| The Tarot Deck From: The Tarot Workshop Offered by: Ingrid Jeffries |
The Tarot is a book of knowledge and wisdom portrayed in pictures and symbols.
Traditional decks have 76 cards and are divided up into two categories called the major and
minor arcana.
The Major Arcana: Consists of 22 cards depicting the archetypal lessons and aspects of being
human. They portray the great mysteries of life and the roles we are to required to play on our
road to greater understanding and wisdom. The major arcana teaches us about our soul
lessons and depicts the path of spiritual evolution. It also can indicate the querent’s spiritual
position or awareness.
Basic Guideline: When there is a predominance of majors in a layout there can be a fated
quality to the situation or question and/ or a greater degree of protection occurring.
The Minor Arcana: Consists of 56 cards which are divided up into 4 suites of 14 cards each,
numbered from the ace to court cards or Royalty symbols. Each suit deals with one main aspect
of your being: spirit, mind, emotions and body.
¨ They also represent:
¨ The four elements of: Fire, Water, Air and Earth
¨ The seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter
¨ The twelve astrological signs
¨ The four directions: North, South, East and West
Basic Guideline: They portray the everyday struggles and pleasures, which make life interesting
The Suits of the Minor Arcana
The Four Suits are known as: *
Swords a.k.a. spades, crystals, arrows, knives, represent the mental consciousness,
thinking * different decks often have variations on the names of a suit
Can provide information regarding; conflicts, challenges, tactics and strategies
¨ Elemental association: Air Season: Summer Direction: South
¨ Astrological Sign Correlation: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
The suit of Swords is connected to mental development, power, action courage and obstacles
that need to be overcome. Their divinatory implication is related to challenges.
Key image: The mind is a sword that can cut through ignorance, slay yourself or others. It
pierces and penetrates.
Wands a.k.a. clubs, rods, batons, pipes, staves represent growth, inspiration, action, creativity,
ambition and spirituality
Can provide information regarding; work and career
¨ Elemental association: Fire Season: Spring Direction: East
¨ Astrological Sign Correlation: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
The suit of Wands is connected to life force energy, enthusiasm, self- confidence, actions, and
realization of power.
Key image: We are a channel (wand—spinal cord) of energy expressing our spirit in life. Just
like a tree we grow and change.
Cups a.k.a. hearts, bowls, etc. represent the heart, emotions and devotion
Can provide information regarding pleasures, love and friendship
¨ Elemental association: Water Season: Fall Direction: West
¨ Astrological Sign Correlation: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
The suit of Cups is connected to emotions and instincts. It represents situations that are
associated with love and fulfillment. This suit can also indicate our unconscious motives.
Key image: Cups hold water and water represents the ebb and flow of our feelings / emotions.
Full cups represent emotional fulfillment; dry cups represent emotional depression.
Pentacles a.k.a. diamonds,disks, stones represent physical resources, practical skills and the
external world
Can provide information in regards to money and finance
¨ Elemental association: Earth Season: Winter Direction: North
¨ Astrological Sign Correlation: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
The suit of Pentacles is connected to material and financial security. It depicts those issues or
someone who is resourceful, practical and reliable.
Key image: The Pentacle or pentagram is the symbol of man. It represents what wo/man values
and our ability to shape our world.
Basic Guidelines: When a suit is predominant in a reading it will carry the theme of the reading
The Court or Royalty Cards
The court or Royalty cards; Page, Knight, Queen and King (with varying designations according
to different authors and decks) are representative of mastery. The suit of each card will
represent the level of consciousness the mastery is occurring at. For example, Swords always
indicate activity that is occurring on the mental level of consciousness; Cups reveal emotional
expressions of consciousness; Wands are symbols for creative and spiritual aspects of
consciousness; and Pentacles are representative of physical realities—health, finances,
relationships, creativity and career.
The suit of the Royalty card (Cup, Sword, Wand, Pentacle) will indicate the level of
consciousness where the mastery is occurring and /or being demonstrated. Besides mastery,
these symbols can also indicate important people in our lives who function as outer mirrors of
our own levels of mastery.
¨ Kings and Queens of any suit will indicate older mastery or mastery that has occurred for
some time
¨ Pages or Knights of any suit will indicate mastery that is new
¨ Male figures represent consciousness that is expanding
¨ Female figures represent consciousness that is in centered and in the process of
deepening
Pages, child, princess etc. whether describing a situation or a person there is the element of
being recently begun or met. It can also represent a child or a message.
¨ Corresponds to the earth element—growth
Knights,princes, etc whether describing a situation or a person there is the element of dynamic
action involved. If it represents a person, it will be someone who is youthful, energetic and
questing or adventuresome.
¨ Corresponds to the fire element—action
Queens, etc represent important women in the Querent’s life. They may also represent a
particular aspect of the Querent’s personality at the time of the reading.
¨ Correspondes to the water element—reflection
Kings, etc can represent an important man or an aspect of the querents personality that must
be developed, harnessed or controlled. King’s are always considered cards that relate to
power.
