Thursday, 27 February 2014


Suits in Minor Arcana






Before we move onto the meaning of Minor Arcana Cards, I want to discuss suits. The reason being that each suit has a significance and meaning to it which needs its worthy attention.


Minor Arcana is divided into 4 suits, namely Swords, Wands, Cups and Pentacles. This terminology is used in Rider Waite Tarot Decks, therefore you may find different names in other Tarot Decks.


SWORDS
In some Tarot Decks, swords are also termed as knives, daggers, blades and so on.
They belong to Air element and thus represent mind and voice. Thoughts breeze into your mind and made into words. Those words are given breath through voice or are written up. In any way its the suit of communication, messages being delivered. 
Since, this suit is for ideas, words and written messages, hence on a negative side its the suit of anxieties worries, gossip, slanders and so on. On positive side its the suit of gifted speakers, cleverness, science and so on.


WANDS
In some Tarot Decks, wands are also termed staffs, spears, rods and so on.
They belong to Fire element and thus represent passion and energy. It represents anything in which querent would put their energy and soul into for instance, an ambitious project, a creative endeavour, philosophy and so on.
Wands suit represent adventurers and inventors. It shows their passionate desires and enthusiasm to get or achieve something done. This the card of action....an action done or a goal achieved because you were passionate about it and so put your energy into it.


CUPS
In some Tarot Decks, cups are also termed as chalices, bowls, cauldrons and so on.
They belong to Water element and thus represent emotions. It does not mean that other suits does not represent emotions. As wands represet passionate emotions, swords indicate anxities, pentacles relates to practical feelings, so does cups relate to emotions related to 'heart' like sorrow, bliss, nostalgia, melancholy, and so on.
These are the warm feeling to which one surrenders to and are often extended towards one another like love, family bonds, friendship, an so on. Since these feelings or emotions are deep and sensitive in anture, hence the cup suit often symbolizes the psychic powers, visions and illusions.


PENTACLES
In some Tarot Decks, cups are also termed as disks, coins and so on.
They belong to Earth element and thus represent money. This is the suit of the physical things; materialism. It relates to all the material aspects of life such as body, health, money, work, and so on. Materialism has two aspects: One is the common sense side of life for eg you need money, food and clothing for your basic needs; and the other aspect is indulging in luxuries like greed for making more money and so on.
Pentacles is a long term suit and it is about creating something real, solid or concrete. Hence the symbol used for this suit is a gold coin. Since, it deals with money and also about efforts needed to create soemthing solid, hence it is the card of bankers, business people, craftsmen, farmers and laborers.






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