Major Arcana Tarot Card Meanings

Tarot Card

Keywords

Tarot
Card

Upright: Power, skill,

concentration, action,
resourcefulness

Upright: Beginnings, innocence,

spontaneity, a free spirit
Reversed: Naivety, foolishness,
recklessness, risk-taking
Fool

Keywords

Reversed: Manipulation, poor

planning, latent talents
Magician

Upright: Intuition, Higher powers,

mystery, subconscious mind

Upright: Fertility, femininity,

beauty, nature, abundance

Reversed: Hidden agendas, need to

listen to inner voice

Reversed: Creative block,

dependence on others

High
Priestess

Empress
Upright: Religion, group
identification, conformity, tradition,
beliefs

Upright: Authority, father-figure,

structure, solid foundation
Reversed: Domination, excessive
control, rigidity, inflexibility

Reversed: Restriction, challenging

the status quo
Hierophant

Emperor
Upright: Love, union, relationships,
values alignment, choices

Upright: Control, will power,

victory, assertion, determination

Reversed: Disharmony, imbalance,

misalignment of values

Reversed: Lack of control and

direction, aggression
Chariot

Lovers
Upright: Strength, courage,
patience, control, compassion
Reversed: Weakness, self-doubt,
lack of self-discipline

Upright: Soul-searching,
introspection, being alone, inner
guidance
Reversed: Isolation, loneliness,
withdrawal

Strength

Hermit

Upright: Good luck, karma, life

cycles, destiny, a turning point

Upright: Justice, fairness, truth,

cause and effect, law

Reversed: Bad luck, negative

external forces, out of control

Reversed: Unfairness, lack of

accountability, dishonesty

Wheel of
Fortune

Justice

Upright: Suspension, restriction,

letting go, sacrifice

Upright: Endings, beginnings,

change, transformation, transition

Reversed: Martyrdom, indecision,

delay

Reversed: Resistance to change,

unable to move on

Hanged
Man

Death

Upright: Balance, moderation,

patience, purpose, meaning

Upright: Bondage, addiction,

sexuality, materialism

Reversed: Imbalance, excess, lack

of long-term vision

Reversed: Detachment, breaking

free, power reclaimed
Devil

Temperance
Upright: Disaster, upheaval, sudden
change, revelation

Upright: Hope, spirituality,

renewal, inspiration, serenity

Reversed: Avoidance of disaster,

fear of change

Reversed: Lack of faith, despair,

discouragement
Star

Tower

Moon

Upright: Illusion, fear, anxiety,

insecurity, subconscious

Upright: Fun, warmth, success,

positivity, vitality

Reversed: Release of fear,

unhappiness, confusion

Reversed: Temporary depression,

lack of success
Sun

Judgement

Upright: Judgement, rebirth, inner

calling, absolution

Upright: Completion, integration,

accomplishment, travel

Reversed: Self-doubt, refusal of

self-examination

Reversed: Lack of completion, lack

of closure
World

Suit of Cups Tarot Card Meanings

Tarot
Card

Keywords

Tarot
Card

Upright:Love, compassion,
creativity, overwhelming
emotionReversed: Blocked or
repressed emotions

Upright:Unified love, partnership,

attraction, relationshipsReversed:
Break-up, imbalance in a
relationship, lack of harmony
Two of
Cups

Ace of
Cups

Upright:Celebration, friendship,
creativity, communityReversed: An
affair, threes a crowd, stifled
creativity
Three of
Cups

Upright:Meditation, contemplation,
apathy, re-evaluationReversed:
Boredom, missed opportunity, being
aloof
Four of
Cups

Upright:Loss, regret,
disappointment, despair,
bereavementReversed: Moving on,
acceptance, forgiveness
Five of
Cups

Upright:Reunion, nostalgia,
childhood memories,
innocenceReversed: Stuck in the
past, naivety, unrealistic
Six of Cups

Upright:Fantasy, illusion, wishful

thinking, choices,
imaginationReversed: Temptation,
illusion, diversionary tactics
Seven of
Cups

Keywords

Upright:Escapism, disappointment,
abandonment, withdrawalReversed:
Hopelessness, aimless drifting,
walking away
Eight of
Cups

Upright:Harmony, marriage,
happiness, alignmentReversed:
Misalignment of values, broken
home or marriage

Upright:Wishes fulfilled, comfort,

happiness, satisfactionReversed:
Greed, dissatisfaction, materialism
Nine of
Cups

Ten of
Cups

Upright:Romance, charm, Knight

in shining armour,
imaginationReversed: Unrealistic,
jealousy, moodiness

Upright:A messenger, creative

beginnings, synchronicityReversed:
Emotional immaturity, creative
block
Knight of
Cups

Page of
Cups

Upright:Emotional security, calm,

intuitive, compassionateReversed:
Emotional insecurity, codependency
Queen of
Cups

Upright:Emotional balance and

control, generosityReversed:
Emotional manipulation, moodiness,
volatility
King of
Cups

Suit of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings

Tarot
Card

Keywords

Tarot
Card

Upright:Manifestation, new
financial opportunity,
prosperityReversed: Lost
opportunity, lack of planning and
foresight
Ace of
Pentacles

Upright:Balance, adaptability, time

management,
prioritisationReversed:
Disorganisation, financial disarray
Two of
Pentacles

Upright:Upright: Teamwork, initial

fulfilment, collaboration,
learningReversed: Lack of
teamwork, disregard for skills
Three of
Pentacles

Upright:Control, stability, security,

possession, conservatismReversed:
Greed, materialism, self-protection
Four of
Pentacles

