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Tarot Basics
The Tarot deck is 78 cards, divided into two parts - the Major Arcana, and the Minor Arcana. Each card is full of symbols, but what does it mean? In this web page I have laid out some basics that can be applied to decks in general. Individual meanings of cards can differ, but this is a guide to how the cards fit in relation to one another. You can read through, or skip down to the Major Arcana.
The Minor Arcana consists of 56 cards. It is divided into 4 different suits, numbering from Ace to 10, then 4 court cards - similar to a standard playing card deck.
The four suits of the Tarot deck correspond to four divisions of energy and activity:
Wands/Rods -
Wands/Rods correspond to the element of fire. They represent
energy, creativity, passion, and spirit.
Pentacles/Disks -
Pentacles/Disks correspond to the element of earth. They
represent money, material matters, and physical well-being.
Cups -
Cups correspond to the element of water. They represent
emotions, relationships, love, and intuition.
Swords -
Swords correspond to the element of air. They represent
the mind and intellect, communicatin, and conflict.
The ace is the earliest, most primordial form of the element, and the ten of each suit is the maximum manifestation of the quality of the element. Two through nine are valuable lessons which nurture a slow evolution or ripening, as the individual gains in control and consciousness within the activities of the element.
Wands build towards constructive
passionate energy.
Pentacles build towards physical security.
Cups build through emotional fulfillment.
Swords build through increased wisdom and knowledge.
Numeric Significance:
1.Ace - beginnings, the arrival of
something new and untempered
2.Two - choices, decisions, early combinations
3.Three - plannning, preparing
4.Four - stability
5.Five - challenges, adapting
6.Six - realization of patterns, cycles
7.Seven - individual efforts, developing one's own style through
experimentation
8.Eight - organizing ideas and efforts, structuring
9.Nine - expansion, development
10.Ten - fulfillment, maximum manifestation
Court Cards:
There are a few different ways to interpret the court cards if they come up in a reading. One way is to interpret them as the physiological or zodiacal representations of people, using the same credentials as choosing a significator (see below). Another is to interpret the court cards as representing stages in personal development with regards to the element.
Page - risking, daring
Knight - focusing, intensity
Queen - mature, competent
King - completion, ready to let go or move on
Some people choose a card to represent the questioner and lay down the spread around that card. It is not necessary to choose a significator, or to even restrict your choices to the court cards. Here are a few common methods for choosing a significator from the court cards.
Zodiac - The signs of the zodiac are divided along the 4 elements as well. Determine what sign the questioner is, and then use the court cards of the representative suit.
Wands - Aries,
Leo, Sagittarius
Pentacles - Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Cups - Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Swords - Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Physical Appearances
- A significator can also be
chosen by the questioner's physical appearance. The correspondance
between the suits and complexions is below.
Wands-
blond hair and blue eyes;
red/auburn hair and green/Hazel eyes; fair complexion
Pentacles - black hair and dark eyes; dark complexion
Cups - light brown hair and brown/Hazel eyes, light
complexion
Swords - medium to dark brown hair, brown eyes;
medium complexion
Sex/Age -
After selecting the appropriate
suit, choose a card most fitting to the questioner's age and sex.
If the sex of the questioner is different than the sex of the
character portrayed on the card, but that card seems to be the
most fitting - go with the card. Use sex only as a guide.
There are two main organization schemes for the court
cards:
1.King/Queen/Knight/Page:
King - mature male
Queen - mature female
Knight - young adult, usually male
Page - youth or young adult female
2.King/Queen/Prince/Princess:
King - mature male
Queen - mature female
Prince - young adult/youthful male
Princess - young adult/youthful female
This is my attempt to describe the cards' significance in a sequential semi-story that will help to understand, or make it easier to remember, their meanings. This is a general description, and is by no means all-encompassing.
0. FOOL
As this is the beginning of the major arcana, so the fool
represents the beginning of a journey. Experience is no where
to be found in this card, just a trust or suspicion that everything
is going to turn out a-ok.
I. MAGE
As the Fool journeys on, and he becomes more familiar with
his surroundings, he is able to make distinctions in the world
around him. The Fool starts to recognize patterns within, and
break down into basic elements the environment as it is revealed
to him - becoming both student and master of it.
