Major Arcana
The Major Arcana (or 'Trumps') are the cards that everyone always sees in movies, and people tend to fixate on the 'freak out' cards among them - i.e. Death, The Tower, The Devil. (There's a line in the book "Good Omens" where woman who does seances and tells fortune says she'd taken most of the Major Arcana out of her deck of tarot cards becasue they tended to frighten people. Hah.) But, the freak-out cards don't necessarily mean what one might think. The Death card, for example, is about transition and old habits falling away, not the death of an actual person.
 |
 |
 | ||
|
The Fool -
Beginning, spontanaeity, faith, apparent folly, childlike enthusiasm, awakening
perception |
The Magician - Conscious awareness, concentration, action,
power, commitment, achievement |
The High Priestess - Unconscious awareness, potential, mystery,
intuition, the inner self, wise counsel | ||
 |
 |
 | ||
| The Empress - Abundance, motherhood, senses, nature, ideals, loving care, fertility | The Emperor - Structure, authority, religion, fatherhood, regulation, confidence, leadership | The Hierophant - Education, belief systems, conformity, group identification,
tradition, approval |
||
 |
 |
 | ||
| The Lovers - Relationships, personal beliefs, values, emotional life, choices | The Chariot - Self-assertion, dominance, victory, will, control, triumph | Strength - Patience, courage, bravery, self-control, compassion, personal power, fortitude | ||
 |
 |
 | ||
| The Hermit - Introspection, searching, guidance, solitude, discovering hidden meaning, seeking light | The Wheel of Fortune - Destiny, turning point, movement, personal vision, taking a chance, new cycle | Justice - Decision, cause and effect, responsibility, truth, fairness,
righting of a wrong |
||
 |
 |
 |
||
| The Hanged Man - Reversal, suspension, sacrifice, change in perspective, flexibility, limbo | Death - Transition, ending, breakdown leading to transformation, release, letting go | Temperance - Balance, health, combination, harmony, moderation, compromise, self-control | ||
 |
 |
 |
||
| The Devil - Bondage, materialism, hopelessness, illusion, anger, resentment | The Tower - Sudden change, calamity, revelation, downfall, re-evaluation, shock | The Star - Hope, inspiration, serenity, release, optimisn, insight into
the future |
||
 |
 |
|||
| The Moon - Illusion, fear, dreams, a tough path, the unforseen | The Sun - Enlightenment, vitality, assurance, happy ending, new beginning,
joy |
|||
 |
 |
|||
| Judgement - Rebirth, inner calling, absolution, awakening, change in perspective | The World - Integration, accomplishment, fulfilment, sense of well-being,
liberation, success |