Minor Arcana

Memorize the Minor Arcana cards, what they consist of, and their meanings

Minor Arcana Cards

• 56 cards

• Reflect practical daily lessons and events

• Significant moments of everyday lives

• Consists of the 4 suits and 4 court cards

Wands Suit

• Suit of creativity, action, and movement

• Enthusiasm

• Adventure

• Risk taking

• Confidence

• Element of fire

• Passionate

• Energy flows outward into action

Cups Suit

• Suit of emotions, relationships, and spiritual experience

• Describes inner states

• Element of water

• Energy flows inward to reflect emotions

• Sustain and reflect changing moods

Swords Suit

• Suit of intellect, thought, and reason

• Justice and truth

• Ethics

• Element of air

• Mental clarity

• Disharmony and unhappiness

• Intellect is an agent of ego that is easily lost from your inner guide

Pentacles Suit

• Suit of practicality, security, and material concerns

• Element of earth

• Celebrate nature

• Interact with plants, animals, and your physical body

• Prosperity and wealth

• Materialism

Ace Cards

• Announces the theme of the suit

• Always positive

• Represents the best that its suit has to offer

Middle Cards

• Cards II - IX

• Each card represents a different part of a suit

• Some cards have multiple interpretations of an idea (V of Pentacles can signify hard times, ill health, and rejection)

Ten Cards

• Concludes Ace card themes to their logical conclusion

• Embodies the full expression of the suit's energy, bringing the journey of the numbered cards to a resolution

Court Cards

• Represents people and personalities that reflect the suit qualities

• Shows ways of living that you can use or avoid when appropriate

• King cards are mature and masculine

• Queen cards are mature and feminine

• Knight cards are like an immature teenager

• Page cards are like a playful child

• Knight cards have both a positive and negative meanings

Ace of Wands

• Creative force

• Enthusiasm

• Confidence

• Courage

• Personal Power

• Planting a seed of a sudden urge of optimism or a need to act boldly

• An offer in the form of a gift, opportunity, event, movement, etc

• Take the risk

• A time of passion is beginning

• Conduit for inspiration and invention

II of Wands

• Personal power

• Boldness

• Originality

• Commanding attention or respect

• Risk taking

• Same energy as II - The Magician but more grounded and personal

• Be careful not to let your power control your intellect and empathy

• Can represent a power balance between people

• Take a look at your goals and reflect on how you choose to use your power

III of Wands

• Exploration

• Foresight and vision

• Leadership

• Gaining perspective

• Don’t react in the heat of the moment

• Dream beyond your current limitations

• Listen to your intuition about what is to come

• Accept and use your visions and foresight to lead others with confidence

• Similar to 0 - The Fool but more aware and less blinded by innocence

IV of Wands

• Celebration

• Excitement

• Freedom

• Events and experiences that will generate excitement

• Surprises and spontaneous thrills

• A planned celebration is in the near future (wedding, anniversary, birthday, etc)

• Represents the triumph after moving on or experiencing growth

• A sign to channel this energy during moments when you feel trapped

V of Wands

• Disagreement

• Competition

• Hassles

• Inconveniences

• Environment is working against you

• Need extra patience and effort

• Representative of a contest, race, game, etc

• Rivals challenging

• A sign to work toward cooperation if competition is divisive

VI of Wands

• Triumph and victory

• Acclaim

• Pride

• Counter part of VII - The Chariot

• Think of athletes, politicians, or champions stepping onto the podium

• Your work toward a goal is coming to success

• Do not let your ego lead you astray

• Keep feelings of superiority low

• Remind yourself of the temporary nature of fame

VII of Wands

• Aggression

• Defiance

• Conviction or fixed opinions

• Taking a stand

• The flow of battle (constant attack ←→ defend)

• Choose your battles wisely (decide if its worth the energy)

• Believe in yourself and have confidence in your values

• Have integrity

VIII of Wands

• Quick action

• Conclusion to a situation

• News and messages

• Think of Moses’ staff parting the sea

• The process of thinking before acting

• A signal that the time is now to make your move

• You will receive some important news so actively look for it

• It may be time to bring your actions to an end to reserve energy and start something else

IX of Wands

• Defensiveness

• Perseverence

• Stamina

• The tiredness after a battle

• Fighting to the finish line

• Proceed carefully and be aware of danger

• Don’t let your tiredness make you bitter

Experiences and wounds strengthen you

X of Wands

• Overextending

• Burdens

• Struggle

• Burnout

• Consumed by yours and others’ responsibilities

• You need to lighten the load and reach out for help

• Prioritize your well-being and health

• Life will be a temporary uphill battle

• Treat yourself with kindness as you take on the hill

Page of Wands

• Be creative

• Be enthusiastic

• Be confident

• Be courageous

• Messages of opportunities for passion

• Chances to experience creativity, courage, charm, and inspiration

• There will be opportunities to explore your talents, take dares, and experience excitement

