Herbal Tarot — Таро Трав

МБК значения: Herbal Tarot — Таро Трав

INTRODUCTION TO TAROT
The complete seventy-eight-card tarot pack is divided into two sections: twenty-two Major Arcana and fifty-six Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana cards, also known as Triumphs, Atouts and Greater Arcana, comprise allegorical cards numbered from I to XXI plus an unnumbered card known as The Fool. The Minor Arcana, or Lesser Arcana, are divided into four suits: swords, wands, cups and pentacles. Each of the four suits has four court cards-king, queen, knight and page, and ten pip cards numbered ten through ace.
The Major Arcana of the Herbal Tarot are:
0    The Fool    XI    Justice
I    The Magician    XII    Suspended
II    The High        Person
    Priestess    XIII    Death
III    The Empress    XIV    Temperance
IV    The Emperor    XV    Pan
V    The High Priest    XVI    The Tower
VI    The Lovers    XVII    The Star
VII    The Chariot    XVIII    The Moon
VIM    Strength    XIX    The Sun
IX    The Hermit    XX    Judgment
X    Medicine Wheel    XXI    The World
The sequence of the Herbal Tarot follows that of the Rider-Waite Tarot, by Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman Smith. Waite assigned number VIM to Strength and XI to Justice. By contrast, traditional tarot decks designate VIII Justice and XI Strength. Anyone familiar with the Rider-Waite Tarot will be able to transcribe their understanding to the Herbal Tarot.
In addition to their Major and Minor Arcana titles, the cards of the Herbal Tarot are also titled with the names of herbs. The herbs are assigned to the cards according to intuitive understandings based on astrological correspondences of the cards, symbolic aspects of traditional herbal uses, and sometimes an herb’s folklore or biological action. There are literally hundreds of useful herbs. The seventy-eight chosen for the Herbal Tarot represent a cross section of some of the more common ones available.

HERBS AND THE TAROT
«As above, so below; as within, so without» applies to the order of nature. Everybody has experienced the spiritual and psychological weakness that accompanies disease and ill health. Depression can be attributed to a stagnant liver, excessive giddiness to congested heart energy, excessive sympathetic feelings and longings to a weak spleen and pancreas, grief and sadness to an imbalance of lung and colon energy, and insecurity and paranoia to weakness of the kidneys and adrenal glands. These correspondences are all made according to traditional herbology. Herbs as the sacraments of nature are used not only to effect internal physiological changes, but spiritual and psychological transformations as well.
A few examples of the wholistic use of herbs can be given. To invoke strength, one would take a tonic such as ginseng or astragalus (The Fool and The Magician cards, respectively). To break old ties with the past one might consider a purifying or detoxifying herb such as cascara bark (four of pentacles). Creativity can be stimulated with dong quai (The Empress). To enhance motivation in worldly pursuits one might use cinnamon (king of wands).
The Herbal Tarot is designed to integrate the healing properties of traditional herbs with the tarot. Thus, it is a useful introduction both to the ancient arts of herbalism and to occult mysticism. Tarot
cards can be used in study and meditation to effect powerful changes on the unconscious level. Herbs, when joined with the tarot, can provide a symbolic material manifestation to accompany a specific divination. This will encourage communication with the subconscious for which tarot cards are especially powerful.
Herbs should not be used for treatment of disease unless one has thoroughly studied and learned their properties and uses. However, the novice can safely use herbs in a symbolic or ritualistic way.
For example, it is traditional in many parts of the world for herbalists to work shamanistically, ritually gathering and preparing herbs and giving them in a pouch to the person who seeks help. These herbal talismans, which are worn on the underclothing or as a special necklace, can be reminders of aspects that one wishes to change or ward off as well as of positive qualities that one is trying to foster. This is a safe way of reinforcing spiritual indications given in a reading of the Herbal Tarot.
One can also ritually bury herbs in the ground to clear a certain energy or influence from one’s life. A small amount of the herb burned or boiled allows its scent and energy to permeate a certain space. Burning a dried herb and ritualistically wafting the smoke over a person or an object or in an environment is the origin of the use of incense. The method is used to purify, cleanse and strengthen. Herbs might have been traditionally burned in a special sea shell, such as an abalone shell, or in the hollow of a rock.

THE MAJOR ARCANA
The Major Arcana represent the greater path of the spirit and as such the herbs on the cards are suggested to aid the soul to reach awakening and realization. The astrological correspondence of each Major Arcana card is given in parentheses.

0 The Fool: Ginseng
genus Panax
Ginseng is the herb of cosmic energy. It is a tonic and demulcent. The root is used for all deficiencies and weaknesses. (Uranus)
Symbolically used for: Lack of sufficient motivation and drive. A cold, deficient and weakened state. Problems assimilating food and ideas. Personal support.
Divinatory Meanings: Detached innocence. No responsibilities or cares. Freedom to roam and enjoy. Unfettered energy.
Reverse Meanings: Irresponsibility. Carelessness. Flightiness. Extravagance. Folly.

I The Magician: Astragalus
Astragalus hoantchye
Astragalus is an herb of creativity. It is a digestive and a diuretic. The root is used to increase energy and aid assimilation and digestion. It is also the most powerful herbal immune tonic known. (Mercury)
Symbolically used for: Poor assimilation of food and ideas. Weakness, fatigue, sluggishness. Tendency to be cold.
Divinatory Meanings: Creativity. Unlimited possibilities. Ability to do whatever one imagines or decides.
Reverse Meanings: A person who is too busy, too outwardly directed, selfish.

