Gilded Tarot Study Guide

Ace of Wands Initiation of a new beginning. Birth of new ideas, inspiration. Possible new job or new business venture. Great deal of creative energy; extremely good for anyone in creative endeavors. Forces of strength, enthusiasm, excitement. May represent an entirely new way of life.

Two of Wands Future choices and decisions will have to be made. Need to focus on future plans and devote the effort necessary for success. May indicate a partnership, so collaborations and negotiations with others may be significant. Two of Wands is a positive card, showing movement in direction of goals and ambitions. When making a choice, remember to pay attention to your instincts.

Three of Wands Some goals have been achieved but more work remains – don’t stop now. Investments made in new pursuits are about to pay off. A feeling of “dreams can come true.” Indicates progress, success at the outset, need for more planning to move forward.

Four of Wands Stability and harmony resulting from hard work done before. Might be alright to take a break or some time off now but be careful it doesn’t become permanent. General good feelings, contentment with yourself and life in general.

Five of Wands Instability, uncertainty, change (all fives in general). Conflicts, differences of opinion, petty squabbling, power games – may not be big problems and can probably be overcome. If this is what’s happening around you, not to you, think hard before becoming involved. Although staying out of it may be easiest, and may also be the right choice, remember that avoiding competition can lead to stagnation. Now may not be the best time to present new ideas to others.

Six of Wands Harmony and balance. Your efforts and achievements will be recognized by others. May indicate a promotion coming up. Well-deserved success, even possibly victory. Six of Wands is generally the bearer of good news.

Seven of Wands Indicates completion of a cycle; may indicate changes. Ideas or beliefs may be challenged. Remain calm, have selfconfidence, have courage to stand up for your beliefs.

Eight of Wands Swift-moving energy. Sudden bursts of activity or excitement, often following the arrival of good news. May represent travel.

Nine of Wands You may feel exhausted, all energy spent, can’t go another step. Success is closer than you think and you do have the inner energy you need to keep going. Persevere – this is not the time to stop; one more push.

Ten of Wands You may feel overcome with responsibilities that are making you weary. Something that started as a good idea may have become/be becoming a burden. Be careful about taking on more than you can handle. Remember life is about balance.

Page of Wands As a child or young person: Active, energetic, action-oriented, cheerful. May seem fearless. "Loveable rogue". As an event: Good news coming in, usually swiftly – may be related to work – may be letters, phone calls, emails, or word of mouth.

Knight of Wands As a young man: Energetic, adventurous, warm and exciting. Full of ambitious ideas but apt to be a little hasty. As an event: Frequently appears when someone is about to change residence. May also signify a long journey.

Queen of Wands – An adult woman: Thrives on being busy. Endless energy. Ambitious, sometimes overly so, sometimes makes herself so busy she can't attend to all the details to follow through. Quantity over quality is a problem but may be easily forgiven because of her humorous or cheerful nature. May be hottempered and slow to forgive a perceived wrong. If she perceives she’s been crossed, she may become catty or duplicitous.

King of Wands – An adult man: Enjoys challenges. Frequently found in leadership roles, official or unofficial. Optimistic, energetic, confident, friendly. Good at motivating others. May be quite physical. Likes to have a feeling of freedom to do things his own way. Easily bored, not interested in spending much time on details. May be rash, quick-tempered, over-confident to the point of arrogance, or have an overinflated ego.

Ace of Cups New beginnings or renewal, especially (but not neces-sarily only) in romance or love. Emotional euphoria. Ace of Cups is a very positive card.

Two of Cups Harmony, balance, kindness. Silent understanding that goes beyond words. In a stale relationship, can bring reconciliation, rediscovery of the emotions that brought the couple together in the first place. Two of Cups is always a welcome sight regarding romantic relationships. May also relate to important friendships. Someone who really “knows” you is either in your life or may enter soon.

Three of Cups Emotional happiness. Feeling of togetherness. Sense of abundance and/or achievement. May indicate that there are reasons to celebrate with others – weddings, reunions, new babies, birthdays, etc.

Four of Cups May represent boredom or inner discontent even though everything appears to be alright. May be feeling “the grass is greener” somewhere else. May be a warning against overindulgence out of boredom or a desire to escape. Don’t let this feeling make you miss new opportunities or invitations. Instead of looking for ways to avoid a bad situation, seek ways to confront and change it.

Five of Cups May be feeling disappointment, perhaps feeling let down by others. May sometimes indicate the loss of a relationship and the resulting natural grieving process. Your logical mind is probably somewhat clouded by these feelings at this time; there may be other positive things in the situation which you are currently not seeing. May be so focused on that which is lost that you don’t see what is still there. It may seem as though all is lost but it could be a temporary situation or a temporary feeling.

