Zodiac signs and elements associated with Tarot Cards

Zodiac Signs associated Minor Arcana Suits:

Wands - Leo, Aries and Saggitarius

Pentacles - Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn

Cups - Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces

Swords - Gemini, Libra and Aquarius

Elements associated Minor Arcana Suits:

Wands - Air

Pentacles - Earth

Cups - Water

Swords - Fire

Meet The Minor Arcana

Cards of the Minor Arcana

The cards in the Minor Arcana reveal current issues, aspects of everyday life and situations related to people.The 56 cards in the Minor Arcana are divided into four suits:

• Wands
• Pentacles
• Cups
• Swords

Each suit consists of fourteen cards in all. Of these, ten cards are numbered and four cards called "Court Cards" depict a King, a Queen, a Knight and a Page. The numbered cards represent situations and everyday life whereas the Court Cards represent actual people.

Wands represent work, social activities, business and financial affairs. Wands describe potential ambition and personal effort that lead to success. Wands also represent spirituality, inspiration and an amount of luck related to business and finance. 

Pentacles represent material wealth, worldly prestige, business, career and commerce. As a person, a Pentacles court card represent influential and wealthy people who know how to use their power. Pentacles predict relief from debt and other problems caused due to lack of money. Pentacles are very worldly in nature. 

Cups represent people who act out of love for others. Cups represent everything related to emotions, good health, true friends, affection, creativity, pleasant surroundings and favorable circumstances. These cards depict richness, beauty, romance and positivity.

Swords represent power used for selfish purposes. Generally, Swords indicate problems and troubles. Swords indicate enemies, violence, false friends, treachery by business associates. Swords fortell anxiety, frustration, arguments and other tension.

Negative Key words and meanings of Reversed Major Arcana Cards

These are the key words associated with each card of the Major Arcana, drawn reversed. Again, my references are Sylvia Abraham’s wonderful book  ‘Learn How to Read The Tarot’ and Liz Dean’s simple, easy to understand book The Art of Tarot. It is sufficient to remember one key word related to each card.

Continue to spend time studying each card and noting down the first words that come to mind. This helps to connect to your deck in a better way. What you learn like this will stay with you forever. For more insight it is a good practise to cross check your understanding of each card with knowledge given by experienced Tarot experts in their books.

Zero – The Fool – Everyone

Reversed card means - Foolish desires or aspirations, unwise impulsive actions, ignorance, irresponsible behavior, pleasure seeker, sexual focus

One – The Magician -  “I will”. For example, “I will not have new beginnings in my career yet”

Reversed card means - Stagnation, boredom, lack of excitement and self confidence, egotistical nature, rigid mindset, incompetence, imbalance

Two – The High Priestess – ‘I know’

Reversed card means  - Selfishness, overly emotional, fearful, under illusion, superficial, closed mind, unskilled

Three – The Empress – “I make” For example, “I do not make my work circumstances and social activities”

Reversed card means - Unhappiness. Infertile. Unloving, selfish, dull. Unforgiving. Lacking talent. Stagnant.

Four – The Emperor – “I realize”

Reversed card means - Lacking authority. Impulsive, immature and inexperienced. Dishonest, unstable. Lack of growth and energy.

Five – The Heirophant -  “I believe”

Reversed card means - Dogmatic. Intolerant and unforgiving. Bored. Self doubt. Materialistic, fearful.

Six – The Lovers – “I choose”

Reversed card means - Infidelity, indecision, sexual drive, dishonesty. Frustration. Irresponsibility

Seven – The Chariot – “The Path”

Reversed card means - Superstitious. Overconfident. Lacking direction. Ignorance. Imbalance.

Eight – Strength

Reversed card means - Egotism. Deceit. Cowardice. Ruthlessness. Fithlessness. Lethargic.

Nine – The Hermit – meaning Wisdom through experiences.

Reversed card means - Immature. Uninspired. Dogmatic. Health issues. Prejudiced, inexperienced.

Ten – The Wheel of Fortune – meaning Changes and Cycles.

Reversed card means - Stagnation. Gambling. Guilt. Focus on the physical. Fear of change, limited understanding. Stagnation.

Eleven  – Justice

Reversed card means  - Imbalance, paranoia, rebellion, hasty decisions, dishonesty

Twelve – The Hanged Man – meaning Sacrifice, Reversal.

