Tarot
Have you been drawn to learning tarot and have no idea where to start?
I have been there! It can definitely be overwhelming. I mean you have 78 cards, all of which have a different meaning when reversed. So that right there’s 156 meanings. Then let’s not even think about how they can mean different things when paired with other cards, or where they land in a reading. On top of that, you have to use your intuition which can completely change the meaning. Yeah, that’s a lot to take in.
But don’t be too overwhelmed. I am here to help simplify it.
Tarot has a lot of symbolism that reoccurs in the cards, and learning that, along with real-world definitions of the card can make it all a little less painful.
My recommendation is to learn what the suits mean first, numbers second, and symbolism third. That way you can look at the Ace of Cups and know Aces mean new beginnings, cups mean emotions and love and the card has a hand coming from the clouds, which means the hand of God. So, you know now, without even looking up the detailed definition, that this card is telling you that you are going to have new love or new emotions and that God has blessed it and it will all be good for you.
That will make it much easier to get started. Once you have that figured out you can dive into the actual definitions.
Remember though, intuition always comes first. What do I mean by that? Let’s give the first card, The Fool, as an example. Many see someone who is careless and about to walk off a cliff, and the dog barking at its feet trying to protect it and notify it of its danger. But if you have been attacked by a dog in the past and when you see this card you immediately notice the barking dog and think danger, then Spirit is using that to tell you this card means danger to you.
Now let’s use The Fool as our example again and start on this amazing journey!
The first thing you should know is there are 22 Major Arcana cards and 56 Minor Arcana. Simply put, the major arcana are considered more important, more like life lessons, whereas the minor arcana are more insignificant and tell you how you will handle the big things.
The Suits
Wands
Inspiration, creativity, energy, enthusiasm, momentum
Element= Fire Astrological signs= Leo, Sagittarius, Aries
The wands deal with what is important to you. What drives you, what makes you tick. This is your personality, your behavior, your purpose.
Cups
Emotions, intuition, relationships, creativity
Element= Water Astrological sign= Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio
The Cups deal with your emotions. How you handle and react to situations and how you feel about them on a conscious level.
Swords
Communication, truth, intellect, thoughts
Element= Air Astrological Sign= Aquarius, Gemini, Libra
Swords show the matter of the mind. Your thoughts, attitude, and beliefs along with your ability to make decisions.
Pentacles
Material wealth, money, career, manifestations
Element= Earth Astrological sign= Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Pentacles cover the material side of things. Money, career, possessions, and the physical world.
The Numbers
One (Ace): New beginnings- new love, new job, new ideas, new challenges
Two: Pairs and choices- partnership, balancing, decision-making
Three: Creativity & Connections- friends, collaboration, teamwork, heartbreak
Four: Stability & Security- stuck, security, big moments, rest
Five: Instability & Crisis- sorrow, loss, rivalry, violence
Six: Community & Victories- nostalgia, generosity, acclaim, moving on
Seven: Reflection & Solutions- temptation, impatience, defending, trickery
Eight: Speed & Power- Moving on, mastery, change, trapped
Nine: Independence & Solitude- satisfaction, independence, boundaries, anxiety
Ten: Completion- contentment, legacy, overburdened, rock bottom
Pages: Opportunities, learning, new beginnings, discovering
Knights: Action, movement, forward progress, focus
Queens: Feminine energy, mature, nurturing, fierce
Kings: Strong, controlling, leader, stable, provider
General Symbolism
Mountains- Mountains represent obstacles in tarot. Always pay attention to how close they are. If it is close, then the obstacles are imminent, if they are far, there is no need to worry about them at this time, view it as more of a warning on what’s to come. Also look to see if the mountain is jagged and steep, or smooth and gradual. This will tell you how challenging and impactful the obstacle will be.
Castles- Castles symbolize home, comfort, and the end of a journey.
Armor- Symbolizes battle. For instance, if you throw down the gauntlet glove it means that the knight challenges a competitor to a battle. Armor also symbolizes the sensitivity of the rider, The fewer the gloves, the more sensitive. (cups-none, swords-one, wands &pentacles- two)
Birds- Represent messengers from the spiritual realm.
Paths- Represent the journey, both practical and spiritual. Show the need to move beyond your current lifestyle.
Veils- Symbolize secrets and the need to keep things hidden from the public.
Scales- Mean balance and fairness. Truth.
Fruits or vegetables- Represent abundance, fruition, harvest. Vines suggests the opportunity for financial growth.
Infinity sign- Karma. What comes around, goes around. Also, can indicate that things have a way of working themselves out.
Colors- Colors have a big significance in a reading whether it’s the sky background or the clothes they are wearing.
Yellow- energy, optimism, hope
Red- passion and fire
Blue- communication and truth
Orange- intellect
White- purity and innocence
Green- prosperity and abundance
Black- negativity and darkness
Grey- depression and lull
Brown- grounded and practical
Choosing a Deck
The Rider–Waite Tarot deck is the most common deck used in tarot, and these are the images used for the card descriptions that follow.
As you get more comfortable with your tarot practice and become more in tune with your intuition, you may want to explore other decks as they may have imagery that speaks to you. One of my personal favorites is the Light Seer’s Tarot deck.