ARCANUM WITHOUT A NUMBER
THE ALCHEMICAL QUEST
Your task: To step on the road to
evolution.
Magic phrase: Freedom to explore new
possibilities.
This card symbolises Man in search of his
soul.
A person is on the point of departure
carrying a half-opened suitcase, with only the
Tarot d'Or inside it. He is walking on the deck
of a ship, which is in fact a chessboard, as
well as the web of the universe. The sun beneath
his feet indicates a change in the plane of his
consciousness. He moves forward on his quest for
light, for it is lies before him. Barefoot, he
feels free. He has left behind many things and
many people, but what does this matter?
Possessing no number, this card serves as a
joker, a wild card, and allows you to get out of
any uncomfortable situation.
It will help you overcome those periods when
you have the blues, moments of discouragement.
This card will always allow you to rebound and
start anew. A touch of folly enlivens you -
without folly, life can be so dull! Your past
experiences make up your riches and you know how
to take advantage of them. But all the same, you
should take care not to run away from reality
and obligations.
With this card, you can do anything. You
aspire to live out your destiny to the full, to
be adventurous, even to move to other shores.
You have the heart of an adventurer! So don't
delay living or you may live with regrets!
You do not like your freedom being curtailed
and you are right! However, you must respect the
liberty of others to attain perfect balance.
Gemstone: Rock crystal or quartz
crystal correspond to this card. Crystals are
pure light, white light, which is what all human
beings seek to attain.
ARCANUM NUMBER 1
THE MAGICIAN
Your task: To be the hero of your
life, so create your adventure! To develop the
divine which is within you.
Magic phrase: Point of departure,
willpower, action, work. Learn and discover.
A new challenge is calling you, opportunities
lie before you. A new kind of energy is felt.
You are this Magician, and in the bag, which
also symbolises karma, are all the tools that
you need for your work. The 4 elements, air,
water, fire, earth, are represented on the table
by the cup, the coin, the baton and the sword.
You are already prepared like in initiate to
face your destiny.
You have energy, much intelligence, and
courage. The Magician wears a heart. You wish to
fill up your cup with love, and when it is full,
you will be able to offer it to others.
Seek all the strength that you can find
within you and choose the road which will lead
you to success. Do not doubt yourself. Have
self-confidence. If you were not able to connect
to this confidence in your childhood, you will
have to conquer it. You must use the sword to
vanquish your enemies which are your fears, wake
up the sleeping princess who is your soul and
who wishes to be freed.
Your are the seeker in search of spirituality
and you step on to the path. Your trials will
need to be faced and seen as challenges to be
overcome. Even if you trip and fall, you will
get up and each time you will be a little
stronger. The two pillars of your inner temple
will invite you on this initiatory journey.
Gemstone: Rose quartz bring gentleness
and tenderness. They will help you connect to
your inner child.
ARCANUM NUMBER 2
THE COSMIC MOTHER
Your task: To use the key to pass
through the veil of unknowing.
Magic phrase: Knowledge opens the door to
cosmic awareness.
How can one know without learning?
Knowledge comes from the stars.
In this card, a woman holds a sacred book. It
speaks of Knowledge. Of cosmic laws. When you
act in the law, you have balance, and your
actions are just. This is called dharma. In the
beginning, it's as if you're in a labyrinth, you
are like someone blind and seek your path.
Self-knowledge allows you to remove all the dark
veils in order to reveal your true identity:
your divinity. Step by step, by overcoming the
emotional states that disturb you, you will
acquire equanimity.
The cosmic mother is connected to the world
of stars, to the whole cosmos. She unites the
heavens and the earth. What is above is as
below, nothing is separated. Her realm is
spiritual.
The cosmic mother gives you the keys that
open the gate of the tower! This closed tower
represents symbolically the divine energy, the
Kundalini, the serpent who unwinds, in order to
vibrate at its highest level, and to unfold
completely in the 16th card: "The House of
Life".
