Tarot Card Meanings

The Fool Tarot Card Meanings Guide

The Major Arcana of the tarot is based on archetypes and cycles. It's believed that everyone goes through the circumstances described by these cards at least once in their lives, so the...

The Magician Tarot Card Meanings Guide

The Magician is possibly the Major Arcana card most steeped in symbolism. He's an overwhelmingly positive omen when upright, and an omen of woe when reversed. Either a master of manifestation, or...

The High Priestess Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The High Priestess is the feminine counterpart to The Hierophant. The second card of the Major Arcana, she's said to represent all things secretive, and intuitive -- the personification of that which...

The Empress Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The Empress is the third card in the Major Arcana. In many readings, she is regarded as a card for love, marriage, and childbirth. In reality, her imagery and messages go far...

The Emperor Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Few figures command as much authority and attention as The Emperor. He is the fourth card in the Major Arcana, and a symbol of masculine (though not necessarily male) authority. His power...

The Hierophant Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

What The Emperor is to The Empress, The Hierophant is to The High Priestess. He represents religious authority through a masculine lens. Where The High Priestess is intuitive and mysterious, he represents...

The Lovers Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

When it comes to misunderstood tarot cards, The Lovers is second only to Death. While its imagery and name certainly lend themselves to a romantic interpretation, that's not all this card's good...

The Chariot Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

What comes to mind when you imagine a chariot? Chances are, it's a chariot race, or an Egyptian warrior going into battle. For most people, chariots mean one thing: entering a dangerous...

Strength Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The Strength card seems self-explanatory at first blush. However, like Judgement and Justice, this figure in the Major Arcana is easy to misinterpret. In the past, it was actually titled Fortitude, and...

The Hermit Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Have you ever met someone who enjoyed being alone, but never felt lonely? Maybe you're the kind of person who needs their solitude to recuperate and heal, and withdrawing to introspect is...

Wheel of Fortune Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

What do you think of when you picture the Wheel of Fortune? It might conjure up images of your ship coming in, a roulette wheel, or even a high-stakes gamble. In the...

Justice Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

As a tarot card, Justice is almost self-explanatory. It lacks a lot of the opaque symbolism of many of the other cards, and can often be interpreted as exactly what it says:...

The Hanged Man Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The Hanged Man is an often-misunderstood figure. The name sounds forbidding -- when we hear "hanged man," it immediately conjured up images of an execution. The Hanged Man figure in tarot, then,...

Death Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

In tarot readings, the Death card is easily the most misunderstood of all of the Major Arcana. It doesn't help that it's typically pictured as a forbidding, skull-faced figure. How many times...

Temperance Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Temperance is one of the three Major Arcana cards said to represent cardinal virtues, alongside Justice and Fortitude (now called Strength). Its appearance in a spread can be a bit confusing, since...

The Devil Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The Devil card raises a lot of questions. Is it evil? Is it a sign of demon possession, or some kind of demonic influence in your life? Is it a sign that...

The Tower Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The Tower is often regarded as the most negative card in the Major Arcana. It speaks of terrible loss and destruction any time it appears -- some even interpret its full name...

The Star Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Have you ever wished upon a star? If so, you already know some of the meaning behind The Star card. This card is typically interpreted as hope and optimism, but there are...

The Moon Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The Moon is one of three celestial bodies represented in the Major Arcana, alongside The Sun and The Star. Interestingly, their meanings aren't related -- while The Sun is typically read as...

The Sun Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The Sun is one of the most overwhelmingly positive cards in the Major Arcana. It has virtually no negative interpretations -- even the imagery is bright and pleasant. No matter what you're...

Judgement Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Judgement is a confusing card. There's already a card that represents Justice within the Major Arcana -- so what meaning is left for Judgement? Many people assume that it's automatically negative; that...

The World Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The World is another one of those tarot cards whose meaning can seem fairly opaque. Interestingly, many decks based on the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot don't even include an image of the world at...

Ace of Wands Tarot Card Meanings Guide

Aces play a unique role in tarot decks. Unlike a regular playing card deck, they are always regarded as the first of their suit -- never the last. Their value is always...

Ace of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Aces mark the beginning of each suit. If you look at tarot's pip cards as a progression, each suit in the Minor Arcana begins with the ace, builds toward conflict, and then...

Ace of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

In the Minor Arcana, all of the aces mark the beginning of their respective suits. The nature of this beginning is dictated by the suit -- will it be economical, emotional, or...

