The Major Arcana
The Major Arcana are the Greater Secrets, the cards of power and mystery that touch on all the great powers in the Universe. They deal with what Jung would have called the Archetypes; the root images in the collective unconscious from which all other images spring. They represent the forces behind and within the lofe of the Seeker, over which the Seeker has no control. They are the Trumps, the portion of the deck that sets Tarot apart from regular cards.
The Minor Arcana
Pentacles
Pentacles
The suit of Pentacles is aligned with the element of Earth. This means, of course, that it's also aligned with all the correspondences of the element. This means that this suit stands for quietness, rest, and peace. It also stands for richness, wisdom (as opposed to knowledge, which is the purview of the Swords,) and sensuality. The season is winter, and time is midnight. This entire suit deals again and again with rewards after the job is finished, with waiting, and materila things, and with gaining wisdom.
Swords
Swords are the suit of air, which means knowledge and beginnings. When you think of knowledge, remember that knowledge doesn't necessarily contain wisdom (that is for Pentacles). Knowledge that isn't tempered by wisdom can be pretty dangerous stuff. Their direction is the East, and their time of day is morning, and their time of life is childhood. The lessons of this suite are about handling knowledge or authority. They also deal with sacrifice, redemption, and transformation.
Wands
Wands are aligned with the element of Fire. Teir direction is South, their time of day is Noon, and their time of life is young adulthood. they stand for various stages in growth, and also will, negotiations, nimble speech, cleverness, and all aspects of life. Basically, everything that corresponds to fire also corresponds to this suit. The lessons of this suit deal with focusing the will, and with self control, creativity, and using energy wisely.
Cups
The suit of Cups is attuned to the element of water. Water corresponds to the emotions; from very shallow ones to those with great depth. This suit deals largely with emotionsal matters; love, friendship, comtentment, and discontent. There isn't any violence here (although you will find some pretty heavy-duty sulking!). They also deal with imagination.
Since they are aligned with water, they also share the other correspondences of water; their direction is west, their time of day is evening, and their time of life is maturity. The lessons of this suit deal mainly with emotions; how to handle them all, from heling friendship and love to disillusionment and despair. They also teach about aspirations, longings, ideals, and fantasies. Everything that comes from the heart, and flows like the tides.
Since they are aligned with water, they also share the other correspondences of water; their direction is west, their time of day is evening, and their time of life is maturity. The lessons of this suit deal mainly with emotions; how to handle them all, from heling friendship and love to disillusionment and despair. They also teach about aspirations, longings, ideals, and fantasies. Everything that comes from the heart, and flows like the tides.
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Tarot card have been around a long time, though no one knows just how long or how they came about. The Major Arcana may date back to ancient Egypt, while the suit cards go back only as far as the 14th century.
So here's a quick generalization of Tarot cards as a whole; there are many many decks out there, some with only slight variations on symbolism and others that are completely based on the intuition of the artist. There are also quite a lot of books on the subject, and some decks even have "Companion" books that explain the symbolism and meanings of the deck they go with. There are also dozens of layouts in use, or you can make up your own.
So here's a quick generalization of Tarot cards as a whole; there are many many decks out there, some with only slight variations on symbolism and others that are completely based on the intuition of the artist. There are also quite a lot of books on the subject, and some decks even have "Companion" books that explain the symbolism and meanings of the deck they go with. There are also dozens of layouts in use, or you can make up your own.
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