Traditional Tarot Imagery
0. The Fool
A card of new beginnings
- A court jester
- A dog or other animal companion
- A cliff
- A snow-covered mountain
- A bag or a knapsack
- Astrological correspondence: Uranus, the planet of rebellion
- Element: air
1. The Magician
A card of self-mastery
- A showman
- A robed figure
- A headpiece or a figure 8
- Points up with one hand, down with the other, to indicate “As above, so below.”
- A table
- Tools that symbolize the power of the four suits: cups, wands, swords, and coins
- Astrological correspondence: Mercury, the messenger planet of speed and communication
- Element: air
2. The High Priestess
A card of intuitive wisdom
- A wise, quiet-looking woman
- A full moon
- A book or a scroll
- Pillars or columns
- Astrological correspondence: The Moon, the silver luminary of emotion and intuition
- Element: water
3. The Empress
A card of fertility and creativity
- A woman who looks like “Mother Nature,” or a pregnant woman
- A crown made up of 12 stars of the zodiac
- A lush field or a meadow
- Astrological correspondence: Venus, planet of love and beauty, comfort and refinement
- Element: earth
4. The Emperor
A counterpart to the Empress; a card of order and control; a civilizing force
- A man of power and authority; a soldier, king, or business man
- A massive throne
- An arid landscape
- Astrological correspondence: Aries, the ram, a sign of conquer and adventure
- Element: fire
5. The Hierophant
A card of structure and guidance from traditional teachings
- A traditional authority figure, like a priest or a professor
- Students
- A church or university setting
- Astrological correspondence: Taurus, the bull, a sign of stability and love of beauty
- Element: earth
6. The Lovers
A card of love, romance, attraction, and communication
- A couple in love
- An angel or an older woman
- Two fruit trees
- Astrological correspondence: Gemini, the twins, a sign of curiosity and communication
- Element: air
7. The Chariot
A card of travel, forward motion, and change
- A vehicle
- A driver
- A contrasting pair of animals, such as horses or sphinxes
- Astrological correspondence: Cancer, the crab, a sign of nurturing and easy homemaking
- Element: water
8. Strength
A card of courage and self-control
- A woman
- A lion
- A figure 8
- Astrological correspondence: Leo, the lion, a sign of courage and heart
- Element: fire
9. The Hermit
A card of solitude, reflection, and wisdom
- An old man like “Father Time”
- A hill or mountain top
- A lamp or hourglass
- Astrological correspondence: Virgo, the virgin, a sign of health, cleanliness, and attention to detail
- Element: earth
10. The Wheel of Fortune
A card of passing time, the cycles of life, and a reminder that what goes up must come down
- A roulette-style wheel or an old-fashioned spinning wheel
- Animal representations of the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water
- Astrological correspondence: Jupiter, planet of luck and expansion
- Element: fire
11. Justice
A card of fairness and balance
- A blindfolded woman, like the courthouse archetype
- A scale
- A courtyard or marble hallway
- Astrological correspondence: Libra, the scales, a sign of balance, harmony, and partnership
- Element: air
12. The Hanged Man
A card of reflection and alternate perspectives
- A man hanging by one leg, his expression peaceful
- A tree
- A halo
- Astrological correspondence: Neptune, planet of illusion
- Element: water
13. Death
A card of endings and new beginnings
- A skeleton or a grim reaper
- A horse
- A harvest sickle
- A garden or a field
- Bodies strewn about
- Astrological correspondence: Scorpio, the scorpion, a sign of mysteries and secrets
- Element: water
14. Temperance
A card of moderation, artistry, and balance
- A beautiful woman with angel wings
- Two goblets, pitchers, or other water vessels
- A watery shoreline
- A rainbow
- Astrological correspondence: Sagittarius, the archer, a sign of higher education and foreign places and people
- Element: earth
15. The Devil
A card of temptation, tragic flaws, and imprisoning factors of one’s own making
- A devil or a man with horns
- A pedestal
- A couple in chains
- An array of material treasures
- A fiery background
- Astrological correspondence: Capricorn, the goat, sign of business and social status
- Element: earth
16. The Tower
A card of sudden, unexpected change
- A tall building
- Lightning in a stormy sky
- A rocky shoreline with crashing waves
- Bodies falling
- Astrological correspondence: Mars, planet of energy, aggression, and sexuality
- Element: fire
17. The Star
A card of guidance and hope
- An angelic figure
- One bright star
- Seven smaller stars
- Astrological correspondence: Aquarius, the water bearer, sign of individuality and change
- Element: air
18. The Moon
A card of intuition, emotion, and the possibility of deception
- The moon in the night sky
- A reflective body of water
- A dog
- A wolf
- A crustacean
- Two pillars
- A winding road
- Astrological correspondence: Pisces, the fish, a sign of intuition and emotion
- Element: water
19. The Sun
A card of celebration and annual events
- A sun
- A child or two
- A white horse
- A field of flowers
- Astrological correspondence: The Sun, the center, the ego, the self
- Element: fire
20. Judgment
A card of accountability and change
- An angel
- A trumpet
- A naked man, woman, and child
- A graveyard
- Sometimes a phoenix rising from its own ashes
- Astrological correspondence: Pluto, the planet of endings and transitions
- Element: water
21. The World
A card of harmonious conclusions and events coming full circle
- A naked, dancing woman
- A wreath
- Four emblems of the four elements
- Astrological correspondence: Saturn, ringed planet of boundaries and limitation
- Element: earth