Tarot Cards Meaning: A Complete Guide to the Major and Minor Arcana

October 23, 2023
Griff Williams

Tarot cards, with roots tracing back to the 15th century, have long been revered as a tool for divination and self-reflection.

Initially used for playing games, their more profound symbolic significance evolved over time, guiding seekers in understanding their past, present, and future.

Recognizing the meanings of individual cards and the nuances of card combinations is pivotal for accurate readings, ensuring a genuine connection between the reader and the age-old wisdom of the tarot.

What is a Tarot Reading?

A tarot reading involves interpreting cards drawn from a Tarot Card Deck to gain insights and guidance.

At its core, it’s a tool for introspection, helping individuals uncover life lessons and navigate their journey. The deck is divided into Major and Minor Arcana.

While the Major Arcana, featuring cards like the Death card, represents significant life events and spiritual lessons, the Minor Arcana focuses on daily occurrences and emotions.

Comprising numbered cards and court cards, the Minor Arcana offers detailed perspectives on the past, present, and future, making tarot readings a comprehensive window into one’s life path.

How to Read Tarot Cards

Reading tarot cards is an art steeped in tradition and intuition. It begins with a deck of cards, each bearing symbolic imagery.

The process involves selecting and interpreting these cards in relation to one’s questions or life situations.

While there are established meanings, the true essence of a reading emerges from understanding the intricate relationships between cards and the reader’s connection to them.

Preparing for a Reading

Before diving into the mysteries of the tarot deck, it’s essential to prepare both yourself and the cards.

Start by cleansing the deck, which can be done by placing it under moonlight, using sage smoke, or simply visualizing a white light enveloping it.

This step ensures any lingering energies from past readings or handlers are cleared, making way for new insights.

Next, shuffle the cards while focusing on your question or intention. Be clear and specific if you’re seeking guidance on life lessons, personal growth, career advice, or insights into a future event.

As you shuffle, visualize your question and the answers you hope to receive. This helps in aligning the deck’s energy with your own.

Lastly, set your intentions. Take a deep breath and center yourself.

Remember, tarot readings are not just about predicting the future; they’re tools for reflection, understanding, and growth.

Approach the reading with an open heart, ready to embrace whatever the cards reveal, and use it as a stepping stone for your journey ahead.

Tarot Cards Meanings

The tarot deck comprises the Major Arcana’s 22 transformative cards and the Minor Arcana’s 56 cards, split into four suits. While the Major Arcana highlights profound life lessons, the Minor Arcana captures daily nuances. Together, they offer a rich tapestry of symbols for introspection and insight.

Major Arcana

The Major Arcana represents life’s significant lessons, spiritual insights, and overarching themes. Comprising 22 cards, from The Fool to The World, it chronicles the soul’s journey through challenges and milestones, reflecting profound transformations and universal experiences that shape our personal and collective evolution.

Minor Arcana

The Minor Arcana in Tarot comprises 56 cards across four suits: Cups, Pentacles, Swords, and Wands. Each suit has 14 cards, including ten numbered and four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King).

These cards symbolize everyday life aspects: Cups deal with emotions, Pentacles with material matters, Swords with intellect, and Wands with creativity and action. They offer detailed insights into daily experiences and challenges, enriching Tarot readings with nuanced perspectives.

Suit of Wands

Representing the element of fire, the Suit of Wands symbolizes creativity, passion, and action. It resonates with ambition, inspiration, and spiritual quests, emphasizing the drive and energy behind one’s pursuits. Wands often herald new beginnings and the challenges faced with enthusiasm and determination.

Suit of Cups

The Suit of Cups delves into the realm of emotions, relationships, and connections. Representing the element of water, it captures the ebb and flow of feelings, intuitive insights, and the depth of human experience.

Suit of Swords

The Suit of Swords, associated with the element of air, delves into the realm of thought, communication, and conflict. It represents intellectual pursuits, decisions made with the mind over heart, and challenges faced in the quest for truth.

Suit of Pentacles

The Suit of Pentacles, tied to the element of earth, revolves around material aspects, financial matters, and physical experiences. It symbolizes the pursuit of prosperity, security, and tangible achievements, reflecting our relationship with the physical world and our desires for stability.

Spreads and Layouts

In tarot, the arrangement of cards in specific patterns is crucial for accurate card readings. These patterns, known as spreads, provide a structured framework for interpreting the cards’ messages.