Six of Cups Someone or something from the past returns – may or may not be romantic but is not strictly limited to love life. Person/situation from the past may bring happiness and satisfaction. If situation is not positive, Six of Cups may indicate a nostalgia or being “stuck in the past” that is preventing you from moving forward. Contact with nostalgia or the past, even tempo-rarily, can help get recentered again.

Seven of Cups Choices may be presented, resulting in difficulty making a decision. Now is a time to be practical and review the options realistically.

Eight of Cups Abandonment, usually by you as opposed to happening to you. A situation that is no longer fulfilling, or has become a disappointment. Acknowledgement of a long-held feeling of disillusionment.

Nine of Cups Achievement of an important goal that brings you fulfillment. Indicates you will feel well pleased. Nine of Cups is one of the most promising of the Tarot, sometimes called the “wish card”.

Ten of Cups Perfect realization of emotional love. Happiness in your home life, with the promise of lasting success in a relationship.

Page of Cups As a child or young person: Kind, thoughtful, gentle. Creative, artistic. Well-behaved, polite. Sensitive to others, sometimes overly sensitive to criticism or life’s realities. As an event: Happy news, generally of an emotional nature.

Knight of Cups As a young man: Romantic, idealistic. As an event: Symbolizes emotional energy. Represents offers coming to you accompanied by much excitement.

Queen of Cups – An adult woman: Kind, gentle, sensitive, thoughtful, charming, socially polite. Creative, artistic. Quite in tune with her inner world, into which she can move quite easily which can make her seem detached. Prefers one-onone friends and conver-sation, as opposed to large groups. Usually quite feminine and empathetic. Can at times be melancholy or prone to shifting moods. Dislikes speaking out since it seems like confrontation to her. Needs harmony. Very sensitive to feelings of others. Good listener, offers support. Makes you feel she truly cares. Often found in the helping/caring/healing professions. Can be easily hurt due to her sensitive nature. Harsh words or actions can cut her deeply. As they get older, they may become protective of their feelings. May sometimes be dreamy or unrealistic. Can sometimes have a victim mentality. May be easily led by others or can be manipulative herself.

King of Cups – An adult man: Warm, genuine, easy-going – the kind of man almost everyone likes. Loyal, kind, usually familyoriented. A thoughtful lover, good husband, adoring father. May seem emotionally detached if wrestling with his own inner emotions. Care and concern for others. Not generally ambitious by nature but can still achieve high positions if driven by a cause. May lack drive or backbone. May dislike conflict to the point of denial.

Ace of Swords Victory and triumph over difficulties. Great reserves of inner strength and clarity of thought are required now. Usually indicates your mind is feeling sharper, clearer. You have the ability to overcome

setbacks/adversity through your own actions.

Two of Swords Feeling that a decision needs to be made but confusion is keeping you from moving one way or another. Consider new approaches to the deadlock. May need to compromise for the time being. Take an active part in your own destiny.

Three of Swords Possible upheaval in family situations, but there is hope for the future. Compromises don’t always last. Possibly hurtful words/emotions that have been held in are now coming out; this can ultimately resolve to good from knowing the truth. May represent physical or emotional separation between people in couples but not necessarily a relationship split, such as separation by work or military service.

Four of Swords Rest, recovery, recharging one's batteries after a time of struggle, strain, or stress. May be experiencing a need to retreat inward for comfort or just too weary to participate for now. Time for rejuvenation is needed. May also indicate actual convalescence depending on other circumstances.

Five of Swords Deceit may be involved. Someone may have a hidden agenda. May indicate dishonor, defeat, or loss – be careful. You may be in an unwinnable argument with someone. Best course may be walking away, “cut your losses”.

Six of Swords Moving out of “stormy weather” into calmer times. Remember that our experiences become part of who we are and shape how we move forward.

Seven of Swords Situations that don't go as expected. Plain bad luck. Forewarned is forearmed. May indicate the possible need for diplomacy and tact to successfully deal with heavyhanded methods.

Eight of Swords Feeling restricted. Fear is stopping you from moving forward. Your selfconfidence may be shaken. Important to stay calm and remain strong, not to give in to the paralysis you may be feeling. It might be time to look at a situation differently.

Nine of Swords Feelings of suffering, disappointment, despair, but note that the swords are not actually touching the person on the card. Fear may be making more problems for you than the thing/person/circumstance you're afraid of. Negative emotions can be selfperpetuating. Our fears can blind us, making what might happen appear worse than the situation actually is.

