Tarot CardsIn much of Europe, tarot cards are actually used to play card games. The pictures generally have no significance to these games other than their suits. In the west, tarot cards are associated with divinity. Each deck consists of 22 major arcana. These cards usually portray things outside of your control. There are an additional 56 minor arcana, and these usually portray things within your control.
Pictured here is the Magician card, a major arcana, from a popular and universal deck, Rider-Waite. Minor ArcanaThe four suits of minor arcana are commonly the cups, swords, wands and pentacles. The symbols vary from deck to deck. Depending on the deck, you may also see the suits called different names. For example, pentacles may be called discs and swords might be called rods.Generally speaking, each suit relates to different types of events in your life. Wands - work Cups — feelings Swords – crisis Pentacles – wealth How and where they turn up in your spread indicates different meanings as well. For example if the card is upside-down, it usually signifies the reverse meaning. And depending on where it is in the reading it could mean a life event is on it’s way in or on it’s way out. Major ArcanaThe most feared card is the Death card. Many are afraid to select it or see it in their spread. However, it usually signifies a symbolic death of something in your life but not a literal death.Return to the Tarot Card Readings page
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Each deck differs by way of the author or artist who created it. There are basic meanings for each card, yet the author can depict a card with details that describe enhanced meanings. A guidebook to each deck, written by its creator, will define the meanings.