• Someone you know or someone you will meet will bring a child-like high energy to your life

Knight of Wands

• Charming OR superficial

• Confident OR cocky

• Daring OR foolhardy

• Adventurous OR restless

• Passionate OR hotheaded

• Intelligent risk taking behavior

• Shallow and thoughtless

• Don’t expect a deep commitment (player behavior)

• Think of how this knight’s energy will serve you if you adopt his behavior in your daily life

• Is someone you know good for you or are you just attracted to their energy?

• Do you need to channel more confidence?

Queen of Wands

• Attractive energy

• Wholehearted

• Energetic

• Self-assured

• Lots of friends and admirers

• Cheerful

• Optimistic

• Busy

• May advise you to think and feel as she does

• There is someone in your life or someone you will meet who is full of energy and enthusiasm

King of Wands

• Creative

• Inspiring

• Forceful

• Charismatic

• Bold

• Fire energy x2

• Strives for originality

• Takes the lead if the opportunity arises

• Others follow him

• Avoids the easy route

• May advise you to take action like he would

• Someone you know or will meet is daring, exciting, and dramatic

Ace of Cups

• Emotional force (in tune with everyone’s emotions, including your own)

• intuition

• Intimacy

• Love

• Plants seed of emotional awareness that grow into attraction, strong feelings, intuition, or sympathy

• Chances of a gift, event, opportunity, and encounter where you will feel strongly

• Love is the main priority right now

• Strive for connection or forgiveness

• Follow your heart

II of Cups

• Connection

• Truce

• Attarction

• Lower equivalent to VI - The Lovers

• Potential for bonding with someone

• Union of any two entities

• Look for connections that are one-on-one

• Not the time to isolate or abandon

• Look for compromise and forgiveness during conflict

• Do not allow obsession and disharmony

III of Cups

• Exuberance/celebrating

• Friendship

• Community

• Think of the feelings experienced in group settings

• Coming together in love

• Bonding with communities

• Becoming a part of a group

• Give or receive help

• Take time to celebrate humanity to enhance joy and embrace positive energy

IV of Cups

• Self-absorbtion

• Apathy

• Introspection and taking pause

• Missing opportunities because you are too occupied with yourself

• Take time to rest and prioritize self care

• Loss of interest

• Depression

• Reflect to find motivation or a muse

• Emotionally stuck

V of Cups

• Loss

• Bereavement

• Regret

• Grief

• Focusing on what is lost instead of what you still have

• Regain thoughtfulness after taking time to heal

• Loss could be tangible or intangible

• Opportunity for growth

VI of Cups

• Good will

• Innocence in all aspects

• Childhood

• Nostalgia

• Safety in staying in the past

• Be kind, generous, and forgiving

• Be child-like and playful

• Recognize the strength in preparing for the future

VII of Cups

• Wishful thinking

• Options

• Dissipation and overindulging

• Letting go of responsibilities

• Sloppy, impractical, and lazy

• How controlled is your situation?

• Wishing is easy; don’t forget to work for your dreams too

• Too good to be true

VIII of Cups

• Deeper meaning

• Moving on

• Weariness

• The past is no longer serving you

• Let go of the relationship

• Search for deeper truth and a better situation

• Feelings of tiredness are a sign to let go

• Reexamine your life and choices

IX of Cups

• The wish card

• Wish fulfillment

• Satisfaction

• Sensual pleasure

• Pure indulgence and self-satisfaction

• Delight on the physical or personal level

• Do not indulge at the expense of others

X of Cups

• Joy

• Family

• Peace

• Symbol of ideal emotional life

• Joy is available but can be blocked by trials of life

• Harmony with yourself leads to harmony with your environment

• End of hostility

• Abundant blessings

• Work to restore peace within your family

Page of Cups

• Be emotional

• Be intuitive

• Be intimate

• Be loving

• Cupid card (opportunities for love)

• Chance to experience romance, deep feelings, and inner life

• Experiences may pull at your heartstrings

• When given a chance act on it

• A child or child-like person will bring you love and emotion

Knight of Cups

• Romantic OR overemotional

• Imaginative OR fanciful

• Sensitive OR temperamental

• Refined OR unrefined

• Introspective OR introverted

• Knight in shining armor

• Creates beauty and loves to share it

• Melodramatic and delusional

• What aspect of his energy is involved in your situation?

