Some people view Tarot cards as a means to learn or seek advice for their everyday problems. However, few among them understand the definition of Tarot cards, not to mention the individual meanings of Tarot cards. To understand the meaning of Tarot cards, one must learn about the two Arcana involved in Tarot card readings: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. While the 22 cards of the Tarot deck, or Major Arcana, predict important events in one’s life, the 56 cards of the Minor Arcana reveal the everyday difficulties of life. Psychic practitioners of this timeless medium believe that both arcana are necessary for a complete reading of one’s past, current, and future life.
The 56 cards of the Minor Arcana have four suits: pentacles, cups, wands, and swords. Each suit is represented by graphics that symbolize the four elements of nature: air, earth, fire, and water. Here is some information on the individual meanings of Tarot cards, specifically the Minor Arcana cards. This will help you gain some insight into this fascinating subject, as well as learn more about yourself.
Pentacles: Material gain, money, and industry are represented by this suit and are associated with land. ‘Pentacles’ are coin-like discs, bearing pentagram inscriptions that look like 5-pointed stars on the cards. Cards in this suit, with the exception of the five of pentacles, show people reaping the fruits of their labor. In ancient times, people used five-pointed stars to ward off evil. The ‘diamond’ suit of playing cards today has evolved from the ‘golds’.
Cups: Cards in this suit represent water and reveal happiness, emotions, beauty, and fertility. The individual meanings of the Tarot cards represented by the ‘cups’ can also reveal aspects of the subconscious mind and human instinct, but not the conscious mind and reasoning. In a standard deck of playing cards, the “heart” suit owes its origin to the hearts.
Wands: This suit is associated with fire and represents growth, glory, enterprise, energy, and animation. Green wood with some live twigs, as seen in the illustration of the cards in this suit, signifies growth. The ‘wands’ can be interpreted as staffs to carry the victor’s crown or as clubs used in combat. The wands also represent concepts, creation and agriculture. The ‘clover’ suits in today’s playing cards owe their origin to wands.
Swords – The individual Tarot card meanings represented by the ‘Swords’ suit are aggression, ambition, courage, misfortune, and strength. This can be interpreted by the illustrations showing people in combat or with their heads bowed in misfortune. Swords also represent action, both good and bad. This suit is associated with air and is the forerunner of the ‘spades’ suit in playing cards today.
Any experienced psychic or user of the Tarot card medium can easily explain the individual tarot card meanings. Among the many techniques used by psychics, Tarot cards are perhaps one of the most popular. The tarot is a harmless way that people can consider to approach or learn about the everyday problems in their lives.