Everything You Need to Know About Tarot Significators

Author:

Bev G
Updated date:

Jul 30, 2022

I'm a professional tarot reader with 23 years of experience. For me, tarot is a fascinating system that reflects all human life.

The Significator Represents You

During my professional tarot reading career, I admit, I’ve rarely used significators. However, I’m beginning to get more interested in the topic of significators and their personalities. What is a significator? In essence, it’s a card that represents the seeker, the querent, the subject of the reading. You.

I've discovered by using them, my readings provide another level of information. In particular, I look at the connection between the significator and each card in the reading. Tarot combinations are a fascinating topic, and I’ve written quite a lot about them on my own website.

In this article, I am exploring the general idea of tarot significators and how they relate to personality via the signs of the zodiac. Before I get to that, I’m laying out the basic associations between the zodiac signs, tarot suits, court cards and elements. If you just want to select a significator, you can skip the next section. However, if you are a beginner tarot reader, it really is worthwhile learning these as they will help you enormously in your readings.

What Is a Tarot Significator?

As mentioned in the introduction, a significator represents the person asking the question. They are usually the subject of the reading. The chosen card is removed from the deck and placed on the table, face up. The randomly drawn cards that form the reading are placed near it. The significator may take center stage in the reading or be off to one side.

The point of using a significator in a reading is that it impresses the energy of the seeker onto the reading. It also gives the reader a way of relating the cards in the reading back to the seeker. Mentally comparing and contrasting each card with the significator helps find extra layers of meaning in the reading.

Astrological Modalities of Tarot Cards

As you know, there are 12 zodiac signs (yes, I know that some people think there are thirteen), and they are split into three modalities: Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable.

I am going to assign each of these to a Court Card rank as follows:

Mutable: Knights
Fixed: Queens
Cardinal: Kings

By doing this, I am actually going against the accepted doctrine that Queens are cardinal and Kings are fixed. My reasons are thus:

Mutablemeans changing, metamorphosis, inconstant. This reflects the personality and activity of the Knights. They are still unsettled, vacillating, in the process of maturing and discovering where they fit in society. They are flexible and open to new ideas. They push the boundaries of their suit attributes.

Fixedmeans consolidated, focused inward, still, serene. These attributes fit the Queens. They are stable, attached and are personalities that imply permanence. They have absorbed and solidified the energy of their suit. To fix also means to renew and repair, a definite fitting attribute for a Queen. Queens take all that fluctuating emotional energy and bring it to a state of calm. Think of the way mothers instill behavior and good manners into children that remain with them for all their lives. They become fixed in the same way that dye is fixed into fabric.

Cardinalmeans leadership, chief, principal. It also represents forward-moving energy. Whereas the Golden Dawn tradition assigns these qualities to the Queens, I feel they are far better suited to the Kings. They take that consolidated energy and carry it forward, outwardly expressing the full spectrum of the suit. The cardinal virtues are fortitude (Wands), temperance (Cups), justice (Swords), and prudence (Pentacles) and the Kings are each admirable representations of them.

Note that the Pages are not included above because they tend to represent children and younger people, and they don’t fit into the 12 modalities. However, you are free to use a Page as your significator if you feel it bests suits you. And I’ll include them in the analysis below. They are connected with the element of earth, which leads us nicely into the elemental properties of the signs and the Court cards.

Elemental Qualities

Each sign is associated with one of the four classical elements: Fire, Water, Air and Earth. Each tarot suit has its own element:

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Tarot Suit/Rank


	King	Queen	Knight	Page
Wands	Fire of Fire	Water of Fire	Air of Fire	Earth of Fire
Cups	Fire of Water	Water of Water	Air of Water	Earth of Water
Swords	Fire of Air	Water of Air	Air of Air	Earth of Air
Pentacles	Fire of Earth	Water of Earth	Air of Earth	Earth of Earth

