Tarot Knowledge Base
Tarot card meanings are often presented as fixed definitions, as if every card carries a single message that applies to everyone in the same way. In real life, Tarot doesn’t work like that. Cards respond to context, emotion, timing, and the question being asked. That’s why you’ll find so many conflicting interpretations online, and why Tarot can feel confusing for beginners and surprisingly shallow when treated as a list of keywords.
This knowledge base exists to explain how tarot card meanings actually work in practice. These interpretations are not theoretical or copied from reference manuals. They come from decades of reading for real people, across relationships, work, identity shifts, and moments of uncertainty where a simple answer was never enough. A Tarot card speaks differently depending on who is asking, what they are facing, and how open they are to the message it brings.
How to use this page
Start with the Major Arcana if you want the big life themes, or jump to a suit if you’re reading day-to-day situations.
Rather than telling you what a card “must” mean, this guide helps you understand what each card represents, how its symbolism operates, and why its meaning can change from reading to reading. Whether you’re new to Tarot or returning to deepen your understanding, the goal here is clarity, not mystique. Tarot becomes most powerful when it reflects your situation honestly, without drama or guesswork.
Use this Tarot card meanings knowledge base as a reference, a learning tool, or a place to ground your own readings. And if you’d prefer to experience these meanings in action, you can explore spoken and interactive Tarot readings elsewhere on the site, where interpretation becomes a conversation rather than a definition.
Major Arcana
Tarot Card Meanings
The Greater Secrets, ‘The Fool’s Journey’, we follow The Fool as he encounters each Trump card that represent the stages of a person’s existence. The Major Arcana are undoubtedly the most powerful messages of the Tarot and reflect major life events and challenges to personal development. Whenever a reading comprises a high proportion of Major Arcana cards, you can be sure that big decisions are going to need to be made.
Tarot Rehab
Visit my dedicated Tarot Rehab page for more details or step inside each card by selecting from the list below
TarotRehab
Fortune Machine
Minor Arcana
Tarot Card Meanings
To begin your conversation with the Tarot dive in & start to absorb the meanings of the four suits and their corresponding symbols. The Wands, Pentacles, Cups and Swords of the Tarot deck have in their structure similarities to a traditional deck of playing cards. Each of these cards has developed to represent situations in a persons life or qualities or ‘characters’ within that persons existence.
Suit of Wands
Tarot Card Meanings
The creative powerhouse of the Tarot Minor Arcana, The suit of Wands.
The Suit of Wands is the suit of manifesting creativity through hard work, yes the cards portray the need for hard work and commitment to back those burning ideas up, but even the cards that warn of potential challenges come imbued with the fire-in-the-belly kind of grit it takes to overcome challenges & truly create your own reality.
Tarot card meanings - Select Your Card
Suit of Cups
Tarot Card Meanings
The fabulous emotional roller coaster of the Tarot suit of Cups.
In the Tarot, the suit of Cups is associated with matters of relationships and emotions. Connected to the element of water, and the direction of West. In some Tarot decks referred to as Goblets, or Chalices. This suit is where love and interactions are the focus. Considered the luckiest of the four suits if you reveal a spread of cups cards your reading will be predominantly positive.
Tarot card meanings - Select Your Card
Suit of Swords
Tarot Card Meanings
The Suit of Swords, the embodiment of the element of Air that represents thought & intelligence.
The swords are the mirrors of the subconscious & represent the development of opinions & beliefs. Usually associated with potential they can often indicate an affinity with spring & can be represented by Aquarius, Libra & Gemini astrologically.
Tarot card meanings - Select Your Card
Suit of Pentacles
Tarot Card Meanings
The Suit of Pentacles, build on the foundations, manifest your desires.
The suit of materialism, finance and economic security, Pentacles are about money, wealth and resources. It is also the suit of values, principles and career. The underlying message of the Pentacles is that we must learn the basic ground rules, before we can begin to build on our dreams.
Tarot card meanings - Select Your Card
Tarot Card Meanings
Initially learning the Tarot can seem incredibly daunting. The Major Arcana, The Minor Arcana, The Suits & the Court Cards. Learning each section can seem overwhelming. I stepped inside each card as I developed my own deck that you can see on these pages. My deck was based on the iconic Rider Waite deck. I absorbed each of the 78 cards as I created them. If possible designing your own deck is undoubtedly the best way to memorise all of the nuances & spiritual lessons contained in this most amazing oracle. The other top tip to learn the Tarot is to embed an image from each card in your mind & every time it turns up connect another image to it. So for example with The Fool card you could visualise the Fool being bitten on the backside by his dog & then jumping over the cliff. I personally find visual imagery the easiest way to embed the cards in my memory. This is also useful if you use different decks, as long as the visual language is the same you can step in to a new deck with ease.
Tarot Card Meanings: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Tarot card meanings knowledge base?
A Tarot card meanings knowledge base is a structured reference that explains the symbolism, themes, and interpretations of all 78 Tarot cards. Rather than offering rigid definitions, it shows how meanings shift depending on the question asked, the position of the card, and the surrounding cards in a reading.
Are Tarot card meanings fixed or open to interpretation?
Tarot card meanings are not fixed. Each card has core themes, but the message changes with context. A card can express challenge, support, timing, or inner motivation depending on the situation. This is why experienced readers don’t memorise keywords, they read patterns and relationships between cards.
What is the difference between the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana?
The Major Arcana reflects significant life themes such as identity, purpose, change, and spiritual growth. These cards often mark turning points. The Minor Arcana deals with everyday experiences, choices, emotions, and practical matters, showing how life unfolds on a day-to-day level.
Do reversed Tarot cards change the meaning?
Reversed cards don’t automatically mean the opposite of the upright meaning. They often suggest inner blocks, delays, misalignment, or energies that are still forming. Some readers use reversals, others don’t, but either approach works when the overall message of the spread is considered carefully.
How should beginners use Tarot card meanings when reading?
Beginners benefit most from learning the story and symbolism of each card rather than memorising lists. Paying attention to images, emotions, and recurring themes helps develop intuition naturally. Over time, meanings become instinctive rather than learned.
Can Tarot card meanings help with love, career, and life decisions?
Yes. Tarot meanings provide insight into emotional patterns, motivations, external influences, and possible outcomes. They don’t replace personal choice, but they can highlight what’s being overlooked, helping you make more informed and emotionally aligned decisions.
How do I know if I need a personal Tarot reading instead of self-interpretation?
Self-reading works well for reflection, but when emotions are intense or decisions feel overwhelming, outside perspective helps. A personal reading can clarify blind spots and patterns that are hard to see when you’re deeply involved in the situation.
