Modern Love Tarot: All 78 Card Meanings Explained
Some tarot decks try to do everything. The Modern Love Tarot chose to do one thing extraordinarily well: speak the language of love.
Created by Ethony Dawn and illustrated by Lucy Morningstar, this 78-card deck reimagines the entire tarot through the lens of human connection — romantic love, self-love, friendships, family bonds, and the messy, beautiful territory between them. The artwork is bold, contemporary, and unapologetically modern: diverse figures in real-world settings, navigating the joys and heartbreaks that define our relationships. There are no medieval castles here. Instead, you’ll find couples on rooftops, solitary figures learning to love themselves, and the electric tension of attraction rendered in vivid color.
What makes this deck exceptional is its specificity. Where a traditional tarot deck offers general wisdom that readers then apply to love questions, the Modern Love Tarot was built from the ground up to address how we connect, why we disconnect, and what it takes to build something real with another person — or with ourselves. Every card carries Ethony’s deep understanding of relationship dynamics, attachment patterns, and the courage that genuine intimacy requires.
How the Deck Is Organized
The Modern Love Tarot follows the classic 78-card tarot structure:
- Major Arcana (0–XXI): The 22 cards of love’s great turning points — the soul lessons, life-altering choices, and transformative moments that reshape how you relate to yourself and others.
- Wands: The suit of fire. Passion, desire, sexual energy, and the spark that ignites new connections or reignites old ones.
- Cups: The suit of water. Emotions, intuition, heartfelt bonds, and the inner landscape of love.
- Swords: The suit of air. Communication, truth, conflict, and the mental clarity required to navigate relationship challenges.
- Pentacles: The suit of earth. Commitment, stability, physical intimacy, and the practical work of building lasting partnerships.
Each suit runs from Ace through Ten, followed by four court cards — Page, Knight, Queen, and King — for 14 cards per suit and 56 Minor Arcana total.
Major Arcana
The Fool

The Fool represents new beginnings, innocence, and taking leaps of faith in love. This card encourages openness to romantic possibilities and reminds us that love requires vulnerability and spontaneity. Whether single or in a relationship, The Fool calls for breaking out of comfort zones and embracing fresh experiences. However, it also warns against acting foolishly or rushing into situations without proper consideration.
The Magician

The Magician represents personal power, manifestation, and taking initiative in love. This card reminds you that you have control over your life and the ability to create what you desire through focused action and intention. Whether single or in a relationship, The Magician emphasizes the importance of bringing your best self forward and taking responsibility for your romantic outcomes. However, it also warns to be mindful of what you wish for, as you possess the power to manifest it.
The High Priestess

The High Priestess represents intuition, mystery, and inner wisdom in love matters. She calls for patience, reflection, and listening to your inner voice before making decisions. This card emphasizes the importance of maintaining calm, observing rather than reacting, and trusting your spiritual guidance over external opinions.
The Empress

The Empress represents nurturing, abundance, and compassion in all aspects of life. She calls you to approach relationships with an open heart and mind, embracing kindness as a superpower. This card signifies fertile periods for creativity, love, and personal growth, while warning against overwhelming others with excessive attention. The Empress embodies maternal energy and the potential for lasting, foundational relationships.
The Emperor

The Emperor represents leadership, structure, and paternal authority in relationships and life. This card calls for taking charge of your love life with confidence and clear vision, emphasizing the importance of hard work and integrity in achieving romantic success. It warns against controlling behavior while encouraging reliability and follow-through on commitments. The Emperor reminds you to prioritize self-care and establish healthy boundaries in all relationships.
The Hierophant

The Hierophant represents higher learning, deep wisdom, and institutional guidance that can provide relief and direction through experience. This card embodies societal institutions and the choice between conforming to established expectations or rebelling against the current. It emphasizes structured learning, spiritual growth, and the importance of finding mentorship or guidance in matters of love and relationships. The card often signals traditional commitments like marriage or engagement, while also highlighting the need to balance personal authenticity with social conventions.
The Lovers

The Lovers is the most iconic love card in the Tarot, representing human relationships and the love we find through connecting with others. It signifies that romantic developments are on the horizon and emphasizes the importance of choices in relationships. The card speaks to all available options and encourages not settling, while highlighting the need for shared values and conscious decisions in partnerships.
The Chariot

