Tarot Symbols & Meanings

Learn to Read Any Tarot Card with Confidence

A practical, psychology-based approach that teaches you how to think through a Tarot reading, choose the meaning that fits, and trust your own interpretations - even if you've never picked up a deck before.

Get Tarot Symbols & Meanings

Tarot Cards Contain More Information Than You Think

When you first start learning Tarot, it's easy to think that every card has a meaning you're supposed to memorize.

The Magician means manifestation. The Hermit means introspection. The Tower means sudden change.

Learn enough keywords, and eventually you'll know Tarot.

Except then you start looking more closely at the cards.

There are people, animals, plants, buildings, mountains, rivers, clothing, tools, flowers, colors, numbers, gestures, facial expressions, and tiny details hiding in the background. Some cards connect with astrology, numerology, planets, elements, and other systems of symbolism.

Then you discover upright and reversed meanings. Timing. Yes/No readings. Different interpretations for love, relationships, career, business, and other questions.

Suddenly, learning 78 cards starts to feel like learning hundreds - or thousands - of individual pieces of information.

And sometimes, in the middle of a reading, one tiny detail catches your attention.

Maybe it's a bridge in the background. An animal you've never really noticed before. A flower. A color. The direction someone is facing.

You don't necessarily know why, but something about it feels important to this reading - and you want to know more.

Now you have another problem:

Where do you look it up?

The information you want may be scattered across Tarot books, symbolism references, astrology resources, numerology guides, and other sources—or not be easy to find at all.

And somehow you're supposed to remember all of this before you're a “real” Tarot reader?

You don't.

Tarot isn't a giant vocabulary test, and you don't have to store every possible meaning, symbol, and correspondence in your head.

You can learn to notice what's happening in the card, explore what those details might contribute to the reading, and have a comprehensive reference nearby when you want to investigate something further.

The goal isn't to memorize everything about Tarot. It's to know how to notice what matters - and where to look when you want to know more.

Introducing Tarot Symbols and Meanings

A visual reference guide designed to help you see more in every Tarot card.

Tarot Symbols and Meanings brings the information you may want during a reading together in one easy-to-use reference.

Across 165 pages covering all 78 Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot cards, you'll find familiar card meanings alongside the symbols, imagery, correspondences, and additional details that can help you explore a card more deeply.

Each card is presented visually, so you can quickly find the information you're looking for without digging through pages of dense text.

You can use it to look up a card you've never seen before, check a correspondence you've forgotten, explore a symbol that suddenly feels important, compare upright and reversed interpretations, or simply look closer at a card you've read a hundred times and discover something you never noticed before.

You don't have to use everything on the page.

That's the point.

Some readings may begin and end with the card's basic meaning. In another reading, a color may jump out at you. Another time, it might be a number, a symbol, an astrological association, or one tiny object in the background that suddenly seems impossible to ignore.

Tarot Symbols and Meanings gives you more possibilities to explore - without expecting you to memorize them first.

The Break Down

Imagine having all the information you need at your fingertips - any time you need it.

Infographic showing the information included for each Tarot card in Tarot Symbols and Meanings. A complete accessible text version follows below.

What's Included for Every Card

Card Meanings: Upright and reversed keywords and meanings, plus expanded interpretations for General, Career & Business, and Love & Relationship readings.

Symbols & Imagery: The Rider-Waite-Smith card image, individual symbols and what they represent, and the meanings associated with important colors.

Correspondences & Additional Information: Ruling element, ruling planet, numerology, astrology, timing, crystals and chakras, and Yes/No.

Additional Systems: Hebrew Letters for the Major Arcana, Qabalah correspondences for the Minor Arcana, and Myers-Briggs personality types for the Court Cards.

And You Get This for Every. Single. Card.

All 78 cards receive the same detailed treatment, from The Fool through the World and every card in the Minor Arcana and Court Cards. Each card gives you a visual reference page for quick information, followed by more detailed upright and reversed interpretations for General, Career & Business, and Love & Relationship readings.

