One of the most important qualities of The Numerical Tarot is consistency in design. This consistency is brilliantly achieved with the use of clearly defined opposites working together to produce the other most important quality of this deck - contrast! Lack of contrast and lack of consistency were two important things that really frustrated me about traditional tarot. This problem reared its ugly head especially high when examining decks like the Rider/Waite/Smith. The Survey of Interpretations mentioned in my introduction shows how mixed up something like the Minor Arcana can get after consulting four different authors!

Actually, things don't look that bad at first glance. Most authors seem to give their cards a somewhat subjectively "good" interpretation when upright and subjectively "bad" when reversed. But every now and then you encounter a card that seems to violate this pattern. Every now and then you encounter a card that seems somewhat bad when upright and either worse when reversed, or maybe better when reversed - you never really know. While at the same time, the cards immediately before and after it seem good. Sometimes the good cards get better when reversed, sometimes they seem worse when reversed - you never really know. Sometimes the next card in the suit seems better, sometimes worse - you never really know.

I know that traditional tarot is not without its theoretical philosophies of underlying structure. I just didn't like the end result that any of those philosophies created. I didn't like the idea of cards that seemed subjectively "good" and "bad" being mixed together in a row, some getting better when reversed and some getting worse... and none of them relating to each other in any coherent way as a progression of ideas along a number line. Or worse yet, relating to each other through an underlying structure that created a convoluted, asymmetrical chaos of crisscrossing confusion. Forty individual ideas without much unity. Sure some authors would attempt to discuss all the cards of any one number as a group, but never have I seen anyone discuss cards together as a SET of ideas that span A Spectrum of Possibilities!

The Numerical Tarot does.

The diagram above reveals a completely new way of looking at the tarot! Perhaps even the world!! By employing things like balance, symmetry, contrast and consistency, The Numerical Tarot creates an environment that is easy to navigate, and easy to learn. An environment where NO CARD STANDS ALONE. An environment where logical common sense design takes precedence over convoluted mystical rhetoric, religious bias, mythological romance, malicious blinds, and other occult biases handed down over the years. This system is definitely NOT occult, it is plain, simple and straightforward. It uses a common sense approach to sort through common every day speech, leaving behind all superfluous mystical hyperbola.

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The diagram above is an attempt to illustrate the idea of tarot cards working together as a SET, to describe a spectrum of possibilities. The All Things Are Numbers approach is very reductionist, it likes to distill things to a fundamental essence, and then contemplate all the possible expressions of that core, archetypal concept within humanity. To organize that thought, each core concept is mapped upon a spectrum that attempts to unite, with language, the extremes and inbetweens of possibilities.

Elsewhere on this site (see The Semantics of Tarot Interpretation), you will find an essay that gives some examples of core concepts that have been mapped onto a spectrum of possibilities. In another location, you will find an essay that proposes new terminology for describing the relationship of words upon this spectrum - varonyms! Varonyms are meant to relate words of similar meaning that have varying degrees of intensity, especially where that intensity crosses a threshold of subjective "good" and "bad" in its popular meaning.

One of the examples used was related to the number 4 of our number line:

Pugilistic = bad positive (a bully) (Lex Luthor)
Strong = good positive (a hero) (Superman)
Passive = good negative (a gentleman) (Clark Kent)
Weak = bad negative (a victim) (Lois Lane and/or Jimmy Olson or Superman on Kryptonite)

In this example, The Emperor of traditional tarot would equate with the Strong (Superman) character, while the victims found hacked to pieces in the card of Death would equate with the Weak (victim) part of the same spectrum of possibilities. Within this system, the reversed interpretation of a positive card indicates the same positive trait, only exaggerated to an undesirable extreme. So within this system The Emperor becomes a pugilistic bully when reversed. On the negative side, the extreme weakness of a victim is mitigated to that of a passive gentleman character (Clark Kent) when reversed. All these archetypes have one core concept in common - FORCE either applied (strong), applied too much (pugilistic), not applied (passive), or not applied enough (weak).

And therein lies the strength of this approach. With the recognition of a single core concept, an archetype is conceived (a hero). And with the use of varonyms, three other ideas immediately follow - i.e. the opposite of a hero, a victim... the extreme of a hero, a bully... and the inbetween of a hero and victim, a mild mannered gentleman. In traditional decks you might find these four ideas scattered here there and everywhere among Majors, Minors and Court Cards. In The Numerical Tarot, these four ideas are sensibly organized under one number and illustrated with two opposing cards that lie along a number line, that acts like the spine of an animal... symmetrical and balanced (see The Spine of Tarot elsewhere on this site).

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Here is another example of how matrix organization and the idea of spectrums of possibilities can help to organize the semantics of tarot interpretation: To many the Devil card symbolizes temptation (sexual and otherwise). To some the Devil card symbolizes perversion (sexual and otherwise). In a lot of traditional tarot books you might see both of these ideas lumped together within one mass assemblage of words devoted to explaining to you what the Devil card means. In The Numerical Tarot, however, these two ideas are very different. And while they both have evil connotations, The Numerical Tarot sees them as opposite in their fundamental essence. To this deck, temptation leads to something. While perversion leads away from something. If we consider them both to be subjectively "bad" then that would put them at opposite ends of a spectrum of possibilities. If that spectrum is being illustrated by two opposing cards, then only one of these ideas is going to be applicable to the Devil card.

