Learning The Secrets Of Tarot

Unveiling the secrets of the tarot is a journey of self-discovery and intuition. The first step is finding a deck that calls to you. Don't be afraid to browse, holding different decks in your hands and seeing which imagery resonates most. Once you have a deck that feels right, begin by familiarizing yourself with the Major Arcana, the 22 cards representing major life themes. There are many resources available to learn their meanings, from books to websites. But don't just memorize! Spend time meditating on each card's picture and story, letting your own interpretations emerge.

As you delve deeper, explore the Minor Arcana, the 56 cards divided into four suits (wands, cups, swords, and pentacles). These cards offer more nuanced meanings related to everyday situations and emotions. Here, practice is key. Try daily one-card readings, focusing on a question or intention for the day. Reflect on how the card's message applies to your current experiences. The more you work with the cards, the more comfortable you'll become with interpreting their unique messages and weaving them into a cohesive narrative for yourself or others. Remember, tarot is a tool for personal growth, not fortune-telling. Trust your intuition and enjoy the unfolding story.

Brief Description Of Tarot Cards

Major Arcana

The Fool
Upright: New beginnings, innocence, adventure, free spirit.
Reversed: Recklessness, being taken advantage of, lack of direction.

The Magician
Upright: Manifestation, resourcefulness, power, inspired action.
Reversed: Manipulation, poor planning, untapped talents.

The High Priestess
Upright: Intuition, sacred knowledge, divine feminine, subconscious mind.
Reversed: Secrets, disconnected from intuition, withdrawal.

The Empress
Upright: Fertility, abundance, femininity, beauty, nature.
Reversed: Creative block, dependence on others, overindulgence.

The Emperor
Upright: Authority, structure, control, fatherhood.
Reversed: Domination, excessive control, rigidity, inflexibility.

The Hierophant
Upright: Spiritual wisdom, religious beliefs, conformity, tradition.
Reversed: Personal beliefs, freedom, challenging the status quo.

The Lovers
Upright: Love, harmony, relationships, choices.
Reversed: Disharmony, imbalance, misalignment of values.

The Chariot
Upright: Control, willpower, success, determination.
Reversed: Lack of control, aggression, obstacles.

Strength
Upright: Courage, persuasion, influence, compassion.
Reversed: Self-doubt, weakness, insecurity.

The Hermit
Upright: Soul-searching, introspection, being alone, inner guidance.
Reversed: Isolation, loneliness, withdrawal.

Wheel of Fortune
Upright: Good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, a turning point.
Reversed: Bad luck, resistance to change, breaking cycles.

Justice
Upright: Fairness, truth, law, cause and effect.
Reversed: Dishonesty, unfairness, lack of accountability.

The Hanged Man
Upright: Pause, surrender, letting go, new perspectives.
Reversed: Delays, resistance, stalling, indecision.

Death
Upright: Endings, transformation, transition.
Reversed: Resistance to change, personal transformation, inner purging.

Temperance
Upright: Balance, moderation, patience, purpose.
Reversed: Imbalance, excess, lack of long-term vision.

The Devil
Upright: Shadow self, attachment, addiction, restriction.
Reversed: Releasing limiting beliefs, exploring dark thoughts, detachment.

The Tower
Upright: Sudden change, upheaval, chaos, revelation.
Reversed: Avoidance of disaster, fear of change, resisting necessary change.

The Star
Upright: Hope, faith, purpose, renewal, spirituality.
Reversed: Lack of faith, despair, self-trust, disconnection.

The Moon
Upright: Illusion, fear, anxiety, subconscious, intuition.
Reversed: Release of fear, repressed emotion, inner confusion.

The Sun
Upright: Positivity, fun, success, vitality, joy.
Reversed: Inner child, feeling down, overly optimistic.

Judgement
Upright: Reflection, reckoning, awakening.
Reversed: Self-doubt, inner critic, ignoring the call.

The World
Upright: Completion, integration, accomplishment, travel.
Reversed: Seeking closure, short-cuts, delays.

Minor Arcana

Cups (Emotions, Relationships)

Ace of Cups
Upright: Love, new relationships, compassion, creativity.
Reversed: Self-love, repressed emotions, blocked creativity.

