Foreword

I wrote this blog post back at the beginning of Aries Season but I love it so much and believe that all of the info in it still applies so I’m sharing it anyway. We can set resolutions and execute on goals at ANY time during the year, and even as I am sharing this post spring is in full swing and it’s the perfect time to get started with your planning if you haven’t already.

Hi it’s me, one of those annoying people who insist that January 1st is not the time to set intentions for the new year. I know that in modern times we celebrate it as such but just THINK about it ya’ll: January is mid-winter. Even nature knows better than to begin anything new. The flowers are not blooming, the bears are still hibernating. Energetically: we should all be resting come January 1st.

Come February, Winter begins to wane until we land in Pisces season, where the ground thaws and we awaken ready to exfoliate away the grime of hibernation.

And then, the Sun moves into Aries, we reach the Spring Equinox, the days get longer, the weather gets warmer, the animals are getting ready to party and the bees are abound to pollinate the flowers that are back in bloom. Hello resolution season.

But resolutions are tricky. There’s a reason why so many folks set big intentions and fail: change is hard, and when we aren’t realistic about the changes we’re going to have to make in order to achieve our goals we inevitably give up. How often have you set a goal to do something, hit a bump in the road, and then given up? I know I have.

Enter: Tarot&The Decans. Having a spiritual practice with Tarot and Astrological timing has helped me to stay on track with the goals that I set and make the whole resolution-setting process that much more magical. My Astrological study is grounded in my deep love of Tarot and the Decans bridge Tarot&Astrology together.

If you aren’t familiar with wtf-a-Decan-is go ahead and watch my Decans 101 video at the bottom of this post before continuing and/or read my quick summary.

There are 36 Decans. They each are a 10 degree slice of the 360 degree Zodiacal wheel.

Each Zodiac Sign is 30 degrees, so each has 3 Decans. Each Decan has a planetary ruler, and a Minor ArcanaTarot card associated with it.

This schema leaves out the Aces. I like to think that it’s because the Aces represent the elements in their most raw form, while the 2-10 of each suit represents a different facet or face of that element.

The easiest way to work with the Decans is to follow along as the Sun moves through the Zodiac. It takes the Sun about 10 days to move through each Decan.

When working with them you’ll pull the Minor Arcana card associated with the Decan the Sun is currently in as well as the Major Arcana cards associated with the Sign&Ruling Planet: which leaves you with 3 cards total for each Decan.

And now, we’re ready to talk about the cards for Aries 1 (2 of Wands, The Emperor and The Tower) and how they relate back to everything I mentioned about setting and carrying out resolutions.

As I have sat with these three on my altar I’ve understood something significant: that the first step of taking action is planning. Is understanding your aims and goals, what you want to manifest, and most importantly: what you’re going to have to sacrifice in order to get there.

Because ya’ll, the TOWER is in this triad. It is an energy that levels foundations. It asks us to be really honest and examine what exactly isn’t working. The Tower asks us to let go of and grieve what cannot come with us on this next leg of the Journey. The Tower requires extreme Bravery&Courage to disrupt our Status-Quo to get to where we wanna go.

The Emperor (who accompanies us the entirety of Aries season) encourages a clear head, a grand vision, and the means to execute it. I love working with the Next World Tarot version of this card: The Teacher. Teachers are patient, learned, visionaries who are Masters at their craft. They utilize their hard-earned wisdom to rebuild their reality with a stronger foundation.

Both of these lend context to the 2 of Wands, named ‘Dominion’ in the Thoth Tarot. It’s very much giving “you’ve got the whole world in your hands” and the most common imagery you’ll see in this card is somebody holding a globe in their hand. If, in the Ace we’re given the wand, in the 2 we get to take action with that wand. With the fire cards I am always thinking about desire&motivation. What are you drawn to? What has been calling your name as winter has dwindled? What is left over from the pruning of Aquarius&Capricorn&Pisces season? Whatever it is, take it up! Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss your way to your dreams (Hi I’m Non-Binary af and believe that Girlbossing is Gender-Less).

🤓If you’re a nerd like me I’ve got a notion template for you that has everything you need to do a what I’m calling my 2023-24 Decan Walk. If you’re as into digital note-taking as I am check out the 2023-24 Decan Notion Template. (it’s a steal at only $4.44).

What you get

• A color-coded table of Major Arcana Astrological and Elemental Correspondences
• A short video tutorial on how to use the database
• a 15 minute Decans 101 Lesson by Q
• A list of Resources (which you can also find below) to learn even more about the Decans
• A dedicated notes page for each of the 36 Decans that includes:
  • the Decan number
  • Associated Minor Arcana Card
  • Ruling Planet
  • Zodiac Sign
  • Element
  • Modality
  • Associated Major Arcana Cards
  • the Date&Time of the sun’s movement into that decan
• A database view that tells you exactly which Decan the sun is in (and also indicates when the sun is about to move into the next Decan)
• A database view of every single Decan and all associated info

Learning Resources

Media Type	Title	Link
Podcast	Fortune’s Wheel House	https://www.tsusanchang.com/blog/2019/8/29/fortunes-wheelhouse-special-episode-tarot-amp-the-decans
Book	36 Secrets by T. Susan Chang	https://www.amazon.com/36-Secrets-Decanic-Journey-through/dp/1716325099
Book	36 Faces by Austin Coppock	https://austincoppock.com/shop/36-faces-the-history-astrology-and-magic-of-the-decans/
Podcast	Austin Coppock on the Astrology of the Decans	https://theastrologypodcast.com/2014/08/21/austin-coppock-astrology-decans/
Podcast	Essential Dignities and Debilities, with Charles Obert	https://theastrologypodcast.com/2018/05/10/essential-dignities-and-debilities-with-charles-obert/