I’ve been really curious about combining astrology with tarot lately and would love to know how others approach horoscope readings with their decks!
With Mercury retrograde hitting us again soon, I’m wondering if certain cards might resonate more with specific planetary energies - like maybe The Tower during Mars transits? Has anyone developed their own system for this, or do you follow a traditional method? I’m eager to explore this, but I’m feeling a bit lost on where to start!
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This is what I use. I just used the traditional Tarot RWS cards, but the positions are down to the horoscope planetary positions.
I’ve been using the Golden Dawn correspondences to combine astrology and tarot.
It helps make sense of the planetary connections, like how The Empress relates to Venus and Justice connects to Libra. The system gives the reader a way to see how card meanings evolve during transits.
The court cards line up with zodiac signs pretty well. Queen of Wands = Aries, King of Cups = Scorpio, etc. During retrogrades, these personalities act out of place. Like getting reversed court energy when the card is upright.
Oh! Following this thread with interest! I’m also new to combining them.
I started keeping track of transit aspects when I do readings, and it’s mad how often they align. I think maybe just keep a basic idea of the astrology for the time with the more nuanced message of the cards.
I’m relatively new to combining these (about a year in), but this is the advice working for me:
For Mercury retrograde specifically, I’ve noticed I pull a lot of reversed cards and cards about reflection/revision (The Hermit, Four of Swords, Seven of Cups).
Cool that you’re looking into this. A lot of the astrological connections we use today come from groups like the Golden Dawn and Crowley. Sometimes I wonder how much of it is just what those specific people thought versus something more universal.
My approach is maybe more intuitive than systematic.
I review my natal chart and current transits before doing any reading (or the querant’s if they have one), which helps me understand the cosmic context. Then I let that knowledge inform how I interpret the cards rather than following strict correspondences.
For example, during Venus retrograde, relationship cards like The Lovers or Two of Cups might take on a more reflective, reviewing-the-past quality rather than indicating new romance. Or during Saturn transits, a single card might carry themes of responsibility and long-term building.
Mercury retrograde is actually one of my favorite times to read tarot - the cards often reveal miscommunications or tech issues before they happen.
I’m curious if these systems work for everyone or if people find different patterns when they actually use the cards during certain transits. Some readers seem to make their own connections between cards and planets that don’t match the ‘normal’ ones.
Makes me think about how much we should follow tradition versus just going with what feels right.
When I got into combining astrology and tarot, I picked up the Symbolon oracle deck.
It’s designed to blend the two systems together. Been using it for Mercury retrograde readings. Having a deck that’s built around astrology does make it easier to work with planetary energies in your spreads.
Mercury retrograde’s going to hit one of your natal houses, right? Why not base your spread on that?
Pull a card for what’s happening in that house now, one for what you need to look back at, and another for what might need to change. Since the station days pack more of a punch, consider doing readings then and comparing the results.
Been keeping track of my tarot pulls alongside my natal chart. My sun sign’s card (The Lovers for Gemini) shows up way more during Mercury retrograde, the whole duality thing gets really pronounced.
Each zodiac sign has both a major arcana and a court card correspondence. Leo gets both Strength and the Queen of Wands, which adds layers when you’re interpreting Mars moving through different signs.
So now with planetary transits in my spreads, I pull the zodiac sign’s associated cards as clarifiers along with the planet’s card. I was missing a lot before. When Mercury stations in signs like Virgo (The Hermit), that introspective energy compounds with the retrograde’s inward pull.
