What is Tarot? Tarot is more than just a pack of fancy colored cards that someone shuffles and lays out on a table.  It is a divination practice that started in the 18^th century. Those who use tarot frequently will tell you that tarot is you. Tarot is whoever happens to be asking the cards to divine their lives and even their future. Though this answer may seem a bit ambiguous or confusing, it is important to understand the nature of tarot and what it is. A tarot reader will be divining about you and your life when they read the Tarot spread. There are traditional interpretations of what the Tarot cards mean. The cards deal with universal symbols and their meanings. These meanings and stories span cultures, continents, and time. Go with the meanings and trust your intuition.

Basics Of The Tarot Deck

A tarot deck is made up of 78 cards, each with their own imagery, symbolism, and story. Each deck has both major and minor arcana. 22 of the 78 cards are the Major Arcana cards. The other 56 cards are the Minor Arcana cards. Each reading is done with an arrangement of these cards. Tarot cards help hear our inner voice and embrace its message. This allows us to have meaning at fingertips that help us understand what that inner voice is trying to tell us.

MAJOR ARCANA

Major Arcana cards represent life’s karmic and spiritual lessons.  Major Arcana are unique, stand-alone cards, they are the core and foundation for the deck. The most commonly known Major Arcana are the Devil, Strength, Temperance, the Hanged Man, the Fool, and Death. They depict the path to a spiritual self awareness and depict various stages we encounter as we search for greater meaning and understanding. They also hold deeply meaningful lessons on a soul level. There are big archetypal themes that are influencing your life and soul’s journey to enlightenment. They have lessons that the querent (subject of reading) should pay attention to. They are deep and complex. Major Arcana cards represent the structure of human consciousness and hold the keys to life lessons passed down through ages.

These cards tell a storyline that tells of spiritual travels taken from innocent wonder of the Fool to oneness. Major Arcana cards include twenty one numbered cards and one unnumbered card (the Fool). The fool is the main character of the Major Arcana and makes his journey through each of the cards, meeting new teachers and learning new life lessons along the way. Eventually the Fool reaches completion of his journey with the World Card. This is known as the Fool’s Journey and is a helpful way of understanding the story line of the Major Arcana Tarot card meanings. They tell the story of humanity’s spiritual evolution into enlightenment and individuation. By following the journey of the Fool, you can see parallels between your own stages in life and those in the cards. Each card is teaching a specific lesson and a concept to meditate over. When you see a Major Arcana card in a Tarot reading, the other cards relating back to that core Major Arcana meaning. When Tarot reading is predominantly made up of Major Arcana cards, you are experiencing life changing events that will have long term effects. There are important lessons that you must pay attention to in order to progress further in spiritual and personal quest.  If many of the Major Arcana Tarot cards are reversed, however, it may be a sign that you are not paying enough attention to these important life lessons and you need to first master the lesson before being able to move forward.

Here is a high level review of the cards meanings (for more in depth follow their links to specific pages):

FOOL. New beginning.
Upright: Beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, free spirit. Pleasure, passion.
Reversed: Holding back, recklessness, risk-taking, inconsideration. Bad decisions, faulty choices.
Heed this: You may need to stop daydreaming and watch where you are going or you could fall for a scam like a fool.
Love in a Reading: Exciting!
Single – Lively romance might be right around the corner
Relationship –  Stoked about current relationship

MAGICIAN. Will power and desire.
Upright: Manifestation, resourcefulness, power, inspired action, desire. Originality, dexterity, solution to problems.
Reversed: Manipulation, poor planning, untapped talents, trickery. Weakness of will, watch for opportunities and take care not let them pass you by.
Heed this: Trust big brain to help you find what you need and let the world open up to you.
Love in a Reading: Sign of positive to come
Single – Love headed your way
Relationship – Time to deepen your bond

HIGH PRIESTESS. Sexuality and mystery.
Upright: Intuition, sacred knowledge, divine inner voice, feminine, subconscious mind. Learning.
Reversed: Secrets, disconnected from intuition, withdrawal and silence, repressed feelings. Ignorance, shallowness. Need of human connection.
Heed this: Learn to make a decision! It is wise to pay extra attention to signs that come to you in dreams, don’t take them for granted.
Love in a Reading: Very sensual.
Single – Lusting after unattainable or them you.
Relationship –  Extremely sexy times ahead.

