I’ve been exploring pip decks lately and wanted to share some thoughts about what they are for anyone curious.
Pip cards are the minor arcana cards that show only the suit symbols repeated by their number. So the Three of Cups would just have three cups arranged on the card, rather than a scenic illustration with people celebrating.
Working with pip decks can deepen your intuitive connection to the cards because you’re not relying on visual storytelling cues. The simpler imagery means you have to work more with your own associations and what comes up for you, rather than following an artist’s interpretation.
Some readers find them limiting. I’ve found they create space where your subconscious works through the patterns and arrangements of the symbols. If you’re feeling stuck in your readings or want to develop stronger intuition, pip decks are worth trying.
22 Likes
Deepen Your Tarot Practice Beyond the Cards
Finding meaningful tarot discussions and authentic guidance can be surprisingly difficult. Discover a space where your questions are welcomed and your intuitive growth is celebrated: Start Your Journey
Pip decks = minor arcana cards that only show the suit symbols, no scenic artwork.
Think of regular playing cards - the five of hearts just has five hearts on it, nothing else. Same deal with pip tarot decks. Five of Cups would be five cups arranged on the card, that’s it. No crying person, no spilled cups, none of that. Some people find them harder to read because there’s no visual story to work with.
You have to know your numerology and suit meanings pretty well. But honestly, sometimes all those Rider-Waite scenes can get in the way. With pips you’re working more with pure symbolism and your own intuition about what the numbers and elements mean in that particular reading.
My grandmother often compared reading pip cards to reading tea leaves.
She’d relax her gaze to notice shapes among the symbols. With her finger, she’d connect the cups or wands, revealing hidden patterns like triangles and spirals that shared the story.
Using pip decks, I found out that the colors, like yellow wands, represent fire energy, and they seem to carry more weight than the actual scenes.
In my vintage deck collection, the older pip decks really tell a story through how their suit symbols are laid out. The way five swords might cross each other instead of being arranged in a star pattern changes the card’s feel entirely.
My old Marseille decks helped me see that readers used numerology along with these small visual hints. Just a small tilt or overlap of wands could show triumph or struggle, something that modern decks make more obvious.
That’s what got me into collecting these historical decks in the first place.
People tend to misinterpret pip decks by treating them like scenic decks. Without detailed pictures, it’s useful to consider numerology and elemental associations. For instance, interpreting the Five of Wands as conflict just based on it being a five can be misleading if you don’t look at how it’s laid out and its energy.
I recently started using The Hermetic Tarot, and it’s pretty interesting. Pip decks might seem straightforward, but they hide a lot of depth. Each card is filled with symbols and connections to the Golden Dawn, which makes them feel unique and full of meaning.
It’s thought-provoking to see how much you can uncover with these cards. Every symbol adds something to the reading, creating a rich pattern of interpretations. It’s been a cool process, exploring all the layers these cards have to offer.
I moved from using the Smith-Waite deck to a pip deck and noticed how much I depended on Pamela Coleman Smith’s illustrations. Her 1909 art is still a staple in most decks today.
Now, with only the suit symbols, I’ve had to come up with my own way of seeing things. I’ve started to pair my readings with teas, like chamomile for Cups and peppermint for Swords, which helps with concentration. The basic images of pips allow the herbs and cards to interact in a more reflective way.
So pip decks and energy retention, is this a thing? Been using one for quick reads lately and noticed I have to cleanse way more often than with my regular deck. Every reading leaves some kind of residue, and the next one comes out muddy if I skip cleansing
Hey - yep, that’s the basic tarot structure.
22 majors (the Fool through the World) and 56 minors across four suits.
Before readings, I like to ground myself a bit. Three deep breaths usually does it for me. Minor arcana are also called pip cards. It’s an older term but people still use it. Traditional decks like Marseille show just the symbols - like three swords or five cups.
Rider-Waite-Smith and newer decks have illustrated scenes instead. Centering yourself before a reading can help. I sometimes hold the deck for a moment first.
Something I noticed about pip decks… the symbol choices can be pretty creative.
Worked with a few decks where they replaced the traditional symbols with everyday objects. Pentacles as pies, swords as kitchen knives, that kind of thing. I like how these decks work as a stepping stone if you find regular pips too bare-bones. They keep things simple but add just enough visual interest to help connect with the cards.
Still plenty of room to read intuitively without being told what to think by detailed illustrations.
I was doing a group tarot reading with my pip deck, just symbols instead of pictures.
Everyone went silent when I pulled them out. They’d all learned on Rider-Waite decks and expected to see the usual scenes. Like that woman with eight swords around her, or people toasting with their cups. But all they got were geometric shapes and symbols. You could see them struggling to connect with the cards. Made me realize I should’ve prepped them first. Pip decks speak a different language than illustrated ones.
Can’t just assume everyone will get it.
Lately, I’ve been practicing with pip decks by doing a daily single-card pull and spending a few minutes looking at the patterns before interpreting them.
The space between three wands can have different feelings depending on my mood. Without detailed pictures, it’s been easier to remember the card meanings. There’s this technique where you trace the symbols with your finger to connect with the element, and I saw someone take it further by adding breath work with their Marseille deck. It seemed like a good way to build a sensory connection to the cards.
Pip decks help you tune into the energy of your readings in a unique way.
Without images to guide you, you focus more on the person’s energy and expressions. You become more aware of the small shifts and silent cues in the room. It feels like you’re developing a deeper sense of perception.
I’ve been reading Camelia Elias’s stuff on pip cards and it’s been helpful.
Used to struggle with the numbered cards, like I’d see the 3 of Pentacles and just mumble something about collaboration. Her approach to the patterns in the numbers is pretty different. That 7 of Swords explanation she gives about strategic withdrawal instead of just theft made sense to me. She looks at those basic cup and wand arrangements in ways I hadn’t considered. I used to skip the pips entirely and just focus on the Major Arcana and court cards.
My Tarot de Marseille deck has been with me for 15 years. The pip cards are great for chakra work. Just place the card on the corresponding energy center and let the simple symbols address the chakra’s needs. Without the scenic distractions, the energy feels more direct. It’s a method I’ve come to appreciate over time.
Borrowed a pip deck at a party last week since I forgot mine. Different experience, you just get numbers and suits, no pictures.
Drew the 4 of Cups for someone asking about their relationship. Four cups, that’s it. Had to figure out what that meant without the usual imagery. Ended up reading it as emotional stability or stagnation based on the number-suit combination. Less to work with but maybe that’s not a bad thing.
Book meanings are worthless noise. But pip decks strip away even the artist’s stuff. They feel different in your hand too.
Less ink changes the weight or something. I swear when I hold the Three of Swords pip, my palm aches right where the swords meet. Weird physical thing. Does anyone else feel stuff from the basic shapes?