Since we are entering into Sagittarius Season tomorrow, I thought it might be interesting to cover the Sagittarius energy Tarot cards in today’s post.
Sagittarius energy is fast-moving mutable fire. The symbol of Sagittarius is a Centaur (a mythical creature that is half horse, half man) with a bow and arrow signifying goal-oriented activity. The ruling planet is Jupiter, the planet of expansion, wisdom and growth.
A good signifier for Saggie energy is the Season of Advent which mainly coincides with Sagittarius. This is a visionary season of anticipation building/growing, culminating in an event that is the greatest blessing ever bestowed on mankind, the birth of the Son of God.
Jupiter is the Greater Benefic and anything to do with this Planet is usually a blessing, though too much of a good thing can, of course, be harmful. Jupiter’s benevolent and optimistic influence is also why Sagittarius Season is the Festive Season.
In today’s post, I will not cover the cards corresponding with the Planet Jupiter. I’m saving that for another series of astro-tarot posts on the Planets. We will instead focus on the cards that correspond with Sagittarius as per the Golden Dawn system of correspondences.
The Sagittarius Energy Major Arcana Tarot Card
Temperance
Temperance is the card of the alchemist. He or she is on a mission to achieve higher levels of wisdom and union with the Divine. This type of mission is a very good fit with the energy of Sagittarius which concerns itself with spirituality, religion, justice and higher learning. It also takes into account the dual (man-beast) nature of the sign. Temperance is about gaining control of the beast (ego) within by alchemising Water (the soul) with Fire (spirit).
The quest to achieve soul alchemy typically begins with a sign, dream or vision that generates a strong impetus to set out on a quest or adventure of some kind. It is essentially a hero’s journey that requires a leap of faith. The facts are not yet known and the desire to begin often originates in nothing but inspiration or a hunch.
The Angel
In the Temperance card, we see another mythical creature, an Angel. The end goal of this hero’s quest is to become an Angelic Human, after having alchemised his soul essence. There is a lot of trial and error in this process that is mainly guided by a strong gut feeling. The quest doesn’t come with a manual. Thankfully, mutable fire is highly adaptable and able to make adjustments on the go.
In the traditional RWS card imagery, we can imagine seeing the Angel as a teacher-preacher with genuine authority. This is the teacher who embodies Spirit at an almost mythological level and therefore has the power to inspire as well as transmit/impart wisdom directly. Unlike The Hermit, this guru is more of a Sage-on-a-Stage than someone choosing an anonymous or cloistered life. He is also much more likely to make his students laugh than The Hermit.
And unlike the Hierophant, the teacher who reaches Angelic Human status inspires others through his charisma and actions rather than by being elevated on a foundation of hierarchy and tradition. Draw to mind teachers like Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr and Gandhi. However, beware of false light cult leaders, dabblers and demagogues devoid of genuine wisdom! There is a full spectrum of light and dark to all the cards.
The Sagittarius Energy Minor Arcana Tarot Cards
In the 8 of Wands, the Sagittarius energy is modified by Mercury, a planet more concerned with facts and knowledge than with higher wisdom. While Mercury may not always feel comfortable in the energy of Sagittarius due to the Jupiterian lack of concern with details and facts, the energy of Mercury can be helpful in terms of bringing more focus to this mutable fire sign, at least for shorter bursts of time.
In the 9 of Wands, the Sagittarius energy is modified by the moon. This means that memories and emotions have more of a role to play. Having to consider one’s own emotions or those of others may not be comfortable in the middle of a visionary adventure. But it can lead to more growth than just forging ahead. This is why the 9 of Wands is a card of strength. When we learn from past mistakes, we don’t have to keep repeating the lesson.
Saturn is very unhappy in Sagittarius and the 10 of Wands is a card of oppression. He considers Sagittarius to be irresponsible and inconsiderate. The energy of Saturn is cols and he is a slow mover with a very long memory. The contrasts are pretty overwhelming considering the fast-moving, optimistic and passionate quality of Jupiter. Saturn is the proverbial wet blanket here. Any inspiration we had to begin the quest is either waning or completely gone at this stage. The only thing we can do is push through to the end without any real motivation or quit/ask someone else to complete what we started.
Moon Magick
If you are looking at this post because you are planning some kind of magick or manifesting ritual, you can find a Sagittarius Full Moon Tarot Spread HERE and a New Moon ditto HERE.