The Chariot represents someone with clear self-knowledge and understanding of what they want from life. In love, this card signifies an assertive individual who isn't afraid to be vulnerable and put their authentic self forward. Though they may face setbacks, the rewards are ultimately worth the effort. This card encourages unity between your inner desires and outer actions to find genuine connection with others.
Strength

Strength represents courage, patience, and compassion in relationships. It calls for inner fortitude to remain vulnerable and accepting of others' vulnerabilities. The card emphasizes the need for gentle power over force, encouraging authentic communication and emotional resilience. It warns against manipulation while promoting understanding and self-compassion in all relationship dynamics.
The Hermit

The Hermit represents the journey inward to rediscover your connection with the source of love and the universe. This card emphasizes that you are loved and valuable even when alone, as relationships do not define your self-worth. It invites deep introspective work and reminds you that spending time with yourself is the most important relationship you have. The Hermit encourages taking space for self-reflection, personal growth, and reconnecting with your authentic self.
Wheel of Fortune

The Wheel of Fortune represents change, destiny, and life's natural cycles. In love, it signals that relationships are subject to constant transformation - couples either grow together or drift apart. This card encourages embracing unexpected opportunities in romance while working as a team through challenges. It reminds us that both fortune and hardship are temporary, urging openness to new possibilities and honest communication about relationship realities.
Justice

Justice represents universal laws of cause and effect, karma, and the need for balance in relationships. It calls for personal responsibility, integrity, and accountability in all dealings. The card emphasizes that actions have consequences and truth will ultimately prevail. It's time to restore balance and fairness in your relationships while surrounding yourself with people of integrity.
The Hanged Man

The Hanged Man is a card of suspension that arrives when you need to take a break and change your perspective. Your current approach hasn't yielded positive results, so it's time to shift your mindset and give yourself space. This card encourages letting go, practicing patience, and allowing things to come to you naturally rather than forcing outcomes.
Death

Death appears when irreversible change is occurring, signaling transformation and the end of old patterns. While nothing will be as it was before, this card rarely indicates literal death but rather profound shifts that require adaptation. It represents the natural cycle of endings that make way for new beginnings, though these transitions may initially feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. The card encourages embracing authenticity and giving yourself grace during periods of significant change.
Temperance

Temperance represents healing, balance, and ease in relationships and life. It calls for moderation, self-control, and wise use of energy to maintain harmony. The card emphasizes the importance of taking care of one's health as a priority and finding peaceful solutions rather than letting small issues escalate. It reminds us that building relationships is like a chemistry experiment, requiring careful balance of what each person brings to create something beautiful.
The Devil

The Devil card represents the material realm and the chains that bind us through desire, materialism, and unhealthy patterns. It calls for confronting your shadow self and taking responsibility for destructive behaviors. This powerful archetype challenges you to examine what keeps you enslaved and break free from toxic cycles. The card urges honesty about your darker impulses and the courage to establish healthy boundaries in relationships.
The Tower

The Tower represents ego, destruction, and revelations that shake the foundations of what you thought you knew. In love, it signals that major upheavals are coming that will test your relationships and reveal true intentions. These challenging times strip away illusions and force you to face reality, often through external forces beyond your control. While disruptive, this card ultimately clears the way for new beginnings by removing what was holding you back.
The Star

The Star is the card of wishes and hope, bringing positive energy and divine guidance to all situations. It signifies that you are not alone and that things will work out well, encouraging you to trust your intuition and be open to the universe's support. While it brings peace and magical feelings to love, it also reminds you to stay grounded in reality rather than living in fantasy. The Star represents light in dark places, promising that difficult times will pass and positive help is on the way.
The Moon

The Moon represents illusion, instincts, and insecurity, warning that things are not as they appear. While this card brings mystery and hidden truths to light, it encourages trusting your intuition and being observant. It signifies times of uncertainty and confusion in relationships, but also offers the power of deep introspection and shadow work. The Moon reminds us that feelings of being lost or overwhelmed are temporary, and that reconnection and clarity will come with time.
The Sun

The Sun represents action, happiness, and vitality, urging you to take initiative and embrace joy in all aspects of life. It encourages moving beyond hesitation to actively pursue your desires, whether in love, relationships, or personal fulfillment. This card emphasizes the importance of living life fully, taking risks, and finding happiness in simple pleasures. In relationships, it signals positive energy for new beginnings, fertility, and the courage to make necessary decisions.
Judgement

