The Tarot is an amazing art form, an endless well of wisdom, and an incredible tool for connecting with yourself and your intuition. Aeclectic Tarot was created to share the diversity and beauty of Tarot with you. Discover the common symbols, stories and meaning behind each card and hear what the cards have to say to you, in our tarot card meanings series written by Thirteen, long-time tarot reader and teacher at Aeclectic Tarot.
There are many ways to learn the cards. Key words is a popular method, where the student assigns "key" words to each card and memorizes them like flash cards. So "Fool" is given a key word like "beginnings" and any time it turns up, that is what the reader thinks. Some students rely on meditation, going over a card a day, even sleeping with them under their pillows. Most, however, rely on books.
Books have their pros and cons. On the pro side, the student gets an overview of agreed on meanings, an idea of the history of the cards and the meaning of the symbols used. However, there is a tendency for books to overwhelm the student with too much information. Also, students have a bad habit of carrying their books around with them, looking up meanings every time they lay down cards.
The best way to use books is to take in what seems important to you, personally, about the card as you read the explanation. So when you read about the Fool, you may be struck by the fact that he is about being foolish. That is certainly enough to start. Some time later, when you're more familiar with the deck, you may re-read this book, and be struck by the "new beginnings" aspect of the Fool. You'll add that to your "foolish" meaning.
In short, you do not have to remember or be reminded of all the possible meanings the book gives you about the Fool. You start with what strikes you and add on, bit by bit. Very soon, you will not only have a very layered view of the Fool to draw on in interpreting him, but find that new insights and ideas are occurring to you, no book required.
Read also: Viking Card Inspiration for Taurus
Another thing to keep in mind is that the book meanings are not exact meanings, nor the only meanings. They are general and basic so that they can cover any topic from car repair to a spiritual crises to internet chat rooms. Think of such books, including this one, like reading primers. The student learns that "A" is for "Apple." But the letter "A" can be used to create many more words than "Apple." Likewise, the student learns that the Fool means "beginnings." So when they get the Fool, they might consider if anything is new or beginning.
These pages will give you meanings that are generally agreed on, like the sounds of the letters of the alphabet. They will allow you to discuss the cards with other students of the tarot. As you gain a deeper and better understanding of the cards, however, putting together those cards into words and words into sentences, you will see that the cards can express a great range of meaning, and there will be differing views on those meanings. This is fine. Part of the trick to Tarot is getting it to tell you what it wants you, in particular, to know.
Do not be afraid to trust your intuition, and remember that there is no rush, no one way of learning.
The Minor Arcana Suits
The Minors are separated into four suits, each representing different aspects of life.
Wands
Element: FIRE (though some decks have it as Air). If FIRE then it represents passion. As such, in a reading it usually stands for ambition, career, creative endeavors, religion and/or philosophy. Anything a person might put their energy and soul into. This is something you have to do, whether you are recompensed for it or not. This is the suit of adventurers and inventors, inspirational speakers, and those with religious or patriotic zeal.
Read also: Heartbreak and the Three of Swords
Wands also indicate hot tempers, passionate desires, enthusiasm, charisma, competitiveness, athletics, and restlessness that usually translates to travel and movement.
Ace of Wands Tarot Card Meaning: New Beginnings, Creativity, and Passion
Cups
Represents the emotions. Special Note: When readers see that Cups represent "emotions" they erroneously think that the other suits are unemotional. "Emotions" is an imprecise designation for cups because all suits relate to emotions. Wands are passionate emotions, while Swords often indicate anxieties and Pentacles are more practical feelings. What would be more precise is to say that Cups are about romantic or poetic emotions, the ones we identify as relating to "the heart." Sorrow, bliss, nostalgia, melancholy.
Best known for representing our romantic love life, cup cards are often about our feelings toward one another. The warm connections we have with family or friends, our recognition of someone who is sympathetic to us, or regret when we hurt or wrong others, or lose them. Loneliness. Cups can also stands for emotional extremes such as elation or depression, and the negatives that come with such emotions, like over-indulgence in food, drink, drugs. Likewise the positives we can create from such emotions like poetry, art, music or dance.
As compared to the passionate spiritualism of Wands, which tends to want to spread its zeal, Cups relates to more solitary or humble spiritualism. The search for beauty and divine love. For this reason, Cups are very much linked to psychic powers, visions, illusions. As the sensitive emotions of cups allow us contact with each other, they also open us up to the esoteric.
Read also: The Meaning of Tarot Suits
Swords
Element: AIR. Some decks have it as Fire. If AIR then Swords represent the mind and the voice. Here is the suit of sharp ideas and sharp tongues, of thinking things through or thinking/saying too much. Swords are cleverness and a love of facts, they are "swordplay" in the sense of solving problems, performing calculations, discussing and debating.
The suit is also, however, about braggarts and gossips, liars and slanderers. Which, not surprisingly, also makes Swords the suit of anxieties, worries, problems and troubles. A sword is a weapon with a cutting edge and sharp point. Every time we use our mind and express our thoughts we run the risk of getting into a swordfight.
In the tarot, the Sword is that mightier "pen" standing for writing, research, television, radio and the internet. It is all forms of information and so the card of science, mathematics and medicine as well as debate, analysis and journalism. Thoughts breeze into your mind. They are made into words and those words are given breath or are written up. Messages fly through the air, and bring back responses.
Pentacles
This is the suit of health, money, luck and work, the suit of the physical. It relates to our body, our home, our valuables. All that we consider solid, real and of this world. For this reason, Pentacles represent the pragmatic, common sense side of life like the job/work we do to put food on the table and the money we save up to pay the bills.
Pentacles is the slow-growth, long-term suit, the suit about creating something real rather than seeking excitement like Wands, or theorizing like Swords or dreaming of romance like Cups. Hence, Pentacles stands for the bankers and business owners, the craftsmen, farmers, shopkeepers and laborers. Those who see their worth in something they have built, be it a corporation or a bakery.
This is also a suit about social interaction and responsibilities. Which is why, in regards to feelings, it is a suit about greed vs. generosity, about doing what is enriches ourselves vs. what enriches others. Also what one has or doesn't have and how that affects how others view us. Thus it is as much a suit about how we respond to being lucky or wealthy as it is about luck and wealth.
How to Use Tarot for Insight
Sometimes it's hard to hear your own intuition and wisdom through the noise of everyday life. How could a tarot reading help you today? The cards can give you a new perspective, new insight, or new advice on your love life, your career, your family or whatever might be troubling you. Or, the cards can give you a sign that you might need, or guidance or direction for the day ahead.
To begin... close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and spend a few moments concentrating on your question or life situation. The insight to your question lies below.
Here's an example of an insight you might receive:
You have used up all the energy you started with. You don't feel that creative, driving force any more. You have complete control of all the many things you wanted control over. You are the leader, the boss. But this means that all the burdens are yours as well. You've trying to do everything, and it leaves you drained. It's a good time to delegate, to put down some burdens and find your energy again.
I'm Kate, also known as Solandia, and I've been a Tarot lover for almost thirty years. I created Aeclectic Tarot in 1996 to share the diversity and beauty of Tarot with you. I believe that Tarot is an amazing art form, an endless well of wisdom, and an incredible tool for connecting with yourself and your intuition. Discover how in my online course, 21 Days to Intuitive Tarot Meanings.