A Short Primer on Number Symbolism in the Tarot

Number Symbolism: when you look at the deck you notice the 4 suits and the 22 major arcana cards and sometimes when you are starting off it may seem like a lot to deal with. One way to help learn how to read is to break down all the cards (except the court cards) in to numbers (for example 14, Temperence, is a 5 -- 1 + 4 = 5, 21 The World is a 3 -- 2 + 1 = 3) and so on.

Here is a very high level look at what the numbers "mean". Please realize this is not the be all end all here but just one way of looking at them and try to look at it as sort of a short-hand approach to tarot.

One--think of somebody pointing their index finger. They are directed, focused. Ones are about drive, vision, making things happen. Single-mindedness.

Two--a couple, a decision (this or that), yes/no, up/down, right/left, etc. Twos are either partnerships or decisions but they deal with questions of what to decide upon or who to be with.

Three--a triangle. All numbers divisible by 3 (3, 6, and 9) deal with creative ways of approaching things, in one form or another. Better or worse depending on the suit and placement.

Four--a square, a foundation. A home typically has four sides. Completion. The four of wands is often a marriage or partnership so 4's and 8's deal with laying the foundation, more conservative and traditional approaches.

Five--my least favorite number in the deck but that is just me. Five is the fingers of one hand but true balance comes from having BOTH hands. Fives often are pop quizzes and sometimes indicative of where things are out of balance in some way.

Six--a nice number, two interlocking triangles, a nice, soft creative approach. Sometimes that approach in life can be a disaster but I have a fondness for the "three numbers".

Seven--magical, the menorah, spirit fills the air.

Eight--two squares, foundation, worker bee, what can I do to make this "work"--job, 401K, keep the marriage together, etc.

Nine--high level creativity or inspiration. Luck. Also, Nines often indicate decisions that should, or need to, be made.

Ten--I can carry the burden with both hands. I can DO IT. Achievement, culmination, rewards.

With the 9 Card, luck is something of a generic concept in that it can swing both ways and I see the 9's (depending on the suit) as being often about things that don't always SEEM fully conscious, where there is sometimes a disconnect in determining causality, sort of a "how did that happen?" vibe or a "gee I just wish this would happen" vibe as well.

If 4 is laying the foundation then 8 is about either maintaining the foundation or moving in to what was created with the 4. I think the results shown by the 8 are typically more "logical" and easier to "understand" than the energy indicated by the 9's.

Anyway, a simplistic but hopefully helpful little cheat-sheet.