Reversed card means - Fantasy, indecision, guilt, fear, indiscipline, escapism. Foolish decisions

Thirteen – Death – meaning Transformation

Reversed card means - Decay, sexuality, mortality, ignorance, resentment, inaction, materialism

Fourteen – Temperance – indicates Moderation, Tests and trials

Reversed card means  Disharmony, ignorance, wanderlust, imbalance, intolerance

Fifteen – The Devil – indicates Materialism and Deception

Reversed card means Greed, waste of energy, bondage, desires, irresponsible, temptation, manipulation

Sixteen – The Tower – indicating Catastrophe

Reversed card means  - Impulsive. Selfishness, anger, strife, inactivity.

Seventeen – The Star – indicates Discovery, Aspiration

Reversed card means - Doubts, unstable attitude, ambitionless, pessimistic. Loneliness.

Eighteen – The Moon – means Attainment

Reversed card means Deception, impatience, unwise decisions and desires, Treachery, intolerance

Nineteen – The Sun – Shows Renewal

Reversed card means - Wasted talents and efforts. Low self esteem. Low expectations. Lacking energy. Poor judgement.

Twenty – Judgement – Awareness

Reversed card means Lack of trust or faith. Fear, guilt, mortality, confusion

Twenty One – The World – Cosmic Consciousness

Reversed card means Anxiety. Stubborn, closed mind. Mistrust. Limitations

Note: I noticed that the card numbers of the Justice card and the Strength card are different and interchanged in Liz Dean's book and Sylvia Abraham's book. I wouldnt stress too much about this as I have decided to go by the Rider Waite Tarot Deck in which Strength is card number 8 and Justice is card number 11. Different decks will have many differences, which is why, to learn Tarot reading as a whole it is important to be able to accept knowledge and be flexible about learning new things.

Positive Key words for Major Arcana Cards

The Major Arcana Cards

This post is about the key words associated with each card of the Major Arcana. My references are Sylvia Abraham’s book ‘Learn How to Read The Tarot’ and Liz Dean’s book 'The Art of Tarot'. It is sufficient to remember one key word related to each card. A simple exercise that will help a reader connect better to the cards is to look at each card and note down the words that come to mind. Your list can then be cross checked with a good book on Tarot. See how the key words given in the book give you a feel of what the card stands for, in a nutshell.

Zero – The Fool – Everyone.

Innocence, folly, the unexpected, risk, beginnings.

One – The Magician -  “I will”. For example, “I will have new beginnings in my career”

Initiative, action, travel, perception, confidence

Two – The High Priestess – ‘I know’

Wisdom, Intuition, Decisions, dreams, authority

Three – The Empress – “I make” For example, “I make my work and social activities”

Fertility, Abundance, Harmony, Love, Productivity

Four – The Emperor – “I realize”

Rulership, Strength, Counsel, Willpower, Logic

Five – The Heirophant -  “I believe”

Mentors, Spiritual Authority, Traditional Wisdom, Inspiration, Instruction

Six – The Lovers – “I choose”

Love, Maturity, Choice, Growth

Seven – The Chariot – “The Path”

Travel, Success, Determination, Progress

Eight – Justice – Strength, Resolution, Balance, Fairness

Nine – The Hermit – Wisdom through experiences.

Inner Knowledge, Individualism, Separation, Perspective

Ten – The Wheel of Fortune – Changes and Cycles.

Chance, Beginnings, Endings, Dreams

Eleven – Strength – Justice, Equilibrium

Danger, Struggle, Instinct, Integration, Inner Strength

Twelve – The Hanged Man – Sacrifice, Reversal.

Hope, Waiting, The unconscious, Viewpoints 

Thirteen – Death - Transformation

Change, New Beginnings, Moving away

Fourteen – Temperance – Moderation, Tests and trials

Growth, Finances, Fluidity, Compromise, Reconciliation

Fifteen – The Devil – Materialism and Deception

Struggle, Decisions, Potential, Manipulation

Sixteen – The Tower - Catastrophe

Change, Speed, Insight

Seventeen – The Star – Discovery, Aspiration

Vigor, Happiness, Imagination, new life

Eighteen – The Moon - Attainment

Crisis of Faith, Indecision, Solitude, Perspective, Disillusionment

Nineteen – The Sun - Renewal

Joy, Innocence, Creativity, Protection

Twenty – Judgement - Awareness

Conclusions, Rewards, Evidence, Second chances

Twenty One – The World – Cosmic Consciousness

Completion, Endings and Beginnings, Birth 

Today I will complete the task of memorizing the numbers and the cards of the Major Arcana. I may as well get this task out of the way so that I know what number each card is, before I delve deeper into the key words associated with each Major Arcana Card.

