BCE. Sacred to both the ancient Celts and the earlier peoples of Britain, horses fostered the spread of Celtic civilization with their swiftness and strength. The larger cross consists of two lines that overlay the smaller cross. The horizontal line (Cards 1, 3 and 4) shows time moving from the past on the left into the future on the right. The vertical line (Cards 1, 5 and 6) is the querent’s consciousness moving from unconscious on the bottom to conscious mind on the top. The Knight of Coins is an interesting card, his shield has the coins symbol, and his horse is brown representing the energy of Earth. Violets growing in the foreground indicate that he is on a spiritual mission. Many of the court cards feature characters from the Arthurian legends, and this knight is Sir Bors of the Round Table, who eventually found the Holy Grail. This card represents the events that have lead up to the present situation and may provide some indication of how the challenge came about. Card 4: The future This card reflects that which is within the subconscious realm of the querent and delves much deeper into the core foundation of the situation. It symbolises the underlying feelings and trends associated with the situation and can indicate what is truly driving the querent. This card may bring a surprise message to the querent, particularly if they are not deeply connected to their inner being (watch out for reversed cards here which are likely to indicate that this is an ‘unknown’ to the querent). Card 7: AdviceThis is where things get interesting! Many Tarot readers first learn to read Tarot by interpreting each card. But it's when we look at the dynamics between the Tarot cards and get into the story of the Tarot reading that the magic happens! Paul Mason, Diplomacy: The Seven of Swords; Mixed media illustration. Sacred Circle Tarot: A Celtic Pagan Journey; Llewellyn Publications, 2000. Cuchulain, Paterson says, is a “hero and charioteer.” But the prophecy, which she quotes from T.W. Rolleston’s version of the legend, tells us that “warrior” and “charioteer” are two different job descriptions. As readers of the Ulster cycle of myths will know, in the style of warfare described in the Ulster cycle, warriors battle each other from chariots that are driven by charioteers. The charioteer serves the warrior as a combination of driver and squire, offering advice on tactics, the selection of weapons, and the approach to an enemy. A good charioteer is an essential helper to a good warrior. Cuchulain’s charioteer, Láeg, is an important supporting character in the Ulster cycle, and one of the secrets of Cuchulain’s success. When Cuchulain is discouraged, Láeg acts as a sort of coach, giving him a pep talk; when Cuchulain needs a more serious boost, Láeg insults him, sending him into a berserker rage; when Cuchulain is wounded, Láeg summons healers to help him. Cuchulain was not alone in his reliance on a good charioteer; Julius Caesar, on encountering war chariots in Britain, remarked on the uncanny skill and poise of the charioteers more than on the skill of the fighters.

Paul Mason, The Chariot; Mixed media illustration. Sacred Circle Tarot: A Celtic Pagan Journey; Llewellyn Publications, 2000. On the positive side, the book gives good descriptions of the standard meanings for most cards (even when these meanings seem to be at odds with Davis’s artwork, as in the three of Swords). Paterson also describes the Celtic Cross layout, the Alchemist’s spread, and a new, useful spread, called the Druid’s Star—essentially, an eight-pointed star based on the familiar four elements of earth, air, fire and water. Sadly, her failure to include a coherent explanation of dignified and ill-dignified cards decreases the usefulness of these sections of the book. Compare the Above and Below cards (Cards 5 and 6). Is there a synergy between the conscious and the subconscious levels? Is there alignment between what is driving the querent and what the querent aspires to? If there is alignment, great – it will be a lot easier to resolve the issue. If not, then assist the querent in understanding what is happening at the subconscious level and how this may be impacting their response to the issue. This card represents what is likely to occur within the next few weeks or even months. This is not the final outcome, simply the next step on the journey. Card 5: Above In The Devil, the Wheel of Life holds the reversed pentagram, sign of evil. A demon dances gleefully around a naked couple, bowed in shame and degradation in the foreground.Paul Mason, The Shaman; Mixed media illustration. Sacred Circle Tarot: A Celtic Pagan Journey; Llewellyn Publications, 2000. This is perhaps one of the most difficult positions to interpret. Keep in mind that hopes and fears are closely intertwined, therefore that which we hope for may also be that which we fear, and so may fail to happen. Sometimes it is useful to draw a second card for clarification after the reading has been laid and to read the two together. Card 10: Outcome Compare the Future and Outcomes cards (Cards 4 and 10). How are the events of the near future contributing or influencing the overall outcome? Will the querent need to manage these events in a particular way to create the right outcomes? Again, refer to the Advice card (Card 7) for more detail. First, let’s imagine the Celtic Cross split into two main sections – the Circle/Cross section on the left (Cards 1 to 6) and the Staff section on the right (Cards 7 to 10).

And even though the Celtic Cross spread is in nearly every Tarot book and is used by Tarot beginners, many Tarot readers miss the deeper insights that are available in this complex spread. Similarly, Davis’s three of swords card suggests a different interpretation than the usual. It shows two crossed swords, surmounted by a third, larger sword. Paterson gives this a sinister interpretation, no doubt influenced by the card’s usual meaning. She writes: “The two crossed swords are surmounted by a third sword and has split (sic) a previous alliance. […] The intruding sword is pointed toward the heart of the querent when drawn. It signifies tears and sorrow.” Looking at the picture, however, the third sword does not seem to have split up an alliance; it is not between the two other swords, but rather lying over them. Moreover, Davis’s art on the sword pips generally represents discord with flashing energy bolts, but this card has none. Indeed, this card looks to me much more like a ceremonial arrangement of swords, such as one would find at an oath-swearing, rather than a battle. In the Celtic context, it is most reminiscent of the practice of choosing a high-king, or high chieftain, to eliminate internecine struggles and unite warring tribes against larger enemies—the historical Vercingetorix and the legendary Arthur were both leaders of this type. Significantly, both Arthur and Vercingetorix were on the losing side of history. In the Celtic context, then, an arrangement like this of three swords may connote useful and noble cooperation, and valiant effort, that nonetheless are doomed ultimately to fail. This would make the card’s meaning different from Paterson’s, but give it some of the general flavor found in typical interpretations of the three of swords. Together these six cards give a snapshot of the inner and outer environment at the time of a reading.

Sure, you can read each Tarot card, one-by-one, in the Celtic Cross spread, but if you want to be the Tarot reader everyone raves about, you'll need to master the dynamics between the cards and tell the story in your Tarot reading. This card is representative of where the situation is headed and if/how the issue will be resolved. It assumes the outcome based on the querent continuing their current course of action. Of course, if the outcome card is not a desirable outcome, it is within the free will of the querent to make the necessary changes to their situation. The pentacles suit, is referred to as “Coins”. Except for the Court Cards, all the pip cards are identical whether they are held reversed or upright, so if the reader normally uses reversed cards, they will have to use intuition to decide how to interpret these. The Six of Coins is very lovely, with the six coins formed into a rose hexagram, with a spiraling center. This rose hexagram is found again in the Ten, with a multifaceted center. The Staff section shows the relationship between the querent and the environment in which they operate, and can provide a better indication of what is happening in the broader context.