The Minor Arcana plays a key role in the Tarot, offering insights into everyday experiences, emotions, and challenges. While the Major Arcana reveals spiritual lessons and significant life events, the Minor Arcana grounds your reading in the daily decisions, thoughts, and feelings that shape your path.
The Minor Arcana comprises of 56 cards divided into four suits - Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles, each suit reflects a different realm of life, from passion and love to conflict and career. In this complete guide, you'll explore both upright and reversed tarot card meanings, making this an excellent resource whether you're a beginner learning Tarot or a seasoned reader looking to sharpen your intuitive skills.
What Are the Minor Arcana Cards in Tarot?
Each of the four suits of the Minor Arcana contains 14 cards: Ace to 10, and four Court Cards - Page, Knight, Queen, and King. These cards mirror the energies we encounter in relationships, work, health, creativity, and decision-making.
Let’s dive into the meaning of each suit and its tarot symbolism:
- Suit of Wands – Fire, Passion & Action
- Suit of Cups – Water, Emotions & Relationships
- Suit of Swords – Air, Thoughts & Communication
- Suit of Pentacles – Earth, Money & Stability
Each Minor Arcana suit reflects a different area of life; find out which suit dominates your current energy through our Free Tarot card reading.
Suit of Wands (Passion, Action, Ambition)
The Suit of Wands represents the element of fire and governs energy, ambition, creativity, and spiritual purpose. These cards often appear in tarot readings focused on goals, projects, and personal growth.
Tarot Card Number | Tarot Card | Upright Meaning | Reversed Meaning |
|---|
I | Ace of Wands | Inspiration, new opportunities, growth, potential | Delays, lack of direction, missed opportunities |
II | Two of Wands | Planning, progress, future vision | Planning issues, fear of the unknown, poor decisions |
III | Three of Wands | Expansion, foresight, overseas opportunities | Obstacles, delays, lack of foresight |
IV | Four of Wands | Celebration, harmony, homecoming | Conflict at home, lack of harmony, instability |
V | Five of Wands | Conflict, competition, tension | Avoidance, inner conflict, lingering tension |
VI | Six of Wands | Victory, recognition, success | Egotism, fall from grace, lack of recognition |
VII | Seven of Wands | Perseverance, defense, maintaining control | Overwhelmed, exhaustion, defensiveness |
VIII | Eight of Wands | Speed, action, movement | Delays, frustration, scattered energy |
IX | Nine of Wands | Resilience, persistence, boundaries | Giving up, feeling overwhelmed, weakness |
X | Ten of Wands | Burden, hard work, responsibility | Burnout, inability to delegate, overburdened |
XI | Page of Wands | Curiosity, exploration, enthusiasm | Lack of direction, procrastination, scatterbrained |
XII | Knight of Wands | Energy, passion, inspired action | Haste, recklessness, scattered energy |
XIII | Queen of Wands | Confidence, independence, determination | Jealousy, selfishness, demanding behavior |
XIV | King of Wands | Leadership, vision, entrepreneurship | Impulsiveness, haste, ruthless leadership |
Suit of Cups (Emotions, Relationships, Intuition)
The Suit of Cups is associated with the element of water, reflecting love, feelings, intuition, and connections. When Cups appear in a tarot reading, they speak to your emotional state and relationships - both romantic and platonic.
Tarot Card Number | Tarot Card | Upright Meaning | Reversed Meaning |
|---|
I | Ace of Cups | New beginnings in love, emotional fulfillment, compassion | Emotional loss, blocked creativity, emptiness |
II | Two of Cups | Partnership, mutual attraction, harmony | Breakups, imbalance, misunderstanding |
III | Three of Cups | Celebration, friendship, community | Overindulgence, gossip, isolation |
IV | Four of Cups | Contemplation, reevaluation, emotional withdrawal | Apathy, missed opportunities, boredom |
V | Five of Cups | Grief, regret, focusing on the negative | Acceptance, moving on, forgiveness |
VI | Six of Cups | Nostalgia, childhood memories, innocence | Stuck in the past, unrealistic expectations |
VII | Seven of Cups | Choices, imagination, wishful thinking | Confusion, poor choices, lack of clarity |
VIII | Eight of Cups | Walking away, seeking deeper meaning, letting go | Avoidance, fear of change, aimlessness |
IX | Nine of Cups | Contentment, emotional satisfaction, gratitude | Smugness, dissatisfaction, greed |
X | Ten of Cups | Happiness, family harmony, lasting relationships | Broken relationships, domestic disharmony |
XI | Page of Cups | Creativity, curiosity, emotional openness | Immaturity, emotional vulnerability, escapism |
XII | Knight of Cups | Romance, charm, following your heart | Jealousy, moodiness, unrealistic ideals |
XIII | Queen of Cups | Compassion, intuition, emotional stability | Codependency, emotional insecurity, smothering |
XIV | King of Cups | Emotional balance, diplomacy, generosity | Manipulation, moodiness, emotional coldness |
Suit of Swords (Thoughts, Truth, Conflict)
The Suit of Swords aligns with the element of air, symbolizing logic, truth, intellect, communication, and conflict. These cards often appear when you're facing tough decisions, mental stress, or seeking clarity.
