A Tarot de Marseille Keyword Cheat Sheet

Each school of Tarot has its own card meanings. The Tarot de Marseille is incredibly direct and literal. The keywords for the Minor Arcana from this school of Tarot are based on the numbers and suits. To read with this system, you must combine the meaning associated with the number and the energies associated with the suit. You may also like to see my post on the Major Arcana.

Start with the suit correspondence. These tell you the domain of the card. Keep in mind, your deck may have different names for the suits, depending on the language used by the designer.

Clubs: Creativity, passion, action

Cups: Emotions, spirituality, love

Swords: Thoughts, decisions, conflict

Coins: Physical things, money, work/career

Then consider the card number to round out the meaning. The meanings of each number are as follows. When you see an elipse (three dots) fill in the suit domain.

Ace

New beginnings

Time for new…(fill in the suit domain)

Two

Developing

Still new but making progress

Three

Energy expressing itself

*Explosion of…

*Presenting action

Four

Balance, stability

Control

Five

Expansion

Pushing forward

Six

Joy

Pleasure

Choices

Seven

Change

Inspiration

Eight

Harmonious connections

Equity

Nine

Decline/Ending soon

In the final phases of…

Ten

Closing

The end of…

Page

Beginner/Planning stage

Helper

Knight

Action Stage

Time to take a risk in…

Queen

Regroup

Nurture

Manage

King

In control of…

Plans have been completed

Maintaining