When we first step into the world of tarot, it is usually the artwork that calls to us to follow the mystical figures, the symbols, the colours, and the atmosphere of the deck. But beneath all that beauty lies a deeper structure that often goes unnoticed, known as the language of numbers. As every tarot card carries a number, and that number is not decorative, rather it is a key to a small door that opens a bigger meaning.
Long before the existence of tarot, ancient civilizations believed that numbers were more than mathematical tools. The Greeks, Hebrews, and Chaldeans practiced arithmomancy, a form of divination through numbers, by trusting that numbers expressed the structure of the universe. Later, Pythagoras would famously say that “numbers rule the world.” Tarot absorbed this belief and wove it into its own design. So, when you look at a tarot card, you are not just seeing a symbol; rather, you are seeing one step in a larger numerical journey.
The Hidden Story of Numbers
The Minor Arcana is built like a timeline. Each suit includes Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles that move through numbers starting from 1 to 10, which is not random in nature. It mirrors the cycle of human experience: beginning, development, challenge, mastery, and finally, completion. The suits change, but the numbers always mean the same thing. It is the reason why numerology is one of the most reliable foundations for reading tarot, even when the imagery differs from deck to deck.
Why does the Number 3 mean Growth?
After the spark of the Ace (1) and the duality of Two (2), the number 3 represents the first burst of expansion. Three is action, it is a movement, it is also the moment energy becomes visible, as something begins to unfold. Whether joyful or painful, the number 3 always carries momentum.
• 3 of Cups celebrates community and shared joy.
• 3 of Wands shows expansion, planning, progress.
• 3 of Swords reveals heartbreak, yet still, the lesson forces emotional and spiritual growth.
Three is not always easy. But it always means becoming like a seed pushing upward through soil.
Why the Number 9 Means Completion?
If 3 is the sprouting phase, 9 is the full bloom. It is not the end and that is 10, but it is the moment of reaching the height of experience. Nine is a culmination, the last surge of energy before closure.
• 9 of Pentacles shows independence and earned comfort.
• 9 of Cups is the wish fulfilled, emotional satisfaction.
• 9 of Swords shows the climax of worry thoughts reaching overload.
Nine amplifies the essence of its suit. It exposes the fullness of the journey, whether it is abundance, emotion, labour, or fear.
Why does this make our Readings Deeper?
When we understand numbers in tarot:
• We stop depending only on pictures
• We can read any deck, even minimalist ones
• We recognize patterns in spreads
• We start reading the story, not just the cards
Numerology turns tarot from intuition alone into intuition plus structure, as a balance between mystery and method.
The beauty of tarot is that it speaks in layers, as symbols speak, suits also speak. But numbers whisper the underlying truth. Once we start listening, every reading becomes clearer, richer, and more connected. Because in tarot, just like in life, numbers are never just numbers.
Sources Referred-
https://www.tarotparlor.com/blog/numbers-in-tarot
https://tarotwithgord.com/tarot-numerology
Add a Comment