How to Find Your Soul's Purpose with Tarot

Have you ever wondered what your purpose is here on Earth? Or wondered what you're supposed to learn while you are here? Looking at your tarot birth cards can help you to figure out what your soul's purpose is in this incarnation.

In tarot, you have multiple cards that represent you, called your birth cards or your soul cards which tell you more about your identity, your inner psyche, and your journey in this life. Your birth cards can be broken down into 3 different cards, your Personality Card, your Soul Card, and your Shadow Card.

Your Personality Card tells you what you are here to learn in this lifetime.

The Soul Card tells you your soul’s purpose throughout all lifetimes.

Sometimes these cards can be the same card. That means that you are learning the lessons in this life that you are meant to learn throughout your soul’s journey.

The third card that I think helps us understand who we are is our Shadow Card.

Our shadow card shows us the parts of ourselves that we fear, reject, or don’t see. This is similar to a shadow card in a tarot reading, except this card is representative of you, based on your birth date, not just in relation to the tarot reading.

So how do you find these three cards and what do they mean?

I’m glad you asked.

I wrote a post years ago, about how to calculate your birth card. This process is the same process that we are going to use today, but we are going to stop at certain points and determine the different cards.

First, you need your birth date. Then you break it down.

I chose 2 dates, one is my birth date and the other is a random date chosen after the year 2000 as from my previous post, these are years that people have the most trouble figuring out.

Second, you add the single digits until you receive a number that is less than 22.

The first number you receive that is less than 22 is your Personality Card.

If you received a single-digit number after the first sum, as I do in Example #1 below, then your Personality and Soul Cards are the same.

If you can reduce again, do so until you receive a single-digit number.

The single-digit number you receive is your Soul Card.

Example #1

Month: 07

Day: 25

Year: 1989

07+25+1989 = 2021

Add the single Digits of the sum: 2+0+2+1= 5

Your Personality Card is 5 and your Soul Card is also 5.

Example # 2:

Month: 10

Day: 25

Year: 2009

10+25+2009= 2044

Add the single digits of the sum: 2+0+4+4= 10

Your Personality Card is 10. But this is a double-digit number, so we need to add the digits together again.

Add to get a single digit: 1+0=1

Your Soul Card is 1.

What is a Tarot Card Pattern?

Once you know what your Personality and Soul tarot cards are, you can begin to paint a picture of a personality based on the meanings of the tarot cards. Each of the tarot cards can be broken down into a single digit between 1 and 9. The pattern that arises from the cards with the same single-digit number all share similar characteristics with each other. If you’re not sure what the pattern is between your personality and soul cards, keep reading. Below I briefly describe each of the 9 tarot birth card patterns. If you are looking for more details, each pattern will have a link where I have gone in-depth into the pattern.

But Wait- There’s More

In addition to your personality and soul cards, there is a third card that can arise from your birth card pattern. This is your shadow card. A shadow card will show you the areas of your life where you are holding onto fear and keeping yourself from reaching your full potential. Sometimes finding your shadow card can be a little confusing, so below is a chart that includes your shadow card for each set of Personality and Soul Cards that you can have.  Your shadow card is one or two of the cards in your tarot pattern that does not match your Personality or Soul Card.

For example: If your Personality Card is 10 and your Soul Card is 1. There is one more card in a typical tarot deck that card break down to a single digit of one.. the Sun, Key 19 (1+9=10=1+0=1).

Tarot Birth Card Archetypes

1 - Magician Pattern - Initiation and Manifestation

If you have the birth cards 1-1, 10-1, or 19-10-1, then you fall into the pattern of initiation and manifestation. You are a go-getter who likes to set goals and get to work. Your shadow card will either be 10 or 19, depending on what your personality and soul cards are. People with this pattern typically resonate best with the Aces in the minor arcana, because its the potential energy of the suit and you are all about potential.

Tarot Birth Cards: Key 19- Sun, Key 10- Wheel of Fortune, Key 1- Magician

2 - The High Priestess Pattern - Balance through Intuitive Awareness

The pattern of the High Priestess is a very intuitive pattern. You have a need for balance in your life more so than other patterns. But this isn’t a balance that can be achieved by feng-shui or a perfectly balanced checkbook (who has these anymore anyways!?!). Your balance is an inner balance of right and wrong or alignment with your inner values. In order to do this, you have to be true and honest with yourself. Listen to your inner voice and it will bring you balance. You shadow cards are Key 11- Justice and Key 20- the World.

