How do you feel about the changing of elements corresponding to the suits in Tarot/Playing cards?

[dannYves]

A while back throughout my studies on tarot, I first came across this learning the Spaniard cartomantic traditions beginning with Eudes Picard who interchanged the elements traditionally to the cups and swords according to the way or manner he interpreted the astrological houses. At the time i found it fascinating and could aesthetically and esoterically relate to the change - cups in their natural state are empty but can encapsulate air and due to the affects of swords water can come from tears or opening a blockage of some kind physically speaking. It’s just another way to understand a suit, in my opinion.

Not long afterwards, I came across this again with Spanish suited-cards, where the coins were correlated with fire and the clubs with earth - and this change, which apparently was due to the influence of Etteilla which means that’s its old, makes perfect sense to me.

The Gardnerian Wiccan change between the swords and wands also make perfect sense, and this is usually how I now approach swords and wands.

what are your thoughts? Are there any systems of change that have affected you or made you think in a different way? Are there any historical narratives explaining the elements in reference to the card suits that can shine light on this topic which you can provide?

 

[OberonFromTheHills]

Eliphas Levi saw the pentacles as air and the sword as earth. Divination works through a system that makes sense to a group/a person.... If another system makes senses to you and you get results than USE IT.

Remember Tarot used to be just playing cards. If a bunch of delulu mystics in the late 18th century could define a system, then so do you!!!