The Judgment card represents a moment of rebirth, renewal, and awakening to personal responsibility in relationships. It calls for honest self-assessment and the courage to make necessary changes, whether that means letting go of superficial connections, taking accountability for your actions, or finally addressing long-standing issues. This card emphasizes the importance of authentic communication and moving beyond complaints to constructive action. It signals a time of spiritual calling to release judgment of others and embrace genuine transformation in your love life.
The World

The World is a card of completion and fulfillment, representing the successful culmination of your efforts in love and relationships. It encourages you to celebrate what you have achieved rather than chasing the next goal. For those seeking love, it emphasizes finding completeness within yourself first. In committed relationships, it signals the achievement of your shared dreams and goals.
Wands
Ace of Wands

The Ace of Wands is a card brimming with sexual potential and creative energy, signaling that good fortune is on the horizon. It encourages embracing your sexy, flirtatious side while enjoying life to the fullest. This card represents new beginnings, passion, and the power to manifest desires through focused energy and intention.
Two of Wands

The Two of Wands represents potential, connection, and restlessness in love. It signifies instant soul recognition and clicking with someone, bringing anticipation and extra energy to romantic interactions. This card encourages exploring new approaches in relationships and embracing the adventure of connection, while warning against distractions that might harm existing bonds.
Three of Wands

The Three of Wands represents planning, commitment, and cooperation in relationships. It emphasizes the importance of having clear vision and direction in love, whether single or partnered. This card encourages working as a team, making concrete plans, and taking decisive action toward your relationship goals while maintaining personal boundaries and safety.
Four of Wands

The Four of Wands is a card of celebration, good fortune, and harmony that represents people coming together for love and community. It signifies joyful occasions like weddings, commitments, family celebrations, or any gathering where love and acceptance are honored. This card encourages celebrating life's milestones while maintaining balance and self-care in your personal journey.
Five of Wands

The Five of Wands represents conflict, stress, and challenges in relationships and daily life. This card signals a time of arguments, tension, and power struggles where everyone believes their way is correct. While these conflicts can feel overwhelming, they are temporary situations that require patience, breathing room, and careful consideration before making major decisions. The key is to avoid escalating disputes and remember that this turbulent period will eventually pass.
Six of Wands

The Six of Wands represents success, recognition, and validation. This card signals that the universe supports your goals and is working to bring you exactly what you seek. It's a positive sign encouraging you to take leaps of faith, especially when your heart is truly invested. Victory and achievement are within reach.
Seven of Wands

The Seven of Wands represents a time of defensive action and boundary maintenance in love. You may feel your relationship or personal space is being challenged by external forces, requiring you to protect what matters most. This card emphasizes the importance of establishing healthy boundaries and standing firm in your values, while also recognizing when defensive patterns may be hindering connection and growth.
Eight of Wands

The Eight of Wands represents swift movement, change, and new direction in love matters. It encourages taking action without delay when it comes to the heart, as stagnant energy is about to shift into something more dynamic. This card emphasizes the importance of movement, communication, and allowing relationships to develop at their natural pace. Whether single or committed, it signals that positive changes and renewed energy are on the horizon.
Nine of Wands

The Nine of Wands represents exhaustion, fatigue, and facing obstacles when you feel depleted. It signals a time to dig deep, accept external help, and be kind to yourself as you navigate life's challenges. This card reminds you that being human means sometimes struggling, and it's okay to ask for support. Whether in love, dating, or relationships, this card suggests taking time to rest and recharge before moving forward.
Ten of Wands

The Ten of Wands represents overwhelming burden, responsibility, and the weight of carrying too much alone. This card signals that you've taken on more than you can handle and it's time to reassess your priorities and ask for help. In relationships, it warns against being taken advantage of or becoming a doormat, emphasizing the need for balance and reciprocity. The card encourages you to recognize when you're being used and to allow others to take responsibility for their own actions.
Page of Wands

The Page of Wands represents youthful energy, impulsiveness, and pure potential. In love, this card indicates exciting new possibilities and the need to channel enthusiasm constructively. It suggests spontaneous romance, new beginnings, and sometimes immature behavior that requires growth. The card encourages embracing life's adventures while maintaining realistic expectations and avoiding impulsive decisions.
Knight of Wands

The Knight of Wands represents adventure, assertiveness, and bold action in love and relationships. This charismatic figure encourages taking risks, being confident in your desires, and actively pursuing what you want. Whether single or in a relationship, this card signals it's time to be more assertive, try something new, and follow your passionate impulses. It calls for direct communication, romantic adventures, and the courage to make decisive moves toward your happiness.
Queen of Wands