Zodiac Signs and Corresponding Court Cards

Aries(Cardinal Fire) – King of Wands
Taurus(Fixed Earth) – Queen of Pentacles
Gemini(Mutable Air) – Knight of Swords
Cancer(Cardinal Water) – King of Cups
Leo(Fixed Fire) – Queen of Wands
Virgo(Mutable Earth) – Knight of Pentacles
Libra(Cardinal Air) – King of Swords
Scorpio(Fixed Water) – Queen of Cups
Sagittarius(Mutable Fire) – Knight of Wands
Capricorn(Cardinal Earth) – King of Pentacles
Aquarius(Fixed Air) – Queen of Swords
Pisces(Mutable Water) – Knight of Cups

Remember that these are my own preferences; you might prefer to switch Cardinal and Fixed.

Significator Personalities

This is probably the section you are most interested in, the actual personalities of the Court cards, which will help you determine your own personal tarot significator. Remember that although they are split into conventional genders, you can ignore them if you want to. Also, although the Court cards have been assigned to zodiac signs for the purpose of this analysis, you can ignore that should you be drawn to a different card. For example, for myself, I have chosen the Queen of Pentacles, but my sign is Capricorn which is associated with the King of Pentacles.

The Suit of Wands

The Wands are brimming with passion, excitement and enthusiasm. If you feel aligned with these adventurous qualities, you might find your significator here.

The King of Wands火(火)与红衣主教冷杉e sign of Aries. As a personality, he is a natural leader, outgoing, outspoken, and forward-looking. Not for him, the intricacies of introspection. He is a complete extrovert. He is interested in the big picture, the goal just over the horizon, and the greater good. He is happy to leave details to other people while he focuses on wider strategies. You’ll find King of Wands types in all sectors of society—often at the top levels of business and society, but you’ll also find failed Kings of Wands populating bars and living on the streets. They take failure very hard, and it may be one of the most difficult life lessons for them to deal with. Those imbued with the cardinal virtue of fortitude will keep trying, never to give up.

The Queen of Wands(Water of Fire) is associated with the Fixed fire sign of Leo. She is an extrovert, warm, passionate and a bit of an exhibitionist. In her youth, she may be a little selfish and self-obsessed. Yet, as she becomes older and wiser, her Queenly attributes kick in to make her a good listener and someone to turn to in times of difficulty. She’s generous to a fault and easy to get along with. She pays more attention to details than the King and that coupled with ambition can take her to the top of her chosen profession. Her life lesson is to recognize her own potential and live up to it.

The Knight of Wands火(空气)是与可变的迹象of Sagittarius. He tears around, never finding the elusive ‘thing’ he’s always searching for. He’s unable to be faithful or to stick with any project for any length of time. Life is one big adventure. No one can succeed in making him settle. His strong point is being able to galvanize others into action. His charm and enthusiasm are contagious. And he has the wide perspective of the King. Yet, don’t expect him to be around for the ongoing hard work and successful conclusion—he’ll have already moved on. Eventually, he will either discover maturity and become a King, or he will continue his wild ways until death.

The Page of Wands(Earth of Fire) is one of life’s explorers. She’s always looking for adventure, but even at her young age, she is more grounded than the Knight. She assesses her options before taking a leap into the unknown. She’s active, curious, gregarious, and fun. She’s progressing all the time and meeting her short-term goals. No one knows her ultimate destination—perhaps she will be Queen or King.

The Suit of Cups

The Cups represent human emotion and compassion. They are empathic, sympathetic, and wise in the realm of love and relationships. If you feel your personality is aligned with these qualities, you’ll find your significator in this suit.

The King of Cups(Fire of Water), associated with the Cardinal sign of Cancer is a gentle man. Generally wise, quiet and kindly, he is interested in the environment and other people’s well-being. He tends to keep himself to himself and sometimes needs to be cajoled into socializing. Being a King, he is capable of leadership but is happy to delegate difficult decisions to those he trusts. He is the one that his family turns to when in need of a comforting word. Think of him as a harbor in a tempest.

