A calmer glossary for tarot terms
Use this index to look up cards, spreads, reading language, and historical references without digging through a dozen tabs.
Aces
The first card of each suit (Ace of Cups, Ace of Pentacles, etc.). Aces represent new beginnings, opportunities, and the pure potential of their suit's element.
Active Elements
Fire and Air, considered masculine, outwardly expressive, and action-oriented elements in traditional esoteric systems.
Air Element
Associated with Swords suit. Represents intellect, communication, thoughts, and mental processes.
Arcana
The two main categories of a tarot deck: Major Arcana (22 cards representing major life themes and spiritual lessons) and Minor Arcana (56 cards representing everyday concerns and general life experiences).
Archetype
A universal, symbolic pattern or image present in the collective unconscious that tarot cards represent, such as the Mother (Empress), Father (Emperor), or Hero (Chariot).
Astrological Correspondences
The connections between tarot cards and astrological signs, planets, or houses that enhance interpretations by adding astrological qualities.
Astrological Houses
The twelve divisions of the astrological chart that represent different areas of life, sometimes used in specific tarot spreads.
Astrological Spread
A twelve-card spread based on astrological houses, providing insights into different aspects of life according to astrological principles.
Batons
Alternative name for the suit of Wands, particularly in older European tarot decks.
Bibliomancy
A divination practice involving randomly selecting passages from books (sometimes used alongside tarot by combining card meanings with random text passages).
Birth Cards
Major Arcana cards calculated from a person's birth date, believed to represent key life themes and personal traits.
Blind Spot Spread
A spread designed to reveal aspects of a situation that the querent may not be aware of or might be overlooking.
Book of Thoth
Aleister Crowley's guide to his Thoth tarot deck, explaining its symbolism and use.
Card Blessing
A ritual or practice for connecting with and honoring a new tarot deck before its first use.
Card Counting
A technique used to find significator cards or determine specific timing by counting forward or backward through the deck from a starting point.
Card Journaling
The practice of keeping a written record of daily card draws or readings to track patterns and develop deeper understanding over time.
Card Jumping
When a card falls out or "jumps" from the deck during shuffling, often interpreted as having a significant message that needs attention.
Card of the Day
A simple practice of drawing one card each day for guidance or reflection, not technically a spread but a common daily practice.
Card Pairing
A technique that involves reading two cards together to form a complete message or to modify each other's meanings.
Cardinal Signs
Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn—zodiac signs associated with initiation and leadership, connected to specific tarot cards.
Cartomancy
The art of fortune-telling or divination using a deck of cards, whether tarot cards or regular playing cards.
Cartomantic Revival
The 18th and 19th century period when tarot evolved from a card game to a divination system, largely through the work of French occultists.
Celtic Cross
A 10-card spread that provides a comprehensive overview of a situation, covering past influences, present circumstances, and future possibilities.
Chakra Spread
A seven-card spread with positions corresponding to the seven main chakras or energy centers in the body, examining spiritual and energetic balance.
Chalices
Alternative name for the suit of Cups in some tarot decks.
Clarifying Cards
Additional cards drawn to provide more information or clarify the meaning of cards already in a spread that seem unclear.
Cleansing
The process of clearing a tarot deck of energies from previous readings, often done with crystals, smoke, or visualization.
Coins
Alternative name for the suit of Pentacles in some tarot decks.
Color Symbolism
Interpreting cards based on the predominant colors and their psychological and symbolic associations.
Comparative Reading
Using multiple decks simultaneously to gain different perspectives on the same question or situation.
Court Card as Person
Interpreting a court card as representing an actual person in the querent's life rather than an energy or aspect of personality.
Court Card Hierarchy
The progression of court cards from Page (beginner/student) to Knight (active seeker) to Queen (mastery of internal aspects) to King (mastery of external expression).
Court Cards
The 16 personality cards in the Minor Arcana (Page, Knight, Queen, and King of each suit) that represent people, personality aspects, or approaches to situations.
Cross Spread
A five-card spread arranged in the shape of a cross, used for straightforward answers to specific questions.
Crowley, Aleister
Controversial occultist (1875-1947) who designed the Thoth tarot deck and authored the Book of Thoth, incorporating his system of Thelema into tarot symbolism.
Cups
One of the four suits in the Minor Arcana, associated with the element of Water. Represents emotions, relationships, intuition, and creativity.
Cutting the Deck
Dividing the tarot deck into smaller piles after shuffling, often considered a way for the querent to further connect with the cards.
Decans
The division of each zodiac sign into three 10-degree segments, each with its own planetary ruler. Some tarot decks associate specific cards with each decan.
Dignified/Ill-Dignified
Traditional terms describing whether a card's energy is flowing freely (dignified) or is impeded in some way (ill-dignified), often determined by position or surrounding cards.
Dignity
The strength or weakness of a card's influence based on its position in a spread or relationship to surrounding cards.