EMPRESS. Feminity and fertility.
Upright: femininity, beauty, nature, motherhood, nurturing, abundance. Action, exercise. Patience.
Reversed: creative block, dependence on others, nosiness. Inaction, not focused enough on spiritual.
Love in a Reading: Excellent.
Single – Get out and mingle, could pan out
Relationship –  Only get better and be filled with natural love, respect, and deep affection

EMPEROR.  Accomplishment and stability.
Upright: authority, establishment, control, structure, a father figure. Brave and bold.
Reversed: domination, excessive control, tyranny, lack of discipline, inflexibility. Immaturity and shaky ground.
Heed this: decide if what you’re doing is unwelcome.
Love in a Reading: Often a good thing
Single – open to love and be more honest
Relationship – on solid ground with true partner

HIEROPHANT. Religious and traditional.
Upright: spiritual wisdom, religious, beliefs, conformity, tradition, institutions, ethics. Need to conform, want social approval vs mercy.
Reversed: personal beliefs, freedom, challenging status quo, rebellion.
Heed this: can solve problems but it won’t be easy.
Love in a Reading: major commitment
Single – new in cards with love
Relationship – on same page about everything

LOVERS. Romance and connection.
Upright: love, harmony, relationships, duality, values alignment, choices. Trust.
Reversed: self love, disharmony, imbalance, misalignment of values, loss of balance. Unreliability.
Heed this: may come across divergence you dare not miss, don’t take the easy road automatically. It’s a leap of faith!
Love in a Reading: Seriously romantic
Single – hang on, red hot romance
Relationship – Will heat up between you and your significant other

CHARIOT. Eventual hard won success.
Upright: control, will power, success, action, determination, direction. Perseverance, vengeance.
Reversed: self discipline, opposition, lack of direction, aggression. Defeat.
Heed this: new motivation to get stagnant moving, 100% in control in making it happen.
Love in a Reading: Fine on own
Single – love your freedom
Relationship – good partners for taking on challenges together

STRENGTH. Energy and course.
Upright: strength, courage, persuasion, influence, compassion, focus. Energy.
Reversed: inner strength, self doubt, low energy, raw emotion, insecurity.
Heed this: having doubts, take a moment to access all the strength and raw power you have, you can do anything.
Love in a Reading: Take courage of lion into all manner of romance.

HERMIT. Introspection and analysis.
Upright: soul searching, introspection, being alone, inner guidance, contemplation. Counsel, vigilance.
Reversed: isolation, loneliness, withdrawal, lost way. Imprudence and immaturity.
Heed this: could get impatient, might need to be alone for self reflection.
Love in a Reading: Fresh start
Single – Ready to put heart out there after retreat
Relationship – focus on each other, independence is good but reason together

WHEEL OF FORTUNE. Destiny and unexpected.
Upright: good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, turning point, inevitable fate. Stroke of luck.
Reversed: bad luck, resistance to change, breaking cycles, no control. Failure, unexpected loss.
Heed this: take some accountability to go with the flow.
Love in a Reading: Headed for change.
Single – Put in effort for love to come
Relationship – Risk bigger investment and take next big step

JUSTICE. Reason and truth.
Upright: justice, fairness, truth, cause and effect, law, clarity. Harmony and balance.
Reversed: unfairness, lack of accountability, dishonesty. Bias, unfairness, abuse.
Heed this: time for adjustments, bring things back to balance.
Love in a Reading: True, honest love
Single – Someone with a law background coming in
Relationship – Justice will shine light on actions, both fair?

