The Minor Arcana
We are finally going to learn about the traditional meanings of the cards! Are you excited? Or did you love discovering your own connections with the cards? Whatever your reaction, I hope in the end that you smoothly blend your ideas and tradition to come up with meanings that are as unique and beautiful and as revelatory as you are!
The Aces
The aces bring new beginnings, opportunities, and gifts. If you are looking for indicators of luck or positive answers, you’ll want to find aces in your reading. The only downside to these luscious cards is this: they are fleeting. Their energy reminds me of hummingbirds … beautiful, magical, and so fast that they are often gone before you realize that you saw them. If there is any ace energy coming your way, act fast or you’ll have to wait until the next gift comes along.
Ace of Wands
The Ace of Wands is like being given a fully loaded magic wand. Whatever it is that you want to do, you have the energy, passion, and will to make it happen. It is a powerful thumbs-up from the Universe. It is, though, just a beginning, a spark. To keep the fire going, you’ll have to feed and nurture it.
Ace of Cups
The Ace of Cups is like being given a full to overflowing chalice of magic potion. Whatever ails you, this will help. It brings healing, love, and grace. If you have some rough or raw emotional edges, let this card’s waters run over you, washing away the sediment that is holding you back from loving and living with a full heart.
Ace of Swords
The Ace of Swords is like being handed a powerful weapon. Use it to cut away whatever is confusing you or blocking the truth. It sharpens your clarity and vision and encourages you to stand up for and speak your truth. Like all weapons, it can be dangerous. Truth and words can cut both ways, so wield it carefully.
Ace of Pentacles
The Ace of Pentacles is like being given a blank check. It is a seed that contains the ability to manifest your desires in your life. All the aces are lucky, but this one is the jackpot. It lets you know that if you plant this seed and tend it well, you’ll find everything you need to achieve your goal.
The Twos
The twos capture a moment of tension. Things are in a delicate balance, a tight limbo. It’s like the Universe is waiting, wondering “what will happen next?” Any sudden movement can upset the status quo. A decision is waiting to be made that will break that tension. Consider your options, check with your innermost self, and courageously take action. If you do not make the decision yourself, it will be made for you fairly soon.
Two of Wands
Who doesn’t love choices? The problem this card shows is that neither of them are bad. That actually makes decision-making more difficult. It’s easy to choose when one choice is obviously better than the other or others. When the choices are so close, you might spend too much time fretting and find that the choices have dwindled away. Wands are about your will and passion, so just pick the option that fires up your soul. This is not an intellectual choice, so you have to trust your gut.
Two of Cups
You know that moment when your eyes meet someone else’s and you just know there is a connection? It doesn’t have to be romantic. This instant recognition of kindred spirits happens with potential lovers, friends, or business partners. So there is this click and you have a choice. Act on it or ignore it. Take your cup and turn away and wonder for the rest of your life “what if ?” Hold out your cup in friendship and open the door to a potential relationship that will change you in deep and wonderful ways.
Two of Swords
Remember that time when you knew exactly what you needed to do but didn’t want to because it was scary? This is another one of those times. You know the truth in some deep recess of your soul. Maybe you don’t actually consciously know all the facts and so you want to “wait and see.” If you are honest with yourself, you know what’s right and what’s wrong. Unlike the Two of Wands with its “no wrong choices,” you know what needs to be done. Doing it is necessary to your integrity, so quit waiting. It’s not going to go away.
Two of Pentacles
Multitasking had its heyday but we are now aware that doing multiple things at the same time is not the best approach. Unfortunately, we live in an imperfect world and sometimes we simply have to multitask just to get through the day. You’re in a serious multitasking phase. You can maintain it a while longer, but eventually something’s got to give. Look at all your obligations and commitments. Prioritize them and decide which can be left undone. Do this sooner rather than later or eventually you’re going to drop some balls and possibly make a really big mess.
The Threes
Threes are very satisfying to humans. Stories and jokes often employ the “rule of three,” narrating through a series of three scenes or acts wherein the final one reveals the punch line or dénouement. It is a number that implies satisfaction and completion. The threes in tarot, for better or worse, bring the energy of the suits to clear conclusion. These conclusions are usually a result of the choices made in the twos.