The Queen of Wands embodies self-love, confidence, and magnetic attraction that comes from within. This card emphasizes the importance of self-care, authenticity, and demanding the attention you deserve in relationships. It warns against performing or pretending in relationships while encouraging you to trust your instincts and speak up for your needs.
King of Wands

The King of Wands represents power, courage, and integrity in all aspects of life. This card encourages bold action and taking calculated risks while maintaining moral standards. In relationships, it emphasizes the importance of being authentic and acting with honor, whether single or committed. The King of Wands reminds you to stay true to your values and be someone you can be proud of, regardless of others' actions.
Cups
Ace of Cups

The Ace of Cups represents new love, overflowing emotions, and untapped potential in matters of the heart. It signifies an opening of the heart and the ability to share love with those around you. When you fill yourself with love and kindness, it naturally overflows to others. This card encourages embracing emotional fulfillment and nurturing relationships with care and consideration.
Two of Cups

The Two of Cups represents true love, partnership, and balanced exchange in relationships. This positive card indicates healthy give-and-take dynamics and solid foundations for long-term connections. It encourages authentic connections whether romantic, platonic, or committed partnerships, while reminding you not to settle for less than you deserve.
Three of Cups

The Three of Cups represents friendship, sharing, and happiness in relationships. It signifies deepening connections, celebrating with loved ones, and finding joy through community. This card encourages nurturing friendships while balancing romantic relationships, and reminds us that our social connections enrich our lives regardless of our romantic status.
Four of Cups

The Four of Cups represents a period of apathy, doubt, and dissatisfaction in relationships. It signals a time for reflection on how things are developing and whether you want to continue. This card often appears during the first real challenges in romance or when the honeymoon period ends, requiring you to do the daily work necessary for relationships to thrive. While it can indicate withdrawal or disconnection, it also reminds you that stagnation is temporary and you can still create the love life you desire.
Five of Cups

The Five of Cups represents a time of emotional difficulty, loss, and regret in matters of the heart. While pain and disappointment are natural parts of love's journey, this card emphasizes the importance of allowing yourself to grieve while not isolating completely from supportive relationships. Whether single or committed, the focus should be on emotional healing, taking responsibility for your actions, and gradually rebuilding your emotional reserves. Though the healing process isn't linear and takes time, small daily changes and genuine connections can make a significant difference in recovery.
Six of Cups

The Six of Cups represents nostalgia, childhood memories, and reflecting on past relationships. It encourages you to learn from your romantic history while avoiding getting stuck in the past. This card can signal positive developments in committed relationships or the need to process unfinished emotional business. The key is to honor your memories without letting them prevent you from embracing present opportunities for love and growth.
Seven of Cups

The Seven of Cups represents the need to distinguish between fantasy and reality in love and relationships. It warns against unrealistic expectations and the pressure they create, while encouraging authentic choices based on personal truth rather than external pressures. The card emphasizes making decisive choices rather than remaining indecisive, and finding balance between dreams and practical reality in matters of the heart.
Eight of Cups

The Eight of Cups represents a turning point that calls for withdrawal and moving away from current circumstances. It signifies the need to face emotional transitions, whether in relationships or personal growth, requiring honest self-examination and the courage to leave behind what no longer serves you. This card emphasizes the importance of addressing unresolved patterns before moving forward and recognizing when it's time to let go completely.
Nine of Cups

The Nine of Cups represents satisfaction, gratitude, and self-love. This card indicates you are exactly where you need to be in life, experiencing contentment and fulfillment. It encourages practices of gratitude, random acts of kindness, and spreading love to others. The card suggests that happiness comes from appreciating both small gestures and major blessings in your relationships and personal journey.
Ten of Cups

The Ten of Cups represents emotional fulfillment, family harmony, and abundant joy in relationships. It signifies that you are on the right path toward lasting happiness and connection. This card emphasizes the importance of everyone contributing to make relationships work, whether romantic, friendship, or family bonds. It serves as a cosmic affirmation that you're aligned with the universe's flow of love and abundance.
Page of Cups

The Page of Cups represents communicating through the heart with innocence and pure emotion. This card encourages authentic expression of feelings, trusting intuition when meeting new people, and being open to love offerings that may appear. It emphasizes the importance of honest communication in relationships and suggests that new romantic opportunities or announcements may be approaching.
Knight of Cups

