Major Arcana
The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards, starting with the Fool (0) and ending with the World, (21). Each card depicts a scene, mostly featuring a person or several people, with many symbolic elements present.
The Major Arcana are usually regarded as relating to matters of higher purpose or deep significance, as opposed to the Minor Arcana which relate to the everyday world and matters of immediate significance.
The Fool – The first of the Major Arcana cards and represents the spirit in search of experience. This card is usually interpreted as the protagonist of a story, and the Major Arcana is the path the Fool takes through the great mysteries of life. He sets off with no pre-concieved ideas, and no thought to the risks ahead.
The Magician – The Fool learns to focus his creative energy. Tools can be used to manifest his desires and The Magician signifies the master of special knowledge.
The High Priestess – With something missing from the Magician’s ability to manipulate the material world around him. The next step on the journey brings the Fool into contact with The High Priestess, representing the hidden, spiritual aspects of the Universe.
The Empress -This card represents fertility and creativity. Waite refers to her as “the fruitful mother of thousands”.
The Emperor - Where the Empress represents the nurturing, feeling aspects of the feminine personality, the Emperor represents the more masculine aspects such as power, authority, reasoning and control.
The Hierophant – In the next step on his journey, the Fool learns about values and morals. Also referred to as the ‘Pope’, this card symbolizes all things that are right and sacred and is the transmitter of ancient wisdom.
The Lovers – prepare the Fool to learn about duality, friendships and unions with significant others. In it’s simplest meanings, the Lovers represent human love as a way of moving towards truth in our lives.
The Chariot - Moving on his journey, the Fool must learn to balance opposing forces to steer his course. The Chariot represents the battle between these forces and the importance of choosing the right path.
Strength - Having gone through all his previous experiences and battles, the Fool is now able to develop inner confidence and belief in himself.
The Hermit represents what the Fool can attain. It advises us to meditate and reflect where we are so that we can more easily move towards what we are capable of being.
The Wheel of Fortune teaches the Fool that life is cyclical, full of ups and downs. It represents the forces beyond our control and also that of Karma – what goes around comes around.
Justice - this card recognises the need for fairness and reinforces the lessons of Karma learned in the previous card. Justice teaches the Fool that there are consequences to any actions he undertakes.
The Hanged Man -signifies the need to let go and seek perspectives of a higher nature. It is overall a card related to life, exhorting us towards spiritual enlightenment.
Death - while many consider the 13th Trump card Death, to be a negative card, this is not so. This card signifies the Fool accepting the need to let go of his past so that he can complete his transition to a higher state. This card represents the natural progression from the Old to the New.
Temperance - Having confronted Death, the Fool emerges with a new and more balanced perspective. This card combines the psychic and material aspects of our natures, suggesting that a compromise is required.
The Devil – Serves to remind the Fool that he is not immume to his own personal demons. It represents the various chains that bind us, (such as ignorance, obsessions, materialism), and hinder our moving forward.
The Tower – Once again the Fool is reminded that change can strike without warning. While some percieve this card as pertaining to something negative, it is worth remembering that this card follows on from the Devil and as such represents the destruction of the chains that bind the Fool and prevent his development. Such destruction is never easy, but is often necessary.
The Star – Following the disruption caused by The Tower, the Star offers hope and promises that what you are seeking is within reach.
The Moon – Here the Fool learns to deal with deceipt and illusions, usually of his own making. This card warns us to beware of self deception and to look at what lies beneath the surface.
The Sun – Things that were not clearly visible by moonlight now become much clearer. The Sun recognises that conscious planning and effort lead to success.
Judgement - Registers the accomplishment of a developmental milestone. The Fool is now able to see and evaluate things clearly in light of all he has learned on his journey. This card symbolizes resurrection of the psyche.
The World – The final card in the Major Arcana is the World. Representing the completion of the Fool’s journey, it signifies accomplishment and fulfillment, the achievement of ‘wholeness‘. Having reached the end of one cycle of life the World prepares us for the beginning of a new cycle.