Three of Wands
When was the last time you ordered something that would be delivered to you? Were you waiting excitedly and impatiently for it to arrive? You couldn’t wait to see it and find out if the reality of it lives up to your expectations, right? That is the same energy in this card. You made decisions and took the actions necessary and now you are waiting to see the results. The lucky thing is that the awaited event is on the horizon, very nearly here. But you need to keep watching in case you have to sign for it or somehow help direct it so it arrives safely. You are kind of like a metaphorical lighthouse, drawing your desired conclusion to your doorstep.
Three of Cups
Relationships take work and attention if they are to thrive. If you’ve tended your most beloved relationships, there are these amazing moments when you don’t have to do anything but simply love and enjoy each other. You and your loved ones are in that sweet place where you are helping each other feel like and be your best selves. These wonderful moments are spontaneous. They may feel like indulgences that you don’t have time for, but really, you can’t afford not to have them. They feed your soul in important ways.
Three of Swords
Truth is a wonderful thing. We would all rather live in truth than to live in a lie. But truth can be painful. The truth that someone no longer loves us. The truth that someone betrayed us. The truth that something we thought was true isn’t true anymore, or perhaps never was. These experiences hurt like heck and cut into our hearts. They are, unfortunately, part of life and so there is a card to represent those truths: the Three of Swords. I’m so sorry for the hurt you are facing. The only way to get through it is to carry on. Cry, get angry, feel it. But then let it go. If you hold it in your heart, you will poison yourself.
Three of Pentacles
I love this card. When inspired creativity, a great plan, and killer skills come together, the result is amazing. Whether you are working with a group or on your own, everything needed to make something of beauty and value is right here. You accomplish things all the time but this time, this is something special. This thing, whatever you are working on, has the potential to be worth far more than the sum of its parts. Your idea will be perfectly completed and you will be quite satisfied with the results.
The Fours
Think of a square, of a four-legged table, of a box and you have a good idea of the energy of four. Sturdiness, stability, and security. Energy is contained and held for safekeeping. Like all energy, though, it has its downside. Energy is, mostly, meant to flow. When anything is held too long, it can become stagnant. Usually, the active suits (Wands and Swords) fare better than the passive suits (Cups and Pentacles) over the long term.
Four of Wands
Have you ever planned an event that turned out beautifully? If so, then you’ve experienced the Four of Wands. It is a more formal or planned event than the Three of Cups but with the same joy and sense of communal celebration. Also, there is usually a focus, such as a birthday, graduation, or wedding. Everyone involved gets to enjoy the excitement and fun, giving themselves over, for a time, to this temporary time out of time. The only problem is that at the end, everyone has to go back to reality and someone has to clean up.
Four of Cups
“I’m so bored!” That’s what the Four of Cups tells us. You are overcome with ennui, wondering if anything good will ever happen again. When water, the element of Cups, is contained in the four, it stagnates. Sure, new life can grow in standing water, but metaphorically, it’s not really the kind of life you want. The gift of this card is that the Universe is ready and willing to help you snap out of it. When you feel like this, just look around you because there is something new and fresh waiting. You simply have to rouse yourself enough to reach out and take it.
Four of Swords
Problems are part of life and we are trained by society to take action and solve problems. The trouble with that is when your thoughts are swirling around and there is no clear solution, you can make mistakes and create bigger messes. This card suggests taking a time out. Pull back, try to relax, and let the wisdom of your soul have time and space to reveal what you need to know. Any simple thing like counting to ten, meditating, or taking a nap will help more than trying to power through. The problem will still be there but you will be better able to handle it.
Four of Pentacles
Where is the line between responsible saving and obsessive hoarding? I don’t know for sure but this card walks that line. Whether you see this card as positive or negative depends on the situation. Typically, energy is meant to flow and, as in the Four of Cups, these passive suits can stagnate pretty easily. However, there are times you need to conserve your resources. There are also times when you need to be more generous. Use common sense and self-reflection to determine whether you are being perfectly sensible or unnecessarily selfish.
The Fives
After the stability of the fours, the fives shake up the energy that has been resting. They are known for their chaotic nature and associated with challenges and problems. This is because they promise change and even desired or welcome change is hard on humans. Whenever things change, there is an element of the unknown and that makes us nervous. While they all represent experiences most would call unpleasant, they all also bring unique opportunities for grace.
