Beyond First Glance: The Secret Language of Tarot Symbolism

Tarot cards often feel like a language just beyond the edge of waking thought. Their colours, figures, and scenes speak volumes, even when we can't quite put their messages into words. But beneath the obvious imagery lies an even subtler layer: hidden symbols woven into the art, waiting to be seen with a discerning eye.

Today, we won't try to unlock the entire deck. Instead, let's wander through a handful of cards and the symbols you might have missed at first glance.

The High Priestess - The Scroll and the Pomegranates

The scroll on her lap reads "TORA," a nod to hidden divine knowledge, only half-revealed. Behind her, pomegranates scatter the tapestry, linking her to ancient mysteries of life, death, and sacred thresholds.

The Fool - The White Rose and the Little Dog

Alongside the Fool's leap into the unknown, a white rose and a small dog travel with him. They whisper of innocence, instinct, and loyalty, guiding the Fool whether he notices or not.

Death - The Rising Sun

Beyond the skeletal rider lies a rising sun — a quiet promise that after endings come new beginnings, and every closure carries a spark of rebirth.

The Star - The Five and Seven Streams

Look closer: five streams flow onto land, two into water. These mystical numbers bridge human experience and sacred cosmic connection, showing the Star's deeper promise of restoration.

The Wheel of Fortune - The Letters and Creatures

The wheel bears the letters T-A-R-O or T-A-R-O-T in some ways you read it and the creatures of the fixed zodiac signs, reminding us that change is constant, but cosmic wisdom endures.

Knight of Swords - The Heart on the Helmet

Fierce and fast, the Knight of Swords charges forward but a small heart on his helmet reveals that even headstrong pursuits are driven by passion and ideals.

Queen of Wands - The Black Cat at Her Feet

At the Queen’s feet, a black cat rests, a symbol of intuition and unseen magic. Her power isn't just external; it’s woven with lunar, instinctive wisdom.

Ten of Pentacles - Generations and White Dogs

Three generations and loyal white dogs populate this card, reminding us that true abundance lies not just in wealth, but in legacy, protection, and continuity.

The Lovers - The Elements at Play

The Lovers unite earth, fire, air, and water with each represented behind and around them. Sacred union is not only emotional, but elemental.

The Moon - The Lobster and the Unknown

Emerging from the depths, a lobster journeys into uncertain light. It embodies our own instinctive, dream-bound quest toward hidden truths.

Temperance - The Triangle on the Chest

The angel’s robe bears a triangle within a square: spirit rooted in the material world. True balance requires both wings and grounding.

The Hierophant and The Devil - The As Above, So Below Gesture

Both figures mimic the ancient "as above, so below" hand stance — but one blesses divine order, while the other twists it into chains of illusion.

Court Symbols - Butterflies and Salamanders

In the court cards, subtle creatures whisper further meaning: butterflies flit across the Knight, Queen, and King of Swords, symbolising mental evolution; salamanders crawl across the Knight, Queen, and King of Wands, signifying resilience through fire.

Hidden Meanings in Reversals

Sometimes when tarot cards are reversed, their symbols behave differently — slipping, rising, or falling:

• In The Moon reversed, the lobster falls back into unconscious depths, emphasizing confusion and illusion.

• In The Star reversed, waters spill chaotically rather than flowing in harmony, suggesting hope draining away.

• In Justice reversed, the scales tip uneasily, speaking to bias, imbalance, or corruption of truth.

• In Temperance reversed, the cups spill recklessly instead of blending, highlighting emotional discord or imbalance.

• In The Devil reversed, chains loosen around the figures' necks, hinting that liberation from bondage is closer than it first appears.

Reversals awaken new dimensions within the artwork, showing that even the smallest tilt in perspective can reveal hidden truths, shake old patterns, or invite new understanding.

A Closing Thought

Tarot's greatest secrets often reveal themselves slowly, like stars blinking awake after long darkness. Symbols you once overlooked may suddenly gleam with new meaning, right when you need them most.

Next time you lay your cards, let your gaze linger. Notice the small things. In tarot, it's often the quietest details that speak the loudest truths.

Which hidden symbols have spoken to you lately? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments.