Understanding Tarot: Lesson 1

The Tarot can be overwhelming if you try to learn it all at once. For this reason, I am breaking the definitions the cards into sections. Do not try to take it all on at once, as more often than not, you will find yourself overwhelmed and frustrated.

The definitions that I am offering are those that work best for me. You can get more detailed definitions by searching online or picking up one of the many books on Tarot. If you have a deck of cards with different suits, such as Staves, Rods or Coins, you can adapt these meanings to work with your Tarot cards.

Suits In A Tarot Deck

Along with the Major Arcana which will be covered in another lesson there are four suits in a Tarot deck. Depending on the deck you own will depend on the names of each suit. For these lessons we will use some of the most common names for the suits.

Wands

Wands are about self expression, creativity, work, spiritual issues, ideas and growth.

The element of Wands is fire and represent the fire signs of the Zodiac: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. When looking for a time frame, the Wands represent the season spring. Wands are a masculine energy

Cups

Cups are all about the heart. Relationships, romance, emotions and any matter of the heart. The element of Cups is Water, representing the Water signs of Pisces, Scorpio and Cancer. It represents the season of summer and are a feminine energy.

Pentacles

Pentacles are about money, finances, manifestation, material possessions, property and health. The Element for Pentacles is Earth and it represents the Earth signs of Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo. It represents the season of autumn and is a stabilizing energy.

Swords

The suit of Swords is often considered to be the suit of gloom and doom though that is not always true. While Swords may feel a bit scary, they are the tools that we use to cut down the over grown grass so we can see and move about without obstacles. It represents the intellect, left brain thinking, analytical and the challenges that are to be faced. While the lessons in this suit are not always easy, they are beneficial. Representing the season winter and the element of air, it represents the air signs of Libra, Aquarius and Gemini. Swords often have an unsettled energy.

As you can see each suit has a different task, though in a reading on love you may find that you have a number of cards outside of the Cups. The wonderful aspect of Tarot is that if you look at the meaning of the card in front of you, the answer is there. Think about the meaning of the specific Tarot and how it might relate to love. If Pentacles are predominant in a love reading it could mean that money is an issue, it could also mean that the partnership is prosperous on all levels. Understanding the suits make a reading easier but they are never solely intended for any one kind of interpretation. Take your time and get to know the cards, the more time you spend with them, the clearer the interpretation will become.