Complete guide to tarot illuminati ( PDFDrive.com )

made man, at the height of his financial power, who has amassed such a fortune
that he no longer needs to work to support himself. All of his past efforts and
achievements provide the support for his current lifestyle, and thus he could be
seen as the self-made businessman who has the opportunity of taking early
retirement—and since he has worked hard all of his life to get to this position, he
deserves it! In fact, the King of Pentacles could be any of us in our later years,
having worked to save up the finances necessary to no longer need to work. The
King of Pentacles is the so-called “American Dream” made real: financial
security, happy and comfortable home and family life, freedom to do with your
resources as you see fit, and to retire at the top of your chosen career. The gold-
tipped bull’s horns on his head tell us that he has turned the most basic of
resources into his dream; one pair of horns points downward, indicating the
everyday, mundane world, whilst a second pair point upward, indicating his
aspirations and highest goals.

This king is seated upon a stone pediment that bears his golden throne,
showing us that he is a manifestation of the stable, ruling Emperor of the major
arcana. The throne also demonstrates his stability, his security, his stalwart
values, and the fact that he can be trusted to take responsibility. His foundations
are firmly laid, and thus everything that is built upon them will remain sturdy for
a long time to come. Behind him are three different constructs: a blossoming
cherry tree, a white mountain, and a large stately home. These represent three
different ways in which solidity and resources are gained or used. The tree is the
natural resources that are available to us, as well as the natural way in which our
finances can grow or blossom. The mountain is the riches of the earth, all the
minerals and precious metals that we rely on for wealth, as well as the
commitment and firm foundations we must have in order to allow investments
and resources to grow. Finally, the house is the man-made wealth that we can
obtain, such as real estate, transport, and expensive goods, as well as the ways in
which we use these things to benefit our lifestyle. The King of Pentacles is the
lord of the natural world, a fitting partner to the Queen of Pentacles, Mother
Earth herself, as well as the lord of the mountain from which many prophets
over the centuries have pronounced laws. This makes our King of Pentacles a
lawmaker, an oath-keeper, and somebody who expects intense loyalty and

dedication from others. Finally, he is the lord of the hearth and home, watching
over us in our daily lives, protecting and aiding those who want to create wealth
for themselves.

In his two hands, cupped and outstretched toward us, is a golden pentacle,
symbol of riches and wealth, as well as the everyday world. Not only does this
gesture demonstrate his ownership and mastery of the material world, but he is
also showing an act of generosity toward others. He is gifting the pentacle to us,
offering us a part of his wealth and experience. Thus, the King of Pentacles is
the rich, wealthy businessman or self-made man who enjoys the best things in
life but enjoys them so much more when others can share in his joy. He’ll have
the finest port from the best winery, but will only open it when he’s throwing a
party or has the company of a good friend to share it with. He’ll happily pay for
the most expensive foods, but only if others will partake as well.

The bull symbolism throughout the card tells us that the King of Pentacles is
associated in astrology with Taurus, the sign of possessions, wealth, luxury, and
the material world. Taureans are well known for their love of the best things that
money can buy; they would rather put a lot of money toward one thing of great
quality, than put money toward a lot of things of inferior quality. And, like a
Taurean, the King of Pentacles knows the value of things, has a great eye for
quality, and knows a cheap imitation when he sees one. Yet he does not acquire
quality items just as a status symbol, but as a means to an end, knowing that
better quality means they are likely to last longer and work better. However,
status is of some importance to the King of Pentacles, but only insofar as he is
likely to be in a position to have acquired it in his community through his
financial dealings, business, or career.

Revelation

As with all the court cards, the reader should be careful to assess which aspect of
the King of Pentacles is appearing in a given reading, since he can represent a
person in the querent’s life or the querent themselves, as well as personality
traits, themes in the querent’s life, advice for a particular situation, or even an
event. Surrounding cards, the context of the question, and the reader’s intuitive
response can help determine which.

