What Do Tarot Cards Mean? A Tarot Meaning List With Pictures for beginnersⅠ

Everyone’s life is made up of many big and small events that bring us various tastes of sweet and sour. It is also with these experiences, the achievement of a person’s life cultivation. A happy life is the goal of everyone, then, the ups and downs make everyone avoid it.

Tarot cards were created so that we can avoid some twists and turns very well. Each tarot card has its unique symbolism and complete life. By reading the cards, it can go straight to our confusion and give answers through our subconscious mind and without hiding. Whether you can accept it or not, the subconscious mind will not lie to you. Therefore, you can say that Tarot cards are your lifelong friend. So, what do tarot cards mean?

We all know that Tarot cards can be divided into Major Arcana and Minor Arcana cards. Among them, the Major cards express the spiritual dimension, which may be the inner changes of the person concerned, or the part of the destiny that cannot be controlled, which can shake the whole beliefs and values of the person concerned and have a more far-reaching impact. Whereas the Minor cards indicate specific events in daily life, which the person is more capable of controlling, and are less likely to have far-reaching effects.

How To Read Tarot Cards?

In this article, we’ll look at the following three aspects of tarot card reading:

Numbers

You will find that all Tarot cards are numbered and arranged in order from smallest to largest. These numbers and order have meaning, so when performing a reading, you need to include the symbolic meaning of the numbers as well.

Patterns

Tarot cards are very rich in content, you need to consider both the main content of the cards and the background patterns of the cards. You can start by cutting through the colors, and then move on to the character’s dress, the character’s demeanor, the composition of the picture, etc. Each tarot is designed with a specific meaning, so don’t let go of every detail!

First, look at the color. What is the most attractive color of the whole tarot card? Does the card give you a sense of color: comfortable, bright, cheerful, optimistic? Or dark, nervous, frightened, depressed? The color of the tarot card allows you to determine from first impressions whether the card is generally a “good card” or a “bad card”.

Second, look at the dress of the characters. The saying that people depend on their clothes works in all ages, so to study the cards, you have to study the dress of the characters in the picture to find their traits. This way of thinking is very suitable for beginners to use as an entry point for learning.

Third, look at the composition of the cards, i.e. the logic and order of the picture. Tarot cards have structures such as top-center-bottom, left-center-right, right-center-left, and front-center-back. The people or objects that appear in these structures have their own meaning and are not distributed randomly.

Upright and Reversed 

In the Waite Tarot system, the Tarot cards will be divided into upright and reversed positions. In simple terms a upright card is when the image facing you is positive, while a reversed card is when the image is upside down (with the exception of the Hanged Man). Usually, upright  positions are simply interpreted according to the numbers and patterns of the cards, but the interpretation of the reversed positions is more complex and can be divided into three ways:

1. Negative Meaning Interpretation

This method treats the upright card as a positive meaning and the reversed card as a negative meaning:

• Misuse of the power of the upright card meaning: e.g., the reversed Magician is a cunning and scheming person
• Over-abuse of upright card meaning or lack of power: e.g., the reversed Emperor is a person with insufficient power of action.
• Weakness of the upright card meaning: e.g., the reversed Sun means weakened success.

2. Contrary Meaning Interpretation

This method treats the upright and reversed meanings as opposite:

• Avoid positive actions and suggestions: e.g., the reversed Star means don’t expect too much
• The diminution of the upright card meaning: e.g., the reversed Lover means not true love
• Lack of upright card meanings: e.g., the reversed Priestess means lack of wisdom

3. Pictorial Association

This method is the use of images to symbolize change for interpretation:

• Position: position at the top represents advantage and importance; position at the bottom represents disadvantage and secondary importance, while if we analyze the left and right, the left side is an extension of the top; the right side is an extension of the bottom, but the power will be slightly weakened.
• Direction: upward represents growth and development, and the associated forces acting on others; downward represents rootedness and reflection, and the associated forces acting on oneself. To the left is associated with adventure or movement, to the right represents stability and conservatism.

