NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC · Seite 170 · Reise Frühjahr 2026
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PR-KAMPAGNE Buchtipps und Bildstrecken in Publikumsmedien, Wissens- magazinen, überregionaler Tagespresse etc.
C reated in Babylonia and refined in Egypt and Greece, the Western zodiac calendar is both a testament to cross-cultural exchange and an enduring source of magical inspiration. The zodiac is a belt of the night sky that lies along the ecliptic, the sun’s apparent path through the heavens. By the time of the Renaissance, astrologers had divided this belt into 12 equal parts, each represented by one of 12 constellations along it. Believing in links between earthly events and celestial align- ments, astrologers track the sun, moon, and planets against the zodiac calendar; these bodies’ locations during a person’s birth are thought to relate to their essence of being. WESTERN ZODIAC
PISCES
The Fish February 19–March 20
ST. MARK’S CLOCK TOWER
ARIES The Ram March 21–April 19
Detail of the 15th-century astronomical clock from the Torre dell'Orologio, in Venice, Italy
AQUARIUS The Water Bearer January 20–February 18
Wir werben in
LIBRA The Balance September 23–October 23
CAPRICORN
The Goat December 22–January 22–January 19
TAURUS
The Bull April 20–May 20
SAGITTARIUS
LEO The Lion July 23–August 22
The Archer November 22–December 21
NR. 18
CANCER
The Crab June 22–July 22
GEMINI The Twins May 21–June 21
VIRGO The Virgin August 23– September 22
Kluge Strategin Eleonore von Aquitanien: Sie herrschte über Frankreich und England Tödlicher Wahn 1692 kam es in Salem, Massachusetts, zu einer fanatischen Hexenjagd Geschichte zu zweit 20 Paare, die ihre Zeit überstrahlten – und bis heute faszinieren
SCORPIO The Scorpion October 24–November 21
THE ARTS OF DIVINATION 119
118 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BOOK OF MAGIC AND THE OCCULT
Konstantin Christentum zum Sieg verhalf
CHAPTER FOUR Magi,Witches & Occult Societies
The supposed threat posed by witches, like the one depicted in this 1888 painting by John Gilbert, inspired, terrified, and transformed the world.
T arot readers use the deck’s 22 major arcana (the numbered or named cards) and its 56 minor arcana (the suit cards) to divine the past, present, and future. To make the modern tarot deck, Arthur Waite and Pamela Colman-Smith drew inspiration from French books, antique Italian tarot decks, Jewish kabbalah, and possibly even their own friends, some of whom bore an uncanny resemblance to the figures depicted on the cards. MAJOR ARCANA
THE SUN The promise of optimism, vitality, and success
JUSTICE A fair decision, balance, and truthfulness
TEMPERANCE A sign of clear vision, goals, and higher learning
THE HIGH PRIESTESS PRIESTESS Wisdom, spirituality, and trusting your instincts
THE FOOL The fool, the first figure of the major arcana, is the story’s main character, who must experience the journey laid out by the cards. Tarot decks are shuffled and dealt at random; the cards’ order and placement during a reading determines their significance. A card’s meaning may change if it’s dealt upside down or after another card. To answer a question, a tarot reader might draw one card
MINOR ARCANA These cards interpret short-term emotions everyday decisions we
ARCANA interpret the emotions and
we face.
THE EMPRESS A symbol of maternity, creation, and new life
THE LOVERS Deep connections, unconditional love, and balance
THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE Coming change, new life cycles, and luck
STRENGTH Determination to control emotions and have patience
THE STAR An optimism for healing and inspiring calm
THE DEVIL The negative con- straints and influences holding back life
THE CHARIOT Ability to overcome obstacles through willpower and CHARIOT overcome through and focus
or a series to outline the past, present, and future. The cards of the major arcana represent the most important decisions that face each person in their life; their lessons are con- sidered long term, while the minor arcana repre- sent daily life.
THE HERMIT A search for wisdom, inner guidance, and solitude
THE HANGED MAN Letting go, reflecting, sacrifice, and surrender
THE MAGICIAN Power, manifestation of desire, and trickery
THE EMPEROR Stability, leadership, and a system bound by rules
THE HIEROPHANT A formal set of beliefs; a spiritual or faithful path
DEATH Deep transformation,
JUDGMENT The resolution to make decisions and achieve personal growth
THE WORLD Fulfillment of a journey, either spiritual or physical
THE MOON Illusion, deception, and anxiety obscuring the truth
THE TOWER Unexpected change, chaos, and necessary destruction TOWER change, necessary
moving on from current situations
126 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BOOK OF MAGIC AND THE OCCULT
THE ARTS OF DIVINATION 127 DIVINATION
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