The four elements in tarot and elemental dignities
The four elements are the basic language linking every tarot card. Know a card's element and you know at once what it talks about, and whether neighbouring cards support or oppose it.
The four elements
| Element | Suit | Rules | Major Arcana |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire | Wands | drive, courage and action | The Emperor, Strength, Wheel of Fortune, Temperance, The Tower, The Sun, Judgement |
| Water | Cups | emotion, love, relationships and intuition | The High Priestess, The Chariot, The Hanged Man, Death, The Moon |
| Air | Swords | thought, communication, decisions and truth | The Fool, The Magician, The Lovers, Justice, The Star |
| Earth | Pentacles | money, work, the body and tangible security | The Empress, The Hierophant, The Hermit, The Devil, The World |
Major Arcana take their element from their sign or planet: the Emperor rules Aries, so he is Fire. The Fool, the Hanged Man and Judgement rule Air, Water and Fire directly.
Elemental dignities
The Golden Dawn read neighbouring cards without reversals, using the elements to judge whether each card grows stronger or weaker.
- Same element: strongly reinforcing; the energy intensifies, for good or ill.
- Friendly elements: Fire with Air and Water with Earth support each other — air feeds fire, water makes earth fertile.
- Opposing elements: Fire with Water and Air with Earth weaken each other — water quenches fire, earth blocks air.
- Other pairs (Fire–Earth, Water–Air) are neutral.
A card between two cards opposed to it is greatly weakened; but if the two outer cards are friendly with each other, a middle card opposed to both is "bridged" and the energy passes over it.
Dominant and missing elements
Count the elements of all cards in a reading. Excess shows what dominates; absence shows what is needed.
- Fire. Excess Fire: heat, haste and acting before thinking — watch for conflict and burnout. Add Fire by taking one small action now, setting a challenging goal and moving your body.
- Water. Excess Water: sensitivity and emotional decisions — you may drown in feelings or fantasy. Add Water by naming your feelings, listening to people close to you and giving time to relationships.
- Air. Excess Air: overthinking, endless analysis, mental conflict and stress. Add Air by writing your thoughts down, gathering facts and speaking plainly.
- Earth. Excess Earth: clinging to security and possessions; slow to move or change. Add Earth with a step-by-step plan, a budget and timeline, and care for your body.
Every reader on this site calculates elemental relationships automatically; try the three-card reading or the Celtic Cross.