With these points in mind, you can start learning the meaning of each tarot card! Of course, what we talked about is only less than 10% of the knowledge of the cards, if you want to understand the meaning of the tarot cards thoroughly, you have to combine the planetary correspondence and the Kabbalah path, etc.. However, learn the following knowledge, at least you will not easily become a victim of “universal divination” or “free divination”.

Besides, since there are 78 Tarot cards in total, we will divide all the contents into several articles to introduce them one after another and eventually gather them into a series. Please stay tuned for updates.

What Do Tarot Cards Mean?

No.0 What does the Fool tarot card mean

1. Numbers

The Fool, as the first card inside the Tarot, has the number 0. You can also consider this card as the last card or a blank card. The number 0 refers to a state that has not yet begun, chaos, no-self, an autopoietic cycle.

The arrangement, starting with the Fool on the No.0 card and ending with the World on the No.21 card, is related to the spirit of the Tarot cards. They emphasize a regulation and a cycle, representing that life is like a circular journey, not a linear state, so that after a circle it returns to the original state.

In this case, the Fool represents a new beginning, a break from the background, a new journey without baggage, until the world is complete. No.1-20 cards are the people he visits and learns from during this journey, and represent an end, the end of a story, so it is a card with a lot of freedom.

2. Patterns

First of all, looking at the colors. The Fool’s card has large warm tones and the main color is golden yellow. This seems to be a card that gives positive energy, so you can understand the first key point: “This is not a bad card”.

Secondly, let’s take a look at the dress sense of the Fool: he is wearing the most mainstream floral patterned clothing of the time, which was generally only available to the nobility. But his cuffs and tails are torn and tattered, just like a vagrant.  

He wears a garland of green leaves and flowers, a red feather on his forehead, and flesh-colored leggings with a pair of yellow boots. So you can see that he is a maverick, at the forefront of fashion, and free style.

This Fool’s card follows the basic composition of a right-center-left structure, representing the past, present and future respectively. The rightmost part of the picture is the Fool’s past, the middle is the Fool’s present, and the leftmost part is the Fool’s future. You can find: in the past, there is a white dog; in the present, it is the Fool himself; in the future, there is nothing.

The white dog, representing the Fool’s past, his original and most primitive soul mate or primitive fear. However, you may see that its jumping posture seems to carry a little bit of excitement. At this moment, you can imagine yourself as the white dog, who is afraid but curious to enjoy the state of following. 

The Fool, though standing at the edge of the cliff, had an undaunted look on his face. For the sky above and behind him was filled with the golden light of divinity, and he wore yellow shoes under his feet, which represented God’s guidance and care, that is, there is a way everywhere he goes.

Thus, what does tarot card mean of the Fool can be summed up in one sentence: “Do not look at the past with fear and worry, enjoy the present with freedom and spontaneity, and look forward to the infinite possibilities of the future”.

3. Upright & Reversed

If you draw a upright Fool card, you should pay attention to the following situations:

• Work

At work, the person is facing a more dangerous situation. The most important thing at this time is to consider how to be clear, calm down, figure out the real situation, recuperate to the best condition, and respond to changes with no change.

• Academic work

On study, the person is considered to be on a completely wrong path and in a wrong way. It will not yield any results. This is the time to let go of everything and start over. If he can be pragmatic and start studying seriously, he will soon see the results.

• Emotion

Emotionally, the two people do not know each other very well yet, and although there is still some potential for development, they may choose to separate after getting to know each other better, not a very close relationship.

At this time there may be a new relationship that the person concerned is infatuated with, but it is not actually the right person. If he rashly decide to commit yourself physically and mentally, he is bound to get hurt badly. The relationship has a strong sexual attraction, but it is also a very fleeting feeling and may even be an illusion.

If the two sides have a quarrel, they have to face the quarrel with a normal mind and not rise and fall with the other side’s emotional reaction. As long as one party calms down first, they will find that actually the two sides arguing is very funny.