Tarot Card Number | Tarot Card | Upright Meaning | Reversed Meaning |
|---|
I | Ace of Swords | Clarity, breakthroughs, new ideas | Confusion, misinformation, lack of clarity |
II | Two of Swords | Indecision, stalemate, difficult choices | Overwhelm, indecision, information overload |
III | Three of Swords | Heartbreak, grief, emotional pain | Releasing pain, forgiveness, recovery |
IV | Four of Swords | Rest, recovery, contemplation | Burnout, restlessness, stress |
V | Five of Swords | Conflict, tension, betrayal | Reconciliation, compromise, resolution |
VI | Six of Swords | Transition, moving forward, healing | Resistance to change, emotional baggage |
VII | Seven of Swords | Deception, strategy, stealth | Confession, truth revealed, turning over a new leaf |
VIII | Eight of Swords | Restriction, fear, feeling trapped | Release, empowerment, freedom |
IX | Nine of Swords | Anxiety, worry, guilt | Recovery, hope, reaching out for help |
X | Ten of Swords | Painful endings, betrayal, collapse | Recovery, regeneration, resisting an inevitable end |
XI | Page of Swords | Curiosity, mental agility, new ideas | Deception, manipulation, lack of direction |
XII | Knight of Swords | Action, ambition, determination | Impulsiveness, recklessness, impatience |
XIII | Queen of Swords | Independence, clear communication, perception | Coldness, harshness, bitterness |
XIV | King of Swords | Intellectual power, truth, authority | Manipulation, misuse of power, cruelty |
Suit of Pentacles (Money, Work, Material Life)
The Suit of Pentacles is linked to the element of earth, dealing with career, finances, personal life, health, and physical security. These cards highlight how you interact with the material world and where growth or imbalance may lie.
Tarot Card Number | Tarot Card | Upright Meaning | Reversed Meaning |
|---|
I | Ace of Pentacles | New financial opportunity, prosperity, manifestation | Lost opportunity, lack of planning, scarcity |
II | Two of Pentacles | Balance, adaptability, time management | Overcommitment, disorganization, imbalance |
III | Three of Pentacles | Teamwork, collaboration, skill development | Lack of teamwork, poor workmanship, misalignment |
IV | Four of Pentacles | Conservation, security, stability | Greed, possessiveness, fear of loss |
V | Five of Pentacles | Financial loss, hardship, isolation | Recovery, improvement, renewed hope |
VI | Six of Pentacles | Generosity, charity, sharing wealth | Power imbalance, strings attached, selfishness |
VII | Seven of Pentacles | Patience, long-term planning, investment | Lack of reward, impatience, wasted effort |
VIII | Eight of Pentacles | Apprenticeship, skill mastery, hard work | Perfectionism, lack of focus, poor quality |
IX | Nine of Pentacles | Self-sufficiency, luxury, financial independence | Overindulgence, financial setbacks, dependency |
X | Ten of Pentacles | Wealth, family legacy, long-term success | Financial failure, loss, instability |
XI | Page of Pentacles | Ambition, learning, new financial opportunity | Laziness, lack of commitment, procrastination |
XII | Knight of Pentacles | Diligence, responsibility, routine | Stagnation, boredom, workaholism |
XIII | Queen of Pentacles | Nurturing, practicality, financial security | Imbalance in work and home, overcommitment |
XIV | King of Pentacles | Abundance, leadership, business success | Materialism, stubbornness, exploitation |
From Wands to Pentacles, the Minor Arcana speaks to life’s daily wins and challenges — explore what they’re telling you in our Tarot card reading.
How the Minor Arcana Affect Your Tarot Readings
Together with the Major Arcana, the Minor Arcana provides the full picture of what’s unfolding in your life. These 56 cards break down the major themes into daily insights and detailed messages, making your tarot readings more nuanced, personal, and practical.
Whether you're drawing a single card or doing a full Celtic Cross spread, understanding these meanings can help you navigate situations with clarity and confidence.
Final Thoughts: How to Learn the Minor Arcana Easily
Mastering the Minor Arcana is all about pattern recognition and intuition. Start by:
- Studying one suit at a time
- Practicing daily draws
- Journaling your interpretations
Want to explore how the Minor Arcana cards interact with the Major Arcana? Check out our complete Major Arcana Tarot Meanings blog