¨ Corresponds to the air element—distinguish
Traditional decks have 76 cards and are divided up into two categories called the major and
minor arcana.
The Major Arcana: Consists of 22 cards depicting the archetypal lessons and aspects of being
human. They portray the great mysteries of life and the roles we are to required to play on our
road to greater understanding and wisdom. The major arcana teaches us about our soul
lessons and depicts the path of spiritual evolution. It also can indicate the querent’s spiritual
position or awareness.
Basic Guideline: When there is a predominance of majors in a layout there can be a fated
quality to the situation or question and/ or a greater degree of protection occurring.
The Minor Arcana: Consists of 56 cards which are divided up into 4 suites of 14 cards each,
numbered from the ace to court cards or Royalty symbols. Each suit deals with one main aspect
of your being: spirit, mind, emotions and body.
¨ They also represent:
¨ The four elements of: Fire, Water, Air and Earth
¨ The seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter
¨ The twelve astrological signs
¨ The four directions: North, South, East and West
Basic Guideline: They portray the everyday struggles and pleasures, which make life interesting
The Suits of the Minor Arcana
The Four Suits are known as: *
Swords a.k.a. spades, crystals, arrows, knives, represent the mental consciousness,
thinking * different decks often have variations on the names of a suit
Can provide information regarding; conflicts, challenges, tactics and strategies
¨ Elemental association: Air Season: Summer Direction: South
¨ Astrological Sign Correlation: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
The suit of Swords is connected to mental development, power, action courage and obstacles
that need to be overcome. Their divinatory implication is related to challenges.
Key image: The mind is a sword that can cut through ignorance, slay yourself or others. It
pierces and penetrates.
Wands a.k.a. clubs, rods, batons, pipes, staves represent growth, inspiration, action, creativity,
ambition and spirituality
Can provide information regarding; work and career
¨ Elemental association: Fire Season: Spring Direction: East
¨ Astrological Sign Correlation: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
The suit of Wands is connected to life force energy, enthusiasm, self- confidence, actions, and
realization of power.
Key image: We are a channel (wand—spinal cord) of energy expressing our spirit in life. Just
like a tree we grow and change.
Cups a.k.a. hearts, bowls, etc. represent the heart, emotions and devotion
Can provide information regarding pleasures, love and friendship
¨ Elemental association: Water Season: Fall Direction: West
¨ Astrological Sign Correlation: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
The suit of Cups is connected to emotions and instincts. It represents situations that are
associated with love and fulfillment. This suit can also indicate our unconscious motives.
Key image: Cups hold water and water represents the ebb and flow of our feelings / emotions.
Full cups represent emotional fulfillment; dry cups represent emotional depression.
Pentacles a.k.a. diamonds,disks, stones represent physical resources, practical skills and the
external world
Can provide information in regards to money and finance
¨ Elemental association: Earth Season: Winter Direction: North
¨ Astrological Sign Correlation: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
The suit of Pentacles is connected to material and financial security. It depicts those issues or
someone who is resourceful, practical and reliable.
Key image: The Pentacle or pentagram is the symbol of man. It represents what wo/man values
and our ability to shape our world.
Basic Guidelines: When a suit is predominant in a reading it will carry the theme of the reading
The Court or Royalty Cards
The court or Royalty cards; Page, Knight, Queen and King (with varying designations according
to different authors and decks) are representative of mastery. The suit of each card will
represent the level of consciousness the mastery is occurring at. For example, Swords always
indicate activity that is occurring on the mental level of consciousness; Cups reveal emotional
expressions of consciousness; Wands are symbols for creative and spiritual aspects of
consciousness; and Pentacles are representative of physical realities—health, finances,
relationships, creativity and career.
The suit of the Royalty card (Cup, Sword, Wand, Pentacle) will indicate the level of
consciousness where the mastery is occurring and /or being demonstrated. Besides mastery,
these symbols can also indicate important people in our lives who function as outer mirrors of
our own levels of mastery.
¨ Kings and Queens of any suit will indicate older mastery or mastery that has occurred for
some time
¨ Pages or Knights of any suit will indicate mastery that is new
¨ Male figures represent consciousness that is expanding
¨ Female figures represent consciousness that is in centered and in the process of
deepening
Pages, child, princess etc. whether describing a situation or a person there is the element of
being recently begun or met. It can also represent a child or a message.
¨ Corresponds to the earth element—growth
Knights,princes, etc whether describing a situation or a person there is the element of dynamic
action involved. If it represents a person, it will be someone who is youthful, energetic and
questing or adventuresome.
¨ Corresponds to the fire element—action
Queens, etc represent important women in the Querent’s life. They may also represent a
particular aspect of the Querent’s personality at the time of the reading.
¨ Correspondes to the water element—reflection
Kings, etc can represent an important man or an aspect of the querents personality that must
be developed, harnessed or controlled. King’s are always considered cards that relate to
power.
¨ Corresponds to the air element—distinguish