Five of Wands
Wands represent will, creative drive, and passion. These are all excellent qualities. However, if you’ve ever worked with a group of highly driven and creative people, you know that clashes can occur. The gift of this card is that if you are working with a group like this or even competing with others, the environment can challenge you and bring out your best or even push you to achieve more than you imagined. The danger is that the group can devolve into fighting and posturing that can be very destructive.
Five of Cups
Loss is a part of life and there are cards in the deck that represent loss. This card is not one of them; it is a card that shows our emotional reaction to loss. This is a card of mourning and it is packed full of information. In it you see that sense of isolation you feel when you are alone with your grief. It shows also that no matter how horrible the loss, there are always other gifts that still remain. The gift is that after a time, you can cross the bridge back to your community and find healing. The danger is that you may choose to stay, alone and broken, with your grief.
Five of Swords
Ah, the card of the Pyrrhic victory, a win that comes at a price so high that it may not be worth it. Sure, you’ve won the battle, but at what cost? When you walk away with your bounty, what have you left behind? Your integrity? Your values? Your humanity? Friends or family? The gift of this card is that it is not too late to change the outcome. You can shift the situation from shaky win/devastating loss to win/win. The danger is that you leave essential parts of your soul on the beach to erode or wash away with the tides of time.
Five of Pentacles
Facing hunger, homelessness, or threats to your sense of security impacts your very existence and also your spiritual growth. It is really, really hard to practice love for all beings when you’re in pain or hungry or scared. The gift in this card is that help is available. It is a double-edged gift: your needs can be met and the giver experiences the joy of sharing. The danger is letting your need become such a part of your identity that you cannot see or will not accept help that is offered.
The Sixes
In the aftermath of the changes brought by the fives, the sixes help create the new normal. After the dust has settled, relationships are redefined, goals reassessed, and resources reallocated. You’ll see a series of unequal relationships here: people giving and people receiving. Part of the challenge with interpreting these cards is identifying which role is yours. What part do you play in rebuilding community and recreating reality?
Six of Wands
At first glance, it seems the hero is the only focal point. Someone has achieved something so wonderful that everyone wants to celebrate it. Think about some of your grand accomplishments and think about everyone who supported you as you worked toward that goal. In a way, your victory is also their victory. Yes, recognition is well deserved and you should enjoy it. But remember it is not yours alone. Remember to be gracious and generous. Share the praise and attention. It will make it even sweeter.
Six of Cups
Random acts of kindness can turn around someone’s day or even their life. You never know when something you do will be just the medicine someone needs … or when someone else’s act may save you. A smile, extending a common courtesy (often all too uncommon these days), or sharing a treat may not cost much but the return is incalculable. Perhaps the greatest kindness you can extend is to remember that everyone is always doing the very best that they can, even if it doesn’t seem like it. This card tells you that in this case, kindness is the right response.
Six of Swords
Some changes are harder to recover from than others. The sixes are about regrouping and recreating, but if a situation has become too painful or too dangerous, the first order of business is to get to a safe haven. People in such a distressed state can rarely extricate themselves and need a hero to help them. There is no pulling yourself by your bootstraps…this is a situation that requires assistance, whether it is a shoulder to cry on or escaping immediate physical or emotional threats. If you need help, accept it. If someone else needs help, offer it.
Six of Pentacles
The most common way to obtain physical resources, at least in our culture, is to earn it. That is certainly the easiest on the ego; charity wounds pride. This card is about getting the resources you need but not through a job. Grants, scholarships, gifts, or awards are a few different ways resources are allocated. If you are on the receiving end, accept with gratitude. If you are the giver, do so with no judgment and as much graciousness as possible. When someone is in need, sometimes all they have left is their dignity. Don’t take that away from them.
The Sevens
People never seem to be able to leave well enough alone. It’s not our nature nor is it the nature of the world. Things always move … sometimes forward or backward, sometimes in non-linear cycles. The only constant is change. When things are good, we try to make them better. When they are bad, we want to change them. To do this, we have to assess the situation and determine what can be improved and what is the best way to go about that.
