On all cards in the Suit of Wands you will see a number of wooden staves, either being used as a prison, support, a weapon or a mark of authority.  In each they are potent symbols.  Fire often accompanies the images.

Basic facts about the Suit of Wands

• Symbolism: Passion, Vitality, Creativity
• Colour: Red
• Season: Summer
• Element: Fire
• Realm: Earth and the home
• Corresponding suit in playing cards: Clubs
• Gender: Male
• Direction: South

What the Suit of Wands is About

Wands, being phallic, directly represent male power and authority.  However, the figures in the entire suit are often involved in some kind of battle, hardship or strife, and only the court cards seem to hold real power.

The Suit of Wands is about fighting for what you want.  It is about knowing your desires and working hard for them.  The court cards in this suit are a reminder to wield power wisely, and to be just.

This is the suit of adventurers and explorers – those who venture out on their own against impossible odds seeking their fortune, or defending a grand ideal.  The cards in this suit typically represent something that you feel you must do in your life, either immediately or somewhere down the line.

Wands Reversed

The Wands, when they appear upright, usually represent zeal or passion, or someone possessing these qualities.  When inverted, therefore, they often represent a dire lack of passion or creativity – a lack of a driving force that pushes you to achieve and to discover.

The King of Wands, for example, represents a leader with the energy of change and growth.  Inverted, this card represents the tyrant who uses the rod to rule and brooks no opposition.

When an inverted Wands card applies to the querant, it can very often mean failure to make a decision, or the fear of moving into the unknown.  It usually indicates that the querant needs to get off the sofa and do something with their life, or it might just pass them by.

Basic facts about the Suit of Coins

• Symbolism: Health, wealth and physicality
• Colour: Green
• Season: Autumn
• Associated Zodiac signs: Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn
• Element: Earth
• Realm: Earth and the home
• Corresponding suit in playing cards: Diamonds
• Gender: Female
• Direction: East
• Physical characteristics: Dark hair and dark eyes with a sturdy build

What the Suit of Coins is about

Without a doubt, all of the four suits in the Tarot deck are equally important but the Suit of Coins often engages our attention because it deals with things that have come to pass in the physical world around us. In fact, many Tarot readers place the cards as the last suit of the deck, because they are the result of the actions of the other suits and are considered and end point.

To put it simply: emotion and feeling (Cups), thought (Swords) and creativity and sprit (Wands) come together to form our current reality (Coins).  From this angle, we can really see Coins as the culmination of all our life’s efforts.

Coins Reversed

To cover the negative aspects of the Suit of Coins (when they appear reversed in a reading), it’s important to remember that they can indicate someone who is:

• Greedy
• Too possessive of people or objects
• Materialistic
• Over-indulging and not exercising their physical body
• Not managing their finances correctly
• Or focusing just on their career to the detriment of all other spheres of their life

In order to counteract the negative aspects of Coins, it is suggested that people try and ground themselves a little bit more and take a look at the physical world around them. By planning things well and setting achievable goals, you can take the lesson that reversed Coins are trying to teach you.

When the Suit of Coins comes up in a reading it is a sign that the person who has gone for the reading is seeking answers that deal with problems relating to material problems, financial matters and issues relating to their career and their work.

Appearance and Symbolism

In the Rider Waite Tarot card deck, the Queen of Swords is depicted as a resolute looking woman sitting on a throne made of stone. She holds a sword easily in her right hand, but does not look as if she is brandishing it, or preparing for a fight. She is secure in her self-belief that she could use the sword should she need to. Her left hand is open, gesturing to the world that she has something to give or to offer.

She appears raised up, as if sitting on a mound or hill. We can see clouds at the same level she is, showing how high she is sitting. There are clouds on her coat as well and her crown is made of interlocked butterflies. There are images of butterflies hidden in her stone throne too. We can see the wind as whipping through the trees behind her and there is a single bird in the sky.

Butterflies are considered by many people to be a powerful symbol of transformation and change, of moving from one phase to another. The butterflies we see in both the King and Queen of Swords are symbols of a change in thoughts, of the person attending the Tarot reading, or someone close to them. Butterflies have to go through several stages before they reach their full beauty, a lesson to us all.

Clouds are symbols of hiding, but symbols of revelation too. When the clouds break on something we didn’t know or didn’t expect we find a ray of sunshine bursting through and illuminating something that can make everything seem so much better. This can be a symbol of a great idea coming out of nowhere and depending on the card clouds can also indicate confusion or a bout of clouded judgment.