II The High Priestess: Peony
Paeonia albiflorae
Peony is the herb of intuition. An antispasmodic and emmenagogue, peony is commonly used in gynecology. The root promotes internal circulation and relieves spasms. (Moon) 
Symbolically used for: Tension. Nervousness. Worry. Holding back to the detriment of one’s self-expression. Tendency to menstrual cramps. 
Divinatory Meanings: Intuition. Mystery. Inability to express oneself outwardly. Inner knowledge. Wisdom. The yin, or feminine, principle. Beauty and grace.
Reverse Meanings: Shyness. Timidity. Inhibition. Lack of self-esteem.

III The Empress: Dong Qual
Angelica sinensise
Dong quai is the supreme tonic for women, and is called female ginseng. It is an emmenagogue and a tonic for blood and hormones. It regulates the menses, relieves cramping, and aids fertility. (Venus) 
Symbolically used for: Emotional and physical coldness. Lack of warmth and compassion for others. Poor circulation. Lack of creativity. 
Divinatory Meanings: Mother nature. A person pregnant with ideas. New life and possibilities. Abundance and fruitfulness. 
Reverse Meanings: Inability to concentrate. Flightiness.

IV The Emperor: Atractylodes
Atractylodes albae
The root of atractylodes is used both for increasing the power of digestion and for increasing energy. It is a carminative, a diuretic, and a tonic, and it reduces abdominal bloating and gas. (Aries, ruled by Mars)
Symbolically used for: Difficulty in assimilating ideas or situations. Weak digestion and elimination. Tendency towards heaviness or bloating. When one is bogged down on any level. Divinatory Meanings: Power of organization. Protection. Greatness and importance achieved. Dominion. 
Reverse Meanings: Inflexible, blocked person. Egoistic, difficult personality.

V The High Priest: Sage
Salvia officinalise
Sage leaves heal and strengthen in treatment of acute as well as chronic diseases. The leaves are burned as incense in Native American religious rituals. Carminative, aromatic, they can be used in cooking to prevent gas and indigestion. (Taurus, ruled by Venus)
Symbolically used for: Contacting the spiritual side of one’s nature. Exorcising demons, ghosts and negative feelings. Sage can be used on a daily basis for purification by lighting a few dry leaves in a large sea shell and wafting the smoke over oneself and in one’s environment.
Divinatory Meanings: Inner guidance. Spiritual guidance. Guru. Teacher. That which stimulates inner awakening and growth. 
Reverse Meanings: Blind obeisance. Empty rituals. Actions without any inner sense of purpose or meaning.

VI The Lovers: Parsley
Petroselinum crispume
The root of parsley is considered aphrodisiac and it counteracts impotence. Both the leaves and root are used as a diuretic and digestant. (Gemini, ruled by Mercury)
Symbolically used for: Lack of love and attraction for others. Self-centeredness. Tendency to anger and stress, and thus urinary tract infections.
Divinatory Meanings: Magnetisim and attraction. Desire. Relationship. Beauty. Working things out. 
Reverse Meanings: Blind lust. Superficial attraction. Selfish use of others.

VII The Chariot: Cyperus
Cyperus rotund use
Cyperus regulates the energy of the whole body. It is used for moodiness, gas, symptoms that come and go, and menstrual irregularities. (Cancer, ruled by the Moon, exalts Jupiter) 
Symbolically used for: Trouble regulating one’s energy. Swings in moods from depression to joy. Trouble digesting food. Cyperus is not for an individual with dryness and a tendency toward hyperactiveness.
Divinatory Meanings: Direction from within. Knowledge of inner powers and strengths. Ability to regulate one’s life to manifest the highest potential. Triumph. Will.
Reverse Meanings: Overbearing personality. Stubbornness. Insensitivity. Cruelty. Hostility.

VIII Strength: Cayenne
Capsicum annum
Cayenne stimulates the circulation of blood and energy, raises vitality, counteracts putrefaction and gas, and stops bleeding. (Leo, ruled by the Sun) 
Symbolically used for: Coldness. Lack of vitality. Blockages on all levels. Isolation. 
Divinatory Meanings: Power. Strength. Courage to face outer challenges. A person who is a «mover.» 
Reverse Meanings: Bullishness. Quarrelsome person. One who is injurious to others. Overpowering person.
IX The Hermit: Licorice
Glycyrrhiza glabrae Licorice is called the peacemaker herb because it
calms the mind. It is a demulcent, a tonic, an antipoison, an aperient, and it is useful for ulcers, indigestion and food poisoning. (Virgo, ruled by Mercury)
Symbolically used for: Difficulty feeling at peace with oneself. Quarrelsomeness. Nervousness. Irritability. Licorice is not for one who has a tendency toward fluid retention and high blood pressure. 
Divinatory Meanings: A light bearer for others. Enlightenment. Teaching by example. Inner attainment. Humility.
Reverse Meanings: Hiding. Holding back oneself from others. Self-delusion. False humility. Darkness and withdrawal.

X Medicine Wheel: Slippery Elm
Ulmus fulvae
Slippery elm is a demulcent, a nutritive tonic, and an emmenagogue. It is used for ulcers, for healing wounds, and for treating irritated throat and lungs. (Jupiter)
Symbolically used for: Healing. Uniting. Comfort and soothing. Difficulty accepting food or any further outer experiences.
Divinatory Meanings: The wheel of fortune. Cycles. Influences from all aspects of life. Strength in pure being. A wholistic outlook.
Reverse Meanings: Going in circles. Aimlessness. Lack of focus.

XI Justice: Plantain
genus Plantago
Plantain adjusts heat and body metabolism, and is an anti-inflammatory, a diuretic, an alterative. It is used as a poultice for infections, wounds and injuries, and as a tea for bladder infections and hepatitis. (Libra, ruled by Venus) 
Symbolically used for: Making adjustments in order to feel more at ease with various conditions and situations. Someone who is easily angered, inflamed and irritated. Relaxing and adjusting.
Divinatory Meanings: Adjustment. Making things right. Correct allotment of time, finances and
attention.
Reverse Meanings: Lack of compassion. A stickler for principles. Fussiness.

