Understanding the Elemental dignities part 2

As you can see from Part 2 we split the minor arcana cards into the four distinct elements. Now based on the Golden Dawn system within Tarot, what becomes interesting is depending on the element of the card and the element of the card next to it can have a large impact on how we see that card and interpret its meaning. So as an example, if you have, say the Four of Cups as your central card representing water, and you had the Six of Wands and Ten of Wands either side, these two Fire cards will significantly affect the Water card.

Now before we get started, understanding Elemental dignities is not needed to give an excellent Tarot reading. There are people out there that IGNORE cards if their relationship with the other cards elements is a poor one. I have always found this a tad excessive but ultimately whatever intention you set to work with the cards will be reproduced, in that whether you totally disregard the relationships of the elements or take them as gospel, you should still be able to give a good reading. However, knowledge of them allows you to deepen your level of understanding with the cards and thus deepen your readings. It may be something you use occasionally or never at all. Both are valid.

Below gives you a breakdown of whether we see an element as active or passive. This is important in looking at how they interact with each other.

Fire = Active

Water = Passive

Air = Active

Earth = Passive

Below is a list of the relationship between elements with the Tarot and whether they strengthen or weaken each other.

Fire and Fire = Strengthen each other. Every element when combined with another strengthens them. This is not always a good thing though, so while it may increase creativity and inspiration, depending on the layout of the cards, destruction and oppression can as well.
Fire and Air = These two elements strengthen each other, which is hardly surprising given how oxygen can stimulate any fire. Be careful though, too much of something is never a good thing, and this is the same with this pairing.
Fire and Earth = These two elements also strengthen each other. Earth is often the fuel that makes a fire go on and on, but remember pouring too much earth on a fire that isn’t ready has the opposite effect.
Fire and Water= Unsurprisingly these two elements weaken each other. Water flows over Fire without mercy, either stifling or stopping it in its tracks.

Fire and Fire. They might be well dignified meaning they strengthen each other, but depending on the cards this might not necessarily be a good thing

Water and Water = These are strengthened. Just like Fire there is both a positive and negative depending on the card. You could have lots of emotional highs or too much brooding and passivity.
Water and Earth = Both elements passivity suit each other well here. Earth uses the water to nurture its land offering abundance.
Water and Air = If the cards are good, then this is a great relationship. However, if the cards are not, then the strengthening this relationship brings can be a poor one. Too much thinking with potent emotions has never been the greatest mix.
Water and Fire = Water will not be happy here as these weaken each other. The heat that fire brings will be unpleasant and can rile even the most passive.

Air and Air = Again the same element strengthens, and again we must realise both in a positive and negative way. So lots of cutting to the chase and getting answers countered by a lack of a practical and thorough mindset.
Air and Fire = This combination strengthens Air enjoying the creative impulse that Fire brings to stimulate growth. However, things can easily get out of hand.
Air and Water = A pleasant combination that strengthens with Water providing some intuition and empathy to the analysis of Air. However, if the cards aren’t great…..
Air and Earth = This is a combination that weakens each other, so Air will find the heavy practical of Earth too cumbersome to carry with its whimsical nature.

Air and Water. Well dignified and a good pairing of cards. A lovely combination highlighting the positive aspects from each element

Earth and Earth = Strengthens as we now know. Practicality and stubbornness meet more practicality and stubbornness. Great, if we are building a structure within a deadline, less good if there is a relationship breakdown as we build said structure.
Earth and Water = A good relationship that strengthens. Water brings in empathy and a different way of seeing things to the fixed Earth. Lots of passivity, so sometimes getting things done might be a struggle.
Earth and Fire = One that strengthens. Fire gets Earth moving and is the driving force behind creating and finishing projects, a good mix but one that can tire Earth out.
Earth and Air = Again these weaken each other. This might be a good thing if you see the nature of the cards, though. Air is too elusive for Earth to get things moving, lacking the spark of Fire needed for Earth to take notice.

Looking at this then you can see how you might look at Tarot cards differently or in greater depth, with cards either coming more into the foreground in readings or moving into the background depending on their elements and the elements that surround them.

However, it is when you work with three card spreads or using three cards for a single placement in a larger spread such as the Celtic Cross (where you might pull out three cards instead of one), where working with elemental dignities becomes even more interesting and can give you greater depth in a reading. However, this also makes them a little more complicated to decipher when you are looking at the relationship of three elements rather than two. In the next section we will break this down, showing that it is not as complicated as you think.