As each suit rules particular areas of our lives, the general meaning of the suit must be combined with the number on the card and the symbolism in the picture on the card. All of these clues, as well as how the cards fall and their relation to one another, make up a well rounded and meaningful reading.

The WANDS are a masculine suit. They represent the archetypal world. They are about action, adventure, energy, beginnings, combativeness, physical or spiritual travel, risks, optimism, and time. They rule the element fire.

The CUPS are a feminine suit. They represent the creative world. They are about emotions, love, relationships, creativity, fertility, the unconscious mind,and are passive. They rule the element water.

The SWORDS are a masculine suit. They represent the formative world. They are about conflict, mental activity, pain, aggressiveness, words, thoughts, logic,the rational, ideas and communication. They rule the element air.

The PENTACLES are a feminine suit. They represent the material world. They are about work, material matters, career, status, property, security, money, responsibility, nurturing, and concern themselves with the 5 senses. They rule the element earth.

In general the numbers 1 - 10 in the suit cards concern themselves with events, while the court cards are about the people in or around the events. They can also be used in a reading to represent the person getting the reading, called the Querent. In general:

PAGES represent the young, perhaps someone with little to no responsibilities, someone learning a skill which might be expressed through the energy of the suit on the card. They can be a symbol of the body or physical expression of a particular person.

KNIGHTS represent someone fairly young, a person of action who might like to explore or test others but also likes to help others and be of service. They can be a symbol of the ego of a particular person.

KINGS represent a mature male or a man possessing a maturity,stability or position of authority. They can be a symbol of the spirit or essential self of a particular person.

QUEENS represent a mature female or woman possessing a maturity, stability or position of authority. They can be a symbol of the soul or inner life of a particular person.

If you are picking out a card to represent the Querent, or one receiving the reading then you might consider these general characteristics. Blond hair, blues eyes or a fair person use wands. Light brown hair and eyes use cups. Brown hair and brown eyes use swords. And black hair and black eyes use pentacles.