Disks
Alternative name for the suit of Pentacles, particularly in the Thoth tarot deck.
Divination
The practice of seeking knowledge about the unknown or future through supernatural means, such as tarot cards.
Drawing Cards
The process of selecting cards from the deck to place in the spread positions, which can be done from the top or through various selection methods.
Earth Element
Associated with Pentacles suit. Represents practicality, stability, material concerns, and physical reality.
Elemental Balance
The state of having all four elements represented and in harmony within a reading, indicating wholeness and stability.
Elemental Correspondences
The system that connects each tarot suit to a specific element, helping to understand the energy and meaning of the cards.
Elemental Dignities
The interaction between cards based on their elemental associations. Some elements strengthen each other, while others weaken or neutralize each other's effects.
Elemental Dignities
A reading technique that interprets cards based on how their elemental associations interact with adjacent cards.
Elemental Spread
A four-card spread with positions corresponding to the four elements, examining how these energies are balanced in the querent's life.
Elemental Triangles
A way of organizing and understanding the relationships between elements, where complementary elements form triangular patterns of influence.
Etteilla
Jean-Baptiste Alliette (1738-1791), known as Etteilla, who was one of the first to popularize tarot as a divination tool and created one of the earliest divination-specific decks.
Fire Element
Associated with Wands suit. Represents passion, energy, creativity, inspiration, and spiritual growth.
Fixed Signs
Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius—zodiac signs associated with stability and determination, connected to specific tarot cards.
Fixed Stars
Significant stars in astrology that are sometimes associated with specific tarot cards to add nuanced interpretation.
Focused Reading
A tarot reading centered on a specific question or situation, providing targeted insights.
Fool's Journey
A narrative understanding of the Major Arcana as representing the journey of the Fool (card 0) through various life experiences to spiritual completion.
Framing the Question
The process of formulating clear, open-ended questions that will yield the most insightful answers in a tarot reading.
Golden Dawn
An influential occult society founded in the late 19th century that developed many of the esoteric interpretations of tarot used today.
Grounding
A practice done before or after a reading to center oneself and connect with the present moment, often involving breathing exercises or visualization.
Horseshoe Spread
A seven-card spread arranged in a horseshoe shape, useful for decision-making and exploring various aspects of a situation.
Intuitive Reading
An approach to tarot that emphasizes the reader's intuitive impressions rather than memorized card meanings.
Kabbalah in Tarot
The connection between tarot cards and the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, primarily developed by members of the Golden Dawn.
Lunar Phases
The eight phases of the Moon's cycle, sometimes associated with different tarot cards or used as timing indicators in readings.
Major Arcana
The 22 trump cards in a tarot deck that represent significant life events, karmic lessons, and spiritual development. They often indicate important turning points or archetypal energies.
Mandala Spread
A circular spread that represents the whole self or universe, often with cards positioned to represent different aspects of consciousness or experience.
Marseille Tarot
A traditional style of tarot deck originating from southern France in the 17th century, characterized by woodcut-style illustrations.
Meditation with Cards
The practice of focusing on a specific tarot card during meditation to connect with its energy or receive insights.
Minor Arcana
The 56 cards in a tarot deck divided into four suits (Cups, Pentacles, Swords, and Wands). They represent everyday situations and temporary influences in life.
Mirror Reading
A technique where cards are interpreted based on their reflections or mirror opposites when they appear in certain positions in a spread.
Mutable Signs
Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces—zodiac signs associated with adaptability and change, connected to specific tarot cards.
New Age Tarot
The modern approach to tarot that emerged in the mid-20th century, emphasizing psychological interpretation and self-development over traditional divination.
Numerology in Tarot
The study of number symbolism as it applies to tarot cards, where each number carries specific vibrations and meanings that influence card interpretations.
One-Card Draw
The simplest tarot spread where a single card is drawn for daily guidance or to answer a specific question.
Open Reading
A tarot reading without a specific question, designed to provide general guidance or insights.
Oracle Deck
A card deck used for divination that doesn't follow the traditional 78-card tarot structure. Oracle decks can have any number of cards and follow various themes and systems.
Passive Elements
Water and Earth, considered feminine, receptive, and introspective elements in traditional esoteric systems.
Pathways Spread
A spread that explores different options or paths available to the querent, helping with decision-making.
Pathworking
A guided visualization technique where one mentally enters the world of a tarot card to gain deeper insights and personal connection with its symbols.
Pentacles
One of the four suits in the Minor Arcana, associated with the element of Earth. Represents material matters, finances, career, and physical well-being.
Personality Card
A card derived from your birth date that represents your outward personality and how you appear to others.
Pictorial Key to the Tarot
A.E. Waite's 1910 book explaining the symbolism and meaning of the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck.
Pip Cards
The numbered cards in the Minor Arcana (Ace through Ten of each suit). They represent everyday situations and events.
