Have you ever considered getting a tattoo of a Tarot card?
Intuitive Souls put together this piece on Tarot Card Tattoos for insight and inspiration on getting a tattoo.
Tattoos and Tarot have a unique overlap: they're both meaningful, fun, and personal experiences. The 78 cards of the Tarot deck touch on all the key themes in the human experience, so you may find one that deeply resonates with your life journey and would make for a great tattoo. Here, we'll explore the significance of a Tarot card tattoo and walk through some ideas that might inspire you.
Why Get a Tarot Card Tattoo?
Tarot Cards take you on a journey of self-exploration that helps you understand and connect with yourself on a deep level. Tarot is an intimate practice that challenges you to overcome your inhibitions and shine at your brightest.
Along this journey, you will naturally find that some cards are special to you. There could be a particular symbol that resonates with your intuition. A card that represents something you believe in or gives you creative inspiration.
Maybe one reminds you of a personal strength you're proud of.
Or a loved one that's dear to you.
Perhaps there's a card that motivates you to push through hard times. A guiding light that supports you in overcoming conflicts.
Heck, it might be that you like the art on one of the cards and want to see it all the time! Whatever the reason is, it can lead you to want a tattoo of it.
There's no right or wrong answer––the significance that a card has to you is personal. It can be a serious connection or a lighthearted amusement. Get the entire deck tattooed on you if you want. (And send us a picture, we'd love to see that!)
An especially interesting perspective is that Tarot card tattoos attract more of what the card represents into your life. When you focus on something, positive or negative, you come into vibrational alignment with it. You then attract more of that into your life. Having Tarot tattoos will repeatedly bring your attention to the concept of the card as well as its special meaning to you. It's especially impactful that it's imprinted on your own body, literally becoming a part of you.
So, choose wisely!
What's best for you?
The same theme underlying theme in Tarot reading applies to tattoos: go with what feels right to you. You don't even need to be an experienced reader. Sometimes people will "gatekeep" by saying that you need a certain amount of involvement in the practice or whatever. Don't pay attention to that noise. There's no prerequisite or criteria for a Tarot tattoo!
When you get a Tattoo, get it for Yourself. Don't base it on what you think other people's opinions of it will be.
If you think a card is cool enough to have it embedded into your skin, that's all you need. But you probably want to make sure you know what the card actually means before it's on you forever.
Decisions, decisions....
While exploring the suggestions below, feel free to shape your own Tarot card tattoo ideas. You don't need to stick exactly to one card's traditional design. Just like the interpretation of a card, your design is totally up to you.
If you want a Tarot tattoo but can't seem to decide on which of the 78 cards in the Tarot deck would best suit you, this will give you some hints. And even if you're not getting ink'd any time soon, it's still fun to think about!
Type of Imagery
There is so much variation in imagery across Tarot card decks. There are even different types of Tarot decks altogether. Take some time to explore what kind of Tarot cards are out there and which could make the best for your tattoo.
Your Tarot card tattoos do not have to be exact to the Rider-Waite-Smith imagery. You can introduce a creative personal twist. Or, you can use a Tarot card image from a non-traditional deck.
Finding an Artist
If you are searching for a tattoo artist to work with for Tarot card tattoos, we can't recommend our artists enough at Golden Tarot Ink Club. Check out some of the portfolios, it's really impressive!
Tarot Card Tattoo Ideas
Here are some ideas that may inspire you. We take into account the meanings and imagery to give you a better sense of what they would reflect as a tattoo.
Major Arcana Cards The Fool Put succinctly, the Fool represents new beginnings. The sun is beaming, he has faith in himself and is altogether optimistic about what the future holds. Having a Fool Tarot card tattoo serves as a constant reminder to keep hope for the future and that it's never too late to create the person you want to be.
The Magician The Magician has a lot of symbolism that make for great tattoos. The lemniscate (infinity sign) above his head represents his infinite potential, and the symbols of the four suits on the table show that he has all the resources he needs to achieve his desire. These are of course great meanings to carry with you, reminding you of your potential.
The Empress (or the Emperor) Both of these An Empress Tarot Card Tattoo can highlight your feminine authority and poise (or an Emperor Tarot card tattoo can highlight these characteristics in a masculine sense)
The Chariot Getting a Chariot Tarot card tattoo will show the world you're serious business! This no B.S. major arcana card is about charging forward. The energy of the Chariot will keep you pushing through any obstacles that stand in your way.