The Knight of Cups represents a romantic, sensitive, and affectionate energy that acts from the heart. This card indicates passionate romantic journeys, creative expression, and the pursuit of emotional fulfillment. While this knight brings deep romantic connection and inspiration, they may also chase new desires when their heart is pulled elsewhere. The card encourages embracing your artistic side, maintaining open options in dating, and protecting your own heart through healthy boundaries.
Queen of Cups

The Queen of Cups embodies intuition, nurturing, and love, serving as a healing presence for weary hearts. She encourages self-compassion and trusting your inner wisdom, especially in relationships. This card warns against dismissing your sensitivity and reminds you to seek supportive environments. Whether single or in a relationship, she guides you to honor your emotional needs and trust your intuitive feelings about people and situations.
King of Cups

The King of Cups represents emotional maturity, wisdom, and the ability to maintain calm in turbulent situations. This card embodies a person who has mastered their emotions and can serve as a peacemaker and guide for others. It calls for balance between inner reflection and engagement with the world, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence in relationships and personal growth. When this card appears, it suggests the need to approach situations with tolerance, wisdom, and emotional stability.
Swords
Ace of Swords

The Ace of Swords represents mental clarity, inspiration, and authentic communication in relationships. It calls for being clear about your needs and boundaries, refusing to compromise your core values. This card emphasizes intellectual connection and honest expression, whether you're single, dating, or in a committed relationship. It signals a time to cut through illusions and speak your truth, even if it means difficult conversations or endings.
Two of Swords

The Two of Swords represents a period of stagnation, waiting, and avoidance where progress feels slow or non-existent. In relationships, this card signals blocked communication and the need for patience, whether you're single, dating, or in a committed partnership. It warns against using defensive strategies that prevent vulnerability and genuine connection, calling for emotional healing and maturity instead of stonewalling or shutting others out.
Three of Swords

The Three of Swords represents heartbreak, betrayal, and sadness in relationships. It signifies a time of emotional pain and communication breakdowns, whether you're single or in a relationship. This card reminds you to honor your feelings during difficult times and practice healthy coping mechanisms. While painful, this period will pass, and it may protect you from wasting energy on unsuitable connections.
Four of Swords

The Four of Swords calls for a period of reflection, rest, and introspection. It emphasizes the importance of listening to your inner wisdom rather than external opinions, especially in matters of the heart. This card suggests taking time for yourself, setting healthy boundaries, and allowing space for mental and spiritual restoration before moving forward in relationships.
Five of Swords

The Five of Swords represents conflict, harsh words, and vengeful behavior in relationships. This card warns against destructive communication patterns, power imbalances, and the temptation to win arguments at any cost. It calls for self-reflection about our motivations and the impact of our words, emphasizing the importance of maintaining integrity even during difficult times. Whether single or partnered, this card urges protection of one's well-being and choosing kindness over cruelty.
Six of Swords

The Six of Swords represents journey, progress, and transition in love and relationships. This card appears during times of change, travel, or major life decisions, emphasizing the need to trust your intuition as your guide. It signifies positive movement forward in relationships, whether that's becoming exclusive, meeting family, or taking romantic getaways. However, it also acknowledges that all changes come with challenges and may require leaving the past behind to embrace new opportunities.
Seven of Swords

The Seven of Swords warns against deception, dishonesty, and unreliable situations in relationships. It encourages vigilance and trusting your instincts when something feels off, while also cautioning against crossing boundaries through spying or stalking. This card often indicates that someone is being dishonest, whether through small lies or significant betrayals, and emphasizes the importance of honest communication over avoidance of difficult conversations.
Eight of Swords

The Eight of Swords represents feeling trapped, blinded, and confused in your current situation. This card calls for examining your beliefs about yourself and relationships, as outdated patterns may be preventing you from experiencing happiness. While you may feel stuck, clear communication and self-awareness can help transform mixed signals into clearer direction. It's a time to distinguish between what's worth fighting for and what to let go of.
Nine of Swords

The Nine of Swords represents stress, anxiety, and mental turmoil that disrupts sleep and peace of mind. This card indicates a period of psychological struggle where chaotic thoughts and nightmares plague the querent. While challenging, it offers opportunities for shadow work and self-integration, though seeking help may be necessary if the suffering persists. The card advises creating space and clearing one's environment to alleviate pressure and gain clarity.
Ten of Swords