The Cosmic Mother represents a woman who
guides you through an initiation, who acts as a
mid-wife, as a mother. She holds all secrets.
She can represent the relationship to the
mother.
Gemstone: Jasper calms the nausea of
pregnancy and gastric troubles.
ARCANUM NUMBER 3
RIGHT ON TARGET
Your task: To express your creativity
clearly.
Magic phrase: To think is to create.
After having passed the initiation of the
Cosmic Mother, you have to aim at your target
right in the middle, and score a bull's-eye. You
must use this knowledge for your inner
development and personal life. There are
different symbols that explain this. The goal
must be the 1000.
The Hebrew letter, the final Aleph, has the
numerical value of 1000 and means: the final
apotheosis of the adept who meets the father
again. The goose, who symbolises cosmic order
(cosmic law) unwinds the Moebius ribbon or the
yin/yang. Perfection.
With this card, you will learn how to put
into practice the difficult task of harmonising
the three different levels which are:
Thought, Speech, Action.
Fix an objective and forget all else until
you have reached it. This is important in order
to succeed in any enterprise.
Choose a task and carry it to its finish with
an absolute concentration on the goal to be
reached. This will prevent your energies from
being depleted or dissipated.
Once they are in harmony with each other,
these three levels activate a process which
liberates one's intelligence and energy . And
therefore great self-confidence is attained.
This card betokens success.
The feminine archetype of this card
represents creative power over the earth.
(Fertility, goddess mother.)
Gemstone: Blue calcedony helps keep
ideas clear and helps in clear self expression.
ARCANUM NUMBER 4
THE CONQUEROR
Your task: Construction,
responsibility, generosity.
Magic phrase: Uncover the gems of your
inner treasure, and display them to gladden
others.
With The Conqueror you will be able to
make that which you have conceived, something
that exists in reality.
In this card, The Conqueror carries by way of
a sceptre a planet. The sceptre
symbolises command and inner royalty. He wishes
to conquer and expand his territory as well as
protect it. He is a builder. He represents the
man, the father, virility, just authority. He
possesses calming strength.
His legs in the shape of a 4 symbolise the
square, the earth. In numerology, the 4 is the
earth. He is well grounded in matter. He is
stable and asserts power over the material
world.
Gemstone: Jade helps maintain balance
between the sky and the earth.
ARCANUM NUMBER 5
UNION
Your task: To communicate, create
bonds of understanding and friendship.
Magic phrase: The union of hearts is the
bridge that links people.
The two columns of the Temple are very
important in this card. They represent the union
between the sky and the earth. The arch of
alliance symbolises stability and the rainbow
links us to another dimension: the dimension of
faith.
The two people hold each other's hands and
look to the future, straight ahead. What is
important is the future, what is to come! Union
amongst people will ensure peace on earth. Do
not be dogmatic and believe in your spiritual
power! The card heralds a blessing, a union, a
marriage between two beings. It is the symbol of
understanding, harmony and communication. Have a
larger view on life and be more open to others.
The body's health depends on peace of mind.
Heartwounds must heal.
Gemstone: Emeralds bring peace and
harmony. It is said that they heal heartwounds.
ARCANUM NUMBER 6
LOVE
Your task: To love.
Magic phrase: Listen to your heart and
have confidence in yourself.
This card represents Love.
A donkey is moving slowly towards Isis, the
Egyptian God, who is seated and serene on her
throne. He will fall into the cup of love. The
winding path of love can be a long one. Watch
out! The roses has thorns and often causes
hearts to bleed.
Love is always a question mark, for it can
never be certain that you truly possess it. Love
has a thousand faces, and many choices will need
to be made in one's lifetime. These are the laws
of attraction and repulsion.
Love means giving and receiving. One cannot
possess love, but do not doubt its existence.
Have confidence in your heart. Only your heart
truly knows, because love is beyond reason.
