Tarot Symbols

Cups

Cups represent the element of water. If you look at the cups cards, imagine each one holding water or see them pouring water in order to remember this! Water represents our emotions, so in these cards you will find clues to:

• Feelings or emotions
• Love & relationships
• Connectedness
• Personal interactions
• Creativity

Pentacles

Pentacles represent the element of earth. This is information about a physical state or material things as we are looking at grounded elements. Some topics a pentacles card may address would be:

• Finances
• Health
• Property
• Business
• Career

Swords

Swords represent the element of air. Imagine cutting through the air with your sword to remember this. We associate air with thought. Some things swords may represent when they show up in a tarot reading include the following:

• Challenges
• Confrontation
• Courage
• Conflicts and arguments
• Decisions

Wands

Wands represent the element of fire. Imagine holding a wand and fire shooting from it to remember this! We associate fire with spirituality, higher thought, & passion. When wands show up in a reading, they may show these things:

• Ambitions and goals
• Purpose
• Motivation
• Passion & drive
• Change

Numbers

Numbers are also present in the tarot. Did you know that? This is something to learn as you go, but don’t fret! I wouldn’t say they are the most important aspect, just something to monitor. If you notice a pattern that certain numbers keep showing up, it may be something to look into! Remember, this is about having fun and learning to trust your intuition.

• 1 Ace: New beginnings, unity, opportunity, potential

• 2 Two: Relationships, balance, partnership, duality

• 3 Three: Creativity, groups, growth

• 4 Four: Structure, stability, manifestation, foundations

• 5 Five : Change, growth, instability, conflict

• 6 Six : Communication, cooperation, harmony

• 7 Seven: Reflection, assessment, knowledge, life lessons, growing spiritually

• 8 Eight: Mastery, action, understanding, accomplishment

• 9 Nine : Fruition, attainment, success, fulfilment

• 10 Ten: Completion, end of a cycle, renewal, enlightenment

Minor Arcana Court Cards

The four court cards can give you great insight, but each will express themselves a little differently with each suit.

• Page : Youthful energy, service, newness, childlike energy
• Knight : Taking action, mature energy, moving forward
• Queen : Empathy, compassion, caregiver, love, protection
• King : Leadership, attainment, success, control, authority, taking charge

Major Arcana Card Symbolism

• 0 Fool : innocence, beginning of a journey
• I Magician: creation, magic
• II High Priestess: subconscious, intuition
• III Empress: feminity, compassion, wise
• IV Emperor: power, authority
• V The Hierophant: spiritual guidance
• VI The Lovers : relationships, partnerships
• VII The Chariot: goals, ambitions
• VIII Strength: courage, perseverance
• IX The Hermit: wisdom within
• X Wheel of Fortune: change
• XI Justice: fairness, balance
• XII The Hanged Man: perspective
• XIII Death: change, beginnings, endings
• XIV Temperance: moderation
• XV The Devil: control or lack of
• XVI The Tower: major change
• XVII The Star: healing, hope
• XVIII The Moon: Subconscious, deep emotions, reflection
• XIX The Sun: happiness, joy, awakening,
• XX Judgement: recognizing how your past actions affect others, taking responsibility for your actions, righting past misdeeds
• XXI The World: fulfillment, the end of a cycle

Colors

Colors carry an energy or vibration that some people are more aware of than others! Do you feel differently when you wear certain colors? If you can incorporate the feeling of how color brings to light certain feelings or emotions as you read the cards, it will help you on your path as you learn the tarot.

• Red: Eagerness, Health, Strength, Physical Energy, Courage, Intense Emotions, Sexuality, Aggression. Temper, Leadership
• Orange: Drive, Activity, Ambition, Enthusiasm, Warmth, Sociable
• Yellow: Confidence, Self-Esteem, Mental Activity, Memory, Communication, Rationalization, Conscious
• Green: Harmony, Balance, Money, Prosperity, Fertility, Healing, Growth, Peace
• Blue: Spiritual Understanding, Healing, Peace, Psychic, Philosophy, Religion, Spirituality, Subconscious, Communication
• Purple: Compassion, Power, Spiritual Leadership/Teacher, Psychic, Nobility
• White: Purity, Innocence, Protection, Purification, Hope, Faith, Clarity,
• Grey:  Uniformity, Depression, Dullness, Unsettling, Stressful
• Black: Negativity, Sadness, Mourning, Loss, Guilt, Depression, Emptiness, Darkness, Mystery
• Brown: Animals, Earth, Wholesome, Stability, Stagnation, Material World

• Angel: messages of important information. Divine intervention.
• Arch: openings to a new direction.
• Bench: take time to study the situation.
• Blindfold: something is not being seen as it is.
• Castle: protection, building foundations
• Chains: self-limitation, connection, restriction
• Children: innocence, purity, family, hope
• Circles: eternity, change
• City: teamwork, group-effort, gathering
• Clouds: revelation, thought, intellect
• Crowns: mastery, logic, recognition

• Fire: energy, transformation, power
• Flag: announcement of change
• Flowers: joy, beauty, growth, receiving love
• Fruit: ideas coming to fruition, fertility
• Hands: (Right hand) conscious mind, giving (Left Hand) subconscious mind, receiving
• Infinity Symbol (Lemniscate): eternal life, balance
• Keys: knowledge, secret, freedom
• Lantern: enlightenment, inner knowing, clarity
• Leaves: growth
• Moon: subconscious, hidden influences, reflection, intuition
• Mountains: challenge, endurance, attainment

• Ocean: higher powers, vastness, depth
• Path: journey, the steps we take
• Pillars: balance, middle ground
• River: flow of consciousness
• Scale: balance, decisions
• Ship: where are your thoughts taking you?
• Staff: stability, single-mindedness
• Star: shedding light on things, look to higher source for direction
• Sun: radiance, warmth, vitality, life force
• Water: subconscious, emotions
• Wreath: victory, protection, favor of the gods