The Four Suits of the Tarot: Cups, Swords, Pentacles & Wands
In the Tarot, the Four Suits are represented by the tools for transformation - the very same tools that the Magician gave to the Fool at the start of their journey through the Major Arcana.
“In the standard 78-card Tarot deck, there are 56 Minor Arcana cards, which are divided into four suits, best known by the names Cups, Wands, Swords, and Pentacles, In traditional Tarot, each of these suits rep- resents one of the four natural elements: Cups symbolize Water, Wands are associated with Fire, Swords represent Air, and Pentacles, the Earth. These meanings extend to the inner self as well as the outer world, with Cups focused on the emotions of the heart; Wands, the belief system of the soul; Swords the realm of the rational mind; and Pentacles. the body, senses, and material world.” – from Tarot by The Library of Esoterica
“The four suits of the Minor Arcana comprise the majority of the cards in a tarot deck, but do not carry the same heavy-hitting lessons or staying power as the Majors. They are the details of life, the specific circumstances, the passing moments and fleeting situations. While these cards do not possess the same profundity as their Major counterpart, they are not trivial They are the realities of living, the daily endeavor of being human. If the Major Arcana are the vital organs, then the Minor Arcana are the circulatory system that carries blood and oxygen throughout the body.” — from WTF Is Tarot?… & How Do I Do It? by Bakara Wintner
The Four Suits
Wands:
Ruling Element: Fire
Rules Over Zodiac Signs: Leo, Sagittarius & Aries
Represents: action, energy, inspiration, spirituality, motivation, passion and spiritual pursuits
Symbolism: Wands, being associated with Fire, represent inspiration, energy, and action. They are linked to creativity, passion, spirituality, ambition and enterprise.
Interpretation: Wands are often seen as cards that indicate growth, ambition, willpower and the pursuit of goals. It is the suit of desire, dreams and manifestation as well as primal energy and sexuality. It is also the suit of ego but may also represent spiritual journeys and the power of transformation.
When compared to a deck of traditional playing cards, the Wands correspond to the suit of Clubs
Also referred to as rods or staffs in various tarot decks, the wands have been portrayed in many different ways, including branches or sticks with leaves and/or flowers growing from them, magic wands, walking sticks or staffs, flaming torches and even match sticks.
Swords:
Ruling Element: Air
Rules Over Zodiac Signs: Aquarius, Libra & Gemini
Represents: Intellect, thoughts, decisions, communication, words, actions and conflicts
Symbolism: Swords are linked to the element of Air, representing intellect, thoughts, and communication. They symbolize mental clarity, decision making/challenges, and the power of the mind.
Interpretation: Swords often indicate issues related to decision-making, conflicts, and communication. They may represent the need for clarity or the resolution of challenges through mental strength. They are also considered the suit of higher consciousness as well as focused power and decisiveness. Like the winds of change… swords are aligned with powerful strength of mind and action that brings about change
When compared to traditional playing cards, swords will represent Spades.
Swords have also been referred to as daggers, athames, and even spikes — and artistic depictions in tarot run the gamut from traditional swords to sewing needles.
Cups:
Ruling Element: Water
Rules Over the Zodiac Signs: Pisces, Cancer & Scorpio
Represents: Emotions, feelings, relationships, intuition, creativity, Relationships, artistic endeavors, spirituality
Symbolism: Cups are associated with the element of Water, representing emotions, intuition, dreams, love and relationships. They symbolize the ebb and flow of feelings and the interconnectedness of emotions and they explore the complexities of the heart. Intuition and our ability to nurture reside here.
Interpretation: Cups often relate to matters of the heart, love, and relationships. They can signify emotional experiences, creativity, and spiritual connections.
Compared to traditional playing cards, the cups represent the Hearts
Also referred to a chalices, goblets, or even cauldrons, tarot decks throughout the ages have depicted them in many different ways. As lotus flowers as shown in the Star Tarot, or pitchers as seen in the Hardy Tarot.
Pentacles:
Ruling Element: Earth
Rules Over the Zodiac Signs: Taurus, Virgo & Capricorn
Represents: Material aspects and possessions, finances, career and work, practicality and material well-being
Symbolism: Pentacles are associated with the element of Earth, representing material aspects, finances, and practicality. They symbolize wealth, prosperity, security and the tangible manifestations of energy.
Interpretation: Pentacles, being the suit of material possessions as well as physical health, often relate to matters of finance, career, and material well-being. They may signify abundance, stability, and the importance of practical considerations… these include the need for grounding, home, hearth and even family. And since this suit is so closely tied to material needs and desires it also can warn us occasional greed.
When compared to traditional playing cards, pentacles would represent the Diamonds.
The suit of Pentacles has also been referred to as coins and disks, being depicted in various tarot decks as such — as well as medallions, stars and even flowers.
Each suit in the Tarot consists of numbered cards (Ace through Ten) and four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King or other variations of this quartet). The cards in each suit depict various scenarios and situations related to the theme of the suit.
Many tarot readers may choose a court card in a suit that resonates with them the most, typically a queen or a king, for their status of having mastered the themes of each suit to some degree — or perhaps they might select the page, knight, queen or king based on how this level of mastery is infused again with the energy of earth, fire, water and air. As, in each suit, the court cards are said to take on the qualities of their respective suit, as well as an additional element: Earth for the page, Fire for the Knight, Water for the Queen and Air for the King.
The suits also feature pip cards numbered from ACE to 10 which represent the seed or beginning of the theme for each suit at the Ace and end with a level or mastery, achievement or understanding of the themes of each suit — even if achieved in a state of defeat or surrender, as we see with the 10 of swords.
Origin:
The origin of the four suits in Tarot can be traced back to medieval Europe – as many believe that the Tarot deck itself originated in Italy during the 15th century. The four suits—Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles—were likely inspired by playing cards from various regions, where different symbols and suits were used.
There isn't a specific individual credited with coming up with the four suits in Tarot. Instead, the development of the Tarot deck was a gradual process influenced by cultural, artistic, and symbolic elements of the time. The suits and their associated symbols have deep roots in European history and esoteric traditions.
It's worth noting that the Tarot has evolved over the centuries, and different decks may have variations in the suits, symbols, and interpretations.
Continue to a Brief History of the Tarot…
