Tarot Meanings - The Four Suits Overview
How to Interpret Tarot Spreads Using the Tarot Suit Symbols
One of the first steps in interpreting a Tarot reading is to gauge which of the four Minor Arcana suits is most prevalent in the Tarot spread. That suit will often tell you where to focus your interpretation and make it easier for you to relate the cards to your life. Here's how to use the Minor Arcana suits to help you interpret a Tarot reading.
Interpreting Tarot Using Minor Arcana Suits
Each Tarot suit represents one of the four elements, Fire, Water, Air or Earth. The Wands, Cups, Swords and Coins also each correspond to an area of your life. Understanding these correspondences can give a quick sense of what the cards are trying to say in a particular Tarot spread.
Knowing the basic "energy" of each suit can make it easier to interpret individual cards in the reading. Even if you don't know the precise meaning of a card, combining the suit's symbolism with the energy represented by the number of the card can give you a grasp of the card's interpretation.
The Wands in a Tarot Reading: A Ruling Passion
The Tarot suit of Wands is usually represented by a staff, often a living branch with leaves. Wands represent the element Fire. Wands are masculine. They suggest enthusiasm and passion, and often refer to your "life work". When many Wands appear in a Tarot spread, the reading pertains to something about which the Querent feels a great deal of enthusiasm and passion.
Like Fire, the energy represented in the Wands cards can burn hot. Combining the passionate essence of Wands with the numbered pips on the card can give you a quick sense of what the individual cards mean.
Examples:
- The Ace of Wands suggests an enthusiastic beginning to a new project
- The Five of Wands represents lively, good-natured but intense competition
- The Eight of Wands can mean rapid changes and advancement of a project
The Cups in a Tarot Reading - Flowing Emotions
In the Tarot, the suit of Cups are usually depicted as chalices, though some decks may use bowls or other vessels that can hold Water, the element represented by Cups. Cups are feminine and represent the emotional life and relationships. When a layout contains many Cups, chances are good that the reading will focus on the emotional life of the Querent, though it may not necessarily pertain to romantic relationships.
Like Water, the emotions represented in the Cups cards are mutable and changeable, but they are not weak. When you combine the suit with the numbered card, think of emotions.
Examples:
- The Ace of Cups suggests an awakening interest
- The Five of Cups suggests a loss with mixed feelings T
- The Eight of Cups can mean walking away from emotions that have been outgrown
The Swords in a Tarot Reading - Balance and Conflict
Swords are the second masculine suit in the Minor Arcana. Swords represent strife and conflict, but as the suit of the element Air, they also represent abstract thought and logic. Because of this, Swords are the suit of Law and of Justice. When a Tarot spread contains many Swords, it may suggest a great deal of conflict and turmoil in the querent's life, a legal matter or one concerning justice, or intellectual pursuits.
Like Wind, the physical manifestation of the element of Air, Swords can suggest a need to cut to the heart of a matter and to think things through rationally, without emotion.
Examples:
- The Ace of Swords often represents the dawn of a new way of thinking
- The Five of Swords suggests intellectual debate
- The Eight of Swords often means being surrounded by many conflicting thoughts.
The Coins in a Tarot Reading - Tradition and Fertility
Often referred to as Pentacles, the Suit of Coins is usually represented by golden disks inscribed with a Pentacle. Coins call on the feminine energy of Earth, and often refer to fertility, money matters, tradition and family. When many Coins appear in a Tarot spread, the reading may pertain to family heritage, inheritance and tradition. Coins often appear in Tarot readings about business and work.
Like their element Earth, Coins represent a solid, steady energy and an almost dogged determination to succeed. Coins also represent the nurturing nature of the earth, and its capacity to promote growth.
Examples:
- The Ace of Coins may refer to a pregnancy or a new business venture
- The Five of Coins refers to poverty and isolation
- The Eight of Coins means advancing in your craft and apprenticeship
While every Tarot reading is different, knowing the basic meanings of the Minor Arcana suits gives you a shortcut to interpretation. Once you've used the suits to tell you what a reading is about, you'll find it much easier to interpret the cards in context and will be able to give readings that are far more clear and helpful.
Tarot Cards Include Many Symbols
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