Interpretation

If you go for a free Tarot card reading online and draw the Queen of Swords, you have drawn a card that represents a powerful, mature intellect that does not let emotion get in the way of making good decisions. This card shows us the ability we all have to discern and judge things impartially, without letting emotion cloud our judgment. This card continues the story we saw in the Knight of Swords, who was rushing headlong into something he couldn’t control – where his intellectual energy had led him into dangerous situations.

Some words that come up, which are related to this card are intelligence, perception, decisiveness, maturity, independence, morality and self-reliance.

This card could show you that the past has been and gone and that the future might be uncertain, but you feel that you want to stand steadfast and face whatever is coming. It might indicate the need to be at peace with yourself or your situation in order for everything to fall into place properly.

This card could also be a message to you that you need to forge some independence for yourself (in whatever sphere of your life you feel necessary) so that you can feel more powerful. It also warns that you shouldn’t let empathy or emotions stand in the way of achieving that goal. The point is to think with your head and not with your heart. If you give your situation your full attention and utmost concentration, you will be able to see you way through to the other side.

Inverted Interpretation

When you are in a reading and the Queen of Swords comes up inverted, it is a sign that you might be letting your emotions get the better of you. You are thinking with your heart and not with your head – a dangerous situation. It may also show too much investment in something, emotionally, which may be distorting your view of reality and what is actually happening.

You may need to distance yourself somewhat and rely on your mind and intellect to get a better idea of what is really going on. The lesson is to try and look at the situation objectively and remove yourself to the extent that you can see everything there is to see.

Appearance and Symbolism

The Page of Swords depicts a young man standing in the middle of some very rough terrain with a sword held in both of his hands. The wind whips around him and we can see his hair flying out with the force of it. A tree in the background is also being blown by the wind, and in the sky we can see a flock of birds and thick clouds; scudding across the sky with the wind.

The birds we see in the sky in this card are symbols of our higher thoughts and matters relating to our spirits. Birds are the creatures of the air and so we can see that they represent higher ideals. Of course, birds are also representations of freedom and ascension – of freeing ourselves from our worldly problems and taking flight.

When we see birds in the Tarot, we are reminded that we should do our best to take ourselves to a higher level (emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually) and free ourselves from the bondage of the material world. We have to let our hearts take flight.

Clouds are all about revelation and showing things to us that we didn’t know were there. As an image, imagine the deep fog and mist of our deepest thoughts and emotions. When we experience and epiphany, that proverbial lightning strike, it is as if it comes out of nowhere.

Depending on the card we are looking at, clouds can also be a symbol of concealment or confusion or even clouded judgment. That being said, clouds are typically held to symbolise messages from the divine and higher thought.

The earth that we see this young man standing on is a symbol of stability, terra firma, if you will. Even though the wind is howling through this card, pulling at the young man’s hair and the tree we see in the background, he stands firm on the earth, both feet planted. Even though the earth he is standing on is rough, he is still standing and resolutely holding on to his sword. This symbol ties back to the fact that this card is about fortitude and decisive action, and belief in the power of our minds.

Interpretation

If you have gone to a Psychic Tarot reader, card readings will tell you that this card shows someone who is perceptive – someone who can cut through the distractions and get to the heart of the matter. This person is someone who has great mental agility and is excited for the future and the possibilities held therein.

This card gives a very positive message. Even though the landscape around the young man is rough and the wind is blowing, he holds on to his sword – knowing that things will get better, that the storm will pass. This card tells us that there will be a period of joy coming in the future, and the bad times will not last forever.

This card tells us about the importance of ideas and communication. It pays to exercise your abstract-thinking abilities because you will be able to spot the weaknesses in your plans and systems. You can save yourself a whole lot of pain if you troubleshoot things in your mind before jumping in headlong.

When you see the Page of Swords you must know that he is someone who trusts his judgment and believes in the power of his mind. This is something we can all learn. The Page is the type of person who will use reason and his powers of speech and communication in order to make his point – he does not need to scream and shout or physically harm people, and neither should you.

Inverted Interpretation

If you see the Page of Swords in the inverted position, that tells you that you might be acting hastily and doing things without thinking them through properly. There might be a lot of energy that you feel is behind you and you might want to jump into something, but you should look at the way you are going about it. Don’t let your mind race ahead of you.

This card inverted can also indicate a situation where someone is all talk and no action. Ask yourself whether this person is you, or someone close to you. Be honest and you will be able to deal with whatever is coming your way.