HANGED MAN. Trial and sacrifice.
Upright: Pause, surrender, letting go, new perspectives, sacrifice.  Suspension, rebirth.
Reversed: Delays, resistance, stalling, indecision, fear of sacrifice. False prophecy.
Heed this: stop resisting and reflect to move on
Love in a Reading: Usually not great news
Single – let go of what is holding you back
Relationship – not thrilled with how going, give time to assess

DEATH. Major transformation.
Upright: endings, change, transformation, transition, metamorphosis. Loss, illness, bad luck.
Reversed: resistance to change, personal transformation, inner purging, holding on. Immobility, narrow escape.
Love in a Reading: Hanging onto what is no longer serving
Single – let go of old habits that are holding back
Relationship – Reconsider if continue or difficult change to get what you deserve

TEMPERANCE. Blend opposites.
Upright: balance, moderation, patience, purpose, middle path. Fusion.
Reversed: Imbalance, excess, self- healing, re-alignment, extremes. Hostility.
Heed this: temper behavior
Love in a Reading: generally very good thing
Single – Bring balance before seek partner
Relationship – Operating in total harmony

DEVIL. Ambitious and addiction
Upright: shadow self, attachment, playfulness, addiction, restriction, sexuality. Downfall, controversy.
Reversed: releasing limiting beliefs, freedom, exploring dark thoughts, detachment. Enlightenment.
Love in a Reading: Complicated
Single – Want to be loved but unsure how
Relationship – Feel suffocated or trapped

TOWER. Downfall and chaos.
Upright: sudden change, upheaval, chaos, revelation, awakening, broken pride. Sudden massive change.
Reversed: personal transformation, fear of change, averting disaster, fear of suffering. Stuck in a rut.
Heed this: period of upheaval and leaving behind but build up better
Love in a Reading: Profound changes.
Single – reconstruct self first before relationship
Relationship – might have to end if not fundamentally changing

STAR. Future and clarity.
Upright: hope, faith, purpose, renewal, spirituality. Balance.
Reversed: lack of faith, despair, self trust, disconnection, discouragement. Imbalance.
Heed this: worked past hardships and ready to embrace next.
Love in a Reading: connection
Single –  ready to let go of past relationships open
Relationship – time to go deeper

MOON. Not how they seem
Upright: illusion, fear, anxiety, subconscious, intuition, unconscious. Deception, double dealing
Reversed: release of fear, repressed emotion, inner confusion, confusion. Discover deception. Trifling mistakes.
Heed this: pay attention to dreams and what trying to tell you
Love in a Reading: Insecurity
Single – Keep wits to ensure all on the up and up
Relationship – Examine if it’s what you want

SUN. Positive energy.
Upright: judgment, rebirth, inner calling, absolution, reflection. Satisfaction.
Reversed: self doubt, inner critic, ignoring the call, self loathing, unhappiness
Heed this: you are going to have your day in the sun, step into the spotlight with confidence
Love in a Reading:  start of happy
Single – warm energy attracting others
Relationship – healthy, positive, beginning of new stage

JUDGEMENT. Renewal and change.
Upright: judgment, rebirth, inner calling, absolution, reflection. Renewal.
Reversed: self doubt, inner critic, ignoring the call, self loathing. Possible loss.
Heed this: face challenges head on and make changes required to succeed.
Love in a Reading: wake up to needs
Single – heal and prepare for next
Relationship – truly connect and understand

WORLD. Wonderful and successful.
Upright: completion, integration, fulfillment, accomplishment, travel, harmony. Perfection, happy end to a project.
Reversed: seeking personal closure, short cuts, delays, no closure. Imperfection and disappointment.
Love in a Reading: finality.
Single – ready to begin something new
Relationship – celebrating happy anniversary or marriage

MINOR ARCANA

Minor Arcana cards reflect trials and tribulations that we experience on a daily basis. They highlight the more practical aspects of life and can refer to current issues that have temporary or minor influence. Minor does not mean they aren’t important; it is more that they are temporary and less far reaching than those you’ll see in major. They are easier to act upon. Much like regular playing cards, they come in four suits with cards from one to ten and four face cards with the page, knight, queen and king. Within the Minor Arcana there are 16 Tarot cards each representing 16 different personality characteristics we may choose to express at any given time. The 40 numbered cards are organized into four suits: cups, pentacles, swords, and wands. Each of these have 10 cards representing various situations we encounter day to day. Each of the four suits represent a human experience.

