The Pages
Pages - Minor Arcana
(Tarot Course - Lesson 11)
Pages are the first court cards we encounter in the Tarot, making them the representatives of beginnings and innovations. They are the ones who open the doors of the palace for us and are the first faces we see in the palace. Therefore, they symbolize the first step on the path to the summit or the ambassadors of the first opportunities we seize. The numbered series starts from 1 and ends at 10, with court cards positioned above these numbers. As a result, they represent the beginning of the process of promotion, advancement, and maturation.
Since Pages are the first people we encounter in the palace, they represent young, energetic, and positive individuals. At the same time, they are not as old as the King and are not weary. Thus, they possess abundant youthful energy, ambition, and high motivation. They are extremely curious and eager to learn, always craving knowledge. Their minds are not tired, and they are eager to acquire information. While they typically represent young individuals, they can also symbolize older individuals who have opened a brand new chapter in their lives and are driven by the desire to advance. Pages are novices who have not yet discovered their direction, unsure of which path to take. They are also innovative and value their freedom.
Pages are also young and idealistic. After completing the 1-10 series, a Page, like a lamb leaving the flock, may choose to follow their own path and represent the independent start of a new phase. Thus, they embody both innovation and freedom. Each Page holds an object representing their respective suit. For example, the Page of Pentacles holds a talisman and gazes at it as if undecided about what to do with it. They are examining the talisman, trying to understand it. In reality, the talisman they hold represents the accumulation achieved between the numbers 1 and 10, and this accumulation has been passed down to the Page as an inheritance.
Immediately following the series from 1 to 10, the Page's purpose is to bring about radical changes and lead to a better outcome, namely the King (the summit). The Page can also symbolize a very important person or event that will allow us to meet the King or reach the summit. In essence, the Page is the first step on the path to the King within the palace. Therefore, at times, they can be the catalyst for a series of events that lead us to the summit or an event that paves the way for our ascent. There are often moments when we say, "Every cloud has a silver lining." The Page is the representative of those times when we tell ourselves this and the events that lead us to the summit. Seeing the Page of Pentacles might indicate that wealth is knocking on the door, while seeing the Page of Cups might suggest that one is about to meet their true love.
Pages act as green lights, opening our path and giving us permission to move forward. They are also cards of communication, ideas, and knowledge. Sometimes, a Page may represent a tiny idea that pops into our heads, but when this idea is taken seriously, it can offer us significant benefits. The Page is a crucial milestone that connects us to the King, our ultimate goal. Sometimes, they represent the need to overcome obstacles or clear a path for swift progress. The Page indicates that achieving the goal is possible, and they light the way like green traffic lights. However, they also emphasize the necessity of a learning and application process.
Pages are also the cards that clearly mark the transition from the past to the future, creating a definitive break with the past and taking the first major step toward the future after completing the 1-10 series. Therefore, they may not always represent a person but can instead symbolize inspiration or the representatives of significant decisions. After completing a process, when we say, "Yes, I am determined to do it," these are the cards that appear. They may appear when ideas and theories are shared with others, when the outline of a major project is drawn, or during feasibility studies. In short, they can symbolize the first important steps in materializing knowledge or ideas.
Reversed Pages:
Pages represent new beginnings and idealism. However, when these cards appear reversed, they can indicate the beginning of unfavorable starts or a process of deterioration. Pages are positioned above the 1-10 series, but when Pages are reversed, this situation changes, and they fall even below the Ace cards. Therefore, instead of promotion, there might be a decline, expenditure of accumulated resources instead of saving, or a descent instead of climbing the career ladder.
Sometimes, reversed Pages warn us against the inability to harness energy or the misallocation of energy toward unproductive endeavors. The youthful energy that Pages possess may either be wasted on trivial matters or not utilized at all, leading to a loss of motivation. When these cards appear reversed, individuals should remember the saying, "You reap what you sow," and take steps toward their future. Pages, unlike Kings, have not aged and still possess untapped energy, which should be directed toward positive and beneficial endeavors. Reversed Pages are, in essence, individuals who have succumbed to the quagmire of negative thinking, rather than carrying the positive qualities associated with youth, energy, ambition, positivity, and motivation.
Reversed Pages are also related to the restriction of freedom and the failure to unleash one's inner potential. Perhaps the individual who sees these cards has brilliant ideas and plans, but they live in a city or country where they cannot put these plans into action, facing a scarcity of opportunities. Pages are also innovative and reform-minded, but when reversed, individuals may be unable to implement the innovations or reforms they desire, possibly trapped in a life bound by tradition. It is also possible that there are people in their lives who resist change or prevent new ideas from entering their lives when these cards appear.
In each Page card, the Page holds an object and gazes at it as if unsure of what to do with it. However, when the card is reversed, the Page loses this object. Therefore, reversed Page cards can carry the meaning of beginning a new venture with great energy and ambition, but losing momentum and experiencing a loss of motivation. Those who wish to interpret Pages more effectively should pay attention to the direction in which the Page figure is looking and its opposite direction. This is because the direction of the gaze represents the possible future, while the opposite direction symbolizes the causes or the past of the current situation.