The Symbolism of Colors in The Tarot Deck.
When learning the tarot, we often focus on the figures, numbers and symbols shown on each card. But there is another layer of meaning that can easily be overlooked: COLOR. The symbolism of colors in the Tarot is an important part of the reading.
The colors used in a tarot card can influence its atmosphere and give us additional clues about the energy of the card. While color meanings can vary between different tarot traditions and decks, learning to notice them can add another dimension to your readings.
Let’s look at each color & its symbolism in the Tarot
Red ~ Passion, Energy & Action
Red is often associated with passion, desire, courage, vitality and physical energy. It can represent love and attraction, but also anger, urgency or conflict.
When red stands out strongly in a card, ask yourself: Where is the energy or passion in this situation?
Yellow ~ Clarity, Confidence & Consciousness
Yellow is associated with the sun, light, optimism and awareness. It can represent happiness, confidence, intellect and the ability to see something clearly.
A strong presence of yellow may invite you to look at a situation with greater awareness rather than fear.
Blue ~ Emotion, Intuition & Communication
Blue is often connected with calmness, emotions, intuition and communication. It can suggest depth, reflection and spiritual awareness.
In a reading, blue may encourage you to listen to your feelings and intuition rather than relying entirely on logic.
Green ~ Growth, Healing & Abundance
Green naturally connects us with nature, growth and renewal. In tarot imagery, it can represent healing, fertility, abundance and the physical world.
Green can also remind us that growth takes time and requires nurturing.
White ~ Purity, Truth & New Beginnings
White often represents purity, innocence, clarity and spiritual awareness. It can also signify a clean slate or the beginning of a new chapter.
Look at what is white in the card. Sometimes the object itself carries an important message.
Black ~ Mystery, Endings & the Unknown
Black can represent mystery, the unconscious, the unknown and things that have not yet been revealed. It can also symbolize endings, protection or the absence of clarity.
Black is not necessarily a negative color in tarot. Sometimes it simply asks us to explore what we cannot yet see.
Purple ~ Spirituality & Higher Awareness
Purple is traditionally associated with spirituality, intuition, wisdom and higher consciousness. It can appear in imagery connected with meditation, spiritual knowledge or inner development.
Orange ~ Creativity, Confidence & Expression
Orange carries warmth and vitality. It can suggest creativity, enthusiasm, confidence, pleasure and emotional expression.
Grey ~ Neutrality & Uncertainty
Grey can represent neutrality, uncertainty or a period where something has not yet become clear. It may suggest being between two states or needing to find balance.
Look Beyond the Individual Color
One of the most useful habits when reading tarot is to look at which colors dominate the card, where they appear, and how they interact with the other symbols.
For example, a bright yellow background behind a figure may create a very different feeling from a small area of yellow hidden within an otherwise dark card.
And remember: there is no single universal dictionary for tarot colors. Your intuition and the imagery of the particular deck you are using matter too.
Not all tarot cards come in vivid colors, there are some decks that black & white, or come in minimum colors, it all depends on who designs them. The Rider-Waite Smith Tarot deck in particular is the oldest and most used version among Tarot readers.
The next time you draw a tarot card, pause before reaching for your usual interpretation. Which color catches your eye first, and what does it make you feel? Sometimes the color speaks even before the card does.
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