Appearance and Symbolism

This card shows a young man in full armour that is riding a strong white horse right into the midst of a battle. In the sky behind him, we can see huge storm clouds and just like the Page of Swords, the trees in the background are being buffeted and tossed by the wind. As the Suit of Swords is represented by air, we can see how important the wind is in these cards.

The harness of the horse is emblazoned with images of birds and butterflies and in the sky we can see a flock of birds moving across. There are also birds on the knight’s cape. From the look on the knight’s face, we can see the level of dedication and fury he feels as he charges into battle, disregarding any dangers to his personal safety.

An introduction to Tarot cards will tell you that birds are symbols of our higher ideals and matters of higher thought and the spirit. They are creatures of the air and so represent breaking free of worldly problems and issues and achieving a higher level of existence. Birds are about freedom and ascension up into the heavens. When we see birds in the cards, they tell us that we should try and break free – to make our hearts lighter and achieve higher levels of existence.

Horses are apparent on all knight cards of the Tarot and are all about strength and forward motion. They represent action and powerful vitality. The horse we see in this card is almost flying across the landscape, it is moving with such speed. This is a reinforcing of the idea of the Suit of Swords being a representation of air. As we see this horse moving so stridently across this card, we have to ask ourselves what we are charging towards and whether we should take the time out to see if that is the right way to be going.

Clouds are symbols of the revealing of something we didn’t know before. They are about the revelation of ideas, emotions or ways of thinking that we didn’t see or understand before. Sometimes the fog of our thoughts can seem impenetrable, but suddenly we will have an epiphany and everything seems sunny and fresh with the light of a bright idea. This is a basic way to look at the symbolism of clouds in the Tarot. Depending on the card itself, clouds can also be a representation of clouded judgment or confusion.

Interpretation

If you have undertaken a free Tarot card reading online and draw the Knight of Swords you will find that he shows us the energy that follows from the initial inspiration and belief that comes from the Page of Swords.

The knight’s energy and momentum seem almost unstoppable and the whiteness of his horse tell us how pure his intellectual energy is. The lesson to be learnt here though, is that even though his energy is immense, without the proper guidance things can go awry. Sometimes the consequences of blind action can lead to difficult situations and unforeseen problems.

When we are alive with an idea and want to make it happen we can sometimes get ahead of ourselves and won’t be able to see the possible pitfalls or consequences of that idea. As powerful and as energetic as the knight is, we need to remember that sometimes we must temper that energy and balance it with responsibility and compassion.

The Knight also shows someone who is brave and strong. They are skilful and capable of great successes – no matter the venture. This card tells us that problems will overcome our problem (regardless of whether they are physical, mental, emotional or spiritual problems) and that the assistance we need will be forthcoming.

Inverted Interpretation

When you see this card inverted, it could be a sign that you need to go it alone and trust in yourself in order to get things done, even if you find yourself making mistakes along the way. The Knight of Swords inverted is a very impatient and impulsive person with a huge amount of energy and little direction – this can result in rash decisions and possibly pulling others down with them.

If you feel that you encounter someone like this, and this card warns you – be aware that you could go down with them; be wary of the hype and don’t get sucked in.

Appearance and Symbolism

An introduction to Tarot cards will tell you and you will see that his card shows a King seated on his throne, facing us directly. This is unlike the other court cards in the suit of Swords, who we see side-on. In his right hand he holds a large, double-edged sword and his left hand is at rest in his lap with a ring of power on one of the fingers.

The back part of his throne is decorated with images of butterflies, crescent moons and an angel just next to his left ear. The angel almost looks as if it is there to give him guidance and speak into his ear.

The sky is relatively clear and we only see a flew clouds, quite unlike the stormy weather we see in the other court cards of the suit of Swords. Also, unlike the other court cards, the trees in the background of this card are not being buffeted by the wind – they stand straight and unmoved by the wind. In the sky we can also see two birds, flying in the distance.

The fact that the trees are not being moved by the wind is sign that the power and stern judgment of the king are in effect. The feeling of chaos and storminess has abated, leaving clear skies and the intellectual power of the King of Swords. This indicates that with the right thoughts and the power of our minds, we can make any stormy situation disappear.

Butterflies are known the world over as symbols of transformation. As they change from caterpillars to butterflies, going through the period of being in a cocoon – the show us that sometimes to get to something beautiful, we have to go through a period of change and difficulty.

Butterflies appear on both the King and Queen of Swords as symbols of mental and intellectual transformation and are reinforced by the fact that the suit of Swords takes air as its element. These butterflies are signs that if we change our ways of thinking we can achieve things we never thought possible.

