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0 - THE FOOL
Key Words:
Innocence
Beginning
Simplicity
Fresh Start
Blind Faith
Introduction:
The Fool Tarot card meaning deals with
that youthful exhuberance we feel when
starting out on a new adventure or taking
a journey of faith. We feel anticipation,
butterflies flutter in our stomach, and our
skin prickles with excitement...our journey
is underway - were unstoppable!
However, along with this passion comes
impetuousness. The Fool makes no
I - THE MAGICIAN
Key Words:
Power
Action
Awareness
Application
Resourcefulness
Introduction:
Close your eyes for a moment and picture
your ideal image of the Magician. Odds
are your imagination conjured up a regal
figure, powerful, graceful, and confident
Key Symbols:
Lemniscate: Also known as the infinity
symbol, the Lemniscate symbolizes the
endless, infinite nature of energy. Energy
cannot be created or destroyed, and the
Magician is intimate with this knowledge.
The infinity symbol above the Magicians
head illustrates that he understands the
energy of his thoughts always lead to
infinite consequence. Some decks depict
an additional Lemniscate at the Magicians
throat - this symbolizes the infinite power
of the spoken word.
Uroboros: The serpent swallowing its own
tail is symbolic of cycles, and is another
message of the infinite nature of energy.
The Magician tarot card meaning here,
as with the Lemniscate, is that energy is
endless, and our ability to manipulate
Creativity
Assurance
Introduction:
The mother figure of the Tarot deck, the
Empress Tarot card meanings are all
about love, abundance, nurturing, and
pleasure. When we observe the card we
see elements of nature - all exploding
on the card - the Empress brings about
the flood of growth and is the epitome
of abundance. She reminds us that there
is always enough for everyone to enjoy.
There is no shortage.
Many decks depict the Empress as
pregnant. This is very symbolic, and when
pulled, this card conveys a message that
the situation is pregnant with promise - full
of opportunity. Along with the symbolism
IV - THE EMPEROR
Key Words:
Strategy
Rulership
Authority
Masculinity
Practicality
Introduction:
The father figure of the Tarot deck, the
Emperor Tarot card meanings are all about
advice, widsom, authority, and grounding.
Take a moment to observe the Emperor
card. It becomes apparent that this is a
character who has been there, done that,
IV - THE HIEROPHANT
Key Words:
Law
Holy
Respect
Ceremony
Knowledge
Tradition
Conformity
Introduction:
The Hierophant can be a tricky card to
interpret as there are many different
layers of meanings being presented at
learned of God.
When we pull the Hierophant Tarot card,
our attention is focused on our convictions.
The occurance of this card is a message for
us to examine our belief systems, how we
operate with these beliefs, and how they
effect our lives.
Key Symbols:
Hand: The Hierophants right hand held up
in such a manner is a sign of benediction.
This position (mudra) symbolizes a
blessing of love and spiritual well-being.
His position is also pointing heavenwards,
which reinforces the spiritual blessing. As
the people come to the Hierophant, this
hand blessing is sought out by them - it is
an assuring motion and grants the people
assurance that all of their spiritual needs
are met.
Keys: What do keys do? They unlock
doors. The keys of the Hierophant card
symbolize the keys to spiritual knowledge,
and wisdom. The ancient Greeks depicted
keys as a symbols for knowledge and
life. This specific card symbol: A gold &
silver key crossed is a papal emblem of
authority and translates to mean the keys
to the kingdom of heaven. As such, the
Hierophant is seen to be an authority, and
the holder of the kingdom keys - again, an
intermediary figure or translator between
God and man.
Staff: This is the symbol of the triple cross
and is one of the symbols used in the office
of the Pope, who is the global head of
the Roman Catholic church. Each mark is
VI - LOVERS
Key Words:
Sex
Love
Health
Union
Trust
Passion
Temptation
Vulnerability
Communication
Introduction:
Absolutely, this is Tarot card meaning is
all about love and everything it entails.
Without a doubt, this is one of the more
straight-forward card meanings in the
deck. The aspects of our lives that deal
with passion, infatuation, sex, arousal,
and all those things that heat us up - these
are what attracts the Lovers card into our
readings. This card comes up when we
are contemplating a new romance, when
were obsessed with another person, or
when we are in more than one amorous
relationship. On a lesser scale, card
also comes up when we are developing
a partnership in business. It may also
Key Questions:
How do I feel about trusting others?