As a person, the King of Pentacles is materialistic, with excellent taste in food,
drink, music, fashion, and anything that can be owned. He (or she) is often in a
position related to appraisal of items, such as an antiques dealer, or is a collector
of expensive and interesting items. They are usually at a stage in life when
luxury and comfort can be enjoyed; hard work in the past paid off long ago, so
that now they might enjoy time in their home with family and friends. They
place great emphasis on family and quality time with those they love, and can
often be found hosting parties (though not the kind the Queen of Wands might;
the King of Pentacles prefers brandy or port in the study, or wine and cheese
evenings rather than tequila shots by the pool). However, they can also be
stubborn, old-fashioned, and dead-set on their particular values. They might find
it hard to take on new ideas, preferring to stick to traditional methods and tried
and tested means. This is to be expected: the King of Pentacles is a testament to
how well these methods have worked.

The King of Pentacles appearing in a reading often represents the querent’s
boss or employer although conversely it can also indicate retirement. Sometimes
this card can point to the querent being self-employed, a “self-made man” (or
woman), somebody in full control of their own finances. Occasionally the King
of Pentacles shows up in a reading as a business investor, particularly if the
querent is thinking about starting their own business. As an advisory card, it can
suggest that the querent find wealthy people who would be interested in aiding
or assisting them with a goal or plan. It can also suggest that the querent works
(or will find work soon) in the financial sector.

In a reading about career or work, the King of Pentacles is certainly one of the
best cards the querent can receive. It indicates a time in the querent’s life when

they are on course for success, financial security, and the height of their career.
It also suggests that the querent has worked very hard and now this work is
about to pay off, usually with a big bonus, pay rise, or promotion; this is even
more certain if this card is accompanied by the Six of Wands or the Four of
Wands. It might also suggest that the querent is close to paying off their
mortgage or any debts that they have, or becoming reliant only upon themselves
for financial security.

In romance and love, the King of Pentacles points to a well founded
relationship, strong at its core, realistic and practical, with plenty of focus on the
finest things that life has to offer. Strong family values are shared by the couple,
yet they might be in danger of becoming too staid and cautious.

Reversed, the King of Pentacles points to investments that are taking longer to
come to fruition than expected, or circumstances or an attitude in the querent’s
life that has led them to become “stuck in the mud,” unable to move beyond their
current situation. Specifically, they may be stuck in an undesirable financial
situation, or they may have trouble saving money, since as soon as they obtain it,
they spend it on rent, bills, and debts.

Keywords

Possessions, property, real estate, riches, wealth, generosity, businessman, self-
made man, financial security, height of career, status, quality.

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Part 4

Using the Tarot Illuminati

There are many ways of using a tarot deck, but the most common is for a card
reading. Many people new to tarot wonder if there is a particular method for
reading the cards; the answer is that there are many methods, and they are
chosen by each reader based on personal preference. In order to do a reading,
only three stages are required:

1. Shuffle or otherwise randomize the cards.
2. Lay out the cards in your chosen order or spread pattern.
3. Interpret the card meanings.
This simple process can be expanded upon in myriad ways, such as starting with
a prayer or meditation; how many cards you use, what spread you use, whether
you turn over all the cards at once or one at a time, and how you read the
symbols in the images. There are many spreads to choose from, each for a
different purpose, or you can just lay down a few cards and interpret them as you
see fit. Here are some spreads you might find useful.

The Sun, Moon, and Stars Spread

Card 1: The Sun, or the Present. Draw a card to represent the outward
appearance or manifestation of the situation; how the world sees it; the actions
that it causes.
Card 2: The Moon, or the Past. Draw a card to represent the inward
manifestation of the situation; how it makes you (or the querent) feel; the effects
it has on you (or them) as a person.
Card 3: The Stars, or the Future. Draw a card to represent the way you (or the
querent) can make the situation work for you (or for them).

The Lighting the Lantern Spread

Card 1: What does this situation look like to me?
Card 2: What am I missing?
Card 3: What is keeping me in the dark?
Card 4: Where can I find the light?
Card 5: What will be illuminated?
Card 6: How will I move forward from here?

The Planetary Spread

This is a classic yet simple and adaptable spread that is perfect for the Tarot
Illuminati. The planets can be seen as celestial bodies in the heavens, with the
sun at the centre, each planet performing a cyclical dance around a shared source
of light.

