EDITORIAL DESK · 105 entries

Tarot & Cards

Learn tarot deck structure, Major and Minor Arcana, court cards, reversals, spreads, questions, and reflective practice.

Tarot reading combines a deck’s visual language, card position, question, and surrounding cards. Strong practice moves beyond memorized keywords and records how an interpretation was formed.

Start with deck structure and a small spread, then develop your own evidence-based reading vocabulary through repeated, dated practice.

FEATURED REFERENCEThe Complete 78 Tarot Card Meanings GuideBrowse the complete Rider–Waite–Smith deck in order, compare upright and reversed meanings, and download the English quick reference.Open the 78-card guide →

Start here

A reading order for newcomers before moving into glossary and case material.

01Tarot for Beginners: From Memorizing Meanings to Reading Spreads2 min read · English02Major Arcana Glossary: Tarot’s Core Symbolic Sequence7 min read · English03Minor Arcana Glossary: Tarot’s Everyday Grammar4 min read · English04Tarot Swords: Reading Thought, Communication, and Conflict4 min read · English05Tarot Spread Glossary: Structuring a Tarot Question8 min read · English

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Definitions, methods, cases, reading guides, and cross-links filed in this desk.

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01Nine Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗02Major Arcana Glossary: Tarot’s Core Symbolic SequenceTarot & CardsEnglish↗03Court Cards Glossary: Roles and Actions in TarotTarot & CardsEnglish↗04Tarot Reversal Glossary: How to Read Card DirectionTarot & CardsEnglish↗05Tarot Spread Glossary: Structuring a Tarot QuestionTarot & CardsEnglish↗06Page Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗07Ace Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗08Knight Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗09Holistic Tarot Reading Guide: Benebell Wen’s Complete Tarot PathTarot & CardsEnglish↗10A Bibliography of Tarot History: From Playing Cards to Esoteric TraditionTarot & CardsEnglish↗11Reading Guide: Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom — From Card Meanings to Symbolic NarrativeTarot & CardsEnglish↗12Case Study: Teaching a Three-Card Tarot Reading — From Question to CombinationTarot & CardsEnglish↗13Case Study: Comparing a Life Theme Across Systems — Layering Questions for TransitionTarot & CardsEnglish↗14Minor Arcana Glossary: Tarot’s Everyday GrammarTarot & CardsEnglish↗15Tarot Swords: Reading Thought, Communication, and ConflictTarot & CardsEnglish↗16Case Study: How to Review a Tarot Reading That MissedTarot & CardsEnglish↗17Death Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗18Ten Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗19The Hanged Man Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗20The Moon Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗21The Sun Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗22Are Tarot Cards Ancient Egyptian? How the Origin Myth BeganTarot & CardsEnglish↗23The Fool Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗24The Magician Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗25How to Evaluate an Esoteric Book Before You Trust Its ClaimsTarot & CardsEnglish↗26How to Read Tarot Symbols Without Treating Them as FactsTarot & CardsEnglish↗27Ten Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗28Nine Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗29Four Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗30Three Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗31King Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗32Queen Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗33Knight Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗34Ten Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗35Nine Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗36Eight Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗37Seven Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗38Five Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗39Six Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗40Four Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗41Three Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗42Two Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗43Ace Of Pentacles Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗44King Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗45Queen Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗46Knight Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗47Page Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗48Two Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗49Eight Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗50Eight Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗51Seven Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗52Six Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗53Five Of Swords Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗54King Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗55Queen Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗56King Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗57Queen Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗58Knight Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗59Page Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗60Page Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗61Seven Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗62Six Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗63Five Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗64Five Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗65Two Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗66Ace Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗67Four Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗68Three Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗69Two Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗70Ace Of Cups Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗71Ten Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗72Nine Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗73The World Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗74Judgement Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗75The Star Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗76The Tower Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗77The Devil Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗78Temperance Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗79Eight Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗80Seven Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗81Six Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗82Four Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗83Three Of Wands Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗84Justice Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗85Wheel Of Fortune Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗86The Empress Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗87The High Priestess Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗88The Hermit Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗89Strength Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗90The Chariot Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗91The Lovers Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗92The Hierophant Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗93The Emperor Tarot Card: Upright, Reversed & Spread MeaningsTarot & CardsEnglish↗94Tarot for Beginners: From Memorizing Meanings to Reading SpreadsTarot & CardsEnglish↗95Tarot Cups: Reading Emotion, Relationships, and ImaginationTarot & CardsEnglish↗96How to Ask Tarot Questions: From Demanding Answers to Actionable PerspectiveTarot & CardsEnglish↗97Tarot Journaling and Review: Recording Cards, Reasoning, and FeedbackTarot & CardsEnglish↗98Three-Card Tarot Spreads: Position Design and Combination ReadingTarot & CardsEnglish↗99Upright and Reversed Tarot: Use a Consistent Method, Not Simple Good or BadTarot & CardsEnglish↗100How to Read Tarot Court Cards: From Character Labels to Roles and ActionsTarot & CardsEnglish↗101Tarot Pentacles: The Practical Grammar of Resources, Body, and Long-Term BuildingTarot & CardsEnglish↗102Tarot Wands: Reading Action, Will, and Creativity as a ProcessTarot & CardsEnglish↗103Major Arcana Guide: Build a Symbolic Vocabulary Across 22 CardsTarot & CardsEnglish↗104A Guide to Western Esoteric Traditions: Astrology, Tarot, and Symbolic ReadingTarot & CardsEnglish↗105Building a Personal Exploration Journal: Review Charts, Hexagrams, and SpreadsTarot & CardsEnglish↗

Questions readers ask

Short answers to common starting-point questions in this desk.

Do beginners need to memorize all 78 tarot cards?

No. Learn the deck structure, recurring symbols, suits, numbers, and a few core cards first. Meanings become clearer through comparison and practice.

What is a tarot spread?

A spread assigns a role to each card position. The layout helps separate context, tension, options, and reflection rather than treating every card as an isolated answer.

Are reversed cards required?

No. Some readers use reversals and others do not. What matters is choosing a method, recording it, and applying it consistently.