In this deck, the fact that temptation leads to something makes it a positive concept. While the leading away from something makes perversion a negative concept. If you align a traditional set of Majors as two sets of 9, as The Numerical Tarot does, then the Lovers card becomes the companion to the Devil, when expressing the spectrum in question. The Lovers card accurately describes temptation in its best possible light. Sometimes as a man choosing a wife, sometimes with the persuasive influence of Cupid causing desires to be elevated, and allure accentuated. Sometimes the man has two women that he must choose between. In those cases temptation is pulling him in two directions, each one trying to persuade him to go with them. So it does not take a great leap of faith to consider the possibility that the reverse of the Lovers could mean temptation in its worst light:

Temptation - Bad Positive 6 - Lovers Reversed
Persuasion - Good Positive 6 - Lovers
Abnegation - Good Negative 6 - Devil Reversed
Perversion - Bad Negative 6 - Devil

In The Numerical Tarot, concepts put forth within the Majors are repeated within the Minors. Within the Minors, two suits correlate to the positive half of the Majors and two with the negative half of the Majors (when the Majors are thought of as a positive and negative expression of a number line). When these same ideas are repeated in the Minors, contrast and consistency reign supreme within the design of the underlying structure of the deck. Whereas decks like the RWS might have "good" sounding cards sitting right next to "bad" sounding cards, The Numerical Tarot is much more consistent. In The Numerical Tarot, ALL the cards of any suit are oriented the same, so that the reverse of any card always means the same thing. In the suit of Addition (Coins) and Multiplication (Cups) ALL illustrations show the "good" of the positive side of each number. A reverse of any of these cards will reveal the same concept exaggerated to an undesirable extreme. In contrasting opposition, the suit of Subtraction (Staves) and Division (Swords) show the "bad" of the negative side of each number. So a reverse of any of these cards will reveal the same concept mitigated to a desirable inbetween state.

Seduction - Bad Positive 6 - 6 of Cups Reversed
Invitation - Good Positive 6 - 6 of Cups (an inviting environment) (kids outside a home)
Retreat - Good Negative 6 - 6 of Swords Reversed
Exile - Bad Negative 6 - 6 of Swords (a uninviting environment) (family with no home)

There are a lot of people out there who are confused about the meaning of each card of tarot. And while they may do alright at interpreting visually from the actual illustrations provided by each deck, they remain confused about the meaning of cards that are reversed and have no illustrations. I've seen entire books published for the expressed purpose of suggesting to people what the reverse of each tarot card might mean. Lots of people are afraid to even consider reversed meanings and don't use them... unless they happen to purchase one of these books devoted to telling them what they are. The Numerical Tarot is devoted to giving you a simple, logical, common sense device that will tell you with balance, symmetry, contrast and consistency what each card means in both upright and reversed orientation.

I was just reading a very popular book on tarot that reminded me of why I prefer my own logical system. In it, the author explains her take on the various aspects she associates with the Magician. She mentions things like awareness, beginnings, will power etc. All good stuff. But then, when informing us of the reversed interpretation she splits like a fork in the road and offers two opposing possibilities. On the one hand, she says that The Magician reversed can mean a blockage of this energy flow, leading to things like apathy, loss of will, confusion of purpose. Then, she also says that The Magician reversed can indicate an abuse of the aforementioned powers of will and purpose. But she offers no logical system for differentiation. She just leaves you wondering when it will mean one and when it might mean the other.

Of course, those who interpret tarot intuitively don't mind being left to their own devices on these matters. People who interpret intuitively hardly even need a book at all, they usually decide on their own what each card means... based on intuition. In short, they relish the inherent malleability that such lack of precision provides, and utilize it. Personally, I prefer a system that arranges disparate concepts into a logical array of ideas.

One of Cups and Swords
Cups - State - mindful - extreme - obstinate = Magician Reversed
Cups - State - mindful - inbetween - willful = Magician
Swords - State - mindless - inbetween - artless = Wheel Reversed
Swords - State - mindless - extreme - fatalistic = Wheel

One of Cups and Swords
Cups - Presence - aware - extreme - conceit = Magician Reversed
Cups - Presence - aware - inbetween - volition = Magician
Swords - Presence - unaware - inbetween - naivete = Wheel Reversed
Swords - Presence - unaware - extreme - obliviousness = Wheel

OK, that's not the best example I could have provided, because it involves a few cards whose meaning and position do not agree with the tradition that you probably hold in your mind right now. This particular example is one place where associations to traditional tarot may fall short for some. But there are several others where amazing coincidences occur (see The Spine of Tarot elsehwere on this site). I encourage you to explore further.

If you are uncomfortable with the use of the words "good" and "bad" within this essay, I would also encourage you to read the essay entitled Good and Bad, Right and Wrong, Smile and Frown.

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EXTRA CREDIT

The Spectrum of Possibilities being described in this essay is infinitely smooth. But for any one number of numerology, only two cards are used (for example: card 6 and card 15 = 1 + 5 = 6). Two cards with upright and reversed meanings = four steps... to describe a continuous spectrum of possibilities. That's a pretty chunky resolution. Which means that the relative intensity of each of these four steps is open to interpretation.

If you are the type who choses to mitigate the bad out of every card you see, then you might appreciate this fact, because it means that even though you might get a so-called "bad" card in a reading, it doesn't necessarily have to be interpreted as such. You are allowed to conclude, by way of your own intuition, that the intensity of the so-called "bad" card in question is such that its closest "good" varonym can be used instead. You can declare that the underlying concept is the same, but that the card in question was just on the cusp between "good" and "bad" and that even though it fell to the "bad" side in orientation, it's so close to the "good" that you are going to utilize the "good" interpretation instead. So even thought we are talking about a very organized system, free interpretation is still possible - best of both worlds.