Tarot Card Meanings

The meanings of traditional Tarot cards can vary a little from book to book, but here is a general guide to help you with understanding what the cards mean in general. Depending on what tarot cards you are using, the pictures are design to help you remember the tarot card meanings, that is why it is a good idea to look at the different packs available to see which ones suit you best, or speaks to you! The Tarot card meanings below are by Rosemary Lomax.

In all, there are 78 cards which are divided into two main groups, the ‘Major Arcarna’, which has 22 cards, and the ‘Minor Arcarna’ which has 56 cards.

There are usually two meaning for each card being “upright” or “reversed” and where they are placed in what area of the questioner’s life is also very important.

Minor Arcarna

The minor Arcarna are directly related to normal playing cards with 4 suits, numbers and the royalty cards. The Coins or Pentacles are Diamonds, the Wands or Staves and Clubs, The Cups are Hearts and the Swords are Spades. Each suit has numbers from Ace or 1 to 10 and then the Royalty cards, the Page card being the Jack, Kings are the same and so are the Queens.

The meanings of the number cards

Aces – represent new beginnings
Twos – often mean choices or balance
Threes – symbolise achievement
Fours – mean stability and harmony
Fives – mean instability or uncertainty
Sixes – are all about balance and harmony
Sevens – can mean reflection
Eights – are often changes and movement
Nines – something is nearing completion
Tens – are the completions or endings

The meanings of the suit cards

Swords – action
Wands – intellect
Cups – emotions
Pentacles – the material world

The meanings of the royal cards

These cards are the hardest cards to understand in the whole deck, but here is a general guide for when they appear in the reading:

Pages the need to study or learn – a student
Knights the need to take action – a warrior
Queens the need for vision or a response – a visionary
Kings decisions or commitments – a leader

Major Arcarna

The Major Arcarna are associated with stronger meanings and emotions.

Zero -The Fool

Denotes the positive inner forces that influence an individual in his or her choices. Setting off on a new journey, unencumbered by the past but enriched with the knowledge gained from previous experience. Possible naivete.

I -The Magician

The ability translate ideas into action, to use psychic and practical powers to advantage; skill, diplomacy. Self-confidence.

II -The High Priestess

The feminine principle of love and relatedness; wisdom, hidden (occult) knowledge, purity of intent, spiritual guidance of the highest nature. The higher self. Can have a relationship to the sciences, the logical mind.

III -The Empress

Fertility in mind or body or both. Creative projects, bountiful harvest, good luck, pregnancy, childbirth, grandchildren. Woman at her most feminine and desirable.

IV -The Emperor

Authority, one who is master of his emotions; active intelligence, able to realise ideas. An older, influential person, often a father figure, boss or mentor. Can suggest dominance, one who holds others back through the power of his or her personality.

V -The Hierophant

Marriage or alliance of some kind, conventional religion, study and expansion of the mind. Strong spiritual guidance and a reminder not to become too involved with worldly concerns.

VI -The Lovers

Choice, often related to a love affair. Conflict between different attractions, the necessity of choice which means responsibility. Beauty, inner harmony.

VII -The Chariot

Taking charge of your life again after a period of feeling out of control. Picking up the reins and driving events the way you want them to go. Triumph over adversity or difficulties, a balanced life, success. Sometimes connected with driving tests and cars or flying.

VIII -Strength

Courage, magnanimity, persistence, patience, spiritual and physical power. Can offset bad luck in surrounding cards. Affinity to nature and animals. The natural healer , nature’s nurse.

IX -The Hermit

Withdrawal, meditation on meaning of life after circumstances force a rethink. Celibacy, aloneness. Can presage the arrival of a wise spiritual guide of counsellor.

X -Wheel of Fortune

Ups and downs of life, constant change. Things now begin to turn in your favour, perhaps after a long and difficult period. Find the still centre for peace and tranquillity. Beware if this card appears with the Death card.

XI - Justice

Balance, sense of proportion in our selves and our lives. We are held accountable for our own actions. Justice will come in a problematic situation. Legal matters, such as divorces, wills, contracts or legacies.

XII -The Hanged Man

Spirituality, initiation, self-sacrifice. Hanging in limbo until a change can be made. Unable to turn one way or the other until a resolution is found. Rites of passage.

XIII -Death

Death, rebirth, generally in areas of one’s consciousness, leading to physical changes. Great change, complete reversal of all that has gone before.

XIV-Temperance

Mature adaptation to whatever life offers; living the temperate life, not making snap judgements or hasty decisions. Weighing decisions carefully before taking action, silence when necessary. Angelic guidance.

XV -The Devil

Lack of essential humanity emphasis on material and carnal matters to the detriment of others. Can denote someone who has behaved extremely badly towards another, especially where money of sex is concerned. Can indicate serious health problems and addiction. Can also mean a need to pay more attention to physical needs and remember we are flesh as well as spirit. Serious health problems.

XVI -The Tower

Unforeseen catastrophe, disruption of one’s style of life or way of thinking, which may be followed by enlightenment. A bolt from the blue. A flash of inspiration, new knowledge, often painful but necessary to allow one to move forward.

XVII -The Star

Inspiration, a glimpse of a happier, more enlightened way of doing things. Light at the end of the tunnel after a dark period. Opening of psychic channels.

XVIII -The Moon

Unforeseen perils, disloyalty, underhand dealings. Having to work undercover. A yearning for fulfilment. Has connections with the stage, the entertainment world and being in the public eye.

XIX -The Sun

Contentment, liberation, attainment of personal or business goals. Warmth, happiness, regaining of good health after illness. Connections with a hot country. Emigration. Happiness where children are concerned.

XX - Judgement

Growing awareness, shift in personal consciousness and union with the universal. Happy outcome after a momentous decision has been made.

XXI - The World

Reward, completion, fulfilment, everything you have worked for comes to fruition. The desired end to cycle. Change, travel.

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