Lesson 7 Card Meanings and Cautions
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Every card in the tarot deck carries both good and bad symbolism and meaning. I refer to the “bad” as cautions to take some of the emotional load out of the idea. So how do you know if the card is giving you a positive or cautionary meaning? That’s where intuition, the other cards in your spread, and context come in. That’s also why I find journaling such a helpful way to build confidence in my ability to read the cards. Sometimes you get it wrong! It’s ok. But having a record of that to look back on and reflect will help you grow.
Reversed cards in a tarot spread
There are lots of different approaches to reversed cards and I encourage you to try them all and see what works best for you and your deck.
Read the cards as if they are all upright
Treat reversed cards as if they are diluted, slightly less potent versions of their upright selves.
Give reversed cards the opposite meaning of an upright version of that card.
Treat reversed cards as a stronger, more potent version of their upright selves.
If you aren’t sure which direction to take the interpretation, try asking yourself how the spread makes you feel overall. Some people also take into consideration if the card is reversed, meaning revealed upside down. I find your thoughts and impressions are generally your best guide though. Go with your gut, ask a clarifying question, and draw another card if you need to.
I generally ignore reversed cards when reading for myself. That’s just personal preference.
Remember the cards will reflect your state of mind as you draw them. If you are distracted, agitated, or unclear about your question, your reading may not be as helpful as you’d like.
So, how do you read cards when you are upset or agitated? Here are five tips to help you:
State your question or intention aloud like a mantra, over and over.
Pretend the reading is for someone else and detach yourself from the question.
Ask a friend to draw the cards for you.
Pull the cards, make a note or take a photo of the spread, but wait an hour or two before trying to interpret them.
Put a positive spin on the situation by asking constructive, action oriented questions.
Dropped and extra cards
Occasionally as you shuffle you my have a card fall out of the deck. Pause and take notice. Is the deck trying to communicate something to you? Or perhaps you got two cards when you were trying to take one? Add the extra to your spread and know that it was not an accident. There is information here for you if you will see it.
Color Associations in Tarot
Different decks will have varying colors used, so this exercise is all about helping you understand the symbolism behind the colors in your deck and that predominate within the various suits and cards.
Please note: Color symbolism is by no means universal. Different cultures view colors in different ways. Because of this it is important to let intuition guide you more than the general associations outlined below.
Red - romantic love, passion, temptation, danger, excitement, urgency, courage, strength
Orange - confidence, productivity, motivation, creativity, caution, goal setting
Yellow - happiness, joy, enthusiasm, intellect, warmth, innovation
Green - health, growth, money, earth, prosperity, luck, fertility, power
Blue - insight, clarity, communication, learning, problem solving
Purple - inspiration, psychic abilities, wisdom, spirituality, intuition, higher power
Pink - friendship, self-love, unconditional love, relationships, compassion
Black - death, mystery, power, protection, banishing
Brown - nature, conservation, grounding, manifesting
White - abundance, success, peace, protection, hope
Shape Associations in Tarot
Squares and rectangles - stability, trustworthy, order, calling in the elements
Circle - creation, fertility, completion, cycles, harmony, repeating
Triangle - motion, strength, trinity, power, directional
Inverted triangle - instability
Cross - health, spirituality, balance
Spiral - cycles, progress, upward movement, ascension, spiritual journeys
Common Symbols in Tarot
There are so many symbols on the cards of a deck, it would be impossible to list them all! However here are a few of the most common.
Animals - The Bull is a symbol of power, royalty, stability, force and potency. Butterflies are a universal symbol for transformation. The dog in our cards is also a good indication that we’re on the right track as they are symbolic of stability and righteousness. The fish is a symbol of prolific abundance. The horse is a strong spiritual symbol and an emblem of incorporating all the elements to maintain an equal, powerful balance with all things in the universe. The lion is viewed as both savior and destroyer in ancient cultural myth. The lizard is a symbol of demure perspective in the face of monumental physical force, a tiny reminder that big results come from small, conscious efforts. The snake is a message that we must be adaptive, flexible and adjust as best we can to our circumstances.
Flowers - Flowers symbolize joy, beauty, growth, sensitivity and unfolding. The lily has symbol meanings of purity, innocence and fertility.
Planets, Sun, Moon - The moon symbol meanings deal with cycles, time, psychic power, reflection, and emerging from one phase into another. The sun is a symbol of expansion, growth, energy, and creativity.
Feathers and Birds - Birds are creatures of the air, so they symbolize higher ideals. They also represent freedom and ascension.
Bench - The bench is symbolic of taking a moment to examine the details. Benches indicate the need to sit back and relax.
Grapes - The symbolic meanings of grapes and grapevines deal with fertility, abundance, transformation and blessing.
Staff - The staff signifies support, stability, direction, and singleness of purpose. The staff is also a symbolic representation of the numeral one, and as such it carries a meaning of new beginnings, first-attempts, and again, single-mindedness in thought as well as deed.
Ice - Ice symbolizes isolation, patience, waiting, distance, and objection.
Castles - Castles are physical representations of our need to build upon a strong foundation in order to obtain our goals and desires. Castles may also deal with sheltering ourselves or limiting ourselves from reaching our goals.
Blindfolds - Blindfolds deal with our inability to see things clearly. They represent unwillingness to face the truth, inability to accept the facts, or a sign that something is being hidden from us.
Flags - The flag is an announcement to change – something has shifted and a flag makes the world aware of this shift.
Rain, clouds, storms, lightning - Clouds represent higher thought and messages from the divine and can also symbolize confusion or clouded judgment. Linked with both fire and water, lightning is viewed as both creator and destroyer in many cultures.
Pomegranates - Pomegranates deal with abundance, fertility, lusciousness, generosity, and union.
Shields - The shield is a strong symbol of defense, protection and covering up.
Hearts - The heart has long been as symbol of love, joy, and affection. The heart is also a symbol of truth, courage and conscience.
Children - Children represent promise, hope, fresh starts, new beginnings, new ideas, and a fresh way at looking at the world.
Stars - Stars symbolize the shedding of light on our lives, offering us navigation when we need it, and providing consistency when our lives seem to be at odds with our goals.
Ocean - The ocean symbolizes infinite possibilities, vastness, mystery, and depth.
Angels - Angels symbolize higher thought and ideals, they are messengers of important information.
Mountains - Seen on many of the cards, mountain symbol meanings deal with triumph, challenge, attainment, and realization. Mountains also represent timelessness and an endurance that is infinite.
Fire - Fire is a symbol of both creative and destructive power.
Cities - Towns and cities symbolize protection, harmony, and team-work.
Arches - Arches are symbolic of openings, passage-ways, and initiations. The arch is a symbol of a new direction.
I highly recommend picking up a good book of tarot and magical symbolism if you wish to dive deeper. Just please remember that it’s always ok to develop your own system oof meaning and symbolism. We all come from such varied backgrounds and life experiences. The tarot is a deeply personal experience and form of intuition work. Always let your heart guide your interpretation. Here are a couple books I have found useful from my own library:
Magical Symbolism: Runes, Bindrunes, Galdrastafir, and Astrological Symbols for Magic by Matthew Leigh Embleton
Tarot Deciphered: Decoding Esoteric Symbolism in Modern Tarot by T. Susan Chang