Some further thoughts on Uranus and the Fool

Just some further thoughts and words on the Full Moon reading from the other night, inspired by the discussion began in the commentaries…

As I was explaining something about the zodiacal sign of Aquarius, I remembered some of my own thoughts about the astrological correspondences of the various Major Arcana.

The correspondences in the Celestial Tarot follow the traditional correspondences as outlined by the Order of the Golden Dawn. This is the system that most (if not all) Tarot decks follow. However, these original correspondences also did not take into account the newly-discovered three outer planets of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (and in more recent times Chiron) as they were based upon the hermetic/alchemical/magical teachings from Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, when these planets were unknown. Recent Tarotologists have attributed the outer planets to the three Major Arcana cards which did not have astrological attributons, but elemental ones: the Fool (Air – became Uranus), the Hanged Man (Water – became Neptune), and Judgement (Fire – became Pluto).

With my understanding of Astrology, I have found some of the traditional correspondences to be somewhat unsatisfactory. And in supporting this claim, I offer the example of Uranus.

Uranus’ energy is clearly one of sudden, unexpected change. But he can also augur this sudden change also as disruption. Uranus is also the ancient and primal sky god, who rules with a thunderbolt. And based upon the myth of the Uranus, he is smothering his creation, not allowing his offspring to flourish, and in fact imprisoning them back into the womb (Earth).

Clearly there is also some close correlations here with the arcanum of the Tower. The teaching of this card is that we imprison ourselves behind the walls of the Tower to protect us from the evils outside; the problem however is an internal one, thus the image of the bolt of lightning from the sky (outside, God, etc) that in a sudden and unexpected instant smash the walls and expose us to the world (an element here of enlightenment also). This to me is closer to Uranian energy than it is to Mars (the traditional correspondence of this card).

However, one cannot argue that Uranus does not also fit with the Fool’s energy – certainly the more gentle Uranian energy fits here better. But while Uranus influences us in subtle ways in our natal chart, it is the transits of Uranus (and transiting aspects to it) which bring about those very sudden and unexpected changes.