The Queen of Cups(Water of Water) is associated with the Fixed sign of Scorpio. Hence she has many layers of characteristics. On the surface, she is your kindly best friend who you turn to when you need a shoulder to cry on. She never judges you and is always on your side. Yet she has hidden depths which are never revealed. She may suffer from depression at times or be a little kinky. She doesn’t talk much about her own emotions but probably uses a journal or even writes novels to express that side of her psyche. She may well have a career, usually in such areas as childcare, geriatrics, creative arts, etc. She makes all decisions based on her intuition, which is almost always correct.

The Knight of Cups(Air of Water) is associated with the Mutable sign of Pisces. He is, of course, romantic, dreamy and a little vague. He loves to be in love and holds this idealistic vision of what love should be. His vision doesn't include diapers, baby wipes or picking up dog poop. When life gets ‘realistic’, he often melts away. The Knight of Cups is able to share his feelings and has the Cups’ ability to empathize with others’ pain, although he is often too wrapped up in himself to notice. As with the other Knights, age confers maturity and common sense.

The Page of Cups(地球的水)是一个温柔的灵魂。她是安静的,我ntrospective and creative. She’s often artistic or musical, sometimes both, and needs these outlets in order to express her feelings. Like all the tarot Pages, she is an explorer of the energies of her suit, therefore, she takes a great interest in how people cope with their own emotions.

The Suit of Swords

Swords are connected to thought and communication; all that goes on in our heads. The suit of logic, creative thinking, incisiveness and cognition. If you feel you align with ‘head-stuff’, you might find a rapport with these Court cards.

The King of Swords(Fire of Air) is associated with the Cardinal sign of Libra. Like most Librans, he is a well-balanced though authoritarian figure. His maturity allows him to see all sides of an argument, and he can be trusted to make a fair and accurate judgment. He makes a good, honest, and fair leader, though he prefers to channel his talents into a professional career such as law, accountancy, investment, surgery, writing or similar.

The Queen of Swords(Water of Air), associated with the Fixed sign of Aquarius, is as straight-talking as you’ll ever find. She values honesty and integrity above all other qualities. Never try to bamboozle her, or she will wither you with a look. Yet, because she is a Queen, she has a softer side which she makes every attempt to hide. She’s often as tough, ambitious, professional and focussed as the King—no glass ceiling gets in the way of her journey to the top of her chosen career.

The Knight of Swords(Air of Air), associated with the Mutable sign of Gemini, is a man on a mission. He is a warrior for injustice and will often fight for those he perceives as unable to fight for themselves. Once he sets his sights on a goal, he excludes everything else. He’s impatient, witty, sarcastic and capable of besting anyone in an argument. He is intolerant of ignorance and stupidity and is capable of being quite cruel verbally. Maturity usually brings a softening in attitude, and self-awareness brings acceptance of other points of view.

The Page of Swords(Earth of Air) is an explorer of the mind. She likes to push the boundaries of thinking and can be quite precocious in this respect. Clever beyond her years, she has an incisive wit and a scathing sense of humor. She is an innovator and an inventor. She ignores convention in favor of experimentation; she loves technology and seeing how she can make it work for her.

The Suit of Pentacles

五芒星在塔罗牌,因为他们是最后诉讼represent the final form of energy—physical manifestation. Thus they are connected with all that we can touch, as well as prosperity, fertility, health, work, etc. Yet Pentacles is also a spiritual suit, showing us our connection to the Earth and the systems which support and sustain our existence. If these things are important to you, then you may find your significator here.

The King of Pentacles(Fire of Earth) is associated with the Cardinal sign of Capricorn. He’s magnanimous but hard-working. He has put all his efforts into creating his heaven on earth. Often rising from poverty, he is a self-made man. He’s generous but expects other people to work just as hard. He has no time for free-loaders. He enjoys the good things in life and believes he has earned the right to party. While not as inspirational as the King of Wands, nevertheless, he makes a good leader, with his feet on the ground and his heart in the right place.

