Tarot-Numerology: An easier way to start using the cards
This blog post is about entry-level Tarot-numerology and shows you how to start mixing these systems by pairing the Major Arcana with the Minor Arcana suits that share the same numerical vibes. It’s been a while since I shared any entry-level information about the cards, and we have new faces here.
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The original Tarot decks from France and Italy had numerology baked right into them, offering greater insights into our lives. People usually look at these two systems separately, but putting them back together can give you a much richer, more detailed reading of the cards.
If you want to learn more about Tarot-Numerology, Tarot By The Numbers, by Liz Dean, is a fantastic starting place. It’s an excellent book for absolute beginners.
If you’re not a beginner and you’re looking to link Tarot and numerology in a more meaningful way, I (always) recommend Chaldean Numerology For Beginners, by Heather Alicia Lagan. I’ve had a copy since this book first appeared on the shelves, and it is well-worn and tabbed to death.
If you want to take things a step further, I absolutely love Numerology: Key To The Tarot, by Sandor Konraad. Sandor’s number-letter associations are different than Heather’s, and so are his placements/calculations, but don’t let that stop you. He presents a comprehensive exploration of a system that could keep you busy for a very long time.
I consistently talk about these books across all platforms because they are excellent sources of information. The last two have helped me immensely in my prognosticating journey. Liz and Sandor are Pythagorean Numerologists, and Heather is a Chaldean Numerologist. While they may be different, they have more in common than not.
Group 1: The Magician & The Aces
Key Themes: New beginnings, potential, initiation, willpower, self-expression, creation, and individuality.
The number one represents the spark of creation, raw potential, and the courage to begin something new. It’s about stepping into your power and initiating action.
The Magician: The ultimate manifester, the Magician embodies the active principle of creation. He has all the tools at his disposal and the will to use them to shape reality.
Aces (of Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles): Each Ace signifies the pure, unadulterated energy of its suit – a new passion, a fresh emotion, a clear thought, or a tangible opportunity.
Divinatory Information:
Positive: A potent time for new ventures, creative breakthroughs, manifesting desires, taking initiative, and asserting your individuality. It speaks of strong will, leadership potential, and the ability to make things happen.
Negative: Can indicate impulsiveness, ego-driven behaviour, a lack of foresight, self-centeredness, or scattered energy without a clear direction. Be wary of beginning too many things without finishing any.
Group 2: The High Priestess & The Twos
Key Themes: Duality, intuition, balance, choice, partnership, hidden knowledge, reflection.
The number two brings awareness of opposing forces and the need for balance, often leading to choices or the formation of partnerships. It emphasizes the inner world and intuitive guidance.
The High Priestess: The guardian of the subconscious, intuition, and sacred knowledge. She represents the hidden truths and the power of listening to one’s inner voice.
Twos (of Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles): These cards highlight decisions, partnerships, contemplation, or the beginning of a journey or connection. They often present a crossroads.
Divinatory Information:
Positive: Strong intuition, harmonious partnerships, thoughtful decision-making, diplomatic resolutions, and the discovery of hidden truths. It suggests a time for reflection and trusting your inner wisdom.
Negative: Indecision, stalemate, passive-aggressiveness, secrets being kept, or an inability to commit. It can also point to feeling stuck between two options or a lack of clarity.
Group 3: The Empress & The Threes
Key Themes: Growth, creativity, nurturing, abundance, expression, harmony, fertility.
The number three represents expansion, synthesis, and the blossoming of ideas into tangible forms. It’s about bringing creativity to fruition and experiencing joy and abundance.
The Empress: The archetype of fertility, creativity, and abundance. She nurtures growth, brings beauty into the world, and represents the harmonious flow of nature.
Threes (of Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles): These cards often depict the initial fruits of labour, celebration, collaboration, or the expansion of an idea or project.
Divinatory Information:
Positive: Creative expression, successful outcomes, celebration, strong friendships and communities, natural growth, and abundant blessings. A time for joy, connection, and seeing your efforts bear fruit. The Hanged Man, when appearing here, suggests a necessary pause for perspective that ultimately leads to greater understanding and creative solutions.
Negative: Overindulgence, stagnation in creativity, superficiality, gossip, or a lack of focus. It can also indicate creative blocks or neglecting the practical aspects of growth.
Group 4: The Emperor & The Fours
Key Themes: Structure, stability, order, authority, foundation, control, practicality.
The number four is about establishing solid foundations, bringing order out of chaos, and creating secure structures. It represents stability and a sense of control.
The Emperor: The ruler, the father figure, embodying authority, structure, and the establishment of order. He provides security and governs with logic and discipline.