Human love leads to universal love.
Seek love, and each encounter will unveil
love a little more. Do not be afraid to love and
to be loved. Love makes one beautiful. The most
important aspect of this card is to have
confidence in yourself.
Gemstone: The ruby is red, like blood,
like a heart. It is the stone of love.
ARCANUM NUMBER 7
ENERGY
Your task: To take difficult and
courageous decisons which will help you to
progress.
Magic phrase: Be the Master of your
destiny.
A prince is riding on his chariot, full speed
ahead! The galoping horses are pulling together.
He is blue, like Krishna on his chariot of
fire.
You have a solid grasp on the reins, and have
taken control of your life. You know where you
are heading.
This card is the result of your choices and
decisions concerning all your undertakings and
your autonomy in general. It is a
transformation, a form of initiation.
You are experiencing good, positive energy
and are on the way to success. You hardly
recognise yourself. Nothing and nobody will
prevent you from reaching your goal! You are
determined!
But be careful all the same not to go too
fast. Success must be attained in stages.
You control and have mastery over your
destiny. There is movement in this card, because
you do not feel like keeping still. Perhaps you
even wish to travel. This is the card that
represents success on a material level and for
any undertaking in general.
Gemstone: Citrine provides mental
stability.
ARCANUM NUMBER 8
EQUILIBRIUM
Your task: To be fair and
balanced.
Magic phrase: Equilibrium is acquired by
working on oneself and by the understanding of
karma.
A tall oak towers over you. Its roots are
impressive. They symbolise your rootedness in
this life as well as your knowledge of your
past. The oak represents wisdom, stability,
balance.
A yin-yang sign is in the middle of its
trunk. This symbol embodies both the harmony and
the infinity of all things.
The scale represents karma, action and
reaction, good and evil, and the eye represents
conscience. The heart should be as light as a
feather. All must be in perfect equilibrium.
This is what one calls dharma. There is no need
for self-justification!
Rigour and resolution in all one does is
required. When it comes to the final reckoning,
overseen by the Goddess Maat, the justice of man
is not as severe as divine justice.
Mental strength will provide great energy. Be
truthful, do not lie, and neither must you lie
to yourself. Being true to oneself means that
one no longer flees ones inner self. This card
represents the awareness of right actions. It
teaches you self-defense and also how to fight.
Gemstone: Snowflake obsidian has
powerful magical qualities. It is the stone of
truth.
ARCANUM NUMBER 9
THE ENCHANTER
Your task: Patience, study, wisdom,
prudence.
Magic phrase: The crisis you are going
through will be make you a better person.
The Enchanter is a sage. He is alone, but he
is not sad.
This arcanum speaks of silence, solitude and
slowness. Nothing seems to move, but that is
just an illusion.
Three hares dance for the moon. In the
Buddhist doctrine, the hare means renounciation
and confidence in a future liberation. This card
also symbolises emotional instability.
You feel rather lonely as you realise all you
still need to learn and understand, and how much
time you still need to wait in order to get the
results you are counting upon! Be patient, soon
you will see the end of the tunnel. The light
will return. Changes will occur sooner or later.
Time is needed for things to mature. You need
to learn to go within yourself, to feel
comfortable with who you are. You are your own
best friend. Accept this initiation. One is
always alone with oneself.
Gemstone: Aquamarine helps to preserve
the purity and innocence of the heart and mind.
It enables us to see ourselves as we really are.
ARCANUM NUMBER 10
FORTUNA
Your task: To not simply submit to
Fate. To make the the wheel turn rapidly.
Magic phrase: Dare to take your life into
your own hands in order to create your destiny.
A wheel turns, a ship sails, the wind blows!
So much movement! The numbers represent luck.
Get luck that brings success on your side by
daring to turn the wheel of destiny. You must
seize the opportunities that cross your path.
