The Minor Arcana of the Tarot deck designate more complete, more practical situations. They are made up of 56 illustrations, which are divided into four groups of 14 Cards each.
The deck of the Tarot in Marseille is made up of 78 Cards, of which 22 refer to the Major Arcana or Trumps and 56 to the Minor Arcana, divided into four suits, exactly like the playing cards. They are the latter that you will know in this article.The Tarot is one of the most popular self-knowledge and self-discovery tools in the world. On top of that, they fit into the divinatory arts, and many people go to fortune tellers to find an answer or guide for their choices.Although there are several types of Tarot decks ( Marseille, Rider Waite, Belline, Crowley, Crystal, among others), the meaning and esoteric meaning of the Cards are similar between them.
What is the Minor Arcana of the Tarot of Marseille?
While the Major Arcana of the Tarot affect universal archetypes that reflect the basic patterns of human feelings, ideas, and thoughts, the Minor Arcana gives the Tarot a practical and everyday dimension. They do not tell stories; they only give meaning to the most visible details of the issues of interest in that same story.In this way, the 56 Cards of the Minor Arcana show thoughts, feelings, events, and people from day to day.
The Minor Arcana in the Tarot of Marseille
The Minor Arcana designate more complete, more practical situations. They are made up of 56 illustrations, which are divided into four groups of 14 Cards each. These different groups can be compared to the suits of the deck: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Coins. Each suit contains 14 Cards numbered from 1 (Ace) to 10 and four figures: the King, the Queen, the Knight, and the Jack.Their combination is based on the four primordial elements (also considered in Astrology to define the archetypes of the Zodiac Signs) and on the four psychic functions establishing a relationship between them:
Wands or Canes - The stick of Wands is equivalent to the Fire Element and the psychological function of Intuition. It portrays the idea of power, fire, and trust. These Cards are associated with passion and communication - desire, creativity, and inspiration problems. Wands show that there is a great movement, activity, and verbal communication.
Cups - This suit corresponds to the Water Element and the psychological function of Feelings. Glasses contain liquids, and water is related to emotion. Cups reveal feelings.
Swords - This suit corresponds to the Air Element and the psychological function of the Intellect. The Cards of this suit are associated with mind and thought analysis and decisions. Swords are a weapon, and the one that leads to discord and inner conflict in man is his Intellect, his undisciplined thoughts.
Coins or Coins - This suit corresponds to the Earth Element and the psychological function of the Sensations. Money and material goods allow relationships between people and action in the material world, in conjunction with the physical reality of the body and practical things, such as the house, money, or work.
Stick Association Mnemonic Wands The soul: passion, Intuition, and direction I wish Cups The heart: emotion and relationships I feel Swords The mind: intelligence and decisions I think, I fear Golds The body: possessions, the material world I have
Each suit of the Minor Arcana of the Tarot contains 10 Cards numbered from 1 (Ace) to 10. This order is related to the ten levels of the Tree of Life of the Hebrew Kabbalah. Each suit ends with four characters: the King, the Queen, the Knight, and the Jack. Together, the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana help to interpret the message of the Cards and make a personalized Tarot reading.The Tree of Life symbolizes human life and its different phases. Its branches go up towards the sky to receive the light and energy of the Sun. The roots are buried in the ground, a source of food but also of security, holding on to the ground when storms arrive. This Symbiology can be transposed into human life.
Know in Detail the Meaning of the Minor Arcana of the Tarot of Marseille
When you pick up your Tarot deck, separate the Major Arcana Cards from the Minor Arcana. Then place the suits of the Minor Arcana in order, starting with the Aces and ending with the Kings. Arrange them in rows. Associate the Aces with the beginning of a journey that culminates with the Cards with the number 10. These represent the end of the journey and the beginning of evolution, development, and changes.
The Aces - Beginnings, Beginnings, Vitality, New Opportunities
The four Aces of the deck of Tarot Cards correspond to everything that Keter symbolizes, the first sefirah (or sacred emanation) of the Tree of Life. It is related to the planet Neptune, the most spiritual and distant energy on earth. The Ace refers to the origin, the beginning. It is the first force, the root from which everything is born. In this sense, it maintains a close symbolic relationship with Major Arcana number 1, The Magician.
Ace of Wands - Represents strength and energy. If the Card is reversed, it means a lack of strength and energy.
Ace of Cups - This represents a new love or a new relationship that has not yet manifested. If the Letter is reversed, it is translated as a change in the affective nucleus or a change of house.
Ace of Swords - Represents the break with the past in a certain matter. If the Card is reversed, it predicts a defeat.
Ace of Pentacles - This Card predicts luck and success in any matter. Although the Letter goes backward, its meaning does not change, being also positive and successful.
The Two - Duality, Society, Decisions, Redoubled Strength
In the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the two correspond to the sefirah Hochma: wisdom. This Letter corresponds to the energy of the planet Uranus. It is a dynamic and disorganized force. It is linked to Major Arcana number 2: The Priestess. The number 2 represents the duality of beginning to evolve and to create.
