Ten in the Tarot Cards - Establishment of Extremes

The number Ten in the Tarot takes the energies of the previous number to the extreme and simply establishes into the material world. While the journey of the evolution of the numbers has culminated in the Nine, the number Ten is where we see those energies going one step further. The energy of this number is often connected with the number One and Zero. We see the number Ten show up prominently in each of the four suits of the Minor Arcana. Let’s see how the number Ten shows up in the Tarot Cards.

In Numerology, the number Ten is typically reduced to the Number One, or seen as a combination of the energies of the number One and Zero. However, thanks to the presence of the number Ten cards in the Tarot, we can also look at the energy of the number Ten for itself, as a number that continues the story of the numbers that came before it.

As a combination of One and Zero, it is a representation of the endless possibilities of the singular force of creation. We have already examined that when we looked at the number One in the Tarot Cards.

However, as a continuation of the stories of the numbers that came before it, the number Ten establishes the culmination and accomplishment of the Nine into the material world – thus taking it to the extremes. Thus, it also becomes a point from where the new journey or a new cycle of the numbers can begin. This is why the number Nine is often depicted as a circle.

The Meanings of the Number Ten

Ten takes the energies of the Nine to the extreme – it pushes the culmination and the accomplishment into the material world. All the unexpressed possibilities of the Zero pair up with the creative force of the One, and manifest into the material world, and establishes itself into reality.

All the Four Suits in the Tarot contain Ten pip cards. We follow the decimal system in our calculations – a system based around the number Ten.

Ten not only establishes the energy of the suit into the material world, but it also pushes it to the extreme, and re-starts the creative process. It is return to the starting point after having reached the ending point. This is a cyclical process that contains both: the ascent and the descent.

In Kabbala, the number Ten corresponds to the Sephira of Malkuth, which represents the Earthly manifestation of Divine Energies. All the energies have moved through different phases and stages to manifest themselves into the material world, becoming real and tangible. The energy moves from the nothingness of Zero, to the singular focused energy of One, to the connection and comparison of the Two, to the creative energies of Three, to the stable structure of Four, to the disruption of Five, to the harmonization of Six, to testing it’s limits in Seven, to to transforming in Eight, to the culmination in Nine, to finally going to the extreme and manifesting itself in the Ten.

The Number Ten in the Tarot Cards

Let’s look at the Tarot Cards where the number Ten shows up, both directly and indirectly as a sum of the digits on that card.

The Number Ten in the Major Arcana

Here are the Major Arcana cards associated with the number Ten.

10: Wheel of Fortune
19 - The Sun (Rider-Waite-Smith)

In the Wheel of Fortune card, we see the cyclical representation of how the alchemical elements and the consequences of actions all keep going round and round, generating what we call “Luck”. Here we can clearly see how the cyclical energies of the number Ten play out on a macro and micro level in our lives. Our good luck is a result of our good deeds, and our bad deeds cause our bad luck. Everything flows cyclically into each other – seeds of the downfall are sown in the upward movement of the wheel, and the downward movement carries with it the energy for the upswing.

In The Sun card, we see how the Divine Fool has transformed into the Divine Child. Or you could say that his inner child has finally manifested in the real world. Either way, we see how the beginning causes the end, and the end transitions into the beginning. The Fool’s journey towards enlightenment is all about moving from a place of not knowing anything to moving to a place of knowing everything (World), and then blending that knowledge into one – the knowing and the not knowing become one. It is almost as if the possession of this knowledge brings The Fool to a state of pure innocence depicted in the form of this playful child.

The Number Ten in the Minor Arcana

Let’s see what the Minor Arcana cards associated with the number Ten tell us about the energy of the number Ten showing up in the regular world.

10 of Wands
10 of Cups
10 of Swords
10 of Pentacles

In the 10 of Wands, the journey of passion and desire for accomplishing what one wants has been taken to the extreme! Now that passion has piled up and become an all-consuming burden. In the 10 of Cups though, the emotional contentment of one person has spilled over to his entire family. All of them now share the blissful connection that has been created and built and manifested into reality. The story takes a sharp turn in the 10 of Swords though, where all the negative thoughts have stabbed the young man in his back – betraying him and hurting him and causing him unimaginable pain. Although he finds a sign of hope and blessing in the dawn on the horizon, he still needs to bear and go through this peak of pain before he can move past it. And finally, in the 10 of Pentacles, the manifestation of earthly benefits and joys has really proved to be a blessing – enough to create a legacy to leave behind to one’s descendants. Here we see three generations of the family enjoying the advantages that such earthly manifestation can bring about.

We can truly see how the extremes are established in the Minor Arcana. This energy of the number Ten in the Tarot Cards is beautifully expressed in these cards. The journey of each of the four suits had more or less found a culmination in the Nines of the Suit – but the Tens had to take it one step further. They had to somehow bring it into it’s most extreme form of expression.

The Nines To The Tens To the Aces

9 of Wands
10 of Wands
Ace of Wands

The defensiveness of the 9 of Wands transforms into the extreme burdens of the 10 of Wands that ultimately cause the powerful surge of passion of the Ace of Wands.

9 of Cups
10 of Cups
Ace of Cups

The contentment of the 9 of Cups spills over to the family in the 10 of Cups that leads to the overflowing emotions in the Ace of Cups.

9 of Swords
10 of Swords
Ace of Swords

The nightmares and anxieties of the 9 of Swords become the unbearable pain and suffering in the 10 of Swords which cause to bring forth the clarity and truth of the Ace of Swords.

9 of Pentacles
10 of Pentacles
Ace of Pentacles

Finally, the manifestation of luxury and riches of the 9 of Pentacles become a legacy for the next generations in the 10 of Pentacles that then turn into the gift of material benefits that shows up in the Ace of Pentacles.

At each of these points, the next step in the energy of the suit leads to the pure surge of energy represented in the Ace. The endings have become the beginnings, and these beginnings will eventually come to the endings. This cycle will thus continue endlessly, each stage causing and culminating into one another.

The Number Ten in the Tarot: Summary

Putting it all together, here’s the summary of the energy of the number Ten in the Tarot Cards:

The Wheel of Fortune: Cycles of Life, Beginnings Cause Endings, Endings Cause Beginnings
The Sun: Inner Child, Transformation
10 of Wands: Burdens
10 of Cups: Family Happiness
10 of Swords: Unbearable Pain, Suffering
10 of Pentacles: Legacy of Material Riches

Ten has taken the energy of Nine and finally stretched it out the most it can go, bringing the energy to a point of extreme and ultimately to a place where the cycle can start again.

Your Turn

What are your thoughts about the number Ten in the Tarot Cards? What were your thoughts as you saw the images of the Tarot Cards having the number Ten on them? Do share your thoughts in the comments section below!