Guides / Major Arcana
The Major Arcana Tarot Cards
The Major Arcana is made up of 22 cards that represent
important lessons, turning points, personal growth and
powerful life experiences. Together, they tell a symbolic
story often known as The Fool's Journey.
0
The Fool
Upright:
New beginnings, freedom, curiosity, adventure and
taking a leap of faith.
Reversed:
Recklessness, hesitation, poor planning or fear of
beginning something new.
The Fool represents the beginning of a journey.
It encourages openness, trust and a willingness to
step into the unknown.
I
The Magician
Upright:
Skill, confidence, action, creativity and using
available resources.
Reversed:
Manipulation, untapped ability, lack of direction
or poor use of talents.
The Magician reminds you that you may already have
the tools needed to move forward.
II
The High Priestess
Upright:
Intuition, inner wisdom, mystery and hidden
knowledge.
Reversed:
Ignoring intuition, confusion, secrecy or emotional
disconnection.
The High Priestess encourages patience and careful
listening to your inner voice.
III
The Empress
Upright:
Creativity, abundance, nurturing, comfort and
growth.
Reversed:
Creative blocks, dependence, neglecting yourself
or giving too much.
The Empress is connected with care, creation and
allowing something meaningful to grow.
IV
The Emperor
Upright:
Structure, stability, leadership, authority and
discipline.
Reversed:
Rigidity, control, stubbornness or misuse of
authority.
The Emperor suggests creating order, setting
boundaries and taking responsibility.
V
The Hierophant
Upright:
Tradition, learning, guidance, shared values and
established systems.
Reversed:
Challenging tradition, restrictive beliefs or
following your own path.
The Hierophant can represent teachers, institutions
or beliefs that shape your understanding.
VI
The Lovers
Upright:
Connection, harmony, values, attraction and
meaningful choices.
Reversed:
Disharmony, imbalance, conflict or choices that do
not match your values.
The Lovers is not only about romance. It can also
represent alignment, trust and important decisions.
VII
The Chariot
Upright:
Determination, direction, progress, confidence and
self-control.
Reversed:
Lack of direction, aggression, obstacles or losing
control.
The Chariot encourages focused action and steady
movement toward a goal.
VIII
Strength
Upright:
Courage, patience, compassion, inner strength and
calm confidence.
Reversed:
Self-doubt, insecurity, impatience or emotional
exhaustion.
Strength represents gentle courage rather than
force. It suggests handling challenges with patience
and self-control.
IX
The Hermit
Upright:
Reflection, solitude, wisdom, guidance and
introspection.
Reversed:
Isolation, loneliness, withdrawal or avoiding
self-reflection.
The Hermit suggests stepping back from outside
noise to search for clarity within.
X
Wheel of Fortune
Upright:
Change, cycles, opportunity, movement and turning
points.
Reversed:
Resistance to change, setbacks, repeated patterns
or feeling stuck.
The Wheel of Fortune reminds you that situations
change and no phase lasts forever.
XI
Justice
Upright:
Truth, fairness, accountability, balance and clear
decisions.
Reversed:
Dishonesty, unfairness, avoidance or refusing
responsibility.
Justice asks you to look honestly at actions,
consequences and the facts of a situation.
XII
The Hanged Man
Upright:
Pause, surrender, patience, release and a new
perspective.
Reversed:
Delays, resistance, indecision or feeling trapped.
The Hanged Man suggests that progress may require
stopping, letting go or seeing things differently.
XIII
Death
Upright:
Endings, transformation, release, transition and
renewal.
Reversed:
Fear of change, resistance, stagnation or holding
onto the past.
Death rarely refers to physical death. It usually
represents the ending of one phase so another can
begin.
XIV
Temperance
Upright:
Balance, patience, healing, harmony and moderation.
Reversed:
Excess, imbalance, impatience or lack of
cooperation.
Temperance encourages a calm, measured approach and
the blending of different ideas or energies.
XV
The Devil
Upright:
Attachment, temptation, unhealthy habits,
materialism and restriction.
Reversed:
Breaking free, awareness, release and reclaiming
control.
The Devil may highlight patterns, fears or
attachments that limit your freedom.
XVI
The Tower
Upright:
Sudden change, disruption, revelation and rebuilding.
Reversed:
Avoiding change, fear of disruption or delaying an
unavoidable truth.
The Tower can feel unsettling, but it often clears
away something unstable so a stronger foundation
can be built.
XVII
The Star
Upright:
Hope, renewal, healing, inspiration and trust.
Reversed:
Discouragement, doubt, lack of faith or emotional
exhaustion.
The Star brings a sense of calm after difficulty
and encourages hope for what comes next.
XVIII
The Moon
Upright:
Intuition, uncertainty, dreams, illusion and hidden
emotions.
Reversed:
Confusion lifting, truth emerging, anxiety or
emotional clarity.
The Moon suggests moving carefully when not
everything is clear and paying attention to
instinct.
XIX
The Sun
Upright:
Joy, confidence, success, clarity and vitality.
Reversed:
Delayed happiness, low confidence, unrealistic
expectations or temporary setbacks.
The Sun is associated with warmth, openness and a
clearer understanding of the path ahead.
XX
Judgement
Upright:
Awakening, reflection, renewal, accountability and
important decisions.
Reversed:
Self-doubt, avoidance, harsh judgement or refusing
to learn from the past.
Judgement encourages honest reflection and the
chance to move forward with greater awareness.
XXI
The World
Upright:
Completion, achievement, fulfilment, wholeness and
successful endings.
Reversed:
Unfinished business, delays, lack of closure or a
goal still out of reach.
The World represents the completion of a cycle and
the understanding gained through the journey.
The Fool's Journey
The Major Arcana can be viewed as a symbolic journey from
innocence and possibility in The Fool to completion and
understanding in The World. Each card represents a stage
of growth, challenge or discovery along the way.