The Empress – Major Arcana Card IV

Major Arcana Card IV - The Empress

The Empress. The Emperor’s partner. There are many things on this card that spell abundance, kindness. There are green trees in the background. There is what seems to be a little stream flowing towards you as you hold this card. The Empress is seated on a cushy looking throne, if I can call it that. The card also shows what seems to be crops of wheat or some similar foodgrain growing densely. The Empress holds her sceptre up as if to bestow blessings and riches. She seems to symbolize the generosity of a mother or maternal figure in my life.

If I got this card in a reading I would feel positive. Taken care of. I would let go of worries. I would feel that better things are coming my way. Circumstances are going to turn in my favor.

My references state that this card indicates happiness, potential for travel and enjoyment, time to use creative talents and a need to communicate desires now. It can refer to mothers, sisters and other females.

Reversed, I feel this mother figure in my life could ‘smother’ me with love. Her love and affection could become a burden or obstacle. Emotional blackmail, perhaps? Going by the opposite of description given in the books I am referring to (Sylvia Abraham’s 'How to read the Tarot' and Liz Dean’s book 'The Art of Tarot') for the Empress card in an upright position, I’d say that reversed card means unhappiness or stress caused my females. Loss of creative talents or perhaps issues related to being unable to express creativity. Inability to communicate clearly and the mental anguish and problems related to that.

My latest learning aid - Learn how to read the tarot by Sylvia Abraham

Today I got a book that shows the simplest way to learn tarot reading. The book is called “Learn how to read the Tarot” by Slyvia Abraham. I love it already, for its easy explanation style and to the point content.

Learn how to read the Tarot - Sylvia Abraham

I’m going to go slow with using this book to guide me. It advises to meditate on the major arcana cards to know their deeper meanings. I’ve mentioned how I am about meditation, so I flipped over to chapter two which gives key words and descriptions of each suit. I didn’t have to memorize this part.

Key Words -

Wands – Work and social activities

Cups – Love and emotions

Pentacles – Money and health

Swords – Problems and troubles

Right off the bat, I took a liking to all ‘Cups’ cards and ‘Pentacles’. Cups seem to symbolize giving, flowing, generosity, ease, affection..It is just the feeling I got from looking at the Ace of Cups card and the single cup. My next favorite, the Pentacles remind me of shiny coins. Yes!! Money!! Wealth! And I was delighted to know from this book and from many other sources on the internet (far too many to name) that Pentacles do in fact symbolize wealth and health.

If I look at any card from the Wands suit, it reminds me of the stick cowherds or shepherds would use to mind their herds. It looks like WORK. The name ‘wands’ should ideally bring to mind something to do with magic. But the wands depicted on Tarot cards look like worn out wooden staffs. I was right in my interpretation, according to this book.

My least favorite is any card from the ‘Swords’ suit. I just do not like them much. Swords cut. Injure. They imply treachery, hurt and unhappiness to my mind. Suddenly I am reminded of a Charlie Chaplin quote that you only need force to do something destructive. For everything else, love is enough. Similarly, I would only use a sword towards violent and unhappy ends. This lovely book states that the key words for Swords are ‘problems and troubles’. How apt.

Today I also learnt that various zodiac signs are associated with each suit of cards. At present I do not know what purpose this knowledge will serve me. But I am going to remember the associations anyway. No knowledge ever goes waste afterall.

Suits and related Zodiac Signs:

Wands: Aries, Leo, Saggitarius

Cups: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Pentacles: Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn

Swords: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

I have had to memorize this bit. I was not very happy to memorize stuff. The last time I really ‘studies’ in this was when I was in school. Unhappy associations with mugging – exam time! But I feel in time, my method of a little learning by rote alongwith learning by tuning into my feelings, intuition and perception will benefit me in the long run. I am very eager to learn more soon!

Card - Four of Swords

The Four of Swords card is a card from the Minor Arcana. Unlike the cards of the Major Arcana, it is not easy to understand what the cards in the Minor Arcana stand for at a glance. So when I pulled this card out of the deck, alongwith my method of deciphering the meaning of the card, I referred to various resources online as well as the booklet I have. 

Four of Swords

Card Description: A person lying on what seems to be a bed or platform situated in what seems to be a holy place due to the picture depicted on the wall. I read later that the person is resting on a tomb.

