The color blue holds a profound and multifaceted significance within the practice of Tarot. It is a complex color, and its meaning can vary depending on where it appears on a card. The vast majority of cards present some shade of blue, whether in the sky, water, clothing, weapons, tools, or the background. This pervasive presence indicates its fundamental role in conveying the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual layers of the Tarot's narrative. Understanding the symbolism of blue provides a key to unlocking deeper intuitive insights during readings, moving beyond simple card definitions to grasp the underlying emotional tone and energetic flow.
Blue is traditionally associated with the emotional plane, a connection that is also noted in astrology. In Tarot, it frequently signifies intuition, sensitivity, and femininity, particularly when it appears in relation to water. This is most evident in the suit of Cups, where blue often dominates the imagery, symbolizing the depths of feeling and subconscious awareness. However, the meaning of blue is not limited to emotion. When it appears on armor, swords, or tools, it takes on a more structured and intellectual character, representing justice, order, protection, reason, and action guided by wisdom. Furthermore, when blue fills the sky or the background of a card, it often elevates the meaning to a spiritual or divine level, symbolizing spirituality, divine protection, and good karma. This guide will explore the nuanced interpretations of blue across different contexts within the Tarot deck.
The Emotional and Intuitive Realm: Blue in the Suit of Cups
The suit of Cups is intrinsically linked to the element of Water, governing emotions, relationships, intuition, and the subconscious. In this context, blue is the primary color used to communicate the nature of these emotional currents. When blue appears in the water depicted on Cup cards, it signifies a deep connection to one's feelings and intuitive senses. It represents a state of emotional fluidity, sensitivity, and the capacity for platonic love and inspiration. This shade of blue suggests an openness to emotional experience and a strong connection to the feminine aspect of consciousness.
Characters within the suit of Cups who are clothed in blue, such as the King of Cups, embody mastery over these emotional energies. The King of Cups, for example, represents emotional maturity, compassion, and balanced wisdom, all qualities reflected in the calming and deep nature of the color blue. The appearance of blue in this suit encourages the querent to trust their feelings, pay attention to their dreams and inner visions, and navigate relationships with empathy and understanding. It is a color that speaks of loyalty and expansiveness of the heart, suggesting that the current situation is colored by genuine emotion and a need for sincere connection.
Justice, Reason, and Order: Blue in the Suit of Swords
The suit of Swords is governed by the element of Air, representing the intellect, truth, communication, and challenges. Here, blue takes on a different, more resolute meaning. When blue is found on weapons, armor, or tools within the Swords suit, it symbolizes justice, reason, order, and protection. This is a cooler, more detached blue, signifying the application of logic and wisdom rather than pure emotion. It represents the power of a clear and just mind, capable of making decisive actions and upholding truth.
The King and Queen of Swords are prime examples of this archetype. Their association with blue clothing signifies their intellectual clarity, fairness, and ability to cut through confusion to find the core truth of a matter. A blue sword can represent a just action taken after careful consideration, while blue armor suggests a need to protect oneself with reason and clear boundaries. This color in the Swords suit highlights the importance of using one's intellect for good, maintaining order, and acting with integrity. It also carries a note of severity when used to represent steel or metal, reminding the querent that truth can sometimes be sharp and demanding.
Spirituality and Divinity: Blue in the Background and on Major Arcana
When blue dominates the sky or the background of a card, its meaning transcends the personal and enters the spiritual realm. This celestial blue symbolizes divinity, spirituality, and a connection to a higher power. It represents the vast, infinite space in which human dramas unfold, offering a perspective of divine protection and good karma. This is where blue signifies eternity, immortality, and the purest form of spiritual inspiration.
Many Major Arcana cards utilize this background blue to convey their profound messages. In The Star, the blue sky and water represent hope, serenity, and a direct connection to the cosmos. In The Sun, the blue sky provides a backdrop for joy and vitality, suggesting that this energy is supported by divine light. The Hermit’s celestial hair or the Pope’s blue beard are specific details that symbolize spiritual wisdom and the just, spiritual word. The color blue in these instances is a visual cue for the querent to look beyond the material world and connect with their spiritual essence, trust in the universe, and seek higher wisdom.
A Spectrum of Meaning: Positive and Negative Aspects of Blue
In conclusion, blue in the Tarot is a very positive color, but with a complex and varied meaning. It is the color of serenity, inner strength, and the positive action of the spirit. Its core positive attributes include spirituality, intelligence, divinity, intuition, platonic love, inspiration, expansiveness, loyalty, justice, order, security, protection, truth, eternity, wisdom, and reason. It is the color of the sky, symbolizing divine protection and the clarity of the spirit.
However, its meaning is not without a shadow. The negative aspects of blue can manifest as immobility, suffocation, and severity. This occurs when the intellectual or spiritual qualities become too rigid or detached, leading to emotional coldness or an inability to act. The severity of a blue sword or the potential for emotional suffocation in a situation overly dominated by blue highlights the need for balance. To understand blue correctly, one must study its details and nuances within the context of each specific card, considering its placement, shade, and the other symbols it accompanies.