Individual Card Meanings

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.

I'm really confused by this card. I've seen people say this card is about dreams and wishes that don't necessarily, or rarely, come true. It's the idyllic picture of the white-picket fence ending, but it's largely fantasy...unachievable...an unrealistic standard. Yet, I've seen people receive this card in terms that their desires do come true. A card to represent the future of the relationship (and they do get happily married!), it's the card for their spouse (they represent so much joy for them!), about goals realized (they found the community they were wishing for!) This question of mine sparked this post. So, what is this card? Is it unrealisti…

With all the discussion around the 3 of Swords, it has me curious what cards others feel most often could represent a DNS experience. I am thinking the 3S, 9S, 10S, maybe the 9W, 10W, and possibly the 5P and the 5C. Obviously context is everything. I am curious if there are cards that clue you into that energy.

In a recent thread, there was some discussion that has had me pondering interpretations of the 3 of Swords and I would enjoy receiving additional thoughts and insights. logic killing emotions emotions killing logic My pondering so far, I can see both perspectives and in different readings it could lean in either direction. The 3S is often showing a piercing heart which assumes stabbing, painful emotions. As a Swords card depicting communication, intellect, clarity, mental processing, ego, is there then some kind of communication or knowledge that causes the stabbing, painful emotions or is having a broken heart and a never-ending thoug…

5 of Sword of Thoth deck says "Defeat". RWS deck has image of a guy grinning at his opponents retreating. I get confused when this card comes up. Does it mean I defeated my opponent? Or did my opponent defeated me? Is it positive or negative card? How do you make of this card, when shows up in the readings?

Is it just me or do most literature & decks focus heavily on the taming aspect of the strength card? All I read is somewhat about calming your "dark side" (which is nothing but our natural instinct most of the time), which sounds to me a lot like holding back who you really are (I know, by accepting it instead of burying it, but still). I don’t really know how to describe it, but this just feels off to me. I mean, holding back is more a temperance thing, right? But a lion is still a wild creature (for example in the wild unknown, the lion looks kinda like a toothless hippie and not like the wild beast it is naturally). Even if someone is trying to change you…

In the RWS deck the Queen of Cups is staring at the elaborate container in which she holds on to at the shore of the waters. I notice that the container has "angel wings" on it, does the Queen know what's inside the container? Is there a mystery there? What do you think is inside that container? What is the message here about that container? Thanks for reading this! Rick-

Hello, I was wondering how to interpret the "dark side/negative side" of the 2 of Cups. Could it represent lack of comprehension or also feeling unsupported from those you love? Feeling as if they don't empathize with you, although they should or at least you would expect to? Thanks.

Hi. I just wondering what the different interpretations of the high priestess card are? Upright and reversed. Thanks.

Hi everyone! I wanted to receive some feedback about your interpretation or experience with the queen of swords RWS version for the sword/background and facial expressions. For me, my focus is mostly on the sword’s direction toward the clear sky and the facial expression of the Queen and the figure on her throne. They look upset or like they are scowling. For me the sword represents cutting to the truth/heart of the matter in a very direct way. The background is clear skies at the top but there are many clouds which are low and fluffy. Those low clouds feel like confusion to me. The look on her face along with the figure on the throne d…

When asking about how someone sees you, what does the Tower mean? I can see it saying that the person sees you are someone who brings disruption in to their lives. You are completely different than what they expected. What else could it mean?

It just occurred to me today, during a reading, that without exception ALL of The Sun cards in the decks I own are either offshoots of the RWS card—the child and the horse in a very close-up perspective—OR they depict The Sun as blinding and obscuring distance vision. Unlike a sunny day in the real world, where you can see for miles in all directions under warm light—which is what I would expect the card to depict—The Sun card seems to restrict us to a very close-up view. OR it emits sunlight that is so dazzling we can't actually see anything much at all. In fact, the impulse I feel with some of these too-bright cards is to shut my eyes and turn away. I…

I keep stumbling into this card, and have been looking up different interpretations of it. I apologise if this has been covered here. I tried to find but couldn't locate it. For me, this card kinda signifies giving. Like feeling the sense of abundance and sharing it with people. I always read this as material giving or sharing, since it's pentacles. But, I see people read this as sharing of anything- love, knowledge, perspective, guidance. Was I being restricted then? One very interesting interpretation: The reader used the card from the RWS deck and read it as a spirit guide helping the person and the soulmate, and bringing and keeping them toget…

