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READING THE MARSEILLE PIPS: Skills from Previous Centuries Notes © Caitlín Matthews, 2016

BCM Hallowquest, London WC1N 3XX, U.K. www.hallowquest.org.uk

Identifying the Suits: (Camoin Marseilles)

Ace of Batons/Wands/Bastone, Swords/Épées/Spade, Coins/Deniers/Danari, Cups/Coupe/Coppe.

How the same cards change aspect from Rider Waite Smith (original edition) to Tarot de Marseille (by Kris Hadar): Chariot, 9 Cups, 10 Swords, Queen Swords

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A. We can build keyword meanings from combining Suit + Number. In your reading, have a clear question, check suit and number, and answer the question from the combinations in context to the question. There are MANY combinations of suit and number! Below I’ve combined one suit with one number theme to make a word: you will find many more – try it yourself! SUITS AND THEIR THEMES Swords: Intellect, rational, verbal, aggressive, sharp, ambition, analytical, decisive, discernment, struggling, belief, seed, Air, Justice. Wands: Desire, passionate, outgoing, energetic, creative, sociable, recreative, expressive, impulsive, dominating, volatile, reactive, branch. Fire, Strength. Cups: Emotions, romantic, relating, sentimental, domestic, devoted, nostalgic, yearning, responsive, intuitive, reservoir. Water, Temperance. Coins: Physical, material, practical, conservative, cautious, grounded, expressive, manifesting, secure, finance, root. Earth, Prudence NUMBERS AND THEIR THEMES ACES: spark, seed , instigation, primal impetus, arousal, initial, beginning, conceiving, initiating. TWOS: relating, meeting, responding, attraction, transaction, dialogue, inner/outer, confirming, affirming, decisions. THREES: emerging, manifesting, growing, loss/gain, bonds, planning, projecting, preparing, creating. FOURS: order, moderation, rigidity, stabilization, conserving, pattern, FIVES: adapting, changing, dichotomy, crisis, challenge, abrasive, divisive, struggle SIXES: community, balance, harmony, charity, mercy, maintaining, centralizing SEVENS: exploring possibilities, action, negotiation, perseverance, expanding, experimenting. EIGHTS: refining choices, re-evaluation, enforced change, direction- shift, structuring, limiting, assessing, benchmark. NINES: culmination, timeliness, rewards, consequences, flowing, integrating, increasing, overspill TENS: completion, extremity, accumulation, dissolution, accomplishment, satisfaction, end. THE CARDS BY NUMBER AND SUIT = KEYWORD Odd numbers = moving, Even numbers = holding. *NOTE* The keywords in this List are not the sole or only ones: please find your own combos! Meanings will change according to the question criteria. ACES: spark, seed , instigation, primal impetus, arousal, initial, beginning, conceiving, initiating.

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ACE SWORDS : (initial + word) = opening address. (seed + rational) = sense ACE WANDS: (arousal + creativity) = inspiring sex. (spark + energy) = anger ACE CUPS: (beginning + romance) = first love. (start + devotion) = dedication ACES COINS: (conceiving + prudence) = wisdom. (primal + finance) = capital TWOS: relating, meeting, responding, attraction, transaction, dialogue, inner/outer, confirming, affirming, decisions. SWORD 2: (meeting + aggression) = truce WANDS 2: (relating + reaction) = choice CUPS 2: (responding + emotions) = reciprocation COINS 2: (decision + practical) = fluctuating THREES: emerging, manifesting, growing, loss/gain, bonds, planning, projecting, preparing, creating. SWORD 3: (emerging+ discrimination) = separation WANDS 3: (plan + energy) = intention CUPS 3: (emerging + sentiment) = friendship COINS 3: (growing + expression) = work FOURS: order, moderation, rigidity, stabilization, conserving, pattern, SWORD 4: (struggle + stabilization) = Respite WANDS 4: (pattern + recreation) = Celebration CUPS 4: (order + yearning) = Dissatisfaction COINS 4: ( conserving + finance) = Savings FIVES: adapting, changing, dichotomy, crisis, challenge, abrasive, divisive, struggle SWORD 5: (abrasive + thoughts) = Mental confusion WANDS 5: (divisive + ambition) = Rivalry CUPS 5: (responsive + crisis) = Disillusion COINS 5: (struggle + finances) = Want, bankruptcy SIXES: community, balance, harmony, charity, mercy, maintaining, centralizing SWORD 6: (balance + discernment) = Insightfulness WANDS 6: (out-going + charity) = Generosity CUPS 6: (emotional + harmony) = Joy COINS 6: (practical + community) = Commonweal, government SEVENS: exploring possibilities, action, negotiation, perseverance, expanding, experimenting. SWORD 7: (verbal + negotiating) = Conference, council WANDS 7: (energetic + perseverance) = Ambition CUPS 7: (emotional + expansion ) = Elation COINS 7: (experimenting + finances ) = Playing the stock market EIGHTS: refining choices, re-evaluation, enforced change, direction- shift, structuring, limiting, assessing, benchmark.