Card 1: Saturn. Karmic return, endings, and time. The issue approached from the
perspective of the inevitable, big themes. (Or: What is ending in your life)
Card 2: Mars. Force and aggression, ambition and competition. The issue
approached from the perspective of the ego and the self, (Or: What is in conflict
or imbalanced in your life)
Card 3: Venus. Love and beauty, harmony and union. The issue approached
from the perspective of bringing about peace, harmony, or inspiration. (Or: Your
emotional world and relationships)
Card 4: Mercury. The mind and intellect, words and wit. The issue approached
from the perspective of reason. (Or: Your intellectual world and thoughts)

Card 5: Jupiter. Growth, expansion, action, and friendship. The issue approached
from the perspective of the social world. (Or: Your actions and outward being,
your goals)
Card 6: Moon. Receptivity and intuition, dreams, and rhythms. The issue
approached from the perspective of intuition. (Or: Your inner world)
Card 7: Sun. The centre and vitality, truth and purpose. The issue approached as
a synthesis of all the other cards. (Or: The main focus of your life at this time)

The Rising Sun Spread

A simple spread for when you want to see how something, such as a project,
relationship, or job, will progress.

Card 1: Dawn. The beginning, what the topic is like at the start, how it starts,
what inspires it.
Card 2: Midday. The halfway point, what the topic is like in the middle.
Card 3: Dusk. The ending, what the topic is like when you complete it or reach
its fullest form.
Card 4: Midnight. The aftermath, what you can learn from the topic, how it
changes you.

The Stream of Consciousness Reading

Not all tarot readings need to involve a layout or spread, and instead can be
approached like a conversation with a friend. Simply start with the Tarot
Illuminati in front of you, and think about your question or issue. Shuffle and
draw one card from the top of the deck. This answers your initial question.

Now, you can continue to ask further questions about the issue, perhaps for
elaboration or clarification, or because the answer you’ve received raises further
issues, or because you need advice. Draw another card from anywhere in the
deck to answer each new question, as though you and the cards are having a
conversation. Keep going until you feel you’ve thoroughly explored the question
or issue.

The Four Worlds of Your Life

It is useful to regularly sit back and assess the current state of affairs in your life,
take stock, and make plans for the future. This is where tarot comes in, showing
itself to be more than just a fortune-telling device. It can help you examine the
present—where you are, what themes are currently playing themselves out in
your life—and help you work out where you should go from here. This simple
spread will give you an overview of your life, splitting it into the four realms of
the four suits of the minor arcana and their associated elements.

1. Remove all the major arcana and court cards from the deck and set them
aside. You won’t be using them.
2. Separate the minor arcana into their four suits—pentacles, cups, swords, and
wands—and set them into separate piles next to each other in that order.
3. Shuffle each pile and place the cards face down. Relax, clear your mind, and
ask the cards to give you an overview of your life at this time.
4. Draw the top card from each pile and lay it face up on top of its pile.
5. Read the first card, pentacles, as the current theme or state of affairs in your
everyday world of work, money, daily life, health, and home.
6. Read the second card, cups, as the current theme or state of affairs in your
social or romantic life.
7. Read the third card, swords, as the current theme or state of affairs in your
intellectual life, including any lessons you need to learn at this time.
8. Read the final card, wands, as the current theme or state of affairs in your
inner world, your personality, ego, energy, passion, and drive.
9. Compare each card with the others: Are there any shared numbers? Did you,
for instance, draw more than one card numbered five? If so, take a look back at
the numerology section and see what this recurring number has to say to you at
this time.

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Making Light Work 8

In the Tarot Illuminati, light is an important aspect of the cards and their
meanings. Examine each card, beginning with the major arcana, and ask yourself
these questions for each.

1. What is the origin of the light? Is it solar? Lunar? From stars? A man-
made light source? Fire? Is it coming from an object?

2. What is the strength of the light? Is it faint? Bright? Hidden?
3. Are the figures in the card turned away from the light, or toward it? Are

they doing anything with the light? Do they seem to have a special
relationship with it?
4. Can you see the light reflected anywhere in the card?
5. What is the focus of the light? What does it illuminate the most?

If the message you get from the card is negative or upsetting, consider how you
could improve the scene by changing the light or illumination in the card image.
Could you give a figure in the card a lantern? Could you give a figure in the card
sunglasses? Could you simply turn a figure’s head to face the other direction?
What does this suggest to you about a possible solution to a problem?

