Josephine Ellershaw is well known for her approach to tarot. In Easy Tarot, she helped tens of thousands of beginners learn to read the cards. In Easy Tarot Reading,  she helped readers of all levels up their game and give better readings. Now, with Easy Tarot Combinations, she again helps us unravel the useful information that arises when cards work together.

Through the years, books have included specific card combinations that we just memorized or learned to recognize. Josephine eliminated the need for memorization and instead teaches us to see the influences between cards so that we can read any combination with confidence.

Here are some examples of combinations featuring the 10 of Cups. Josephine lists important combinations but also gives you the tools to understand them. See our January 25 blog entry for those aspects, like how the element, flow, and polarity of each card affects the combination. You will notice that the order matters. The 4 of Wands with the 10 of Cups has a different meaning than 10 of Cups followed by the 4 of Wands.

Ten of Cups > Ten of Wands: Strain on the marriage or family, in some instances could be both.

Ace of Cups > Knight of Swords > Ten of Cups:
New relationship takes off quickly and develops at a rate of knots, whirlwind romance with swift commitment.

Four of Wands > Ten of Cups: Wedding planning and arrangements being made
Ten of Cups > Four of Wands: Marriage and honeymoon
Ten of Cups > Three of Cups: Wedding breakfast or reception, marriage celebration.
The Lovers > Ace of Pentacles > Ten of Cups: An indication of marriage.
Ten of Cups > Six of Pentacles: Wedding gifts.

Three of Swords > Ten of Cups > Hierophant > Temperance:
Can indicate marriage guidance, counselling and mediation services to restore harmony.

Knight of Cups > Ten of Cups: Proposal of marriage or permanent commitment.

Ten of Cups > Ten of Pentacles: Emotional happiness and material stability, complete contentment in family life.

Ten of Cups > Judgement: As the second time round card, Judgement can represent remarriage, but can also indicate reconciliation (marriage resurrected.) Can appear in the opposite order.

avatar
Written by Barbara Moore
The tarot has been a part of Barbara Moore’s personal and professional lives for over a decade. In college, the tarot intrigued her with its marvelous blending of mythology, psychology, art, and history. Later, she served as the tarot specialist for Llewellyn Publications. Over the years, she has ...