Court Cards of the Tarot Show How We Respond in Life

The 78 symbols of the tarot are mostly used as an ancient tool of divination. Today besides demonstrating events, they can also be used to understand the psychological approach to life. In particular the 16 court cards, the page, knight, queen and king of the four suits, namely wands, cups, swords and pentacles demonstrate behaviors and responses we have to life.

As a reader, I look to the court cards to advise me how my client handles their life. I approach the four suits to represent how they respond to situations the most often. As a teacher of the Tarot I teach the importance of the court cards as the students read for themselves. Unless you can recognize a behavior of response you cannot change it. Therefore, the court cards of the Tarot are a wonderful tool to show this.

To me the wand symbology represent thoughts, they show me how my client is thinking, whether they are thinking clearly or their thoughts are confused. The page of wands will advise that my client tends to get caught up in their thinking and not see the bigger picture. The knight of wands on the other hand shows they are going after what they want. They are putting their thoughts into action. The queen of wands demonstrates that the client will tend to get side tracked due to fears and not see their goal through to the end. The king shows that although they are far seeing they will often procrastinate.

The cups represent feelings and show whether the client is happy or sad. The page of cups shows the tendency to get caught up in events and lose perspective. The knight, my personal favorite of the knights, shows they have the ability to proceed after what they want with consistency and will tend to achieve their goals. The queen of cups represents the dreamer, the person who can blow things up out of proportion, procrastinate and not want to deal with reality. Depending upon other symbols it can also show they are intuitive. The king shows the client handles their emotions, sometimes to the point of denial even though they are be able to see ahead and can achieve. Sometimes it will show the client is self righteous and judgmental.

The swords represent problems and challenges in the life, and will show me how they respond to the issues created. The page is reactive and will need to be more open and receptive. The knight tends to rush in and not look or think at all and therefore create chaos rather than resolution. The queen appears to be open and inviting but actually it is a front, she is frightened and unsure. The king is stubborn and set and needs to be approached with logic in order to see anything differently than what he has already decided. He does not like emotion or emotional reaction at all.

The pentacles represent the material world. This is the suit which advises me how the inner, wands, cups and swords is being represented into the visible world. The page, like all pages gets absorbed into what is happening and not seeing what is around. The knight is looking out waiting for the appropriate time for action, and therefore will often procrastinate. The queen is able to accept limitations and restrictions and enjoy what is available. The king will be a person who has their fingers on all aspects of their life. Therefore they are in command of their lives.

As I look at these court cards and the other symbols laid out in a reading, I am able to determine if the life is working, or not. Then I can see what my client needs to do or change in order for them to have a life which works. To create what they are wanting. I truly believe the 16 court cards are the pointer cards as this is how we think, feel and react the most often. Change our attitudes and we change our lives.

The Tarot has been a guide for me for over 40 years and I’m still amazed by how it can advise what to do in order to create what is wanted in one’s life.