Tarot Cards And Their Meanings

There are many different versions of Tarot Cards and you will find one to suit you and your particular likes and needs. However, they all follow particular symbols. These symbols not only represent archetypes, but are also deeply inbedded with historical significance, dating back to ancient times.

Once you have a basic definition of Tarot Card Symbols, it is good to learn how to make these representations fit in with your own senses and those of your guide.

There are Four Suits of Tarot Cards. Each card in a suit belongs to the Minor Arcana.There are also cards which belong to the Major Arcana. As this is an Introduction To Tarot Cards, I will concentrate on cards from the Major Arcana as these all have separate and very individual meanings which will contribute to the message you receive whilst reading the Tarot Cards. I will also give a brief outline of each Tarot Card Suit.

Please remember when making your reading that the representation of each card (for example, whether the card represents you, another person or being, a path you are travelling, etc) will depend on its placement (according to different placements you may wish to use).
Tarot Cards - The Major Arcana

The Fool
The Fool card represents a beginner. Not necessarily foolish, but someone who is at the beginning of their journey and not truly aware.

The Magician
The Magician card represents someone who has great talent. This someone may be you or another person or being in your life at the time of the reading.

The High Priestess
The High Priestess cards represents a person or being who is very intuitive and wise.

The Empress
The Empress card, in simple terms, represents the ongoing process of everything, or the triad of birth, death, and re-birth as seen in many Pagan religions.

The Emperor
The Emperor card is in many ways ‘down to earth’ in regards to one’s current life. It is the symbol of control in the world.

The Pope
The Pope card is more metaphysical, but it represents ritual and belief, or someone who lives by these.

The Lovers
The Lovers card represents love itself; not just love between people and beings, but the depth of love.

The Chariot
The Chariot card represent struggle as a symbol, whether that struggle be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual.

Strength
The Strength card represents strength you may have or need to develop spiritualy and physically, depending on its alignment with other cards in your reading.

The Hermit
The Hermit card represents a person or being who is a soul-searcher. Someone on their path to spiritual enlightenment. It can also mean someone who is isolated within their spiritual journey.

The Sun
The Sun card represents happiness, lightness and contentment.

The Moon
The Moon card, in its historic form is very feminine and seductive. In ancient times, it was seen as darkness; the complementary opposite the the Suns’s light. But it also represents deepness and intuition.

The Star
The Star card represents positive thinking, hope and optimism, either in yourself, another being or your future path.

Justice
The Justice card is about justice, whether this be physical, material, emotional or mental. It is a wide-reaching symbol which can also be applied to our thoughts on the spiritual and ourselves in the way we equate justice as a concept.

Death
Many fear the Death card, but it is actually more about significant change - the death of old ways and the beginning of new. It can represent a death that is spiritual or mental and can be seen as positive in many instances.

The Hanged Man
The Hanged Man card represents martyrdom; perhaps giving up following a particular spiritual path for the greater good. It can also represent ‘martyrdom’ in a material sense, when we give up things for others, or allow others to take charge of our lives.

The Tower
The Tower is a very powerful card. It is the symbol for sudden (and often dramatic) change. It is sometimes read as a warning to change ones spiritual or material path, but can also be seen as representative of the turmoil that we may face in our journey.

Temperance
The Temperance card represents balance and harmony. If you receive this symbol during your reading, you will either know that you are achieving balance, or that the path indicated is the one in which you will receive it.

Judgment
The Judgment card represents self-examination and needs to be seen in the light of other cards surrounding it: what do we need to examine in order to continue along our spiritual path.

The World
The World card is very much a celebratory card. It tells the reader that the end to their spiritual journey is in sight. They have followed their spiritual path through the representations outlined by the other cards and it is time to celebrate a successful cumulation of their journey.

Tarot Card Suits:

Swords
The Swords cards can be seen as negative in one sense, in that they have been used to predict suffering and mental challenges. However, these can also be seen as positive, as they tell us of challenges we can face once we know they are there.

Cups
The Cups cards relate to our emotional life and changes we are undergoing or about to undergo.

Wands
The Wands cards are usually about changes in our earthly life. Perhaps to do with our work or other areas of our physical existence.

Pentacles
The Pentacles cards are very ‘earthly’ in that they usually represent the material aspects of our life. Many see the Pentacles as representing money and other material goods.

Mastery of Tarot Card Reading takes time and practice. It involves being deeply attuned to yourself, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It also involves using your intuition; letting your mind relax and accepting the messages the cards are giving to you.

From my own perspective. I studied (and continue to study) the written interpretations of each card (and of each card in the Tarot Suits) and the various methods of laying the cards out. I let this knowledge soak up and then used my intuition, together with an understanding of how I and my guides relate to each symbol, to define the meaning of each reading.

For me, this was the best way to Learn The Tarot. Others follow a stricter path, whilst others prefer to make their own interpretatins of the Tarot Symbols from the start. It really is up to you and how you work best, emotionaly, mentally and spiritually.

Either way, happy Tarot Reading!

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