The Tarot Cheat Sheet

The Major Arcana

Major Arcana Tarot Cards
Card Keyword Meaning Reversed Meaning
0 – The Fool Beginnings Spontaneity, a leap of faith, and new beginnings Irresponsibility, recklessness, and thoughtlessness
1 – The Magician Manifestation Personal power, creativity, and the ability to manifest desires Manipulation, trickery, and misuse of power
2 – The High Priestess Intuition Intuition, mystery, and the subconscious mind Hidden agendas, blocked intuition, and secrets
3 – The Empress Nurturing Nurturing, abundance, and fertility Dependence, smothering, and lack of growth
4 – The Emperor Authority Authority, stability, and leadership Tyranny, rigidity, and abuse of power
5 – The Hierophant Tradition Tradition, spiritual guidance, and religious beliefs Dogmatism, inflexibility, and outdated traditions
6 – The Lovers Relationships Love, union, and partnerships Imbalance, disharmony, and indecision
7 – The Chariot Willpower Willpower, determination, and triumph over obstacles Loss of control, aggression, and lack of direction
8 – Strength Inner strength Inner strength, courage, and patience Self-doubt, weakness, and insecurity
9 – The Hermit Reflection Reflection, solitude, and inner guidance Isolation, loneliness, and withdrawal
10 – Wheel of Fortune Destiny Destiny, cycles, and good fortune Bad luck, resistance to change, and negative cycles
11 – Justice Balance Balance, fairness, and truth Injustice, dishonesty, and imbalance
12 – The Hanged Man Surrender Surrender, letting go, and a change of perspective Stagnation, resistance, and inability to let go
13 – Death Transformation Transformation, endings, and new beginnings Fear of change, stagnation, and holding on to the past
14 – Temperance Harmony Harmony, balance, and moderation Imbalance, excess, and lack of harmony
15 – The Devil Materialism Materialism, temptation, and bondage Breaking free, detachment, and overcoming addictions
16 – The Tower Upheaval Upheaval, sudden change, and chaos Fear of change, avoiding disaster, and resistance to upheaval
17 – The Star Hope Hope, inspiration, and spiritual guidance Despair, disconnection, and lack of faith
18 – The Moon Illusion Illusion, intuition, and the subconscious Confusion, fear, and anxiety
19 – The Sun Joy Joy, vitality, and success Temporary happiness, feeling overwhelmed, and setbacks
20 – Judgement Renewal Renewal, redemption, and taking responsibility Stagnation, refusal to change, and avoiding responsibility
21 – The World Completion Completion, wholeness, and fulfillment Incompletion, lack of closure, and stagnation

The Minor Arcana

Minor Arcana Tarot Cards
Card Wands Cups Swords Pentacles
Ace New beginnings, inspiration, creativity Emotional fulfillment, love, intuition New ideas, mental clarity, intellect Prosperity, abundance, material success
Two Planning, decisions, partnerships Harmony, balance, relationships Indecision, stalemate, choices Balance, adaptability, resources
Three Growth, expansion, progress Friendship, celebration, joy Heartbreak, sorrow, betrayal Teamwork, collaboration, creativity
Four Rest, celebration, relaxation Apathy, detachment, stagnation Rest, mental recovery, solitude Stability, security, material success
Five Conflict, competition, strife Loss, grief, disappointment Defeat, humiliation, setbacks Financial loss, hardship, instability
Six Victory, recognition, success Nostalgia, memories, childhood Transition, change, travel Generosity, charity, prosperity
Seven Determination, courage, challenge Fantasy, illusion, daydreams Deception, strategy, stealth Hard work, perseverance, diligence
Eight Speed, progress, movement Escapism, avoidance, withdrawal Restriction, isolation, imprisonment Apprenticeship, skill development, mastery
Nine Resilience, persistence, boundaries Wishes, satisfaction, contentment Anxiety, worry, insomnia Abundance, wealth, self-sufficiency
Ten Completion, accomplishment, responsibility Family, joy, lasting happiness Overwhelm, burdens, oppression Legacy, stability, long-term success