Orbitarot

Major Arcana Tarot Cards

The 22 Major Arcana are the trump cards of the tarot, numbered from 0 (the Fool) to XXI (the World). They stand for the big themes of a life: beginnings, love, power, loss, hope and completion. When several come up in one reading, the question usually touches something larger than everyday matters.

The FoolThe MagicianThe High PriestessThe EmpressThe EmperorThe HierophantThe LoversThe ChariotStrengthThe HermitWheel of FortuneJusticeThe Hanged ManDeathTemperanceThe DevilThe TowerThe StarThe MoonThe SunJudgementThe World

The Major Arcana by the numbers

The 22 Major Arcana run from 0 (the Fool) to 21 (the World). In the Golden Dawn system behind the 1909 deck, each one has a correspondence: 3 to the elements (the Fool to air, the Hanged Man to water, Judgement to fire), 7 to the planets and 12 to the signs of the zodiac.

Upright, 13 of the 22 cards lean yes, 5 lean maybe (the High Priestess, the Hermit, Justice, the Hanged Man and Temperance) and 4 lean no (Death, the Devil, the Tower and the Moon). Reversed, none of them leans yes: 15 lean maybe and 7 lean no. Each card's reason is in the yes or no table.

One card drawn from the full deck is a Major 28.21% of the time (22 in 78). In a three-card reading, at least one Major turns up 63.56% of the time (1 minus C(56,3)/C(78,3)). When half or more of the cards in a spread are Majors, the story under your reading says the question touches a bigger chapter of your life, not a passing mood.

Looking for the Marseille names (Le Bateleur, La Papesse, La Maison Dieu)? Draw them in our free Marseille tarot reading, on the 22 majors of a deck printed in Avignon in 1713.

Quick meanings

CardUpright, in short
The Foolnew beginnings, trust, spontaneity, freedom. Yes or no: yes
The Magicianskill, willpower, focus, resourcefulness. Yes or no: yes
The High Priestessintuition, inner knowing, mystery, patience. Yes or no: maybe
The Empressabundance, nurturing, creativity, comfort. Yes or no: yes
The Emperorstructure, authority, stability, leadership. Yes or no: yes
The Hierophanttradition, guidance, shared values, learning. Yes or no: yes
The Loverslove, union, harmony, values. Yes or no: yes
The Chariotdetermination, willpower, victory, momentum. Yes or no: yes
Strengthcourage, gentle power, patience, compassion. Yes or no: yes
The Hermitsolitude, reflection, inner guidance, wisdom. Yes or no: maybe
Wheel of Fortunechange, cycles, turning points, luck. Yes or no: yes
Justicefairness, truth, balance, accountability. Yes or no: maybe
The Hanged Mansurrender, pause, new perspective, letting go. Yes or no: maybe
Deathendings, transformation, transition, release. Yes or no: no
Temperancebalance, moderation, patience, blending. Yes or no: maybe
The Devilattachment, temptation, unhealthy patterns, materialism. Yes or no: no
The Towersudden change, upheaval, revelation, collapse of illusions. Yes or no: no
The Starhope, renewal, peace, inspiration. Yes or no: yes
The Moonuncertainty, illusion, intuition, anxiety. Yes or no: no
The Sunjoy, success, warmth, confidence. Yes or no: yes
Judgementawakening, reckoning, a calling, renewal. Yes or no: yes
The Worldcompletion, fulfillment, wholeness, achievement. Yes or no: yes

Questions

Which cards open and close the Major Arcana?

The Fool (0) and The World (21). New beginnings, trust, spontaneity. Completion, fulfillment, wholeness.

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