Contents Introduction 1 One: A Brief History of the Tarot 5 Basic Tarot Terminology 6 Suit and Rank 8 The Role of the Emperor and Empress 11 Who Is This Card? 15 Two: The Pages, Princesses, and Children 17 History, Myth, and Legend 18 Page of Pentacles: Child of Earth 22 As a person 22 As an archetypal influence 24 As a spiritual influence 26 As a messenger 30 Page of Swords: Child of Air 32 As a person 32 As an archetypal influence 34 As a spiritual influence 36 As a messenger 38 Page of Cups: Child of Water 41 As a person 41 As an archetypal influence 43 As a spiritual influence 45 As a messenger 47 Page of Wands: Child of Fire 49 As a person 49 As an archetypal influence 51 As a spiritual influence 53 As a messenger 56 Connecting Exercises and Spreads 58 Your Inner Child Spread 60 Three: Knights and Princes 63 History, Myth, and Legend 64 Knight of Pentacles: Explorer of Earth 67 As a person 67 As an archetypal influence 70 As a spiritual influence 72 As a messenger 74 Knight of Wands: Explorer of Fire 77 As a person 77 As an archetypal influence 80 As a spiritual influence 82 As a messenger 86 Knight of Cups: Explorer of Water 88 As a person 88 As an archetypal influence 90 As a spiritual influence 93 As a messenger 95 Knight of Swords: Explorer of Air 97 As a person 97 As an archetypal influence 99 As a spiritual influence 102 As a messenger 105 Connecting Exercises and Spreads 106 Chivalry and the knightly code 106 How Far Can I Go? Spread 109 Four: The Queens 117 History, Myth, and Legend 118 Queen of Pentacles: Guardian of the Earth 121 As a person 121 As an archetypal influence 122 As a spiritual influence 124 As a messenger 125 Queen of Wands: Guardian of Fire 127 As a person 127 As an archetypal influence 129 As a spiritual influence 130 As a messenger 131 Queen of Swords: Guardian of Air 133 As a person 133 As an archetypal influence 134 As a spiritual influence 136 As a messenger 137 Queen of Cups: Guardian of Water 138 As a person 139 As an archetypal influence 140 As a spiritual influence 142 As a messenger 143 Connecting Exercises and Spreads 144 Four Queens and an Empress Spread 146 Five: The Kings 151 History, Myth, and Legend 152 King of Cups: Elder of Water 156 As a person 156 As an archetypal influence 158 As a spiritual influence 159 As a messenger 160 King of Pentacles: Elder of the Earth 162 As a person 162 As an archetypal influence 164 As a spiritual influence 166 As a messenger 167 King of Swords: Elder of Air 168 As a person 169 As an archetypal influence 170 As a spiritual influence 172 As a messenger 173 King of Wands: Elder of Fire 174 As a person 174 As an archetypal influence 176 As a spiritual influence 177 As a messenger 178 Connecting Exercises and Spreads 179 What should you be leading with? 179 The Elders of the Four Directions Spread 182 Six: Bringing the Kingdoms Together 189 Exercise 1: Three-Card Spread 190 Reading as if the king were you 191 Reading as if the king were someone else 191 Reading as if the page were you 192 Reading as if the page were someone else 193 Exercise 2: Four-card Spread 193 Reading as if the page were you 193 Reading as if the page were someone else 194 Reading as if the king were you 195 Reading as if the king were someone else 195 Exercise 3: Five-card Spread 196 Reading as if the court cards were you 196 Reading as if the court cards were someone else 199 Reading as if the queen were you 200 Reading as if the queen were someone else 200 Exercise 4: Create Your Own Court Cards 202 Recommended reading 205 Tarot and Tarot-Related Books 205 Recommended Reading for Pages 206 Recommended Reading for Knights 206 Recommended Reading for Queens 207 Recommended Reading for Kings 207 Recommended Beginner Tarot Decks 207.