SUIT OF CUPS: feelings & emotions

The suit of cups deal with the emotional level of consciousness and are associated with love, feelings, relationships, and connections. They are most associated with the Astrological element of Water. The element of water is symbolic of fluidity, feelings, emotions, intuition, relationships, healing, and cleansing. Water is fluid, agile, and in flow but it is also very powerful and formative. The suit of Cups is associated with creativity and intuition. This suit can be soft and gentle, like waves lapping against the sandy shore or it can be powerful and even forceful, like a raging river. Water becomes a frequent visual element theme within this suit. Since water is a feminine element, it reflects the subtle power that often resides within women. This is a receptive, adaptable, purifying and flowing suit. The Cups correspond to Hearts in a deck of playing cards. They frequently talk about relationships, romantic or otherwise, and one’s imagination and inner world.

In a reading this is all about thinking with heart vs head. Reflect your spontaneous responses and your habitual reactions to situations. Cups are also linked to creativity, romanticism, fantasy, and imagination. Negative aspects of suit of cups include being overly emotional or completely disengaged and dispassionate. Sometimes they can give unrealistic expectations and can be found fantasizing about what could be. There may be repressed emotions, an inability to truly express oneself and a lack of creativity. They fret and disconnect with their inner voice. This group often represents astrological signs of Water: Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio. Generally, Cups people are emotional, artistic, humane, and creative. They are connected with their emotional selves and will draw energy from what they feel within.

Here is a high level review of the cards meanings (for more in depth follow their links to specific pages):

ACE.
Upright: Love, new relationships, compassion, creativity, intuition
Reversed: emotional loss, repressed emotions, empty

TWO.
Upright: unified love, partnership, mutual attraction, connection.
Reversed: self-love, breakups, disharmony, distrust, imbalance

THREE.
Upright: celebration, friendship, community, creativity, collaborations.
Reversed: independence, alone time, hardcore partying, three’s a crowd, isolation.

FOUR.
Upright: meditation, contemplation, apathy, re-evaluation, disconnectedness
Reversed: retreat, withdrawal, checking in for alignment, acceptance.

FIVE.
Upright: regret, failure, disappointment, pessimism, grief.
Reversed: personal setbacks, self forgiveness, moving on, find peace.

SIX.
Upright: revisiting past, childhood memories, innocence and joy, healing.
Reversed: living in past, forgiveness, lacking playfulness, independence.

SEVEN.
Upright: Opportunities, choices, wishful thinking, illusion, daydream.
Reversed: alignment, personal values, overwhelmed by choices, confusion.

EIGHT.
Upright: disappointment, abandonment, withdrawal, escapism, walk away.
Reversed: trying one more time, indecision, aimless drifting, walking away, avoidance.

NINE.
Upright: contentment, satisfaction, gratitude, wish come true, luxury.
Reversed: inner happiness, materialism, dissatisfaction, indulgence, smugness.

TEN.
Upright: divine love, blissful relationships, harmony, alignment, fulfillment
Reversed: disconnection, misaligned, values, struggling relationships, shattered dreams.

PAGE.
Upright: creative opportunities, happy surprise, intuitive, messages, curiosity, possibility.
Reversed: new ideas, doubting intuition, insecurity, creative blocks, emotional immaturity.

KNIGHT.
Upright: creativity, romance, charm, imagination, beauty, idealist.
Reversed: overactive imagination, unrealistic, jealous, moody, disappointment.

QUEEN.
Upright: compassionate, caring, emotionally stable, intuitive, in flow, calm.
Reversed: inner feelings, self care, self love, codependency, martyrdom.