Stop Searching Through 15 Different Tarot Books

Have you ever been in the middle of a Tarot reading when one particular detail suddenly caught your attention?

Maybe you noticed a symbol you've seen dozens of times before but, for some reason, this time it feels important.

So you reach for a Tarot book.

It's not there.

You try another one. Then a symbolism book. Maybe an astrology reference. Maybe you search online. Twenty minutes later, you have twelve tabs open, three books on your desk, and you're still trying to answer the question that came up during the reading.

I know this problem because it's one of the reasons I created this book.

I wanted one reference where I could look up a card and find the information I was most likely to want while I was actually reading Tarot—not scattered across a shelf full of different books and resources.

So I started compiling it.

And compiling it.

And compiling it some more. 😂

By the time Tarot Symbols and Meanings was finished, I had spent more than 350 hours researching and organizing information from dozens of reference materials into one visual guide.

I did the searching and compiling so you don't have to.

When something catches your attention during a reading, you can stay with the card in front of you instead of disappearing down a research rabbit hole just to find one piece of information.

And Apparently, It Wasn't Just Me.

Printer-friendly version of the Tarot and Symbols Meanings book showing pages for the Fool and the Empress on white backgrounds.

Look Closer: The Symbols Inside the Cards

Sometimes the traditional meaning of a Tarot card isn't the thing that catches your attention.

Maybe it's the bridge in the background.

The flowers growing at someone's feet.

An animal standing beside them.

A mountain in the distance.

The color of someone's clothing.

Or some tiny object you've looked at a hundred times before and, suddenly, you can't stop looking at it.

That's worth noticing.

The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot is filled with visual symbolism, and those details can give you additional possibilities to explore during a reading.

A bridge might make you think about crossing from one place to another. Water may draw your attention toward emotions. A mountain could raise questions about obstacles, challenges, achievement, or the journey ahead.

But the symbol doesn't have to become another rigid definition you memorize.

The question is what that symbol adds to the card you're reading right now.

Tarot Symbols and Meanings identifies individual symbols within each Rider-Waite-Smith card and gives you information about what they may represent. You can use those meanings alongside the card's imagery, traditional interpretations, your question, and whatever caught your attention in the first place.

Sometimes the symbol simply reinforces what you already saw.

Sometimes it adds another layer.

And sometimes that one little detail opens up an entirely different way of understanding the card.

Because when something in a Tarot card makes you think, “Wait. Why am I noticing THAT?” - it may be worth looking closer.

Get the Tarot Symbols & Meanings Book

Less time searching for information.

More time exploring what the cards are actually showing you.

Finally go from looking things up to actaully reading Tarot.

Having information at your fingertips is useful.

But reading about Tarot and actually reading Tarot are two different things.

That's why Tarot Symbols and Meanings also includes printable worksheets designed to help you take what you're discovering in the book and work with it yourself.

The book gives you the reference.
The worksheets help you practice using it.

Instead of simply reading a list of meanings and trying to remember them, you can spend time with an individual card. Look at what's actually there. Notice the imagery and symbols. Explore the information available to you. Then consider what those different pieces might contribute to your understanding of the card.

The more you do that, the more familiar the cards become.

You begin recognizing details you've seen before. You start making connections between the imagery and the meanings. And instead of treating Tarot as 78 definitions you need to memorize, you're building experience working with the cards themselves.

Because ultimately, you don't learn Tarot just by studying it.

You learn Tarot by reading Tarot.

Worksheets for the Magician, 8 of Pentacles, Queen of Wands, and 3 of Cups.

I use the Tarot Worksheets in my workshops, and my students love them! They feel more in control, and can start to make sense of all the things on a Tarot card instead of getting overwhelmed by all there is to learn.

JENNIFER A.
TAROT READER

I've learned so much about Tarot from this book! I even learned a few words and things I didn't know. My readings are going to be even better now, and I can't wait to show this book to as many people as possible!

