Court de Gébelin Posted July 16, 2018 Posted July 16, 2018 I'd be interested to know how many of you use the meanings of numbers, 1 through 10, in interpreting your cards. Here, I'm thinking primarily of the minor arcana pips, of course. But if number meanings play a part in your interpretation of your majors or court cards, I'd like to hear about that too. Oh, and if you use a particular book, or other source for the meaning of numbers, please tell what it is. I do use the meaning of numbers in conjunction with the suits when considering the pip cards. I used to have it all written down, with source references, etc. But that was in years past. I am presently re-compiling that information, and re-reading the books. My primary materials include "Meaning and Philosophy of Numbers", Bosman; "Mystery of Numbers, The" - Schimmel; "Numbers: Their occult Power and Mystic Virtues" - Wescott; "Numerology and the Tarot" - Konraad, and: "Sacred Science of Numbers" - Heline. I find that most books on tarot at least touch on numbers, but often in a confused way. I think developing one's own accepted meanings of numbers is as valuable as learning the symbology. I tend to read, consider, then keep or discard the meanings suggested by the various authors. I try to keep the numerical meanings consistent and sensible within the context of each card. It's just one more challenge of continual learning. The tarot is certainly an expansive study!
Ratty Posted July 17, 2018 Posted July 17, 2018 Hi, I'm a month into tarot, so I'm still very new on the journey. I've found it essential to come up with meanings for the pip numbers or I'd never remember. I'm using RWS, but I don't see how you could read TdM without it. Learn all the different cards as separate meanings? That would be so hard! My RWS meanings at the moment are Inception, Choice, Manifestation, Foundation, Winners & Losers, Temporary Success, Control, Momentum, Completion, Rewards. These are a work in progress. Not fully happy with them all yet. Some don't synch in as well with the major arcana as I would like. These give me my primary meanings, but there are other meanings too. So threes can also be synthesis, fours hiatus, etc. It leads to one or two different readings from the standard, and a few different emphases. Three of swords in particular comes out differently when I read and can be quite positive. Nine of wands is a bit more negative and so on. They also give a wider interpretation of a card than the standard. For example 7oS is sometimes called the thief card. For me it's about a hidden change of control over something external. Yes that can be theft, but it might mean someone has changed a will or quietly locked in a promotion. I think developing one's own accepted meanings of numbers is as valuable as learning the symbology. I tend to read, consider, then keep or discard the meanings suggested by the various authors. I try to keep the numerical meanings consistent and sensible within the context of each card. So what are your meanings? Do you try to boil them down to a single major concept like I do?
HOLMES Posted July 17, 2018 Posted July 17, 2018 I use the numbers to relate the tarot to each other,, even the court cards,, but I don't look at 8 and say "oh that is hard work. " or you might as well being numerology,, the tarot must work with the numbers,, not be defined by it .
Flaxen Posted July 17, 2018 Posted July 17, 2018 I base mine on Iamblichus - Theology of Arithmetic although I have thought about using a method based on the Kabbalah. Thanks to the Thoth, the spheres on the Tree of Life are pretty familiar and there would be less mental switching between systems. Based on Iamblichus: 1 - unity, source, seed, Sun 2 - separation, awareness, Moon 3 - potential actualised, mediation, wisdom 4 - solidity, order 5 - first marriage number, lack of strife, levelling out of inequality, hidden, Mercury 6 - second marriage number, blending, harmonious, reconciliation, Venus 7 - completion, fortification, critical time 8 - safety, balance, changeable 9 - near perfect, shortcoming, last challenge 10 - fulfillment
Court de Gébelin Posted July 17, 2018 Author Posted July 17, 2018 Ratty - Like I said, I'm busy reconstructing my notes at this time. I have to re-read the books, etc. I will post my 'finished' product sometime later. Sadly, all my hundreds of hours of work got lost over the course of several moves. And, that was 30+ years ago, so I need to get up to speed again.
