What is the Minor Arcana?
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The Minor Arcana consists of 56 cards that reflect the details of daily life. These cards focus on everyday experiences, emotions, challenges, and opportunities. Where the Major Arcana points to major lessons and spiritual turning points, the Minor Arcana highlights the smaller choices and actions that shape your path day by day.
The Minor Arcana is divided into four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Each suit represents a different element of life. Wands are linked to passion and action. Cups connect to emotions and relationships. Swords symbolize intellect and challenges. Pentacles reflect material matters, work, and stability. Together they bring depth and balance to any reading.
How to Use the Minor Arcana
- Reflects daily choices, habits, and influences
- Provides practical insight alongside spiritual lessons
- Offers guidance in relationships, career, emotions, and decisions
- Complements the Major Arcana by showing how big themes play out in daily life
The Four Suits of the Minor Arcana
Each suit tells its own story of growth and cycles.
- Wands: Creativity, passion, and inspired action
- Cups: Love, intuition, and emotional flow
- Swords: Clarity, truth, and mental challenges
- Pentacles: Work, abundance, and grounded stability
When read together, the suits weave a picture of the practical side of the human journey. They remind us that the lessons of life are not only found in major transformations but also in the choices and actions we take every day.
This page is your guide to the Minor Arcana — click on any card below to explore its full meaning.
*The Court Cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King) are technically part of the Minor Arcana, but because they have unique roles, you’ll find them explained in detail on the Court Cards Tarot Page.
I am adding card meanings daily, Please check back, thank you for your patience
Wands — Fire, Creativity, and Action
Ace of Wands — Inspiration, fresh energy, new opportunities
Two of Wands — Vision, planning, and looking ahead
Three of Wands — Expansion, progress, and future growth
Four of Wands — Celebration, harmony, and community
Five of Wands — Conflict, competition, and tension
Six of Wands — Victory, recognition, and success
Seven of Wands — Perseverance, standing your ground, courage
Eight of Wands — Momentum, swift change, communication
Nine of Wands — Resilience, boundaries, and persistence
Ten of Wands — Burdens, responsibility, and overwhelm
Cups — Water, Emotions, and Intuition
Ace of Cups — Love, new emotional beginnings, spiritual flow
Two of Cups — Union, attraction, and harmony in relationships
Three of Cups — Friendship, community, and celebration
Four of Cups — Reflection, apathy, or emotional withdrawal
Five of Cups — Loss, disappointment, and healing through acceptance
Six of Cups — Nostalgia, innocence, and happy memories
Seven of Cups — Choices, imagination, and illusions
Eight of Cups — Walking away, seeking deeper meaning
Nine of Cups — Contentment, wishes fulfilled, gratitude
Ten of Cups — Happiness, harmony, and family joy
Swords — Air, Clarity, and Challenges
Ace of Swords — Breakthrough, clarity, and new truth
Two of Swords — Indecision, balance, and difficult choices
Three of Swords — Heartbreak, separation, and emotional pain
Four of Swords — Rest, recovery, and meditation
Five of Swords — Conflict, defeat, and hollow victory
Six of Swords — Transition, moving forward, healing journey
Seven of Swords — Deception, strategy, and hidden motives
Eight of Swords — Restriction, self-limiting beliefs, feeling stuck
Nine of Swords — Anxiety, worry, and sleepless nights
Ten of Swords — Endings, betrayal, and final release
Pentacles — Earth, Work, and Stability
Ace of Pentacles — New opportunities, prosperity, and potential
Two of Pentacles — Balance, adaptability, and time management
Three of Pentacles — Collaboration, teamwork, and skill building
Four of Pentacles — Security, control, and holding on tightly
Five of Pentacles — Hardship, loss, and finding support
Six of Pentacles — Generosity, giving, and receiving help
Seven of Pentacles — Patience, long-term vision, and investment
Eight of Pentacles — Practice, mastery, and dedication
Nine of Pentacles — Independence, self-sufficiency, and comfort
Ten of Pentacles — Legacy, stability, and long-term success