KING.
Upright: emotionally balanced, compassionate, diplomatic, control.
Reversed: self compassion, inner feelings, moodiness, emotionally manipulative, bad advice.

SUIT OF SWORDS: thought process and decision making

The suit of swords deals with our mental level of consciousness that is centered around the mind and the intellect. Swords mirror the quality of mind present in your thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs. Swords are often double edged and in this way, the suit of swords symbolizes a fine balance between intellect and power. It is how these two sides can be used for good or evil.  This is definitely a suit of intelligence, logic, truth, ambition, conflict and communication. Swords must be balanced by spirit (wands) and feeling (cups) to have the most positive effect. The suit of swords is associated with Element of Air. Air can be still and mostly unnoticed, becoming a breeze or a fierce wind. It is both powerful yet refreshing and cleansing. Symbolically the air element relates to knowledge, action, power, and change. It is a masculine energy that can lead by force even though it remains unseen. The swords correspond to Spades in a card deck. These readings will focus on faculty and power of intellect.

In a reading, these cards are associated with action, change, force, power, oppression, ambition, courage and conflict. They are used for both good or evil, to help or to harm.  The greatest conflicts usually come from a delicate balance. At worst, swords are abusive, harsh, and lack empathy. Their action can be constructive or destructive. The negative aspects of suit of swords includes anger, guilt, harsh judgment, a lack of compassion, and verbal and mental abuse. When you see a swords court card in a tarot reading it often relates to an Aquarius, Libra or Gemini. Generally swords people are intelligent, thoughtful, rational, logical, and excellent communicators. As rational beings, they like to experience the world by understanding and analyzing what is occurring around them. On the flipside, swords people can be ruthless, domineering, confrontational, and rigid. If your reading is predominantly swords cards, you are seeking solutions to what are primarily mental struggles or conflict and arguments or decision that must be made. There could be many arguments or even violence present. While swords can carry with them many negative or very strong, forceful messages, swords serve also as a warning to be cautious of what is occurring around you.

Here is a high level review of the cards meanings (for more in depth follow their links to specific pages):

ACE.
Upright: Breakthroughs, new ideas, mental clarity, success, sharp mind.
Reversed: inner clarity, rethinking, an idea, clouded judgment, chaos.

TWO.
Upright: difficult decisions, weighing in options, an impasse, avoidance, stalemate.
Reversed: indecision, confusion, information overload

THREE.
Upright: heartbreak, emotional pain, sorrow, grief, hurt, suffering.
Reversed: negative self talk , releasing pain, optimism, forgiveness, recovery.

FOUR.
Upright: rest, relaxation, meditation, contemplation, recuperation.
Reversed: exhaustion, burn out, deep contemplation, stagnation, stress.

FIVE.
Upright: conflict, disagreements, competition, defeat, winning at all costs, sneakiness.
Reversed: reconciliation, making amends, past resentment, forgiveness.

SIX.
Upright: transition, change, right of passage, releasing baggage, leaving behind
Reversed: personal transition, resistance to change, unfinished business, emotional baggage

SEVEN.
Upright: betrayal, deception, trickery, getting away with something, acting strategically.
Reversed: imposter syndrome, self-deceit, keeping secrets, deception.

EIGHT.
Upright: negative thoughts, self imposed, restriction, imprisonment, victim mentality.
Reversed: self limiting beliefs, inner critic, releasing negative thoughts, open to new perspectives, freedom

NINE.
Upright: anxiety, worry, fear, depression, nightmares, trauma.
Reversed: inner turmoil, deep seated fears, secrets, releasing worry, despair.

TEN.
Upright: painful endings, deep wounds, betrayal, loss, crisis, defeat.
Reversed: recovery, regeneration, resisting an inevitable end, won’t get worse

PAGE.
Upright: new ideas, curiosity, thirst for knowledge, new ways of communicating, curiosity
Reversed: self expression, all talk and no action, haphazard action, haste, deception

KNIGHT.
Upright: ambitious, action oriented, driven to succeed, fast thinking, impulsive
Reversed: restless, unfocused, impulsive, burnout, unpredictability.

