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Zodiac · 22 November – 21 December
Sagittarius in the tarot
In the Golden Dawn tradition used by the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, Sagittarius is linked with Temperance. Its three ten-day 'decans' map to the Eight of Wands, Nine of Wands and Ten of Wands, and as a fire sign it belongs to the suit of Wands.
Temperance: the Sagittarius card
Keywords: balance, patience, alchemy. The angel pours between two cups. Blend, moderate and let time do its gentle work.
Reversed: Excess or imbalance. Something needs to be mixed more slowly.
Why Sagittarius? Golden Dawn writers matched each major card to a sign by Hebrew letter, and Temperance fell to Sagittarius. Full Temperance meaning.
The Sagittarius decans in the minor arcana
The Golden Dawn split each sign into three ten-day decans and gave each a numbered minor card. For Sagittarius they run in order through the sign's dates:
First decan: Eight of Wands
Movement and mastery · fire. Swift progress in passion, drive and creative fire. Dedication and practice carry you forward. Read more.
Second decan: Nine of Wands
Near-fulfilment · fire. Almost there in passion, drive and creative fire. Savour how far you have come and guard your gains. Read more.
Third decan: Ten of Wands
Completion and legacy · fire. The fullness of passion, drive and creative fire. A cycle completes, for joy or for release. Read more.
The suit of Wands
Sagittarius is a fire sign, and fire belongs to the suit of Wands in most decks. When Wands cards dominate a Sagittarius reading, tradition reads it as the sign's own energy speaking.
A three-card Sagittarius spread
Shuffle, draw three cards and read them as a short story. Tarot is used here for reflection, not prediction.
- Card 1, Temperance's question: where in my life am I being asked to balance?
- Card 2: what is helping me right now?
- Card 3: one small step for this Sagittarius season.
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Questions answered
What tarot card represents Sagittarius?
Temperance, in the Golden Dawn system used by most modern decks.
Which minor arcana cards belong to Sagittarius?
Eight of Wands, Nine of Wands and Ten of Wands, one for each ten-day decan.
What tarot suit is Sagittarius?
Wands, because Sagittarius is a fire sign.
Key facts (summary)
- In the Golden Dawn tradition used by the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, Sagittarius is linked with Temperance.
- Temperance, in the Golden Dawn system used by most modern decks.
- Eight of Wands, Nine of Wands and Ten of Wands, one for each ten-day decan.
- Wands, because Sagittarius is a fire sign.
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