BRENT M.
SECURITY ENGINEER AND TECH GURU

My readings are more accurate and profound now that I've found these resources. If a friend questions what I'm talking about, I can even pull out my book and show her that I'm speaking the truth. It gives us a lot of things to discuss.

STARR L.
TAROT READER AND ENERGY HEALER

Use It the Way You Actually Read Tarot

You don't have to sit down and read Tarot Symbols and Meanings from beginning to end before you can use it. In fact, you probably won't.

This isn't a book you have to “complete.” It's a reference you can keep beside you while you read.

Pull a card you don't know very well and look up its meanings. If a symbol or detail in the artwork catches your attention, explore what it might represent. If you've forgotten an astrological, elemental, or numerological correspondence, you can quickly check it and get back to your reading.

When the question is more specific, you can go deeper. Explore the Love & Relationship interpretations during a relationship reading or the Career & Business meanings when that's what you're asking about. Check the timing information or Yes/No association when it's relevant to your question.

And sometimes you already know the card perfectly well—you just want another perspective. You can look more closely at its colors, symbols, correspondences, or contextual meanings and see whether something you hadn't considered adds another possibility to the reading.

Use what helps. Leave what doesn't. Come back whenever you need it.

The information is there to support your reading, not turn every card you pull into a research project.

What’s Included Inside

The Tarot Symbols and Meanings book is destined to become a valuable member of your Tarot resource library.

Tarot Symbols and Meanings materials displayed including ebook, worksheets, and printer-friendly version.

Everything You Get

Tarot Symbols and Meanings is the heart of this collection, with printable worksheets to help you take what you're discovering and work with the cards yourself.

Tarot Symbols and Meanings

The complete 165-page visual Tarot reference guide covering all 78 Rider-Waite-Smith cards.

Keep it nearby while you read to quickly explore card meanings, symbolism, imagery, colors, correspondences, timing, Yes/No, and more - along with separate General, Career & Business, and Love & Relationship interpretations.

Tarot Worksheets

Printable worksheets give you space to slow down and work with the cards yourself. Use them to observe the imagery, explore meanings and symbols, make connections, and practice developing your own interpretations.

Get the Tarot Symbols & Meanings Book

You Don't Need to Memorize Tarot Before You're Allowed to Read It

One of the easiest traps to fall into when you're learning Tarot is believing you'll start doing readings once you know enough.

Once you know all 78 cards.

Once you remember the reversals.

Once you understand the symbols, astrology, numerology, elements, colors, and correspondences.

Once you can look at any card and immediately know exactly what it means.

But there will always be more to learn about Tarot.

Experienced readers still look things up. They encounter details they haven't considered before. They revisit familiar cards and see something differently because the question, context, or circumstances have changed.

Using a reference doesn't mean you don't know Tarot. It's one of the ways you learn Tarot.

You can pull the cards now. Look at them. Work with what you already know. Check the book when you need more information, explore something that interests you, and keep building your understanding through experience.

Over time, you'll naturally remember more because you've actually used the information—not because you forced yourself to memorize hundreds of disconnected facts before giving yourself permission to begin.

You don't have to know everything before you read Tarot.

You just have to be willing to begin.

Amethyst Mahoney sitting at a desk with a journal and coffee mug.

Why I Created Tarot Symbols and Meanings

I've been reading and studying Tarot for years, and I own a lot of Tarot books.

But whenever I wanted to explore a card more deeply, I kept running into the same problem: the information I wanted was scattered everywhere.

One book might explain the symbolism. Another had the astrological correspondences. Another approached numerology differently. I'd find one piece of information here, another somewhere else, and still end up searching for the particular detail I wanted for hours.

I wanted the kind of reference I kept wishing I could pull off my own bookshelf.

So I made it.

I spent more than 350 hours researching, comparing, compiling, and organizing information from dozens of reference materials to create Tarot Symbols and Meanings.