II. HIGH PRIESTESS
The Fool has started to manipulate the elements of his
external world, now he must discover the components of his inner
world, the Self. As he learns about his abilities, boundaries,
and potentials, he becomes a master of himself and begins to trust
his intuition.
III. EMPRESS
With the knowledge of the world without and the world within
comes the urge tocreate a place for oneself. Ideas are spawned
and nurtured, encourage to grow and develop into a meaningful
manifestation.
IV. EMPEROR
After the Fool forms his ideas for what his part in the
world should be, he works to make them a reality. Master and architect
of his personal space, he works to maintain it and give it strength
and tanigbility.
V. HEIROPHANT
After the Fool's pattern has been established, it becomes
less of a goal or means to an end, and graduates to the realm
of inner truth. This truth becomes a higher guide to living, and
it is from this understanding that the Fool's views are explained
to others.
VI.
LOVERS
With the formation of an inner pattern of thinking, and
the outer extension ofthese personal ideas, a union in thinking
emerges. The Fool uses his own impressions of himself and the
reflections of himself from the outer world to find a place where
the two mesh ideally to create a unity of being.
VII. CHARIOT
Finding the union between the inner and the outer selves,
the heart and the soul, the self and the other, a new feeling
of mastery over the world emerges.This sense brings a confidence
with it that, if one's will is strong enough, anything can be
accomplished.
VII. STRENGTH
The sense of mastery and confidence found in the Chariot
beings about a new strength of mind and will.
IX. HERMIT
As the Hermit, the Fool stops to reflect upon the initial
actions of his personal development. This is a time to pause and
look inward to gain perspective upon the Self and actions taken
to complete it.
X. WHEEL
The Wheel represents the turning point in thought where,
upon comfortable withthe Self, the Fool turns his focus more to
how to integrate himself with the external world. Events that
were started with the Fool's very first step to self-discovery
have come around, like the turning of a wheel, and will
continue to do so until completion.
XI. JUSTICE
With the Hermit's reflections and the turn of focus, the
Fool finds it time to measure up the fruits of his actions to
decide what is working, and what is not. Under Justice's gaze,
the Fool makes choices and distinguishes between what is proper
and what is not, to carry out his efforts.
XII.
HANGED MAN
The Fool has the realization, after the distinguishing
of Justice, that he does not yet have everything he needs to complete
his goals. Something more than simple reflection is needed, as
this involves more than just the Self, so the Fool subjects himself
to the very external world he is trying to integrate into in hopes
of finding answers.
XIII. DEATH
The revelations of the Hanged Man bring about a state of
transformation, as the old, ineffective views and ways of thinking
'die' within you to make room for new ideas.
XIV. TEMPERANCE
A careful blending of internal and external qualities is
needed in light of the new way of thinking brought about in Death.
Where the Fool sought union with his Self in the Lovers, he seeks
union with himself and the rest of the world.
XV. DEVIL
In the Devil, the Fool realizes the needs for boundaries
and standards as he starts to categorize the world into 'good'
things and 'bad' things. Things areconsidered one or the other
relative to how they reflect upon and affect the Self and its
social role.
XVI. TOWER
The Fool, after qualifying the world, gazes upon his actions
up to this point and analyzes himself. The elements deemed bad
or unwanted are broken down, and the Fool rebuilds his life according
to the standards he has created.
XVII.
STAR
Hope, inspriation, and ideals are expressed in the Fool's
new pattern of thought. There is a strong optimism that this new
pattern will bring about a more harmonious future.
XVIII. MOON
The Moon is a reminder for the Fool not to be so carried
away by his hopes andinspiriations that he cannot see the paths
to betterment that he has forged for himself in the Tower. Under
the moon's shifting light, the Fool must look at things closely
and not go on initial appearances.
XIX. SUN
After careful discernment through the Moon's illusory light,
the path the Fool must follow to reach his goals is as clear as
day lit by the Sun.
XX. JUDGEMENT
The Fool reaches the end of his path and looks back to
evaluate his past actions, with regards to himself and the world
around him. He judges himself as a fully integrated being, this
time, and makes the final adjustments to his life.
XXI. WORLD
With the World, the Fool has reached the goals he set out
for himself, in the fullest sense. Ultimate completion, the Fool
is totally in harmony with the World.
