Timely Tarot: The Element of Earth By Lisa De La O Wyman
Timely Tarot: The Element of Earth
By Lisa De La O Wyman
We’ve made it through what was a very different sort of summer experience, and now the bosom of Fall and her tawny hues are on the way to soothe our weary bones. While we haven’t approached harvest time yet, the quiet devotion of Virgo season is preparing us to reap what we’ve sown and give thanks for the bounty. 2022 has been a drawn-out phase of transition, with moments of excitement and progress but also many reminders of how much work there is yet to do. As an Earth sign, Virgo’s energy can help us with this. Mutable and ruled by Mercury, Virgo attunes us to the importance of service – our efforts being rooted in a purpose larger than ourselves. It’s the last of the Earth signs and is associated with the autumn of life and the maturity it brings. We are preparing to leave something behind, to offer the best of ourselves through our work and our love.
The Hierophant (Taurus) - Moonchild Tarot - Purchase Here
Virgo energy is that of the healer and researcher, the “virgin” symbol as one of self-containment and self-sufficiency. There is concern with analysis and the perfection of things. It’s associated with the body, especially digestion – gathering the small details and breaking them down into smaller bits for processing and application. After the instability of summer, we can now lean into 6th house (Virgo) goals surrounding work, routine, physical well-being, dedication, focus, and slow but steady progress. This is “chop wood, carry water” time. Keep it simple and stay on track. We are grounding ourselves with the reassuring, enduring, and nourishing blessings of the element of earth.
What can one say about earth? It makes it all possible for us. It’s where life happens. It is the fertile source from which everything arises. The most stable of the elements, earth is grounding, centering, secure, and dense. It keeps our feet on the ground. It feeds and houses us and provides us with a literal playground for creation and connection. Everything begins and ends in earth – everything here, including ourselves, starts as a planted “seed” that grows and thrives, eventually dying, decomposing into the ground, and becoming the seed for something new. Chthonic cycles of life, death, and rebirth over and over again. We rise from the ground and return to it – only to rise again.
The Hermit (Vigo) - Light Seer's Tarot - Purchase Here
“As above so below” is possible because the things of heaven are given form on earth. Manifestation flourishes, bridges are built, and legacies are fashioned. We see this in the journey of the earth element through the Tarot that initiates a path of striving and building with the cards of Capricorn, seeks to connect spirit with matter in Taurus, and perfects and tends to our life’s work with Virgo. Earth gives form to chaos and expresses order, enabling the dreams of our spirits to take root in the rich soil of Gaia. We explore and refine our sense of purpose and engage with the earth’s resources to build something of worth.
Astrologically, Earth is associated with the zodiacal signs of Capricorn (cardinal, “I use”), Taurus (fixed, “I have”), and Virgo (mutable, “I analyze”). Their energetic journeys through the Tarot deck symbolize the life cycle as a being in the material realm. We have bodies. They are the vehicles for our spirits. We begin as seeds of potential growing in a dark and fertile space, only to sprout and blossom, interact with the other creations around us, then decay and fall back into the earth as food for the next new seed. Our energy transitions from one form to another, again and again.
In the cards of Capricorn (The Devil and 2, 3 & 4 of Pentacles), cardinal energy propels the sea goat of this sign out of the ocean’s depths and up the mountain of achievement. The Devil represents mastery of the material world, the part of us that knows how to work with its resources, enjoy our bodies, and procure wealth of various kinds. The ambition to thrive and reach a level of success is illustrated in these cards. We start with a few meager tools and a drive to build something new and impressive. We meet other people, make connections, collaborate, and plant the seeds of manifestation in the fecundity of the earth. We use what is available to us, we recognize its potential and lay down foundations. Sometimes we get a bit too caught up in the fruits of our labor by hoarding resources, seeing people as means to an end, or identifying our self-worth with our monetary or professional status. But that’s part of the journey too – the Capricorn trek upward is also one of spiritual ascension and realizing the need to integrate worldly success with loving generosity towards others. We can learn a lot about our fears around safety, stability, and “having enough” on this path. Through stumbling up the mountain and occasionally getting lost, we can discover the way that builds reserves in the heart and not just the bank account.
The cards of Taurus (The Hierophant and the 5, 6 & 7 of Pentacles) bring in the fixed energy of the bridge-builder and conduit. In ancient Greece, a hierophant meant “revealer of mysteries,” a priest of the Eleusinian rites and keeper of rituals surrounding agrarian deities like Demeter and Persephone. His very body was the bridge between the divine and the people. His voice carried through mystical information, higher knowledge, and teachings that could be applied to everyday life. The Hierophant translates spiritual enigmas into practical applications. He can teach us how to embody this role in our lives and relationships. This trio of Taurean cards teaches us about stabilizing our efforts. Here is where they take deep root, grow stronger, and begin to connect with the environment around them. They develop stamina, heartiness, and long-term potential. Part of our work here involves careful planning, preparation, and anticipating what might go wrong so that we can build in alternative methods to success. Taurus is ruled by Venus, the great connector. She loves uniting things! Her influence encourages us to see the relationships between resources, ideas, and options so that our work will have the greatest potential for positive outcome. If we’re blessed, we enjoy great success. It all comes together and we’re fruitful, prosperous, and living it up! The Six of Pentacles in particular knows how to have a good time and savor the sweetness. However, sometimes things go wrong and we have to bear the disappointment and take stock of what got us to this place of failure or challenge. Was our planning sound? Did we forget anything? Were we ready? Did we fuel our efforts with love and optimism? Perhaps we did everything right and just got the booby prize this time. Sometimes it just is what it is. We can start again and ground our dreams and hard work in the promise of a new cycle. We’re bringing spiritual beauty to earth through practical application and sharing it with others. We’re building those bridges of connection on many levels.
