78 Cards Decoded — Rider-Waite Tradition
A comprehensive learning companion for aspiring tarot readers
The 22 Major Arcana cards represent the archetypal journey of life — the Fool's journey. Each card embodies a universal theme, a profound life lesson, or a major turning point. They carry the heaviest weight in a reading and signal significant events, deep spiritual messages, or powerful forces at work.
Wands correspond to the element of Fire — representing passion, creativity, ambition, drive, and spiritual energy. When Wands appear, they speak of action, initiative, enterprise, and the spark that ignites change. They are the suit of inspiration and willpower.
Cups correspond to the element of Water — representing emotions, feelings, relationships, intuition, and the inner world. When Cups appear, they speak of love, connection, compassion, artistic expression, and the affairs of the heart. They are the suit of emotional truth.
Swords correspond to the element of Air — representing intellect, reason, truth, justice, and conflict. When Swords appear, they speak of mental activity, decisions, challenges, communication, and the power of thought. They are the suit of clarity and discernment, but also of struggle and pain.
Pentacles correspond to the element of Earth — representing material matters, wealth, career, the physical body, and practical realities. When Pentacles appear, they speak of finances, possessions, work, manifestation, and the tangible results of effort. They are the suit of grounded abundance.