Cobweb Posted July 20, 2018 Posted July 20, 2018 I use numbers - meanings loosely based on Kabbalah’s ten sephiroth (though I appreciate that’s probably not how the TdM was originally read!). I’ve not made anything like a proper study of it though and should be very interested to hear from someone who has. I do hope you’ll post more!
EmpyreanKnight Posted July 30, 2018 Posted July 30, 2018 I use numbers - meanings loosely based on Kabbalah’s ten sephiroth Same here! I attribute the 10 pips to the 10 corresponding sephiroth in the Tree of Life while the 4 suits stands for the 4 worlds of the Qabalah. Also, I sometimes find it useful to correlate the 10 pips to the equivalent majors in the arcana of Trumps, like the 3s correspond to the Empress, the 6 to the Lovers, etc.
DanielJUK Posted July 30, 2018 Posted July 30, 2018 I do use numerology in my readings, I have my own sort of idea about each number from different books and sources. I don't start adding and subtracting readings down, I think my readings give me more than enough without that layer. But if a number is repeating, I use the numerology of that. So I look for patterns of numbers but don't use calculated values in my readings.
ToadieOdie Posted July 30, 2018 Posted July 30, 2018 I do use numerology in my readings, I have my own sort of idea about each number from different books and sources. I don't start adding and subtracting readings down, I think my readings give me more than enough without that layer. But if a number is repeating, I use the numerology of that. So I look for patterns of numbers but don't use calculated values in my readings. This makes sense to me. I'm not really a number crunching sort of person, but I do love patterns.
Court de Gébelin Posted August 11, 2018 Author Posted August 11, 2018 Hey, thanks Flaxen! I knew an important book was missing from my new library, and Iamblichus - "Theology of Arithmetic" was it! I've ordered it now, so I'll be getting back into it soon. At one time, 30+ years ago, I had a nice little Tarot library built up for myself. Then, I abandoned all those book, the cards, and everything. I turned away from Tarot, and haven't thought much about it for all that time. Now, I'm back with a vengeance! >:D So, the first thing I'm doing is rebuilding my library, and rereading the best from the past. And Iamblichus's book is definitely on that list. Thanks for reminding me of it!
HOLMES Posted August 11, 2018 Posted August 11, 2018 speaking of books Numerology: Key to the Tarot Numerology and the Divine Triangle and several numerology books,,and i still can't find a satisfactory keyword for 1-9. !
Emilija Posted August 11, 2018 Posted August 11, 2018 Barbara Moore's Tarot Your Way does a section on numbers and has a little chart in it.
Emilija Posted August 11, 2018 Posted August 11, 2018 Also, I sometimes find it useful to correlate the 10 pips to the equivalent majors in the arcana of Trumps, like the 3s correspond to the Empress, the 6 to the Lovers, etc. Can you talk a little bit more on this concept? I'm intrigued on how that works!
HOLMES Posted August 11, 2018 Posted August 11, 2018 I first saw that technique in tarot key words by Sylvia Abraham.. in that system you apply the key world of the majors into the minors.. that didnt' interest me though.. what did interest me was applying the major card itself to the minors.. so tens of cups, wands, pentacles, swords becomes the wheel of fortune manifested in the respective elemental world.. if it is reversed then the wheel of fortune energy itself was reversed.. yo still have to read the ten of cups ec,, as a ten of cups,, but you can apply the wheel of fortne and the spining energy to the card to extend its meanings.
Dercetius Posted October 2, 2018 Posted October 2, 2018 I mostly base it on the Kabbalah and the Tree of Life. I suggest you look into it. The good part is that you get more than mere associations, but rather in-depth explanations as to why each number possesses a particular meaning.
Jewel Posted October 5, 2018 Posted October 5, 2018 I do use numerology in my readings, I have my own sort of idea about each number from different books and sources. I don't start adding and subtracting readings down, I think my readings give me more than enough without that layer. But if a number is repeating, I use the numerology of that. So I look for patterns of numbers but don't use calculated values in my readings. I do the same thing.
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