Fours (of Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles): These cards typically represent stability, rest, security, established routines, or a temporary halt for consolidation.
Divinatory Information:
Positive: Security, stability, strong foundations, disciplined action, effective leadership, and practical problem-solving. A time for creating order and building something lasting.
Negative: Rigidity, authoritarianism, feeling trapped or restricted, stubbornness, or a lack of flexibility. It can also indicate a fear of change or an excessive need to control.
Group 5: The Hierophant & The Fives
Key Themes: Tradition, challenge, conflict, change, freedom, learning, belief systems.
The number five introduces a dynamic shift, often bringing challenge or conflict that forces re-evaluation and growth. It’s about breaking free from limitations or questioning established norms.
The Hierophant: Represents tradition, institutions, spiritual guidance, and conventional wisdom. He teaches us established beliefs and rituals.
Fives (of Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles): These cards consistently depict conflict, loss, challenge, or a sense of discomfort and dissatisfaction.
Divinatory Information:
Positive: Seeking spiritual guidance, learning from tradition, questioning dogma to find personal truth, overcoming challenges, and finding freedom through change.
Negative: Dogmatism, rigid adherence to rules, rebellion without purpose, unnecessary conflict, loss, or feeling overwhelmed by change.
Group 6: The Lovers & The Sixes
Key Themes: Choice, harmony, love, relationship, responsibility, compassion, balance.
The number six focuses on harmony, relationships, and the choices we make that impact others. It’s about finding a balance between personal desires and collective well-being.
The Lovers: Represents significant choices, unions, love, and the harmony that comes from aligning with your true values.
Sixes (of Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles): These cards often depict reconciliation, balance, generosity, fond memories, or a way forward after conflict.
Divinatory Information:
Positive: Harmonious relationships, compassionate actions, making ethical choices, finding balance, healing, and experiencing a sense of homecoming or peace.
Negative: Indecision in relationships, feeling burdened by responsibilities, disharmony, unrequited love, or being swayed by external opinions rather than true values.
Group 7: The Chariot & The Sevens
Key Themes: Victory, self-mastery, spiritual quest, introspection, determination, courage.
The number seven is a mystical number, representing spiritual exploration, introspection, and the pursuit of truth. It’s about pushing past obstacles through inner strength and will.
The Chariot: Symbolizes victory, determination, and overcoming obstacles through self-control and focused will. It’s about moving forward with confidence.
Sevens (of Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles): These cards often depict challenges, illusions, hidden motives, or a need for perseverance and inner reflection.
Divinatory Information:
Positive: Achieving victory through willpower, deep introspection, spiritual awakening, strategic planning, and overcoming challenges with courage and determination.
Negative: Being scattered or unfocused, indecision due to illusions, feeling overwhelmed by choices, hidden fears, or avoiding necessary self-reflection.
Group 8: Justice & The Eights
Key Themes: Balance, karma, truth, fairness, consequence, power, action, achievement.
The number eight represents balance, consequence, and the manifestation of power. It’s about reaping what you sow, taking decisive action, and achieving mastery. The decks that I use are pre-RWS, and your Justice/Strength cards may be swapped.
Justice: Represents truth, fairness, legal matters, and the consequences of actions. It calls for integrity and balance.
Eights (of Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles): These cards often show swift action, movement, mastery, hard work, or being trapped by one’s own thoughts or circumstances.
Divinatory Information:
Positive: Fairness, accountability, achieving mastery through effort, swift progress, karmic balance, and taking powerful, decisive action. The Strength card, when appearing here, highlights the inner fortitude and compassion needed to wield true power and overcome challenges.
Negative: Injustice, unfair outcomes, being overwhelmed by responsibilities, stagnation, feeling powerless, or being bound by limitations (often self-imposed).
Group 9: The Hermit & The Nines
Key Themes: Completion, wisdom, introspection, solitude, humanitarianism, fulfillment.
The number nine signifies completion, the culmination of a cycle, and the wisdom gained through experience. It often involves a period of solitude for reflection and integration.
The Hermit: The seeker of truth, embodying introspection, wisdom, and the light of inner guidance. He withdraws to find answers within.
Nines (of Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles): These cards represent completion, satisfaction, self-sufficiency, wish fulfillment, or a final push towards a goal.
Divinatory Information:
Positive: Reaching completion, attaining wisdom, finding personal fulfillment, self-sufficiency, a time for reflection and spiritual growth, and the culmination of efforts.
Negative: Isolation, loneliness, feeling unfulfilled despite achievements, fear of completion, or intellectual pride that prevents further learning.