Ace of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The aces are the first of the suits in the Minor Arcana. Unlike the aces of playing card decks, they always have a value of one -- they are the sign of...

Two of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Each tarot suit has its own meaning. Pentacles are associated with the element of Earth, and the energy of prosperity, growth, and fertility. Cups are Water, which is tied to the emotions....

Two of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Every suit of the Minor Arcana corresponds to an element. For the suit of Cups, this is Water. Water is said to govern the emotions, so all of these cards tend to...

Two of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

In tarot, twos represent situations with two sides. Partnerships, balance, and opposition are all represented by the second cards in the Minor Arcana. The nature of these situations is dictated by the...

Two of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

In the suits of the Minor Arcana, things move in cycles. The aces are the beginnings, twos are when things start to get moving, fives are the height of conflict and action,...

Three of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

In the Minor Arcana, threes have a special meaning. Every suit begins with an Ace, which represents the beginning of a cycle. Two comes next, which symbolizes coming together, planning, and putting...

Three of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

When it comes to the Minor Arcana, Threes mean action. Aces begin the cycle of each suit, and Twos are when plans come together. When a Three appears, things really get rolling....

Three of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The Three of Swords is one of those cards that doesn't have a lot of complicated imagery or layers of metaphor. It's almost refreshingly simple -- what you see is very much...

Three of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Some tarot decks, like the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot, have beautifully illustrated Minor Arcana cards that depict scenes related to their meanings. Others, like many of the older tarot decks, have simple illustrations more...

Four of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Four is the number of stasis. In the plot progression of the Minor Arcana, Aces start things off, Twos are where plans are born, Threes are where things get going, and Fours...

Four of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The Four of Cups is an interesting card. Coming right between the celebration of the Three of Cups, and the grief in the Five of Cups, it's a card of stagnation and...

Four of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

In numerology, four is stability. Picture four columns, supporting the roof of a temple. Imagine the four directions we use to orient everything. Four is reliability, dependability, and dedication. In the Minor...

Four of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The suit of Pentacles is all about material wealth, putting down roots, and other things ruled by the element of Earth. If you follow the meanings of the Minor Arcana cards, you...

Five of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

In the Minor Arcana, the Fives are some of the most challenging cards. If you view every suit as a self-contained story, the "plot" of each suit ramps up in a fairly...

Five of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Every suit in the Minor Arcana tells a story. Aces mark the beginning, Twos are when plans and elements come together, and everything ramps up to a climax, then progresses to the...

Five of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Each suit of the Minor Arcana has its own element and sphere of influence. For the suit of Swords, that's Air and the intellect. This is the card of logical thought, clarity,...

Five of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The suit of Pentacles is tied to the element of Earth. It talks about monetary wealth, stability, and growth. The pips cards of this suit tell a story, and, like any other...

Six of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

After the crisis point in the Five of Wands, the Six of Wands can be a very welcome reprieve. This is a card of celebration and triumph. One of the figures in...

Six of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

In all of the suits of the Minor Arcana, the Fives cards bring the drama. They're when tensions are highest, and conflicts and problems arise. Following that, the Sixes are when things...

Six of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The Six of Swords is the calm after the storm. While the Five of Swords is the peak of conflict for this suit, the Six depicts the aftermath. Depending on the context,...

Six of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The Six of Pentacles is the mirror image of the Five of this suit. Where the Five talks about poverty, hardship, and suffering, the Six is charity. That said, this card is...

Seven of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

After the crisis point embodied by Five, Six provides a turning point. The balance is restored, and calamity becomes harmony and progress once again. After that, Seven is your opportunity to shine....

Seven of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

After the crisis point of the Five of Cups, and the recovery of the Six of Cups, what's next? If every suit in the Minor Arcana describes a cycle, then the Seven...

Seven of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

If the Fives cards represent the major conflict of each suit, then the Sevens are a smaller, but still significant conflict. These cards offer us an opportunity to take what we've learned...

Seven of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

In the Minor Arcana's suits, the Sevens represent obstacles. These aren't as critical as the major conflicts and turning points embodied by the Fives cards, but they're obstacles nonetheless. In many interpretations,...

Eight of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

In the Minor Arcana, the Eights cards are where the action resumes. After the challenges embodied by Seven, Eight marks the beginning of some real forward momentum. Nowhere is this more evident...