"Destiny leads those who accept. Those that
refuse are dragged". (Seneca)
We are all bound to the wheel of destiny. It
is the cycle of successive incarnations. Each
incarnation carries within itself the experience
of evolving. Chance will lead you there where
you must be, for it carries God's signature.
If you are at the bottom, you will once again
rise to the top. But the reverse is also true.
Become aware of your repetitive patterns and
conditionings. In other words "Know thyself".
Change implies a new state of mind. This card
speaks of the end of a cycle.
You must let yourself be guided by your inner
compass. Take time to think about yourself, and
really listen to yourself. You may tremble, but
you must find the courage to take your destiny
into your own hands. All that seems to you
impossible to do is perhaps only the result of
your limited thoughts.
Gemstone: Rhodocrosite, a remarkable
transmitter of energy, allows for the
integration of physical, mental and emotional
aspects, when it is carried next to the skin.
ARCANUM NUMBER 11
THE LIFE FORCE
Your task: To master and tame your
instincts.
Magic phrase: A new beginning on a
different level.
The colours of this card symbolise fire,
energy and the intensity of life. It is linked
to the astrological sign of Leo.
A certain physical violence and mental
aggressivity can arise.
The ego must be controlled in order to give
the best of yourself. The mind must control
desires, including sexual desires.
The force is within you, but you must channel
your energies and master your emotions. When
this happens, a miracle will appear.
The salamander symbolises strength, peace and
confidence amidst the troubles of life.
Gemstone: Carnelian helps one master
one's emotions. It calms anger. For
concentration.
ARCANUM NUMBER 12
THE REVERSAL
Your task: To empty your mind by
meditating.
Magic phrase: Working towards
self-awareness provides inner strength.
You are hemmed in a situation which is
proving difficult to get out of.
You feel blocked and psychologically
perturbed.
The situation itself, in which you find
yourself, is blocked. You are immobilised in
spite of all your efforts. You feel tied and
imprisoned. You feel sorry for yourself.
The message of this card is: LET GO!!
Relax, accept this temporary situation. Learn to
look at things differently by self-questioning.
It is vital to forget about yourself and your
problems, or else you'll end up completely
stifled.
Free yourself from your anxieties by just
letting things take their course, but this does
not mean you must not care. It's a question of
mental relaxation. Time is of the essence in
this card. It is necessary.
This card is linked to old memories. You need
to unravel the psychological knots that fetter
you. You need to understand and analyse them.
Gemstone: Amber is 50 million years
old. It will help free you from your bonds and
karmic knots.
ARCANUM NUMBER 13
THE PASSAGE
Your task: To learn to die in order to
be reborn.
Magic phrase: The caterpillar always
becomes a butterfly.
A caterpillar crawls on the ground before
becoming a butterfly. A willow weeps…
This card represents transformation and
radical change. It is always a very intense
period. Do not cling to the past.
To learn how to die, is to learn how to live.
It is the theme of death for re-birth.
Illness, the loss of a loved one, or a trial
such as a separation or a job loss, are
difficult situations to go through, to handle
and to endure. This is a delicate passage, as
with any mourning period. Attachment to the past
must slowly disappear. The wounds will heal,
life will go on. It is a change in one's
conscience.
Gemstone: Hematite helps circulate
energy. It aids anemic conditions, physical
weakness, tiredness. It stimulates courage and
strength.
ARCANUM NUMBER 14
THE GUARDIAN ANGEL
Your task: To help those who are in
need.
Magic phrase: Reconciliation with
yourself and with others.
A fairy inside an amythist cave holds two
dolphins, one golden and one silver, in her
hands.
A web has been woven in the water, showing
the alliance between what is above and what is
below, between the invisible and visible worlds.
Telepathy between all beings exists. With
this card, you can be sure that you too are
telepathic. Learn to listen to the messages from
the angels.
You are healed of the past. You feel calm and
your mind is serene. You begin to feel in
harmony with yourself and to appreciate whom you
are… This is a very Venusian and angelic
energy.
