Why Symbolism Matters: Reading Beyond the Tarot Guidebook
What Is Symbolism in Tarot?
Symbolism is the visual language of tarot. Every color, object, gesture, and placement in a tarot card carries a deeper meaning. These symbols speak directly to your subconscious, helping you unlock insight that goes far beyond memorized definitions.
When you learn to read symbolically, you stop relying on the guidebook — and start having a real conversation with the cards.
Why Can’t I Just Use the Guidebook?
You can — but you’ll hit a wall.
Guidebook meanings are useful for learning, but they’re generic. Real-life situations are layered, emotional, and personal. Symbolism allows you to interpret a card in context, based on the question asked and the emotional tone of the moment.
Tarot isn't just about what the card means. It’s about what it’s showing you right now.
What Are Some Common Tarot Symbols?
Here are a few examples:
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Water often symbolizes emotion, intuition, or unconscious truth
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Mountains can represent obstacles or spiritual perspective
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The color yellow may indicate clarity, confidence, or mental energy
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Animals often serve as spirit messengers — like the dog in The Fool or the lion in Strength
You don’t need to memorize everything. You just need to start noticing.
How Do I Train My Eye to Notice Symbolism?
Here’s a simple practice:
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Pull a card
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Ignore the title
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Describe everything you see — objects, colors, directions, characters
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Ask: If this were a dream, what would it mean?
This technique helps you bypass logic and access intuitive interpretation.
Want to Learn Symbolism in a Deeper Way?
📘 My book Tarot Decoded is designed to help you unlock the symbolic language of the cards — using real examples, simple breakdowns, and interpretation prompts.
It’s not about right or wrong answers. It’s about seeing what’s really there — and what it’s reflecting back to you.
✨ Prefer a live session?
Book a tarot reading and we’ll explore symbolism in action, with your actual energy and questions.
📺 Watch symbolism in practice on YouTube:
👉 Ripecolor Channel
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👉 Pinterest – Ripecolor
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Also in News
How a Tarot Reading Can Help You Make Decisions
Can Tarot Really Help Me Make a Decision?
Yes — but not by telling you what to do.
A tarot reading won’t say “Take the job” or “Leave the relationship.” Instead, it shows you:
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What’s influencing you
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What fears or desires are present
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What energy surrounds each option
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What you’re not seeing clearly
The goal isn’t control — it’s clarity.
Why Is It So Hard to Decide?
Because decisions are rarely just logical.
They’re emotional. Energetic. Tied to identity and fear. Sometimes you're not choosing between Option A and B — you're choosing between comfort and growth, fear and freedom.
Tarot helps you name the real decision behind the surface one.
What Kinds of Questions Can I Ask?
Instead of asking:
Should I do this or not?
Try:
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What is the energy surrounding this opportunity?
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What lesson is present in this decision?
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What will I learn if I choose this path?
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What am I avoiding in making this choice?
These open questions give the cards space to speak honestly.
What Will the Cards Show?
The cards reflect what’s already happening inside you — your resistance, your longing, your truth. A good reading won’t push you. It will help you recognize the path you already feel but haven’t fully claimed.
Sometimes, you’ll hear what you already knew. That’s confirmation. And that’s powerful.
Want Help Seeing Clearly?
✨ I offer intuitive, honest tarot readings designed to help you cut through confusion, reconnect to your intuition, and make decisions with confidence.
📘 Want to start decoding the cards yourself?
Explore the Tarot Cheat Sheet and Reversals Guide
📺 Watch sample readings and decision spreads here:
👉 Ripecolor Tarot Channel
📌 Share or revisit this blog:
👉 Ripecolor on Pinterest
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Wondering what really happens in a tarot reading? Learn what to expect, how it works, and how an honest session can bring clarity and grounded insight.
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Shadow work is hard because it’s real. Learn why it brings up so many emotions — and how tarot offers a safe, symbolic way to work through what arises.
Jeffrey Goldstein
Author