Tarot Numbers

How Numbers Affect Your Tarot Reading 

The Aces. 1's always represent a new beginning. This is not positive or negative in itself - a new beginning is what you choose to do with it. Still, it's exciting. The promise of a new relationship, a new love, a new job or career, a new environment, a new part of yourself emerging. If you get an Ace, and you've got a plan, go for it!

The 2's. Not all 2's are created equal. The 2 of Cups is about love (or relationship of any kind, even relationship with self). But the other 2's indicate a decision that must be made.

The 3's indicate that you have a plan in action, and depending on which 3 you get, it will tell you where you are in your plan.

The 4's are cards of pulling things together, getting organized and being grateful for foundations already built. There is a feeling of stability and rest in the 4's. It's a strong card for taking a deep breathe and counting your blessings.


The 5's. Ah yes, the much maligned 5's. All they're really saying, despite some of the unnerving pictures, is that change is inevitable. It's up to us to decide to embrace change and channel it in ways that will help us.

If stability is your thing, you'll love to get 6's. You can't get a "bad" 6. A 6 means that you're going in the right direction.

7's are kind of fun if you're a lover of life and adventure. Yes, the 7's say, there may be obstacles. But you can overcome them. You CAN do this!

8's are cards of strength. Yes, the 8 of Cups looks devastating, and the 8 of Swords looks impossible, but that's not the case (unless you have surrounding cards supporting these Cups). The 8 of Cups is merely saying, You have the strength it takes to leave this toxic situation, even though you've invested so much into it. And the 8 of Swords is saying, You only feel trapped. You CAN find a way out.

9. Reflection. Stop and listen to your heart before completing your project. (

The 10's are lessons completed. The outcome may seem sunny or terrifying, but they're simply lessons learned.

Starting Fresh, where the heart not the head leads

I have been totally stuck on all my art projects, thinking more than doing, tentatively touching rather than connecting, procrastinating and losing focus and setting up road blocks.

Then as I was scouring some of my art books looking for a painting but not remembering the painter, I thought look at this:

Pierrot, Antoine Watteau, Antoine, 1684-1721,

Musee du Louvre, Paris

It so reminds me of my ideal Fool, the tarot Fool, in all his simplicity and complexity.

When I participated in my first tarot deck with the AJ players, fueled by Ru Temple, September 11th hit just as we were about to begin. This event influenced images for me on a daily basis and played a large role in how I developed my major arcana.

So instead of a Fool I might have ordinarily imagined, I envisaged Sisyphus.

Sisyphus, Titian 1548-1549

I'll have to rummage around to find my actual card, but this is as close as I can come today without breaking my train of thought.

Now I am thinking can I start all over again?

With new images on the horizon, and especially in my head, without that major event foremost on my mind, with more time to learn, to play, to fantasise, can I create a new set of majors, and perhaps, just perhaps move into the minors?

When we began that project, I was a novice to computer programming, didn't have a scanner, a program, an inkling of how to proceed. But just last week, I opened up my Photoshop Elements, and thought every one can do it, why don't I? And I tried:

Time Out Photoshopped

With the promise of sun, or cloudy, no rain or snow in the forecast, perhaps I can finish painting the bookcase for my wee studio, and start.

And my very own friend, Arnell, of Transformational Tarot, the Heroes Journey, the Storyteller Tarot, and others, appears to have updated her suggestions for beginning here.

How to create your own tarot deck

Posted on Pentamento, How to Create Your Own Tarot Deck.

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