The Simplest Way to Derive Tarot Card Meanings

A Tarot card can have many meanings. The sheer number of those meanings often makes learning Tarot a very daunting prospect. Let me show you a simple and effective way to derive the Tarot Card meanings so that you can learn how to read the Tarot Cards. 

Students who want to learn to read the Tarot Cards, often find the seemingly endless lists of card meanings overwhelming, so much so that many of them end up quitting on Tarot.

However, there is a very simple way to derive the meaning of the Tarot Card all by yourself. This means you need not be daunted by the long list of Tarot Card meanings.

The Simplest Way to Derive Tarot Card Meanings

The very straightforward method of figuring out the meanings of these lovely images is to just look at the images on the cards and describe what you see in them. 

Yes, you read that correctly! It is that simple!

1: Tarot Card Images are Scenes from Life

Along with esoteric symbols, the Tarot Card images show people in scenes from everyday life. All you have to do is simply describe those scenes using everyday language.

Tarot Readings are based on the fact that these scenes of people doing various things and going through these different situations are a symbolic representation of what the querent is going through in their lives. So when you describe the scene within a Tarot card image, it will resonate with a situation that your querent is facing in their life.

2: Symbols are Metaphors

The symbols in these descriptions are metaphors and can be applied to the topic or question that you have asked the cards. The people in the card images and the actions implied by the card images, suggest how your querent will likely act in those situations.

3: Images have Multiple Interpretations

Images are unique. And since interpretations can be subjective or contextual, these images can be interpreted in multiple ways. In this way, each image can tell many stories. 

This is the reason why there are so many meanings for each Tarot Card. Mastering this simple way to derive the Tarot card meanings will then give you the ability to figure those out by yourself. You won’t have to memorize endless lists of meanings anymore. In fact, you’ll likely be adding more interpretations to those lists!

Simple Way to Derive Tarot Card Images: Example

If you look at the image on the 3 of Swords, it isn’t difficult to see what’s going on. The card image shows three swords piercing a heart. The metaphor here is quite clear. 

The symbol of the Heart is all about love and feelings, and Swords can be very painful when they pierce anything. 

This card image talks about pain, heartbreak, and betrayal. Therefore, it isn’t hard to figure out what is going on when someone draws this card in a reading. 

In an actual Reading, you won’t just be looking at the Cards. You’ll be drawing them to answer the questions posed by your client/querent. This means you’ll be looking at the cards within the context of those questions.

4: Adjust for Context

Depending on the context or topic of the question the client has asked, the meaning of the card will alter slightly to match that context.

The meaning of the 3 of Swords in a relationship reading is pretty obvious. This card tells us that there’s a heartbreaking betrayal, a painful realization that lies in wait for the querent. 

In a different context, the meaning will adjust accordingly, while the core of the meaning remains the same.

So if the question is about work-related situations, then the possible interpretations of the 3 of Swords could be a betrayal at work, a heartbreaking situation at work, or a painful betrayal within a workplace relationship.

Simple Way to Derive Tarot Card Images: Some More Examples

The 2 of Wands is a lovely example. In this card, we see a well-dressed young man standing on the roof of his house, looking at the ocean. In his hand, he holds a globe. Below, we see his village. 

From the way he is dressed, we can see that this man is doing well for himself. The globe in his hand and his looking at the ocean could very well suggest that he wants to travel the world. He wants to leave his little village and see more of the world. 

In a question related to work, this could talk about wanting to explore more job options that go beyond what the querent is doing at the moment. It shows the desire to expand one’s career horizons, even the willingness to travel away from one’s hometown. 

In a question related to relationships, this card may show a very different story altogether. This may show a desire to explore other options, outside of the current relationship. 

This card may show a combined meaning too! We could see how a career change inspired by the desire to expand one’s horizons could also include (or bring with it) the desire to walk away from the current relationship.

Another lovely example is the 6 of Swords. This card shows a man rowing a boat. Seated in the boat are a woman and a child, and six swords. In the distance, we see the other shore. 

Within the context of a relationship reading, this card image could suggest moving from one place to the other along with the family. It could talk about “finding other shores to settle down”. The swords could represent issues and burdens that this move could be bringing up. Or the swords could be the issues and burdens that they are carrying with them to the other shore.

In a Reading about work and career-related topics, this card could suggest that a group of people are moving from one team to the other, or one department to the other, while carrying their issues and burdens along with them. It could suggest situations where one person could be steering a team or a group of people towards a more stable environment. 

The 10 of Cups is yet another great example. This card features a happy family, complete with 10 cups in a rainbow. The image suggests joy, happiness, and harmony. 

If you draw this card in a relationship reading, it could mean that you will find true love and a happy relationship. It shows a happy family, where everyone is loved and nourished.

If you draw this card in a career reading, it could mean that you will experience emotional satisfaction in your work, that your workplace environment feels like being part of a family, or you work in a family-owned company. 

Once you get started, it is easy to get creative! 

5: Add Layers

Once you’ve become familiar with the previous steps, you can add one more layer to the Tarot Card meanings. Call it the icing on top of the cake, if you will. 

Along with the people and the symbols on the card images, notice the colors, symbols, and numbers. These also add value to the meaning of the Tarot cards. 

For example, the Ace of Cups card features a cup overflowing with water, suggesting abundance and fulfillment. The number one on the card represents new beginnings, while the color blue represents emotions and intuition. 

All of these elements come together in the card’s image, and we can say that the card could mean abundant emotions, fulfilling new beginnings, overflowing emotions & intuition, and so on. 

In a work Reading, this could be interpreted as emotional satisfaction at work, or feeling very fulfilled with one’s job. In a relationship Reading, this card shows emotional fulfillment within a relationship, or even by oneself (the number 1 is a solo traveler after all). 

Simple Way to Derive Tarot Card Images: Homework

Take a look at all the cards that we’ve looked at earlier. What layers could you add to the card meanings by adding in the interpretations for the colors and numbers? Do they enhance the basic meaning of the card?

Try applying those enriched meanings to the two different contexts that we are using as examples: relationship Readings, and work & career-related Readings. Do these meanings bring out more aspects of the interpretation? How do these new interpretations bring out other aspects of the client’s questions?

Take Your Tarot Card Meanings To the Next Level

You can apply this simple and effective technique to every Tarot card image, and derive the Tarot card’s meanings by looking at the image and describing what you see. Then by applying that concept to the context of the reading, you can gain a deeper understanding of the situation you are reading for. 

In case you were wondering, yes, I do teach Tarot Card Reading and Mentor Tarot students, both in-person and online via Skype. Please take a look at what I offer along with the other teachers and courses that you consider. Thank you. 🙏🏼