The angel we see on the throne of the king is a symbol of receiving divine messages. If you go to a psychic Tarot reader, card readings will tell you that this symbol is a sign that we must be open and listen out for any messages that may be coming our way. If we aren’t listening properly and open for the information and messages coming to us from high, we will never hear them and be the worse off for it.

Interpretation

The King of Swords is someone who has the courage and the power to achieve anything he sets his mind to. He is a potent symbol of power that may help you in your individual quests in life. This card often comes up when someone feels fearful about the future and is hoping for a message. This card tells you to see things more clearly and try and find a new perspective. It cautions us that we must remain detached in order to see things better and judge a situation.

The King of Swords is the pinnacle of intellectual and mind power and is a representation of command, ruling justly and judgment. This card tells us strongly that we need to use our intellect in order to climb life’s ladder – your traditional education is important but so are the daydreams and other thoughts that might pop into your head. This King understands human nature and is able to act accordingly, using his knowledge to his advantage and he asks us to do the same.

Inverted Interpretation

When the King of Swords is inverted he can show that someone is not using his or her mental power and authority properly. This card inverted can show someone who is being manipulative and persuasive in order to achieve his or her own selfish goals.

This may also indicate someone who is in love with their own intellect and uses it to show off, using unnecessarily big words or trying to make others feel stupid. You need to ask yourself whether this person is you or someone else, as it could be either. This is the kind of person who comes across as charming and intelligent but is only out for his or her own needs, be wary of them. And if this person is you, take the time out to assess your ways of being and change them accordingly.

Appearance and Symbolism

The Two of Swords shows a young woman sitting on a bench, holding a sword in each hand. Both swords are balanced on her shoulders and she is blindfolded. Behind her is a huge expanse of water, the sea, filled with craggy rocks. In the distance on the other side of the ocean is a landmass where we see mountains or cliffs. Above the young woman we can see the crescent moon.

The woman’s blindfold indicates a feeling of confusion and worry; she cannot see the situation or problem that is before her. The balance of her swords though, tells us that she has a balanced and stable mind.

Almost any introduction to Tarot Cards will tell you that water is a symbol of the subconscious mind and of emotions. When we see the rocks in this expanse of water behind this woman, we can see that they are impediments and obstacles to her emotional wellbeing and sense of balance. The rocks are symbols of tension. Quite literally, ships will find it difficult to traverse those waters.

The moon we see in the sky is a symbol that deals with cycles, time, psychic powers, changing from one phase to another and the divine feminine.

The moon is a powerful force with the ability to move the oceans with the tides, but also encompasses the softer, feminine and more intuitive aspects of all of us. When we see the moon in a Tarot reading, we need to pay attention to our intuition and take a long hard look at our levels of awareness.

Interpretation

One of the meanings of this card in a reading is tension within a relationship, or the need to keep a cool head in order to solve the problems you are facing. This card expresses the importance of balance and the need to see both sides of a situation in order to assess it properly.

This is card is also about choice and the problems of indecision that we all face in our lives. The woman in this card has blindfolded herself intentionally in order to avoid a difficult choice that she has to make.

Yes, she does look content with her indecision, but what she has not learnt that just by pretending something is not there, that does not mean that it will not rear its head again in the future. This card reminds us that ignorance is not bliss. Of course, we also can assume that this woman is biding her time, weighing up her options and seeing what she should do before she makes her final decision.

Inverted Interpretation

When this card is drawn in the inverted position it shows that you might be stuck in a difficult situation, where you have to make a difficult decision. The term Catch-22 springs to mind. This can symbolise that you are finding it difficult to decide what the right choice is, because both options could lead to negative outcomes.

The Two of Cups is a simple card to read, and usually has similar meanings, regardless of its position in a spread. It is about a union, about combining powers and finding a common ground from which to seek a common goal – be it in a relationship or business, or any other aspect of the querant’s life.

Appearance and Symbolism

In the Rider Waite Tarot deck the Two of Cups features two people, usually a man and a woman (possibly lovers, this being the suit of Cups) each holding a cup and gazing into each other’s eyes. The caduceus symbol (not to be confused with the medical cross) is the staff of the Greek messenger god, Hermes.  This signifies that some kind of message or communication is passing between the two figures.

The lion’s head completes the image of a chimera, which hints that there is some kind of danger, or at least uncertainty, in the meeting of these two characters. The cups represent the emotions and creativity that both parties bring to the table.

Interpretation

As any introduction to Tarot cards will tell you, twos in the Minor Arcana usually symbolise a kind of synergy or coming together of polar opposites or aligned forces in order to achieve something or further a purpose.  The Two of Cups, being as it is the two of the suit associated with romantic emotions and creativity, is all about the power that is created when two people combine their emotions, creativity or love.

