Tarot Card Meanings & Understanding | Tarot Reading Guide

The Major Arcana

The 22 Major Arcana cards represent significant life lessons, karmic influences, and the archetypal themes traveling through the Fool's Journey.

• 0. The Fool: New beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, and a free spirit.

• 1. The Magician: Manifestation, resourcefulness, power, and inspired action.

• 2. The High Priestess: Intuition, sacred knowledge, subconscious mind, and mystery.

• 3. The Empress: Femininity, beauty, nature, nurturing, and abundance.

• 4. The Emperor: Authority, establishment, structure, and a father figure.

• 5. The Hierophant: Spiritual wisdom, religious beliefs, conformity, and tradition.

• 6. The Lovers: Love, harmony, relationships, values alignment, and choices.

• 7. The Chariot: Control, willpower, success, action, and determination.

• 8. Strength: Strength, courage, persuasion, influence, and compassion.

• 9. The Hermit: Soul-searching, introspection, being alone, and inner guidance.

• 10. Wheel of Fortune: Good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, and a turning point.

• 11. Justice: Justice, fairness, truth, cause and effect, and law.

• 12. The Hanged Man: Pause, surrender, letting go, and new perspectives.

• 13. Death: Endings, change, transformation, and transition.

• 14. Temperance: Balance, moderation, patience, and purpose.

• 15. The Devil: Shadow self, attachment, addiction, restriction, and sexuality.

• 16. The Tower: Sudden change, upheaval, chaos, and revelation.

• 17. The Star: Hope, faith, purpose, renewal, and spirituality.

• 18. The Moon: Illusion, fear, anxiety, subconscious, and intuition.

• 19. The Sun: Positivity, fun, warmth, success, and vitality.

• 20. Judgement: Judgement, rebirth, inner calling, and absolution.

• 21. The World: Completion, integration, accomplishment, and travel.

The Minor Arcana

The 56 Minor Arcana cards reflect the day-to-day events and trials of life. They are divided into four suits, each corresponding to a specific element and area of life.

Suit of Wands (Element: Fire)

Associated with inspiration, spirituality, ideas, and energy.

• Ace of Wands: Inspiration, new opportunities, and growth.

• Two of Wands: Future planning, progress, and discovery.

• Three of Wands: Expansion, foresight, and overseas opportunities.

• Four of Wands: Celebration, joy, harmony, and homecoming.

• Five of Wands: Conflict, competition, and disagreements.

• Six of Wands: Success, public recognition, and victory.

• Seven of Wands: Challenge, competition, and perseverance.

• Eight of Wands: Speed, action, air travel, and movement.

• Nine of Wands: Resilience, courage, and persistence.

• Ten of Wands: Burden, extra responsibility, and hard work.

• Page of Wands: Discovery, enthusiasm, and creative beginnings.

• Knight of Wands: Energy, passion, lust, and adventure.

• Queen of Wands: Confidence, independence, and social butterfly.

• King of Wands: Natural-born leader, vision, and entrepreneur.

Suit of Cups (Element: Water)

Associated with emotions, relationships, and connections.

• Ace of Cups: Love, new relationships, and compassion.

• Two of Cups: Unified love, partnership, and attraction.

• Three of Cups: Celebration, friendship, and creativity.

• Four of Cups: Meditation, contemplation, and apathy.

• Five of Cups: Regret, failure, disappointment, and pessimism.

• Six of Cups: Revisiting the past, childhood memories, and innocence.

• Seven of Cups: Searching for purpose, choices, and daydreaming.

• Eight of Cups: Disappointment, abandonment, and withdrawal.

• Nine of Cups: Contentment, satisfaction, and gratitude.

• Ten of Cups: Divine love, blissful relationships, and alignment.

• Page of Cups: Creative opportunities, intuitive messages, and curiosity.

• Knight of Cups: Creativity, romance, charm, and imagination.

• Queen of Cups: Compassion, calm, comfort, and emotional stability.

• King of Cups: Emotional balance, control, and generosity.

Suit of Swords (Element: Air)

Associated with action, change, force, power, and intellect.

• Ace of Swords: Breakthroughs, new ideas, and mental clarity.

• Two of Swords: Difficult decisions, weighing options, and stalemate.

• Three of Swords: Heartbreak, emotional pain, and sorrow.

• Four of Swords: Rest, relaxation, meditation, and recuperation.

• Five of Swords: Conflict, disagreements, and winning at all costs.

• Six of Swords: Transition, rite of passage, and moving on.

• Seven of Swords: Betrayal, deception, and getting away with something.

• Eight of Swords: Negative thoughts, self-imposed restriction, and imprisonment.

• Nine of Swords: Anxiety, worry, fear, and nightmares.

• Ten of Swords: Deep defeat, betrayal, and backstabbing.

• Page of Swords: New ideas, curiosity, and communication.

• Knight of Swords: Ambitious, action-oriented, and communicative.

• Queen of Swords: Independent, unbiased judgement, and direct communication.

• King of Swords: Mental clarity, intellectual power, and authority.

Suit of Pentacles (Element: Earth)

Associated with work, finances, domestic life, and manifestation.

• Ace of Pentacles: A new financial or career opportunity and manifestation.

• Two of Pentacles: Multiple priorities, time management, and adaptability.

• Three of Pentacles: Teamwork, collaboration, and learning.

• Four of Pentacles: Conservation, security, and scarcity mindset.

• Five of Pentacles: Financial loss, poverty, and isolation.

• Six of Pentacles: Giving, receiving, sharing wealth, and generosity.

• Seven of Pentacles: Long-term view, sustainable results, and investment.

• Eight of Pentacles: Apprenticeship, repetitive tasks, and mastery.

• Nine of Pentacles: Abundance, luxury, self-sufficiency, and financial independence.

• Ten of Pentacles: Wealth, inheritance, family, and long-term stability.

• Page of Pentacles: Manifestation, financial opportunity, and skill development.

• Knight of Pentacles: Hard work, productivity, routine, and conservatism.

• Queen of Pentacles: Nurturing, practical, and providing financially.

• King of Pentacles: Wealth, business, leadership, and security.