People have used tarot cards for spiritual insight for hundreds of years. Beyond their beautiful pictures, these cards use symbols that speak to our deeper mind. Many symbols appear across different cards, creating a special language that connects the entire deck.
First, you don’t need to know all these symbols if you are just starting with Tarot. Cards speak to us in the language we can perceive, and the more you learn, the more detailed divinations you will get. Secondly, start with brief explanations, like the ones we give in this article, to avoid getting confused with multi-layer symbol explanations.
The Language of Colour
The colours in tarot cards aren’t just for beauty – each colour has its own meaning and energy.
- Red shows passion, action, and energy. When red is the main colour in a card, it points to strong emotions, physical energy, or the need to take action. Cards like The Emperor and Strength use red to show courage and personal power.
- Blue connects to peace, intuition, and emotional depth. The High Priestess, often wearing blue, uses this colour to show her link to hidden knowledge and the quiet wisdom inside us.
- Yellow highlights thinking and awareness. Cards filled with yellow light, like The Sun, speak to mental clarity, spiritual awakening, and the power of focused thought.
- Green represents growth, healing, and wealth. The Empress, surrounded by green nature, reminds us of earth’s gifts and how physical health supports spiritual growth.
- Purple shows mystery and spiritual connection. When purple appears, as in The Magician’s clothes, it points to transformation, magical potential, and connection to higher wisdom.
The Four Elements: Basic Building Blocks
The four elements provide a simple framework for understanding Tarot, with each element connecting to one of the tarot suits.
- Water (linked to Cups) shows emotions, intuition, and the flowing nature of feelings. Water in cards suggests relationships, dreams, and spiritual openness. Cards with water invite us to explore our feelings and trust our inner wisdom.
- Fire (linked to Wands) shows transformation, creativity, and life energy. Fire appears when cards speak of inspiration, passion, goals, or necessary change. The Tower’s lightning and The Sun’s rays both show fire’s power to transform.
- Earth (linked to Pentacles) connects us to physical reality, practical matters, and material concerns. Earth symbols remind us that spiritual wisdom must show up in our daily lives through work, health, and our connection to nature.
- Air (linked to Swords) relates to thought, communication, and mental activity. Air in cards suggests mental challenges, important decisions, or new ways of seeing that clear away confusion.
Does it feel like too much to remember? Do you want a profound divination without a necessity to study all these meanings? Address professional readers at TarotAtlas, and get a custom online tarot reading that will answer the questions that come from your heart and your life situation.
Animal Guides in the Tarot
Animals appear in the tarot as spiritual messengers, each bringing special wisdom.
- The lion, shown in the Strength card, represents courage, not just for facing outside challenges but also for facing our own fears. The lion teaches that true strength combines power with kindness.
- The snake represents wisdom, healing, and transformation. When a snake appears, it signals the shedding of old patterns and appears at times of personal renewal.
- Birds fly through many tarot images, offering freedom and perspective. Eagles show clear vision and spiritual goals, while doves bring messages of peace. Birds suggest rising above problems to see the bigger picture.
- The butterfly perfectly shows the transformation.
Celestial Influences
The Sun, Moon, and stars in the Tarot connect the human experience to the wider universe.
- The Sun radiates life, clarity, and enlightenment. Sun imagery brings messages of success, truth discovered, and the joy of living honestly. The Sun card reminds us that after every dark night comes a new day.
- The Moon lights up the mysterious and unconscious parts of life. Moon imagery suggests hidden influences, emotional depths, and the importance of trusting what we feel but cannot clearly see. The Moon card teaches us to follow our intuition when reason isn’t enough.
- Stars offer guidance, hope, and divine connection. Unlike the full light of the Sun, stars give just enough light to find our way through darkness. Stars remind us that even in hard times, guidance remains if we look up.
Symbolic Objects and Their Meanings
Certain objects appear regularly in the tarot, creating connections between different cards.
- Cups/Chalices hold emotions, intuition, and spiritual fulfillment. These vessels appear during emotionally important moments, meaningful relationships, and spiritual connections. An upright cup receives blessings, while an overturned cup may show emotional loss.
- Swords cut through illusion with their sharp edges. These double-edged tools can both protect and wound, representing how truth can both free us and challenge us. Swords appear when clarity, conflict, or decisive thinking is needed.
- Wands/Staffs channel creative energy and spiritual power. These living branches connect the earth to the sky, showing our ability to direct energy toward our goals. Wands appear at moments of inspiration, growth, and purposeful action.
- Pentacles/Coins bring spiritual energy into material form. These round objects represent abundance, physical health, and the sacred nature of everyday life. Pentacles remind us that spiritual wisdom must show up in how we live.
- Keys unlock potential and open new paths. When a key appears in Tarot, it suggests access to hidden knowledge, new opportunities, or solutions becoming available to those who keep looking.
- Books preserve knowledge across generations. Books suggest study, recording important events, or accessing ancient wisdom. An open book invites learning, while a closed one may hold secrets not yet revealed.
The Sacred Mathematics of Numbers
Numbers create patterns throughout the tarot, with each number carrying specific qualities.
- One marks beginnings, potential, and individual creation. Cards numbered one (like The Magician) represent conscious choice, focused will, and the start of new cycles.
- Three creates expression through the interaction of different forces. Cards numbered three (like The Empress) speak to growth, creative teamwork, and the joy of bringing things into reality.
- Seven bridges are spiritual and material reality. Cards with seven often appear at spiritual turning points or moments of reflection before taking further action.
- Nine completes cycles with the wisdom gained through experience. Nine represents fulfillment, integration of lessons, and the highest point of development before a new level begins.
Conclusion
The real power of tarot comes when we see how these symbols work together within specific cards. Just as words gain meaning from their place in a sentence, tarot symbols speak most clearly when read in relationship to each other.
While these traditional symbol meanings provide helpful starting points, a good tarot reading balances knowledge with personal intuition. The symbols described here create a foundation, but your unique relationship with these images adds important layers of meaning that make each reading personal.
By learning this symbolic language, you transform tarot reading from simple fortune-telling into a rich practice of spiritual insight and personal growth: a conversation between your conscious mind and the more profound wisdom shown in these ancient images.
