For me, the Major Arcana symbolizes major moments or events in my life. I have either NO control over these or at best LIMITED control. You are born, you live and you die. The Minor Arcana are the areas I either DO have control over or things I CAN bring to pass. Things like money, sex and mental attitudes. Both Arcana's may or may not have "time limits". Who can say when you will have to change jobs or how long it will take? Also, I read how a card "comes up". If it's right side up, whatever the question/answer is is here before me. If it's upside down, something is opposing this from coming to be (such as I am not ready to handle this situation yet). I do not regard the cards as being good or evil. They are neutral, and anything I do with them is MY fault or lucky chance.

Right now I use the Rider-Waite deck exclusivly. I love the graphics, and spend time just looking at what is drawn. Each card has "clues" as to why I might have drawn it, all I have to do is find them. I've looked at other decks, but always find myself pulling out my trusted Rider deck and being most satisfied with it's results. I have my own way of reading answers, just as I am sure others do, sometimes by just doing a one card question. Sometimes answers come to me rather quickly, other times I have to sit and muddle it out. I look for common themes (lots of pentacles) or numbers (like 4's) or people (duh, female or male). Either way, I have several books at home to get answer help from and I strongly suggest getting some for your own library.

Because I use the Rider-Waite, I will have different interpretations and even different looking cards, than other decks. Just as my life is different from yours, why shouldn't my cards be too? Also, just because a picture is male or female has nothing to do with a gender bias. I can use the Emperor's strength even though I am a woman just as my husband can be told to pamper himself by the Empress. When I ask a question and a major arcana card comes up, I stop and really give the card's significance serious thought. Major arcana cards are things I cannot change, but do worry or think about, and therefore have a heavier meaning to me than would a simple one of pentacles. To put it in the simplest terms, the major arcana is the highway I travel while the minor arcana are but side roads and rest breaks. I have to travel the highway, but I do not always have to check out the pit stops.

1: The Magician
Make a change, take a chance, everything you need is within/around you, action follows thought, if you talk the talk: than walk the walk, Just do it. This card to me means I hold the ability to make my dreams and wishes come true. Look at the table with all my choices and potentials just waiting for me to use them. Take charge of your life and make a decision. Right or wrong, now is the time to act.

2: The High Priestess
Trust that little voice in your head, think it through, maybe you should wait, patience is a virtue, fools rush in where angels fear to tread, things are not always as they seem. This card is soothing and calming. Slow down, she says, think the matter through, you might be missing something important.

3: The Empress
Luxury, lushness, pamper yourself, excess, reveling in the grandness of life, childbirth, reveling in Mother Earth, success beyond the wildest dreams, being sensual, just "winging it". This card is like finding out that chocolate has no calories. Maybe you need to spend some quality time with Mother Nature or even just yourself.

4: The Emperor
Strength, valour, honour, creating order out of chaos, family honour, lineage, the legal system, rules of conduct, organization. This card tells me to be strong and act with honour. Stick to your principles and make your family proud.

5: The Heirophant
Knowledge is power, get informed, do not let the wool be pulled over your eyes, how do you define yourself in a group, stick to what you believe unless shown otherwise, loyalty to others, obey the rules but work within the system for change, do not let people use you. To me this card is nothing but education. If you do not educate yourself, how can you know where you are going, who you are and where you might have been?

6: The Lovers
Sex, love, setting boundries, cuddling, to thine own self be true, working out an argument, the end never justifies the means, lover's spat. To me this card means I have to work out something with someone, usually my mate. It also means I have to love myself enough to do the right thing.

7: The Chariot
Victory!, Sucess!, the will to succeed, take no prisoners, see it/achieve it, set a goal, go for the gold, believe in yourself, patience is a virtue, use your head not your heart. This card means success, so long as you work at it. It might take awhile, and lots of training, but you can do it!

8: Strength
of charactor, of personality, of wit, of intelligence, hanging in there, slowly but surely, baby steps, kindness, iron hand in velvet glove, not smothering others with yourself. This card tells me to "hang in there baby", you can do it. After all, baby steps can eventually lead you across the world.

9: The Hermit
Seek and ye shall find, meditate, look within for answers, teachers, quest for the holy grail, solitude, aloneness, introspection, finding yourself. This card tends to make me sit and look within myself for the answer...because I already know it and might not want to face it. It's about the possibility for self change, to be aware that it's not the world that is changing but myself.

10: Wheel of Fortune
Shit happens, sucks to be you, lucky 7, parking space out front at the mall during Yule shopping season, personal turning point, it's a miracle!, to move back into life's rhythms, finding yourself. This card always means the answer is up in the air to me, could be good...could suck royally. Sometimes I can influence fate, but mostly...shit happens and there ain't nothin' I can do about it.

11: Justice
What goes around comes around, cause=affect/effect, if you did it you have to face the result, you made your bed now lay in it, be responsible, be fair, weigh all the facts, you are accountable for your actions, honesty is the best policy. To me this card is about ethics. Be honest in life and dealings with others. What you do can affect others, so take responsibility for your actions...good or bad.