The Ten of Swords represents finality, endings, and the need to accept painful truths. What's done cannot be undone, and it's time to stop looking backward and accept that something has ended. While this card signals the conclusion of a difficult chapter, it also offers the promise of freedom and the opportunity to start fresh when you're ready to heal.
Page of Swords

The Page of Swords represents communication, ideas, and the exchange of information. This card signals that important news or messages are coming your way, emphasizing the vital role of clear communication in relationships. It encourages honest dialogue about your intentions and desires, while warning against impulsive reactions or immature communication patterns that could damage connections.
Knight of Swords

The Knight of Swords embodies action, directness, and impulsivity in matters of the heart. This card encourages bold moves and taking initiative in love, whether pursuing new relationships or reinvigorating existing ones. It warns against reckless behavior that could damage relationships, while emphasizing the importance of acting on desires and maintaining strong boundaries when needed.
Queen of Swords

The Queen of Swords represents justice, truth, and the courage to cut ties when necessary. She embodies fairness and unwavering honesty, helping others find their own wisdom in any situation. In relationships, this card calls for maintaining space fairly and lovingly, while warning against dishonesty or becoming too involved in others' affairs. Truth will emerge, requiring balance and sometimes the difficult process of releasing emotional bonds to heal and move forward.
King of Swords

The King of Swords represents intellectual mastery, emotional intelligence, and rational decision-making in love matters. This card encourages taking a logical approach to relationships while maintaining emotional awareness. It emphasizes the importance of clear communication, seeking expert guidance when needed, and not settling for partners who lack emotional maturity. The King of Swords reminds us that successful relationships require both intellectual compatibility and consistent care and attention.
Pentacles
Ace of Pentacles

The Ace of Pentacles represents pure potential, foundations, and sensuality in love matters. It emphasizes taking time to build relationships organically rather than rushing into them. This card encourages focusing on practical matters while maintaining balance, appreciating small gestures in committed relationships, and recognizing the potential for new beginnings after endings.
Two of Pentacles

The Two of Pentacles emphasizes the importance of balance, time management, and flexibility in all aspects of life, particularly in love and relationships. This card suggests taking small, practical steps to navigate emotional matters rather than making life-changing decisions during turbulent times. Whether single or in a relationship, maintaining equilibrium between different priorities and being adaptable to change are essential for positive outcomes in your romantic life.
Three of Pentacles

The Three of Pentacles represents showcasing your work and receiving recognition for your talents through consistent effort and constructive feedback. In relationships, it emphasizes the importance of applying knowledge for healthy growth, appreciating your partner, and maintaining integrity rather than becoming complacent. This card encourages showing your love to the world while learning from both successful and ended relationships.
Four of Pentacles

The Four of Pentacles represents themes of retention, control, and withholding in relationships. It warns against letting past traumas close you off from genuine connection and highlights the need for open communication. This card emphasizes the importance of addressing power imbalances and finding healthy ways to manage resources, whether emotional or financial, while remaining open to love and growth.
Five of Pentacles

The Five of Pentacles represents rejection, difficult times, and struggle, particularly in matters of love and relationships. This card warns of financial and emotional hardships that may arise from romantic situations, including cancelled weddings, breakups, and divorce proceedings. While the challenges are real and can be painful, they are temporary and serve as opportunities for growth and self-awareness. The card encourages honesty, financial prudence, and seeking support during tough times.
Six of Pentacles

The Six of Pentacles represents the flow of giving and receiving within community and relationships. It emphasizes the importance of balance in generosity, ensuring that support flows both ways rather than creating dependency or exploitation. This card reminds us that healthy relationships require reciprocity, and that both asking for help and offering it are natural parts of human connection. It warns against overgiving or allowing others to take advantage of your generosity while encouraging authentic sharing of resources and emotional support.
Seven of Pentacles

The Seven of Pentacles represents a time for patience, evaluation, and reaping rewards from your efforts. It calls for taking stock of what's working and what isn't in your relationships and love life. This card emphasizes the importance of being practical about your approach, maintaining patience with yourself and others, and making time for meaningful connections. It suggests that through careful assessment and realignment, you can achieve the love and relationship outcomes you desire.
Eight of Pentacles

