The following collection of notes on tarot and numerology is by no means comprehensive or well-organized. It is my own magpie collection of curiosities and shiny insights into the craft.
If you are interested in well-researched, mind-bending scholarship, I recommend Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack.
The Four Suits
Earth - Pentacles
Work, money, growth, luxury, the material
Physical plane - winter, midnight
Clock: years, north
Season: cold, dry
Astrology: taurus, virgo, capricorn
Air - Swords
Communication, logic, ideas, knowledge, conflict
Mental plane - spring, dawn
Clock: days, east
Season: warm, moist
Astrology: gemini, libra, aquarius
Fire - Wands
Passion, creativity, action, intuition, desire
Spiritual plane - summer, noon
Clock: weeks, south
Season: warm, dry
Astrology: aries, leo, sagittarius
Water - Cups
Relationships, psyche, feelings, dreams, heart
Emotional plane - autumn, dusk
Clock: months, west
Season: cold, moist
Astrology: cancer, scorpio, pisces
Major Arcana
0 - 21
There are 22 Major Arcana cards numbered from 0 to 21. They represent the archetypal themes or spiritual lessons that will play out during your journey through life. Starting with the Fool (the journeyer who will traverse the rest of the map/the “soul in search of experience”), the Major Arcana cards progress in sequence, and they describe the story of one whole life.
From the Magician through the Chariot, we find classic themes associated with traditional human development—for example, mother and father (Empress and Emperor). With the Hierophant, the seeker branches out into society through school, church, nation-states. And the Lovers points to adolescence, how we form our relationships with friends and lovers. The Chariot represents arriving at young adulthood and a relatively set sense of self-identity.
From Strength to Temperance, we see the seeker delving into deeper self-exploration and maturity. The Wheel of Fortune illustrates the inevitable forward march of time: destiny, luck, fate, free will, etc.. The Hanged Man offers an unconventional perspective, helping the seeker realize that their belief system is not the only valid belief system. Death teaches us about physical death, but also transformation and endings.
And from the Devil to the World, we encounter larger universal themes. We start to explore our place in the cosmos and a greater sense of purpose. Chaos (The Tower), hope (The Star), shadow, light, dreams, joy, moon, sun. Finally, with Judgement, we reach a deep understanding that our lives have meaning. With the World, we experience integration, where all life’s contradictions dance together as a perfectly imperfect whole.
Court Cards
King
Father, shaman, husband
Social responsibility, power
Of the 16 Court Cards, the four Kings are the “outwardly mature adults” of their respective suits. The King projects the energy of his suit outwards, imposing it on the world. He leads through action and by setting external guidelines.
Altogether, the 16 Court Cards can reflect either the seeker (you) or people that influence the seeker’s life (your bosses, relatives, friends, love interests, enemies).
Queen
Mother, goddess, wife
Internal embodiment of values, creativity
Of the 16 Court Cards, the four Queens are the “inwardly mature adults” of their respective suits. The queen embodies the traits of her suit and radiates that energy from the inside out. She leads by example, through her intentions and beliefs.
Knight
Son, brother, horse, stranger
Action, responsibility to others
The four Knights are the “teenagers” of their respective suits. Knights are prone to shift erratically within the suit’s energy—sometimes showcasing that energy in proactive ways, the next moment in unbalanced ways.
Page
Daughter, sister, sprite, jester
Study, exploration
The four Pages are the “youngest” of their respective suits. Pages have an explorative, playful relationship with the suit’s energies. She may still have a lot to learn about the suit, but on the other hand, she often interacts with the suit in fresh and unbiased ways.
Pip Cards
Ten
Leadership, determination, confidence, independence, integrating a new cycle or beginning
Nine
Completion, endings, accomplishment, transition, understanding, service, compromise
Eight
Power, authority, strength, organization, action, movement, control, energy, manifesting, constraint
Seven
Spirituality, desire, perception, inner awareness, trials, tests, insight, success, mastery, wisdom, perseverance
Six
Harmony, resolution, respite, appreciation, loyalty, responsibility, self-sacrifice, equilibrium, diplomacy
Five
Change, uncertainty, instability, loss, realignment, inconsistency, freedom, travel, conflict
Four
Structure, foundation, consolidation, realization, balance, stable situations, planning, rigidity
Three
Trinity, harmony, birth, expansion, creation, advancement, enthusiasm, release, union, collaboration, growth
Two
Union, balance, duality, partnership, unification, choices, opposition, reflection, diversity
One
Seed, essence, root, beginnings, initiation, leadership, self, courage, willpower