Two of Cups
Upright: Unified love, partnership, mutual attraction.
Reversed: Break-up, imbalance, lack of harmony.

Three of Cups
Upright: Celebration, friendship, creativity, community.
Reversed: Independence, alone time, hardcore partying, ‘three’s a crowd’.

Four of Cups
Upright: Meditation, contemplation, apathy, reevaluation.
Reversed: Retreat, withdrawal, checking in for alignment.

Five of Cups
Upright: Regret, failure, disappointment, pessimism.
Reversed: Personal setbacks, self-forgiveness, moving on.

Six of Cups
Upright: Revisiting the past, childhood memories, innocence, joy.
Reversed: Living in the past, forgiveness, lacking playfulness.

Seven of Cups
Upright: Opportunities, choices, wishful thinking, illusion.
Reversed: Alignment, personal values, overwhelmed by choices.

Eight of Cups
Upright: Disappointment, abandonment, withdrawal, escapism.
Reversed: Trying one more time, indecision, aimless drifting.

Nine of Cups
Upright: Contentment, satisfaction, gratitude, wish come true.
Reversed: Inner happiness, materialism, dissatisfaction.

Ten of Cups
Upright: Divine love, blissful relationships, harmony, alignment.
Reversed: Disconnection, misaligned values, struggling relationships.

Page of Cups
Upright: Creative opportunities, intuitive messages, curiosity, possibility.
Reversed: New ideas, doubting intuition, creative blocks, emotional immaturity.

Knight of Cups
Upright: Creativity, romance, charm, imagination, beauty.
Reversed: Overactive imagination, unrealistic, jealous, moody.

Queen of Cups
Upright: Compassionate, caring, emotionally stable, intuitive, in flow.
Reversed: Inner feelings, self-care, co-dependency, martyrdom.

King of Cups
Upright: Emotionally balanced, compassionate, diplomatic.
Reversed: Emotional manipulation, moodiness, volatility.

Pentacles (Material Aspects, Career, Finances)

Ace of Pentacles
Upright: A new financial or career opportunity, manifestation, abundance.
Reversed: Lost opportunity, lack of planning and foresight.

Two of Pentacles
Upright: Multiple priorities, time management, adaptability.
Reversed: Over-committed, disorganization, financial disarray.

Three of Pentacles
Upright: Teamwork, collaboration, building, learning.
Reversed: Disharmony, misalignment, working alone.

Four of Pentacles
Upright: Saving money, security, conservatism, scarcity control.
Reversed: Over-spending, greed, self-protection.

Five of Pentacles
Upright: Financial loss, poverty, lack mindset, isolation.
Reversed: Recovery from financial loss, spiritual poverty.

Six of Pentacles
Upright: Giving, receiving, sharing wealth, generosity, charity.
Reversed: Self-care, unpaid debts, one-sided charity.

Seven of Pentacles
Upright: Long-term view, sustainable results, perseverance, investment.
Reversed: Lack of long-term vision, limited success or reward.

Eight of Pentacles
Upright: Apprenticeship, repetitive tasks, skill development, mastery.
Reversed: Self-development, perfectionism, misdirected activity.

Nine of Pentacles
Upright: Abundance, luxury, self-sufficiency, financial independence.
Reversed: Self-worth, over-investment in work, hustling.

Ten of Pentacles
Upright: Wealth, financial security, family, long-term success.
Reversed: The dark side of wealth, financial failure or loss.

Page of Pentacles
Upright: Manifestation, financial opportunity, skill development.
Reversed: Lack of progress, procrastination, learn from failure.

Knight of Pentacles
Upright: Hard work, productivity, routine, conservatism.
Reversed: Self-discipline, boredom, feeling ‘stuck’, perfectionism.

Queen of Pentacles
Upright: Nurturing, practical, providing financially, a working parent.
Reversed: Financial independence, self-care, work-home conflict.

King of Pentacles
Upright: Wealth, business, leadership, security, discipline, abundance.
Reversed: Financially inept, obsessed with wealth and status, stubborn.

Swords (Intellect, Thoughts, Conflict)

Ace of Swords
Upright: Breakthrough, clarity, sharp mind, new ideas.
Reversed: Inner clarity, re-thinking an idea, clouded judgment.