The Hanged man While many Tarot cards have deep meanings, the Hanged Man is one of the most profound. It points to the power in surrender. Not surrendering as in giving up, but letting go. Instead of worrying about what may come in the future or harboring resistance for your life situation, simply exist in the joy of the present moment. In today's busy world, the ideas the hanged man represents are something we could all do well to remind ourselves of.
The Devil
Don't try to convince us you don't want at least a little bit of edge in your tattoo, we won't buy it! The devil has some alluring and powerful imagery. It speaks to our more primitive, hedonistic human desires. How's that for a Tarot tattoo?
The Lovers While the lovers card of course pertains to romance, it also indicates an ethical decision. This card is typically interpreted in Tarot readings more as the latter. Even though the name "the Lovers" may imply otherwise. So while you may be drawn to the romantic love reflected in the card's imagery, keep in mind that it has a different meaning.
The Tower As the most notorious card of the Rider Waite deck, the Tower speaks to sudden upheaval. Massive change out of nowhere. It depicts an intense scene of action with people jumping from windows, lightning striking, fire raging.
Wheel of Fortune The Wheel of Fortune is one of the most exciting cards that can emerge in a reading. It points to change in your position in life. To the fact that the tides of life are always shifting, implying that any day you could go from living modestly to rich, alone to in a happy relationship, insecure to confident, and so on. A Wheel of Fortune Tarot Card Tattoo would bring a super cool aesthetic to your body, as well as a reminder that whatever you are going through will come to pass.
The World The World speaks to completion of a cycle. The Major Arcana tells the story of the Fool's journey, and it ends with the now enlightened Fool having acquired newfound knowledge and experience. The World is a testament to these developments that come from a journey in your life. Having completed a previous cycle, you are more prepared to start from the beginning of something as a Fool again.
Astrological Associations of Major Arcana Tarot Cards
All Zodiac signs correspond with a Tarot card. It could be cool to get a Tattoo of your sign's card. Here's the full list:
Aries - The Emperor (IV)
Taurus - The Hierophant (V)
Gemini - The Lovers (VI)
Cancer - Strength (VII)
Leo - The Chariot (VIII)
Virgo - The Hermit (IX)
Libra - Justice (XI)
Scorpio - Death (XIII)
Sagittarius - Temperance (XIV)
Capricorn - The Devil (XV)
Aquarius - The Star (XVII)
Pisces - The Moon (XVIII)
Minor Arcana Cards
Most people tend to gravitate towards the cards of the Major Arcana. That makes sense because they have some amazing iconography and relate to major life influences/events. However, there is a lot of meaningful symbolism in the minor arcana.
The aces and court cards would probably be the most popular for minor arcana card tattoos. They capture the purest and most developed energies of the suit, respectively.
As a refresher, the meanings of the suits are as follows:
Cups represents emotions and relationships.
Swords represents action, thinking, and logic.
Pentacles represents financial and career matters; material success.
Wands represents energy, spirituality, and creativity.
There are two minor arcana cards in particular worth calling out: 2 of Cups The 2 of Cups is a powerful romantic card. It depicts an exchange of cups between a man and a woman. While most people think of the Lovers as the romantic card, this one beats it out. It represents the positive unitive energy that occurs in a truly loving relationship. It could be a great Tarot card tattoo to get with your significant other!
3 of Swords The meaning of this card pertains most to heartbreak. It's a stark contrast from the 2 of Cups. of course, hearts are common among Tattoos. So this card naturally is an excellent contender for a Tarot card tattoo. It's a sign of sadness and grief, but can be a testament to struggles you've made it through in your life. As always, meanings have a subjective elements to them, so you can take it in your own direction.
Don't limit yourself There are so many beautiful icons within Spirituality that you don't need to limit yourself strictly to Tarot card tattoos. Numerology, reiki, energy healing, chakra, Astral projection, and so on all have their own imagery. Venture out
Closing Thoughts
Tattoos are fun. Once you get your first one, you won't be able to stop thinking about your second... then your third... until you have so many you've lost count!
Whether you get a menacing devil tarot card tattoo or a stylish ace of swords, you'll have a long future of rocking your fresh creation ahead of you.
Hopefully these Tarot card tattoo ideas have inspired something within you. If you choose to go through with it, good luck with your ink.
And don't sweat too much. It's just a Tattoo!