• Find a balance between the knight’s energy and yours

Queen of Cups

• Loving

• Tenderhearted

• Intuitive

• Psychic

• Spiritual

• Water energy x2

• Never quick to anger or impatience

• Soothing and calming

• May advise you to think and feel like her

• Someone will bring gentleness, acceptance, and love to you

King of Cups

• Wise

• Calm

• Diplomatic and balanced

• Caring

• Tolerant

• Understanding

• Others respond to his peacefulness

• May advise you to take action similar to how the king would

Ace of Swords

• Mental force

• Truth

• Justice

• Fortitude

• Reason

• Clarity

• Plants seed of clear understanding that grows into an idea, a desire for truth, a call to justice, or a need for honesty

• Face your challenges with courage, honesty, and a firm resolve

• Be honest and ethical

• Personal power and the suffering that comes with it (two-edged sword)

• Potential to bring personal power to a situation

II of Swords

• Blocked emotions

• Avoidance

• Stalemate

• Not accepting truths

• Do not fear the pain of learning something previously unknown

• Ignorance makes you blind to the truths and dangers of life

• Sew back the parts of your heart that you’ve cut away and severed

• Break the silence during a conflict and be vulnerable

• You have all the power you need and the ability to use it, but you just lack the knowledge of how to use it

III of Swords

• Heartbreak

• Loneliness

• Betrayal

• WARNING card (there is something wrong that you are missing

• Thoughts of hurting someone else

• Forgive and forget or move on/away

• Plans may not come as you thought they would

• All of your expectations have disappointed you

IV of Swords

• Rest

• Contemplation

• Quiet preparedness

• Peace and stillness

• Presents the challenge to be quiet and unheard

• Slow down and observe

• Risk of illness

• Shifting focus from the external to the internal

• Action will come easier after resting

• Aftermath of hardwork

• Put aside your power and rest

V of Swords

• Self-interest

• Discord (hostility and battle)

• Open dishonor

• Examine your definition of self and what it means to you

• Forgetting to view yourself as a part of the larger whole

• Defining interest too narrowly

• Need to put yourself first, but be aware of neglecting others

• Consider what is best for everyone before taking action, especially if it benefits you

• A glimpse into what could happen when using personal power (loss)

• Power isn’t always successful; success may belong to someone else

VI of Swords

• Feeling blue/low level of sadness

• Recovery

• Travel

• Nothing is wrong or right; numbness

• Beginning to pick yourself up again after conflict

• Moving to a new place even if you are not ready or eager

• Change of scenery (physical or mental)

• Moving forward in non ideal circumstances

VII of Swords

• Running away

• The desire to be a lone wolf

• Hidden dishonor/diceit

• Feel that life would be easier on your own

• Community is crucial, but breaking from bad people may be needed

• Running from work, commitment, love, responsibilities, etc.

• Procrastination

• A choice has been made that does not prioritize justice

VIII of Swords

• Restrictions

• Confusion

• Powerlessness

• Lost and alone

• Heading toward a situation that lacks freedom and choice

• Feels suffocating, but it is important to push through

• Remember your abilities even when you feel trapped

• Not entirely bound or restricted; just the illusion

• Find clarity with thought and purpose

IX of Swords

• Worry

• Guilt

• Anguish

• Anxiety

• Regret

• Confined by fears and doubts from past mistakes

• Momentary moment of pain in life

• Warning about the path you are currently taking

• Depending on your approach, this could be used constructively

X of Swords

• Bottoming out/rock bottom

• Victim mentality

• Martyrdom

• No way left to go but up

• Sacrificing with the expectation of getting something in return

• Carries heavier depending on the circumstances

Page of Swords

• Use your mind

• Be truthful

• Be just

• Have fortitude

• Challenges that bring growth

• Embrace difficulties to become stronger

• Childlike person will bring truth, ethics, and discouragement (maybe a troubled relationship)

• Learning

• Discovery

• Mental activities

Knight of Swords

• Direct OR blunt

• Authoritative OR overbearing

• Incisive OR cutting

• Knowledgeable OR opinionated

• Logical OR unfeeling

• Master of logic and reasoning

• Air energy x2

• Clear and objective

• Not a master of diplomacy/sympathy

• Rude and superior behavior

• You need to balance your energy with the knight’s

• Think if you might need to settle your emotions or get more in touch with them

Queen of Swords

• Honest

• Astute (difficult to fool)

