Tarot de Marseille: The Picturebook of Fate: The Eights Part 2

This article continues my series examining the trumps of the Tarot de Marseille, adapted from my unpublished manuscript, Tarot de Marseille: The Picturebook of Fate. As throughout this series, the emphasis is placed upon the traditional eikōn of the card, its historical context, and the practical significations I have found useful through divinatory practice. The interpretations presented here reflect my own experience of working with the Tarot de Marseille and should be understood as a working method rather than a definitive authority.

The Sevens: Justice and the Star

Trump XVII, L’Étoile, or the Star, is one of the most attractive and reassuring images in the Tarot. Yet what does it signify? Is it a card of metaphysics and awakening psychic gifts in some coming Aquarian age? Does it promise love, blessings, and second chances? Or does the Star serve a more ancient purpose, guiding us through darkness as Polaris guided travellers and sailors for centuries?

The traditional eikōn of the Star is both serene and enigmatic. A young maiden kneels beside a pool of water. Naked and unashamed, she pours water from two vessels, one upon the earth and the other back into the water from which it came. Behind her stand a tree and a bird, whilst overhead a large star is surrounded by seven smaller stars. The scene is peaceful, harmonious, and curiously timeless.

The essence of the Star is renewal; its function is to guide. Both principles are evident in the image. The maiden continually pours forth water, nourishing the land and replenishing the source from which the water is drawn. The gesture appears wasteful at first glance. Why pour water back into water? Yet the maiden seems unconcerned. Her actions are generous, life-giving, and restorative. She gives freely because renewal depends upon abundance rather than scarcity.

The figure herself is striking. Unlike many of the other trumps, she appears entirely without defence or pretence. Her nakedness signifies openness, sincerity, and vulnerability. Nothing is concealed. The Star therefore invites trust, encouraging us to remain receptive even when circumstances have given us reasons to withdraw.

At its heart, the Star is the card of Hope. In the Christian tradition, hope is not optimism, wishful thinking, or confidence that everything will work out according to our preferences. Rather, hope is the theological virtue by which we trust that the good remains attainable even when the path towards it is unclear. Hope sustains us when certainty is impossible and perseverance difficult. It gives direction amidst confusion and prevents us succumbing to despair. The maiden therefore does not merely renew the world around her; she embodies the confidence that renewal itself is possible.

The stars above her reinforce this message. The seven smaller stars may be understood as the seven wandering stars of classical astrology: the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Beyond these lay the primum mobile, and beyond that the Empyrean, the dwelling place of God and the ultimate object of hope. The heavens were not merely lights in the sky but visible reminders that the universe possesses order, purpose, and direction.

For countless generations, the stars also served as guides. Travellers navigated by them, farmers ordered their work by them, and societies measured time through their movements. They formed the great celestial clock by which the rhythms of life were understood. The Star therefore possesses a close relationship with guidance, timing, and orientation. It reminds us not only that there is a destination, but that there is also a path leading towards it.

This symbolism reaches its fullest expression in the journey of the Magi, who followed the Star of Bethlehem towards Christ. The star did not complete the journey for them, nor did it remove the difficulties they encountered. It simply revealed the direction in which they ought to travel. The Star card functions in much the same way. It does not guarantee an easy road, but it offers guidance, reassurance, and the confidence that one is moving towards the right destination.

The Star frequently manifests through the assistance of others. A friend, adviser, benefactor, healer, or even a stranger may appear at precisely the right moment, offering support, encouragement, or direction when it is most needed. Such help rarely solves every difficulty outright. Rather, it provides the guidance or reassurance necessary to take the next step forward.

The card is also a powerful indicator of regeneration. After a period of hardship, illness, disappointment, or loss, the Star marks the beginning of recovery and renewal. Affairs gradually improve, strength returns, and circumstances become more hopeful. The process is seldom immediate, but it is underway. Just as the maiden replenishes both land and water, the Star signifies that what has been depleted can once again become fruitful.

When the Star appears in a reading, it often does so after a period of difficulty, uncertainty, or loss. The worst has passed, and renewal has begun. The way forward may not yet be fully visible, but hope has returned. Guidance is available, help may arrive from unexpected quarters, and the process of regeneration is already underway. The card reminds us to keep our eyes fixed upon the greater goal, trusting that the darkness will eventually yield to light.

General: The beginning of renewal and regeneration within the querent’s affairs. Hope returns after a period of uncertainty, disappointment, or loss. The card frequently signifies guidance, encouragement, and assistance offered by others. Whilst difficulties may not disappear immediately, the Star reassures us that circumstances are improving and that a clearer path lies ahead. Progress may be gradual, but it is underway.