The Queen of Pentacles(地球的水)是与固定相关联的迹象of Taurus. She is the most down-to-earth personality of the tarot Courts and is the earthly representative of the Empress energy. Family-oriented and home-loving, she can still make quite an impression on her chosen career as she is adept at juggling all aspects of her life. Happy baking cakes and even happier counseling her employees, she is a force to be reckoned with.

The Knight of Pentacles(Air of Earth), associated with the Mutable sign of Virgo, is seriously underrated. He is hard-working, grounded, precise and focused. He also has hidden facets to his personality. Loyal, friendly, appreciative, capable of keeping a secret, and in his relationships for the long haul. He’s the most mature of the Knights and capable of a lot more than people give him credit for. He is deeply connected to the Earth and to nature. He’s kind to animals and children; therefore, he’s one of the good guys.

The Page of Pentacles(Earth of Earth) is eternally curious about the world around her. She has an endless thirst for knowledge and experience. She has an open, loyal personality and makes a great ‘best friend’. She nurses injured birds and helps classmates with their homework. She enjoys being useful and finds great satisfaction in helping others.

Interpreting Significators From the Major Arcana

The Major Arcana as Significators

You can, of course, choose a Major Arcana as your significator. Using your birth card is always effective. Simply add up the digits of your birth date, reduce them until you reach a number under 21, and that’s your birth card. Some people will discover they have more than one. If you are a tarot reader doing remote readings, then this may be the best way of choosing a significator on behalf of your client.

The Minor Arcana Significators

Similarly, you can take your significator from the Minors. You might find that one particular image, number, or suit speaks to you. The seeker should work through the deck and pick the card that resonates with them the most.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Questions & Answers

Question:What advice would you give to someone reading Tarot Cards as a beginner?

Answer:1. Don't read for the same situation over and over.

2. Don't bother with 'clarification' cards; they cause more confusion.

3. Always go with your first instinctive reaction when interpreting a card.

4. Practice on fictitious situations like TV series and factual ones like news stories.

5. As soon as you feel confident enough, sign up to do free readings with the American Tarot Association.

6. Begin with one and two card readings. Don't get hung up on the Celtic Cross or massive astrological spreads.

Have fun!

//www.qipsosim.com/fortune-divination/Tarot-Car...

Question:How do you reduce the number in tarot?

Answer:You mean to get your birth card? You just keep adding the digits, like this:

Birthdate: July 23 1989 7+2+3+1+9+8+9 = 39 Then: 3+9 = 12. You can further reduce it to 3, giving two birth cards, the Hanged Man and the Empress.

Comments

Adelaida Blackfrom Canada on January 30, 2019:

Thank you for the interesting article! I learned little bit new on the subject!

Kari Poulsenfrom Ohio on January 04, 2018:

I always enjoy learning about tarot cards. This is very interesting, seeing how the cards relate to other aspects of life. :)

Bev G (author)from Wales, UK on January 02, 2018:

Hi there, RoadMonkey. It's best to choose a significator you feel a connection with. If you don't feel it, then you don't have to use one at all. The significator is a card that represents your presence in the reading. You don't have to try to be like it.

You can choose a card that has 'character traits' that you'd like to acquire, by all means. It would entail studying the card, perhaps writing about it, meditating on it and actually practicing those qualities you'd like to have. That is something a little different to choosing a significator.

RoadMonkeyon January 02, 2018:

I read through those and never know which to choose, most of them seem useful and something you would like. So, which to choose? Do people sometimes choose one they like and then just try to be like that one?

Bev G (author)from Wales, UK on January 01, 2018:

Thank you. It's a fascinating topic to study, Louise. It's not all about fortune-telling; it's an elegant system that reflects all of human existence :)

Louise Powlesfrom Norfolk, England on January 01, 2018:

That was really interesting to read. I really should learn the tarot cards as I find it all so interesting.