Ten of Swords Possible feeling of loss due to the end of a difficult situation. Remember that a loss can be a release and a time to consider new beginnings. Remember that life moves in cycles. Can warn about ruined plans but, even if so, consider the possibility that they weren't "meant to be" in the grand scheme of things. If in a "future" position, usually acts as a warning – the outcome is dependent on the actions you take to avoid the problem.

Page of Swords As a child or young person: Quick-minded. Cool, deep, takes everything in but doesn’t say much. Analytical. Upset by injustice since they believe in following the rules. May appear insensitive to others’ feelings. As an event: Represents delayed news or disappointing news. May indicate minor or low-level problems with or for a child.

Knight of Swords As a young man: Quick-minded but serious. Sometimes impatient. Strong character. Strangely magnetic. Has a forthright manner that may make him seem insensitive sometimes. As an event: Energy that moves so swiftly it seems chaotic. May indicate swift action is needed, or sudden changes coming. Importance of seeing things as they really are to be able to deal with them appropriately.

Queen of Swords – An adult woman: Strong sense of fair play. Good reasoning, excellent perception. Inner strength which may have been gained through personal suffering. Independent streak. Happy and confident in her own right, capable taking care of her own affairs. Simply a strong and independent woman. Source of strength and will defend you if she believes you are right. Speaks her mind, usually has a ring of truth. Well organized and efficient. Champion for just causes that require a certain toughness to support them. Fast thinker. Analytical mind, enjoys things that challenge her keen mind or wit. May sometimes be overly critical or intolerant. Not someone to pick an argument with.

King of Swords – An adult man: Cool detached air, may be difficult to fathom. “Still waters run deep.” Usually strong with an easy air of authority. Rational, analytical thinker. Prefers logic to emotion. Likes clear/set rules. Often found in uniform. Usually very articulate with a sharp wit and ability to think quickly and responsibly. Gives the distinct impression he is evaluating you. Careful where he places his trust. Is an excellent friend who gives good advice when asked. May seem impersonal or lacking sensitivity. May even be cruel or bullying, able to switch off his emotions.

Ace of Pentacles Represents prosperity, material gains. The start of something that could lead to good financial reward. Good card to see if considering starting a new financial/ business venture. May signify documents that hold material importance. May indicate a lump sum of money, gifts, or an inheritance. Inclination to be rooted now, as opposed to “flying”. Inclination to do solid work, create, make, etc.

Two of Pentacles Represents the effort needed to successfully maintain a balance in life. Trying to keep more than one project going simultaneously, or maybe juggling finances. Balancing home and work. You may feel like you’re juggling, but relief is on its way. Be careful to keep things balanced and signs are good that things can go smoothly.

Three of Pentacles Through your efforts, you’re beginning to see some success. You may be recognized for your work. May indicate the initial stages of completion of activities on a successful note. Although generally considered from the standpoint of financial or work success, may also indicate that, if you have undertaken new measures to improve/protect health, they will start paying off.

Four of Pentacles Being focused on goals, perhaps on financial matters. May have a fear of loss leading to feeling that you want to hold onto everything too hard. Card frequently shows up when there’s an element of being overly cautious. You may need to let go or “unclutch” a little bit to move the situation forward. Look to making the best of what you have, including to the betterment of others, instead of hoarding.

Five of Pentacles Supplies a warning to pay careful attention to your finances to guard against loss. Be prepared for loss – financial, health, other. Temporary hardships. “This too shall pass” -- help is available in some form if you look more closely. Not a good time to enter into new financial commitments or agreements. Don’t succumb to the fear that it will never get better. Things will improve.

Six of Pentacles Material gains and being in a position to share with others. A pay increase may be coming your way. If money has been outstanding or expected, this card may mean it’s about to be received.

Seven of Pentacles Hard work and patience will be rewarded. Expect some form of good news concerning your financial situation. All manner of financial applications or sales are well aspected.

Eight of Pentacles Often referred to as the “apprenticeship card”. May signify learning a new skill or even a change in profession. May show up when there’s an offer of new employment or taking a new position. May also mean entering a learning establish-ment such as a university. Card often means that existing talents can be used to create a venture that will bring financial gains. Good time to look at vocational matters more closely, especially if you’ve considered changing career paths.

Nine of Pentacles Financial security usually through one’s own efforts. Finances should be now (or soon) sufficient to allow some comforts in life.

