Tarot Card Combinations and What They Mean – 2026

Tarot Card Combinations and What They Mean was not something I understood at all when I first started learning tarot. Back then, I’d pull a couple of cards, glance at them, and then immediately grab the book. Every time. Even if something crossed my mind, I’d drop it as soon as the book said something else. The book was right. I wasn’t.

Looking back, I wasn’t really reading tarot yet — I was just memorising meanings. That part wasn’t useless, though. I learned a lot that way, and it gave me a base to work from later.

But I also leaned on books so much that I didn’t trust myself at all. I thought that meant I wasn’t intuitive, or that I was doing tarot “wrong.” Turns out, that’s just part of being new.

I still tell people to read the guidebook when they get a deck. Each deck has its own feel, and the guide helps you tune into it. But it shouldn’t be the final word. The real understanding of tarot card combinations and what they mean comes from actually spending time with the cards and noticing what you see.

Trusting yourself takes practice. I didn’t know that back then, so I was harder on myself than I needed to be. If you’re in that stage now, try not to stress about it. You’re not bad at tarot — you’re just learning, and learning is usually a bit messy.

Background

There’s an exercise called “bridging” from Tarot Face to Face by Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin. Basically, it’s about noticing connections between cards.

Take two cards, put them side by side, and just look at how they relate. Colours, objects, numbers, suits, things that clash, things that fit — whatever jumps out at you. Don’t try to make sense of it or be “right.” Just notice and write down whatever comes to mind.

There’s no wrong way to do it. What matters is what you see.

For example, I love birds, so if a card has a bird, it means something to me. My friend hates birds, so the same card hits her totally differently. Both are fine.

Bridging Exercise

My colour meanings, symbols, and impressions won’t necessarily match yours — and they don’t need to.

Examples

Bridging IX The Hermit and Page of Cups

• Both are holding something in their right hand, which happens to be my dominant hand
• Both are holding something unusual: the Hermit holds a lantern with a star inside, the Page has a fish popping out of a cup
• Both figures are facing to my left, which I personally associate with the past
• There are different shades of blue in both cards, moving from darker to lighter
• Both figures are male, but one is old and one is young — which immediately brings up ideas of inner wisdom versus inner child
• One figure is completely covered and hidden; the other wears bright, visible clothing

From there, some possible ways this could come together:

What I have to offer might be different from others, but it comes from lived experience that’s only just coming into awareness. There’s wisdom here, but also playfulness. A reminder not to take everything so seriously. To let curiosity and imagination back in. You can’t hide away forever — doing so might mean missing opportunities that want to reach you.

None of these interpretations are fixed. They’re just possibilities that arise when you let the cards speak to each other instead of forcing them into pre-defined boxes.

Bridging 5 of Pentacles and 10 of Wands

• Ten is double five, suggesting an increase or intensification
• Both cards feature hunched figures
• In the 5 of Pentacles, one figure uses crutches to help with mobility
• In the 10 of Wands, the man carries his burden awkwardly, without support
• The weather has changed — snow and cold versus bright sunlight
• One shows people out in the cold, the other shows someone struggling under the sun; neither situation looks particularly comfortable
• In the 5 of Pentacles, the figures pass a building they don’t seem to notice
• In the 10 of Wands, the man is walking toward a building — but can he really see it?
• Could both buildings be churches, rather than one being a church and one a house?
• Green leaves appear in both cards: in the stained glass and on the wands

Some possible interpretations that emerge:

If we don’t notice the help that’s available to us, our burdens can grow heavier. We don’t have to carry everything alone. There may be options we’re overlooking. Conditions might be difficult right now, but they’re not static. There could be a shift in finances or work — maybe more effort now for better opportunities later. There might be a spiritual layer too: feelings of lack, shame, or unworthiness that need to be acknowledged and released. Perhaps even the idea of confession, honesty, or asking for help.

Again, these aren’t “the answer.” They’re examples of how meaning starts to form when you let the cards interact.

Also Read: The High Priestess Tarot Card Meaning for Beginners

Bridging Queen of Swords and Ace of Cups

• Blue sky appears in both cards
• A single bird appears in each
• Similar colour palettes overall
• Yellow links to the solar plexus chakra — personal power — seen in the Queen’s throne and the cup
• Blue links to the throat chakra — communication, truth, authenticity
• The Queen is facing toward the cup
• Swords relate to the head; cups to the heart — suggesting balance between thinking and feeling
• Clouds appear in both: the Queen’s head is above them, while the hand holding the cup emerges from one
• Trees grow beside water in the Queen card, while plants grow directly in the water on the Ace

Possible interpretations:

Clarity about what you love. A focused awareness of what you’re reaching for emotionally. Being honest with yourself. Allowing your truth and your feelings to align. Loving yourself for who you actually are. Being seen and loved for that. Or gaining clarity in a romantic situation through honest communication.

Additional note

As you can probably see by now, there are always multiple possible interpretations. Which one fits depends entirely on the question being asked and the surrounding cards. The goal of the bridging exercise isn’t to answer real-life questions directly, but to practice seeing relationships between cards.

That said, insights and little “aha” moments tend to appear anyway. They kind of sneak in while you’re not trying.

Before wrapping up, I want to point out how much card positioning can change what you notice. In the earlier examples, I placed the cards in the order I drew them. Below, I intentionally reversed the positions of the Ace of Cups and the Queen of Swords — and the whole dynamic shifted.

Suddenly, instead of moving toward the cup, the Queen has her back to it. That alone changes everything.

• Is she turning away from love?
• Is she protecting herself emotionally?
• My attention went to the yellow on her crown this time, rather than the base — crown versus cup
• The cup now emerges from clouds she has risen above, so she may not see it, or may not want to
• Is there fear or uncertainty around emotional vulnerability?
• She holds a sword, not a cup — choosing logic over emotion, truth over softness, perhaps “tough love”

Nothing else changed except placement, yet entirely new bridges appeared. That’s why bridging is such a dynamic, living process.

Wrapping it all up

Bridging is quick and you can do it anytime. A few minutes is enough. It helps you notice patterns and tiny details in the cards.

For example, doing it today, I saw the 5 of Pentacles differently. Usually I just see two people in the cold, struggling. But looking closer, the man with crutches isn’t just suffering — he’s trying, looking up, using tools, maybe asking for help. The other figure is more collapsed.

Pair it with the 10 of Wands and it hits harder — both hunched, but the man with crutches is still moving, adapting. Effort, choice, agency.

That’s the thing about tarot — even cards you know well can show you something new if you actually look.

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