12: The Hanged Man
Sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you, accept the inevitable, change your outlook, end the struggle, look at the situation differently, pause your life to just be, rest and recover, one step back but two steps forward. This card tells me to rest from my labour, I'm trying too hard. Relax and have a beer, chill.

13: Death
Change, when the door closes a window opens, parting of the ways, to separate, go separate paths, accept the inevitable, get back to the basics, shed you old skin for new, too much of a good thing is too much, reduce recycle reuse. This card always means change for me, usually in my world outlook. It tells me to look around and think outside the box.

14: Temperance
Harmony, balance, walking a wire, walking on eggshells, finding the middle ground, to flourish, to get your act together, finding your center, compromise. This is such a great card. It's all about balance, balance, balance!!

15: The Devil
A moment on the lips a lifetime on the hips, that one little weakness, holding youself back, being afraid to take the plunge, staying ignorant, allowing yourself to be used, negative thinking, depression, always preparing for the worst, the glass is half empty and it is only going to break anyway. This card is about overcoming our inner demons and weaknesses. If your life sucks, and you won't fix it, than you only have yourself to blame.

16: The Tower
Look out below!, I have seen the light!, suprise!, hope those tickets are refundable, change, upheaval, eruption of emotions, the "Ah Ha" experience, seeing the light, Erueka!, crisis, meltdown iminent. This card to me tells me that un upheaval is coming or is occuring in my life. It also can tell me that if I think about it a bit more, I will come up with an answer unexpectedly or from an unexpected source.

17: The Star
To find your center, become relaxed, chill, count your blessings, find your hope again, to believe, think positivly, find your answers, open your heart, to be calm in the midst of chaos, be creative. This card tells me I am calm about the situation and that I can be creative in any solutions. This is a card about personal belief and dreams and goals. I always feel the hope seeping off it.

18: The Moon
To be lost in the desert, confusion reigns, fantasy, to use ones imagination, afraid of the dark, putting blinders on, refusing to see the truth, "stars in your eyes", pipe dreams, going the unusual route, freedom to experiment, phobias. This card means I am either deluding myself about a situation or I am going on a creative streak and being myself. Depends strongly on the question.

19: The Sun
I have seen the light, 15 minutes of fame, raring to go, believing in yourself, understanding, getting the picture, winning the olympics, the world is my oyster, I did it! This card is even better then the chariot. The chariot says you can do it, the Sun says you already did.

20: Judgement
To choose, making the grade, taking the final and passing, to atone for past mistakes, to forgive yourself and others, becoming reborn, take a stand, absolution, peace with oneself, to see things in a new light. This card means you did it, you solved your problems...for better or worse. You acted on your thoughts and beliefs now rest and recover.

21: The World
Let the sunshine in, to rest on your laurels, to work in harmony with yourself and others, achieving balance, to flourish, to prosper, you did it even better than you thought possible, peace of mind, contentment, to give of yourself because you can. This is the happiest card in the deck to me. I made it. I succeeded, I came and fought and was victorious.

Wands
The suit of wands represents energy, ideas, creativity, sex, ambitions, drives, work and social settings.

1. Ace: to express yourself, tackle lifes challanges, believe in yourself, be courageous in your convictions.
2. Two: be bold and original, take the initiatve, speak your mind, call the shots.
3. Three: Think ahead, plan, lead by example, go where noone has gone before, nothing ventured nothing gained.
4. Four: freedom, party down, success, congratulations, excitement and thrills.
5. Five: hassles, trials and tribulations, you have a rival, competition, disagreements.
6. Six: pride, triumphs, awards and medals earned, hold your head up high, coming out on top, vanity and arrogance.
7. Seven: standing firm in your beliefs, just saying "no", carpe diem, seizing the moment, not giving an inch.
8. Eight: you have mail, take action, move in for the kill, finishing up a project, conclusion, to put all the puzzle pieces together.
9. Nine: hold fast, belive in yourself when others do not, get back in the saddle, try try again, defend yourself, never give up never forget.
10. Ten: forgetting discretion is the better part of valour, to bite off more than you can chew, to fight uphill, one step forward two steps back, being stuck with the check.
11. Page: be original, use your imagination, be excited, where there's a will there's a way, reach for the stars.
12. Knight: charming scoundrel, over-confident, daring but reckless, overkill, short fuse, acts before thinking, impatient.
13. Queen: popular, enthusiastic, inner confidence, active, cheerful and self assured, believes in self and self ability.
14. King: bold, daring, enterprising, charismatic, dares to be different, thinks for him/herself, natural born leader.