Ten of Pentacles Signifies financial and family stability. Consider a review of wills, trusts, life insurance, etc., to ensure they are all in good order, to safeguard your material possessions. Represents the satisfaction of feeling materially secure.

Page of Pentacles As a child or young person: Studious or academic, enjoys studying and learning. Hardworking, well-behaved, polite. Self-disciplined Has love and respect for animals. Not a “party animal”. As an event: Good news that will bring welcome changes, possibly financial but perhaps not, into your life.

Knight of Pentacles As a young man: Methodical. Can be depended upon to always bring results in the end. Steady and trustworthy, reliable. As an event: Always pleased to see this card – something you have been waiting for is finally coming through.

Queen of Pentacles – An adult woman: Warm, generous. Practical. Money-conscious. Not afraid of hard work. Good business woman. Recognizes the value of doing things correctly. Pleasant to others. Socially poised/correct. Works tirelessly. Prepared to go the extra mile. Appreciates steadfastness, routine. May be stubborn, want to do things her own way. May have jealous nature. May be easily taken advantage of because of her generous nature.

King of Pentacles – An adult man: At ease with himself and his position in the world. Usually financially successful. Strong character, dependable and steadfast. Anger doesn’t last. long, doesn’t brood. Values family and tradition. Not afraid of hard work, sees things through to completion. Patient. Often generous with his money but never stupidly so. May be stubborn. May be exceedingly blunt about things.

The Fool (0) Every conceivable possibility exists in this moment. Unexplored potential. Unexpected opportunities may suddenly appear that could bring welcome changes. You need to remain open to the possibility of having to make a major choice, perhaps “out of the blue”. There are times to make leaps of faith. Is this one such time? Reminder to listen to the voice of your “inner child” recalling how exciting a new adventure can be.

The Magician (I) Fine-tuned abilities and skill. You have all the skills and abilities necessary to handle a task well and bring it to a successful conclusion. Apply yourself with concentration and willpower in order to succeed – you have all the potential you need. Now is a time for action and initiation in any new ventures. Reminder to have confidence.

The High Priestess (II) Now is a time to follow your intuition and trust your instincts. Mystery and secrets. There may be more depth to a particular matter than you have seen so far. May indicate a secret about to become known that would be to your benefit. Look at the situation again – you may have missed something before. Indicates a desire for knowledge and learning; may also show an interest in deeper/more complex areas of life.

The Empress (III) Represents growth, prosperity, fertility. Brings happy conclusions to matters. Promises good rewards for work and efforts. Brings situations to fruition. Nurturing in all its forms, turning to fulfilled potential. Can represent pregnancy/birth/ motherhood, solid happy relation-ships, marriage. All in all a wonderfully positive card, especially for those seeking input on relation-ships or fertility matters.

The Emperor (IV) Important to think rationally especially when others are involved. Sign of financial stability, ambition, authority, achievement. Need to keep a calm head at this time. When making decisions at this time, give more weight to the facts than to your emotions. Powerful card that is a wonderful omen for business and career matters; you are in a powerful position to achieve your goals. May also represent a powerful male influence.

The Hierophant (V) May indicate help from a wise trusted person, someone you hold in trust and high regard. Suggests conformity and conventional or set ways of thinking, that may be making change difficult. May represent influence of traditional values and moral ethics. May indicate the need to find a deeper meaning to life by exploring spiritual matters.

The Lovers (VI) Human love and relationships in all their glory or complexity. Harmony of combined polarities. May indicate the need to make choices or decisions in or regarding a relationship. Generally a positive card unless badly aspected.

The Chariot (VII) There is a great deal of potential but the end result depends on the effort expended to make it a reality. Triumph through hard work. Self-discipline is required now but it can lead to victory. Focus and perseverance are also necessary. Tends to show an inner conflict (rather than external) that needs to be resolved in order to have a positive outcome. May indicate travel, depending on other cards/circumstances.

Strength (VIII) Patience and diplomacy (as opposed to aggression), when combined with courage, will achieve required results. This card generally indicates you have a reserve of inner strength that gives you more power than you realize. Your strength may best be used through quiet determination.

The Hermit (IX) Signifies careful thought and contemplation, withdrawal from the outside world to reflect and find inner wisdom. You may find comfort in solitude at this time. You have within you all the answers you need, but you might need some introspection for them to become clear.

The Wheel of Fortune (X) Represents the cycles of life, showing the transient nature of things. Can indicate the commencement of a new cycle when progress can be made. Make the most of this fortunate time – change is always just around the corner.

