The Four Suits of the Tarot

The four Suits are associated with the four elements fire, water, earth and air.

Each element is associated with certain qualities. For example water is associated with emotions and earth is associated with the material. The cards of a certain Suit deal with the qualities corresponding to their element.

The Cups

element: water

attribute: emotion

The Suit of Cups pertains to:

emotions, feelings, creativity, intuition and relationships

The Court cards of this Suit can represent people born under the water signs:

Piesces, Scorpio and Cancer

Characteristics correspondent to the Element Water:

nurturing, feminine, emotional, intuitive, sensitive, loving, heart over mind, moody

The Swords

element: Air

attribute: intellect

The Suit of the Swords pertains to the mental forces, the intellect, communication and struggles.

The Court cards of this suit can represent people born under the air signs:

Libra, Aquarius, and Gemini

Characteristics correspondent to the Element Air:

intellectual, communicative, analytical, collected, active, masculine, curious, perceptive, mind over heart, emotionally detached, freedom-loving

The Wands

element: Fire

attribute: passion

The Suit of the Wands pertains to our passions, motivations, enterprises and actions.

The Court cards of this suit can represent people born under the fire signs:

Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius

Characteristics correspondent to the Element Fire:

passionate, masculine, creative, sexual, energetic, enthusiastic, couragous, spontaneous, forceful, assertive, independent, confident

The Pentacles

element: earth

attribute: the material

The Suit of the Pentacles pertains to manifestation, the material, worth and possesions

The Court cards of this suit can represent people born under the earth signs:

Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo.

Characteristics correspondent to the Element Earth:

down to earth, grounded, feminine, practical, reliable, loyal, solid, responsible, materialistic, conservative, physical, patient, rigid, goal oriented

All depictions on this page are from "The Golden Tarot".