Group 10: The Wheel of Fortune & The Tens
Key Themes: Cycles, destiny, turning points, culmination, new beginnings within endings, totality.
The number ten represents the culmination of a cycle, often leading to a new beginning. It signifies destiny, fate, and significant turning points.
The Wheel of Fortune: Symbolizes cycles, destiny, good luck, and inevitable change. It reminds us that fortunes can turn.
Tens (of Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles): These cards represent the absolute end of a cycle, whether joyous fulfillment, heavy burdens, or the complete ending of a situation.
Divinatory Information:
Positive: Major turning points, positive karmic shifts, good fortune, the successful culmination of a long journey, and the promise of a fresh start after completion. The Judgement card, when appearing here, signifies a powerful calling or an awakening that leads to a profound new chapter. The World card indicates ultimate completion, integration, and universal understanding.
Negative: Feeling overwhelmed by fate, a sense of being powerless to change circumstances, burdens of responsibility, or the painful end of a cycle.
Other Major Arcana
Strength (XI): This card is all about inner power, compassion, and self-mastery. It connects with the vibes of the Twos.
The Hanged Man (XII): is a variation of the Threes that is all about hitting the pause button, and going within to manifest the change. It means you need to stop and intentionally change your perspective. That shift in viewpoint is key to getting a deeper grasp of things or kickstarting a new creative path.
Death (XIII): This card is all about an unavoidable end or a major change, kind of like the solid energy of the Fours. Think of it as the necessary clean-up that has to happen to make room for building new, stronger foundations.
Temperance (XIV): This one’s about finding that sweet spot—balance, healing, and keeping things moderate when you’re going through a tough time or a big change. It’s linked up with the Fives.
The Devil (XV): This card is tied to the Sixes. Think materialism, feeling stuck because of choices you’ve made, or relationships being out of whack, leaving you feeling less than free.
The Tower (XVI): This card is like the Sevens—it’s all about sudden shake-ups. Think unexpected chaos, illusions crashing down, and old ways getting totally busted open, clearing the deck for a much better, more honest reality.
The Star (XVII): Hey, good news! Just like the Eights, this card is all about hope, healing, and getting some divine direction after a rough patch. It’s a fresh start with a clear path forward.
The Moon (XVIII): This card is linked to the Nines, showing the subconscious path we take to find greater wisdom. It’s all about intuition, facing illusions, and diving into your hidden self to discover who you really are.
The Sun (XIX): Represents the number One, signifying joy, clarity, vitality, and success. It illuminates the path and brings a successful beginning, but as the 19th card in the procession, it can also mean that there is light at the end of the tunnel!
Judgement (XX): This one is all about ultimate completion, really bringing everything together, and hitting a major high point. Since it’s a variant of Ten, it means you’ve successfully wrapped up a big cycle!
The World (XXI): This card connects to the number Three’s significance, which is all about ultimate completion, integration, fulfillment, and successfully finishing a major cycle.
The Fool (22/0): This card is all about fresh starts and endless possibilities. It’s truly unique—it sits outside the regular numbers, representing the very beginning of the journey. Think of it as the “spirit” of all the numbers, holding the core energy of the whole adventure, both before it kicks off and after it wraps up.
The Court Cards
Everyone who writes about these places, the Tarot court, with different numerical groups. The Court Cards tend to confound people. I see them as relating to the master numbers 11, 22, 33, and 44. Other teachers see them as 11, 12, 13, and 14. Some see them all as corresponding to the number 10.
The Pages: Pages symbolize transformative events on the horizon. They can also be seen as messengers. As people, they can symbolize learners and beginners who are earnest and well-intended but still need a lot of support. They can also represent someone stepping out into anything new and uncharted.
The Knights: Knights bring the movement and change heralded by the Pages. They build, and then, in a heartbeat, they tear it all down and do something else. Things are in flux when the Knights arrive on the scene. As people, they can symbolize someone who has just enough skill to work independently, but pushes the envelope because they still don’t know what they don’t know.
The Queens: The Queens bring things like acceptance, balance, and negotiation to a situation. Things are starting to simmer down when they appear. As people, the Queens embody the nurturing and creative power to guide those around them to master their respective elemental domains. The Queens are influential mentors who teach, inspire, and advocate for those around them.
The Kings: The Kings bring closure to an issue and demonstrate mastery of lessons related to their respective suits. At the point of the kings, things are either done or internalized. Everyone is moving on to something else. As people, the Kings are those individuals with a capacity for powerful, tangible manifestation and building lasting legacies.