Exploring Tarot Decks ~ Western Tattva Tarot

Yesterday we looked at the Enochian Skrying Tarot deck in my Exploring Tarot Decks series, so today, we’ll look at the flip side of the deck, the Western Tattva Tarot. This system uses triangular elemental symbols appearing as single and compound tattvas. Tattvas are considered as qualities of each element and are depicted as varying triangles in the Western system and as individual symbols in the Eastern tradition. Spirit is depicted by an eight-spoked wheel. Single tattva cards have one large triangle in the center of the card surrounded by its complementary color so a Fire card, for example, would have a red upward-pointing triangle surrounded by a green background, while a Water card would have a downward-pointing blue triangle surrounded by an orange background. Compound tattva cards have either two or three elemental triangles embedded together illustrating that in creation, elements arrange themselves in concert with others.

In today’s reading, only the tri-elemental cards are used. In fact, after shuffling the deck, the deck is cut and the top half is placed off to the left and only tri-elemental cards are selected. There are sixty-four tri-elemental cards and they correspond to the sixty-four guas or hexagrams from the I-Ching. The outer elemental triangle corresponds to the top two lines of the hexagram; the next triangle corresponds to the middle two lines; and, the center triangle corresponds to the lowest two lines. Fire and Water dominate the reading with Air and Earth influencing as well.

Beginning with card 11, Gradual Progress, we see Fire, Water, and Earth represented. But it’s read from the center outward, so it’s referred to elementally as Earth of Water of Fire and involves the influences of our physical and emotional presence along with our expression of will. Its counsel is patience and perseverance while avoiding impulsive decisions.

Air of Fire of Water creates Abundant Power in this 28th tattva tarot card. Intellect, will, and our emotions are in play with this card. Air increases fire’s intensity which can then intensify emotion. So again, patience is encouraged in the face of an abundance of power.

The Source (Well) is the title of card 32 and reflects Air of Water of Water asking where it is we find our nourishment. What nourishes our intellect, our emotions, our soul? Where do we find our well-being? Again, we’re asked to reflect on where we are in our life and to allow change.

Our emotions are dominating right now with some practical and intellectual influence affecting as well. But it’s Fire and our will that may determine the intensity of our emotions and we may need to use that will to remain in control over the next few days.

I’ve used this deck off and on for several years and I confess to liking the Tattva side more than the Enochian side especially when I need to get a general overview of what’s either happening or coming. I love the I-Ching and its use in the interpretation of tattvas is typically spot on. The same is true for the geomantic figures included on the Enochian side of the cards. I find that I can get a basic idea of the energy or direction involved by looking at the geomantic figure on the card.

The spreads included in the accompanying guide are interesting and I’ve found many of them useful. The single tattva cards can be utilized in scrying rituals as well and examples are included in the guide as well.

I have no idea what deck I’ll use next, maybe the Silver Witchcraft deck that arrived today. It’s creator is Barbara Moore and the artist is Franco Rivolli and it’s an interesting deck.

Tarot Blessings!