XII Suspended Person: Kelp genus Fucus
Neptune, god of the sea, rules this card. Kelp is a demulcent and a dissolvent of tumors. It can stimulate the thyroid, remove goiters and stimulate metabolism. (Neptune)
Symbolically used for: Hardening toward life. Lack of compassion. Harshness and callousness in dealing with others.
Divinatory Meanings: Finding one’s own way. Returning to the source. Initiation. Spiritual breakthroughs. Inner commitment. 
Reverse Meanings: Lack of self-knowledge. Inverted perspective of reality. Inability to organize priorities. False starts.

XIII Death: Elder Flowers
Sambucus nigrae
Elder was traditionally planted in cemeteries in Europe and parts of the U.S. as a protection against negative spirits. The flowers are an alterative and diaphoretic. They are made into tea for colds and fevers, and to purify the blood, remove putrefaction, and clearthe skin. (Scorpio, ruled by Mars or Pluto) 
Symbolically used for: Clearing the past. Letting go of old ways of being. Protecting oneself from possible karmic reactions to past deeds. 
Divinatory Meanings: Rebirth. The end of the old, the beginning of the new. Letting go of the past and things no longer needed.
Reverse Meanings: Alarmism. Fear of impending doom and crises. Lack of enthusiasm and feeling.

XIV Temperance: Echinacea
genus Echinacea
Echinacea is an herb of purification that stimulates the body’s innate defenses. It «tempers» heat, and as a tonic it regulates all inflammatory processes. This herbal antibiotic can be used every two hours for any infected, inflamed condition. (Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter)
Symbolically used for: Achieving strength through purity; beauty emanates from one who is pure in heart. Protecting oneself from heated and angry situations.
Divinatory Meanings: To strengthen oneself against harmful outside influences. Fortification. Testing oneself. Strength gained from challenges. 
Reverse Meanings: Taking dangerous and foolish chances. A gambler. Vulnerability. Risk.

XV Pan: Lobelia
Lobelia inflata
Lobelia is an antispasmodic, a stimulant, an expectorant and a nauseant. It is used for asthma, lung problems, relieving spasms, nervous tension and cramps, and to induce vomiting. (Capricorn, ruled by Saturn)
Symbolically used for: Breaking up old patterns. Letting go of cares and worries. More playfulness. 
Divinatory Meanings: Playfulness. Frivolity. Make believe. Getting loose. Lightening up. 
Reverse Meanings: Revulsion. Betraying one’s own secrets and speaking foolishly. Hanging on to things that have little truth or reality.

XVI The Tower: Garlic
Allium sativume Garlic’s strong odor will cut through most block- ages and obstacles, thus it is the herb of breakthroughs. A stimulant, an aromatic, a carminative, a tonic and an emmenagogue, it is used for digestive and circulatory problems and lung and bronchial infections. (Mars)
Symbolically used for: Personal breakthroughs in relationships. Becoming more attentive to others. More tolerance and flexibility. 
Divinatory Meanings: Being knocked off one’s position of arrogance. Making humble. Preparing the way for true realization. Awakening to the truth. 
Reverse Meanings: Harshness. Misery. Distress. Adversity and crises.

XVII The Star: Skullcap
genus Scutellaria
Skullcap calms the mind and heart and prepares the way for meditation. A nervine and an alterative, it relaxes the nerves and counteracts addictions. (Aquarius, ruled by Saturn or Uranus) Symbolically used for: The need to look inward more, to focus on that which is subtle within oneself, in order to find inner peace. 
Divinatory Meanings: Meditation. Distant vision. Goals. Dreams.
Reverse Meanings: Dreaminess. Not being in the moment. Separateness. Nothing to do or focus on.

XVIII The Moon: Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalise
Lemon balm is calming and relaxing, and counteracts moodinessand melancholy. Diaphoretic, cooling, it is used as a tea to induce sweating and treat colds and reduce fevers. (Pisces, ruled by Neptune) Symbolically used for: One who is brooding and melancholy. Longing for the past, and trouble accepting the present.
Divinatory Meanings: Cool, reserved person. Instinctual feelings. Evolution.
Reverse Meanings: Negative feelings. Depression. Moodiness. Lack of warmth and genuine feelings.

XIX The Sun: Angelica
Angelica archangelica
Angelica is a stimulant, a carminative, an emmena-gogue, a tonic. It warms the blood and promotes circulation, and counteracts rheumatic problems and body stiffness. (Sun)
Symbolically used for: A cold, withdrawn person. Tendency to stay inside a lot, not exposing oneself to the light of the sun. An antisocial person who is withdrawn and morose.
Divinatory Meanings: Warmth. Openness. Friendliness. Happiness. Earthly joy and contentment. Reverse Meanings: Boisterous, insensitive person. Lack of compassion for others. Conceit. Aggression. Moods ranging from excessive joy to violent anger.

