Start Today with Guidance and a Glimpse of Possibilities

The Four of Cups depicts, in the Rider Waite version of the card, a man sitting with arms crossed, looking fed up and disinterested in life. A hand holding a Cup appears from a cloud - an echo of the suit’s Ace, while three other Cups are lined up in front of the man. Here we see what can happen if Water’s receptivity is not tempered by another element: passivity has turned to apathy.

Here, we discern a long-held symbol of earthly power: a white-haired man, stern, wearing armor beneath his regal garments, and seated on a stone throne. Note the scepter The Emperor holds, bearing the universal sigil of the male sex, and compare this to The Empress’ totem of femininity, which is carved onto a heart-shaped stone and rests against her dais. His throne bears the images of four rams’ heads, linking The Emperor to the sign Aries, which is ruled by Mars, the God of War. The Emporer is power and strength. The extent to which these can be used for good or ill depends entirely on the personality that directs them.

Unlike the Queen of the suit, the King of Cups is not directly connected to the water: his throne rests upon the waves and an artificial fish, as opposed to a live one, is hung around his neck. The King does not look at his Cup but, instead, holds it with the same grip with which he holds the scepter in his other hand. Here is creativity that has been contained and put to use.

The Pages in each suit express the element’s most simple, distilled quality. Here, we see the Page regarding his Wand with uncomplicated happiness and anticipation. He relishes Fire’s potentiality, and the sense of an adventure only just beginning.

The card of Judgement is always of particular importance when it appears in a reading. In the traditional Ride-Waite depiction of the trump, we see an angel blowing a trumpet: in response, figures below rise up from their graves, arms outstretched to welcome their newly gifted life. The card carries a sense of both joy and purpose, and the strong intimation that the angel’s call cannot be denied.

Three of Swords is usually easy to understand even for those who are completely new to the tarot. In this image we see three Swords pierce a heart that is suspended in a grey sky from which rain slants down. And yet, not all is as it seems, for this card is as concerned with hope, just as much as it is with emotional pain.