The Complete Operations of Tarot, 2026

Where do I even begin with this one? This diagram represents my attempt to unify the entire tarot system into a single, coherent structure. Rather than treating tarot as a loose collection of symbols, this model approaches it as a fully integrated metaphysical system with clear internal mechanics.

The single most important distinction in the diagram is the use of four colors: red, blue, yellow, and green. Each color corresponds directly to one of the four classical elements and, by extension, to the four suits of the Minor Arcana. Red represents Fire and Wands, blue represents Water and Cups, yellow represents Air and Swords, and green represents Earth and Pentacles.

These elemental correspondences are foundational, but they operate simultaneously on another level. Each color is also associated with one of the four Kabbalistic Worlds: red corresponds to Atziluth, blue to Briah, yellow to Yetzirah, and green to Assiah. In tarot, each of these worlds is further expressed through the court cards. Atziluth is associated with the Knights following Golden Dawn convention, Briah with the Queens, Yetzirah with the Kings, and Assiah with the Princesses.

The sequence of colors in the diagram is intentional and must be followed in the order red, blue, yellow, green. Red represents Spirit and the unmanifest source, while green represents matter and full manifestation. Blue and yellow function as intermediary stages, the process of becoming that bridges Spirit and form.

The Outer Structure: Elements and Hebrew Correspondences

Starting from the outermost layer and moving inward, the diagram begins with a double circle containing Hebrew correspondences. These correspondences relate to the Hebrew elemental principles, which should not be confused with the Four Worlds of Kabbalah. Instead, they represent a simple dissection of matter as it emerges from Spirit.

By aligning each corner of the diagram with its corresponding Hebrew element, the elemental structure becomes immediately legible. For example, the top left corner is red, corresponding to Fire, while the top right is blue, corresponding to Water, and so on.

The Four Worlds Within the Diagram

Moving inward, the next layer is divided into four sections, each containing Hebrew letters color coded to represent the Four Worlds. As the diagram progresses counterclockwise, the characters repeat and evolve. The character on the right represents Atziluth, the top represents Briah, the left represents Yetzirah, and the bottom represents Assiah.

These distinctions are critical, as they form the basis for the next structural layer, which I refer to as the Quaternary Pentacles.

The Quaternary Pentacles

Each Quaternary Pentacle corresponds to one of the four elements, identified by the color of its central circle and elemental glyph in the center. Because Atziluth, represented by red, rests to the right of the red circle, we know this pentacle belongs to the Quaternary of Fire. Moving counterclockwise, Briah aligns with Water, Yetzirah with Air, and Assiah with Earth.

Within each Quaternary Pentacle, the internal structure is identical across all four elements. Each contains an outer ring of Hebrew letters encircling three smaller pentacles, which I refer to as the Pentacles of the Zodiac. Inside each zodiacal pentacle is a single zodiac glyph.

Within the outer ring of each Quaternary Pentacle, three Hebrew characters are placed alongside the three inner seals, forming an upward-pointing triangle. A fourth set of characters, also grouped in threes, forms a downward-pointing triangle. At the topmost seal sits a Hebrew name and a traditional elemental glyph.

Using the Quaternary of Fire as an example, the topmost glyph can be read as Briah of Fire, or Water of Fire. In tarot terms, Briah corresponds to the Queens, so this becomes the Queen of Wands. Moving clockwise, the Virgo pentacle corresponds to Atziluth of Earth, or the King of Pentacles, and the Cancer pentacle corresponds to Yetzirah of Water, or the Knight of Cups.

Each of these court aspects presides over its respective zodiacal pentacle.

At the base of the Quaternary Pentacle is a grouping of four Hebrew letters corresponding to Assiah, which translates to the Princess. In the Quaternary of Fire, this becomes the Princess of Wands, influenced by all three zodiacal pentacles within that quaternary.

Along the east–west axis are two additional glyphs corresponding to the eight Pagan Sabbats. In this case, the left glyph represents Litha, and the right represents Lughnasadh. When the pentacle is bisected vertically, Litha represents the fiery, masculine principle of the Quaternary of Fire, while Lughnasadh represents its watery, feminine principle.

Zodiacal Structure and Polarity

Within the zodiacal pentacles, the elemental and modal qualities become visible. Leo occupies the stabilizing, fixed position. Virgo falls under the feminine, mutable principle, aligning with Lughnasadh, while Cancer occupies the masculine, cardinal position aligned with Litha.

By observing the placement of Major Arcana names, we can further refine interpretation. Justice aligns with the 5 and 6 positions, while Judgment aligns with the 6 and 7. The 6 of Wands corresponds to the Sun. Using the same logic applied earlier, the pyramids can be divided into cardinal, fixed, and mutable paths. In each suit, 3, 6, and 9 act as stabilizing points, 2, 5, and 8 as the cardinal path, and 4, 7, and 10 as the mutable path.

In the Quaternary of Fire, Leo functions as the fixed sign and is ruled by Fire. From this position, Fire acts as the dominant stabilizing force and governs the two passive signs, Water and Earth, within that quaternary. This establishes a hierarchy in which Fire provides coherence and continuity, while Water and Earth operate as receptive and adaptive expressions of that force.

In the Quaternary of Water, this relationship is reversed. Water becomes the fixed, stabilizing principle, and Fire and Air assume the passive roles. This pattern continues consistently across all four quaternaries, with each element taking its turn as the fixed ruler within its own domain while the remaining elements shift into passive or adaptive positions.

This rotational logic ensures that no element functions as dominant in all contexts. Instead, authority is distributed cyclically, allowing the system to remain balanced, dynamic, and internally coherent across the entire diagram.

This structure makes it possible to determine whether a reading is dominated by a single quaternary, revealing specific energetic currents or forces influencing the divination.

The Final Formula: ORAT · ATOR · TARO · ROTA · TORA

Outside the seals are five color coded blocks of letters. When read counterclockwise, following the succession of the Four Worlds, they form the phrase:

ORAT · ATOR · TARO · ROTA · TORA

This translates as:

ORAT – Man prays

ATOR – to the Great Mother

TARO – who turns

ROTA – the wheel of life and death

TORA – this is the Law

Each word is color coded to reflect its elemental nature. ORAT is red and represents the fiery, masculine aspect of Spirit. ATOR is blue and represents the watery, feminine aspect. TARO is yellow, the airy intellect of Spirit. ROTA is green, Spirit fully embodied in matter. TORA is white, representing the fundamental law underlying all manifestation.

Read in sequence, the phrase moves from Spirit into matter and back into Spirit. In totality this diagram outlines the complete mechanics of tarot as an advanced operational system, stripped of superstition and fortune telling, and understood instead as a tool for comprehending the inner processes of humanity and the operation of divine intelligence under the Great Architect of the Universe. Explore more from this series →