Tarot cards as intentions show what a person wants to do about you or a situation, not just how they feel. The suit reveals the drive: Cups want closeness, Wands want action, Swords want truth or distance, and Pentacles want stability. The card then shows whether that intention is kind, guarded, or self-serving.

Violet tarot cards laid out like a plan on dark linen
An intention is what someone means to do, which is not always what they feel.

How do you read tarot cards as intentions?

An intention reading asks a different question than a feelings reading: not what is in their heart, but what they mean to do. Start with the suit for the drive, then read the card for three things at once. I call it the Three-W Intention read: what they want, their willingness to act on it, and the warning the card carries. Cups intend closeness, Wands intend movement, Swords intend truth or separation, and Pentacles intend security. Each card below links to its full meaning in our tarot library.

Key takeaways
- Intention is about action and motive, not just emotion.
- The suit shows the drive; the rank shows how ready they are to act.
- Some cards carry a warning, an intention that serves them more than you.
- Intentions can be honest and kind, guarded, or self-serving, so read the whole spread.

People usually reach for this reading while quietly questioning someone's motives, which is a fair and healthy thing to check. Motive and mood are not the same, and the difference matters. If the energy behind the question feels off, our guide to reading someone's aura colors is a useful companion, and a live psychic chat can help you separate what someone wants from what you hope they want.

What do the 22 Major Arcana say about intentions?

A Major Arcana card in an intention reading means the person's aim is significant and often fated, bigger than a passing plan. These cards name the deep motive driving them toward or away from you. Here is the intention each of the 22 carries.

  • The Fool: to start something new and light with you, no strings yet.
  • The Magician: to actively make something happen with you, often sincerely.
  • The High Priestess: to keep things quiet and see what unfolds.
  • The Empress: to nurture, love, and build comfort with you.
  • The Emperor: to commit, protect, and build a stable structure.
  • The Hierophant: to formalize things, a traditional and long-term aim.
  • The Lovers: to choose you, a real intention toward union.
  • The Chariot: to pursue and win you, moving with determination.
  • Strength: to be patient and gentle, to slowly earn your trust.
  • The Hermit: to withdraw and reflect, or to keep distance for now.
  • Wheel of Fortune: an intention still in flux, tied to timing and fate.
  • Justice: to be fair and honest, to do right by you.
  • The Hanged Man: to wait, stall, or hold the situation in suspension.
  • Death: to end one phase so the connection can transform.
  • Temperance: to blend slowly and build something balanced.
  • The Devil: to bind or possess, to keep you in an intense loop.
  • The Tower: to break something open, sometimes without a plan.
  • The Star: to heal, offer hope, and give you something pure.
  • The Moon: unclear or hidden, possibly not fully honest.
  • The Sun: to be openly happy and honest with you.
  • Judgement: to reconcile, revisit, or make a decision about you.
  • The World: to complete and fully commit to the connection.
A golden key resting on an open page
The suit shows the drive; the card shows whether the aim is kind or self-serving.

What do the Cups intend?

Cups intend closeness, care, and emotional connection, so these cards usually describe warm and relational motives. A Cups card often means the person wants to love, bond, or heal something with you. The rank shows how ready they are to act on that wish, from a tentative first move to a settled commitment.

What do the Wands intend?

Wands intend action, passion, and forward motion, so these cards describe motives full of energy and drive. A Wands card often means the person wants to pursue, ignite, or build something with momentum. The rank shows whether that drive is a fresh spark, a proud campaign to win you, or a strained effort to keep going.

A blue all-seeing eye above a quiet horizon
Motive and mood are different questions; read both when a choice depends on it.

Can someone's intention change over time?

Yes, an intention is more changeable than a feeling, because it depends on circumstance, timing, and will. A card that shows a guarded or self-serving aim today can shift as trust grows or a situation settles, and a warm intention can cool if it goes unmet. That is why a single intention card is a snapshot of what someone means to do now, not a fixed forecast. When the stakes are high, pull again after something meaningful changes rather than treating one card as the last word on their motive.

What do the Swords intend?

Swords intend truth, decision, and sometimes separation, so these cards describe motives ruled by the mind. A Swords card can mean the person wants honesty and clarity, or that they intend distance, strategy, or an ending. The rank shows how sharp or how conflicted that intention is, and whether they are ready to say it out loud.

What do the Pentacles intend?

Pentacles intend stability, security, and the long game, so these cards describe practical, grounded motives. A Pentacles card often means the person wants to build, provide, or commit for the long term. The rank shows how invested they are, from a cautious first step to a fully secured place in their future.

What do reversed cards mean for intentions?

A reversed card usually means the intention is blocked, hidden, or not yet acted on rather than the reverse of the upright meaning. Reversed Swords can mean a harsh intention softening, or honesty being withheld. Reversed Cups can mean love that is intended but not expressed. Read a reversal as a motive that is stalled or private, and weigh the surrounding cards before you trust it.

What is the difference between feelings and intentions in tarot?

Feelings are the emotion a person holds; intentions are what they mean to do about it. Someone can feel strong love yet intend to keep their distance, or feel little yet intend to pursue you for their own reasons. That gap is exactly why the two readings can differ. When a decision hangs on it, pull for both and compare.

Which cards warn of a self-serving intention?

The Devil, the Seven of Swords, the Five of Swords, and the Four of Pentacles all hint at a motive that serves them more than you. The Devil suggests control or possession, the Seven of Swords suggests secrecy, the Five of Swords suggests winning at your cost, and the Four of Pentacles suggests holding on out of fear. Read them as caution flags, not condemnations.

Can tarot show if someone has good intentions?

Yes, cards like the Lovers, the Star, the Two of Cups, the Ten of Cups, and the King of Pentacles point to honest, caring intentions. They suggest someone who wants union, healing, partnership, or steady commitment. As always, one card is a starting point, so look for a pattern across the spread before you conclude that someone means well.

I am Mira, and questioning a person's intentions is not paranoia, it is discernment, and the cards reward it. If a spread leaves you unsure whether someone means well, bring it to me on my advisor page and we will read the motive in context, or start with the free which tarot card are you quiz. Your first question is free, and you deserve the honest answer, not the flattering one.