Upright:Isolation, insecurity, worry,

financial loss, povertyReversed:
Recovery from financial loss,
spiritual poverty
Five of
Pentacles

Upright:Generosity, charity, giving,

prosperity, sharing wealthReversed:
Debt, selfishness, one-sided charity
Six of
Pentacles

Upright:Vision, perseverance,
profit, reward, investmentReversed:
Lack of long-term vision, limited
success or reward
Seven of
Pentacles

Keywords

Upright:Apprenticeship, education,
quality, engagementReversed:
Perfectionism, lacking ambition or
focus
Eight of
Pentacles

Upright:Gratitude, luxury, selfsufficiency, culminationReversed:

Over-investment in work, financial
setbacks
Nine of
Pentacles

Upright:Wealth, inheritance,
family, establishment,
retirementReversed: Financial
failure, loneliness, loss
Ten of
Pentacles

Upright:Manifestation, financial
opportunity, new jobReversed:
Lack of progress and planning,
short-term focus

Upright:Efficiency, routine,
conservatism, methodicalReversed:
Laziness, boredom, feeling stuck
Knight of
Pentacles

Page of
Pentacles

Upright:Practical, homely,
motherly, down-to-earth,
securityReversed: Imbalance in
work/ family commitments
Queen of
Pentacles

Upright:Security, control, power,

discipline, abundanceReversed:
Authoritative, domineering,
controlling
King of
Pentacles

Suit of Swords Tarot Card Meanings

Tarot
Card

Keywords

Tarot
Card

Upright:Raw power, victory, breakthroughs, mental clarity

Upright:Indecision, choices, truce,

stalemate, blocked emotions

Reversed: Confusion, chaos, lack of

clarity

Reversed: Indecision, confusion,

information overload
Two of
Swords

Ace of
Swords

Upright:Contemplation,
recuperation, passivity, relaxation,
rest

Upright:Painful separation, sorrow

heartbreak, grief, rejection
Reversed: Releasing pain,
optimism, forgiveness
Three of
Swords

Four of
Swords

Reversed: Restlessness, burn-out,

lack of progress

Upright:Conflict, tension, loss,

defeat, win at all costs, betrayal

Upright:Regretful but necessary

transition, rite of passage

Reversed: Open to change, past

resentment

Reversed: Cannot move on,

carrying baggage

Five of
Swords

Seven of
Swords

Keywords

Six of
Swords

Upright:Betrayal, deception, getting

away with something, stealth

Upright:Isolation, self-imposed
restriction, imprisonment

Reversed: Mental challenges,

breaking free

Reversed: Open to new

perspectives, release
Eight of
Swords

Upright:Depression, nightmares,
intense anxiety, despair

Upright:Back-stabbed, defeat,
crisis, betrayal, endings, loss

Reversed: Hopelessness, severe

depression, torment

Reversed: Recovery, regeneration,

fear of ruin, inevitable end
Ten of
Swords

Nine of
Swords

Upright:Talkative, curious,
mentally restless, energetic

Upright:Opinionated, hasty, actionoriented, communicative

Reversed: All talk and no action,

haste, undelivered promises

Reversed: Scattered thought,

disregard for consequences

Page of
Swords

Queen of
Swords

Knight of
Swords

Upright:Quick thinker, organised,

perceptive, independent

Upright:Clear thinking, intellectual

power, authority, truth

Reversed: Overly-emotional,
bitchy, cold-hearted

Reversed: Manipulative, tyrannical,

abusive
King of
Swords

Suit of Wands Tarot Card Meanings

Tarot
Card

Keywords

Keywords

Upright:Inspiration, power,
creation, beginnings, potential

Upright:Future planning, progress,

decisions, discovery

Reversed: Delays, lack of

motivation, weighed down

Reversed: Fear of unknown, lack of

planning

Ace of
Wands

Two of
Wands

Upright:Preparation, foresight,
enterprise, expansion

Upright:Celebration, harmony,
marriage, home, community

Reversed: Lack of foresight, delays,

obstacles to long-term goals

Reversed: Breakdown in
communication, transition

Three of
Wands

Four of
Wands

Upright:Disagreement, competition,
strife, tension, conflict

Upright:Public recognition, victory,

progress, self-confidence

Reversed: Disagreement,
competition, strife, tension, conflict

Reversed: Egotism, disrepute, lack

of confidence, fall from grace

Five of
Wands

Seven of
Wands

Tarot
Card

Six of
Wands

Upright:Challenge, competition,
perseverance

Upright:Speed, action, air travel,

movement, swift change

Reversed: Giving up, overwhelmed,

overly protective

Reversed: Delays, frustration,

holding off
Eight of
Wands

Upright:Courage, persistence, test

of faith, resilience

Upright:Burden, responsibility,
hard work, stress, achievement

Reversed: On edge, defensive,

hesitant, paranoia

Reversed: Taking on too much,

avoiding responsibility
Ten of
Wands

Nine of
Wands

Upright:Enthusiasm, exploration,
discovery, free spirit

Upright:Energy, passion, lust,

action, adventure, impulsiveness

Reversed: Setbacks to new ideas,

pessimism, lack of direction

Reversed: Haste, scattered energy,

delays, frustration
Knight of
Wands

Page of
Wands

Queen of
Wands

Upright:Exuberance, warmth,
vibrancy, determination

Upright:Natural-born leader, vision,

entrepreneur, honour

Reversed: Shrinking violet,

aggressive, demanding

Reversed: Impulsiveness, haste,

ruthless, high expectations
King of
Wands