A few Angels make an appearance in the images of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot card deck. Many a times, my students have asked me about the importance of those specific Angels in that specific card. So today, lets explore this topic, and get to know the Angels in the Tarot cards a little bit better.
Before we go ahead, lets have a look at what Angels are all about.
A Bit About Angels
According to the Wikipedia page about Angels, are spiritual beings that have often been depicted as ‘messengers of God’. They are present in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, along with the Quran.
The meaning of the word ‘Angel’ is ‘messenger’, and their chief roles include protecting and guiding human beings and carrying out the different tasks set out to them by God.
Angels are considered to be pure spirits, and are often depicted with wings and halos. According to the creation myth described in the Bible and Quran, before God created Man, He created the Angels.
Now that we’ve had a bit of an introduction about Angels, lets dive in and look at the Angels in the Tarot card deck.
Angels in the Tarot Cards: Raphael in the Lovers Card
The Angel plays a very prominent part in the image of the Lovers card. Along with the Man and the Woman, this angel creates a very interesting triangle. As we can see in the image, the Angel is actually blessing the Man and the Woman.
The angel depicted in this card is said to be Raphael. The meaning of the name ‘Raphael’ is ‘God Heals’, and thus this angel is a depiction of the healing force of God.
Now, if we look at the picture of the Lovers card, we see a picture that is related to the story of how Adam and Eve were thrown out of the Garden of Eden after they ate the apple from the Tree of Knowledge. But this image is so different from that story, isn’t it? And you are right!
In this image, we actually see Adam and Eve who are being blessed by the Angel Raphael after they have eaten the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge!
This image is conveying a very different idea: knowledge is not necessarily a bad thing! By having an angel of healing bless the Man and Woman in the picture, we see a very different meaning being conveyed here.
With Raphael blessing the couple, the image conveys a thought process that the man and the woman can actually benefit from the knowledge that they have gained. We can also see that male and female energies can be a healing force for each other. The image conveys the thought that the man and woman are equal counterparts of each other, rather then one being superior to the other. It is almost as if the angel is healing the rift between the sexes that has been built up over the ages!
Angels in the Tarot Cards: Gabriel in the Judgement Card
The next Angel we are going to see is the one in the Judgement card. Here too, the Angel is playing a very important role in the goings-on within the image of the card. The Angel in this card is blowing a trumpet that helps awaken the people who are floating about in their coffins.
The Angel in this card is said to be Gabriel. The name ‘Gabriel’ means ‘Strength of God’ and therefore this Angel is said to perform acts of justice and power. According to the Bible, it was Gabriel who had foretold the birth of Jesus. And it was Gabriel who revealed the Quran to the Prophet Mohammed.
According to the Wikipedia page, the idea that Gabriel will be the one to blow a trumpet on Judgement Day to initiate the end of time actually doesn’t exist in the Bible, but owes its origins to John Milton’s book called ‘Paradise Lost’.
However, it is the picture of Judgement Day that has been depicted on the Judgement card. Thus, we see that this Angel performs a very important role – because it is only when he blows on his trumpet that the people realize that their time of reckoning has arrived. Thus Gabriel performs a very important role in this scenario, by awakening the people and making them aware of the change that is going to come about.
Angels in the Tarot Cards: Temperance Card
We also see an Angel in the Temperance card. This angel stands with one foot in a pool of water and one foot on land, and holds two cups in his hand. He pours a liquid from one cup to the other.
Now, I have searched high and low for the name of this angel, only to realize that it isn’t a specific angel depicted on this card! Instead, the image is trying to depict the Fool (remember, the journey of the Major Arcana is the Journey of the Fool), who has now become a person who has now developed angelic attributes.
In fact, the original depictions of the Temperance card did not even show the figure as an Angel!
Temperance also connects with the different ‘Cardinal Virtues’ that were depicted in the images of the Tarot cards: Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude and Justice. While Prudence is considered to be missing from the images of the Tarot cards, the other three, happily, are represented. Fortitude is depicted in the Strength card, while Justice and Temperance are shown in the cards that bear the same names.
The Virtue of Temperance talks about balance and moderation. Among the different symbols of this virtue, is the depiction of water and wine in two jugs. And we see the Angel in the Temperance card holding two cups, pouring liquid out of one into the other!