Making Light Work 9

In order to become more familiar with the card images and symbols on a more
personal level, and to provide you with some handy phrases that can jog your
memory or inspire interpretation during a reading, try this exercise.

1. Choose a card (or let one randomly choose you!) from the deck.
2. Hold it up before you, close your eyes, and relax.
3. After a few moments, open your eyes and let them rest on two symbols.
4. For each of these symbols, create a word. This word might be the actual

symbol—e.g., “the star,” “the woman,” “the fiery lake,”—or it might
be something more abstract that the symbol reminds you of—e.g.
“love,” “family,” “the journey,” “the challenge.”
5. Put these two words together to create a short key phrase for that card.
For instance, if the two symbols you picked out from, say, the Ten of
Cups were the house and the family, you could use the words

“security” and “community,” creating the phrase “the security of
community” for this card.
Other examples might be:
Eight of Pentacles: “the artificer’s patience” (the blacksmith as “artificer” and
the careful way in which he pours molten metal into a mould, “patience”)
Three of Swords: “the weathering of sorrow” (the bad weather, “weathering,”
and the bleeding heart, “sorrow”)
The Empress: “the beauty of fertility”

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Conclusion

Lighting the Way From Here...

The tarot journey of discovery never ends, and there are no tarot experts—only
those who have more experience with it than others. Nobody can know
everything about this art, and thus it offers the student a lifetime of exploration
and inspiration. The Tarot Illuminati is designed with this in mind, and you will
find that over the years you notice different aspects of the cards, or their voices
change slightly, or another level of meaning becomes clear in the symbolism. So
what can you do with the Tarot Illuminati next?

Keep a Tarot Journal It’s fun to chart your progress with the
tarot, and keeping a journal allows you to do exactly that while
also documenting your learning. In a journal, you can record all
your readings, your studies of the cards, spreads you try out or
create, the results of exercises from this book and any others you

read, quotes that remind you of certain cards, brainstorms,
doodles, and more. The contents of a tarot journal are unique to

each individual, and it is your personalized learning tool.

Get Together with Other Tarot Enthusiasts Having a hobby or
passion is great, but it’s even better when shared with others.
There are plenty of online forums for tarot enthusiasts to meet

and discuss all things tarot—its history, occult symbolism,
spreads, meanings, newly published decks and books, and even
fun games with the cards. You might be lucky enough to have a
tarot study group near you, or something more informal like a

tarot study group near you, or something more informal like a
tarot coffee club. If not, why not set one up yourself? This is the

best way to pick up new ideas and techniques from others.

Keep Practising

It’s never too early in your studies to start practising readings. You may be too
nervous in the early stages of your tarot journey to give readings for others, but
you can try reading for yourself, for fictional characters on TV or in books, for
your cat, or for imaginary situations. The key is not necessarily to predict actual
events, but to practice picking out meaning from the card images and weaving it
into an interpretation. When you gain confidence, start offering readings to
friends and family. You’ll be surprised how much fun it can be, and how useful
it is for you.

Read Widely

As with any skill or subject, the more you learn about it, the more you realize
how much you don’t know. With this in mind, you will soon discover a wide and
diverse world of tarot, saturated with books and decks, blogs and groups,
approaches and techniques, all for you to access and perhaps integrate into your
own tarot practice. Read widely! Every book you pick up is like an individual
with years and years of experience, sharing their approach and knowledge with
you. You may not like their approach, so you don’t have to use it, but there may
be something you do like about it that you can use. The more you read, the more
complete your picture of tarot will be, but try not to take the word of any one
author as gospel.

Think Outside the Box Try not to fall into the trap of limiting
tarot through your own beliefs. It is an incredibly versatile tool
that can be used or approached in any way you choose. It can
relate to anything in our inner and outer worlds and everything
big and small in our universe. Therefore, it contains the serious as
well as the silly, the most mundane as well as the most abstract.
Why not play games with the cards? Why not have conversations
with them as though they were characters in a fantasy novel?
Why not write a fantasy novel inspired by the cards? Why not use
it to brainstorm a possible new business idea? The limits are only

defined by you.

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