• Forthright

• Witty

• Experienced

• Sees through lies but does not condemn those who tell them

• Never harmful

• Loves humor and embraces fun

• You need to think and feel like her

• Someone who is honest, direct, communicative, and funny may enter your life

King of Swords

• Intellectual

• Analytical

• Articulate

• Just

• Ethical

• Problem solver

• Brings lucidity and reason to people

• Truthful and reliable

• You need to take action like him

• Someone with reason, honesty, and high standards may enter your life

Ace of Pentacles

• Material force

• Prosperity

• Practicality

• Trust

• Abundance

• Security

• Groundedness

• Plants a seed of productivity that grows centeredness, a desire for results, or a need for focus on practical matters

• No time for fantasizing

• Common sense

• Ideas are ready and tangible

• Potential for wealth

II of Pentacles

• Juggling

• Flexibility

• Fun

• Grace and effectiveness

• Handling unlimited problems/multitasking

• Ready to take on multiple challenges with balanced resolve

• Relish the challenge and excitement

• Believe in yourself and channel confidence

• Find the joy in challenges

• Inability to receive help in times of chaos

• Have to navigate how to build partnership amongst chaos

III of Pentacles

• Teamwork

• Planning

• Competence

• Task-oriented group work

• Need help from others to achieve goals

• Do not rush into action/projects

• Do your research

• You have the skills and knowledge, you just need to plan accordingly

• Be proud of your accomplishments and how you got there

• Mastery that is unique to you will put you in a beneficial/superior position

IV of Pentacles

• Possessiveness

• Control

• Blocked change

• Desire for control

• Stifling creativity and individual expression

• Weigh your control of the situation

• Preserve and defend, not lay claim

• Opposition may come to people who want to keep the status quo; let change happen

• Total control is impossible

• Hard work creates the desire to keep accomplishments secure, but can lead to greed

V of Pentacles

• Hard times

• Ill health

• Rejection/seclusion

• What it’s like to be without

• Lack of health/neglecting your body’s needs

• Material/economic lack

• Comfort is close, but has gone unseen

• Poverty, illness, destitution

• Carry on and do not linger in your sadness

VI of Pentacles

• Having/not having:

  • Resources

  • Knowledge

  • Power

• Giving/receiving

• Domination/submitting

• What does it mean to have? (materially and immaterially)

• You need to look deeper into why you have what you have, who gave it to you, who is in charge, and what there intentions are

VII of Pentacles

• Assessment

• Reward

• Direction change

• Stopping to look at your accomplishments after a rush

• Ask/assess yourself

  • Are you still on course?

  • Are you getting the results you wanted?

• Take the unfamiliar path to get new results

• Only a temporary pause to assess your current state

VIII of Pentacles

• Diligence

• Knowledge

• Detail

• Learning a new skill(s)

• External knowledge; opposite of IX

• The how and why of the material world

• Desire to learn

• Meticulous attention to detail

• Nit-picker

• Extra effort has rewards

IX of Pentacles

• Discipline

• Self-reliance

• Refinement

• Civilized high-mind

• Possible interest in the finer things of life (art, music, dancing, singing, etc)

• Control your “shadow” self and impulses that don’t benefit you

• Trust your own abilities

• Do not solely rely on others

X of Pentacles

• Affluence/abundance

• Permanence

• Convention

• Ultimate worldly success

• “Fat and happy”

• The results of your latest plans will be successful and wealthy

• Maintain the status quo/conservatism

• Stability is needed to keep a happy life

• Too much or too sudden change is bad right now

Page of Pentacles

• Have an effect

• Be Practical

• Be prosperous

• Be trusting and trustworthy

• Opportunities of prosperity

• Earth energy x2

• Experience wealth, abundance, security, and achievement

• Promises of enrichment, comfort, and chance to make dreams real

• Childlike person who is stable, trustworthy, committed, safe, and providing may come into your life

Knight of Pentacles

• Unwavering OR stubborn

• Cautious OR unadventurous

• Thorough OR obsessive

• Realistic OR pessimistic

• Hard working OR grinding

• Doesn’t stop until goals are achieved

• No sense of humor

• Work always comes first

• You need to find a balance in the knight’s energy and yours

• You may be spending too much money

• You may be giving up too soon

Queen of Pentacles

• Nurturing

• Bighearted

• Down to earth

• Resourceful

• Trustworthy

• Welcoming

• Care for others

• Takes care of business

• Soothing

• You need to think and feel like her

• Someone who is warm, trustworthy, and secure may enter your life

King of Pentacles

• Enterprising/resourceful

• Adept

• Reliable

• Supportive

• Steady

• King midas-like

• Successful

• Jack-of-all-trades

• You need to take action like him

• Someone who is steady, reliable, and competent may come into your life