XX Judgment: Goldenseal
Hydrastis canadensise
Goldenseal is the bitter brew one must take for overindulgence and self-abuse, since bitterness is detoxifying and cleansing. It is an alterative, a tonic, a cholagogue, and is used as an antibiotic, to dry up mucus discharges, and to purify the blood and lymphatic system. (Pluto)
Symbolically used for: An extremely overindulgent person. One who eats too many sweets. Craving for extremes of pleasure and fun at the expense of one’s own well-being.
Divinatory Meanings: Renewal. Changes. Awakening to the truth. New possibilities. 
Reverse Meanings: Facing the consequences of one’s actions. A time of personal reckoning. Strong considerations and decisions to be made about the future.
XXI The World: Comfrey
Symphytum officinalise
Demulcent, vulnerary (promotes healing), tonic, and alterative, comfrey is used both internally and externally to unite torn flesh and broken bones. The tea of the leaf is a cooling alterative against fevers and lung infections. The root is taken as a demulcent for ulcers, internal injuries, bleeding, as well as to moisten and strengthen the lungs. (Saturn) 
Symbolically used for: Healing. Pulling things together both within oneself and in one’s outer circumstances.
Divinatory Meanings: To unite. To join together. To encompass the whole. Supreme feeling of union, healing and success.
Reverse Meanings: Premature assumptions of union and friendship. Making light of genuine differences. Trying to unite and bring together before conditions are appropriate. Stagnation. Inertia.

THE MINOR ARCANA
SUIT OF SWORDS
Swords symbolize the air element and, thus, emotions, and its herbs affect the nervous system as well as the respiratory system. The swords symbolize the search for truth and the battle with oneself that is often foolishly played out against others on the stage of life. Cutting and severing, swords are used to sweep away the fragments of falsehood until the whole is finally realized. The swords represent a stormy path of pain, suffering, reversals and sickness, and realization after hard trials and tests, many of which are unconsciously created by our inner attitudes.

King of Swords: St. Johnswort 
Hypericum perforatume
Vulnerary. Nervine. Astringent. Expectorant. Calmative. Used for nerve injuries, insomnia, bed-wetting, stomachache, colic and uterine cramps. 
Divinatory Meanings: A fanatical seeker of truth. The apex of integrity in all worldly pursuits. A strong character with a piercing glance. Reverse Meanings: Tendency to undue harshness and cruelty. One who has experienced the pain of deep sadness and betrayal and tends to distrust others. A profound need to appear righteous at all costs.

Queen of Swords: Lady’s Slipper
Cypripedium pubescense
Nervine. Tonic for hysteria, pain, all nervous afflictions and premenstrual syndrome. 
Divinatory Meanings: A serious woman, over thirty-five, who is unswervingly faithful to her goals-quite often at all costs. On the more positive side, she is eminently capable of upholding executive positions.
Reverse Meanings: Cutting, unsympathetic person. One suffering from past injuries in relationships. Distrustful person.

Knight of Swords: Wild Cherry Bark
Prunus serotinae
Expectorant. Astringent. Antispasmodic for coughs. Digestant. Used for all chronic and acute bronchial and lung affections. 
Divinatory Meanings: The arch defender of truth, willing to risk and suffer all for the sake of honesty and righteousness. Idealism. Bravery. Elimination of all excess and unclarity.
Reverse Meanings: Ambitious person who is secretly manipulative for personal gains at the expense of others.

Page of Swords: Dill
Anethum graveolens
Antispasmodic. Carminative. Aromatic. Used in tea or alcohol for digestive upsets and colic in small children, also for nervousness caused by digestive upset.
Divinatory Meanings: One under the age of thirty-five. A child, infant or pet who is adventuresome, independent, wild and obstinate. Tendency to move swiftly toward a goal, sweeping all obstacles away. 
Reverse Meanings: Untrustworthy person. Spy. Opportunist.

Ten of Swords: Ephedra
genus Ephedra
Diaphoretic. Stimulant. Antirheumatic. Emmenagogue. Used for all upper respiratory affections and acute rheumatic problems.
Divinatory Meanings: One who is crippled and overcome by grief and sadness. Desolation. Desperation. No room for more pain.
Reverse Meanings: Having reached the bottom of misfortune, a profound resolve to embark upon a completely new path.

Nine of Swords: Valerian
Valeriana officinalise
Nervine. Antispasmodic. Tonic. Warming stimulant in some cases. Used for nervousness, pain, insomnia.
Divinatory Meanings: Solitude. Lamentation. Grief Sickness.
Reverse Meanings: Self-examination causing delay in the course of one’s normal pursuits.

Eight of Swords: Black Cohosh
Cimicifuga racemosae
Antispasmodic. Nervine. Emmenagogue. Tonic. Used for neurological afflictions, epilepsy, chorea, to alleviate pain, for the liver, hepatitis, childbirth and premenstrual pains and cramps. Promotes menses.
Divinatory Meanings: Cramped. Locked in. Publicly restrained or held back.
Reverse Meanings: Being totally in the moment. Involvement in present concerns.

Seven of Swords: Wood Betony
Betonica officinalise
Nervine. Aperient. Cordial. Used for all nervous afflictions.
Divinatory Meanings: Stealth. Trying to evade consequences of wrongdoing. Attempting to outsmart destiny.
Reverse Meanings: Private agendas. Unforthrightness. A person who cannot be trusted.

Six of Swords: Vervain
Verbena officinalis 
Alterative. Hepatic. Bitter. Antispasmodic. Used for nervousness and irritability caused by congested liver and gall bladder, and for premenstrual tension.
Divinatory Meanings: Retreat. Exile. A person who tries everything to avoid the truth. Reverse Meanings: Willingness to salvage whatever remains and begin anew.

Five of Swords: [European] Mistletoe
Viscum albume
Nervine. Antispasmodic. Regulates blood pressure. Treats cancer. Calms the nervous system. (North American mistletoe has contrary properties. The berries of all mistletoe are extremely toxic.) Divinatory Meanings: Realization of defeat. Need to regain composure and inner peace after the fray. Realization that there are no winners in war. 
Reverse Meanings: The turning point in one’s life, when one can either become honest with oneself or go deeper into deception.

