Quick Guide to the Marjor Arcana - Tarot
Tarot decks are comprised of 78 cards, divided into a Major Arcana (22 cards) and a Minor Arcana (56 cards). The Major Arcana cards represent significant life events on a large scale, or they can stand for literal people in your life -- sometimes you'll draw a card that even resembles the person in question!
In general, Major Arcana cards impart messages of greater weight than the Minor Arcana cards, so it is a good start to learn the meaning of these cards first. If a reading turns up many Major Arcana cards, this is a good indicator you are going through a dramatic period in your life.
Each Major Arcana card is numbered, following a sequence of archetypal life stages from the beginning (the innocent and eager Fool) to the end (The World, a card of completion). The cards depict universal characters and situations, moving through the ups and downs of life, and they take on different meanings depending on what type of question you ask, where they turn up in your spread and whether they display right-side-up or reversed.
As you learn more about Tarot, you'll want to explore the deeper hidden messages within the symbolism of every card and how to work with reversals in your spread.
Fool - Upright: Beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, a free spirit Reversed: Naivety, foolishness, recklessness, risk-taking
Magician - Upright: Power, skill, concentration, action, resourcefulness Reversed:Manipulation, poor planning, latent talents
High Priestess - Upright: Intuition, Higher powers, mystery, subconscious mind Reversed: Hidden agendas, need to listen to inner voice
Empress- Upright: Fertility, femininity, beauty, nature, abundance Reversed: Creative block, dependence on others
Emperor - Upright: Authority, father-figure, structure, solid foundation Reversed:Domination, excessive control, rigidity, inflexibility
Heirophant - Upright: Religion, group identification, conformity, tradition, beliefs Reversed: Restriction, challenging the status quo
Lovers - Upright: Love, union, relationships, values alignment, choices Reversed: Disharmony, imbalance, misalignment of values
Chariot - Upright: Control, will power, victory, assertion, determination Reversed: Lack of control and direction, aggression
Strength - Upright: Strength, courage, patience, control, compassion Reversed:Weakness, self-doubt, lack of self-discipline
Hermit - Upright: Soul-searching, introspection, being alone, inner guidance eversed: Isolation, loneliness, withdrawal
Wheel of fortune - Upright: Good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, a turning point Reversed: Bad luck, negative external forces, out of control
Justice - Upright: Justice, fairness, truth, cause and effect, law Reversed:Unfairness, lack of accountability, dishonesty
Hanged Man - Upright: Suspension, restriction, letting go, sacrifice Reversed:Martyrdom, indecision, delay
Death - Upright: Endings, beginnings, change, transformation, transition Reversed: Resistance to change, un
able to move on
Temperance - Upright: Balance, moderation, patience, purpose, meaning Reversed: Imbalance, excess, lack of long-term vision
Devil - Upright: Bondage, addiction, sexuality, materialism Reversed:Detachment, breaking free, power reclaimed
Tower - Upright: Disaster, upheaval, sudden change, revelation Reversed: Avoidance of disaster, fear of change
Star - Upright: Hope, spirituality, renewal, inspiration, serenity Reversed: Lack of faith, despair, discouragement
Moon - Upright: Illusion, fear, anxiety, insecurity, subconscious Reversed:Release of fear, unhappiness, confusion
Sun - Upright: Fun, warmth, success, positivity, vitality Reversed:Temporary depression, lack of success
Judgement - Upright: Judgement, rebirth, inner calling, absolution Reversed: Self-doubt, refusal of self-examination
World - Upright: Completion, integration, accomplishment, travel Reversed:Lack of completion, lack of closeness