In the tarot, Minor Arcana refers to a division of four suits, akin to a pack of playing cards. Each suit addresses various aspects of life, emotions, and experiences, and is associated with one of the four classical elements of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. Knowing these suits allows a reader to interpret energy and meaning associated with every card in a reading.

The Suit of Pentacles

The Pentacles suit represents the Earth element and stands for the material aspects of life, sometimes carrying imagery about wealth, job, or health.The cards symbolize real, practical issues, such as work, finance, and the state of one's health. Pentacles can also represent long-term goals, effort, and the outcome of our efforts.

The Suit of Cups

Cups are related to the water element and deal with feelings, relationships, and intuition. It rules emotions, love affairs, friendship, and emotional attachment. Wherever you get Cups in a spread, you dig into feelings, desires, emotional development or problems.

The Suit of Wands

As a component of the element of Fire, the Wands suit represents creativity, passion, and action. These cards represent inspiration, ambition, and personal drive. Wands can represent ideas for new projects, enhanced vitality, or situations that require bold, dynamic action. They represent adventure and trying something new.

The Suit of Swords

The Swords are connected to the Air elements, with thought, intellect, and ideas as traits that are being passed around. This suit deals with problems and conflict in the head. Swords often manifest themselves in spreads that deal with choices or research into truth or conflicts. They stimulate thinking and reasoning, even when it is negative.

Each of these suits offers a different view of the drama that unfolds in life, and it is here, then, that we obtain insight into all the personal, emotional, creative, and intellectual aspects of our lives.