Two of Swords
Upright: Difficult decisions, weighing options, an impasse, avoidance.
Reversed: Indecision, confusion, information overload.

Three of Swords
Upright: Heartbreak, emotional pain, sorrow, grief, hurt.
Reversed: Negative self-talk, releasing pain, optimism, forgiveness.

Four of Swords
Upright: Rest, relaxation, meditation, contemplation, recuperation.
Reversed: Exhaustion, burnout, deep contemplation, stagnation.

Five of Swords
Upright: Conflict, disagreements, competition, defeat, winning at all costs.
Reversed: Reconciliation, making amends, past resentment.

Six of Swords
Upright: Transition, change, rite of passage, releasing baggage.
Reversed: Personal transition, resistance to change, unfinished business.

Seven of Swords
Upright: Betrayal, deception, getting away with something, acting strategically.
Reversed: Imposter syndrome, self-deceit, keeping secrets.

Eight of Swords
Upright: Negative thoughts, self-imposed restriction, imprisonment, victim mentality.
Reversed: Self-limiting beliefs, inner critic, releasing negative thoughts, open to new perspectives.

Nine of Swords
Upright: Anxiety, worry, fear, depression, nightmares.
Reversed: Inner turmoil, deep-seated fears, secrets, releasing worry.

Ten of Swords
Upright: Painful endings, deep wounds, betrayal, loss, crisis.
Reversed: Recovery, regeneration, resisting an inevitable end.

Page of Swords
Upright: New ideas, curiosity, thirst for knowledge, new ways of communicating.
Reversed: Self-expression, all talk and no action, haphazard action, haste.

Knight of Swords
Upright: Ambitious, action-oriented, driven to succeed, fast-thinking.
Reversed: Restless, unfocused, impulsive, burn-out.

Queen of Swords
Upright: Independent, unbiased judgment, clear boundaries, direct communication.
Reversed: Overly emotional, easily influenced, cold-hearted, bitchy.

King of Swords
Upright: Mental clarity, intellectual power, authority, truth.
Reversed: Quiet power, inner truth, misuse of power, manipulation.

Wands (Action, Creativity, Passion)

Ace of Wands
Upright: Inspiration, new opportunities, growth, potential.
Reversed: Emerging ideas, lack of direction, distractions, delays.

Two of Wands
Upright: Future planning, progress, decisions, discovery.
Reversed: Personal goals, inner alignment, fear of unknown, lack of planning.

Three of Wands
Upright: Progress, expansion, foresight, overseas opportunities.
Reversed: Playing small, lack of foresight, unexpected delays.

Four of Wands
Upright: Celebration, harmony, marriage, home, community.
Reversed: Personal celebration, inner harmony, conflict with others, transition.

Five of Wands
Upright: Conflict, competition, tension, diversity.
Reversed: Inner conflict, conflict avoidance, tension release.

Six of Wands
Upright: Success, public recognition, progress, self-confidence.
Reversed: Private achievement, personal definition of success, fall from grace, egotism.

Seven of Wands
Upright: Challenge, competition, protection, perseverance.
Reversed: Exhaustion, giving up, overwhelmed.

Eight of Wands
Upright: Movement, fast-paced change, action, alignment.
Reversed: Delays, frustration, resisting change, internal alignment.

Nine of Wands
Upright: Resilience, courage, persistence, test of faith, boundaries.
Reversed: Inner resources, struggle, overwhelm, defensive, paranoia.

Ten of Wands
Upright: Burden, extra responsibility, hard work, completion.
Reversed: Doing it all, carrying the burden, delegation, release.

Page of Wands
Upright: Inspiration, ideas, discovery, limitless potential, free spirit.
Reversed: Newly-formed ideas, redirecting energy, self-limiting beliefs, a spiritual path.

Knight of Wands
Upright: Energy, passion, inspired action, adventure, impulsiveness.
Reversed: Passion project, haste, scattered energy, delays, frustration.

Queen of Wands
Upright: Courage, confidence, independence, social butterfly, determination.
Reversed: Self-respect, self-confidence, introverted, re-establish sense of self.

King of Wands
Upright: Natural-born leader, vision, entrepreneur, honor.
Reversed: Impulsiveness, haste, ruthless, high expectations.