Justice (XI) Now is a time to make balanced decisions that will affect where your path leads you in the future. Reminder that balance is always needed when making decisions or choices. May imply legal documents or processes. This card usually carries beneficial connotations.

The Hanging Man (XII) Card looks bad but closer inspection shows he could easily release himself if so desired; his position appears to be by choice or simple lack of action. There may be an opportunity to look at things from a different perspec-tive, which could bring a solution through better understanding. Can indicate delayed gratification or selfsacrifice (not in the literal sense). Sometimes we need to let go of some-thing in the short term in order to gain something more beneficial in the long term.

Death (XIII) The image is a symbolic one, not a literal one! Heralds the end of one phase of some aspect of your life to make way for a new one. Represents major change and trans-formation, positive or negative. To benefit from change, we have to stay open to it and know that every life experience gives us the opportunity for major growth and learning on some level. We can be released from that which is no longer useful/ productive/benefi-cial in our lives but which we continue to hold on to just because we’re afraid of change.

Temperance (XIV) Shows opposites being blended successfully. Moderation, patience, compromising, diplomacy, cooperation. Successful integration of opposite forces. Receptive environ-ment for reconcilia-tion if that is needed/desired. Balanced emotions (“Justice” card represents balanced thought). Always a lovely and gentle card, difficult to find any negative aspects. Often brings or heralds healing.

The Devil (XV) As with the Death card, this card is symbolic, not literal! A situation is dragging you down and you feel helpless to change it. May represent a sort of “enslavement”, whether to an ideal, an addiction, or an unhealthy relationship. May also represent overindulgence, when seen as a form of selfenslavement. May indicate secret plans being made, either by yourself or by those around you. May stand for mystery or the unknown, perhaps even being “blind” to something. Pentacle in the background reminds us of the earthly element of our physical selves. Can represent a passionate or compelling relationship with a strong physical attraction (although not necessary a positive one – view the larger situation), even perhaps a healthy or improving sex life.

The Tower (XVI) The tower itself represents “man-made” beliefs and philosophies, sometimes false, and the lightning is the moment of illumination, allowing you to see things as they really are. Something that has been built on illusion or false beliefs is probably now coming to an end. Having the ability to now see the truth and to rebuild for the future, this time with a more solid foundation. Can foretell a sudden or unex-pected ending that may bring a sense of catastrophe or chaos with it. Can relate to any area of life. This card may simply be forcing you to acknowledge something of this nature when you have been in a state of denial. Each situation is different, so the Tower may be related to something already happening or something to come – consider how you can prepare yourself if it something that may be coming, and how you can improve matters afterward, in either case. Handle this card delicately because of the fear it can engender.

The Star (XVII) Represents renewal, in the life-giving aspects of the water and light. Traditionally a good card, representing hope, peace, and faith. Always a welcome card. Stars are helpful guides on our pathways through life. Have faith and feel safe in the know-ledge that better times are ahead. Can bring healing after an illness, if relevant. Have belief in yourself. Plans being made show promise; success is attainable. If there is a new relationship, this card shows harmony and a good future. For someone who has been hurt in love, the Star brings encouragement and confidence to put that behind and be ready to find love again.

The Moon (XVIII) Represents illusionary situations, possible deceptions, feelings of uncertainty. Feelings of intuition and “gut instincts” are heightened. Emotions are highly charged and fluctuating. Card is a warning to be careful not to jump to conclusions; in the Moon’s light things may look different from how they really are. There’s often much more to a situation than first meets the eye; be watchful and don’t act in haste. Take your time until the situation has unfolded and revealed itself more clearly.

The Sun (XIX) One of the most positive cards in the deck. Brings happiness, success, triumph, prosperity, good health. Means happy relationships and contentment. The Sun tends to shine favorably on almost any situation. Make the most of all the Sun’s favorable aspects.

Judgement (XX) Known as the “karmic card” – for better or for worse, it’s “as you sew, so shall you reap” and “what goes around comes around”. Depicts resurrection, renewal, revival. Dormant matters can come back to life. It is possible to make a fresh start but it is also important to take stock first. General feeling of rejuvenation. Health matters show improvement, if that is relevant to the situation. Represents a time to look forward, with new beginnings coming.

The World (XXI) Represents harmony among all states – inner and outer, self and nature. Assurance of success, victory, triumph, although not overnight. Accomplishment of a goal that has been steadily worked toward. You will enjoy your welldeserved reward and feel delighted with your achievements. Indicates attainment, success, confidence, happiness, a sense of completion and fulfillment. Depending on circumstances, may indicate travel or a new home that brings happiness.