The Minor Arcana
The 56 Minor Arcana cards reflect the events, emotions, and experiences of daily life. Organised into four suits — each connected to an element — they cover the full spectrum of human experience from love and loss to work and play.
While the Major Arcana deals in archetypes and life-defining moments, the Minor Arcana is where the texture of everyday life unfolds. These cards describe the situations, moods, and practical challenges you navigate day to day.
Each suit contains 14 cards: Ace through Ten (the pip cards), plus four Court Cards — Page, Knight, Queen, and King. The pip cards describe situations and energies, while the court cards often represent people or aspects of personality.
Cups
WaterThe suit of Cups deals with emotions, relationships, feelings, and creativity. Cups are connected to the water element and the heart — they explore love, intuition, imagination, and the inner world of feeling.
Pentacles
EarthThe suit of Pentacles addresses the material world — finances, career, health, and physical well-being. Connected to the earth element, Pentacles ground us in the practical realities of building a stable life.
Swords
AirThe suit of Swords represents the mind — thoughts, words, conflicts, and decisions. Connected to the air element, Swords cut through to the truth but can also wound. They explore intellect, communication, and the challenges of the mental realm.
Wands
FireThe suit of Wands embodies passion, energy, creativity, and ambition. Connected to the fire element, Wands represent the spark of inspiration, the drive to create, and the will to pursue bold visions.
Understanding Court Cards
Court cards — Page, Knight, Queen, and King — are often the trickiest part of tarot. They can represent actual people in your life, aspects of your own personality, or the energy/approach needed in a situation.
Pages
Youthful energy, curiosity, new beginnings, messages. Pages represent the earliest stage of development within their suit.
Knights
Action, pursuit, extremes, movement. Knights charge forward with the energy of their suit — sometimes too fast for their own good.
Queens
Mastery through nurturing, emotional intelligence, inward focus. Queens embody the mature, receptive expression of their suit.
Kings
Authority, mastery, outward expression, leadership. Kings represent the fully realised energy of their suit, directed outward into the world.