⚫⚪🔴
SERAPH’S LEARNING ACADEMY
This lesson is part of the foundational curriculum
“Tarot is a mirror of the Self.”
Seraph
A Doctrine of Internal, External, and Spiritual Archetypes
Core Philosophy
The Tarot is not merely a deck of divinatory symbols. It is a philosophical mirror of the Self—a system that unveils the layered architecture of human nature. According to Carl Jung, the Self is the central archetype and the ultimate goal of individuation, representing the totality of an individual’s psyche
This doctrine divides the Tarot into three concentric spheres of Self:
- The Spiritual Self – Our Soul’s Journey (Major Arcana)
- The Internal Self – Motivation, Emotion and Thought (Minor Arcana: Swords, Cups, Wands)
- The External Self – The Manifested Body and World (Minor Arcana: Pentacles)
Each domain plays a vital role in our psycho-spiritual development.
Tarot: A Mirror not a Prescription
By treating Tarot as a Mirror and not a Prescription, we gain a practical framework for interpreting the cards through the lens of our own psychological and spiritual development. Each draw becomes not a prediction of fate, but a reflection of our current state of being—and an invitation to greater self-awareness.
🔗Tarot as a Mirror and not a Prescription
0. ✶ The Spiritual Self
The Major Arcana – The Soul’s Journey
The Major Arcana represents the soul’s journey through spiritual experience, karmic lessons, and archetypal initiation. These cards are not momentary influences—they are chapters in the great narrative of your becoming.
- Represents: Spiritual archetypes, destiny, moral trials, and evolutionary turning points
- Function: To reveal high-order lessons that transcend the personal and touch the eternal
- Shadow: Attachment to fate, spiritual bypassing, egoic inflation
“The Major Arcana represents our Soul and teaches us important Karmic Life lessons.”
I. ☉ The Internal Self
The Triad of Thought, Emotion, and Behavior
Thoughts, Emotions, and Behaviors are interconnected and influence each other in a cyclical manner. Thoughts can trigger emotions, which in turn can lead to certain behaviors, and these behaviors can then shape future thoughts. This relationship is a core concept in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), underscoring the psychological realism behind the Tarot’s division of mind, emotion, and behavior.
These three suits govern the unseen world within: the forces that shape all outer experiences.
🜂 Wands (Fire): Motivation / Behavior
- Represents: Willpower, ambition, desire, creative drive
- Function: Acts as the spark behind every action
- Shadow: Burnout, impulsivity, misdirected energy
“Wands represent our Behavior, and shows us the motivation of our actions—why we act.”
🜄 Cups (Water): Emotion
- Represents: Love, longing, grief, emotional memory
- Function: Provides emotional depth, empathy, and connection
- Shadow: Escapism, codependency, emotional irrationality
“Cups represent our Emotions, and teach us about family, friends, and relationships.”
🜁 Swords (Air): Thought
- Represents: Ideas, beliefs, discernment, analysis
- Function: Forms internal judgments and mental maps
- Shadow: Overthinking, anxiety, mental self-sabotage
“Swords represent our Mind, teaching lessons on thought, conflict, and consequence.”
Together, these form the Internal Self:
- How we think (Swords)
- How we feel (Cups)
- Why we act (Wands)
II. ⛤ The External Self
The Realm of Physical Manifestation
The final suit is the stage where the drama of the inner world becomes visible.
🜃 Pentacles (Earth): The Body & Five Senses
- Represents: Physical body, five senses, health, labor, wealth, and results
- Function: Tangibly expresses inner thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
- Shadow: Materialism, stagnation, fear of loss
“Pentacles represent our Body, including all the riches, resources, and abundance of the Earth.”
III. ✶ Structural Mapping Table
| Domain | Category | Element | Aspect of Self | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major Arcana | Spiritual Self | ✪ Aether | Soul & Karma | Archetypal Evolution |
| Swords | Internal Self | 🜁 Air | Thought | Mental Processing |
| Cups | Internal Self | 🜄 Water | Emotion | Emotional Resonance |
| Wands | Internal Self | 🜂 Fire | Behavior | Motivational Spark |
| Pentacles | External Self | 🜃 Earth | Physical Self | Material Manifestation |
Final Reflection
Tarot is like a Mirror of the Self. This doctrine reframes the Tarot as a symbolic anatomy:
- The Major Arcana governs the soul’s initiations.
- The Minor Arcana shows how spirit unfolds through thought, emotion, behavior, and finally, physical outcome.
By doing so, we gain a practical framework for interpreting the cards through the lens of our own psychological and spiritual development.
“Tarot is not about what will happen. It is about how we become what happens.”
Revisit familiar cards using this model. You will uncover a deeper system—one that transcends fortune-telling and offers transformation.
⚫⚪🔴 This concludes a lesson from Seraph’s Learning Academy.
🔗 Return to the Learn Tarot Index