At last you feel the sweetness of life.
Congratulations! You have learned patience and
tolerance towards yourself and others. You wish
to help them - go ahead. You have become a
guardian angel.
Gemstone: Amythists bring luck, give
strength and protection.
ARCANUM NUMBER 15
THE UNLOVED
Your task: To free yourself from your
egoistical desires.
Magic phrase: Use your creative energy
for the service of good.
A person is split down the middle. One side
is golden and there is a key which brings
freedom from desires. This side represents
freedom. The other side is black, and represents
temptations and binds, the unconscious. Too much
greed creates domination and limitations.
On one side is the devil, on the other a
being of light. Human beings contain both these
opposing characters which create great torment
and guilt. This is what is known as good and
evil. The rope symbolises attachments to the
things of the world. Know pleasure without
binding yourself to it.
The coloured circles indicate the energy
centres or the chakras, which spin inside and
outside of you. There are seven important ones.
Some vibrate at different frequency levels.
The more you enjoy life, the more your energy
will grow. Free your sexual and creative
energies, your self-expression, love and
intelligence. Trust your intuitions. Do not bind
yourself to worldly things.
Gemstone: The Unloved has eyes of
malachite. Malachite, as with all green stones,
restores the 4th chakra, the heart. This stone
brings harmony and creativity.
ARCANUM NUMBER 16
THE HOUSE OF LIFE
Your task: To enter into the Temple,
your inner house.
Magic phrase: Enter into the spiral of
spirituality.
The two columns are now only one. This card
is fusion by cosmic fire.
What is hidden will appear. What is badly
built will fall down. A tower rises, in the
shape of a spiral.
Lilacs cover the sky, a shower of light
lightens the bottom of the well. Light always
wins.
This card represents an explosion, a
fireworks display, like a burst of laughter! The
universe opens out to give you its gifts and
blessings. Learn to accept them, even if they
are not what you had planned for. These gifts
can be the crumbling of a situation that was not
good for you. This card puts things in their
right place. Do not be rigid and stubborn.
Loosen your mind and give your ego less
importance.
This tower is your body, your temple. It also
represents your house, your home.
Gemstone: Opals are iridescent. All
colours are reflected in it. It helps us to
reach higher spiritual planes.
ARCANUM NUMBER 17
THE STAR
Your task: To forgive and to give
affection to those around you.
Magic phrase: Do not waste your energy
any longer, find your place.
A beautiful young woman opens her arms in a
gesture of abundance. She is surrounded by a
blazing blue star with five branches, symbol of
divinity. It it the light of spirit that
brightens the world. We are all stars that have
come down to earth.
She is joined to her star by her golden hair.
The peacock, symbol of the soul, invites you to
rise up in freedom.
Lotus flowers bloom on this river, the
Egyptian myth of the creation of the world. Here
is the power of both creativity and compassion.
It symbolises the knowledge that, through
successive reincarnations, allows one to attain
nirvana, the final stage of supreme
illumination.
You are free from all your fears and
anxieties. Hope is reborn, life becomes
untroubled and wonderful. You are also more
humble, you help others with compassion. You can
give life.
Gemstone: Turquoise reflects our deep
and secret soul. It is very protective and has
the faculty to absorb negative thoughts and
feelings.
ARCANUM NUMBER 18
MOON-SUN
Your task: To hold on to your
dreams.
Magic phrase: Mix the colours and paint
your future.
This is indeed a strange landscape. It is
still night. The dawn will soon rise. The moon
is smiling at you and the pale sun still waits
to be painted with the palette of coulours! This
card is the promise of your destiny. The
ultrasound baby speaks of a birth. We are in the
maternal archetype. A project or an unconscious
desire to create. A period of gestation. A dog
is hiding! The dog symbolises obedience and
fidelity. Be faithful to your dreams, jump over
the fence and go forward to the unknown, the
land where you dreams are fulfilled. The future!
