The Four Elements Of Tarot

Tarot is a pack of cards usually comes in 78 various cards, and has been around us since time can tell. Tarot is not likely similar to the tarots that are suits for conventional playing cards, each of these suits has pip cards numbering from ace to ten and four face cards for a total of 14 cards.

However, in modern day paganism, there is so much meaning for the tarots with a focus on four elements, which is the Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. And some adds the Spirit as the fifth element for the tarot.

Major Arcana – These are also known as the trump cards consists of 22 cards. While each deck has its own variation for the names of the trump cards, the most common ones are: The Fool, The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgment and The World.
Minor Arcana - Also known as the suits, consists of fifty six cards with four suits of fourteen cards each. Each suite has ten numbered cards plus four court cards (King, Queen, Knight and Jack/Page)

Essentially, for this division, the Minor Arcana tarot cards are further subdivided into two sets. The first set is the court cards, which is made up of the King, Queen, Knight and Page. Each court card is assigned an element. Page is associated with Earth, Knight is to air, Queen represents water and King is symbolic of fire.

In the five-section division, the Minor Arcana tarot cards are again subdivided, but this time via the suits. These are named differently based on the type of tarot card deck you hold. Like the court cards, each suit is associated with an element.

Coins are also known as pentacles and they represent Earth. Swords are also Epees, which represent air. Cups are sometimes called Chalices and this represents Water. Finally, Batons are also known as Wands, which represents fire.

The concept for four elements is all associated with traits and meanings, as well as certain directions that is being translated in a compass. The following directional associations are for the Northern hemisphere; readers in the Southern hemisphere should use the opposite correspondences .The following detail corresponds to the four basic elements of Tarot.
Earth – is the ultimate feminine element. It is known to be stable and fertile and is formerly associated with Goddess. In its Major Arcana, it is known to be associated with The Empress, the hierophant, the hermit, the devil, and the world (the universe). In color, both green and brown connect to the Earth, for obvious reasons.

Air – element of the East, connected to the soul and life. Air is something that relieves the lives of distressed and is an element that symbolizes wisdom and power of mind. It connects to the suit for tarot of Swords.

Fire – has a masculine energy, and is associated with the South. It depicts strong will and energy, which succumbs to the notion that it creates and destroys. Fire is known to be the Emperor, with the temperance and the sun as its power.

Water – is a feminine energy and highly associated with the aspects of the Goddesses. As water as itself, it is use purposely for cleansing and healing purification. Some use water as the holy element for invocation of spirits and other measures. Earlier period of time it reflects on a consecration of the circle that was used for earlier witchcraft among other things. It is the symbol for high priestess, the chariot, the hanged man, death and wheel of fortune for decks of cards.

By: Jackson Swift

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Jackson Swift is the author of this article for Universal Psychic Guild that offers free ask psychic readings, free tarot readings online and free psychic chat.