Understanding Tarot Card Symbolism

Colours

Colours often reinforce a card's overall message.

• Red – passion, courage, energy.
• Blue – calmness, truth, intuition.
• Yellow – optimism, clarity and success.
• Green – growth, healing and abundance.
• Black – mystery, endings or the unknown.
• White – purity, honesty and fresh beginnings.

Animals

Animals often represent instincts, personality traits or different kinds of energy.

• Dogs often symbolise loyalty and protection.
• Horses suggest movement and determination.
• Lions represent courage and inner strength.
• Birds commonly symbolise freedom or spiritual messages.
• Fish can represent emotions, intuition or abundance.

Landscapes

Mountains may suggest challenges or long-term goals, while rivers often represent emotional flow and change. Gardens, forests and paths can symbolise growth, opportunities or personal journeys.

Numbers

Repeating numbers carry symbolic meaning throughout the tarot.

• Ace – beginnings and potential.
• Two – balance and partnerships.
• Three – creativity and growth.
• Four – stability.
• Five – conflict or change.
• Six – harmony.
• Seven – reflection.
• Eight – progress.
• Nine – completion approaching.
• Ten – fulfilment and cycles ending.

Celestial Symbols

The Sun usually represents optimism, vitality and clarity. The Moon often points towards intuition, dreams and uncertainty, while stars frequently symbolise hope, inspiration and guidance.

Look Beyond Individual Symbols

Try not to interpret every symbol separately. Instead, notice how they work together to tell one story. Ask yourself what stands out first, what emotions the image creates and how the different symbols support the card's overall meaning.

With practice, you'll naturally begin recognising recurring patterns across the entire tarot deck.