If the two sides had broken up, now maintain single for the parties involved is a better choice. Do not because of a moment of weakness to be with each other again, compound is definitely the worst choice.

• Mindfulness

On the mental and spiritual level, there is a need to let go of everything to find new experiences. The unknown is fascinating, but it is still important to be aware of own safety and not to make a big mistake on impulse.

If a Foold card is drawn in reverse, be aware of the following:

• Work

At work, the person will encounter great uncertainty, and the future is very unstable and beyond one’s control. If he choose to stay in his job, it’s like gambling, almost nothing is within his grasp. In addition to going with the flow, perhaps it is time to consider finding another job.

• Academics

Academically, it can be said that the person concerned has not learned anything yet, and everything has to be built from the ground up. Moreover, the person concerned is already lagging behind a lot, so he should start trying to catch up and spend more time on his schoolwork.

• Relationships

Emotionally, even if the two people have not yet reached the level of strangers, the relationship has fallen to the freezing point, there is no longer a feeling of love between each other, and can not share their feelings.

If the person are single, there is no new partner will appear. And the person himself does not want to be tied, so it is better to enjoy the freedom of single.

If two people have broken up, wanting to return to the former situation is already impossible. If he wants to get back together, he has to treat it as a new relationship.

• Mind

There is a spiritual dimension to the mind and spirit, in addition to the material. When one lets go of external rules and limitations, one can experience the vitality of life itself, and thus love oneself more.

No.1 The Magician tarot card meaning

1. Numbers

The Magician is the No.1 card in the Tarot. The number 1, is the beginning, and the founding. The journey from 0 to 1 officially begins, symbolizing the very beginning stage of an event. In addition, 1, as an odd number, is the masculine energy, symbolizing proactivity and initiating change.

2. Patterns

In terms of color, the overall tone of the card is a warm bright yellow, symbolizing optimism, positivity and initiative; the four corners of the card are covered with red roses, and the Magician is clad in a red robe on the outside, showing his enthusiasm and initiative to the outside; there are also white lilies blooming at the bottom, and the Magician’s white undershirt and white turban on his forehead indicate inner rationality, purity, wisdom and concentration.

The Magician is located in the middle of the deck, with one hand pointing to the sky and the other to the earth, like a transmission belt between heaven and earth, channeling invisible energy and changing them into new solid matters.

His demeanor was calm and natural, reflecting confidence. He was holding a magic wand – a tool for channeling energy, representing his use of technology. The ∞ symbol on top of his head represents infinity and circulation. The blue articulated snake at his waist symbolizes infinite circulation and wisdom. The table in front of him means the tangible dimension of reality, and the carvings on it are symbols of the mind, which is performed by him alone with props throughout.

Look at the items on the table: the cup signifies the right motive, the sword indicates a clear plan, the wand symbolizes abundant enthusiasm, and the pentacle stands for true execution. They also symbolize the four elements of water, wind, fire and earth, and were formerly contained in the Fool’s bag. For reaching the goal, this is a rather strong and powerful combination.

The landscape behind the Magician is also the embodiment of the four elements, and he uses the tools associated with the four elements to manipulate and merge them, ready to start a spell. All of this signifies that everything is ready to begin. The Magician can use his wisdom to create new substances and plan his activities.

In general, the Magician card means: now is a good time to start a new project, and you can realize several things in certain possibilities. However, that possibility can be worthless unless it is realized. Everyone has great potential, but not everyone realizes that potential. In fact it can be said that no one ever really realizes all his potential.

3. Upright and Reversed

If the Magician card is drawn in the upright position, it may happen:

• Work

At work, the person is facing a new job situation. Since all the conditions are sufficient, the person will get what he wants if he takes the opportunity to do it on own initiative.

When encountering difficulties, the person needs to use new ideas and methods to deal with the problem, and sometimes considers appointing new people to take charge of the matter.

