Tarot cards as feelings

A curled pink silk ribbon beside face down tarot cards and a small sealed envelope, soft watercolour illustration

When you ask the cards how someone feels, the card that turns up is describing the quality of a feeling: its warmth, its weight, whether it is clear or still forming. It cannot read a particular person’s mind, and it says nothing about timing. What it can do is give you a careful way of looking, and one honest thing to do next.

Below are all twenty-two cards of the major arcana, in the order of the deck, each with its upright and reversed meaning as feelings, what it says about how someone sees you, what it means from an ex, and how it reads next to other cards. Below them come the minor arcana: all fourteen Cups, most of the Wands and Swords, and the first of the Pentacles.

The Fool, from the Claritas deckThe Fool as feelingsA new feeling, light and curiousThe Magician, from the Claritas deckThe Magician as feelingsInterest with intentionThe High Priestess, from the Claritas deckThe High Priestess as feelingsDeep, private, not yet saidThe Empress, from the Claritas deckThe Empress as feelingsWarmth and careThe Emperor, from the Claritas deckThe Emperor as feelingsSteady, protective commitmentThe Hierophant, from the Claritas deckThe Hierophant as feelingsDoing things properlyThe Lovers, from the Claritas deckThe Lovers as feelingsAttraction with a choice in itThe Chariot, from the Claritas deckThe Chariot as feelingsDetermined pursuitStrength, from the Claritas deckStrength as feelingsGentle, patient courageThe Hermit, from the Claritas deckThe Hermit as feelingsFeelings worked out in privateWheel of Fortune, from the Claritas deckWheel of Fortune as feelingsA turning pointJustice, from the Claritas deckJustice as feelingsFair and carefully weighedThe Hanged Man, from the Claritas deckThe Hanged Man as feelingsFeelings on pauseDeath, from the Claritas deckDeath as feelingsA feeling changing formTemperance, from the Claritas deckTemperance as feelingsCalm, balanced, healingThe Devil, from the Claritas deckThe Devil as feelingsA strong pull with strings attachedThe Tower, from the Claritas deckThe Tower as feelingsSomething knocked over, fastThe Star, from the Claritas deckThe Star as feelingsHope after a hard timeThe Moon, from the Claritas deckThe Moon as feelingsReal, but not yet clearThe Sun, from the Claritas deckThe Sun as feelingsOpen, uncomplicated joyJudgement, from the Claritas deckJudgement as feelingsA reckoning, a second chanceThe World, from the Claritas deckThe World as feelingsFeeling whole

The minor arcana as feelings

The minor arcana carry the everyday weather of a relationship: the crush, the argument, the quiet morning, the walk away. All fourteen Cups are here, most of the Wands and Swords, and the first of the Pentacles. Each one reads the card the same careful way: what it shows, what it cannot see, and one honest thing to do.

Ace of Cups, from the Claritas deckAce of Cups as feelingsNew love, an open heartTwo of Cups, from the Claritas deckTwo of Cups as feelingsMutual feeling between equalsThree of Cups, from the Claritas deckThree of Cups as feelingsJoy, friendship, a third personFour of Cups, from the Claritas deckFour of Cups as feelingsWithdrawn, not seeing the offerFive of Cups, from the Claritas deckFive of Cups as feelingsRegret and sadnessSix of Cups, from the Claritas deckSix of Cups as feelingsNostalgia and an old flameSeven of Cups, from the Claritas deckSeven of Cups as feelingsDaydreams and confusionEight of Cups, from the Claritas deckEight of Cups as feelingsSomething missing, walking awayNine of Cups, from the Claritas deckNine of Cups as feelingsContent, a wish come trueTen of Cups, from the Claritas deckTen of Cups as feelingsFeeling at home with youPage of Cups, from the Claritas deckPage of Cups as feelingsA sweet, shy crushKnight of Cups, from the Claritas deckKnight of Cups as feelingsRomance and a heartfelt offerQueen of Cups, from the Claritas deckQueen of Cups as feelingsDeep, quiet careKing of Cups, from the Claritas deckKing of Cups as feelingsCalm, mature loveAce of Wands, from the Claritas deckAce of Wands as feelingsA spark of desireTwo of Wands, from the Claritas deckTwo of Wands as feelingsPlanning a futureThree of Wands, from the Claritas deckThree of Wands as feelingsWaiting for the shipsFour of Wands, from the Claritas deckFour of Wands as feelingsHappy, home, committedSix of Wands, from the Claritas deckSix of Wands as feelingsProud of youEight of Wands, from the Claritas deckEight of Wands as feelingsFast, and full of messagesPage of Wands, from the Claritas deckPage of Wands as feelingsA playful crushKnight of Wands, from the Claritas deckKnight of Wands as feelingsFast, hot attractionQueen of Wands, from the Claritas deckQueen of Wands as feelingsConfident, warm interestKing of Wands, from the Claritas deckKing of Wands as feelingsPassion with a planAce of Swords, from the Claritas deckAce of Swords as feelingsA clear mind, the plain truthTwo of Swords, from the Claritas deckTwo of Swords as feelingsUndecided, heart guardedThree of Swords, from the Claritas deckThree of Swords as feelingsHurt, and healing afterFive of Swords, from the Claritas deckFive of Swords as feelingsConflict and prideSix of Swords, from the Claritas deckSix of Swords as feelingsMoving on, calmer waterSeven of Swords, from the Claritas deckSeven of Swords as feelingsHolding something backNine of Swords, from the Claritas deckNine of Swords as feelingsWorry at three in the morningTen of Swords, from the Claritas deckTen of Swords as feelingsFinished, and the dawn afterPage of Swords, from the Claritas deckPage of Swords as feelingsCurious, quick, asking questionsKnight of Swords, from the Claritas deckKnight of Swords as feelingsUrgent and bluntQueen of Swords, from the Claritas deckQueen of Swords as feelingsHonest love with boundariesKing of Swords, from the Claritas deckKing of Swords as feelingsHead before heartAce of Pentacles, from the Claritas deckAce of Pentacles as feelingsA solid, sincere beginningTwo of Pentacles, from the Claritas deckTwo of Pentacles as feelingsBusy, balancing, fitting you inTen of Pentacles, from the Claritas deckTen of Pentacles as feelingsA life built to lastKnight of Pentacles, from the Claritas deckKnight of Pentacles as feelingsSlow, steady and sureQueen of Pentacles, from the Claritas deckQueen of Pentacles as feelingsWarmth you can useKing of Pentacles, from the Claritas deckKing of Pentacles as feelingsLove as reliability

How to read a card as feelings

Ask one question, about one person, and write it down before you shuffle. Read the card for what it describes, not for what you hope it says, and then look at what you already know: how they treat you on an ordinary Tuesday, not only what they said at midnight. A card about feelings is most useful when it changes what you do, not only what you wait for.

If you would like a full reading instead of a single card, how does he feel about me lays out three cards with your question in mind, and the how someone feels spread goes further.

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