minor arcana – Page 8 – Just the Tarot

Two of Cups

The meaning of the Two of Cups in a Tarot reading, including definitions for both the upright and reversed positions.

The card depicts a man and a woman facing each other, the man’s right hand extended toward the woman. They each hold a large chalice and a caduceus topped by a winged lion lies between the chalices.

Upright: Two people bonding together as partners. This may indicate a budding romance or a new friendship with a great deal of affection and warmth. The caduceus was the symbol of merchants and trade long before it became associated with the medical practice and so this may indicate a particularly good business relationship.

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Reversed: This indicates a relationship that isn’t going to work out. It may be a temporary, physical attraction to someone, only to discover that you really don’t have much in common. In business it may indicate a partnership or joint endeavor that never gets past the negotiating phase.

EXAMPLES: Your best buddy at work, someone who can crack you up with just a smile or a wink and you feel totally sympatico with.

A co-creator or music, art, or writing, a person with whom you can get completely into the same groove or on the same page and create some magic together.

Ace of Cups

The meaning of the Ace of Cups in a Tarot reading, including definitions for the Ace of Cups upright and the Ace of Cups reversed.

A ghostly hand appears out of a cloud. It holds a golden chalice in its’ palm. A dove holding a eucharist in its’ beak descends toward the chalice. Four streams of water fountain out of the chalice and pour their contents into a pool in which lotuses grow.

Upright: This card signals the appearance – perhaps very sudden appearance – of love in the questioners life. It emphasizes the divine origin of love and how it flows into the world and nourishes all that it touches. The lotuses echo the Buddhist symbol for the divine in the human spirit. They begin life in the mud and yet grow into the air and produce beautiful flowers.

In the Southern United States they might refer to this as being, “thunder bolted.” It’s that lovley state of affairs when you realize that you are head over heels in love with someone. The world seems bright and beautiful and new because you’re in love. A truly wonderful card to draw in a reading.

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Reversed: It’s possible that the questioner thinks he or she is love but the other person views it as just a friendship. Another possibility is that there has been true love but it’s fading away.

EXAMPLES: Your first, “puppy love,” growing into a real relationship with someone you adore.

You’re at a party when you suddenly see someone across the room and know that’s the person you’re meant to be with for the rest of your life.

King of Swords

The meaning of the King of Swords in a Tarot reading. This includes definitions for both the upright and reversed positions of the card.

A serious looking man sits on a throne grasping a sword in his right hand. His body is entirely covered except for his hands and his face.

Upright: This indicates a very strong, unemotional, tough person. It may be the questioners employer or a professional such as a doctor or a lawyer. This is a person who is extremely competent and could be of great help but the card itself doesn’t indicate that he or she WILL help, just that they could. This may indicate a dark haired, emotionally cold, highly intelligent person.

Reversed: A tough, strong individual, as in the upright position, but in this case there is an element of aggression, even violence. A demanding, unpleasant individual, possibly with dark hair.

EXAMPLES: A boss who is nice enough but is really only interested in getting the job done and doesn’t want to hear about your problems or personal life.

An incredibly competent doctor who views you as a case rather than as a person.

Queen of Swords

The meaning of the Queen of Swords in a Tarot reading, including definitions of both the upright and reversed positions.

A woman with a severe expression sits on a heavily carved throne. She grasps a sword in her right hand and it appears to be balanced on the arm of the throne. Her left hand is raised in the air, as if she is pronouncing judgment.

Upright: This card shows the presence of a very strong, highly intelligent individual. It may represent a highly skilled professional, such as a lawyer or a doctor. The emphasis here is on intelligence and strength because there may a certain emotional coldness and distance to his or her personality. This is a person who can be of great service if she chooses to be but isn’t a great snuggler. Look for help, not affection.

Reversed: This may very well be a professional with whom you are clashing, such as a lawyer who is threatening to sue you or a doctor who is insisting on a course of treatment that you don’t agree with. On a mundane level, this may indicate the presence of a cold, judgmental dark haired woman.

EXAMPLES: The friend who is always analyzing you. He may care about you but he approaches everything from an intellectual rather than an emotional perspective.

Knight of Swords

The meaning of the Knight of Swords in a Tarot reading including definitions for both upright and reversed positions.

A Knight in full armor, sword brandished before him, is charging at a balls out gallop. His visor is open, his expression is angry, and his horse looks panicked.

Upright: This card indicates an environment charged with action. Swift assessments, swift appraisals, swift responses. The open visor indicates that the questioner knows precisely where he or she is heading and has decided on what goals they want to attain. It may also indicate that the questioner is not taking prudent care to protect herself and she needs to be careful to control the situation carefully. On a mundane level it may show the presence of a dark haired, powerful young person

Reversed: A possibility of arguments and disputes coming in the very near future. There may be medical procedures that are looming. It may indicate a very aggressive, argumentative, unpleasant young person, probably with dark hair.

