a brief on number symbology found in the tarot

7/28/2019 A Brief on Number Symbology Found in the Tarot

1/3

1

A brief on number symbology found in the

Minor Arcanas 4 Suits ~ Cards Ace through 10

ACES: Often associated with the Magician (card 1 in the Major Arcana),represent the potential, the gift, and an impulse of consciousness to begin a new way of:

Being in our body: Ace of PentaclesThinking with our mind: Ace of Swords

Feeling with our heart: Ace of CupsIntuiting with our spirit: Ace of Wands

TWOS: Often associated with the High Priestess (card 2 in the Major Arcana),

the twos in the tarot present choices or suggest decisive actions linked with the choices athand:

Choices in managing our physical environment: Pentacles

Choices in making mindful decisions: SwordsChoices in sharing our heart: Cups

Choices in investing in our creative spirit: Wands

THREES: Often associated with the Empress (card 3 in the Major Arcana), wewitness the results of growth from our synergistic understanding of the Aces and Twos:

Growth from sharpening practical skills in the home, family, career, body: Pentacles

Growth from resolving conflict caused by anxiety in the mind: SwordsGrowth from participating in a loving community: Cups

Growth from witnessing the results of spiritual preparation: Wands

FOURS: Often associated with the Emperor (card 4 in the Major Arcana), we

begin to bring a mature structure to our life path:

Structure in the home, career, body, finances, family & planet: PentaclesStructure in the way we use our mind: Swords

Structure in our emotionality: CupsStructure in our spiritual purpose and identity: Wands


2/3

2

FIVES: Often associated with the Hierophant (card 5 in the Major Arcana), we

discover how to utilize resources while coming to terms with our ability to revolutionize

challenges:

Challenges that revolutionize the home, career, body, finances, family & planet: Pentacles

Challenges that revolutionize the mind: SwordsChallenges that revolutionize the heart: Cups

Challenges that revolutionize the Spirit: Wands

SIXES: Often associated with the Lovers (card 6 in the Major Arcana), the

sixes give us pause to enter the second cycle of numbers (7, 8, 9, & 10) in the Minor

Arcana sequence. The sixes suggest we reflect and take stock before proceeding andpromote:

Balance in a time of need in the home, career, body, finances, family & planet: Pentacles

Balance through careful observation of the mind, memories, & thought patterns: SwordsBalance from creating harmony in heartfelt relationships: Cups

Balance that creates the space necessary for inner-harmony to have outward expression: Wands

SEVENS: Often associated with the Chariot (card 7 in the Major Arcana),

the sevens begin a new phase of inner-work and wake us up to how we developthrough self-recognition:

Recognizing the fruits of our labor in the home, career, body, finances, family & planet: PentaclesRecognizing that the cunning mind leads to a life of self-defeat: Swords

Recognizing the onslaught of emotional stagnation when operating from the shadow: CupsRecognizing our spiritual convictions in the face of opposition: Wands


3/3

3

EIGHTS: Often associated with Strength/Justice1 (for this spread we will

follow the Trump sequence in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck: Card 8 in the Major Arcana:

Strength), the eights encourage us to prioritize our situation:

Prioritize the home, career, body, finances, family through skillful means: PentaclesPrioritize the mind by removing interfering thought processes (spinning): Swords

Prioritize how letting go of attachments can lead to emotional liberation: CupsPrioritize spiritual direction by initiating action rather than reaction: Wands

NINES: Often associated with the Hermit (card 9 in the Major Arcana), the

nines represent a preparation period for the completion of the numerical sequence in theMinor Arcana (the tens). The nines suggest we gather and recognize our resources collected

from cards Ace through 8:

Recognizing the riches in our home, career, body, finances, family & planet: PentaclesRecognizing the potential of clear thoughts by sorting out belief systems/patterns: Swords

Recognizing the potential of the true human heart over the egoic mind: CupsRecognizing the potential of new inspirations rather than clinging to the old: Wands

TENS: Often associated with the Wheel of Fortune (card 10 in the Major

Arcana), the tens complete the numerical sequence in the Major Arcana and represent theend of a cycle, transitions, achievements and the promise of new beginnings:

Achievements garnered from creating a complete foundation in the home, career, body,

finances: PentaclesEnding a cycle of false pretenses built up in the mind: Swords

Transitioning into higher emotional wholeness: CupsReleasing spiritual oppression: Wands

1Although in older decks (and some contemporary and European decks), tradition specified the eighth Major Arcana

in the Trumps sequence as Justice, with Strength as the eleventh card, in the Rider-Waite-Smith style decks, Strength

is the eighth card. The switch apparently occurred with the Golden Dawn deck. You will have to use your intuition

and choose which card matches your needs.

a brief on number symbology found in the tarot

Documents