Love: For those seeking love, the Star is one of the most favourable trumps. New opportunities to meet people arise, often through existing friendships, shared interests, or social circles. It is not uncommon for a friendship to develop into something deeper under this card. In established relationships, the Star helps heal past hurts and restore trust where it has been damaged. Reconciliation is frequently indicated, together with the development of a more mature and supportive bond. Friendship, honesty, and mutual goodwill become the foundations upon which a stronger future is built.

Career: The Star is associated with astronomy, environmental science, botany, biochemistry, and other professions concerned with the natural world. It also governs occupations connected with beauty, wellness, skincare, spas, massage, and holistic wellbeing. In career matters, the card promises new opportunities, gradual advancement, and improving prospects. Businesses recover, projects regain momentum, and efforts begin to yield rewards.

Finance: Alongside the Sun, the Star is one of the most favourable trumps in financial matters. It may signify prizes, gifts, grants, inheritances, or other unexpected benefits. More commonly, it indicates that financial worries are beginning to recede and that circumstances are becoming easier to manage. The querent demonstrates adaptability, sound judgement, and an ability to make the most of available resources.

Health: Anatomically, the Star is associated with the skin, the body’s largest organ. When accompanied by the Sun or Moon, it may indicate conditions such as dry skin or hyperhidrosis respectively. More generally, however, the Star is a powerful card of healing, recovery, and regeneration. It encourages the care and preservation of health and is particularly favourable in matters relating to fertility, conception, convalescence, and recovery following illness.

Essence: Renewal.
Function: Guide.
Polarity: Positive.
Astrological Association: Jupiter.
Timing: Thursday. Within twelve years. It may also indicate Epiphany.

Tarot Cards: Jean Dodal Tarot via Wikipedia Commons. Public Domain.

Featured Image: Ancient Tarot Major Arcana © BP Grimaud/John Waddington Ltd, Leeds & London, Les Tarot de Marseille Jean Noblet, 1650 © Editions «letarot.com» (2001 [hand stencilled trumps]). Les Tarot de Marseille Jean Dodal, 1701 et 1715 © Editions «letarot.com» (2002 [hand stencilled trumps])

24 August, 202621 August, 2026

Tarot de Marseille: The Picturebook of Fate: The Eights Part 1

The Eights: Justice and the Star

Trump VIII, La Justice, is one of the most familiar and enduring images of the Tarot. Yet does it concern only courts, contracts, and legal disputes? If it pertains to consequences and accountability, how does it differ from the purgatorial cleansing of the House of God? Does Justice simply demand that everyone receive equal treatment, or does it point towards a deeper principle of righteousness and right order?

The traditional eikōn of Justice is instantly recognisable. A richly dressed woman sits enthroned upon a great chair. Upon her head she wears a coronet adorned with a central jewel. In one hand she holds a double-edged sword; in the other, a balance. Together these symbols express the two essential aspects of justice: discernment and judgement. The scales weigh evidence and competing claims; the sword enforces the conclusion reached.

The essence of Justice is verity; its function is to balance. Justice begins with truth. Indeed, no just judgement is possible without first establishing the facts of the matter. The card therefore concerns objectivity, fairness, accountability, and the proper ordering of relationships, responsibilities, and obligations. Whilst the House of God purges what is disordered through correction and suffering, Justice seeks first to determine what is right and then restore equilibrium accordingly.

The imagery itself reinforces this principle. Unlike many later depictions of Justice, the Marseille figure wears no blindfold. She sees clearly. This is an important distinction. Justice is not ignorance, neutrality, or indifference. Before the scales can be balanced, the truth must be known. Her direct gaze reminds us that judgement requires observation, discernment, and understanding. The scales weigh the evidence; the sword enforces the verdict. So, watch how Justice balances the cards either side of her.

In the classical Christian tradition, Justice is one of the cardinal virtues and concerns rendering to each person their due. Importantly, this does not always mean giving everyone the same thing. Justice recognises distinctions of circumstance, responsibility, merit, and need. Traditionally, thinkers distinguished between commutative justice, governing obligations between individuals; distributive justice, concerning the allocation of benefits and burdens within society; and legal or social justice, through which individuals contribute to the common good. In every case, the objective remains the same: the establishment and maintenance of right order.

Justice is also a card of causality. Actions produce consequences. Decisions have effects. Causes generate results. The card reminds us that events do not simply arise from nowhere, but proceed from choices, obligations fulfilled or neglected, and the countless interactions that bind society together. Justice therefore asks not merely what happened? but also why did it happen? and what is now due as a result?

For this reason, Justice reminds us that human beings do not exist in isolation. We are members of families, communities, institutions, and societies. Our actions affect others and create obligations which cannot simply be ignored. The card therefore asks whether we have fulfilled our responsibilities, honoured our commitments, and acted with integrity towards those around us. It challenges us to look beyond personal preference and consider what fairness truly requires.