Seven of Wands
Sometimes you have the luxury of time to think about your actions. This is not one of those times. Something that you believe in is being attacked and, because the Wands are full of fast-moving energy, you need to assess the situation quickly. Is your belief worth defending and to what extent? How much are you willing to risk for your ideal? Does someone need your immediate protection? If you’re all in, then dig in and prepare to fight. It won’t necessarily be easy and victory isn’t guaranteed. The important thing here is taking a stand.
Seven of Cups
Daydreams and possibilities are wonderful gifts. Until they’re not. Too many choices can be overwhelming and lead to paralysis. Going after the big dream can bring amazing results. Some options are wishful thinking or distractions. How do you choose when all the choices speak to your heart? A little bit of faith helps, but so does bringing in some rational assessment. The options feel like they are all up in your face and you can’t see past the initial glamor. Try to take a step back and get a bigger view.
Seven of Swords
This card usually leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths, probably because it looks like someone is taking something that they shouldn’t. There is an uncomfortable sense of sneakiness and it is hard to tell if something is being stolen or rescued. This card can represent outright thievery or misunderstood actions. It’s tricky. More than anything, this card warns you about your methods, if not your goals. Even if you are only taking what is rightfully yours, reconsider your plan and try to find a way that is less morally ambiguous.
Seven of Pentacles
After you’ve accomplished what you want and before you gather the harvest and enjoy the fruits of your labors, take a break. Step back and assess the experience. What worked? What didn’t? How can you change or improve the process for next time? Did the results live up to your expectations, fall short, or exceed them? You may be tempted to just finish up, gather your rewards, and move on. This card lets you know that you have more to learn from this situation. Who knows, maybe those hidden lessons are the most important reward of all.
The Eights
Oddly enough, even though eight is two times four, it does not double the structural energy of the four. Instead it is about movement, speed, and power. This movement can go forward and normally does. However, if you turn the eight on its side, you have an infinity symbol. The speed and power no longer move forward but instead create an infinite loop that can be very problematic.
Eight of Wands
The suit of Wands embodies fast-moving energy. Add to this the speed and power of the eight, and, well, it would be best to just move aside until things play out. Whatever actions or decisions you’ve made recently have set in motion certain inevitable conclusions. For better or worse, things are going to click into place. If you’ve aimed them well, they will reach the desired destination. If not, you can try to stop them, but realize that when this many things are moving this fast, any small alteration will have magnified effects.
Eight of Cups
Have you ever been in a relationship or had a job that was just fine, maybe even good, but it didn’t feel right to you? It is really hard to be in this position because it is hard to justify wanting to leave because you can’t put your finger on the actual problem. The problem is that the relationship or the job (or whatever) is fine, just not fine for you. It takes a lot of courage and determination to leave something that is fine. But if your soul is urging you onward, you will continue to feel restless and maybe become resentful unless you leave and begin a new journey.
Eight of Swords
Who hasn’t felt like they were out of options? Or talked with a friend with a problem and that friend had sixteen excuses for every solution you put forward? Thoughts become your jailor. When you get stuck in a rut or a terrible situation, the means of escape is not always obvious. You just see roadblocks everywhere you turn. Then you get used to seeing just roadblocks. You get so used to seeing why solutions won’t work that you come to believe there is no way out. This situation is not hopeless, but first you have to figure out how to remove that blindfold.
Eight of Pentacles
Anything worth doing is worth doing well. The movement here is from acceptable to exquisite. The skills have been learned; now it is time to master them. Determination is required because, as sometimes happens with the fast number energy mingling with a passive suit, things can get bogged down. If you keep the momentum going, keep pushing yourself even if you are tired, you will be rewarded. Don’t give up. Don’t accept “good enough.” This is an opportunity to really master something.
The Nines
You will notice that all the nines show a solitary figure. It’s as if the energy of the Hermit, also numbered nine, has trickled down through to these cards. Just as the Hermit (whom you will learn more about later) has to find his own inner truth, so do these characters. Through their own particular and specific experiences, they will discover something important about themselves, and when these cards come up for you, expect the same. A journey of self-discovery!
Nine of Wands
Remember the fight that started in the Seven of Wands? This card is what happens after the battle. You’ve been battered and hurt, bruised and broken, but you’re still standing, ready for the next onslaught. Recent experiences have taught you to be wary, to be on the defensive. There is always that line, though, between hyper-vigilance that distorts reality and sees danger in everything and sensible caution and awareness. Let the battles hone your skills. Be more sensitive to your environment but don’t close yourself off.
