Breaking Down The Tarot Cards
This week on the blog I’m going to be breaking down the Tarot cards and looking at their meaning.
A Tarot deck contains 78 cards and is split into the Major and Minor Arcana. Both of the Arcanas have a different purpose in reflecting inner truths and hidden knowledge. When they are used together they are each a piece of the puzzle that form a bigger picture of what is going on. Tarot cards are used for guidance and clarity on a situation. They can reveal things that are hidden or that you may have overlooked.
The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards, these are the most powerful cards in the deck and represent major life events. Each card represents a step on your spiritual journey and the lessons we learn as we go through life. If there are a lot of Major Arcana cards in a reading then you can often indicate that you don’t feel in control of the situation. You will need to pay attention to what is going on because this also indicates life-changing events.
The Major Arcana tell a story, all the way from The Fool taking their first step on their journey, to The World which is the conclusion of the journey. The cards in between are a mix of characters you might meet along the way, celestial bodies and qualities of character.
The Minor Arcana consists of 56 cards split into 4 suits of 14 cards. These cards represent the more mundane, daily events of life, with each suit representing a different realm of experience. The cards are numbered from Ace to Ten and have four Court cards - the Page, the Knight, the Queen and the King. (Names may vary by deck)
The suit of Wands represents the element of Air. This is the realm of thoughts, ideas and inspiration. They can also show our fears and desires, which are the things that tend to motivate us. When a lot of Wands appear this can indicate that you are caught up in your own thoughts and ideas, unable to take action. It can also be a sign that things are just beginning.
The suit of Cups represents the element of Water. This is the realm of our emotions and is the response we have to our thought and ideas. It is this response that determines the actions we will or won’t take. Cups can show us our subconscious emotions and feelings towards a situation. When a lot of Cups appear in a reading this can indicate that you are currently stuck in your emotional response to something. This could be joy or sorrow. The Cups represent love, relationships, connection and imagination.
The suit of Swords represents the element of Fire. This is the realm of action. Once we have the idea (Wands) and the emotional response (Cups) we begin to take action (Swords) on our dreams and goals. This can be a struggle as we try to turn our thoughts into our reality, it is also where we learn the most. A lot of Swords in a reading can indicate that there is a lot going on. Swords are logical rather than emotional and tend to show us the truth of the situation, even when that isn’t what we want to hear.
The suit of Pentacles represents the element of Earth. This is the realm of manifestation, abundance and scarcity. They remind us to keep our feet on the ground and show us the physical manifestation of our actions brought about by our emotional response to our thoughts and ideas. Pentacles can represent money, the home and mastering skills. A lot of Pentacles in a reading can show the results of your hard work or that the rewards are taking shape, the goal is achieved or at least well on the way to success.
The reason I have started by giving this breakdown of the cards is because when you do a reading the first thing you should look at is the breakdown of the cards and any patterns that appear. If you are doing a reading about a relationship then you would expect to see a lot of Cups cards. So not only are you looking to see if the reading is heavily influenced in one realm or another, but also if there is a lack of cards in an area.
The cards tell a story and having an overview at the start is helpful. Then you can look at each card individually to see what message they bring, and then look at how the cards interact with each other.
I hope you have found this week's blog both helpful and interesting. I will be continuing this series of Tarot blogs over the next few weeks.
If you would like to book a reading with me, then check out my different offers using the button below.