How do I feel about my relationships?
Am I being honest about my relationships?
Do I need to pay closer attention to my
health?
What relationships in my life do I need to
re-examine?
Am I always on my guard or can I allow
myself to be vulnerable?
What will it take for me to have a
passionate, loving, trusting relationship?
VI - LOVERS
Key Words:
Tact
Skill
Action
Control
Focused
Driven
Motion
Balance
Physicality
Introduction:
If youve done a little research on the art
of chariot battle, youve observed that
it takes a lot of skill, determination and
control to manuever a chariot - particularly
in the heat of battle. Imagine for a moment
controlling two 1,000 pound horses while
navigating direction all in the midst of the
commotion, noise, and fervor of battle. It
makes the head spin. Needless to say the
Chariot represents tremendous focus and
drive in order to accomplish the goal and
win the battle.
Key Symbols:
Crown: This deck version shows a crown
of five pointed stars. These pentacles are
symbolic of perfection and also indicate
our Charioteer is at his physical peek of
perfection. That he is wearing these stars
as a crown indicates his thoughts are
primarily upon the elements required to
get the task at hand accomplished. His
thoughts dwell upon his ability to perform
to a high level in order to achieve his goals.
Horse: The horse is another symbol of
physicality and vitality. The horse is linked
with elemental and instinctual powers.
They symbolize speed of thought, speed
of deed, and speed of action. This horse
symbol brings further attention on aspects
of motion, transportion, and reaching the
destination to the Tarot card meanings of
the Chariot.
Moons: Moons also deal with motion,
influence and development. This card
depcts slivered moons on the Charioteers
shoulder and at that top of his staff.
These are symbols that indicate we are
often driven by unseen forces in matters
of obtaining goals or striving for success.
Although the Charioteer is very aware
of elemental matters and matters of
the soul - these moons indicate that
more investigation must be made on his
motives.
Key Questions:
What drives you?
What is your motiviation?
Are your goals reasonable? Obtainable?
What are you trying to control, and why?
VIII - STRENGTH
Key Words:
Balance
Strength
Courage
Patience
Compassion
Understanding
Introduction:
This is another Major Arcana card that
doesnt beat around the bush - its
Key Questions:
How do you define strength?
In what way do your physical urges
motivate you?
How can you approach the need to feed
syndrome?
How do you exhibit self-love and
compassion towards yourself?
What are your internal battles and how can
you reach a balance?
What area in your life requires you to have
the most strength and what different kinds
of strength can you apply here?
IX - HERMIT
Key Words:
Wisdom
Humility
Solitude
Searching
Detachment
Deliberate
Observation
Introduction:
In our fast-paced, harried world of today,
we would all do well to do as the hermit
does. The Hermits stride is slow but sure.
He takes each step with a deliberate,
conscious approach - knowing that each
step of the journey is a small imprint upon
the larger picture of his path. He does
everything in this manner - each breath he
us to higher ground.
The Hermit walks a fine line. By
purposefully choosing to remove himself
from society he also runs the risk of being
misunderstood and labeled inappropriate.
These labels do not concern him as his
path of spiritual knowing and higher
wisdom are his prime concerns.
The path of the Hermit is certainly not
for everyone, but we all have parts of
ourselves that need a little quiet time at
the least. When the Hermit shows up in a
reading it often refers to a need to be still,
contemplate, meditate, observe what is
going on before any further action is taken.
Key Symbols:
Staff: Appearing as an attribute amongst
ultimate awareness.
Star: The star of David shines brightly
within his lantern. Biblically, David is
means beloved of God and so the light
from the star symbolizes the light of God.
Further inspection of the star reveals that it
is comprised of two triangles, one inverted,
the other erect. This is a common symbol
for male & female, or opposing/balancing
energies. In the context of the Hermit, this
symbol represents balance, and using
the energies together for the purpose of
spiritual advancement.
Key Questions:
Have you taken the time to simply be?
Are you able to be still? If not, why?
What is your level of awareness at this
moment?