Looking at the person resting peacefully with folded hands, it feels as though he is taking time out to rest after a struggle or to clear his head. Just like I would lie down, close my eyes and concentrate on my breath to calm myself down on a tiring day. It helps me clear the chaos in my mind. This person will also be able to shake off his physical and/or mental exhaustion and emerge rejuvenated to face situations in life with a renewed energy.

This card seems to signify the need to take time out for oneself to just slow down and catch ones's breath.  Rest, pray, meditate and contemplate. The swords seem to depict worry. Three of  the swords are upright. One is laid right beside the person resting on the tomb. It seems challenges and worries will still be there in life when you return from your short break of resting. You will still have to pick up the sword and continue fighting. But you will be energized in your soul, mind and body from having taken time out to rest. Your mind will be clearer. You will have clarity about what you want to do.

This card symbolizes that a period of rest and relaxation is necessary.

Reversed, it seems as if the three swords could actually harm the person shown on the card. Perhaps it signifies an overworked person who may be close to burn out. The person has been spending too much energy and now life is literally pushing him aside to get out of the chaos for a while. You may be feeling isolated, defeated or just plain exhausted. It is now necessary to slow down and rest. Build up your energy, clear the clutter in your mind and let go of old thinking patterns.

It often happens that when we push ourselves to hard, our body protests in its own way. Sometimes by way of some illness that will force you to slow down and take rest so that you may heal.

The Death card

Day One of implementing my Plan of learning Tarot reading. The first card I pick after shuffling my Rider Waite deck turns out to be the Death card. Number Thirteen to boot. Bad Omen, you'd think. Not at all, I'd say.

The Death Card - Rider Waite Deck

Ever since my precious daughter was born on the 13th, I consider the number to be lucky for me. Besides,  according to Cheiro's Book of Fate and Fortune the number thirteen is not as unlucky or dreadful as people have made it seem.

Surely the artwork and the title 'Death' should worry me then, right? Well it depends entirely on the way you see it. Death makes way for new beginnings. That was the whole tone of my interpretation.

Here is what I wrote down after studying the card:

Major Arcana Card - Death
Number - Thirteen

Card description & feel - Stern looking soldier mounted upon a white horse. Both horse and its rider look unrelenting as they face a person standing with folded hands as if begging for mercy. The horse has just trampled a person who lies lifeless on the ground. It is still marching forward stubbornly, ready to trample anything that comes in its way.

Beside the person with the folded hands, there is a girl kneeling down looking away from the terrifying Rider and his fearsome horse. As if looking away could avert Death. There is also a small child looking at the Rider passively as if he were just an object invoking the child's curiosity. Looking at the child makes me feel as if this is how we should view the Death card as well - as something that is inevitable and will pass by.

Nothing and nobody really 'dies' or goes away forever. Things only change form. I say this because I believe in Spirit. Things keep changing form and become something new, something else. Just like the caterpilar 'dies' to make way for the beautiful butterfly. Like a seed gives up its form to bring forth a little sapling that may eventually become a great Oak tree that will outlive you and me.

This card signifies new beginnings as much as endings. I think my interpretation is different from what it would be if I were looking at a Death card for the first time. But I have seen and looked in great detail - the Death card in the deck by Liz Dean. Its artwork is etched in my mind. A woman standing next to a tree with new green leaves with a dead tree in the background. Perhaps that image causes me to think of this card as a card that depicts new beginnings rather than just death.

Death is on the move. It will cause changes in the things that were and whether you were prepared or not, these changes will be unavoidable and necessary.

The card also shows the sun setting in the background. Just as we know and trust that the sun will rise tomorow, we must trust that things will be alright. We may have to scrap a plan that was not working or give up a goal we set our heart on and worked hard for. Maybe we'll have to look for new ways of approaching a situation. Let go of old things, plans or dreams or a relationship that was just not working.

There is a need to examine the current situation. If you have been working too long and too hard at achieving something but things still seem doomed, reconsider the goal. Revamp the whole plan. Perhaps consider changing your goal altogether. Let Go.

Just like the person on the card who is looking away from Death, being in denial and refusing to accept the futility of the situation will only drag the process of accepting and moving on.

Efforts never go waste. There are lessons to be learnt even in failure, so never be unhappy over 'wasted' effort or time. This card signifies the need for closure and the importance of moving on to new beginnings. Think Acceptance and Hope.

Do not delay action. It is better to give in to the changes that are bound to happen than to resist change. Let go of what is no longer useful or relevant.

Reversed Card meaning: The reversed Death card seemed to tell me that there is too much energy wasted in resisting change. Accept change and be hopeful about new beginnings.

