TAROT FOR BEGINNERS BY BARBARA MOORE

Suits

The suits give important information about the situation as well. The suits, remember, are associated with elements: wands are fire, cups are water, swords are air, and pentacles are earth (see pages 21–22 and the sections on aces for more information). The elements are often visible on the cards in terms of symbolism or color, making it easy to see at a glance what elemental energies are involved. At the most basic level, you can observe the balance—or lack of balance—of energy in a situation. Many cups indicate an emotional situation, something you would not be surprised to see in a reading about a relationship but might not expect in a career reading. Noticing things like this can help you understand the basic situation from the querent's perspective. If your querent asks about their career and more cups show up than wands or pentacles, the querent is probably more interested in creative work or work that satisfies their soul than a fast-track career path or even money.

The suits and the elemental energy they represent can be used in another way as well. Using the suits can also help determine the ease or difficulty in controlling a situation. It is rare that a reading contains only one suit. Usually there are several, if not all, of the suits present. This means there is more than one type of energy present in the situation. There is nothing unusual in that; most situations have several aspects. Understanding how the elemental energies affect each other can give us an idea of the conflicts or harmony in the situation. Here are how the elements affect each other:

Cards of the same element strengthen each other greatly.

Wands (fire) and swords (air) are both considered active and support each other. Cups (water) and pentacles (earth) are both considered passive and support each other. Wands (fire) and cups (water) are opposites and weaken each other. Swords (air) and pentacles (earth) are opposites and weaken each other. Wands (fire) and pentacles (earth) have little effect on each other. Swords (air) and cups (water) have little effect on each other.

When an element is strengthened, it does not always mean that it is a positive situation. It means that the experience is stronger or intensified, whether positive or negative. 

Fire and air are considered active. This means the energy is active—it moves, it creates, it acts; it also indicates swift movement. That is, if this energy is present, it is moving around, making things happen and happen quickly.

Water and earth are considered passive. That is, the energy is passive, it is still, it is reactive, it is shaped; it also suggests slower movement. Passive energy waits for something to happen—hence the idea of slowness—and then reacts.

When either water and fire or air and earth are present, the result is a weakening of both. They are opposites, fighting against each other, causing conflicting energy that will be evidenced in the situation.

The combinations of fire and earth or air and water are considered neutral. They have little or no effect on each other.

Scanning a spread and paying attention to numbers and suits can be a useful way to understand the state of a situation before interpreting the individual cards. Scanning creates a background, then each card in the spread adds details until finally you have a whole picture before you.