The Devil (Capricorn) - Thoth Deck - Purchase Here
In the cards of Virgo (The Hermit and 8, 9 & 10 of Pentacles) mutable energy refines the work that has come before. Their versatility and attention to detail will help carry us through to the autumn and winter of the journey . . . to the end, really. There is a maturity and elder wisdom here as The Hermit walks us towards the culmination of our efforts. He teaches us that the wisdom we’ve accrued over time must be applied to something that will live on after we are gone. What is your legacy? What is your service to the earth and its inhabitants? This is often where we fully embody whatever we believe to be the meaning and purpose of our lives. What is this experience about for you anyway? In this trio of Virgo-ruled cards, we have amassed resources, are tending to them devotedly, and preparing to ultimately give them away to share with the world. They may be in the form of children, friendships, creative works, properties, financial donations, and hopefully always love. There are many kinds of wealth, and holding onto it too tightly can turn it into burden. How do you feel about finally giving away what you’ve spent a lifetime nurturing with such care and commitment? This stretch of the journey asks why you might want to hold on to it for anyway – where you will go in the end doesn’t accommodate “luggage”. Letting go and accepting the inevitability and potential of the next cycle is intrinsic to the Hermit’s sojourn. Having gained so much, he seeks to finally give it away and imbue it with new life beyond his reach.
The World (or Universe) is the card of elemental Earth in the Tarot deck. It is ruled by Saturn, that great keeper of time – and with time comes restrictions. Beginnings and endings exist simultaneously in The World card. It reminds us that our earthly experience is boundaried, in a container of sorts. From womb to tomb, we are encased within bodies within the body of the planet within the structure of time. We begin as a seed in the fertile soil of our mother’s body, protected by its boundaries. We are a beginning that also holds the ending. Once we are born our death is inevitable. We hold the mystery and complete cycle of life and death within our body, our container. All the seasons are there together and they play out their sacred dance over time, at their pace, with their unique individual expressions. From the burst of Spring to the quiet retirement of Winter, we live our lives. It can be a depressing thought if you resist its truth. There’s something beautifully, painfully inevitable about being a human being on earth. In a larger sense we already know how the story is going to end. The gift of coming to terms with this story is in understanding that once a cycle ends, another begins. Energy doesn’t cease to exist, it merely transforms. In a new container, in a different expression, it will seed, bloom, and flourish once again. The dance continues . . . YOU continue. You will change, because that’s what life is. Dynamic transformation of energies, expressing every kind of form, feeling, and possibility imaginable. As tough as it may be to accept at times, I want to be part of that! I think you do too.
The Universe (Earth) - Tabula Mundi Deck - Purchase Here
Connecting with the earth element is largely about embodiment. The hidden danger of personal growth work can sometimes be a tendency to separate the spirit from the body, to believe that one can only access God, nirvana, bliss, happiness, etc., by rising above the confines of the earthly vessel. We aren’t just a mind, feelings, or ambitions. Our body houses everything that makes us who we are – trying to leave it out of the equation always leads to problems. The reality is that we are all here on earth and everything about that experience can be part of our spiritual growth, including those relating to the body. Your body is your finest tool, your greatest material gift. Your life here is possible because of it, and it gives you the chance to explore love, passion, movement, and yes – transcendence, in ways you’d never be able to without it. Yes, sometimes our bodies get sick, and ache, and struggle, but they are ours while we are here and they keep us going even while we sleep.
Any activity that deepens your connection to your body in a mindful way is good. Stretching, yoga, tai chi, and walking done in a paced, relaxed manner can help you get in touch with your bodily movements, how the muscles feel, what your breath is doing, and what sensations arise. Working with your Root Chakra, eating protein-rich foods, walking barefoot when you can, and just spending more time outdoors can easily facilitate your sense of connectedness with the natural world. We spend too much time indoors! Take your book outside and read under the tree in the backyard. Quietly sip your morning coffee on the porch and listen to the birds sing. Take that phone call with your friend sitting on the lawn. Keep some flowers in your home. It doesn’t take much to bridge that gap, to create and strengthen that bond with earth energy. It will ground and stabilize you in subtle yet powerful ways.
Modern life and its many conveniences, for all they offer, also distance us from our ultimate helper, companion, and provider – Earth. Our reconnection to this planet is a return home. We aren’t ever alone here – the rocks, animals, plants, breezes, and rivers are our fellows. Take some time this month to meet them in a new way. You are part of this sparkling web of jewels.
Lisa De La O Wyman is a Tarot reader and writer based in Redondo Beach. At Tarot for Empowerment she works with individual clients, private parties, and special events. Through her work she seeks to connect people with their innate power as well as encounter the mystery in everyday life. She can be reached via Instagram and Facebook at @tarotforempowerment and email at info@tarotforempowerment.com.
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