Most tarot readers will look at reversed (upside-down) cards to see negative traits. And that’s fine, of course. I don’t use reversals; instead, I view the card on a scale, from most negative to most positive. I base my interpretation on the situation, position in the spread, surrounding cards, and my own gut feeling or intuition.

So why are we fascinated by certain personality disorders? We lap up novels, dramas, and movies that track the rise and downfall of psychopaths, controllers, and narcissists. In real life, some people discover the wonderful, attentive person they have fallen in love with, has a much darker personality and spend years trying to get away. And thereafter, healing, from the effects of a toxic relationship.

I have deduced after 20+ years of tarot reading, there are four cards in which lurk a ‘dark tetrad’ of personality disorders. Look out for these red flags in your readings.

• Fool – Narcisist
• Magician – Machiavellian
• Emperor – Sadist
• Chariot – Sociopath

Note: personality disorders manifest in anyone of any gender. However, studies have shown these tendencies appear more openly in males than females. Hence I have used ‘he’ when referring to the figures in the cards. 

The Narcissistic Fool

The Fool is the unnumbered traveller of the tarot. It is the Fool’s journey that teaches lessons through encountering the forces of nature and human growth as expressed in the other 21 Major Arcana. We all like the irrepressible Fool, who starts his or her trip through life with their head in the clouds, trusting all, struggling to learn and become. The Fool represents all of us.

However, there is an aspect to this card that many fail to see or understand. The Fool is a narcissist. Although he has been compared to the unschooled human infant, it is obvious he is an adult.

• His sense of self-importance is undeniable
• Dresses in ‘look at me’ clothing
• Is a fantasist
• Ignores the little dog at his feet, thus demonstrating a lack of empathy
• Craves attention
• Entranced by his own beauty to the point he does not notice his surroundings
• Believes he will always be loved and taken care of
• Unaware of his own shortcomings
• Exploits others to get what he desires… until his meetings with the powerful Arcana re-educate him.

The Fool lives in his own world with total disregard of others. He proudly proclaims he ‘lives in the moment’ and ‘follows his bliss’… and to hell with all you lesser mortals. Often in his interaction with others, he will subtly undermine by teasing, ridiculing, and giving backhanded compliments. His tendency to induce shame in you is to boost his own sense of superiority.

When the Fool appears in your tarot reading, ask if he is trying to tell you something important about yourself or maybe someone close to you. In a love reading, he could be an innocent, or he might be completely indifferent.

The Machiavellian Magician

The Magician (numbered 1 in the tarot, and for good reason), is the model of self-empowerment. He’s a performer. He tells you that you can achieve anything you want to if you reach within for your power. The energy of the universe is at your command. All well and good. Yet his dark side is always present; a shadow personality disorder perfectly demonstrated.

Even the Magician’s positive aspects include ‘cunning and trickery’.

The Magician is Machiavellian. A master manipulator. He has worked out how best to use you and you may never realize it. “Get your super-power here!” He might as well say, “Let me stroke your ego so you will do anything I suggest.” Think Tony Robbins who frequently quotes and references Machiavelli.

“…he who seeks to deceive will always find someone who will allow himself to be deceived.”

― Machiavelli Niccolo, The Prince 

• Calculating, considered, conniving
• Tells you what you want to hear
• Flattery gets him everywhere
• Charming and attractive
• Masks his ambitions with false self-deprecation
• Hides the real reasons for his actions
• Able to hide his true personality
• Emotional detachment
• Uses treachery and deceit to achieve his aims
• Smoke and mirrors are essential tools
• Drops people when they are no longer of use
• Has delusions of grandeur; is likely to be a social climber.

The Machiavellian Magician understands at a young age how to manipulate people close to him. His relatives think he’s cute. The only people who can see through him are usually his siblings. Later he studies the words of master manipulators and has great success putting what he has learned into practice. He quickly learns to assume guile and an innocent facade. He is quite capable of switching to the victim when circumstances turn against him.

“It’s all about the ends justifying the means; especially when those ends benefit me.”

When the Magician turns up in a reading, remember to give consideration to the possibility of a Machiavellian personality in the seeker’s life, or even that the seeker themselves are hiding such traits.

The Sadistic Emperor

The Emperor represents the father figure of the tarot. Also structure, society, order, and societal law. Everything that is necessary for a well-functioning civilization. His dark side, however, is something to behold.

This isn’t necessarily sexual sadism, that’s another thing, although it may well be connected to a sadistic personality. No, this is a more everyday personality disorder. You’ve all read, or even experienced, it.

The ‘ordinary’ sadist is usually in a position of power. Even if only within his own family. He has at least one person under his control. There may be physical violence; there is always abuse of one kind or another.

Traits of the sadistic Emperor:

• Authoritarian in the extreme
• Enjoys the suffering of others
• In childhood (and maybe adulthood), was the one who inflicted cruelty on animals and insects
• Was very often treated badly when a child
• Would be willing to explore sexual sadism
• Finds the idea (or reality) of hurting someone exciting
• The humiliation of others is seen as a sport
• Sets impossibly high targets for others, such as his wife and children
• Metes out regular punishments
• Unpredictable responses, sometimes violent
• Gives high-value gifts then takes them away/destroys them in order to hurt the recipient
• Makes promises with no intention of fulfilling them.

If you are living with a sadistic Emperor type, you might notice that their mood improves after they have inflicted punishment or cruelty. In fact they may become quite jolly, leaving you confused and feeling gaslighted.

When the Emperor shows up, check the cards next to it. They may well offer some clarity on who you are dealing with here. Pay attention to a Three of Swords/Emperor combination. If The Emperor is paired with the Magician, there could be a suggestion of an extreme personality disorder. As always, feel your way carefully.

The Sociopath Chariot (Driver)

People get confused about the Chariot; the traditional meaning is quite close to that of the Magician; willpower, control, power, effort, direction. The difference is the Magician is aiming to impress; he’s the spark of inspiration which ignites potential. The Chariot has evolved from that and is now marshaling his forces toward one goal. He still needs those driving characteristics, but they now have a specific purpose.

Yet, the forces that encourage us to move forward to victory, can get out of control. What happens when ambition is thwarted over and over? Behaviors that vary wildly from the norm and encompass many of the traits listed above, are described as ‘sociopathic’. The driver is no longer in charge of his own energy and instead, allows it to fluctuate and determine his mental state and behavior.

The Chariot is very likely to be a ‘high-functioning sociopath’. It’s easy for them to hide their true nature as they recognize some of their thoughts and actions are not socially acceptable.

“ASPD (anti-social personality disorder) isn’t common. Between 1 to 4 percent of the population is estimated to have this disorder, with males 3 to 5 times more likely to be diagnosed than females.”

Psychologists point to an unstable and/or abusive childhood as one of the possible root causes.

• Highly intelligent
• No feeling for others (lack of empathy)
• Calculating and cold but driven by emotion
• Hides their own thoughts and feelings
• Can display the charm of a psychopath
• Takes offense easily and may have temper tantrums, sometimes violent
• Tendency to addiction
• Manipulating
• Lies and deceives
• Lacks remorse
• Aggressive and reckless.

When the Chariot appears in a reading, see if there are Court cards nearby, and try to ascertain if the combination triggers a negative response within you. Query the seeker to find out if there is someone in their life who is behaving in an uncontrolled, disconnected manner.

Of course, none of these cards indicates with certainty that a ‘dark personality’ disorder is present, but it’s worth considering as a possibility. If you are reading for someone else, be very sure of your interpretation before suggesting they are living with, or dating, a narcissist, Machiavellian, sadist, or sociopath.

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