Eight of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

After the heartbreak of the Five of Cups, and the challenging choices embodied by the Seven of Cups, you might be looking forward to a break. There's no such luck, however --...

Eight of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

In the Minor Arcana, Eights are the beginning of the end. These cards represent movement, choices, and a final opportunity to correct your course of action. They're very active cards. For the...

Eight of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

Every suit in the Minor Arcana is a self-contained story, and, like any other story, they follow a progression. By the time we reach the Eight of any suit, we've begun to...

Nine of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

Nine is the last single-digit number. Numerologically, it represents the final step before the completion of a cycle. The same is true in the Minor Arcana of the tarot. The Nine of...

Nine of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The Nine of Cups is the next-to-last pips card in the suit of Cups. This means that it represents the final step before the completion of a cycle. If you look at...

Nine of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The Nine of Swords is considered a very negative card. As a rule, Nines appear when you're nearing the end of a cycle. They're the penultimate pips card. The suit of Swords...

Nine of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

All of the suits of the Minor Arcana have their own plots. Some end in tragedy, while others end happily. The suit of Pentacles -- which is related to the element of...

Ten of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The pips cards of the Minor Arcana go up to ten, just like playing cards. The Tens cards represent the conclusion of each of the suits' storylines. The suit of Wands, which...

Ten of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Each of the suits of the Minor Arcana tells its own story, complete with ups, downs, triumphs, and failures. Tens are the endings, and describe the conclusion to each of these self-contained...

Ten of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

In the Minor Arcana, Tens are very heavy, high-energy cards. They represent the ultimate culmination of each of the suits. If you read the suit of Swords as a story, for example,...

Ten of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The pips cards of the Minor Arcana run from the Aces to the Tens. If you view each of the suits as its own story, the Aces are the beginnings, and the...

Page of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

The Pages are the first of the Minor Arcana's face cards. They're analogous to the Jacks in a set of playing cards00 and are typically interpreted as bearers of important information and...

Page of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The Pages are the messengers of the tarot. They represent the energy of their suits, without embodying it in its entirety. Instead, they depict the potential of their suits in their immature...

Page of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The Minor Arcana has a court of face cards, just like modern playing cards. The first cards in this lineup are the Pages, which are roughly analogous to Jacks. The Pages generally...

Page of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

If you've ever wonder what the Jacks are in a deck of playing cards, here's your answer: They're Pages. In the Minor Arcana of the tarot, Pages are the first -- and...

Knight of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

Knights are symbols of action. They come after the Pages of their suits, and their energy is more mature. Where the Pages are heralds and the King and Queen are sovereigns, the...

Knight of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The Knights cards of the Minor Arcana are all about energy and motion. They represent people of action, ready to charge into battle when and wherever they're needed. When they appear, they...

Knight of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The suit of Swords is tied to the element of Air. It discusses all things related to logic, the intellect, and conscious thought. The Knights, meanwhile, embody action and movement. When you...

Knight of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

In the court cards of the Minor Arcana, Knights are the "doers." They embody the unchecked energy of their suits, for good or ill, and are all about change, movement, and action....

Queen of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The Queens are one of the sovereigns of their suits. They are the manifestation of the emotional traits of each element, and therefore represent four different archetypes of women. The suit of...

Queen of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The suit of Cups represents the element of Water. The Queen of Cups, therefore, rules over the domain of the emotions. Unlike the immature Page or the impulsive Knight, she has maturity,...

Queen of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The suit of Swords describes the intellect and conscious mind. It relates to all things logical and analytical. As one of its rulers, the Queen of Swords is an intelligent, capable, and...

Queen of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The Queen of Pentacles is one of the sovereigns of all things related to the element of Earth. Unlike the Page of her suit, she is mature and wise. Unlike the Knight,...

King of Wands Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The Kings are the last of the court cards. They, alongside the Queens, are the rulers of their suits and representatives of their elements. For the King of Wands, that means the...

King of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The Kings and Queens of the Minor Arcana are the ultimate embodiments of their suits. These are the rulers, who maintain their authority with maturity and grace. Each one embodies the traits...

King of Swords Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The King of Swords is a very stern, cool-headed figure. As one of the sovereigns of his suit, he embodies all of the traits of its ruling element, Air. This means that...

King of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Career & More

The King of Pentacles embodies all things related to the element of Earth. If it has to do with wealth, security, or growth, it falls under his domain. He is more mature...

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