Justice frequently appears when important decisions must be made. Evidence must be gathered, facts established, competing claims weighed, and a conclusion reached. Hasty action is discouraged. The scales remind us that every matter should be examined carefully before judgement is rendered. Once that judgement is reached, however, the sword demands action. Justice does not deliberate indefinitely.

Naturally, the card governs legal matters of all kinds. Courts, contracts, mortgages, leases, wills, taxation, marriage, divorce, and other binding agreements fall within its domain. Yet its significance extends beyond formal legal processes. Whenever obligations, rights, responsibilities, or accountability are central to a situation, Justice is likely to be present. Ultimately, the card asks a simple but profound question: what is truly due in this situation, and how may balance be restored?

General: Righteousness, accountability, and the fair resolution of matters. Justice reminds us that actions have consequences and that causes inevitably produce effects. The card favours careful consideration, impartial judgement, and the weighing of evidence before decisions are reached. Whilst Justice renders what is due, it should not be confused with severity. True justice is tempered by mercy, for justice without mercy becomes cruelty, whilst mercy without justice ceases to be just.

Love: For those who are single, Justice seldom heralds the beginning of a significant new relationship. More often, it suggests that other responsibilities currently demand time, attention, and resources. Relationships that do begin under this card often prove secondary to other obligations and may struggle if practical realities have not been adequately considered. For established couples, Justice emphasises mutual responsibility, fairness, and commitment. Relationships require effort from both parties, and an imbalance of priorities will inevitably create difficulties. The card may also signify separation, divorce, or the equitable division of shared assets and responsibilities.

Career: Justice is naturally associated with the legal profession, including solicitors, barristers, judges, legal secretaries, and clerks. It also governs professions concerned with rules, regulation, and administration, such as human resources, local government, the civil service, compliance, and auditing. More generally, the card teaches that professional success depends upon diligence, reliability, and integrity. Poor timekeeping, failure to meet obligations, and neglect of responsibilities can result in sanctions or dismissal. Conversely, Justice rewards conscientious work and may indicate contracts, agreements, or offers being formally concluded.

Finance: Justice signifies finances that are properly accounted for and carefully balanced. Taxes, settlements, pensions, insurance claims, maintenance payments, and other financial obligations frequently fall under this card. Whilst it seldom promises sudden gains, it favours prudent management, steady savings, and investments approached with due care. Money is received or paid according to what is owed.

Health: Anatomically, Justice is associated with the lungs, kidneys, and urinary system. More broadly, it emphasises balance and personal responsibility in matters of health. Proper diet, exercise, and self-care are essential, whilst neglect and excess are likely to produce long-term consequences. Long-standing habits, whether beneficial or harmful, tend to yield their natural results under this card. Justice may also indicate colds, respiratory complaints, and chest infections, particularly when supported by cards such as the World.

Essence: Verity.
Function: Balance.
Polarity: Neutral.
Astrological Association: Libra.
Timing: October.

Tarot Cards: Jean Dodal Tarot via Wikipedia Commons. Public Domain.

20 August, 202620 August, 2026

Tarot de Marseille: The Picturebook of Fate: The Sevens Part 3

The Sevens: The Charioteer and the House of God

Let us now review another reading and, in doing so, introduce a new spread.

The Mundane Cross

The Mundane Cross is a draw I utilise with all the card systems I work with, including the Tarot de Marseille, Petit Lenormand, Oracle Belline, Tarot Persan de Madame Indira, Oracle de la Triade, and the Victorian Flower Oracle. I developed the spread from certain conventions found in older cartomancy and eventually gave it its name because its layout resembles the traditional glyph of the Earth.

The spread is particularly well suited to questions focused upon a difficulty, obstacle, or challenge that the seeker either anticipates or is presently experiencing.

The 21 trumps and Madman card are shuffled, cut, and dealt in the following manner. The first card is placed at the centre. The second is placed below it, the third above it, the fourth to its left, and the fifth to its right. The resulting layout appears as follows:

03
04 – 01 – 05
02

Position 1: The Present.
Position 2: The Past.
Position 3: The Future.
Position 4: Unhelpful Influences or What to Avoid.
Position 5: Helpful Influences or How to Act.

These days, we are often encouraged to view the past on the left and the future on the right. Yet many older cartomantic methods employed a vertical axis instead. If one considers archaeology, the symbolism becomes rather intuitive: the past lies beneath us because it forms the foundation upon which the present rests. Likewise, the future appears above because it represents what is yet to be built.