Nine of Cups
Back in the old days, readers would tell you to make a wish before starting the reading. If the Nine of Cups showed up, they would say your wish would be granted. While we don’t usually interpret this card like that now (although there is nothing saying you can’t), we do carry that emotional sense of deep satisfaction into the modern meaning. You know those moments where everything feels good and full but not too full, where you’re happy and in the moment? Did you like it? Good, because that’s what this card brings!
Nine of Swords
This card plays out in different ways. For example, you are fretting about something before bed. You try to sleep but that wretched hamster in your mind keeps spinning ever more dire scenarios. Or, you wake up in the middle of the night and suddenly every mistake you’ve ever made parades across your mind, blowing you raspberries, taunting you with their perfect misery. There is usually a hamster in this scenario, too. The good news is that usually these worries are not as bad as you think they are. The bad news is that it’s really, really hard to evict that hamster.
Nine of Pentacles
This is a very popular card and with good reason. It represents accomplishment, achievement, success, prosperity, and self-determination. Not only do you have it all, you also have the very particular feeling of having earned it, having made it all happen by yourself. It wasn’t necessarily easy and took loads of discipline and focus, skill and plain old hard work. But it’s yours and it’s perfect. The only thing missing here is someone to share it with. You don’t have to share, but if you want to, it won’t be difficult to find a willing companion.
The Tens
The tens show endings and the fulfillment of the promises of the aces. Some say the tens are about excess, but I don’t agree. Too much emotion, for example, would not be expressed as the happy image of the Ten of Cups. Rather, they show how the energy of the suits reacts with the fullness of the energy of ten. The result here is the opposite of the fours: the passive suits are happier when full while the active suits become overwhelming. Pop quiz: do you remember which are passive and which are active?
Ten of Wands
The Ace of Wands gave you a fully loaded magic wand and the advice: make sure you can feed whatever you create. According to this card, it looks like a case of someone’s eyes being bigger than their stomach. Having lots of great opportunities (or perhaps obligations that are not so great) can be as bad as having none. The result is often the same: pedaling really fast but not getting anywhere. If you want the situation to change, you’ve got to prioritize and let go of some things.
Ten of Cups
The Ace of Cups gave you a chalice of magic potion and it looks like you used it well. Multiple emotionally satisfying relationships, a sense of emotional safety, and overall well-being prevail. Love is all you need … or at least that’s how it feels right now. Your world, your happiness right now is made up of the sweet connections you’ve nurtured with others in your life. You are able to fully enjoy them because you’ve also healed some of your own emotional wounds and learned to love yourself.
Ten of Swords
The Ace of Swords gave you a powerful weapon and a warning to use it carefully. Looks like you became so enchanted with this incredible weapon that you find yourself in a bit of a mess. Whether you are killing yourself with crazy self-talk or arguing with someone who is either more skilled or simply more determined than you, there is no winning here. It would be wiser to let it go and start over. In fact, the light in this card is both a sunset and a sunrise, illustrating another aspect of the tens: they are both endings and new beginnings.
Ten of Pentacles
The Ace of Pentacles gave you a blank check or a seed of opportunity, at least metaphorically. You’ve planted the seed and tended it well and now it has blossomed into something with both depth and even more potential. This is not just having enough; it’s about being prosperous. What’s extra special about this card is that even though there is a focus on material wealth, there is also an honoring of the sacred in everyday life. Right now, life is particularly good, in part because you have people to share it with.
Playtime
These activities are designed to help you start connecting the cards with real life experiences. You will be selecting individual cards or groups of two or more cards to illustrate events in your day. If one card is sufficient, that’s great. If not, if you need two or more cards to illustrate any one event in the day, use them! This will help you to interpret your readings more specifically and develop your own personal connections with individual cards and interactions between pairs or groups of cards.
How Was Your Day?
The Minor Arcana cards show us everyday life situations. Think about your day yesterday, then go through your Minor Arcana cards and select ones that create a visual timeline of your day.
Your Daily Planner and Evaluation
Think about your plans for your day tomorrow. Go through your Minor Arcana cards and select ones that illustrate how you hope your day will go. At the end of the day, select cards that illustrate how your day actually went.