Thus, by depicting an Angel in this card, were the authors of the deck were trying the convey the idea that it is possible for human beings to develop characteristics and virtues that elevate them to the level of Angels? I would certainly like to think so. 🙂
Your Turn / In Conclusion…
Angels thus play a very interesting role in the images of the Tarot cards. Each angel only adds into the meaning that one can derive from the image of that card. Also adding the images of these angels in the Tarot cards, the author of the deck has added in a bit of divinity that can be actually touched by and achieved by human beings.
What are your thoughts? What do these images of the angels in the Tarot cards tell you? What connections have you made with the concepts symbolized by them? Do share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.
Madhavi, if you look very closely at the yoke of the angel’s white robe, above the orange triangle, on the Temperance card (Rider-Waite deck), you’ll see some black squiggles. These are actually Hebrew letters which spell out God’s unpronounceable name: Yud Hey Vov Hey (reading from right to left). I think this accords this angel a great degree of holiness.
How interesting… I am looking at the card right now… and wow! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi there, I stumbled upon your site through a search for some additional associations to the Angel in the Lovers arcana used in the rider/waite and I found what my tarot spread seemed to be indicating. While reading I received two requests to dialog with the admin so I figured a few lines wouldn’t hurt. Ok, I got something in mind, as to the Judgement card, most people that have received a tarot card reading from me, feel somewhat apprehensive about it, should it show in their spread that is. For me it is a special card, it indicates that my higher conscious or the Universe or God, is calling me to a special cause, a work that I was born to do or fated to participate in. I believe that a number of people who see this card show up in their reading happen to intuit that communication and are reluctant to its hidden pull. Do you remember when your gifts were dormant and how did you go about listening and following up with that heeding or calling from your higher power? Warm regards, JY
How interesting!
I never thought of the Angel from the Judgement card in quite this way… And you are right… When this card comes up, people intuitively know what their ‘wake up call’ message is, but they are reluctant to follow where it leads.
As for me, I was drawn to the cards when I had my first reading. I was mesmerized by the images, and felt compelled to learn about them. And although friends and family members laughed at me going ‘bonkers’ like that, I heeded the call and followed it through… In fact, you could say that I’m still doing that.. 🙂
According to BOTA and the Cube of Space design (another way of mapping out attributes to the Tarot cards) the angels are as follows:
Raphael (Healer of God) The Lovers,
Michael (He who is like God) Temperance,
Gabriel (Strength of God) Judgement,
Auriel (Light of God) The Devil.
There are many interesting Occult reasons for this illustrated in the book “New Dimensions for the Cube of Space” by David Allen Hulse. I recommend giving it a read. It’s a fascinating book.
Regards,
Jessica
Thanks Jessica!
I’ll definitely check it out! 🙂
Hello Madhavi,
There are a few places I found references to Cassiel that made me think of the Temperance card.
1. In The Angel Bible by Hazel Raven on page 361 she presents a relationship between Zodiac Signs, Angels and Zodiac Signs and Qualities
Cassiel (along with Uriel) is mentioned as being associated with the zodian sign Aquarius, and the Idealistic and humanitarian qualities that govern that sign.
2. In the book The Tarot Decoder by Kathleen McCormack, the following is one of the card’s description:
“This card may be derived from Aquarius the water bearer, or form Dionysus/Bacchus performing the ancient rite of mixing water and wine.
Some think the figure represents Ganymede, the cupbearer of the gods, whose duty was to refill the empty cup with the nectar of immortality.”
As only archangels are depicted in the Tarot, and since it is believed that they are more closely associated with the Divine, along with the fairly consistent reference to Aquarius and their traits for temperance, I think that Cassiel is a very strong possibility.
Have fun.
Nicole
Hey Nicole,
Thanks so much for sending me all this information… This is really great – because I spent quite a bit of time researching for the angel on the Temperance card before I wrote that blog post… and was totally unable to find any reference of any sort to link it with any specific angel. So, your information is really helpful. 🙂
I am very grateful…. Certainly is ‘food for thought’!
Madhavi.
Hi, if Cassiel is the angel of Temperance, maybe this is who is on the Temperance card? Possible?
Hi Nicole,
Just read a bit about Cassiel on Wikipedia and to quote: “Cassiel is known for simply watching the events of the cosmos unfold with little interference. He is the angel of solitude and tears, and is said to preside over the deaths of kings.”
Since Temperance talks about balance and moderation, then based on this description, perhaps Cassiel might fit the bill.
Can you tell me why you thought of Cassiel in this regard? What made you think that Cassiel could be the Angel depicted on the Temperance card?
Madhavi