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SWORD 8: (belief + re-evaluation) = Change of mind WANDS 8: (enforcing + volatile ) = Expediency, violence CUPS 8: (intuition + limiting ) = Self-doubt COINS 8: (practice + benchmark ) = Skill NINES: culmination, timeliness, rewards, consequences, flowing, integrating, increasing, overspill SWORD 9: (struggling + culimination ) = Suffering WANDS 9: (impulse + consequences ) = Chaos CUPS 9: (devotion + increase) = Fulfilment COINS 9: (manifestation + integration ) = Accomplishment TENS: completion, extremity, accumulation, dissolution, accomplishment, satisfaction, end. SWORD 10: (rational + dissolution ) = Inevitable decline WANDS 10: (dominating + extremity ) = Responsibility, tyranny CUPS 10: ( emotional + satisfaction) = Wholeness/happiness COINS 10: (money + accumulation ) = Inheritance COURTS AND SUITS AS PEOPLE

Swords courts: instigating, zealous, ruthless, convinced, direct, exact, argumentative, conceptual, forceful. Wands courts: vivacious and gregarious, affable, argumentative, strong, flexible, energetic, intentioned, creative. Cups courts: gentle, hesitant, retiring, moody, emotional, intense, compassionate, merciful, Coins courts: moderate, precise, cautious, shrewd, secure, enduring, wise, reserved

KINGS are commanding, authoritative, stately, unbending, sharing, experienced, prudent, established, expert QUEENS are gracious, accessible, demanding, trend-setters, maturing, mediating, achieving, embodying, exemplar KNIGHTS are chivalrous, bold, adventurous, out there, mobile, far-reaching, active, manifesting, dynamic, progressive, agent PAGES are risking, trying, serviceable, patient, able to liaise, connecting, supporting, student, novice.

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B. We can also read Pips from their numerical association with the trumps.

HOW THE PIP MEANINGS CAN BE DETERMINED BY THE TRUMPS: (VIII=Justice, XI = Strength) Here the trumps lend their lustre to the pips.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 :NUMBERS OF PIPS I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X :TRUMPS XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX :TRUMPS XXI

Aces: Magician & Strength & World: confidence and self-control, completion Twos: Priestess & Hanged Man: relating and trial. Threes: Empress & Death: birth & growth and death & decay. Fours: Emperor & Temperance: form and balance. Fives: Hierophant & Devil: tradition & salvation and alternative & damnation. Sixes: Lovers & Tower: choice and consequences. Sevens: Chariot & Stars: triumph and inspiration. Eights: Justice & Moon: truth and mutability. Nines: Hermit & Sun: guidance and illumination Tens: Wheel of Fortune & Judgement: fortune and resurrection

A job applicant asks: On what basis are they hiring for the university post? 4 Coins, 2 Cups, 6 Swords (Kris Hadar Tarot de Marseille)

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CROSS AND PASSPORT by Caitlín Matthews The Cross 1-5 is the situation itself. The Passport 6-8 is the way the client can move on. With your whole deck lay cards like this: 4 1 2 3 + 6 7 8 5 1. The Client’s Situation. 2. The wisdom in the situation 3. What the client faces 4. Advice or What to do 5. Outcome or What not to do. 6-8. are read as a line, then as amplifications of 1-3: read 1+6, 2+7, 3+8 If you want to practise your pips, then lay only trumps on cards 1-3 and only pips on cards 6-8 by taking the first trumps or pips to come out of a turn-over.

Example of Cross & Passport. She asks, ‘how can I get my boyfriend back?’ The Cross: XX = the client. O = what they are facing 5 Coins = how they deal with it . XII = the outcome. 5 Wands = wisdom they can use

The Passport: read the 3 cards as the way forward; then mirror these with the corresponding 3

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READING FROM SUITS & NUMBERS – THREE CARD LAYER In this spread you read the majors as normal and the pips/courts from their number & suit. 1. Think of a question and turn over cards one at a time, in a pile until you come to a major, keeping the discards that led to this major under it. 2. Start pile two and do the same, then pile three. You should have three piles of cards with a major at the top of each. 3. Read the majors as usual as a response to the question. 4. Look beneath the major in each pile to scan the number and suit of the minors beneath. How do these support and amplify what the trumps say?

In this example, the question is about a Paypal client who was creating trouble for me: I asked about how he might best be satisfied. The Trumps are: World, Judgement reversed, and Sun – so the issue is about completing this transaction. Reversed Judgement is a little dodgy but I seriously don’t want a replay of this person’s behaviour. Lastly the Sun tells me that things will successfully sort out. Scanning the pips/courts under each card gives us more

Reading on Yes and No questions. Try drawing 3 pip cards and see what suit combinations arise.