QUEEN.
Upright: independent, unbiased, judgement, complex, clear boundaries, direct communication.
Reversed: overly emotional, easily influenced, bitchy, cold hearted, cruel.

KING.
Upright: mental clarity, intellectual power, authority, truth, head over heart.
Reversed: quiet power, inner truth, misuse of power, manipulation, cruel.

SUIT OF PENTACLES: material world (work and finances)

The suit of pentacles deals with the physical or external level of consciousness and thus mirror the outer situations of your health, finances, work and creativity. They have to do with what we make of our outer surroundings, how we create it, shape it, transform it, and grow it. On a more esoteric level, pentacles are associated with ego, self esteem, and self image. They are all things worldly and material. Usually we can think of pentacles as relating to financial matters. Easiest to understand the suit as being associated with security, stability, health, and prosperity. This suit is associated with element of Earth. Earth is earthy and tangible. It creates a foundation from which the planet can grow and develop. It supports and nurtures the plants and trees. Earth is grounded, stable, supportive and fertile. When pentacles are in a reading, they are usually concerned with long term futures, career, generosity, your household, business investments and your feelings. They are a feminine element that is receptive. It takes in nutrients and sunrays, then uses this energy to sustain the life that grows out of it. In playing cards, the pentacles corresponds to diamonds.

In a reading, it covers the material aspects of life including work, business, trade, property, money and other material possessions. The positive aspects of the suit of pentacles include manifestation, realization, proof and prosperity. Negative aspects of suit of pentacles include possessive, greedy, overly materialistic, over indulging, and not exercising. They do not effectively manage one’s finances and can be overly focused on their career to the detriment of other life priorities. Unbridled ambition at the cost of all else. Often what is required to counteract these negative aspects is a return to nature to ground oneself and rediscover what is truly important. The suit represents astrological signs of Earth: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. If you see a pentacles court card in reading, often relates to a person with a Taurus, Virgo or Capricorn star sign. They are generally practical, career-minded, down to earth, and generous. They are tactile beings and like to experience the physical tangible world. They are connected through senses to seek pleasurable and sometimes indulgent experiences. Predominantly pentacles are seeking solutions to what are primarily material conflicts, financial matters, and concerns with career or work.

Here is a high level review of the cards meanings (for more in depth follow their links to specific pages):

ACE.
Upright: new financial or career opportunity, manifestation, abundance, new venture.
Reversed: over committed, disorganization, reprioritization, and overwhelmed.

TWO.
Upright: multiple priorities, time management, prioritization, adaptability.
Reversed: over committed, disorganization, reprioritization, and overwhelmed.

THREE.
Upright: teamwork, collaboration, learning, implementation, building.
Reversed: disharmony, misalignment, working alone, group conflict.

FOUR.
Upright: saving money, security, conservatism, scarcity, control, frugality.
Reversed: overspending, greed, self protection, stinginess.

FIVE.
Upright: financial loss, poverty, lack mindset, isolation, worry, need.
Reversed: recovery from financial loss, spiritual poverty, charity.

SIX.
Upright: giving, receiving, sharing, wealth, generosity, charity.
Reversed: self care, unpaid debts, one sided charity, power and domination.

SEVEN.
Upright: long term view, sustainable results, perseverance, investment, diligence.
Reversed: lack of long term vision, limited success or reward, lack of rewards.