The result is the resource I wanted for myself: something I could keep beside me during a reading, open to the card in front of me, and quickly find the information I wanted to explore.

Because sometimes you don't need another Tarot lesson. You just need to know where to look.

Amethyst Mahoney, PhD
Creator of Tarot Therapy

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tarot Symbols and Meanings for beginners?

Yes. You don't need to memorize the Tarot deck or understand symbolism, astrology, numerology, or other correspondences before using the book. It's designed to be a reference you can consult while you're learning and reading.

If you're just getting started, you can begin with the information that's most useful to you and explore more as your experience grows.

Can experienced Tarot readers use it, too?

Absolutely. Experienced readers don't stop looking things up just because they've been reading Tarot for years.

The book can be useful when you want to check a correspondence you've forgotten, investigate a symbol that catches your attention, compare interpretations, or explore another perspective on a card you already know well.

Which Tarot deck does the book use?

Tarot Symbols and Meanings is based on the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot and the imagery and symbolism found within its 78 cards.

If you use a deck based closely on Rider-Waite-Smith imagery, much of the information may still be useful, but symbols and artwork can vary significantly between decks.

Does it cover all 78 Tarot cards?

Yes. The book covers the complete Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck: all 22 Major Arcana cards and all 56 Minor Arcana cards, including the Court Cards.

Are reversed meanings included?

Yes. Upright and reversed meanings are included, along with separate upright and reversed interpretations for General, Career & Business, and Love & Relationship readings.

Do I need to memorize everything in the book?

Please don't. That sounds exhausting.

The entire point of having a reference is that you don't have to keep all of this information in your head.

Use what helps with the reading in front of you. Look something up when you need it. Explore more when you're curious. Over time, you'll naturally remember the information you use most often.

What format will I receive?

The book is delivered digitally through BookFunnel, and you don't need a BookFunnel account to access it.

You can choose the reading option that works best for you:

Read directly in your web browser
Download a PDF or EPUB copy
Send the book to Kindle, Kobo, NOOK, Google Play Books, or another compatible reading device or app

BookFunnel will walk you through the process of getting your books onto your preferred device, so you can read them wherever and however you like.

Additionally, we include a Printer-friendly version with an all white background if you would rather take the pages with you.

No physical book will be shipped with this purchase.

Are the Tarot Worksheets included?

Yes. Printable Tarot Worksheets are included to help you spend time with individual cards, explore what you're noticing, and practice working with the information in the book.

Do I have to complete all of the worksheets?

No. They're practice tools, not homework.

Use them when they're helpful. Skip them when they're not. You don't need to work through all 78 cards - or complete the worksheets in any particular order - to use or benefit from the book.

How is this different from the Tarot information on your website?

The Tarot articles on my website include At a Glance information for individual cards, while Tarot Symbols and Meanings brings a much larger collection of information together in one organized reference covering the entire 78-card deck.

The book also lets you explore individual symbols within the Rider-Waite-Smith artwork, along with contextual upright and reversed meanings for General, Career & Business, and Love & Relationship readings - information that is not available on the website.

The website is somewhere you can go to learn some of the things about a card. The book is something you can keep beside you while you're reading the cards.

A woman sitting cross-legged on the floor looking at the 10 of Cups from the Tarot Symbols and Meanings book on her tablet.

You Don’t Have to Know Everything About Tarot

There will always be more to discover.

A symbol you’ve never noticed. A correspondence you’ve forgotten. A different perspective on a card you’ve read a hundred times.

That’s part of what makes Tarot so fascinating.

But you don’t have to memorize everything before you can use it.

You just need to know where to look.

Tarot Symbols and Meanings gives you one organized place to explore the cards, symbols, correspondences, and interpretations whenever you want to go deeper.

Keep it beside you while you read. Look something up when it catches your attention. Follow your curiosity and see what else you discover.

You don’t have to know everything. You just need a good reference.

Get Tarot Symbols and Meanings