How to Read Pip Cards
Tarot number meanings are one of the keys to learning Tarot. Since numbers appear on all of the cards except for the court cards, having a good grasp of numbers will help you decode the card meanings. Pip cards are the numbered cards A-10. These cards are identical to the playing card deck, except for the difference in suit.
The best place to start is to take a look at the numbers around you and what they mean or symbolize in your own life.
Most likely, you have numbers that seem to follow you around. Also likely, you have some numbers you like to see and others you don’t. Get out your journal and write down these associations. When you have time explore the possible symbolism contained within the numbers and why you react to them the way you do.
Tarot Number Meanings – Grouping Numbers
After you have gotten an intuitive feel for the numbers 1-10, the next step is to start playing around with grouping the numbers. Numbers can be grouped into prime/not prime, odd/even, multiples of 2, multiples of 3 etc. Play around with different groupings and see how cards in a particular grouping relate. Each exercise you do will bring you closer to developing strong Tarot number meanings for yourself.
A couple of examples of how tarot numbers can be grouped follow.
Tarot Number Meanings 1-10
Here’s a quick list of number meanings as I see them. Please do your own research. Don’t adopt my system, develop your own. There are plenty of good resources on the internet if you search numerology.
- Ace – beginning
- A couple, a new idea, an opposing idea
- synthesis, combination, excitement, completion
- stability, home, foundations
- disruption, change
- balance, harmony, ease
- reaching, struggle, grapple,
- power, power struggles
- finishing touches
- transition
How to read pip cards – number plus suit
Starting with the number or suit, come up with a key word or 2 for each.
For example for the 2 of swords:
- 2 is a couple of things, one thing plus another
- swords are ideas, perspectives
- 2 of swords is 2 ideas coming together
Now let’s find out more about these 2 ideas coming together.
Think of the most positive version of 2 ideas or viewpoints coming together. A positive expression could be someone providing another helpful perspective or adding to and building on the original idea.
Then think of the most negative version of 2 ideas coming together. A negative expression could be an opposing viewpoint or idea. This could be an idea that blocks the first idea.
What’s a version somewhere in the middle? A more middle expression could be thinking about both ideas and perspectives and trying to make a decision.
By systematically working through each of the pip cards, you can develop your own Tarot number meanings.
As always, you can default to describing what is happening on the card itself. In this case a woman is holding up two swords with her arms crossed around her chest. She is blind folded and sitting by the sea. The swords are identical. She is motionless.
Do you see how a story is starting to emerge?
We could say that the woman is thinking about 2 ideas she has, or 2 options and they both seem to be about the same or measuring out the same. She is blindfolded trying to make an objective decision like we see in the Justice card (11- 1+1=2). Her back is to the ocean. She is turning her back on her emotions for the moment.
Every deck will have a different version of the card, giving more or less emphasis on possible meanings of the card. Use this to your advantage. It’s okay to tell a client, in many other decks this card is depicted as an attempt at an objective decision, but in this deck and this reading it’s more ________ fill in the blank.
Tarot Number Meanings – Homework
Get out your journal and write out the numbers 1 (Ace) through 10. You may want to dedicate a page per number or just make a list.
- Fill in descriptions around the numbers you already have a strong association with. For example, you like the number 5 or the number 8 shows up in most of your addresses. Write down possibilities of what this number means you. For example: this is gonna be hard, fun, good luck, bad luck etc.
- Take out the 4 minor arcana cards that go with the any particular number. Can you add to any of the interpretations you’ve already written down? Does anything “click” that you can add as a new interpretation?
- Browse the web for numerology sites or tarot definitions. If anything you come across resonates with you, write it down. If you get stuck you may have to just pick a few definitions or number meanings and work with them for the time being.
- Work on filling out the entire set of minor arcana definitions or pip cards.
- Do some 3 card readings using just the minor arcana and post them in the Facebook group.