2 of Wands - It implies the duality of the intuitive mind to be able to better reflect on something, on the advantages and disadvantages of a project or an idea. If the Letter is reversed, it predicts difficulties in working on two projects at the same time.
2 of Cups - Refers to the husband or wife or someone new who will appear in the person's life. If the Card is reversed, it refers to the couple's breakdown or the inner balance of the personality.
2 of Swords - Represents intellectual duality, the ability to think about an issue from different points of view to create new thinking, evolve, and have more clarity of reasoning. It can also point to mental infighting or conflict with someone. If the Card is reversed, it predicts suffering and a difficult fight. It can represent a mental separation.
2 of Pentacles - Represents the completion of a project. Predict pregnancy or something that will pay off. If the Letter is reversed, it means that some project may be delayed or that a pregnancy may not occur at the desired time.
The Three - Recognition, Activity, Results, Creativity
In Kabbalah, this number of the Minor Arcana corresponds to the third sefirah, Bina. It represents the great mother who gives, simultaneously, life and death. It also means understanding. It is related to the energy of Saturn, which gains strength through a form. It corresponds to the Major Arcana number 3, The Empress. Keter, Hochma, and Bina form the triangle on the Tree of Life. From them, the potential aspect is not considered, if not the current one. It is located in the severity column.
3 of Wands - In the field of projects, it indicates solution, balance, and harmony. If the Letter is reversed, it predicts difficulty in completing projects.
3 of Cups - On the emotional level, it refers to the result of love between two people: conceiving a child. If the Card is reversed, it predicts a separation between the couple or between the couple and their child.
3 of Swords - In terms of fights, it announces the necessary breakdown of a union, which can be between the couple and at work. If the Card is reversed, it predicts depression and pain.
3 of Pentacles - In the material sense, it refers to the signing of a document - a work contract, marriage, purchase, and sale of a house, etc. If the Card is reversed, it indicates that this is not the best time to sign anything.
The Four - Stability, Containment, Doubts, Limitations
On the Tree of Life, the four corresponds to Chesed: mercy. It is related to the energy of Jupiter, symbolizing the King in peacetime. Preserve what Bina creates. It is located in the column of mercy.
Four of Wands - Harmony, and organization to face projects and plans. Represents mental balance. If the Card comes out inverted, it means difficulty in finding the necessary harmony to advance. But, even so, this is a favorable position, which does not imply impossibility but rather the tendency for stability and concreteness.
Four of Cups - Affective harmony in the inner world. It represents love and meeting someone special. If the Letter is reversed, it predicts the need for an affective restructuring.
4 of Swords - Means isolation and introversion. The person turns inward, where he gathers himself and seeks refuge since he does not feel good fighting. If the Card is reversed, it predicts a lonely, isolated, defenseless person.
4 of Pentacles - Mental balance. It also expresses an interesting love based on convenience or in the search for financial stability. If the Card is reversed, it predicts financial difficulties, health problems, or emotional instability.
The Five - Instability, Versatility, Communication, Openness
The Cards with the number 5 correspond to Gevura in the Tree of Life, that is, the severity. It is a number related to the energy of the planet Mars. It symbolizes discipline, war, and everything that is destructive. Your mission is to unleash the force of form. It is located in the column of severity and is related to the Major Arcana number 5, The Pope.In the Tarot in Marseille, the number 5 is seen as a destructive number. Still, it does not stop playing an important role in this oracle because, by creating a break with the past, it promotes renewal and gives strength and encouragement to move forward to create new realities.
5 of Wands - Brawls and mental conflicts. The person is eager for changes in any field of life. If the Card is reversed, it predicts the same, but with greater intensity.
5 of Cups - At the affective level, it is the Charter of the complete family, beyond the partner and children. In the esoteric Tarot, the family is considered a karmic matter, which means that the person must relearn something in order to grow and evolve. If the Letter is reversed, it predicts family conflict or the loss of something in the family circle.
5 of Swords - This is one of the strongest Cards of the Minor Arcana, as the energy of the number 5 and of the swords mutually strengthen each other. It is the personality and mission of Mars multiplied by two. It provides a total break, a great change, and death. If the Card is reversed, it predicts a deep depression, a slow death. It indicates that resistance to change will eventually destroy the person.
5 of Pentacles - On the material plane, it indicates a shortage of money and possible financial problems. If the Card is reversed, it accentuates the scenario of economic hardship.
The Six - Harmony, Perfection, Idealism, Inner Peace
6 of Wands - It represents doubts and meditation on the mental plane. If the Card is reversed, it predicts the same but indicates that it will be even more difficult for the person to overcome their doubts.
6 of Cups - In relationships, it represents the meeting of new emotional ties and the beginning of a new relationship, be it romantic, work, a new friendship, etc. If the Letter is reversed, it predicts the separation of the couple, who could not overcome their differences, or the interference of external factors in the married life of the couple, such as financial or family problems.