Tarot Cards: Key 20- Judgement, Key 11-Justice, Key 2- High Priestess

3- The Empress Pattern- Creative Imagination and Viewpoints

The Empress pattern is one of birthing new ideas and seeing things from new perspectives. You have a very creative mind and if you allow it the freedom, it will bring you where you need to go. But if stifled, then you will remain in your current position, which may feel really “meh”. Be open to new and inspiring ideas- especially if they’re on the creative side. Just a side note here- creativity doesn’t only mean art. It can be found in almost every aspect of your life if you are open to it. The shadow cards for this pattern are Key 12- The Hanged Man and Key 21- The World.

Tarot Cards: Key 21-World, Key 12- Hanged Man, Key 3- Empress

4- The Emperor Pattern- Control through Transformation

As someone with the Emperor pattern, you may find yourself enjoying being in control of the situation at hand. You also may use this control as a means to protect yourself from being vulnerable with others, or even yourself. But if you don’t let down your guard, then you won’t ever be able to go through the changes and transformations that will help you reach your fullest potential. You have to risk being hurt, taking off that suit of armor your hiding under your robes, and let change wash over you. Your shadow card for this pattern is Key 13- Death. This is also the pattern for people who receive the number 22 when they calculate their birth cards.

Tarot Cards: Key 1-Fool, Key 13- Death, Key 4- Emperor

5- The Hierophant Pattern- Pursuit of Knowledge through Teaching

If you have the birth card pattern of the hierophant, then you are someone who learns best through teaching others. If you can’t teach someone something, then do you really know it? In order to teach someone, you need to have patience, to be able to see both side of everything, that yin, and yang. Although you may have the knowledge and book smarts, until you can share that sides in a way that resonates with others, you are not meeting your fullest potential. Your shadow card for this pattern is Key 14- Temperance.

Tarot Cards: Key 14- Temperance, Key 5-Hierophant

6- The Lovers Pattern- Choices and Addictions

Ah, the Lovers pattern.. sounds romantic doesn’t it? Sadly, it’s one of the harder birth card patterns to have, IMO. This pattern is all about breaking the chains of addictions that hold you back. Addictions aren’t always drugs or alcohol, they can be thought patterns that you know aren’t good for you ( comparison anyone?) or a way that you are holding yourself back. Making choices that lead you in the direction you want to go is what will break the chains. A conscious choice to move forward, to take that step and just start is all it takes. Over time the choices seem easier to make, making it more like a snowball effect. The shadow card for this pattern is Key 15- The Devil.

Tarot Cards: Key 15- Devil, Key 6- Lovers

7- The Chariot Pattern- Mastery through Change

The only way that this pattern is going to get any traction or movement is by continuously breaking down old patterns, old beliefs and mastering a new way of being. Repeatedly. The more that you allow change to come into your life, the more adaptable you become. This in turn can allow you to master a variety of different situations that lead to total mastery of the self. Your shadow card is Key 16- The Tower.

Tarot Cards: Key 16-Tower, Key 7- Chariot

8- Strength Pattern- Inspired Leadership

If you have birth cards that are either Key 17 The Star or Key 8 Strength, then you are someone who has mastered themselves on a basic level and have set out to help others do the same. You may have more of a “lead by example” kind of mentality, inspiring others into action and self-control by just being around them and being yourself. Your shadow card is Key 17- The Star.

Tarot Cards: Key 17- Star, Key 8-Strength

9- The Hermit Pattern- Truth Seeking and Path Finding

The hermit birth card pattern is all about being honest, mastering your inner self, and seeking your true path. Although your path will likely change throughout your life, you will need to continuously and unapologetically be true to yourself to be able to see through the illusions and created storied that your mind will create. You shadow card is Key 18- The Moon.

Tarot cards: Key 18- Moon, Key 9- Hermit

Minor Arcana Cards

When you look at your personality card, your soul card, and your shadow card, you realize that all of the cards have a single digit in common.. that single prime number. That number can also relate to the minor arcana cards throughout the deck.

So in addition to the major arcana cards that tell you your personality and your soul purpose, you have the minor arcana cards which can tell you some of the challenges that you may face in your lifetime.

Take a look at each minor arcana card separately and see what it has to tell you.

The minor arcana cards will come into play more in future posts on this topic.

Final Exercise

Now that you have found all of the cards that tell you a little more about who you are, take them all out and lay them out in front of you.

Do you notice any patterns?

What card are you most drawn to?

Does the card mean something to you other the typical meaning?

Use these cards in your mediation practice to really get to know the cards and see what they’re trying to tell you.