4 Stories

Fire. Water. Air. Earth. For 2000 years these four elements dominated our understanding of matter. Everything in the cosmos had its place in one of these four realms; their pervasive influence colored philosophy, art, science, culture, shaping our symbolic language even as post-Enlightenment thought stripped them of their primacy. As elemental beliefs passed from fact into lore, they retained some of their power and currency in spiritual and divinatory practices. Borne along on the inesorable tides of Western astrology, the elements found their way into the esoteric substructure of tarot, where they would each weave a rich tapestry of story for those with the eyes to read it. In this book the ancient elements and the zodiacal signs they govern come to life: the Story of Fire ignites adventures and acts of heroism, while the Story of Water dreams of sacrifice and surrender. The Story of Air obsesses over knowledge and its price, and the Story of Earth guides us through the dark mysteries of reproduction and rebirth. Using myths and fairy tales, author T. Susan Chang shows how these elemental correspondences hide in plain sight in the tarot, scattered like colorful stars amongst the major arcana, the pip cards, and the court cards. Jung-influenced and alchemically informed, this book offers a way to unlock the trove of spellbinding narrative in the magical arc of your own life.