Exercises - Lesson 3

The Minor Arcana

Exercise 1 Tarot - What are the Suit Qualities?

Review the lists of suit qualities. They describe some positive and negative expressions of each suit. When you're ready, go through the word pairs below. For each pair, give the suit and expression (+ or -) that seems most appropriate to you. For "dependable and careful" you might say "Pentacles - positive." You can check my suggestions, if you wish.

1. sullen and lazy
2. prim and humorless
3. witty and well-informed
4. judgmental and controlling
5. cheerful and bold
6. calm and sympathetic
7. logical and outspoken
8. irresponsible and cocky
9. critical and arrogant
10. temperamental and sulky
11. sensitive and loving
12. moody and frail
13. stubborn and gloomy
14. honest and objective
15. persistent and firm
16. aloof and domineering
17. spiritual and intuitive
18. creative and adventurous
19. overcautious and rigid

Exercise 2 Tarot - Suit Qualities - Clear-cut Examples

Many aspects of daily life reflect the energy of one suit in particular. For each activity below, state the suit and expression you believe fits that activity best, and name a few qualities that support your choice. Going skydiving might be a "Wands-positive" activity because you must be "daring, energetic and confident." (or a Wands-negative activity because it is "foolhardy and reckless)

1. always needing to have everything just so
2. being where you say you will, every time
3. solving a math problem
4. cheering your team on to victory
5. listening to a friend talk about her troubles
6. making a cruel, sarcastic remark
7. refusing to apologize when you're wrong
8. seeing a project through to the end
9. quitting your job in a moment of anger
10. arbitrating a dispute

Exercise 3 Tarot - Suit Qualities - Blended Examples

In most events, the four suit qualities blend together. For each activity below, name two positive suit qualities that would contribute to success and two negative ones that would take away from it. For example:

to keep love alive...

• Wands: be passionate and enthusiastic
• Cups: be romantic and loving, but not broody and touchy
• Swords: be honest and honorable, but not cold and judgmental
• Pentacles: be loyal and dependable, but not unexciting and inflexible

Exercise 4 Tarot - Suit Qualities in Yourself

The different suit qualities combine in each person to create his or her personality. Examine yourself in light of the four suits. Ask yourself these questions:

• Is one suit quality dominant?
• Is one quality less familiar?
• In what situations do I take on each quality?
• Do I reflect the positive or negative side?

• TAROT EXERCISES
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 1 tarot: introduction to the tarot;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 2 tarot: the major arcana;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 3 tarot: the minor arcana;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 4 tarot: the spread;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 5 tarot: the daily reading;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 6 tarot: the environment;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 7 tarot: writing a question;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 8 tarot: the question reading;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 9 tarot: the other reading;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 10 tarot: the open reading;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 11 tarot: interpreting a single card;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 12 tarot: major and minor arcana cards;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 13 tarot: aces;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 14 tarot: court cards;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 15 tarot: card pairs;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 16 tarot: position pairs in the celtic cross
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 17 tarot: reversed cards;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 18 tarot: creating the story;