EXAMPLES: A friend who keeps charging into situations despite your warning her to be a little more cautious.

Being totally inspired by a new idea or new project and going for it with everything you’ve got.

Page of Swords

The meaning of the Page of Swords in a Tarot reading, including both upright and reversed definitions.

A young man holds a sword upright in both hands. One foot is planted firmly on the ground while the other foot is on its’ toes. The land beneath the young man undulates, almost as if it were waves instead of earth. The wind is blowing and dark clouds are beginning to gather.

Upright: This card tells the questioner to stay alert and be ready to act at a moments notice. Either an opportunity or a problem is coming soon. On a mundane level this card may indicate the presence of a child with dark hair.

Reversed: Minor arguments, problems, squabbles. There will be disappointments but nothing major or lasting. If the card indicates the presence of a child, the child may be troubled and is perhaps in the habit of spying on adults.

EXAMPLES: An amazing business opportunity drops into your lap and you have to act fast to take advantage of it.

A young co-worker who is incredibly inquisitive about how the business works.

Ten of Swords

The meaning of the Ten of Swords in a Tarot reading, including definitions for both the upright and reversed positions.

And you thought the Eight of Swords was a scary card! A man lies on the ground, obviously dead, his body pierced with ten swords. The sun is either setting or rising in the background.

Upright: This is the ultimate ending to the power cycle. If we approach life in terms of power and dominance rather than love and compassion we end up face down, defeated, and full of swords. This is a card of basic karma: whatever you put out there comes back to you ten fold.

This card indicates treachery, deceit, changes for the worse. It can signal a very bad ending to a relationship or the loss of a job.

Reversed: Things will gradually get better. The swords will fall out and the situation will improve. If the questioner has been having health problems there will be a slow, but steady, improvement.

EXAMPLES: An alcoholic or drug addict who has really and truly – finally – bottomed out and is ready to admit that he or she is powerless.

Going through bankruptcy and losing everything.

Nine of Swords

The meaning of the Nine of Swords in a Tarot reading, including definitions for both the upright and reversed positions.

This card shows an individual sitting bolt upright in bed, face buried in her hands, with nine swords lining the wall behind her. This is a card of waking up in the night screaming in terror. It represents the sudden, conscious realization of the bad results of power games and aggression.

The swords on the wall appear to be locked together, hilt to hilt. They’re like the bars in a jail cell, showing that there is no escape from the consequences. The patches on the quilt are embroidered with the signs of the zodiac, suggesting the bad karma of many lifetimes coming to fruition.

Upright: To put it simply, this is a card of your chickens coming home to roost. The negative energy that the individual has put out into the world is coming back to bite her in the ass.

Reversed: The anxieties, fears, and bad karma are gradually fading away.

EXAMPLES: Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Future. Suddenly realizing that you’ve really screwed up, there are consequences to pay, and you’re all alone.

Getting a wake up call that you’ve been acting like a real jerk and your friends and lovers have all walked away from you.

Eight of Swords

The meaning of the Eight of Swords in a Tarot reading. Definitions are included for both the upright and reversed positions.

A woman in a red gown with her arms heavily bound and a blindfold over her eyes is surrounded by eight swords planted firmly in the ground. A castle rises behind her and oily water lies at her feet.

Upright: Obviously, this is a nasty assed card and you shouldn’t expect any positive meanings for it. The subject is completely immobile and helpless, bound in place by the powers that surround her and blind to what has caused her dilemma. There is really nothing she can do to help herself because she doesn’t even understand how this happened to her or why. This isn’t just about being a victim; there’s also a lot of denial and refusal to face reality.

Reversed: The forces that restrict her will gradually loosen their grips, but there are still hard times ahead.

EXAMPLES: The alcoholic who just got busted for his fourth DUI but refuses to get into recovery.

The abused wife who insists that her abuser, “really loves her,” and is going to change.

Seven of Swords

The meaning of the Seven of Swords in a Tarot reading, including definitions for both the upright and reversed positions.

A man with a mocking grin on his face is seen sneaking away from an encampment bearing five swords in his arms while two swords remain thrust upright into the ground.

Upright: This card hearkens back, therefore, to both the five of swords and the two of swords. The same sort of merciless, sadistic power games are being played as in the five of swords, but there is an element of secrecy, concealment, and being underhanded about his malice. The individual is causing just as much harm but doesn’t want others to know about it.

Swords represent power and he is literally stealing someone else’s power from them. As a result of it he is leaving them power-less, locked into the same state of stalemate as the two of swords and no longer able to function.

Reversed: The person doing the stealing and deception is about to get caught. His or her behavior will be revealed and the problem will resolve.

EXAMPLES: The employee who is constantly undermining her supervisor with malicious gossip.

The, “friend,” who is gossiping about you behind your back and destroying your credibility and reputation.