Four of Swords: Mullein
Verbascum thapsuse
Expectorant. Demulcent. Anti-inflammatory. Anti-spasmodic. Used for all upper respiratory complaints. Relieves mucus congestion. Topically relieves pain. Mild calmative. 
Divinatory Meanings: Healing from the wounds of battle. Rest before the final onslaught. 
Reverse Meanings: Recuperation and rest.

Three of Swords: Pleurisy Root
Asclepias tuberosae
Expectorant. Demulcent. Anti-inflammatory. For pleurisy and pneumonia, clears mucus from the lungs and bronchioles.
Divinatory Meanings: The most violent assault upon the ego. The final thrust. Cardiorespiratory disease. The attack upon the stronghold of feeling and
energy. Division. Rupture. Complete severance from the past, attachments and relationships. Reverse Meanings: Letting go of injury and pain.

Two of Swords: Passionflower
Passiflora incarnatae
Nervine. Antispasmodic. For insomnia, nervousness, irritability, stress and other nervous complaints.
Divinatory Meanings: Silent equilibrium with outer and innerstruggles. The point of balance leading to self-acceptance and inner peace. Acceptance of one’s weaknesses with one’s strengths. Reverse Meanings: Juggling with the truth. The last hold out-«maybe I will or maybe I won’t.» Acting as if the outcome of a decision is more important to someone other than oneself.

Ace of Swords: Chamomile
Anthemis nobilise
Calmative. Antispasmodic. Digestant. Mild aperient. Used for all feelings of stress, nervous tension, indigestion, colic, irregular bowels, cramps. High in easily assimilable calcium. 
Divinatory Meanings: Victory. Attainment of complete self-acceptance and acceptance of others. Inner peace and contentment. 
Reverse Meanings: Tyranny. Disaster. Violent temper. Self-destruction.

SUIT OF WANDS
While the swords tend to represent innerstruggles, the wands signify struggles between the self and the world. Thus, the expression of the suit is outward, competitive and dispersing. Being dominated by the element fire, the suit of wands is symbolized by herbs that relate directly to energy and blood, including warming stimulants, carminatives and hemostatics (herbs that control bleeding). The suit of wands symbolizes aspirations, personal development, and so on, and affect the heart and the circulatory system.
As in the other suits, the ten is really the beginning or lowest point, and so it is represented by a seemingly defeated and overburdened figure. The prickly ash tree is assigned to it both because of its forest setting and because the bark, taken as a tea, is one of the most dispersing and circulating herbs in the Herbal Tarot. Thus, in this case, the herb represents a remedy for the dilemma expressed by the card.
The five, the midway point, is represented by turmeric, which is an herb that imparts an attractive yellowish color to food and aids digestion and circulation. It is symbolized by a playful game invoking many qualities and energies, as suggested by the different races holding up their wands. The competition here is lighter than on the previous cards.
The highest card in the suit, the enlightened fulfillment of the path, is the ace, symbolized by yarrow, a beautiful wayside herb used for detoxification and circulation as well as to relieve cramps, stop bleeding and aid perspiration. Yarrow is good for many complaints such as colds, flu, fever and menstrual cramps. It has been used in many folk traditions as a charm and as a talisman for divination. The Chinese used the yarrow stalks with the I Ching divination system. The lowly wayside herb represents triumph through humility, a fulfillment, in a sense, in the suit of competition.

King of Wands: Cinnamon
Cinnamomum zeylanicume
Stimulant. Astringent. Carminative. Aromatic. Used for coldness, poor digestion, raising general body metabolism.
Divinatory Meanings: A warm, competitive individual. A passionate man and an ardent lover. A passionate «macho» personality. 
Reverse Meanings: An individual with a hardened exterior but a yielding inner nature.

Queen of Wands: Raspberry Leaf
Rubus idaeus
Astringent. Aids pelvic circulation in female reproductive organs. Aids childbirth. Anti-inflammatory for fevers. Good for nausea and motion sickness.
Divinatory Meanings: A warm, sensual woman. Sensuality. The need to attract creative opportunities in one’s life.
Reverse Meanings: Manipulative person. Self-love. Snobbishness. A teaser.

Knight of Wands: Aconite
Aeon it urn nape 11 use
POISONOUS. Aconite must be used only in a special detoxified form, which is available at Chinese pharmacies, or in minute homeopathic doses. Metabolic stimulant. Excellent for low metabolism, coldness, arthritic and rheumatic complaints. 
Divinatory Meanings: The quest for passion and experience. Hot-bloodedness. 
Reverse Meanings: Impetuousness. Rushing into things too quickly.

Page of Wands: Shepherd’s-purse
Capsella bursa-pastoris
Astringent. Hemostatic for bleeding. Use only fresh root or tincture to control bleeding. 
Divinatory Meanings: A young figure who is dreaming of more romantic adventures. A new dawn. Reverse Meanings: Failure to act in a timely fashion. Lost opportunities.

Ten of Wands: Prickly Ash Bark
Zanthoxylum americanume
Stimulant. Alterative. Used for circulatory problems, coldness, arthritis, rheumatic disorders, stiffness. Also used to detoxify the blood. 
Divinatory Meanings: Burdensome oppression. Moving from necessity rather than choice. 
Reverse Meanings: Temporary troubles. Need to get away.

Nine of Wands: Bayberry Bark
Myrica californicaet
Stimulant. Astringent. Used for colds, flus and to promote circulation while at the same time toning and contracting flaccid tissues. The powder is used externally as a dentifrice for receding gums. 
Divinatory Meanings: A stand off. The first recognition of what one is to do, what is really needed. 
Reverse Meanings: Sitting down or retreating in the face of obstacles.