6 of Swords - It means an obsessive doubt that prevents you from making a decision and moving forward. If the Card is reversed, it means that it is necessary to rethink what motivates the conflict to try to resolve it in the best possible way.
6 of Pentacles - Indicates that you are in the moment to act. The person should speak less and act more. If the Card is reversed, it means that the person does not have to do things according to their own decision.
The Seven - Potential, Ambition, Dreams, Illusion, Magic
In Kabbalah, seven corresponds to Netsaj on the Tree of Life, victory. It represents the energy of the planet Venus, considering the number of transformations and integration. It is the Letter of rapid change, of variation. It is related to the Major Arcana number 7, The Chariot.
7 of Wands - Represents mental fluency, quick reasoning, and sudden insights. Indicates an agile and subtle mind. If the Card is reversed, it means that the mind is blocked.
7 of Cups - Indicates a temporary joy, a pleasant surprise. If the Letter is reversed, it predicts frustration because something expected does not materialize, particularly in the affective field.
7 of Swords - Suggests an abrupt interruption of something or something. The path of struggles does not present obstacles. If the Card comes out inverted, it predicts an involuntary separation that can bring pain. However, the recovery will be faster than expected. It symbolizes an unforeseen but not long-lasting inconvenience.
7 of Pentacles - Suggests material well-being. Money and material goods will be obtained without difficulty or effort. If the Letter is reversed, it predicts sudden expenses or an unfavorable situation in the material field.
The Eight - Entries, Changes, Overcoming Obstacles, Decreasing Restrictions
In Kabbalah, the number 8 corresponds to Hod, the splendor of the Tree of Life. Spiritual regeneration, principle, justice, harmony, and balance are some of the principles associated with this number. It is linked to the energy of the planet Mercury and with the Major Arcana, Justice.
8 of Wands - Represents the balanced mind, which gives the necessary attention to each subject and matter. An intellect that is not lost or distracted by trifles and minor matters. If the Letter is reversed, it means that you need balance to bring a project or a personal matter to fruition.
8 of Cups - Indicates joy, balance, and effective harmony. If the Letter is reversed, it predicts a lack of sentimental balance, the impossibility of being happy and enjoying life. It also suggests wasting time with false concerns.
8 of Swords - This represents the need for effort to make something happen. You can predict legal issues and litigation to solve a problem. If the Card is reversed, it indicates a situation of injustice, and a judgment is lost. Poorly planned issues can bring other concerns and the need to rethink.
8 of Pentacles - Represents the ability to manage accounts well. If the Letter is reversed, it indicates mismanagement or that the money is not enough to face the commitments assumed. Suggests the need for a financial reorganization.
The Nine - Intensity, Action, Courage, Self-confidence
The number 9 corresponds to Yesod, the ninth sphere on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. It represents the truth. It is the central pillar, the pillar of balance, the container that receives everything, that corrects and purifies. When the Tarot practitioner enters this sphere, his period of astral consciousness begins. It corresponds to the energy of the Moon and Major Arcana number 9, The Hermit. This 9 has a tendency to dig deeper and slow things down.
9 of Wands - Represents long-term projects. If the Card is reversed, it means that the mind is calm and works clearly.
9 of Cups - It implies joy in solitude. The person enjoys their privacy with pleasure. As for relationships, it reveals stability. If the Card is reversed, it predicts a deep and painful wound on a sentimental level. The person feels lonely and cannot find serenity because of it.
9 of Swords - Predicts a long and lonely fight. If the Card is reversed, it indicates depression and breakups, both difficult to overcome.
9 of Pentacles - Indicates scarce financial resources but still sufficient to meet daily expenses. If the Card is reversed, it suggests financial difficulties for a long period of time.
The Ten - Integrity, Endings and Beginnings, New Destinations, Personal Fulfillment
On the Tree of Life, the number 10 corresponds to Malchut: the kingdom. This is the place where Yesod transmits purified emanations to express them. It is the closest sefirah in the material world. The number 10 represents the earth and the soul of the earth. It is the end of the trip, which begins the path of evolution, development, andchanges. It corresponds to the energy of the planet Pluto and the Major Arcana, The Wheel of Fortune.
10 of Wands - Predicts attunement to a new mental vision. If the Card comes out inverted, it indicates a new beginning of ideas and projects.
10 of Cups - Represents the joy shared in the community and in groups, such as parties, gatherings, and social contacts. If the Card comes out inverted, it indicates that the person does not feel good among other people or that some matter worries him.
Ten of Swords - Envision struggles and confrontations, but also a victory. If the Card is reversed, it indicates depression, loss, or defeat.
10 of Pentacles - This Card suggests great financial gains in the future. If the Card is reversed, it predicts doubts and changes in the environment, such as at home or at work.
Tarot Deck Figures - Meaning and Personality
Now that you know the meaning of the sequence of the Aces up to 10 discover also the symbiology of the figures of the Minor Arcana in the deck of the Tarot in Marseille.
