Zodiac and Tarot: Understanding the Four Elements(Earth, Air, Fire, Water)

We've already had so much fun exploring the Major Arcana cards, like The Fool, The High Priestess, and The Lovers. The Minor Arcana are so important, too! They're just as significant in divination. It's amazing how often we overlook these cards because of their "minor" designation. What they actually depict are the rhythms of our daily lives: joy, challenges, growth, setbacks, and ultimate rebirth. These are the very norms we continually experience, and it's so inspiring to see them depicted in such a beautiful way! They are the living, breathing, feeling embodiment of our everyday reality, and they help us to evolve and grow.
The best way to understand the Minor Arcana is to decipher the inherent patterns within the four suits (Fire, Water, Air, Earth). It's incredible how closely these suits are tied to the classical four elements! This article is going to be great! We're going to delve into the amazing energy that each suit brings.

What Are the Tarot Suits?

Tarot cards are primarily divided into two major categories: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana symbolizes significant life events and spiritual revelations, while the Minor Arcana focuses on everyday experiences, challenges, and opportunities.
The Minor Arcana comprises four suits, each corresponding to classical elements and archetypal energies:
Wands (Fire): Action, Passion, Creativity
Cups (Water): Emotions, Intuition, Relationships
Swords (Air): Thought, Communication, Intellect
Pentacles (Earth): Material Reality, Stability, Resources
Each suit contains ten numbered cards and four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King), reflecting different developmental stages or personality types within that energy system. Understanding the suits and their elemental associations is key to interpreting the energy flow within a Tarot spread, helping you connect abstract symbols to concrete life experiences.

Cups: Water Element

Suit: Cups.
Zodiac Correspondences: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.
Keywords: Emotion, Intuition, Relationships, Healing, Flow.

The Cup suit is an absolute game-changer, representing the element of water and linking us to our deepest emotions and intuition. Water signs like Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio are super interesting! The Cup suit is the perfect embodiment of the idiom "tenderness flows like water", capturing its emotional essence in a truly remarkable way.
Water symbolises emotions and the subconscious, which is just so exciting! The Cup suit is a true reflection of our inner world, showcasing our deepest feelings, most cherished relationships, and the thrilling emotional journeys that make us who we are. Cups are a symbol of love, friendship, creativity, and emotional fulfilment, and they can also foretell heartbreak, detachment, and conflict.
The Cup suit is a truly amazing reflection of life's rich tapestry, representing all of life's most beautiful aspects: love, affection, emotions, sensitivity, compassion, harmony, empathy, friendship, relationships, introversion, silence, dreams, imagination, and intuition.
Water is amazing! It flows non-stop, adapting to its surroundings. Those ruled by the Cup suit are the life and soul of any party, always acting on their gut feelings and making sure everyone is having a great time.
They may often say, "I always feel..." or "I have a sense that...". Their only slight downside is that they can be a little sentimental and emotional.

Wands: Fire Element

Suit: Wands.
Zodiac Correspondences: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius.
Keywords: Passion, Creativity, Ambition, Energy, Action.

The Wands suit is associated with the element of Fire, which is linked to action and creation. Fire signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. The expression "passionate as fire" is a way of showing the Fire element's passion.
The Wands suit usually represents the active aspects of life. This means things like being active, being full of energy, feeling excited, being able to make decisions, being positive, feeling hopeful, wanting to go out and explore, and being the first to do something.
Fire represents the power of inspiration and action. The Wands represent energy and the desire to achieve your own goals. Wands encourage us to take action, explore opportunities, and follow our passions. This suit often reflects growth and change in the person's life, emphasising courage and self-expression.
It's important to know that the "intuition" in the Wands suit is different from the 'intuition' in the Cups suit. Intuition here is a strong "I just know" feeling, whereas intuition in Cups is more like an uncertain thought. Those influenced by the Wands suit act on a whim, moving bravely and without hesitation. They can sometimes seem like they don't think before they act, or like they only care about themselves. They can also get bored easily.

Swords: Air Element

Suit: Swords.
Zodiac Correspondences: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.
Keywords: Thought, Communication, Intellect, Clarity, Decision-Making.

The Swords suit is linked to the element of Air, which is associated with conflict and challenges. Air signs are Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra. Martial arts novels often describe "sword energy overwhelming the opponent," showing how powerful the Swords suit is. Sword cards usually have dark backgrounds, which suggests the chaotic atmosphere they represent.
The element of Air represents thought, logic, and communication. The Swords suit is all about mental activity, like using logic to solve problems and looking for the truth. Swords often represent challenges that require you to think calmly, make a plan, or decide what is right and wrong.
The Swords suit usually represents problems and negative emotions. But it is also connected to the element of air, which is why it can also stand for thought, mental activity, intellect, and wisdom. People who are ruled by the Swords suit are very rational, make precise judgements, are good at organising things, and stay calm in difficult situations. But people sometimes see them as cold because they don't show their emotions.

Pentacles: Earth Element

Suit: Pentacles.
Zodiac Correspondences: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.
Keywords: Material Reality, Stability, Health, Work, Resources.

The Pentacles suit is linked to the element of Earth, and is about material things and having fun. The earth signs are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. We admire those who are "down-to-earth", people who often have traditional values. The Pentacles suit represents the world of money, nature, stability, security, health, family, money received from a family, daily life, work, buying and selling, and spending money on things you enjoy.
The earth signifies stability, materiality, and tangible growth. The pentacle focuses on the real-life aspects of life: your job, money, home, and physical health. This suit shows that being patient and working hard can lead to success.
Many people who are just starting are confused about how Pentacles are related to money and work, and Wands are related to business management. Pentacles usually represent everyday work and everyday transactions. Wands represent growing a business. Those associated with the Pentacles suit value material life, work hard without cutting corners, and know how to enjoy themselves. But there are some possible problems with this approach. For example, they could be too greedy or too stubborn.

Conclusion

The Minor Arcana and its elements create a clear picture of the human experience. If you understand the meaning of the wands, cups, swords, and pentacles, you can interpret Tarot spreads clearly and with empathy. The four elements help us understand life—they show us the balance of passion, emotion, wisdom, and reality.