The Minor Arcana: Tarot Card Individual Meanings
Some people consider Tarot cards as a means to learn about, or seek advice for their everyday problems. However, few among them understand the definition of Tarot cards, not to mention Tarot card individual meanings. To understand the significance of Tarot cards, one must learn about the two Arcanas involved in Tarot card readings - the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. While the 22 cards in the Tarot deck - or Major Arcana - predict major events in one's life, the 56 Minor Arcana cards reveal the everyday, difficulties in life. Psychic practitioners of this timeless medium believe that both Arcanas are necessary for a complete reading of one's past, current and future life.
The 56 cards of the Minor Arcana have four suits - pentacles, cups, wands and swords. Each suit is represented by graphics symbolizing the four elements of nature - air, earth, fire and water. Here is some information on Tarot card individual meanings, specifically of the Minor Arcana cards. This will help you gain some knowledge of this fascinating subject, as well as to learn more about yourself.
Pentacles - Material gain, money and industry are represented by this suit and associated with the earth. The 'pentacles' are the coin-like discs, which carry pentagram inscriptions seen as the 5-pointed stars in the cards. The cards in this suit, except for the five of pentacles show people reaping the fruits of their labor. In ancient times, people wore pentagrams to protect themselves from evil. The 'diamond' suit of today's playing cards has evolved from the 'pentacles'.
Cups - Cards in this suit represent water and reveal happiness, emotions, beauty and fertility. The Tarot card individual meanings represented by the 'cups' can also reveal aspects of the subconscious mind and human instinct but not conscious mind and reasoning. In a standard deck of playing cards, the 'heart' suit owes its origin to the cups.
Wands - This suit is associated with fire and represents growth, glory, enterprise, energy and animation. The greenwood with a few live twigs as seen in the illustration on the cards of this suit, signify growth. 'Wands' can be interpreted as staffs to carry the victor's crown or as clubs used in combat. Wands also represent concepts, creation and agriculture. The 'club' suit in today's playing cards owes its origin to the wands.
Swords - The individual card meanings represented by the 'swords' suit are aggression, ambition, courage, misfortune and force. This can be interpreted by the illustrations showing people in combat or with heads bowed down in misfortune. The swords also represent action, both good and bad. This suit is associated with air and is the forerunner of the 'spade' suit in today's playing cards.
Any experienced psychic or user of the tarot medium can easily explain individual card meanings. Among the many techniques used by psychics, Tarot cards are, perhaps, one of the popular ones. Tarot is one harmless way that people can consider to address, or learn about, the day-to-day problems in their lives.
About the Author:
Craig Malone is a writer for SpiritNow.com. Looking for a free psychic reading? Visit SpiritNow.com today, the online home of America's Top Psychic, Sylvia Browne. Read Sylvia's 2009 Psychic Predictions and the best spirituality content on the Internet on SpiritNow.com.