A similar logic informs the horizontal axis. The Latin words for left and right are sinister and dexter respectively. Traditionally, the left-hand side was associated with difficulties, complications, and disruptive influences, whilst the right conveyed assistance, remedy, and favourable action.

The Mundane Cross retains these older associations.

The vertical line (Positions 2-1-3) describes the development of the situation from past through present into future. The horizontal line reveals what hinders and what helps. Even where the future appears difficult, the spread frequently reveals practical steps by which matters may be improved.

Stephen’s Reading

Ana is one of my oldest friends. Her eldest son, Stephen, had found himself in some trouble during his teenage years and made a number of foolish mistakes. He eventually dropped out of university and, now in his early twenties, was struggling to secure permanent employment.

Ana was less concerned with predicting exactly what would happen than with understanding how she could best help him move forwards.

The cards dealt were:

Position 1: The House of God
Position 2: The Juggler
Position 3: The Angel
Position 4: Death
Position 5: The Hermit

The reading begins with the Juggler in the position of the past. The card suggested wasted potential, poor judgement, and a tendency to treat serious matters too lightly. Stephen possessed ability and opportunity, but lacked clear direction. As a consequence, he made choices that drew the wrong sort of attention and closed doors that might otherwise have remained open.

The Juggler can be energetic and talented, but he is not always prudent. In Stephen’s case, the card seemed to describe someone experimenting with life without fully appreciating the consequences of his actions.

The present was represented by the House of God.

Stephen was now experiencing the consequences of his earlier decisions. Although uncomfortable, the process served a corrective purpose.

In my own work, I frequently associate the House of God with Purgatory. Contrary to popular imagination, Purgatory is not primarily concerned with punishment but with purification. It is the process by which what is disordered, harmful, or incomplete is gradually transformed and made ready for something better.

Seen in this light, the House of God suggested that Stephen was passing through a necessary period of correction. His mistakes were not being ignored, nor were they being permitted to define him forever. Rather, they were being exposed, confronted, and purified through experience.

Importantly, the card did not simply indicate change. It indicated visible change. It would not be enough for Stephen to claim that he had learned from his mistakes. He would need to demonstrate it through his actions and conduct. The House of God tears down what is unsound so that something stronger may eventually be built in its place.

Far from indicating destruction for its own sake, the card suggested that Stephen was in the middle of a transformative process. Much like Purgatory itself, the discomfort served a purpose: preparing him for the renewal promised by the Angel that follows.

The future was represented by the Angel, one of the most hopeful cards in the traditional tarot.

The Angel is a card of resurrection, restoration, and second chances. It suggests that something believed lost may yet be recovered. Opportunities previously squandered may return, provided the lessons of the past have genuinely been learned.

For this reason, I felt there was a strong possibility that Stephen would eventually return to education or training. More broadly, the card suggested a vocation or calling waiting to be rediscovered. Once the errors of the past had been corrected and put behind him, he would be free to move forwards.

The card in the position of what to avoid was Death.

In this context, Death did not represent literal endings but rather the temptation to abandon hope. The card warned against writing himself off, defining himself by his mistakes, or concluding that his future had already been determined by his past.
The danger represented by Death was the belief that it was all over. Stephen needed to avoid becoming trapped by regret, resentment, or self-condemnation. The card warned him not to abandon the struggle.

The card showing how to act was the Hermit.

The Hermit advised prudence, reflection, and careful consideration. Rather than applying for jobs indiscriminately, Stephen needed to think seriously about what he actually wanted to achieve and how best to reach that goal.

The card also suggested discernment in the opportunities he pursued. Simply seeking any employment without purpose or direction would do little to demonstrate maturity. The Hermit encouraged him to develop a plan, reflect upon his past mistakes, and identify a meaningful path forwards.

Patience was essential. The Hermit does not rush. He illuminates the road one step at a time.

Taken together, the spread tells a remarkably coherent story.

The Juggler represents youthful mistakes and wasted opportunities. The House of God shows those mistakes being exposed, corrected, and purified through difficult experience. The Angel reveals the possibility of restoration and a second chance. Death warns against despair, whilst the Hermit advises a deliberate and thoughtful approach to the future.

The vertical axis tells a story not of downfall, but of redemption. The Juggler represents youthful errors and wasted opportunities. The House of God shows those errors being purified and corrected through experience. The Angel then reveals the possibility of restoration and a second chance. Stephen’s difficulties were therefore not the end of his story, but the means by which he was being prepared for a better one.

This example illustrates one of the great strengths of the Mundane Cross. The spread not only reveals the challenge itself but also identifies both the principal danger and the most effective remedy. Even when circumstances appear difficult, it often points towards a constructive path forward.

Tarot Cards: Jean Dodal Tarot via Wikipedia Commons. Public Domain.