Each tarot card has an accepted meaning, outlining a facet of human life. The tarot cards and meanings outlined here are from the original Rider-Waite deck, designed to the specifications of the Occultist A.E.Waite, from The Key to the Tarot. This is just a brief outline of meanings, which I use to jog my memory when reading. A deeper understanding of the Tarot comes with a better knowledge of the designs. Waite outlines these in his book, and time and meditation on each of the cards will also give you a greater understanding of the symbolism and meanings of the cards. A meaning is given for the correct and reverse [R] positions.

Lesser Arcana:

 XII The Hanged Man- Wisdom, circumspection, discernment, trials, sacrifice, intuition, divination, prophecy. [R] Selfishness, the crowd, body politic.

King-Dark man, friendly, countryman, generally married, honest and conscientious, generally favourable, may signify a good marriage. [R] Good but severe, austere yet tolerant, advice that should be followed.

Queen-Dark woman, friendly, countrywoman, chaste, loving, honourable, (if the card beside it is a man:) well disposed to him, (woman:) she is interested in the querant, a love of money, a good harvest (taken in all senses). [R] Economical, obliging, serviceable, opposition, jealousy, deceit and infidelity, good will towards the queen without the opportunity to exercise it.

Knight-Departure, absence, flight, emigration, a dark young man, friendly, change of residence, bad card, alienation. [R] Rupture, division, interruption, discord, (for woman:) marriage probably frustrated.

Page-Dark young man, faithful, lover, envoy, postman, (beside man:) he will bear favourable testimony concerning him, (followed by the page of cups:) dangerous rival, young man of family in search of a lady. [R] Anecdotes, announcements, evil news, indecision and the instability accompanying it, bad news.

10- Honour and good faith, opposition, fortune, gain, success of these things, false-seeming, disguise, perfidy, (followed by the nine of swords:) success is stultified, loss of law suit, (near good card:) difficulty and contradictions. [R] Contrarieties, difficulty, intrigues and their analogies.

9-Strength in opposition, if attacked, onslaught met boldly, delay, suspension, adjournment, generally speaking a bad card. [R] Obstacles, adversity, calamity.

8- Activity in undertakings, and its path, swiftness, great haste, great hope, speed toward an end promising happiness, arrows of love, domestic disputes for married person. [R] Arrows of jealousy, internal dispute, stingings of conscience, quarrels.

7- Valour, intellectual discussion, wordy strife, business, negotiations, war of trade, barter, competition, success for combatants, a dark child. [R] Perplexity, embarrassment, anxiety.

6- Victor triumphing, great news, expectation crowned with its own desire, crown of hope, servants losing confidence of masters, a young lady may be betrayed by a friend. [R] Apprehension, fear, as of a victorious enemy at the gate, treachery, disloyalty, as of gates being opened to the enemy.

5-Imitation (i.e. sham fight) strenuous competition and struggle of the search after riches and fortune, gold, gain, opulence, success in financial speculation. [R] Litigation, disputes, trickery, contradictions, quarrels may be turned to advantage.

4-Country life, repose, concord, harmony, prosperity, peace, unexpected good fortune. [R] Prosperity, increase, felicity, beauty, embellishment, a married woman will have beautiful children.

3-Established strength, enterprise, effort, trade, commerce, discovery, good card, favouring enterprise. [R] End of troubles, adversity, toil and disappointment.

2- No marriage possible, riches, fortune, magnificence, but physical suffering, disease, chagrin, sadness, mortification, a young lady may expect trivial disappointments. [R] Surprise, wonder, enchantment, emotion, trouble, fear.

Ace-Creation, invention, enterprise, the powers which result in these, principle, beginning, source, birth, family, origin, beginning of enterprise, money, fortune, inheritance, calamities of all kinds. [R] Fall, decadence, ruin, perdition, to perish, not unclouded joy, sign of birth.

King- Fair man, man of business, law or divinity, responsible, disposed to oblige the querant, equity, art and science, including those who profess these, creative intelligence, beware of ill will on the part of a man of position. [R] Dishonest, double-dealing man, roguery, exaction, injustice, vice, scandal, loss.

Queen- Good, fair, dreamy, as one who sees visions in a cup, honest, devoted woman who will do service to the querant, loving intelligence, and hence the gift of vision, success, happiness, pleasure, wisdom, virtue, denotes a woman of equivocal character. [R] Good woman, otherwise distinguished woman, but not to be trusted, perverse woman, vice, dishonour, depravity, a rich marriage.

Knight- Arrival, approach- sometimes that of a messenger, advances, proposition, demeanor, invitation, incitement, a visit from a friend who will bring unexpected money to the querant. [R] Trickery, artifice, subtlety, swindling, duplicity, fraud.

Page- Fair young man, one impelled to render service and with whom the querant will be connected, a studious youth, news, message, application, reflection, meditation, these things directed to business, good augury. [R] Taste, inclination, attachment, seduction, deception, artifice, obstacles of all kinds.