This could have two interpretations.  The one is that it is time for you and your secret crush to start admitting your feelings for one another.  The other is that, with the input of another creative soul, you can create something beautiful.  It means that now is not the time to strike out on your own and strive for singular achievements, but rather to seek happiness through another.

Inverted Interpretation

If this card appears inverted, it usually only has one meaning: you are becoming too much of a couple person, and you need to look outside this dualism to reconnect with the rest of your life.  Either you are completely involved in a project with someone, or you have fallen into the old trap of neglecting your friends because you have a new lover.  Either way, it is time to put the brakes on, just a little bit, and take some time to devote yourself to the other aspects of your life.

Appearance and Symbolism

This card has a simple, yet powerful visual impact. We see a heart suspended in the air, pierced by three swords. Behind it are grey clouds and rain, lashing down violently.

If you are one of those people who have been to visit a psychic Tarot reader, card readings that show up this card can be a little depressing. It can indicate that bad times may be coming up emotionally, through the symbol of the heart.

Hearts have been symbols of love, compassion, affection and joy for hundreds of years, but the heart is also seen as a symbol of the truth, unbending courage and conscience. One only needs to think of the British King – Richard the Lionheart to see this connection between hearts and courage.

The heart is symbolically the centre of our existence – it pumps ceaselessly, moving blood and life throughout our bodies. When we see the heart in a reading it is a reminder that we should look at our own centre and ask ourselves what we find there. We should also ask ourselves just what it is that we love most and whether that is positive or negative.

A free Tarot card reading online will reveal that the clouds and rain we see in the background of this card do nothing but reinforce the feelings of loss and pain that come with card, unfortunately.

Interpretation

Some of the words that come up when looking at this card are sorrow, absence, pain, disappointment, rejection, betrayal and abandonment. That being said, that doesn’t mean that this card cannot teach us anything. The biggest lesson we can get from the Three of Swords is that sometimes we need to be in touch with pain and sorrow. Denying their existence can lead to a malignance of feelings that can cause serious problems in our lives.

This card’s message is quite self-evident; it is about loss, difficulty and relationships that have broken down. It follows on from the Two of Swords, which deals with the difficulty of making a choice. Sometimes when we are faced with two options, we have to choose the one that hurts, but might be for the best in the long run. It is also worthwhile to remember that just because something is painful now, doesn’t mean that it won’t get better. Every cloud has a silver lining.

Inverted Interpretation

When we see this card in the inverted position it shows that you may have recently been through a difficult time, perhaps a relationship has ended or you have had to endure some trying times. It could also indicate that a loved one has passed on, or you have felt pain and hurt at something that has happened to you. But, the good news is, that this card inverted means that the time of pain and suffering has passed and you can move forward to recovery and happiness once again.

This card has a less personal meaning than the Two of Cups, which is usually about a blossoming connection between two people. Any site offering free online Tarot card reading will tell you that it is about people coming together to achieve a common goal, though this is usually to have fun or complete a hobby or side project, and not a world-shattering quest. It is also about the support of friends and family, but also of a formal institution.

Appearance and Symbolism

The Three of Cups is one of the flattest cards in the Minor Arcana – there is very little detail aside from the three figures on the card.  This can be taken in itself to represent the frivolity and light nature of the card.

The three figures are attired in bright colours and are dancing together, smiling and laughing. They each hold a cup, which in this case can only represent wine and the enjoyment of things that bring no profits or create anything of true value.

Despite this, there is a hint that the frivolity of the card, and all of the imagery on it, carries its own intrinsic value.

Interpretation

A Tarot card interpretation of the cards of the suit of Cups usually has something to do with emotions and love.  The Three of Cups is a slight exception to this, as it usually means that the simple, care-free pleasures you can find in the company of others have little bearing on the rest of your life, or your romantic happiness.  It could signify that simply coming together with some like-minded people for fun first, and production second, could yield some pleasant results.

It could also simply signify that it is time to let your hair down and have a little bit of fun, before getting too serious with a new project or relationship.  The third person indicates that this is not a time to be pairing off in a couple and neglecting the fun you could be having in a larger group of your friends.

Inverted Interpretation

Inverted this card usually means that you are isolating yourself from your greater group of friends, and that it is time to come out of isolation and go out for a drink with everyone, even though you would probably rather sit at home with your significant other with a bottle of wine and a DVD.  Get out there and have a party – or the next time your friends go out they might forget to invite you.