I was studying the imagery of the cards more closely today, and two questions popped up in my head while I was studying Rider Waite’s Chariot card in particular. 1. In terms of the Astrology: If we look at the belt the male figure is wearing, we notice four signs; one of them is cancer obviously, and the far right we have the moon. Left to the moon, there’s a symbol I see as a flash to the left (tell me if I’m wrong) and on the far right, we have a sign that looks either like the north node or leo, I’m not sure which. I wanted to ask if what I’m seeing makes sense at all, or if I’m just being too deep? Also, do the signs on the figure’s lower clothing mean anything? …

I’ve always been struggling with these two’s meanings and symbolisms. From what I’ve learned so far, the High Priestess means personal mystery, the hidden unconscious part of one’s self; while on the other hand, the Moon represents external mysteries, hidden truths and uncertainties you have to solve outwardly, if that makes sense. I wanted to know if anyone has a deeper (or even more personal) comparisons between these two cards? And, how can we apply their meanings to everyday’s situations in a more practical way?

Here are two cards with very similar meanings. It's always fun to explore card differences, though. I see both cards as 'waiting for earned results' but I think there is a difference between them. (If there wasn't, why have two cards?) The 3 of Wands is in a dynamic suit—Wands—which usually deals with positive energy, exciting new ideas, and fearlessly taking action. So I'd say this person depicted on this card is expecting results to come in—possibly from a distance— and is probably quite excited about their arrival. He is standing on the shore, looking eagerly for the ship to arrive (or to wave it off on its journey) and has been proactive and decisive getting…

I have always thought that the man & woman on the right of the master mason are the one's seeking advice from the mason who is standing on the bench. They are showing him their plans for the future and are seeking advice on how achieve what it is they are wanting. So, I was listening to a YouTube video which had a completely different meaning. I am confused here. What do you think is going on in this card? Thanks in advance! BTW I am using the RWS deck.

My notes on The Fool is that The Fool joyously walks into the unknown, stepping into a new adventure. I was listening to a YouTube video where the person on the video talked about The Fool not paying attention to his surroundings, and the dog was warning him that he might fall off the cliff. So, my question is does The Fool knowingly step off the cliff or does the dog warn him about not stepping off the cliff? Rick

Hello everyone, I have a question about the 6 of Swords as advice. In the RWS deck we see 3 people crossing troubled waters together, with the hope to reach calmer ones. Considering this image is it possible to interpret this card as "you need to go through this together"? I mean, you have a problem, but you're not alone, your loved ones are there to help you, their support is necessary to sort things out. Could this make sense? Thank you so much.

In Lenormand, we have the Dog to show loyalty. Anchor can also show steadfast which is similar. In Tarot we have cards that show betrayal. 10 Swords is the obvious and extreme example. The older versions of Hanged Man reference the punishment for betrayal in Renaissance Italy and thus show disloyalty. Moon, a negative Magician, Devil might all touch upon manipulation and betrayal. False friends. But what cards illustrate LOYALTY itself? 2 cups shows lovers pledging vows. So that illustrates loyalty. In modern times, it's generally limited to romantic, and less global. Older Tarocchi decks might show Lovers pledging vows, but thi…

Hi all, I am wondering what you think when you see the nine of swords reversed in a reading since I feel like I read many conflicting interpretations of the card so far. What has been your personal experience with the card? Below are some interpretations I have seen so far online/ in different books: One interpretation claims that the nine of swords rx is about nearing the end of one's restless nights, or ending a cycle that was causing someone to be anxious/depressed. The other claims that the nine of swords rx is about the need to confide in others about one's despair but being unable to do so. IDK how much that resonates with me as I never rea…

Hello... If we look at the basic most meaning of the cards, which cards talk about 'physical travel'? Recently a reader names three cards which according to her were 'travel cards'. She did not rely much on the imagery but just the basic meaning of the cards to tell me I might be travelling soon. Does someone have a list of any such 'travel cards'?

I'm having a conflict about the meaning of the 9 of cups. Mostly, I understand it as emotional fulfillment within oneself. But I also hear it described as the wish come true card. That doesn't feel right to me. The 9s are solitary, so I see it as self-actualization, self-fulfillment, full of oneself in the extreme? The wish come true card feels a bit too external. Idk...thoughts? How do you interpret the 9 of cups?