Eight of Wands: Sassafras
Sassafras albidиme
Stimulant. Alterative. Demulcent. Diuretic. Aromatic. For blood purification, skin eruptions, sores, boils, cancer, urinary problems. 
Divinatory Meanings: Struggle. Giving one’s all. Tackling obstacles on several sides, simultaneously.
Reverse Meanings: Hit and run. Sending several possibilities forward but failing to stand firm and follow through.

Seven of Wands: Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
Emmenagogue. Stimulant. Antirheumatic. For delayed menses, poor blood circulation, rheumatic complaints.
Divinatory Meanings: Confrontation. Struggle. Standing up for one’s intentions. 
Reverse Meanings: Recognition that one is outnumbered. Lack of inner potential.

Six of Wands: Hawthorn
Crataegus oxycanthae
Heart tonic. Expectorant. Promotes blood circulation, digestion and appetite. Forall heart problems. Divinatory Meanings: Temporary gains. Battle of words and strategies. A pause in the struggle. Reverse Meanings: Resting on one’s laurels. Assumptions.

Five of Wands: Turmeric
Curcuma longa
Stimulant. Mild emmenagogue. Digestant. Carminative for circulatory problems caused by liver disorders. Excellent tonic for women to regulate menses.
Divinatory Meanings: Commitment. Determination to play and win.
Reverse Meanings: Posturing and fooling around. Lack of commitment.

Four of Wands: Fennel Seed
Foeniculum vulgare
Aromatic. Carminative. Mild stimulant. Aids digestion, eliminates gas and congestion of the gastrointestinal tract.
Divinatory Meanings: Agreement. Relief. Satisfaction of all parties involved. A balancing of opposing spirits and wills.
Reverse Meanings: Taking things too lightly. Not using caution in the light of previous difficulties.

Three of Wands: Saffron
Crocus sativuse
Stimulant. Diaphoretic. Carminative. Emmenagogue. For all circulatory disorders. Promotes pelvic circulation and is also used as a flavoring agent in cooking. Should be used only in minute quantities, as one uses a spice for cooking. 
Divinatory Meanings: The end is in sight; only a little more is left to do. Picking up loose ends. 
Reverse Meanings: Resting on one’s laurels. Counting one’s chickens before they are hatched.

Two of Wands: Basil
Ocimum basilicum
Carminative. Diaphoretic. Anti-inflammatory. The royal herb for all Italian cooking, thus the assignment is of a sophisticated nobleman looking over the world. Basil can also be taken as a tea for stomach upset, gas, colds and fevers. 
Divinatory Meanings: Assessment. Evaluation. Recognition of one’s full potential. Genuine appreciation of one’s own manifested powers and capacities.
Reverse Meanings: Fear of completion. Reluctance to move on and take full responsibilities. Looking rather than participating.

Ace of Wands: Yarrow
Achillea millefoliume
Diaphoretic. Astringent. Vulnerary. Antispasmodic. Used to promote surface circulation and sweating for colds, flus and fevers. Yarrow will also relieve internal congestion and thus relieve menstrual cramps.
Divinatory Meanings: Victory. As the wise saying goes, «Before enlightenment, chopping wood and carrying water, after enlightenment, chopping wood and carrying water.» Fulfillment in simple things: clouds, sunlight and nature. 
Reverse Meanings: False start. Pessimism. Cancellation of plans. Decadence.

SUIT OF CUPS
Cups represent the water element-our relationships with others-and include urinary tonics and aphrodisiacs, since the urinary and reproductive organs represent the body’s watery aspects.

King of Cups: Saw Palmetto
genus Sabal
Tonic. Nutritive. Promotes the development of all glands in the body. Said to increase muscles and flesh, enlarge mammary glands of women. Used to promote potency and fertility in men and women, also to treat prostate disorders. 
Divinatory Meanings: A loving man, sensitive, spiritual and radiant. A visionary with leanings towards business, law, divinity, art, science; and inclined to satisfy the leanings of the questioner. Reverse Meanings: Preoccupation with sex as a mode of loving expression. Deviousness. Scandal. 

Queen of Cups: Lady’s Mantle 
Alchemilla vulgar!s
Astringent. Hemostatic especially useful for invigorating and strengthening the female reproductive system. Counteracts hemorrhage and excessive menstrual bleeding.
Divinatory Meanings: Beautiful, dreamy woman. A visionary.
Reverse Meanings: A good but misguided woman, perhaps inclined to scandal and perversity.

Knight of Cups: Sarsaparilla
genus Smitax
Alterative. Tonic. Aphrodisiac. Used for stomach, liver and skin disorders. Has definite tonic properties and will enhance male sexual energy. 
Divinatory Meanings: A lover. A person trying to make advances and overtures for specific propositions.
Reverse Meanings: A swindler. Trickster. Inclination to duplicity. 

Page of Cups: Damiana 
Turnera diffusa
Tonic. Aphrodisiac for both men and women. Damiana is especially potent in its fresh state. Divinatory Meanings: A young, passionate youth, either male or female. A person easily aroused to action on any level, be it amorous, business-related, idealistic, aesthetic, or otherwise. 
Reverse Meanings: Dolt and dullard. Deception. Worthless fantasies.

Ten of Cups: Marijuana
Cannabis sativa
Antispasmodic. Hypnotic. In herbal tradition, called a narcotic, it lowers inhibitions and allows for free expression of sexual instincts. Its abuse, however, is disastrous to the adrenal glands and will cause deep-seated emotional disorders, including lack of will and motivation, and male impotence. It can be made into an alcoholic extract and applied topically for the relief of joint aches and pains. Divinatory Meanings: Pie in the sky. Pipe dreams. Unstable foundation.
Reverse Meanings: Need to be inspired, to do something different, to break fixations.

