Playing Cards and Decans: Taurus II — The Six of Diamonds
See the master post on my 2024 decan walk and playing cards
Six of Diamonds
Taurus II is the decan of Taurus 10° to 19° (inclusive). It is ruled by the Moon, in a sign ruled by Venus. It corresponds to the six of pentacles in Tarot, which further corresponds to the six of diamonds in playing cards.
The traditional English method divinatory meanings for this card are:
- Marriage early in life, succeeded by widow-hood.
- marks an early marriage and premature widowhood, but that the second marriage will probably be more unfortunate.
- Early marriage and possible widowhood.
- Early marriage and possible widowhood.
(These numbers start at 2 as the first source listed in the metapost doesn’t contain a delineation!)
Reflection
The Moon can signify changes and fluctuations, as it’s the fastest moving “planet” in astrology. It represents the individual corporeal body, alongside conception, motherhood, and (to list significations from Valens!) nurture, housekeeping, and living together. Valens further assigns it to voyages, travel, and wanderings, alongside expenses and gains — which I interpret as finances in the sense of household finances and management, rather than money itself. Venus also represents motherhood, alongside nurturing, but with an emphasis on love and desire of all kinds.
Between the two of them, we have love and travel, motherhood and pleasure. Both planets are of the night sect, with the Moon leading the night planet of Venus, so it is no surprise that we see the Moon “winning” in the end with this card, with the early wedding eventually disappearing. On a bodily level, the Moon is the breath, and Venus is the lungs. Venus contains the Moon’s breath within her lungs, which is eventually exhaled out.
“Widowhood” is the negative aspect of this card. It is not a divorce, but the possible death of the spouse. To reach into the astrological symbolism, the Moon represents the human body and change, with death as one inevitable change to the human body — although this is certainly one of those parts where the astrological and cartomantic symbolism diverges. You would not expect the Moon in exaltation in Taurus to represent possible early deaths of loved ones!
Let’s look at the Rider-Waite tarot:
Six of Pentacles
Here we see distribution of resources. Fairness is implied, with the scales of justice, but it is not equal, with money only being given to one individual. This sense of non-equal justice is reflected in the combination of marriage and widowhood in one card: everyone receives their due, with both the joy of Venus and the inevitable changes that the Moon brings.
Peace,
⭕