Tarot: The Dog’s Journey

The Fool, The Moon & The Ten of Pentacles from the Rider Waite Tarot Deck designed by Pamela Coleman Smith under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite

Universally, dogs represent loyalty, protection and companionship. Humanity's best friend has evolved alongside us for thousands of years and serves as a guardian of the afterlife in figures such as the jackal-headed Anubis and the three-headed Cerberus. In Jungian psychology, dogs are archetypes of instinct, vitality and the unconscious. Although domesticated for up to 40,000 years, they retain the keen senses and intuitive awareness that link them to their wild ancestry.

For this article, I turned my attention to the dogs of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, exploring how Pamela Colman Smith used these furry companions to deepen the meanings of The Fool, The Moon and the Ten of Pentacles. Along the way, I challenged my own preconceptions to ensure I wasn't barking up the wrong trees.

'The Fool' from the Rider Waite Tarot Deck designed by Pamela Coleman Smith under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite

The Fool

A small terrier-like dog jumps at the heels of a youthful traveller. Older iterations of this card show the dog—sometimes another creature, such as a tiger—biting at the traveller's clothing. The interpretation that the dog is giving a warning has carried into modern readings, though it is absent from this pup's posture. Here, this four-legged friend reflects the enthusiasm of many young dogs, excited by the prospect of a walk into fresh territory.

Mirroring the rose in its companion's hand, the whiteness of its coat suggests that this dog is bounding into the journey with pure abandon. Looking neither anxious nor alarmed, it embodies what is gained and lost through domestication. It has exchanged the vigilance of its wild ancestors for faith in its companion. Thus, it is unaware of the precipice ahead as it bounds beside its human, trusting them to choose a safe path.

Perhaps this is precisely what The Fool asks of us. To begin any new journey, we must set aside the instinct to anticipate every danger and instead step forward with innocence, hope and wonder.

'The Moon' from the Rider Waite Tarot Deck designed by Pamela Coleman Smith under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite

The Moon

Unique among the Major Arcana, The Moon contains no human or human-like figure*. Instead, it represents imagination and unconscious drives through the language of the natural world. Here, the dog stands in relation to its counterpart, the wolf, with the Moon illuminating both as aspects of our animal nature. A third creature, the crayfish, emerges from the depths of the water, representing something even more ancient and primal. The face of the Moon reveals our capacity to become conscious of these inner forces.

The dog and the wolf stand on opposite sides of the path but howl together. To the conscious mind, their howls are indecipherable from each other. The tamed and the untamed share similar fears and impulses. Whichever voice we heed, the path leads to the same destination beyond the distant mountains. The Moon asks us not to favour our wild or civilised self, but to learn to navigate the uncertain landscape where both reside.

*The Wheel of Fortune contains no human figure, but does include an angel.

'The Ten of Pentacles' from the Rider Waite Tarot Deck designed by Pamela Coleman Smith under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite

The Ten of Pentacles

Tucked into the bottom left-hand corner of the card is an old man. Viewed through the lens of canine mythology, the scene recalls Argos, the faithful dog who waited twenty years for the return of his master, Odysseus. At the end of his quest, Odysseus disguises himself as a beggar and goes unnoticed through Ithaca. Argos recognises him immediately, wags his tail and, assured his master is finally home, dies. The epitome of loyalty, Argos also embodies the themes of completion and legacy reflected by the Ten of Pentacles.

The two elegant hunting dogs appear to belong to the richly dressed figure with his back to the reader, yet both look expectantly towards the old man. Rather than passing unnoticed, this old man stretches out a hand to acknowledge the seated dog's faithful presence with a gentle pat on the head. A child peeks shyly from behind a woman's skirts to stroke the standing dog's rump, linking the youngest and oldest generations through a quiet moment of affection. This connection speaks to the continuation of wealth, not merely financial, but the richness of tradition, family and identity.

Leela J. Williams is an award-winning psychic creator. Discover her oracle decks and journals, including Zoologica: The Steampunk Oracle HERE.