Interpersonally, the person also needs to communicate more with others. This will help the person to develop relationships, stimulate new ideas, and also help things to move forward and make them smoother.

There is still a lot of growth in this job in the future, and many things that have not yet taken shape. The person can create more self-worth in this job.

• Academics

Academically, what the person is learning now is very important and should spend a little more time on it. In addition to mastering the knowledge in the classroom or in books, it is also important to express his creativity and ideas frequently and find some additional data to integrate them when there is time.

• Affection

The person is full of enthusiasm, has the ability to express and communicate actively, and has a very simple motive, which should lead to a creative and long-lasting relationship, but it is still in initial stage. Both people should take the initiative in this relationship in order to reap better rewards in the future.

If an argument occurs, both parties need to improve communication and spread things out to be clear.

If the two sides have broken up, the relationship has no possibility of getting back together. Perhaps because there is a new love, or a better partner is about to appear, so do not waste time on the old lover.

• Mind

On the mental and spiritual level, the person is eager to learn new things and is very efficient in absorbing new ideas. Therefore one can use this time to get more exposure to different things and put them together.

If you draw a reversed Magician card, you should pay attention to the following status:

• Work

At work, the person is faced with a new work situation, but many conditions are not sufficient, so it is best to determine the extent of what he can do first, and just finish what he have to do. At the same time, he should report any problems or difficulties he encounter, and if his supervisor is unable to provide support, he will have to find his own solutions.

In terms of communication, conflicts may occur, so the person concerned should be careful when speaking and not get caught up in factional struggles, and remain neutral for self-preservation.

The future of this work there is still good room for development, but in the middle must go through a lot of reform and twists and turns, if he can persevere, he should be able to achieve something.

• Academics

Academically, it’s a good time to learn something, but because the person is not focused, he often messes up things that are easy. Don’t try to master too many things at once, he should start from the basics and build up the foundation one step at a time so that he can have the opportunity to develop further.

• Emotion

Emotionally, the person in question is passionate in their relationship and there is a strong attraction between the two people, who will directly feel each other’s passion and even give too much to win each other’s favor. Their relationship will also be very close, but sometimes seems too impulsive, if encounter miscommunication, may lead to concealment or deception.

If the person is single, it is very likely that a new romance will occur at this time. But because the conditions are not very mature, he needs to wait a while, careful observation is more important than action.

If the two sides have a quarrel, should first calm down, think about the next step in their relationship. Don’t overturn the whole plan for some minor argument.

If the two sides break up, the relationship does not have any possibility of getting back together, even if the person goes back, he can not get a complete love. So do not waste any more time on the old lover.

• Mind

In the mind and on the spiritual status, the person has to let go of old ideas from before in order to absorb new knowledge. This is the time to reflect on one’s thoughts and reconnect with the deep inner being.

No.2 The High Priestess tarot card meaning

1. Numbers

The High Priestess is the No.2 card in the Tarot. The number 2 represents opposition. From the 1 of the Magician to the 2 of the Priestess, it represents “primitive” to “antagonistic”, “masculine” to “feminine “, and active to passive.

2. Patterns

Among the cards No.1 to 7, the High Priestess is the only pure blue background card. In Tarot, blue is a symbol of the soul: the blue river in the background symbolizes the subconscious; the Priestess wears a blue robe, representing sanity and calmness.

Then looking into the background, you can clearly see two columns in black and white with the letters “B” and “J” inscribed respectively. Their full names are “Boaz” and “Jakin” – the two main pillars in front of Solomon’s Temple. Obviously, “Boaz” stands for passivity and mystery, while “Jakin” symbolizes action and consciousness. What’s more, the white “B” and the black “J” are like the two points in the Tai Chi symbol, suggesting that the dichotomy is only an illusion and that each extreme contains a buried other end.

The patterns on the drapery are pomegranates(symbolizing women), and palm leaves(symbolizing men), which together signify the power of feminine and masculine.