Planetary Influences
The seven classical planets of astrology (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) that are associated with certain tarot cards.
Planetary Rulerships
The assignment of planets as rulers of specific tarot cards, adding another layer of meaning to interpretations.
Planetary Spread
A spread with positions corresponding to the seven classical planets, exploring how these energies manifest in the querent's life.
Predictive Reading
A type of reading focused on forecasting future events or outcomes, as opposed to readings focused on guidance or self-reflection.
Progressive Reading
A series of readings done over time to track the development of a situation, with each new reading building on the previous ones.
Psychological Interpretation
A modern approach to tarot reading that focuses on psychological insights and self-development rather than fortune-telling.
Querent
The person who is receiving the tarot reading or asking the question.
Quintessence
The fifth element or spirit, representing the unification of the four basic elements and spiritual transcendence.
Reader-Querent Relationship
The dynamic between the tarot reader and the person receiving the reading, including aspects of trust, collaboration, and boundaries.
Reading Ethics
Principles guiding responsible tarot practice, including honesty, respect for querent autonomy, and appropriate boundaries.
Relationship Spread
A spread specifically designed to explore the dynamics of a relationship, often including cards representing each person and their connection.
Reversed
When a card appears upside-down in a reading, often interpreted as blocked or internalized energy, opposite meaning, or a weakened version of the upright meaning.
Rider-Waite-Smith Deck
One of the most influential and widely used tarot decks, created by Arthur Edward Waite and artist Pamela Colman Smith, published by the Rider Company in 1909.
Rods
Alternative name for the suit of Wands in some tarot decks.
Sacred Space
Creating a dedicated, peaceful environment for tarot readings, often incorporating candles, crystals, or other ritual elements.
Shadow Card
The card at the bottom of the deck after shuffling, sometimes read as representing hidden influences or subconscious elements affecting the situation.
Shadow Work
Using tarot to explore and integrate repressed aspects of the self, often through cards that trigger resistance or discomfort.
Shuffling
The mixing of tarot cards before a reading to randomize their order and infuse them with the querent's energy.
Significator
A card chosen to represent the querent (person asking the question) or the situation in a reading.
Smith, Pamela Colman
Artist (1878-1951) who illustrated the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck, whose imagery has become the standard reference for many modern tarot decks.
Solar Return
A special tarot spread done on or near a person's birthday, based on the astrological concept of the Sun returning to its natal position.
Soul Card
A card derived by adding the digits of your birth date until you get a number corresponding to a Major Arcana card, representing your soul's purpose.
Spread
A specific layout of cards used for reading tarot, with each position having a particular meaning or representing a specific aspect of the question.
Staves
Alternative name for the suit of Wands in some tarot decks.
Story Method
Interpreting a spread by weaving the card meanings into a coherent narrative or story to make the reading more accessible and meaningful.
Swords
One of the four suits in the Minor Arcana, associated with the element of Air. Represents intellect, thought, communication, conflict, and truth.
Synchronicity
A concept developed by psychologist Carl Jung referring to meaningful coincidences that cannot be explained by cause and effect. In tarot, the cards that appear in a reading are considered synchronistic events.
Tarocchi
The original Italian name for tarot cards, which were first used as playing cards in the 15th century before being adopted for divination.
Tarot Journal
A notebook or diary where tarot practitioners record their readings, insights, and the development of their practice over time.
Thoth Deck
A tarot deck designed by Aleister Crowley and painted by Lady Frieda Harris, incorporating astrological, alchemical, and Kabbalistic symbolism.
Three-Card Spread
A simple spread using three cards, often interpreted as past-present-future or situation-action-outcome.
Timing in Tarot
Techniques used to determine when events indicated in a reading might occur, often using suit correspondences to seasons or card numbers to indicate days/weeks/months.
Tree of Life Spread
A ten-card spread based on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, providing insights into spiritual and personal development across various aspects of existence.
Trumps
Another name for the Major Arcana cards.
Upright
When a card appears right-side up in a reading, typically interpreted with its traditional meaning.
Visconti-Sforza Deck
One of the oldest surviving tarot decks, commissioned by the noble Visconti and Sforza families in 15th century Milan as playing cards and works of art.
Waite, Arthur Edward
Occultist (1857-1942) who designed the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck and wrote extensively on esoteric subjects, including tarot and ceremonial magic.
Wands
One of the four suits in the Minor Arcana, associated with the element of Fire. Represents energy, passion, inspiration, creativity, and action.
Water Element
Associated with Cups suit. Represents emotions, intuition, relationships, and the subconscious.
Yes/No Spread
A simple spread specifically designed to answer yes or no questions, often using card orientation or numerical values to determine the answer.
Zodiac Signs
The 12 astrological signs (Aries, Taurus, etc.) that are associated with specific tarot cards, particularly in the Major Arcana.