10- Contentment, repose of the entire heart, perfection of that state, (with several 'picture cards' [unclear, but probably Greater Arcana, but also possibly Court Cards, as in playing cards' picture cards.]:) a person who is taking charge of the querant's interests, town village or country of querant, (for male:) good marriage beyond his expectations. [R] Repose of the false heart, indignation, violence, sorrow.

9- Concord, contentment, physical well being, victory, success, advantage, satisfaction for querant or person for whom the consultation is made, of good augury for military men. [R] Truth, loyalty, liberty, good business.

8-Giving joy, mildness, timidity, modesty, honour, marriage with a fair woman. [R] Great joy, happiness, feasting.

7- Fairy favors, images of reflection, sentiment, imagination, things seen in the glass of contemplation, some attainment of these things, but nothing permanent or substantial, fair child, idea, design, movement. [R] Desire, will, determination, project, (with the 3 of Cups:) Success.

6- Past and memories, looking back, happiness, enjoyment, but coming from the past, things that have vanished, giving new relations, new knowledge, new environment, pleasant memories. [R] The future, renewal, that which will come to pass presently, inheritance to fall in quickly.

5- Loss, but something remaining, inheritance, patrimony, transmission, but not to expectations, marriage, but not without frustration or bitterness, a happy marriage. [R] Alliances, news, affinity, consanguinity, ancestry, return, false projects, return of long-gone relative.

4- Weariness, disgust, aversion, imaginary vexations, blended pleasure, contrarieties. [R] Novelty, presage, new instruction, new relations.

3- Conclusion of any matter in plenty, perfection and merriment, happy out come, victory, fulfillment, solace, healing, unexpected advancement for military man. [R] Expedition, dispatch, achievement, end, consolation.

2- Love, passion, friendship, affinity, union, concord, sympathy, the interrelation of the sexes, favorable in things of pleasure, business and love. [R] Same as above.

Ace- House of the true heart, joy, contentment, abode, nourishment, abundance, fertility, holy table, happiness, inflexible will, unalterable law. [R] House of the false heart, mutation, instability, revolution.

King- Power, command, authority, militant intelligence, law offices of the crown, a lawyer, senator or doctor. [R] Cruelty, perversity, barbarity, perfidy, evil intention, a bad man.

Queen- Widowhood, female sadness and embarrassment, absence, sterility, mourning, privation, separation, a widow. [R] Malice, bigotry, artifice, prudery, deceit, a bad woman.

Knight- Skill, bravery, capacity, defense, address, enmity, wrath, war, destruction, opposition, resistance, ruin, a soldier, man of arms, satellite, stipendiary, heroic action predicted for soldier. [R] Imprudence, incapacity, extravagance, dispute with an imbecile person, (for woman:) struggle with a rival who will be conquered.

Page- Authority, overseeing, secret service, vigilance, spying, examination, and the qualities associated with these activities, an indiscrete person who will pry into querant's secrets. [R] Evil side of these qualities, what is unforeseen, unprepared state, sickness is also intimated.

10- Back stabbing, pain, affliction, tears, sadness, desolation, (followed be an Ace and a King:) imprisonment, (for a girl or wife:) treason on the part of friends. [R] Advantage, profit, success, favor, but none are permanent, power and authority.

9- Death, failure, miscarriage, delay, deception, disappointment, despair, an ecclesiastic, a priest, card of bad omen. [R] Imprisonment, suspicion, doubt, reasonable fear, shame.

8- Bad news, violent chagrin, crisis, censure, power in trammels, conflict, calumny, sickness, (for woman:) scandal spread in her respect. [R] Disquiet, difficulty, opposition, accident, treachery, the unforeseen, fatality, departure of relative.

7- Design, attempt, wish, hope, confidence, quarrelling, a plan that may fail, annoyance, dark girl, a good card, promises a country life after a competence has been secured. [R] Good advice, counsel, instruction, slander, babbling, good advice probably neglected.

6- Journey by water, route, envoy, way, commissionary, expedient. [R] Declaration, confession, publicity, proposal of love, unfavorable issue of a lawsuit.

5- Degradation, destruction, reversal, infamy, dishonour, loss, attack on fortune of querant. [R] Same as above, burial and obsequities.

4- Vigilance, retreat, solitude, hermit's repose, exile, tomb and coffin, a bad card. [R] Wise administration, circumspection, economy, avarice, precaution, testament, a certain success by wise administration of affairs.

3-Removal, absence, delay, division, rupture, dispersion, a nun. [R] Mental alienation, loss distraction, disorder, confusion, meeting with someone the querant has compromised.

2- Conformity and the equipose it suggests, courage, friendship, concord in a state of arms, affection, intimacy, gifts for a lady, influential protection for a man in search of help. [R] Imposture, falsehood, duplicity, disloyalty.