EIGHT.
Upright: apprenticeship, repetitive tasks, mastery, skill development, passion.
Reversed: Perfectionism, misdirected activity, no motivation

NINE.
Upright: Abundance, luxury, self sufficiency, financial independence, rewards.
Reversed: self worth, over investment in work, hustling, live beyond means

TEN.
Upright: Wealth, financial security, legacy, family, long term success, contribution.
Reversed: dark side of wealth, financial failure or loss, lack of stability

PAGE.
Upright: manifestation, financial opportunity, skill development, diligence.
Reversed: lack of progress, procrastination, learn from failure, lazy

KNIGHT.
Upright: hard work, productivity, routine, conservatism, responsibility
Reversed: self discipline, boredom, feeling stuck, perfectionism, laziness

QUEEN.
Upright: nurturing, practical, providing financially, a working parent, creature comforts
Reversed: financial independence, self care, work home conflict, smothering

KING.
Upright: wealth, business, leadership, security, discipline, abundance, prosperity.
Reversed: financially inept, obsessed with wealthy and status, stubborn, indulgence.

SUIT OF WANDS: action/motivation

Suit of wands is associated with primal energy, spirituality, inspiration, determination, strength, intuition, creativity, ambition, and expansion, original thought and the seeds through which life springs forth. The suit of wands is associated with the element of Fire: hot, wild, unpredictable, and energetic. This represents passion and will power. The wands provide primal energy because it is through them that the cycle of creation can begin. They have the ability to bring energy into any situation; also associated with action, ambition, and making plans. The suit of wands can be creative in helping us to cook food or build tools but can also be destructive, like devasting bush fire or house fire. Fire is symbolic of passion, energy, enthusiasm, and sexuality. As a masculine element, it reflects the drive and willpower of masculine energy. In a deck of playing cards, they correspond to clubs.

In a reading, this suit deals with the spiritual level of consciousness and mirror what is important to you at core of being. They address what makes you tick, personality, ego, enthusiasm, self concept and personal energy, both internal and external. The negative aspects of suit of wands include illusion, egotistical behavior, impulsiveness, a lack of direction or purpose, feeling meaningless. They often represent Fire: Leo, Sagittarius, and Aries. If you see a Wands court card in reading, it often relates to a person with Leo, Sagittarius or Aries Star sign. Generally, they are energetic, charismatic, warm, and spiritual.  If there are mostly wands in a reading, it will mean that you are seeking solutions to issues that are based mainly in realm of thought or that are in first stages of development. May also be seeking greater purpose and meaning in your life and will want to understand more about what motivates and energizes you.

Here is a high level review of the cards meanings (for more in depth follow their links to specific pages):

ACE.
Upright: inspiration, new opportunities, growth, potential, willpower.
Reversed: emerging idea, lack of direction, distractions, delays, boredom.

TWO.
Upright: future planning, progress, decisions, discovery, leaving home
Reversed: personal goals, inner alignment, fear of unknown, lack of planning, play safe.

THREE.
Upright: Progress, expansion, foresight, overseas opportunity, rabid growth
Reversed: playing small, lack of foresight, unexpected delays, obstacles

FOUR.
Upright: celebration, joy, harmony, relaxation, homecoming, community
Reversed: personal celebration, inner harmony, conflict with others, transition

FIVE.
Upright: conflict, disagreements, completion, tension, diversity, rivalry
Reversed: inner conflict, conflict avoidance, tension release, respect differences

SIX.
Upright: success, public recognition, progress, self confidence, victorious
Reversed: private achievement, personal definition of success, fall from grace, egotism, punishment

SEVEN.
Upright: challenge, competition, protection, perseverance, maintain control
Reversed: exhaustion, giving up, overwhelmed, destroyed confidence

EIGHT.
Upright: movement, fast paced, change, action, alignment, air travel, quick decisions
Reversed: delays, frustrations, resisting change, internal alignment, panic

NINE.
Upright: resilience, courage, persistence, test of faith, boundaries, last stand
Reversed: inner resources, struggle, overwhelm, defensive, paranoia, exhaustion

TEN.
Upright: burden, extra responsibility, hard work, completion
Reversed: doing it all, carrying the burden, delegations, overstressed, inability for release

PAGE.
Upright: inspiration, ideas, discovery, limitless potential, free spirit, freedom.
Reversed: newly formed ideas, redirecting energy, self limiting beliefs, spiritual path, create conflict.