Three-Card Spread: A simple yet powerful layout, it typically represents the past, present, and future. It’s versatile and can be adapted to explore various aspects of one’s life.
Celtic Cross: One of the most detailed spreads, the Celtic Cross delves deep into the core of a situation. It examines the present, potential challenges, distant and recent past, possible outcomes, and more. It’s especially useful for complex queries.
Horseshoe Spread: Shaped like a horseshoe, this seven-card layout provides insights into the past, present, and future, while also highlighting external influences, personal perspectives, and advice. It’s a comprehensive spread ideal for a variety of questions.

Understanding and mastering these spreads enhances the depth and clarity of card readings, ensuring a richer tarot experience.

Interpreting the Cards

The art of tarot lies not just in drawing cards from the tarot deck but in interpreting their intricate messages. Each card’s position within a spread holds specific significance, shaping the narrative of the reading.

Significance of Card Positions: In a spread, each position corresponds to a particular aspect, be it past influences, current challenges, or future possibilities. For instance, a card in the ‘past’ position speaks to events or feelings that have shaped the present, while a ‘future’ card hints at potential outcomes or directions.
Combining Card Meanings: A single card can convey a wealth of information, but the true depth of a reading emerges when cards are interpreted in relation to one another. Their combined meanings paint a comprehensive picture, weaving together the conscious mind’s queries with insights from the subconscious mind. For example, the juxtaposition of the ‘Death’ card next to the ‘Sun’ might suggest an end leading to a new beginning or enlightenment.
Trusting Your Intuition: While traditional card meanings provide a foundation, your intuition is the bridge connecting you to the cards. The tarot deck is a tool that speaks to both the conscious and subconscious mind. Trusting your gut feelings and initial reactions to the cards deepens the connection, allowing for more authentic and personalized readings.

Remember, tarot is a journey of discovery, and each reading is a dialogue between the seeker, the cards, and the universe.

Tips for Beginners

Embarking on the journey of tarot can be both exciting and overwhelming. Here are some pointers to guide you:

Choosing Your Tarot Deck: The right deck of cards resonates with your energy. While there are countless options available, seek a deck whose imagery and symbolism speak to you personally.
Practice Makes Perfect: Familiarize yourself with card combinations and individual card meanings by practicing regularly. Over time, you’ll develop a deeper connection and understanding of the cards.
Keep a Tarot Journal: Documenting your readings helps track your progress and reflections. Note down the cards drawn, your interpretations, and any insights gained. This practice enhances your learning and offers a retrospective view of your growth.
Seek Guidance: Whether it’s from a psychic medium, experienced tarot readers, or online tarot readings, don’t hesitate to seek guidance. Many also benefit from psychic reading services, which can offer a broader perspective.
Join Tarot Communities: Engaging with like-minded individuals, whether online or offline, provides a platform for discussions, learning, and sharing experiences.

Remember, tarot is a personal journey. Trust your intuition, remain open-minded, and enjoy the process of discovery.

Common Misconceptions About Tarot Cards

Tarot, with its rich symbolism and history, has often been shrouded in myths and misconceptions. One prevalent notion is that a tarot deck is a tool of “evil” or associated with dark arts.

In reality, tarot cards are merely instruments used for reflecting on deeper meaning and insights about various facets of life.

Another common myth is that tarot is “magical” or solely reliant on divine intervention. While some believe in the spiritual aspect of tarot, at its core, the cards are about introspection, emotional maturity, and understanding one’s journey.

Approaching tarot with skepticism or fear can cloud its true essence. It’s vital to approach the cards with an open mind and heart, ready to explore their layers of meaning.

By doing so, one can appreciate tarot as a tool for self-reflection rather than a mystical oracle.

History Of Tarot Cards

The origins of tarot cards can be traced back to the 15th century, where they were initially used in Europe as a pack of cards for games.

It wasn’t until the 18th century that they began to be associated with mysticism and divination. By the 19th century, tarot had evolved, with many esoteric schools and occultists adopting and adapting the cards for spiritual and predictive purposes.

The symbolism and imagery of the cards were enriched over time, drawing from various cultural and philosophical influences.

Fast forward to the digital age, and the tradition has further expanded with online tarot card reading becoming a popular way for seekers to gain insights without the need for a physical deck.

The journey of tarot, from a simple pack of cards to a profound tool of introspection, showcases its enduring appeal and adaptability through the ages.

Griff Williams

MindEasy founder & meditation teacher

Griff Williams is an accredited meditation teacher and founder of MindEasy. He spent 12 years working as a London firefighter before changing paths to pursue building MindEasy. He received his diploma in meditation teaching from The British School of Meditation.