Nine of Cups: Squawvine
Mitchella repens
Female tonic. Diuretic. Parturient. Astringent. Alterative. Used to treat most gynecological complaints, also infertility in women. It is taken along with raspberry leaf throughout pregnancy to prepare the womb for birth and alleviate birth pangs. 
Divinatory Meanings: Self-satisfaction. Hoarding. Greed. Can mean personal satisfaction for the questioner.
Reverse Meanings: Contentment and abundance with only minor setbacks.

Eight of Cups: Gravel Root
Eupatorium purpureume
Tonic. Diuretic used to help dissolve urinary stones. Treats urinary weakness and both excessive and lack of urine.
Divinatory Meanings: «Accept and move on.» The need to venture into unexplored territories for deeper fulfillment.
Reverse Meanings: Drifting into oblivion. Losing one’s grip on things.

Seven of Cups: Juniper Berries
Juniperis communis
Diuretic. Carminative. Aromatic. Juniper berries make a warming tonic diuretic and can be used for most noninflammatory urinary disorders, fluid retention, diabetes and as an aid to digestion. Divinatory Meanings: All things are possible. The realization of the impact of thoughts in creating daily reality.
Reverse Meanings: Inability to control one’s thoughts. Lack of focus and self-discipline.

Six of Cups: Watermelon
Citrullus vulgaris
Diuretic. Refrigerant. The seeds are used to treat fluid retention and all urinary disorders. Divinatory Meanings: Childish games. Only playing at love. No serious commitment. Innocence. A temporary relationship.
Reverse Meanings: Failure to recognize the importance or power of another person or of a circumstance.

Five of Cups: Horsetail
genus Equisetum
Diuretic. Astringent. Alterative used for inflammatory urinary tract disorders, also for arthritic and rheumatic complaints.
Divinatory Meanings: Preoccupation with loss, at the expense of recognition of one’s true assets and powers. Negativity. The idea that it isn’t real unless it hurts!
Reverse Meanings: Time of appropriate grief and remorse. Knowing that there will be an end to sorrow and a hopeful future.

Four of Cups: Burdock
Arctium lappa
Diuretic. Alterative. Nutritive. The root is used as a diuretic and alterative for skin diseases and urinary disorders. The seeds are often used for skin diseases and fevers.
Divinatory Meanings: Need for some intervention in daily life, without the knowledge of where it will come from. Uncertainty as to what action to take. Strengthen and purify both within and without, and wait with watchful awareness: help is at hand! 
Reverse Meanings: The delusion of dualism. A partnership in which both individuals may need a new direction or are mistaken about a certain issue.

Three of Cups: Trillium
Trillium pendulum
Diuretic. Astringent. Antiseptic. Emmenagogue. Expectorant. Diaphoretic. Alterative. The root is used for most feminine disorders associated with the monthly cycle, and for excess or insufficient bleeding. It is also taken during childbirth to promote normal birth, and to prevent hemorrhage and later infections. The root is used as an expectorant and a diaphoretic for upper respiratory problems, colds andflus.
Divinatory Meanings: Take your choice now! Celebrate and enjoy what is before you. Perfection. Abundance.
Reverse Meanings: Satisfaction with life. No responsibilities.

Two of Cups: Uva Ursi
Arctostaphylos uva ursi
Diuretic. Astringent. Antidiabetic. Used as a urinary astringent for all genitourinary disorders. It is also taken to help restore normal blood sugar level in diabetes, and is taken after childbirth to prevent infections and help restore the womb to normal size.
Divinatory Meanings: The highest relationship possible. Meeting of two in harmony. Sharing one’s gifts with others. Perfectly controlled energy flow, both within and without. If there is a problem, focus on the highest truth of your relationship and wait it out.
Reverse Meanings: Obsession with one idea or perspective, at the expense of other opportunities.

Ace of Cups: Lotus
Nelumba nucifera
The peduncle is used as an astringent for bleeding, menorrhagia, bloody stool, retention of lochia. The stamens are used for premature ejaculation,
involuntary seminal emission, nocturnal emission, frequent urination. The seeds are used for spontaneous ejaculation, vaginal discharge, insomnia, palpitations, chronic diarrhea and lack of appetite. The plume is used for nervousness, thirst, hypertension. The root is eaten as a food and is useful for strengthening the lungs and heart. 
Divinatory Meanings: Enlightenment. Supreme, unconditional love. Success. Fulfillment. Blessedness. 
Reverse Meanings: Inner joy. Contentment found in oneself. Happiness in solitude.

SUIT OF PENTACLES
Pentacles correspond to the earth element, thus, worldly affairs: profit and loss, business, finance, and so forth. The suit includes herbs that effect the process of nourishment, digestion, assimilation and elimination, which have to do with the earth element of the body-mind.
Although when carrying out worldly affairs, one is necessarily dealing with limitation, the great spiritual teachings of the world speak about a «right way» in business and proper use of wealth and power. In the spiritual sense, having more than one needs is just as much a problem as having too little. The great secret of finances and wealth is the same as that of internal physical energies: flowing and movement. Fear and insecurity cause us to overuse our resources or to hoard them and thus there is a blockage. The result is disease in the outer as well as the inner worlds of being.

King of Pentacles: Alfalfa
Medicago sativa
Nutritive. Tonic. Diuretic. Alterative. Alfalfa is useful for regulating weight, as a treatment for arthritis and rheumatism and as a diuretic. 
Divinatory Meanings: Man over thirty-five, businesslike, responsible, rigid, organized and conservative. A man of means and worldly accomplishments, wise in the way of the world. A fatherly figure. 
Reverse Meanings: Overbearing, aggressive, highly competitive and selfish individual. A slow, dull person.

