How do you tell what element is associated with your tarot deck?
Garnet
8 Likes
I don’t know about a single element for a tarot deck (just guessing here)but I would think each card might have an element or elements depending on what’s pictured on the card. 
8 Likes
The Elements of the Suits/Court of the tarot cards are how they are separated:
9 Likes
I would say some have a more earthy vibe and maybe the dragon decks have more of a fire association. Sea animals decks would be water and birds would be air. Something like that I think 
8 Likes
Great question, @Garnet!
I was taught the following:
The suit of wands 
= fire 
The suit of cups 
= water 
The suit of swords 
= air 
The suit of pentacles/coins 
= earth 
These elements are the basic associations for each suit, so any tarot deck that has all four suits (which should be all but the most abstract tarot decks) will have all four elements.
That being said, take a look at the imagery in the art of your tarot deck- do you see a lot of water? A lot of earth and nature? Or perhaps do many pictures depict flames and sparks?
The imagery and overall feel from your cards can help you identify if all four of the elements are displayed evenly, or if your tarot deck favors some elements over others.
For example, in my Anima Mundi deck- take a look at the cards:
Picture from Tarot Deck Review ~ Anima Mundi
Plenty of water and earth, lots of animal critters, but no fire. I consider this deck to be heavily rooted in the earth element with water and air as sub-elements. With the exception of one card (The Tower is a volcano erupting 
) fire is pretty much non-existent in the deck.
This is actually something I’ve noticed in several of my decks- for whatever reason, I tend to favor decks that lean towards water and earth, and avoid decks that favor fire. If you’re up for a little reflective challenge, sit down with your decks and take some time to see what your tarot decks reveal about you? 
That being said, the balance or lack of balance in elemental imagery doesn’t make or break a deck- it’s simply something to consider when deciding if a tarot deck is right for you or not. You can always consider the element of fire whenever you draw wand cards - no matter what the visual imagery shows.
Blessed be and happy tarot readings! 
8 Likes
This was the only suit I could remember 
So I had to look up the article about it. I was like… I know Cups is Water, but… I can’t remember the rest for the life of me 
7 Likes
It took me forever to be able to remember what is what- I totally feel you! 
How to remember the suit elements:
→ Cups is the only one that is kind of self explanatory (thank you, cups 
)- a cup holds liquid 
→ For pentacles/coins I try to remember that coins=metal= from the earth (also, pentacles are about material things, materials things come from the earth) 
→ For wands I try to imagine a wand casting a fire spell 
, or that fire burns wood 
. Magick is energy and passion, and that is channeled through the wand 
→ Swords are the hardest for me to visualize… but swords are tools and weapons of war. It takes knowledge, guidance, and intellect to plan and strategize as battle- whether it is a full war or simply a battle of wits. Also, swords swing through the air 
The elements are an extra thing to remember with the cards (and goodness knows there is already a lot to remember for each card 
) but I’ve found that remembering the element for each card can help direct how it applies to the situation.
→ The Ace of Pentacles, for example, may be a message or omen about material situations, natural resources, or money (earth-based things) while the Ace of Cups may be a message or omen about emotional situations, travel involving bodies of water, or having to adapt (water-based things).
Additionally, knowing which element your deck favors can help you choose which deck to use depending on the question! For example:
-
A deck that is more earth elemental may be better for reading issues about money or material matters
-
A deck that favors fire would be suited to questions about passion, energy, and aggression
-
A deck with lots of water energy would be ideal for inquiries about emotions, mental issues and ailments, and healing
-
An air-elemental deck would be a go to for questions about communication concerns, knowledge, and studies
There are a lot of benefits to considering how the elements play into and affect your tarot deck!
Wishing everyone blessed readings
10 Likes
Thank you for all the clear and informative answers!
Be blessed.
Garnet
6 Likes
I didn’t know tarot decks have their own element correspondences. I know sometimes certain deck creators will say their decks have an association but I don’t think it’s a universal thing. What usually has elemental associations is the different suits. Those are generally easier.
– water
– air
– fire
– earth
Some people switch around the wands and swords but I think that depends on tradition and personal preference.
Edit → And once again, I should have read the comments first
8 Likes
@Garnet Thank you for posting this question. I have learned so much about Tarot Cards that I did not know! Thank you to everyone who posted such great information.
4 Likes
@marsha Me too.
4 Likes
This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.