Have you ever sat down for a tarot reading and wondered how your tarot reader learned this fortune-telling method? Or perhaps you bought a tarot deck only to fall short of learning it because it seemed too intense. Learning tarot can appear daunting, but it's actually easier than you realize. No matter how complex tarot is, all tarot cards can be broken down based on their elemental associations, numerology, and more. Learning tarot has never been easier with ASCEND's beginner's guide to the major arcana and minor arcana. Read on to learn more about tarot.

 

🃏  What's Tarot & How Do You Read It?

Tarot is a set of playing cards used for cartomancy and divination. No matter which tarot deck you use, tarot cards can provide insight, predictions, and so much more. Typically, the average tarot deck has 78 cards. However, more modern decks may include additional cards. Regardless of what you choose, your typical tarot deck will have 22 major arcana cards and 56 minor arcana cards.

For the sake of learning purposes, it's highly recommend that beginners should start with a traditional Rider-Waite tarot deck. If you can tackle the traditional deck, then you can pretty much read any variation of this deck.

Learning to read 78 cards can be tricky. You may understand some cards right away and struggle with others for weeks, months, or even years. In order to streamline your tarot education, you may want to focus on the following:

• Knowing what the cards mean in the upright position... Reversals can come later, and some tarot readers don't use reversed cards at all!
• Paying attention to Major Arcana cards in a spread
• Understanding the key differences in the court cards
• Knowing the elemental and numerological associations of the minor arcana cards
• Learning one card at a time
• Practicing consistently, be it daily or weekly
• Taking notes on what your intuitive messages are for the cards
• Testing your knowledge to see how well you recall the tarot cards' actual meanings
• Using the imagery of the cards to understand what the cards are attempting to tell you

Using these tips and tricks can help you not only learn, but also connect with and understand your tarot deck. 

 

🔮  What Are the Major Arcana Cards?

Tarot decks based on the traditional Rider-Waite tarot deck have a minimum of 22 major arcana cards, a.k.a. trump cards. Each major arcana card is incredibly impactful, so the major arcana cards have the most emphasis or power in a tarot spread. Major arcana cards are the ones you want to pay attention to, since they can represent life lessons, themes, changes, and more coming your way.

But what do the major arcana cards mean? Read on to discover their symbolic keywords:

1. The Fool (0): Fresh start, spontaneity, leap of faith, & faith

2. The Magician (1): New beginning, magic, manifestation, & conscious action

3. The High Priestess (2): Intuition, mystery, non-action, & unconsciousness

4. The Empress (3): Abundance, beauty, motherhood, & nurturing

5. The Emperor (4): Authority, leadership, structure, & fatherhood

6. The Hierophant (5): Belief systems, education, conformity, & likemindedness

7. The Lovers (6): Decisions, connections, values, & romantic relationships

8. The Chariot (7): Movement, willpower, stamina, & assertion

9. Strength (8): Courage, bravery, patience, & self-control

10. The Hermit (9): Introspection, solitude, step-by-step, & guidance

11. Wheel of Fortune (10): Destiny, luck, divine timing, & next phase

12. Justice (11): Fairness, responsibility, legal matters, & accountability

13. The Hanged Man (12): New perspective, letting go, pause, & sacrifice

14. Death (13): Ending, transition, transformation, & unforeseen forces

15. Temperance (14): Balance, moderation, flow, & patience

16. The Devil (15): Temptation, toxicity, binding, & negativity

17. The Tower (16): Upheaval, revolution, release, & downfall

18. The Star (17): Hope, healing, wishes, & overall stability

19. The Moon (18): Fear, illusion, confusion, & imagination

20. The Sun (19): Happiness, joy, enlightenment, & actualization

21. Judgement (20): Calling, absolution, rebirth, & surrender

22. The World (21): Finality, integration, accomplishment, & the end

 

🔮  What Are the Minor Arcana Cards?

The remainder of your tarot deck is made up of the minor arcana cards. There are 56 cards in total, each meaning something entirely different. Minor arcana can vary in their meanings and symbolism depending on the spread. Some minor arcana cards represent people, while others represent the backdrop or an action. Your intuition and surrounding cards in the tarot spread will play a part in determining what minor arcana cards represent. 

For now, focus on what each minor arcana card entails: What is it's suit? Is it a court card? If not, what does the number associated with the card mean? Answering these three questions can help you determine why certain minor arcana cards are in your spread, and what their message is for you.