The Eight of Pentacles represents dedication to craft, attention to detail, and the pursuit of mastery through practice. It emphasizes focusing on quality over quantity in all areas of life, particularly in relationships and personal development. This card encourages consistent effort and skill-building, reminding us that trust and meaningful connections are built through daily commitment and authentic communication. Whether in love, work, or personal growth, success comes through deliberate practice and genuine presence with others.
Nine of Pentacles

The Nine of Pentacles represents self-confidence, independence, and discernment in matters of love and relationships. This card signifies that you radiate security and self-sufficiency, making you attractive to those around you. It encourages being selective with your time and energy while maintaining healthy boundaries. The card indicates either personal growth toward independence or the arrival of a confident person in your life.
Ten of Pentacles

The Ten of Pentacles represents home, legacy, and family bonds. It emphasizes that as adults, we can choose who forms our family and create loving sanctuaries with like-minded people. This card highlights the importance of compatibility in values and finances in relationships, while reminding us that family priorities may require sacrifices in other areas. When facing challenges, it encourages us to lean on our chosen or blood family for stability and support.
Page of Pentacles

The Page of Pentacles embodies simplicity, kinesthetic awareness, and trust in one's intuitive bodily signals. This card encourages reducing stress through simplification and paying attention to what your body tells you. It represents a phase of self-care, healing, and building trust in your physical and emotional instincts. The card emphasizes taking simple, concrete actions and staying grounded in practical reality rather than overthinking complex situations.
Knight of Pentacles

The Knight of Pentacles represents patience, loyalty, and steadfast commitment in all aspects of life, particularly in relationships. This card emphasizes the importance of maintaining strong moral principles and being someone others can rely on. In love matters, it encourages a slow and steady approach, valuing genuine connection over rushed decisions. The card reminds us to focus on personal growth and authentic relationships built on trust and mutual respect.
Queen of Pentacles

The Queen of Pentacles embodies nurturing energy, healing, and abundant resources. She represents compassion and kindness in relationships, emphasizing the importance of caring for yourself and others. This card encourages creating safe, supportive environments and reminds you that love is found in small, earthly details. Whether single or in a relationship, the focus is on practical care, emotional healing, and wise use of your most valuable resource: quality time with loved ones.
King of Pentacles

The King of Pentacles represents practical management, reliability, and grounded approach to relationships. This card emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries, being prepared, and focusing on genuine connection rather than material gestures. It calls for attention to what truly matters and taking concrete, practical steps in love and relationships.
Reading Tips for the Modern Love Tarot
Ethony designed this deck to be read with the heart as much as the mind, and it rewards readers who bring their own relationship experiences to the table.
Lean into the love lens. Every card in this deck was written with relationships in mind. Even cards that seem abstract in traditional tarot — like The Chariot or the Ace of Swords — carry specific romantic guidance here. Trust the deck’s focus and let it speak to whatever relationship question is on your mind.
Pay attention to the court cards as people. In a love-focused deck, the Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings often represent actual people in your life — a new crush, a protective friend, an emotionally mature partner, or someone who needs to grow up before they can truly love. Notice which court cards keep appearing in your readings.
Use the Cups suit as your emotional compass. While all four suits address love, the Cups cards are the emotional core of this deck. When multiple Cups appear in a spread, the reading is calling you to go deeper into your feelings rather than analyzing or acting.
Do not fear the difficult cards. The Three of Swords, The Tower, and the Five of Cups are not punishments — they are honest mirrors. In a deck built for love readings, these cards often arrive to protect you from wasting time on connections that are not serving your growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cards are in the Modern Love Tarot?
The Modern Love Tarot contains the standard 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana across four suits — Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Every card is interpreted through the lens of love, relationships, and emotional connection.
Who created the Modern Love Tarot?
The Modern Love Tarot was created by Ethony Dawn, a professional tarot reader and author, with illustrations by Lucy Morningstar. The deck was designed specifically to explore love in all its forms — romantic, platonic, familial, and self-love.
Is the Modern Love Tarot good for beginners?
Yes. Because the deck focuses on relationships — something everyone can relate to — the imagery and meanings feel immediately personal and accessible. Ethony's guidebook walks through each card with clear, practical love-focused interpretations that make learning tarot intuitive.
Can the Modern Love Tarot be used for non-love readings?
Absolutely. While every card is framed through relationships and emotional dynamics, those themes touch virtually every area of life — career partnerships, family bonds, friendships, and self-growth. The deck's relationship lens often reveals insights that a general-purpose deck might not highlight.