How does Aeonology relate to Tarot?

Carl Jung and Austin Osman Spare

Austin Osman Spare wrote an article called “Mind to mind and how… by a Sorcerer” which discussed how to use magical (such as Tarot and Aeonology) cards to facilitate communication with the subconscious for predictive purposes. On the surface you might be forgiven for thinking that Spare’s magical practise was similar to Carl Jung’s “Active Imagination” because both were attempts to connect with the subconscious. However, there is one big difference between the two approaches.

Jung’s approach is restorative, because it’s main goal is to elevate subconscious complexes (fractures, traumas, delusions) to the conscious so that they can be dealt with.

Austin Osman Spare’s approach on the other hand, is more originative because it imagines ideas and ‘spells’ can be inserted into the subconscious where their action and influence can be maintained without interference from the conscious mind.

It’s not either/or

I find these two things complementary rather than contradictory and have seen how a regular card based practice can achieve both things. When I do readings for people I often talk about how the Aeon cards tap into intuitive knowledge, unlocking things you know but for some reason are unable to access. Lived experience almost always has a habituation effect— causing us to fall into comfortable and easy habits. Our psychological makeup simultaneously reinforces what we already believe to be true, so we end up continuously narrowing our perspective. We are hardwired to repeatedly see things from the same perspective.

Actions that re-open our minds to other ways of seeing often feel joyous, revelatory and enlightening. That’s why psychedelics are currently being heralded as a mental health ‘breakthrough’ because of their ability to disrupt rigid and negative thought patterns. I see this happening in front of me during a reading. Answers that existed but had not previously been noticed jump into the mind, feeling fresh, exciting and true.

Positive manifestation or casting spells?

The thing that I don’t talk about so much, is the Austin Osman Spare side of the card reading equation. The way the cards sometimes reveal a narrative or an idea that the person does not recognize but that they desire. In these instances, I have seen how the story that the cards tell someone sticks in the subconscious of the person. Once they’ve seen the possibility of this story, they can’t unsee it. Once they’ve been told to look to themselves for a specific energy or power, they believe they have that power. When told the outcome that should be expected, they look for evidence to reinforce and support that idea. Psychotherapy focuses so much on the negative, believing we are all broken and fragile and that the traumas we experience will permanently live in our subconscious, altering our perception of the world.

I believe, it is also possible to use the cards to instill a positive or desirable set if ideas and images in our subconscious do the same —a mechanism for achieving positive manifestation.

This perspective has been known for centuries and I think explains the recent resurgence in interest in Tarot cards — slated to be a $93 Million business by 2027 . The hashtag #tarot on TikTok passing 27 Billion views.

Guidance from our own being

I also often get asked what is the difference between Aeonology readings and Tarot readings. In practice there is not too much difference and I suspect the psychological dynamics are similar. One marked difference is the cultural narrative about where the insight derives from. Tarot is well established as a tool for fortune-telling and accessing cosmic sources that will generously provide you insight as long as it is executed via a psychic medium. Aeonology cards originate from a Christian Gnostic heritage that believe there is a divine spark within each of us that connects us to the universe. No need for a psychic medium. No cosmic source. Our own guidance system.

Where the card decks are similar

My guess is that both the Tarot card decks and the Aeonology cards pull from similar ancient sources. Tarot has been used for centuries and has been adapted and adopted to different uses over the years. It has evolved, like any belief system, through different political, social and cultural lenses. It has no doubt been corrupted in places and manipulated to certain social agendas.

Aeonology on the other hand has been lost until recently. Being buried in a jar in the desert (at Nag Hammadi, Egypt) since the 1st century and only translated in the past few decades. It is less evolved but equally it is cleaner and purer in essence.

A while ago, I outlined where there was alignment in meaning between a Tarot deck and the AEON Aeonology cards. I thought it might be worth sharing here. The consistencies exist in the Major Arcana of the Tarot deck. Rather than a full suit of 14 card (2-10, JQK) the Aeon deck only has a Minor Arcana of 2-3 additional cards per suit (and not all suits are represented). The Aces in the Aeon deck seem to align with cards in the Major Arcana.

Major Arcana equivalency

The Fool aligns with The Demiurge (The Maker)

The Magician aligns with Abraxas (Magic)

The High Priestess/The Popess aligns with Sophia (Wisdom)

The Empress aligns with Matricos (Mother)

The Emperor aligns with Patricos (Father)

The Pope aligns with Ecclesiasticus (Son of the Church)

The Lovers aligns with Agape (Love)

The Chariot aligns with Soter (Savior)

Justice aligns with Phronesis (Practical Wisdom)

The Hermit aligns with Nous (Mind)

Wheel of Fortune aligns with Alethia(Truth)

Strength aligns with Acinetos (Immovable)

The Hanged Man aligns with Anthropos (Mankind)

Death aligns with Paracletus (The Helper)

Temperance aligns with Ecclesia (The Church)

The Devil aligns with Nebruel (The Creator of Chaos)

The Tower aligns with Synesis (Understanding)

The Star aligns with Elpis (Hope)

The Moon aligns with Bythos (Depth)

The Sun aligns with Monad (The One)

Judgement aligns with IEOU (Judgement)

The World aligns with Epinoia (Creation)

The Minor Arcana

The suit of Coins relate to the suit of Suns that are represented by a circle.

Pneuma (Spirit within), Pistis (Faith)

The suit of Swords relate the suit of Shields that are represented by an ellipse.

Syncrasis (Intercourse), Macaria (Happiness), and Henosis (Union).

The suit of Cups relate the suit of Flags that are represented by a square.

Hedone (Pleasure) and Grigori (The Watcher).

The suit of Cups relate the suit of Flags that are represented by a square.

Hedone (Pleasure) and Grigori (The Watcher).

The suit of Wands are not represented in the Aeon deck.

The suit of Diamonds relate the suit of Diamonds that are represented by a forward facing triangle.

Ageratos (Eternal), Ainos (Praise), and Macariotes (Utopia/Heaven).

The suit of Spades relate the suit of Spades that are represented by a pentagon.

Mixis (Stir-up).

The suit of Hearts relate the suit of Hearts that are represented by a inward facing triangle.

Monogenes (Originality), Theletus (Perfection), and Autophyes (Self-made).

The suit of Clubs are not represented in the Aeon deck.