Even if you are scared, you are going to have to
face it some day. Creative imagination lives in
you, let yourself be cradled, but watch out for
illusions. You are looking for the sun in the
middle of the night… Do not let doubt and
sadness overcome you. Get out of the shadows.
Hidden emotions can cause physical ailments.
Imagine, visualise, et free yourself through
action.
Believe in yourself and in your dreams, they
are yours so cling to them, they are your
birthright.
Gemstone: Moonstones help with
creativity, release emotions, and help overcome
shyness. It is the stone of hope and purity. It
counterbalances dissatisfaction and greed.
ARCANUM NUMBER 19
JOY
Your task: To share with the warmth of
generosity and with a spirit of fraternity.
Magic phrase: Joy exists even in the
little things of life.
A huge sun dominates the card. The golden
light is within your reach. You have found the
door which leads you out, you are content,
harmonious, great joy washes over you.
Jubilation fills you as you realise you have won
the game. You wish to share, to dance and to
laugh. Communcation with others becomes easy.
You are reconciled with yourself, as well as
with your body. You no longer suffer from any
complexes. Your heart beats to the rythm of life
and you just express joy. Your partner is also
happy to see you like this! You can collaborate
with others, you feel at one with those around
you. Success in work or another field is
certain.
A couple is formed, love, a friendship. The
Father archetype.
Gemstone: The beautiful yellow colour
of Topaz is like the sun. It emits a powerful
healing power. It influences blood circulation.
It is very efficient in aiding circulation in
the limbs, or if they are cold.
ARCANUM NUMBER 20
THE MUSIC OF THE UNIVERSE
Your task: To respond to the call of
the divine.
Magic phrase: Renewal and rebirth to a
higher consciousness.
As in the springtime, here we see
transformation and rebirth! You leave behind you
the bare bare winter, and come out victorious
and healed.
This card speaks of a resurrection, a
rebirth. Fears diminish little by little. A new
way of approaching life is revealed to you. You
have, after all, crossed this wasteland pretty
much on your own. Today you know what you want
and what you are worth. You are true to
yourself. Your friends and family recognise you
for whom you are. The angel whispers good
messages that you now understand. People may
judge you because others may not always agree
with you. Do not feel guilty about this and
continue on your way. You have finished an
initiatory cycle.
Music frees emotions.
Gemstone: The beautiful blue lapis
lazuli contains nuggets of pyrite. In ancient
Egypt it was called "the stone from heaven". It
reinforces one's determination, one's kindness,
and is the stone of friendship. It helps those
who are overworked and helps overcome
depression.
ARCANUM NUMBER 21
FULFILMENT
Your task: To reach complete self
accomplishment. Leave nothing to chance.
Magic phrase: Realisation of Unity.
This is one of the most powerful cards of the
Tarot d'Or! The cosmic egg.
The 4 elements united in the 5th.
It announces a triumph. The mirror is
decorated with the seven colours of the rainbow.
In the centre, you are as a king or a queen of
the world. The 12 astrological signs can be
found on this card. They represent the totality
of the fulfilled being. Happy and proud, your
programme of self transformation is a success.
You are a mirror for others. Now you realise
that even the most difficult things can be
accomplished. Everything becomes clear, a wide
inner smile illuminates you. The card speaks of
maternity. It represents divinity, the woman.
Wings seem to grow on you. The world opens
it's arms, so open your arms likewise to it!
This is unity, there is no more separation
between you and others.
You feel as if you are blessed by the
heavens. A sensation of well-being overcomes
you, you realise that your life has no limits.
This card is an invitation for travel, to
discover other countries and lands. This new
breath of energy revives your needs to get
moving, to go out and meet new faces and have
new experiences. So give yourself these
pleasures that are a part of life.
Gemstone: Black tourmaline helps
develop noble sentiments. It aids the mind to be
clear and precise. It can also be
rainbow-coloured.
