Individual Card Meanings

This area is for general discussions of the cards and for discussing different meanings and usages of them. This is not the area for personal readings or specific meaning help, which must be in the personal / your readings section for the system you are using. This section is for general discussions only. You also need to have 5 posts to post in this area but everyone can read the threads. This is an index of all the cards studied so far in this section Please add your thoughts and ideas to the existing discussions or start new discussion threads You are welcome to start threads for cards not yet discussed and they will be added to this index later on …

I do quite a few love-based or relationship-based readings and recently I've had a couple of readings in which the Six of Cups appears as the card that connects the two parties in the romantic relationship. I've been interpreting this to mean there's strong affection between the two, maybe more of a platonic love, but I don't know if there's something I'm missing. What does everyone else think? Has the Six of Cups ever shown up for you in this context?

Asking question, will this event ever happen again, the first card was Death card, and then next cards were some positive cards such as Hierophant, Hermit, and some court cards. What could it mean or imply when Death card appears as the first card in the reading? Any ideas or thoughts? Thanks.

I’ve been spending time with the Empress lately, and I’m realizing she behaves very differently depending on the context. Sometimes she feels nurturing. Sometimes she feels like growth or expansion. Sometimes she feels like boundaries. Sometimes she feels like “take care of yourself first.” And sometimes she feels like something else entirely. I’m curious how other readers experience her. When the Empress appears in your readings, what does she usually point to for you? Is she a person? An energy? A situation? A reminder? Something emotional? I’m not looking for textbo…

Recently in one of my readings I drew as a signifier the 2 of Cups, then above that the Ace of Wands and 3 of Cups. Initially I interpreted this to mean that there was excitement regarding a new relationship but it turned out that it suggested a polyamorous relationship with three other people. Isn't that wild? So I learned that the combination of the 2 and 3 of Cups can symbolize a polyamorous arrangement.

I know the Happy Squirrel card which appears in some decks is not traditional ...apparently it originated from an episode of The Simpsons! I do own one deck that contains the card, though—the Touchstone Tarot, by Kat Black—and I'm intrigued by it. I do shuffle it in with the deck when I'm reading with the Touchstone Tarot, but thus far it hasn't popped up in the spread. (Whew....) Have any of you tarot readers out there ever used a Happy Squirrel card? If so, how do you interpret it when/if it appears? Do you shuffle it in with the rest of the cards and treat it like any other card in the spread, or do you use it in some other way? And what about a rever…

I am new to Tarot 9 very new, like since March and I drew the seven of swords as me in a spread asking how could I best leave some time wasting habits that were, in effect, were keeping me from spending time on the things I really want to do. I have been away from the rhythm of artistic work and pottery since the Covid shutdown at least and Started to feel depressed and angry. I came upon some views of the the seven i hadn't heard, one of them that the number seven is a very spiritual number and that whatever the "thief' was stealing, it was based on his strongly held belief that it was his by right. Well, then I thought of addiction on all levels as a thief of our real …

I've been thinking about this card recently and really see them as building a Pentagram or Pentacle these days. In some decks, it's more visible than others, this is RWS and it's even more obvious in Wiccan / Pagan style decks. A Pentagram has the five elements on the points, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. This looks like they are making an upright symbol, maybe to bring balance in all areas, rather than the conflict of the card? Or maybe it represents a Pentacle, that could represent manifestation and a tangible result? Turning scattered into structure. It's a grounding symbol. It's funny how you still see new things…

Hello everyone, how can The World be interpreted in the context of intimacy and sex? The card was pull in terms of advice, I was thinking about suggesting to be more spontaneous and open, I say so because of the image in the RWS deck, but I'm not sure. What do you think? Thank you.

These are the cards I believe represent change. I want to delve deeper into their differences and similarities. The Tower is the most different. It signifies some external event or revelation (often unexpected or shocking) that produces a change. The change could be mental/emotional or real. For example, you find out that your partner has been cheating on you, and you suddenly question if you’ve ever known this person. Everything changes. This is a Tower moment. The change from the Tower is externally imposed. Something happens to you, causing a change. Judgement generally refers to some kind of internal change. Often, when the card appears, you a…

I’ve been re-reading some threads about the page of pentacles in the old AT forum. I wish I could comment on some of those threads, but, alas, I cannot so I’m starting this thread in the hopes of getting a discussion going. I think other than the standard meaning of a child who is serious and studious, the page of pentacles could mean someone who has received something (perhaps an offer—of a job, opportunity, friendship, love, etc) but is taking a long time to decide whether he wants it. The RWS image shows a young man holding a pentacle and looking at it with wonder, but I get the feeling he’s also deciding if he wants to keep it or set it down. Like he’s loo…

Hello everybody, today I'd like to ask you for some clues about the 3 of Wands in terms of job hunting. In particular, I'd like to know how this card can be interpreted as advice, especially when you keep on sending your CV, but get no answer. Does it mean "just wait and see" or there's another message I'm missing? Thank you so much.

I’m wondering what your interpretations of the sun are? Upright and reversed. Its coming up a lot in my spreads, I’m new to this.