X - WHEEL OF FORTUNE
Key Words:
Luck
Chance
Change
Destiny
Revolution
Consequence
Introduction:
As a whole, the Tarot system focuses on
personal responsibility. Meaning, the
underlying persuasion of each card places
the responsibility of life events squarely on
the individual. Were in charge of our lives,
and the consequences of our thoughts and
deeds shape our lives.
With that said, even the most ancient of
philosophies have to admit sometimes
things just happen and theres no way
to trace back a cause. Sometimes things
take place in our lives that appear to be
pure happenstance...dumb luck some
people call it. The Wheel of Fortune card
represents those events in our lives that
come out of nowhere. They come in the
form of unexpected surprises, a promotion
we werent needing/wanting/requesting
XI - JUSTICE
Key Words:
Truth
Balance
Justice
Equality
Congruence
Admission
Examination
Introduction:
Benjamin Disraeli, a British Prime Minister
and Novelist once said Justice is truth in
action. This is a perfect summary for the
Justice card. When we observe this card,
we see our lady Justice means business.
Her posture and demeanor express a nononsense aura - she takes no prisoners
- there are no excuses - no wishy washy
Key Symbols:
Legs: The Hanged man is dangling by his
left leg - our left appendages are symbols
of higher awareness. We also see the mans
legs cross in an odd formation one leg
straight and the other crossed at a right
angle. This is a symbol of a cross-roads that our thoughts have bubbled up to a
jumble that has got us stuck - we are at a
cross-roads and at a loss for decision. This
ties in with the Hanged Mans advice to
take no action. Rather, calm yourself, be
still, and yield to the situation - answers
will come when we take the time to be still.
Head: As mentioned earlier, there is no
expression of struggle or discomfort on
the Hanged Mans face. This is a process
of voluntary surrender, and he knows the
outcome will lead to benefit. Further, we
XIII - DEATH
Key Words:
Change
Exposure
Transition
Termination
Inevitability
Introduction:
All of us stop and shift in our seats when
we come upon the grim reaper. Many of
us equate death as an ending, like getting
called out of the game of life. Thankfully,
that is not what this card is about.
The Death card speaks of a major
conclusion in an area of our lives. Often
when this card shows up in a reading it
means the querent has had, or will have
transition?
XIV - TEMPERANCE
Key Words:
Merging
Balance
Healing
Blending
Connection
Chemistry
Fluidity
Moderation
Introduction:
So many of the Tarot cards (seemingly all
of them to one extent or another), deal
with balance and its importance in our
lives. Yes, certainly the Temperance Tarot
card meanings are about balance. But
spiritual drought.
Key Symbols:
Cups: The cups transferring the waters
here are a symbol of finding the right mix,
keeping in motion, and going with the flow.
The cups and the water have also been
thought as a biblical symbol reminiscent
of Christ turning water into wine. The
symbolism here is that we are able to
transform any situation into something
different by our tempering our thoughts
and actions in such a way as to bring about
the results we desire.
Feet: Feet are symbolic of a pilgrimage,
and make reference to our spiritual walk.
The right foot (consciousness) is dipped
into the water which is symbolic of the
subconscious. This is a signal that our
XV - DEVIL
Key Words:
Ego
Loss
Error
Addiction
Illusion
Disruption
Introduction:
The image of the Baphoment is a shock to
many. In a primarily suppressed society,
topics relating to the devil are not openly
discussed and illicit intense discomfort.
However, if we approach this card in an
open-minded, mature manner, we can
glean a mass of insight.
Before exploring this card further, take a
XVI - TOWER
Key Words:
Change
Eruption
Upheaval
Exposure
Cataclysm
Blind-sided
Sudden Shift
Introduction:
One look at this card and we know
something is afoot, and it doesnt look
Key Symbols:
Falling: Falling is a befitting way to convey
absolute loss of control. There is no railing
and no net to save us. When were freefalling theres not one thing that can
be done but fall and hope for the best
when we land. Most decks depict two
figures falling: A male who represents
conscious thought/action, and a female
who represents unconscious thought/
action. In this case, this is a symbol of
duality and opposition. The two figures
represnt conflicting thoughts and actions,
inevitably leading to an eruption. This
concept is at the crux of all the Tower Tarot
card meanings.