Queen of Pentacles: Marshmallow
Althaea officinalise
Demulcent. Nutritive. Anti-inflammatory. Soothing vulnerary. Treats ulcers and sores, soothes irritations such as urinary stones. Promotes healing. It is applied as a poultice for inflamed wounds and injuries.
Divinatory Meanings: Woman in charge of nurturing and caring for others. A mother or a business woman. A woman of means and accomplishments. A wise crone. Someone to turn to for advice. 
Reverse Meanings: Irresponsible woman. Not following through with primary responsibilities and cares. A wise stately manner that can hide inner emptiness and lack of true knowledge.

Knight of Pentacles: Elecampane
Inula heleniume
Digestive. Expectorant. Carminative. Helps treat and prevent the formation of mucus in the lungs, cures coughs, aids digestion. 
Divinatory Meanings: Thoughts about business and finances, schemes, securities, savings, and so forth. Service, loyalty, steadfastness. A good working partner, though not very inspiring.
Reverse Meanings: Aimless and worthless pursuits with no gain in sight. Squandering money. Spendthrift. Placidity. Stagnation. Inertia.

Page of Pentacles: Blue Flag
Iris versicolore
Alterative. Diuretic. Cholagogue. Laxative. Promotes salivation. The root is used for all chronic and acute liver disorders and for blood purification. 
Divinatory Meanings: A youthful, acquisitive person seeking wealth, material fortune and success. Reverse Meanings: Lack of true purpose and self-knowledge.

Ten of Pentacles: Wild Yam
Dioscorea villosae
Antispasmodic. Diaphoretic. Used for liver and gall bladder problems, thus helping to prevent and eliminate gas.
Divinatory Meanings: Moving into a time or place of abundance and opportunity. The chance for material prosperity will be more apparent. 
Reverse Meanings: Do not be deceived by appearances. More is not always better. The available opportunity may not be a good one, when viewed from a larger perspective.

Nine of Pentacles: Dark Grapes
Vitis viniferae
Nutritive. Blood tonic. Diuretic. The root is a nutritive for the blood, as it is high in iron. The leaves are used as an astringent and as a mild alterative for inflammatory conditions.
Divinatory Meanings: Material prosperity and wealth. Shallowness.
Reverse Meanings: Threatened loss of material possessions. Possible threats and hazards.

Eight of Pentacles: Ginger
Zingiber officinale
Stimulant. Diaphoretic. Carminative. Antispas-modic. Emmenagogue. Used for gas, poorassimila-tion of food, also to relieve motion sickness and spasmodic cramps. The fresh root is made into a tea for colds and fevers.
Divinatory Meanings: Willingness to start working to achieve one’s goals. A craftsman. Artists. Skill in business and other endeavors. 
Reverse Meanings: Wasting time in idle pursuits that have little chance of any significant rewards in the end.

Seven of Pentacles: Rhubarb
Rheum palmatum
Laxative. Astringent. The root is used to promote bowel movement, relieve blood in the stool, aid digestion.
Divinatory Meanings: Hard work ahead! Need to till the soil to make room for new growth. Reverse Meanings: Work with no vision. Lack of the ingenuity and imagination needed to achieve goals.

Six of Pentacles: Hops
Humulus lupulus
Digestive tonic. Nervine. Relaxant. Diuretic. Hypnotic. The flowers are used to relieve nervousness, aid digestion, promote urination and relieve fevers. 
Divinatory Meanings: Organization. Giving each their due. Be attentive to details. 
Reverse Meanings: Holding back. Not giving of oneself to others.

Five of Pentacles: Mugwort
Artemisia vulgaris
Bitter digestive tonic. Cholagogue. Antispasmodic. Parasiticide. Emmenagogue. The leaves are made into alcoholic bitters and a teaspoon taken before meals to stimulate appetite. A powder or tea is also taken when fasting to eliminate intestinal parasites. Mugwort promotes menses and relieves painful spasmsand cramping. Thestrong bitterness of the herb represents a process of both internal and external purification.
Divinatory Meanings: Misfortune. Being thrown back on oneself, and discovering innate capabilities. 
Reverse Meanings: A setback that causes real hardship, but will lead to a new path and new possibilities.

Four of Pentacles: Cascara Bark
Rhamnus purshiana
Tonic. Laxative. Cholagogue. Promotes bowel movements and the discharge of bile from the liver and generally cleanses the intestinal tract. 
Divinatory Meanings: Immobility. Clinging to old things that are no longer needed. 
Reverse Meanings: Letting things pass through without absorbing their intent and meaning.

Three of Pentacles: Gentian
genus Gentiana
Bitter tonic. Alterative made into alcoholic bitters with similar herbs; a few drops taken in water before meals stimulates the secretion of hydrochloric acid to aid digestion. Gentian is also used with other herbs as a treatment for herpes and venereal disease.
Divinatory Meanings: The need to assimilate more skills and to cultivate deeper concentration and understanding as a foundation to developing one’s talents.
Reverse Meanings: Weakness and irritation from too much self-abuse.

Two of Pentacles: Yellow Dock
Rumex crispuse
Alterative. Blood tonic. Mild laxative used to stimulate the secretion of bile through the liver and
to purify the blood and whole system. Yellow dock is also used to raise iron levels in the blood, and is particularly useful for anemia.
Divinatory Meanings: Letting go internally of things no longer needed allows for the repuilding of
genuine strength.
Reverse Meanings: Weakness from an inability to use the opportunities that life has presented.

Ace of Pentacles: Whole Grains
Various food grains
Tonic. Nutritive. The basis of all sound nutrition, whole grains raise and regulate energy, and generally balance the metabolism of the body.
Divinatory Meanings: Need for deep nourishment. Unsatisfied desires, cravings and yearnings-Reverse Meanings: Heaviness. Blockage. No more psychic space for further absorption.