I know not everyone reads cards in reverse but I tend to as I feel it adds nuance to my readings. I'm interested, for those that do read reversals, in hearing people's thoughts on the tower in reverse. For the tower itself, I have a tendency to read it less "catastrophically" and more neutral than I know a lot of others do. From my experience and with hindsight I tend to see the tower as a fundamental or foundational change to a situation but not necessarily with a negative or positive impact. Just change. With that in mind, I do tend to struggle with the meaning of the tower in reverse. Where, I think, some readers may see it reversed as perhaps the avoidance…

Me? 1. The Star - The Star appears after the troublesome Devil & Tower cards. The Star brings a calm feeling like the trouble has passed. The thunder and rain are gone. 2. The Fool - The Fool walks joyously into the unknown as a bright sunshine falls upon him. He steps off into a new adventure. Being a free spirit. 3. The Magician - It's a call to greatness. It's also a card that tells you to trust yourself and that you have what it takes. What are your top three? And give us a brief reason why they are your top three. Thanks! Rick

Hi all, I'm still learning to navigate the meanings & symbolism of the original RWS cards. I've noticed a fair amount of differing interpretations depending on the source*, but in most cases I am able to compare expert opinion & make a logical & intuitive decision that works for me. In other cases I'm stuck as nothing seems to make sense! So I'd like to ask your opinion 🙂 Example: Ace of Swords. Atop the sword is a crown (authority/power), with 2 dangling branches. The sources* so far have said on the left side: Olive branch (mercy), Mistletoe or Laurel (victory) But none of these have red berries, so I'm not filled with much confiden…

I was doing a reading for myself and this combination came up and I just found it fascinating working on it. It was actually with the Glastonbury Tarot but just talking about it generally here. The reading was just a general reading about what is coming up. I know these cards are sequential in the Majors but I was fascinated by the differences as a combination, one progressing on from another. The Hanged Man is patience and waiting and you cannot do anything at the time. You are just waiting as you are externally blocked. You can't make change happen but you have to find a way to cope with the current situation, like going internally or seeing…

So, I’ve always believed that any card can be read positively or negatively. For the past two days I’ve been getting The Tower (big changes?) and The Devil (something about bondage?) I’ve always believed that in theory at least. But, as we all know, in theory, there is no difference between theory and practice… but in practice, there is. A bit scary. Today I opened a letter from the Department of Education: I have — a couple years earlier than expected — satisfied the conditions of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program: they have forgiven over $138,000 in student loan debt. And, I got checks for over $4,600 as some kind of …

Hello everyone! I've been contemplating on the possibility of the 7 of Cups representing emotional manipulation via all the cups one is considering. Assuming that it's paired with another card, could the upright be interpreted as emotional manipulation because one has to choose between all the options that have emotional weight for that person? I've always believed that the 7s carry the energy of uncertainty and mystery. Or would reversed be a better fit for my theory? What card combos would lead to this? I'm thinking reversed court cards and the 7 of cups could be a possibility.

Many experience the Three of Swords as a problematic card. I was certainly in this camp for a long time. The RWS version in particular... that image of a heart pierced by three swords is very hard to "unsee," even in spreads where that imagery can be, umm, counterproductive. I recently acquired Lon Milo DuQuette's Tarot of Ceremonial Magic (TCM) (highly recommended!). Early on, I did a version of a deck interview asking what would be the most constructive role for me to play as we (the deck and I) worked together. I do a three-card spread and then do a modulo 21 operation on the numerical value of those three cards to indicate a trump that will se…

In researching the 7 of Swords, the majority of meanings are negative. While we need these types of cards to deal with all realities of life, what meanings have you gleaned where the 7 of swords was a positive? Here's what i came up with: Looking out for themselves because they're in a hostile environment Being extremely strategic in their moves and communications Not revealing all of their cards or even deception by omission as self preservation Coming up with temporary means of communication in order to not have a paper trail Communicating in a way that gets others to reveal secrets or sensitive information to your benefit I…

Apologies if this has been posted before. Can we talk about the 2 and 3 of Wands? I have always found these cards a little bit difficult to interpret because the imagery and associated meanings are so similar. I tend to interpret the 2 primarily as a card representing making plans and the first initial steps toward a goal, but I've heard other readers associate this card with personal power, as well, but I think there are other cards that represent that idea more clearly, like the Magician, the Chariot, King of Wands, etc. I tend to interpret the 3 as expansion and growth, possibly leadership. There's just such a fine line between these two cards and I'm really curious ho…

I never understood The World very well. I know it means natural endings and transitions, such as a child growing up and entering the world or an elderly person dying and leaving the world. But I don’t understand it deeply. What does it mean when it shows up in a position that signifies karmic debt in a past life relationship?

Hello everybody, I often find it hard to interpret these two ladies in readings about sex. Both Queens enjoy the sexual side of a relationship, but I can't explain how. The Queen of Wands is very passionate and hot, she doesn't like any restriction in her sexual life, so she does it her own way, though also the Queen of Pentacles enjoys the physical side of love, as her focus is on the body. However, I feel like I can't interpret her properly in this context, I often end up to say the same things as I would say for the other Queen. What do you think? What are your experiences with these two cards? Thank you in advance.

Hello everybody, the Knight of Cups is probably one of those cards I had more trouble with. I think I didn't really understand how to interpret this guy in readings. Once I interpreted him as a peacemaker ,another time he was representing an artist, more precisely a musician. In terms of love instead he happened to point to unrequited love or being too immature for a love relationship. However, I still have a hard time deciphering this Knight, especially in terms of advice. What do you guys think? Thank you so much.