Fire: Fire is typically an agressive symbol.
It obliterates everything in its path, leaving
little semblance of the original landscape.
XVII - STAR
Key Words:
Hope
Promise
Healing
Guidance
Cleansing
Assurance
Ascencion
Rejuvination
Introduction:
Since as long as we have had eyes to see
we have lifted them upwards to the stars
for assurance and guidance. Winking back
at us, the stars signal comfort to us. By
their very design they instill wonder in
the deepest parts of our hearts, and allow
hope to spring forth.
me more?
Do I emit a presence of peace and harmony
to others?
What can I do to allow more tranquility
into my day?
Am I allowing peace and relaxation to flow
through my life?
What can I do to be more at ease with
myself and my surroundings?
Perplexity
Introduction:
No one is immune to the influence of the
moon. She is the mirror, reflecting back
the light that shines upon her. She is a
timepiece to the ancient movements of our
galaxy. She is the music that prompts the
ocean to dance. She is the illuminator of
our creative powers. Pretty intense, no?
This kind of intensity laces all of the Moon
Tarot card meanings. This is one of the few
cards that is a story in-and-of-itself, and
tells it from start to finish in one flash.
The story of this card begins with the
lobster (crawfish, or crab in other deck
renditions) which represents us and our
greatness or higher purpose/calling.
achievements?
What am I allowing to sway my judgment
are influence my decisions?
Have I strayed from my divine path? What
do I need to do to get back on track?
What steps can I take to silence those
yapping (nagging) thoughts that distract
me from my joy?
New Beginings
Breaking Through
Introduction:
Where the Moon may portray a subtle,
undercurrent of influence, there is no
subtlety with the Sun Tarot card. The sun
is pervasive in its power, blazing with its
message of vitality, and its presence in our
lives equates to life-giving energy.
The Sun is inevitable. We can always count
on it to rise each morning. Even if weve
had the most dark and dispairing night we
are able to derive confidence that this too
shall pass when we see the sun lifting over
the horizon.
Cultures have worshipped the sun over the
ages because it gives life. It allows crops to
Key Symbols:
Nudity: Weve seen nudity in the other
cards, and it always symbolizes freedom,
letting our guard down and allowing our
true nature to come forth. Nudity is the
ultimate form of expression. When we
drop our defenses, we make a way for all
the wonderful gifts the Universe has to
offer us. Nudity is a symbol of being able
to communicate our true nature without
fear. This further embodies the meaning of
this tarot card because it works hand-inhand with the vitality and clarity the sun
represents.
Flower: As the sunflower turns its face to
the light of the sun, so too does the face
of humanity turn to the light of Truth.
This is an adaptation of the motto held
by the science, philosophy and religion of
life?
Is there an area in my life I need
clarification?
Have I built some walls around my heart or
against others?
Am I allowing the highest and best energy
to flow through to me?
What would it take for me to expose my
true self and the beauty I represent?
Do I turn my face to things of truth, beauty
and vitality or do I mire in the mud?
XX - JUDGEMENT
Key Words:
Faith
Honesty
Judgment
Resurrection
Transformation
Heeding a Call
Introduction:
For many, the word judgment evokes
some very unsavory thoughts and
images. Its no wonder the term makes
some people cringe. For eons this term
has been associated with religious
misunderstanding and intolerance. Wars
are waged in the name of religion, and
Judgement is the battlefield.
Ironically, the reason for a religious
war can be skinned down to one mans
judgment against another mans religion.
Further pared, it could be said that one
man has judged that the other man should
have his religion, not anothers.
In the Christian faith, Judgment is
Key Questions:
What is my highest calling?
Is it time for a transformation in my life
Am I judging others or myself too harshly?
How can I raise myself out of a gloomy
situation?
Am I being honest about the way Im living
my life?
Am I listening to to my higher self and my
higher power?
Am I making sound judgment in this a
situation thats been on my mind lately?
Key Questions:
What is my ultimate desire?
Do I believe that now is my time for glory?
Am I ready to accept my highest
achievement?
How will I receive the accolades for my
hard work?
Can I envision the upcoming reward for my
toiling?
Do I have faith that all things are coming
together for my highest and best good?