Step one - HOW to learn the meanings of Tarot cards

Decks - Check
Enthusiasm - Check!
Dedication - Check

Now the only question is HOW I can memorize the meanings of 78 cards and the meaning of the said cards in reverse. Not to forget the kinds of spreads and which card means what in relation to other cards..Phew! I have always hated memorizing ANYTHING. It seems to be such an insult to actually studying something, because in my opinion learning anything by rote is not really learning. I want to really understand what each card means in a way that I wont be spouting bookish meanings when I try to interpret the meaning of a spread.

I looked for online lessons and found quite a few. Most of them entail memorizing the meanings of each of the cards. Some tarot card readers suggested meditating on one card each day. Some said sleeping with the deck under my pillow would help me 'connect' to the cards.

I have never really meditated in my life. Not until the time of writing this anyway. I am an insomniac and hardly need a deck of cards stuffed under my pillow to ruin whatever little sleep I do get. I thought I'd try with a few cards at a time, so last night I tried keeping The Strength card and The Tower card under my pillow. For some reason - now it may be purely my imagination working overtime here - I just couldn't fall asleep until I kept the cards away.

This time around I have decided though. I'm not about to give up. I remember something I read somewhere  - the greatest teacher lies within. WITHIN. I decided to look within. I thought of a way to understand each card and I'm going to stick to it.

The plan is to shuffle the cards and randomly pick one. I will then take a really good look at the card and write down what it depicts. I will write down my interpretation of the card and what I feel as I study it. I would then compare my interpretation with the meaning of the card given in the book I have - The Art of Tarot by Liz Dean. If I am completely off the mark I will memorize the meaning given in the book and I hope that eventually I will be able to relate to the meaning.

I am not sure if this method will work for other beginners as learning by rote is just going to be easier for some people. For me, this method proved to be the right choice for me as I tried it. I think the fact that I chose my Rider Waite deck to begin with makes it easier for me because the artwork on this deck is very simple to interpret.

In my next post I will note down my interpretations of the cards that I pick each day. I am hoping to be able to complete this little exercise with each card in the deck by the end of next month. Fingers crossed!

My tarot journey - the beginning

I first read about tarot cards when I was 12 or 13 years old. I have always been drawn to the mystical things in life. Tarot cards reminded me of the cards that some fortunetellers in India make their pet parrot pick from a spread. I have never come across a fortune teller of that kind but I remember my mother once told me she had such a reading done for herself when she was a child. A fortune teller walking past her home was called in. He took out a deck of cards from his little bag that seemed to hold his entire world within. In his other hand was a cage - his pet parrot's home. After he spread out the cards, he let the parrot out. The parrot walked over the line of cards, picked one out and placed it in the man's palm. The parrot walked back into the cage after accepting a treat for his help.

Mummy didnt describe the picture on the card to me. But she has told me that the man looked at the card and told my grandmother that it is a card that means the querent, my mother, will be an independent person. She would not depend on her husband for a livelihood. This turned out to be true for her although she always wanted to be a homemaker. Much as she preferred to be a housewife, circumstances were such that she had to work and earn herself.

My first ever Tarot deck - The Art of Tarot by Liz Dean

It is not because of this little story she told me that I believe in Tarot. As long as I can remember, I have loved and believed in all such 'fantastic' stuff without needing a grain of logical reasoning.

The first ever deck of Tarot cards I purchased was a pack that came with a book called "The art of Tarot" by Liz Dean. Perhaps its the beautiful purple box that made me pick this pack! 

It has a simple booklet with explanations that even a child can understand. The cards are beautiful and simple with illustrations that are easy to interpret. Although I bought this deck in 2006 and a few others in the following years I never really got down to studying them or learning how to use them. Pure laziness :-)

A few years later I felt drawn to an Osho Zen Tarot pack in a bookstore and purchased it instantly. The deck felt a little too deep and mysterious for me. I felt I could not learn to interpret the meanings without referring to the accompanying booklet. I stopped using it and stashed it away in my wardrobe.

Last year I bought a Rider Waite deck just because I felt like.  And oh I forgot the deck of Angel cards and Fairy cards I picked up too! Its as though someone or something is trying hard to get me to shake off my laziness and learn how to read tarot cards! Its a thing I just cannot ignore. When something keeps grabbing your attention repeatedly, you really need to sit down and think about what life is trying to say.

 Here begins my journey to learning to read Tarot cards! I am blogging this to document my journey. Maybe someday I can use this to help someone at the beginning of their journey? Amen to that!