Tarot Time Frame Reference System
© Cheryl Lynne Bradley 1993-2009

Time frame is a concern rarely addressed by Tarot books or readers. This is a very simple and, a someone I once knew said, elegant Time Frame Reference System that I have developed over the course of my professional career. I have found it to be accurate to within 3 days either way. You will need a calendar which shows the stages of the moon to utilize this system effectively. If the card is upright is represents the coming date, if reversed the previous one. As a further note of interest and time frame reference, I have also found that a Celtic Cross reading will actualize itself in approximately 3 1/2 weeks.

This system uses the Major Arcana without Key 0 The Fool (the leap of faith) and Key 21 The World (dancing the dance of life at the centre of the universe) as I feel they are not fixed in time or space. I have also included the 12 Zodiac signs and applicable planets, governing Angel and Day of the Week for each specified Major Arcana and a very, very brief definition. This is also helpful when dealing with planetary aspects, retrogrades and movements. Reversals can be highly indicative of retrograde, eclipse or void of course activity.

Key 1 The Magician

Key 2 The High Priestess

Key 3 The Empress

Key 4 The Emperor

Key 5 The Hierophant

Key 6 The Lovers

Key 7 The Chariot

Key 8 Strength

Key 9 The Hermit

Key 10 The Wheel of Fortune

Key 11 Justice

Key 12 The Hanged Man

Key 13 Death

Key 14 Temperance

Key 15 The Devil

Key 16 The Tower

Key 17 The Star

Key 18 The Moon

Key 19 The Sun

Key 20 Judgement

The Minor Cards (1-10) of the individual suits can also be used to represent time according to their numbered value, i.e. Ace is one unit. The Cups represent the days, the Coins measure the weeks, the Wands indicate the months and the Swords measure the time in years. Again, if upright they are looking to the future and if reversed they are looking towards the past. A more detailed system for the minors will be forthcoming.

For the purpose of instruction and the enhancement of Astrological understanding, in particular if Court Cards present in your reading, it is worth noting the following information: The twelve signs of the Zodiac are divided into four groups. Each three sign group is called a triplicity. They are grouped by their element - Earth (Coins), Air (Swords), Fire (Wands) or Water (Cups). Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are Fire signs. Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn are Earth signs. Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are Air signs. Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are Water signs.

The twelve signs of the Zodiac are also divided into three groups. Each of these groups is called a quadruplicity. Each of the quadruplicities indicate a quality of the sign. The three qualities are Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable. These qualities denote the sign's interaction with the outside world. Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn are Cardinal signs. They are outgoing, creative and entreprising. Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius are Fixed signs. They are resistant to change and perfectionists. Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces are Mutable signs. They are flexible and adaptable to change.

If you have taken some dramatic action to try and force the outcome of a reading, i.e. "Well the cards said he/she was going to call next week and it was going to be okay so I'll just go ahead and call him/her tonight or maybe I'll just go over there and see what's happening.", you will change the outcome of the reading and learn a hard lesson about impatience. We always have the power to change our future in either a positive or a negative way. Our thoughts, words and deeds in relation to information gleaned from a reading can change the probable direction shown in a reading and, therefore, any time frame which may have been indicated. Our futures are not carved in stone or tattooed on our foreheads.

Have some fun with this and see how it works for you.

Time Frame Reference for Minor Arcana

This page was updated 03-04-2009