 

The 4 Suits: Wands, Swords, Cups, & Pentacles

The minor arcana is represented by 4 suits: wands, swords, cups, and pentacles. There are 14 cards per suit, as each suit has 4 court cards, an ace, and cards numbered 2 through 10. Each suit also aligns with an element: wands associate with fire, swords with air, cups with water, and pentacles with earth. Knowing their elemental association can give you context clues as to what the entire suit generally means, represents, and aligns with. Their elements also correspond with potential time frames, which may help you determine how fast or slow something may take.

Here's the 4 suits' keywords:

• Wands: Fire, days, life-force, passion, & exertion
• Swords: Air, weeks, intellect, communication, & socializing 
• Cups: Water, months, intuition, feelings, & vibes
• Pentacles: Earth, years, building blocks, material items, & abundance

 

The Court Cards

Of all the tarot cards, the court cards more often than not represent people in a tarot spread. This isn't to say that other tarot cards cannot be signifiers, but court cards are more likely to represent an individual, be it yourself or the querent. Most feel drawn to a specific queen or king, which may align with their zodiac sign. However, it's not unusual to be represented as a page or knight if they're younger and or immature.

Court cards can also appear as opportunities, actions, or representations of something. For example, pages can suggest thinking of a new idea or starting a conversation; knights may represent an incoming opportunity; queens or kings may signify a figurehead or a desire for someone specific in your life. Knowing the court cards' keywords can help you determine if a court card represents a person or something else in your spread. 

Here are the court cards' keywords:

• Pages (a.k.a. Jacks, Knaves, or Princesses): Children, newness, no authority, conversations, ideas, the beginning, & immaturity
• Knights (a.k.a. Princes): Teenager/young adult, work in progress, developing, works for others, & opportunities
• Queens: Adult, authoritative, feminine energy, intuitive, passive, receptive masterful
• Kings: Adult, authoritative, masculine energy, assertive, instinctual, action-oriented, masterful

 

Minor Arcana Cards 1 through 10

The remainder of the minor arcana cards includes cards 1 through 10, or Aces through 10. More often than not, these cards act as context clues for the overall spread. Some of these cards may be a back drop, such as where something will occur or an event that may take place. These minor arcana cards may also signify feelings, movements, acts, possibilities, and motivations. As a result, these cards may provide context for why something has happened the way it did or why something will come to be. 

Understanding what these cards signify comes down to their suit and their number. Their suit provides an energetic context whereas their number aligns with numerological meanings. A minor arcana's numerological symbolism 

• Ace (1): New beginnings, new chapters, intentionality, & leadership
• 2: Balance, choices, deliberation, & intuitive
• 3: Movement, initiation, foresight, & connection
• 4: Stability, security, apathy, & structure
• 5: Change, upheaval, conflict, & rebuilding
• 6: Balance, reflection, harmony, & problem-solving
• 7: Lessons, wisdom, understanding, & faith
• 8: Power, flow, & movement, & attainment
• 9: Release, final steps, fruition, & fulfillment
• 10: Culminations, manifestations, the end, & transitions

 

How Does Everything in Tarot Come Together?

Don't be hard on yourself if tarot doesn't instantly click. Learning tarot takes time, practice, and dedication. And even when you think you know your cards, you may still have something left to learn.

As you dive into your tarot journey, you may want to start by pulling one card per day. Ask yourself what you remember of this card, what the card's picture means, and what your intuition has to say. Writing these interpretations down can reinforce what you're learning and intuiting.

When you feel ready, you may want to attempt a three-card spread. Try one of these:

• Past, Present, Future,
• Problem, Action, Outcome
• Me, You, Us
• Question, Blockage, Answer
• Action, Variables, Outcome
• My Path, My Blockage, My Action
• Question, Advice, Outcome
• Mind, Body, Spirit
• Thinking, Feeling, Doing
• My Desires, Your Desires, Outcome
• Strength, Weakness, Advice
• Option 1, Option 2, Best Choice
• Highest Self, Shadow Self, Integration
• Opportunity, Challenge, Outcome
• Goal, Advice, Outcomes

 

📚  ***FREE Resource: Download The Ultimate Guide to Tarot by Liz Dean

 

💫  Psychic Tarot Readings at ASCEND

Meet with one of ASCEND's esteemed tarot readers to receive guidance, answers, and clarity. Each tarot reader brings a unique style, creating a one-of-a-kind experience.

🌈  Book your tarot reading today!

 

 

 

✍️  Meet ASCEND’s In-House Astrologer & Writer

Liz Simmons is a writer, astrologer, and tarot reader based in Salem, MA. Liz is the resident astrologer at ASCEND Get Lifted. Aside from providing astrological readings and tarot readings, Liz writes for ASCEND’s blog. Her expert commentary is featured in over twenty publications, including Cosmopolitan, Shape, Women’s Health, & more. Check out her work on Instagram, @the_ _crone & book a reading with her at ASCEND.