Aquarius in the tarot

Aquarius is deep winter, air that is clear and cold and far-sighted. It is fixed air — principled, independent, humane, sometimes detached, loyal to ideas more than to people. In the cards it is The Star, hope poured out after the storm, and the middle Swords: a hollow victory, the ferry to calmer water, and the thief in the night.

The Star

Aquarius belongs to The Star, card XVII of the major arcana — hope, healing, generosity. It is the card to choose for someone born under Aquarius, if you want a card to stand for them in a reading.

Its ruling planet, Saturn, is The Universe: limits, time, structure.

The three decans

The ten-day slices of Aquarius are three Swords, the suit of air. If your birthday falls in one, that card is yours.

• Five of Swords — 20–29 January, the first decan: Venus in Aquarius. conflict, hollow wins, defeat by any means.
• Six of Swords — 30 January – 8 February, the second decan: Mercury in Aquarius. transition, moving on, leaving trouble behind.
• Seven of Swords — 9–18 February, the third decan: the Moon in Aquarius. deception, strategy, getting away with it.

The court

Two court cards share Aquarius. The King of Swords — air of air — rules its first twenty degrees, coming in from Capricorn (10 January – 8 February). The Knight of Cups — fire of water — takes its last ten and carries on into Pisces (9 February – 10 March).