Minor Arcana in the Tarot of Marseille
The total number of cards in a deck of Tarot of Marseille is 78. These 78 cards are divided into 2 groups: the cards called major arcana, which number 22, and those called minor arcana, of which there are 56. While the major arcana are the most essential and distinctive of a tarot deck, for the highly symbolic illustrations each of them displays, the minor arcana also have their importance in understanding the meanings of the cards of the Tarot of Marseille. Despite the fact that their role is more subtle, and therefore sometimes less obvious to grasp.
What is a minor arcanum?
These 56 cards making up the minor arcana of a Tarot of Marseille deck are the complement to the 22 major arcana. They are inseparable, even though the major ones are far more prominent; it is together that they form a whole. Indeed, the cards called major arcana will always reveal highly spiritual and symbolic meanings, whereas the interpretation of the minor arcana will concern only the character traits of a personality and above all events related to its daily life. This is why those who tend to interpret only the major trumps are somewhat mistaken. For even if they decipher the essentials, they will let many details slip by, contained within the minor arcana. Once again, the minor arcana can be very explicit during a divinatory reading and their revelations can even influence those of the major arcana. In any case, nowadays, almost all professional tarot readers take the minor arcana into account on the same footing as the major ones.
What are the 56 minor arcana made up of?
The 56 cards making up the minor arcana are divided into 4 distinct groups of 14 cards each. These 4 groups bear the names of Pentacles, Wands, Swords, and Cups. Within each of these groups, one finds the numeral cards, whose suits run from the Ace up to number 10, then the 4 court cards, namely the Page, the Knight, the Queen and the King.
These 4 cards representing the figures are also called court cards or honour cards. The Page card symbolises everything related to projects. The Knight card embodies everything to do with communicative exchanges and above all with gestures of action. The card representing the Queen is the symbol of ultimate possession. As for the King card, it is the exemplary model of self-realisation and exemplary success.
As for the numeral cards:
- The Ace represents a birth or the advent of an act. It relates to all that is at the beginning.
- No.2 symbolises everything to do with love, but also with the duality between two beings.
- No.3 embodies creation and all that is liable to be transformed.
- No.4 represents stability over the course of time.
- No.5 symbolises everything concerning evolution and transformation.
- No.6 embodies transitions and complementarities between two elements.
- No.7 represents everything related to power, success and above all victory.
- No.8 relates to all that makes the right balance between our instincts and our actions.
- No. 9 embodies the essential goal and above all the apogee.
- As for No.10, it symbolises the culmination and the realisation of all things.
The four groups of minor arcana
We are therefore in the presence of 4 groups of 14 cards or suits each. Here are their different categories:
The minor arcanum of the Sword
It embodies everything to do with the intellect and open-mindedness. It focuses on our cerebral abilities and what we use them for. It confronts us with various concerns of a practical nature and invites us to resolve them with pragmatism and efficiency. It puts us to the test to force us to adapt to all situations. The arcanum of the Sword is the symbol of relentlessness and sacrifices. It is what determines the energy we deploy to fight and the dose of courage we will show.
- Positive aspect: freedom of mind
- Negative aspect: denial
The minor arcanum of the Cup
It symbolises everything to do with our respective feelings and in particular with those of affection and emotion. It takes into account both our friendly and amorous relationships and our connections regarding our blood ties and therefore family. The minor arcanum of the cup goes to the heart of all things, to bring out the best in each of us. It therefore works deeply on our relationships with others.
- Positive aspect: It brings wisdom and great stability
- Negative aspect: It can be a sign of separation
The minor arcanum of the Wand
It represents everything to do with professional activities. Production, innovation, manufacturing and industrialisation are its watchwords. It embodies the taking of risks in new projects and joint action within a company or a collective. It is linked to the world of work, whether artisanal or industrial, and to the economy it generates within societies. It embodies the success of a project and the progression of an action once it has been started. The Wand is therefore visceral and productive over time.
- Positive aspect: inspiration and motivation
- Negative aspect: stagnation and saturation
The minor arcanum of the Pentacle
It embodies everything related to the world of finance and its many speculations. From the growth of capital to the circulation of money made profitable, in the Pentacle, everything is a matter of money. It also highlights the result of an act or a word, taking into account and blending past and present to make them one. The Pentacle is a sign of comfort, ease and security.
- Positive aspect: self-control and determination
- Negative aspect: susceptibility to scams of all kinds
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