1. Ace: trusting your inner voice, falling in love, being in touch with your feelings, trust your heart, establish a bond, help others.
2. Two: call a truce, marriage, to join, moving forward, forgive and forget, to remain/feel positive, to share.
3. Three: being a good neighbor, on top of the world, friendship, being part of a community, to celebrate.
4. Four: to dream, meditate, not see the whole picture, self absorbtion, apathy, the world revolves around you, lost in daydreams.
5. Five: defeat, regret, end of a relationship, grief, loss of hope, end of an era.
6. Six: childhood, innocence, simple joys, birth, good deeds, happiness, care-free.
7. Seven: procrastinating, too many choices, letting your imagination run away with yourself, not dealing in reality, addictions, laziness, gluttany, building castles in the clouds, pick and choose.
8. Eight: spiritual journey, looking for facts, letting go, losing hope, becoming burned out, time to move on.
9. Nine: and all your dreams come true, all's well that ends well, making love, basking in the glow, sensual pleasures, contentment.
10. Ten: joy, peace, love, family, call a truce, restore harmony, making peace with family, count your blessings.
11. Page: forgive yourself, intimacy, wear your heart on your sleeve, trust your gut reaction, make someone's day, become involved in life.
12. Knight: puts love on a pedistal than kicks the pedistal, lives in imagination despite reality, the pauper playing the prince.
13. Queen: unconditional love, compassion, kindness, caring, the world is holy, open to miracles, natural psychic, can "feel" a room's emotions.
14. King: keeps composure, wise advisor, diplomatic and tolerant, keeps cool under fire.

1. Ace: horse sense, grounded in reality, trust, situation is normal, being safe and protected, flourishing, ability to reach ones goal.
2. Two: balancebalancebalance, go with the flow, life is a divine comedy, lots of hooks in the water, to adapt, open to new possibilities.
3. Three: work as a team, plan ahead, being prepared, getting the job done, doing it right the first time, organization, meeting your goals.
4. Four: to save, stagnation, holding on by ones fingernails, creating order, being greedy, materialism, wanting things to stay the same.
5. Five: struggle to make ends meet, hard times, being excluded, outcast, and outsider, being rundown and always tired, ill health, losing ones job.
6. Six: having/not having goods, having/not having knowledge, leading/following, talking/listening.
7. Seven: weighing your options, seeing the end of the road, check your map, stay on course, seeing results, take in the harvest, you earned it.
8. Eight: it's all in the details, working hard, diligence, learn a new trade, upgrade your skills, make an effort, training.
9. Nine: self-control, restraint, rely on yourself, being tact and graceful, enjoy the finer things in life, stick to the program, enjoy your vacation.
10. Ten: a winning streak, success in business, built to last, security, living within your means, becoming part of the establishment, financial security.
11. Page: be practical, use common sense, affect your reality, enrich yourself, believe in others, keep your word, become prosperous.
12. Knight: unwavering stubborness, careful and stagnant, realistic yet pessimstic, can't see the forest for the trees.
13. Queen: love and support, green thumb, down to earth, resourceful, true to given word, unselfish, unflinching loyalty.
14. King: has the Midas touch, sees opportunity everywhere, skillful and adept, reliable and steady, ready to pitch in and help.

1. Ace: to seek truth and justice, overcoming adversity, to persevere, might does not equal right, being fair, dispelling fantasy, honesty, resolve an issue.
2. Two: at an impasse, refusing to do something, closing your eyes to what's going on, blocked emotions, avoiding the truth, being defensive.
3. Three: heartbreak, feeling lost, betrayal, stabbed in the back, to break your word, having your feeling hurt.
4. Four: take a break, get a fresh perspective, relax, tie up loose ends, find your inner voice, find yourself.
5. Five: think only of yourself, gloat, create disharmony, dishonour, end justifies the means, being unethical, power trips.
6. Six: rest and recovery, the road not traveled, moving away, barely functioning, the fires of hope start to rekindle, depression.
7. Seven: taking the easy way out, being ronan, two faced, to lie cheat and steal, to go it alone, being aloof, let others take the blame.
8. Eight: panic, cannot see the way out, paranoia, stuck by happenstance, feeling powerless, trapped inside the box.
9. Nine: worry, pain, suffering, guilt, restlessness, agony, cannot see the positive, dispair, depression.
10. Ten: self pity, hitting rock bottom, no where else to go but up, feeling powerless, being a doormat, being a victim.
11. Page: to think things through, fact facts, be honest with oneself, be direct, have fortitude, be fair, don't become discouraged, analyze, use logic.
12. Knight: is to the point but rude, tactless, is an overbearing boss, stale education, logic to the point of unfeeling, obnoxious bastard, has to be right even when obviously wrong.
13. Queen: plays by the rules, quick on the uptake, forthwright, experienced, witty and delightful, sees the hidden motives, cannot be fooled.
14. King: knowledgable, intelligent, ethical and just, impartial and just, can communicate ideas succinctly, can grasp the obvious.

To flip through the pages of my BOS faster...

Title Page My Book of Shadows Bill of Rights What’s New The Library My Secret Grove Humor Favorite Writings Spell Workings Sabbats Webrings Goddesses Gods Current Quest The Soapbox Herbs Reader Contributions Stories for the Heart My Graphics COSW Gift Win My Award Find the Wands Runes Awards Fantasy Art Links Different Witches The Witch Speaks Erma Bombeck My Free Lessons Site Map HTML Help A Pagan Moment Recipes Under 18? Spirit Animals Letters to the Goddess Ancient History Oddz 'N' Endz