The Forty Numbered Cards in Tarot: Elemental and Astrological Correspondences

Theoretical Foundation: Elements and Zodiac Signs

The tarot's 78 cards include 40 numbered cards (2 through 10) that correspond directly to astrological systems. Each suit represents an element, and each element links to three specific zodiac signs.

The suits divide by element as follows:

• Wands (Clubs): Fire — Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
• Cups: Water — Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
• Swords: Air — Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
• Pentacles (Coins): Earth — Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

Detailed Correspondence Rules

Wands (Fire)

This suit embodies three expressions of Fire energy: cardinal (Aries), fixed (Leo), and mutable (Sagittarius).

Cards 2–4 (Aries — 0°–30°)

• Wands 2: Mars at 11° Aries — drive, nascent conflict
• Wands 3: Sun at 20° Aries — creative impulse, manifestation of purpose
• Wands 4: Venus at 30° Aries — harmony, social vitality

Cards 5–7 (Leo — 120°–150°) with Saturn, Jupiter, Mars

Cards 8–10 (Sagittarius — 240°–270°) with Mercury, Moon, Saturn

Cups (Water)

This suit embodies three expressions of Water energy: cardinal (Cancer), fixed (Scorpio), and mutable (Pisces).

Cards 2–4 (Cancer — 0°–30°)

• Cups 2: Venus at 11° Cancer — emotional bonding, nourishment
• Cups 3: Mercury at 20° Cancer — communication, flowing information
• Cups 4: Moon at 30° Cancer — stillness, inner need

Cards 5–7 (Scorpio — 210°–240°) with Mars, Sun, Venus

Cards 8–10 (Pisces — 330°–360°) with Saturn, Jupiter, Mars

Swords (Air)

This suit embodies three expressions of Air energy: mutable (Gemini), cardinal (Libra), and fixed (Aquarius).

Cards 2–4 (Libra — 180°–210°)

• Swords 2: Moon at 11° Libra — equilibrium of intellect and emotion
• Swords 3: Saturn at 20° Libra — pressure, structured trial
• Swords 4: Jupiter at 30° Libra — expansion, opportunity for reconciliation

Cards 5–7 (Aquarius — 300°–330°) with Venus, Mercury, Moon

Cards 8–10 (Gemini — 60°–90°) with Jupiter, Mars, Sun

Pentacles (Earth)

This suit embodies three expressions of Earth energy: fixed (Taurus), mutable (Virgo), and cardinal (Capricorn).

Cards 2–4 (Capricorn — 270°–300°)

• Pentacles 2: Jupiter at 11° Capricorn — resource distribution, planning
• Pentacles 3: Mars at 20° Capricorn — collaboration, productive force
• Pentacles 4: Sun at 30° Capricorn — stability, long-term accumulation

Cards 5–7 (Taurus — 30°–60°) with Mercury, Moon, Saturn

Cards 8–10 (Virgo — 150°–180°) with Sun, Venus, Mercury

Scholarly Tensions

While widely used, this correspondence system carries significant historical and logical questions:

1. Historical Distance

Tarot originated as an Italian card game in the fifteenth century, but its marriage to astrology is the work of nineteenth-century occultists (the Golden Dawn, the Thoth deck). This was not the original design.

2. Structural Misalignment

Forty numbered cards exist, but astrology recognizes 36 decans (ten-degree divisions). To reconcile them requires omitting certain cards, creating logical inconsistency.

3. Cultural Tensions

Egyptian decan systems and Greek astrology contain contradictions. For instance, "Venus in Aries" is not an actual planetary position but a poetic attribution to rule a given decan.

A Practical Approach

Rather than treating these correspondences as law, consider:

• Grasp the principle behind each link
• Learn the system to perceive connections between cards
• Apply with flexibility in interpretation: elemental and planetary associations help memory, but your own intuition remains paramount

In this way, you move beyond mechanical memorization toward genuine understanding—seeing how each card breathes within its element and how cards speak to one another across a spread.