Then look at the characters, the Priestess is sitting quietly in front of the curtain, with a restrained posture and serious expression. She wears a blue veil, which means mystery and hidden. Inside, she wears a long white dress, representing reason and purity.

Her crown has a special shape, with the whole process of change from crescent to full moon, suggesting the whole process of natural change. The cross on her chest, representing the four elements and the power of balance.

In her lap, she held a scroll in both hands. The writing on the scroll reads [Taro], marking it as a book of wisdom, or a book of truths and destiny. In most common versions of the Waite Tarot, the scroll is unopened, which represents hidden and unveiled wisdom. Also, she has a stringed moon at her feet, representing spirituality, inner feeling, and feminine energy.

In summary, among Major Arcana, the High Priestess is the card that focuses most on the spiritual world and choices, and is a symbol of duality. It represents a previous or current present situation that consumes a lot of energy, and the person has to keep imagining, thinking or expecting various future situations.

3. Upright and Reversed

If a upright Priestess is drawn, it may appear:

• Work

At work, the current work situation is very stable and there will be no changes. At this time, the person should not be too active, just follow the original way and complete things step by step.

Interpersonal relationships are not very important in this job, so the person does not need to interact too much with others and should be careful not to talk about work secrets at will.

The future development of this job is still uncertain, but the possibility of maintaining the status quo is relatively high. So the person concerned should not have too much expectation for this job, but should be more conservative.

• Academic work

Now is the time to be quiet and study well, if the person can concentrate on learning these things well, it will be very rewarding.

The person should study what he wants to learn in depth, spend complete time concentrating on one thing and not working on too many projects at the same time.

• Emotions

The relationship between the parties involved enters a stable stage. Both people are not actively dealing with relationship matters, and although they may seem a bit icy on the surface, there is actually a deep affection in place. Even though both people have a lot of differences, they can work to achieve balance and harmony, which is a very rewarding learning process.

If there is an argument, the most important thing is to stay calm, think about things from the other person’s standpoint, find the balance of the differences between the two people, and then after a while, talk things out slowly.

If the two sides break up, the relationship does not have any possibility of getting back together. Maintaining a distance is the best way, the person needs more time to reflect on what the relationship means to them.

• Mind

The person in question wants to be intuitively wise, but it is not easy to balance the dichotomy; one has to have the patience to move slowly toward the goal and not rush it.

• Work

Although the work seems to have been stable for a long time, but under the table is a dark tide, a careless may be dead and buried.

The good or bad people around the person in question are not very helpful to his work. Sometimes the people who deliberately flatter him are the ones who want to harm him instead.

The person in question cannot get much help from his boss, so it is best to rely on himself.

There will be many changes in this job in the future, and from now on, it is already slowly observable, so if the person wants to stay here, he has to be ready to adapt.

• Academics

The person may encounter different changes in his studies and needs to take a moment to think about how to respond. If previous methods are ineffective, one should let go of one’s too subjective bias to see what the reality of the situation really is and to have a new concept and approach. Sometimes a stroke of genius will help him solve the problem instead.

• Emotions

The relationship between two people is quite stable overall, but there are still many differences that have not been resolved. If the person can’t communicate properly, there is a possibility that it will turn into a cold war. As long as it can be adjusted well, it should be able to reach a new balance.

If the person is single, there may be a new romance now, but it’s not really suitable. If a relationship is started just on impulse, it may instead cause more problems.

If the two parties have a quarrel, they should maintain the enthusiasm and motivation to solve the problem, put themselves in each other’s shoes to consider things. And if they can discover the source of the problem, they should promptly propose a solution.

If the two sides break up, the relationship still has a hint of the possibility of reunion. But if the person can not overcome the problems between the two people, together again is just more painful, and is not worth encouraging.

• Spirituality

How to find oneself in the process of implementation and move towards the goal without bias, besides relying on one’s own intuitive guidance, one must also follow certain methods and guidelines.

The above is the meaning list of No.0~2 Tarot cards, next time we will update the meaning of No.3~5 Tarot decks, please stay tuned!