Ace- Triumph, excessive degree in everything, conquest, triumph of force, card of great force in love and hate, great prosperity or great misery. [R] The same, but with disastrous results, or, conception, childbirth, augmentation, multiplicity.

King- Valor, realising intelligence, business and normal intellectual aptitude, sometimes mathematical gifts and attainments of this kind, success in these paths, a dark man, a merchant, master or professor. [R] Vice, weakness, ugliness, perversity, corruption, peril, an old and viscous man.

Queen- Opulence, generosity, magnificence, security, liberty, a dark woman, presents from rich relative, rich and happy marriage for young man. [R] Evil, suspicion, suspense, fear, mistrust, an illness.

Knight- Utility, serviceableness, interest, responsibility, rectitude, a useful man, useful discoveries. [R] Inertia, idleness, repose of that kind, stagnation, placidity, discouragement, carelessness, a brave man out of employment.

Page- Application, study, scholarship, reflection, news, messages, and the messenger, rule, management, a dark youth, a young officer or soldier, a child. [R] Prodigality, dissipation, liberality, luxury, unfavorable news.

10- Gain, riches, family matters, archives, extraction, the abode of a family, house, etc. [R] Chance, fatality, loss, robbery, games of hazard, gift, dowry, pension.

9-Prudence, safety, success accomplishment, certitude, discernment, prompt fulfillment of neighbor cards. [R] Roguery, deception, voided project, bad faith.

8- Work, employment, commission, craftsmanship, skill in craft, business, young businessman with quarrel, dark girl. [R] Voided ambition, vanity, cupidity, exaction, usury, querant compromised in money lending.

7- Card of money, business, barter, altercation, quarrel, innocence, ingenuity, purgation, improved position for lady's future husband. [R] Same as above.

6- Presents, gifts, gratification, attention, vigilance, now is accepted time, present prosperity, present must not be relied on. [R] Desire, cupidity, envy, jealousy, illusion, check on querant's ambition.

5-Material trouble, destitution, card of love?, and lovers?, wife, husband, friend, mistress, concordance, affinities. [R] Disorder, chaos, ruin, discord, profligacy, love troubles.

4-Surety of possession, cleaving to belongings, gifts, legacy, inheritance, (for bachelor:) pleasant news from lady. [R] Suspense, delay, opposition.

3-Vocation, trade, skilled labor, card of nobility, aristocracy, renown, glory, (for man:) celebrity for oldest son. [R] Mediocrity in work, puerility, pettiness, weakness.

2- Gaiety, recreation and its connections, news and messages in writing as obstacles, agitation, trouble, embroilment, these more imaginary than real. [R] Enforced gaiety, simulated enjoyment, literal sense, handwriting, composition, letters of exchange, bad omen, ignorance, injustice.

Ace- Perfect contentment, felicity, ecstasy, speedy intelligence, gold, the most favorable of all cards. [R] Evil side of wealth, bad intelligence, great riches, a share in the findings of treasure.

4 Kings- Great honour [R] Celebrity

3 Kings- Consultation [R] Commerce

2 Kings- Minor Counsel [R] Projects

4 Queens- Great debate [R] Bad company

3 Queens- Deception by women [R] Gluttony

2 Queens- Sincere friends [R] Work

4 Knights- Serious matters [R] Alliance

3 Knights- Lively debate [R] Duel or personal encounter

2 Knights- Intimacy [R] Susceptibility

4 Pages- Dangerous illness [R] Privation

3 Pages- Dispute [R] Idleness

2 Pages- Disquiet [R] Society

4 Tens- Condemnation [R] Event or happening

3 Tens- New condition [R] Disappointment

2 Tens- Change [R] Expectation justified

4 Nines- Good friend [R] Usury

3 Nines- Success [R] Imprudence

2 Nines- Receipt [R] Small profit

4 Eights- Reverse [R] Error

3 Eights- Marriage [R] Spectacle

2 Eights- New knowledge [R] Misfortune

4 Sevens- Intrigue [R] Quarrelers

3 Sevens- Infirmity [R] Joy

2 Sevens- News [R] Woman of no repute

4 Sixes- Abundance [R] Care

3 Sixes- Success [R] Satisfaction

2 Sixes- Irritability [R] Downfall

4 Fives- Regularity [R] Order

3 Fives- Determination [R] Hesitation

2 Fives- Vigils [R] Reverse

4 Fours- Journey near at hand [R] Walks abroad

3 Fours- Subject of reflection [R] Disquiet

2 Fours- Insomnia [R] Dispute

4 Threes- Progress [R] Great success

3 Threes- Unity [R] Serenity

2 Threes-Calm [R] Safety

4 Twos- Contention [R] Reconciliation

3 Twos- Security [R] Apprehension

2 Twos- Accord [R] Mistrust

4 Aces- Favorable chance [R] Dishonour

3 Aces- Small success [R] Debauchery

2 Aces- Trickery [R] Enemies