KNIGHT.
Upright: energy, passion, inspired action, adventure, impulsiveness, fearlessness
Reversed: passion project, haste, scattered energy, delays, frustration, anger

QUEEN.
Upright: courage, confidence, independence, social butterfly, determination, joy
Reversed: self respect, self confidence, introverted, re-establish sense of self, insecurities

KING.
Upright: natural born leader, vision, entrepreneur, honor, big picture
Reversed: impulsiveness, haste, ruthless, high expectations, overbearing

Reading The Future From A Tarot Spread

Whether or not the decks themselves have power is up to the individual readers. Some believe it’s not the cards but the reader that has the power and the cards merely act as visual cues to help the reader understand the energy they are feeling. Other readers believe that their deck is attuned to them and holds their power and will only use the deck that they have worked with.

Regardless, most readers will tell you that the cards are tapping into a universal mind or understanding, which some may refer to as an almighty being. Many believe that we are all collectively together and that the tarot cards take something like a snapshot of the energies around the person that the reading is being done for. This is why using tarot as a definitive guide to the future is somewhat frowned upon and a good reader will warn you ahead of time that the future is always fluid. The future seen in the cards is not definite, but merely a suggested path that can be altered or changed depending on our choices as well as better understood with the more we learn about Tarot. Tarot cards are the story of our life, the mirror to our soul and the key to inner wisdom. The spiritual lessons we meet in our lives can be found in the 78 Tarot cards. We should consult the cards to be shown the exact lessons we need to learn and master to live an inspired life. Ultimately, the cards are like holding up a mirror to yourself so that you can access your subconscious mind and tap into wisdom and answers that lives in us all.

While many assume that these cards are used to divine the future, the meanings of the cards should be more of a guide. It is important to understand that tarot cards show you potentials based on your past and your present. The cards show nothing hard and fast, just what you need to see and know. There are no right or wrong meanings to the cards. It helps you understand your problems and how best to solve them. They are perfect for self development, making choices, manifesting goals, coaching others, planning a business, meditating, you name it. Ask a question, review a card, then review the imagery of the card for instant inner wisdom access. Remember that a tarot reading should not be used to make decisions for you, but it should be used to help you highlight what issues you should consider. It’s not about the future, but about intuition, especially if you want to create ideal future and manifest your goals.

When going into a Tarot reading in which you intend to ask questions there are a few things to keep in mind. First, don’t make your questions too specific, but not too general either. For example, if you’re wondering how a move will affect your life, ask if you will make friends quickly when you make your move. Don’t go with answers already in your mind, try to keep your mind and heart open to the possibilities in the cards. The card imagery gives instant access to subconscious mind and intuition. This allows for a place of inner power and wisdom, where one can discover how to make positive changes now to be able to manifest goals and dreams in the future.

How to complete a reading

The two most commonly used reading types are the Three Fates and the Celtic Cross. The Three Fates requires the reader to place three cards out on the table, while the Celtic Cross requires ten. With the Three Fates reading the three cards represent the past, present, and future, while the Celtic Cross cards represent past, future, influences, hopes and conflicts.

Find the deck that speaks to you. When ready to start a reading, complete the following:

• Shuffle the deck WHILE thinking of the question.

If you want, you can cut the deck into three piles and then reassemble before pulling.

Or you can spread them out face down and move around before picking rather than splitting.

You do not have to do either, however, because you should do what feels right. How you shuffle is up to you.

*most important thing is unwavering concentration on question you want answered

• Pull three cards off top of deck and position them to be read from left to right. It’s simple, but versatile.
• As you read, know that the cards can denote past, present, and future or situation, action, and outcome.

If it’s a relationship reading, designate first as self, second as partner or potential partner, and the third as relationship between you both.

*don’t change the parameters of inquiry mid reading!

It may seem like a lot but just master the keywords, and use illustrations to notice how to connect and tell the story. It’s not about perfection.