MAJOR ARCANA
There are 22 cards in the Major Arcana, starting with 0 and going to 21. The Major Arcana cards represent the archetypes or primary foundational influences in our lives.
The Major Arcana tells the story of the Fool as he travels down the path of enlightenment. Each card in the Major Arcana represents a major influence in life, a major archetype of foundation, and an aspect of the self one must recognize and learn to reach enlightenment.
We have included a link to a version of the Fool’s journey at the bottom of this page, below the keyword descriptions for the Major Arcana cards. Feel free to reference it and adjust it how you see fit for your copy to the Tarot Guidebook Journal.
There are 22 cards in the Major Arcana that depict the major archetypes of human nature.
The included keywords for each Major Arcana card are here to get you started learning the Tarot card meanings.
0 – FOOL
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| New beginnings, new adventures, new paths, infancy stage, journey Optimism, fresh hope, pure potential, innocence A good time to proceed, a time to take a leap of faith, a time to trust in the universe | Not having hope, lack of optimism blocking potential Assuming you now the answers Being unable to take the leap of faith need to begin |
1 – MAGICIAN
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Action – conscious mind being activated, Spiritual & Earthly connnections Manifestation, alchemy, resourcefulness Focused creativity, inspired action Having the tools, knowledge & potential to create | Not meeting potential, unused skills, lack of motivation Exploring ideas, but not taking action yet Manifesting for greet, manipulation or trickery |
2 – HIGH PRIESTESS
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Passivity – subconscious mind, seeking inner truth Intuition, third eye insight, dreams, powerful visions, psychic insight Inner truth/wisdom, Spiritual enlightenment, encourages trusting in yourself | Keeping secrets, hidden agendas, gossip or mistruths Fear of intuitive abilities, loss of true self May reveal there is hidden information around you, take care who you confide in A turn away from your inner wisdom |
3 – EMPRESS
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Nurturing, maternal influence, love, compassion, emotion Creative, content, connected Feminine energy, fertility, abundance, harvest Approaching situations with feelings over logic | Retreat from feelings, rejecting emotions, suppressing desires, not committing to self-care Stubborn refusal to examine facts, giving in to wants Emotional overwhelm, infertility |
4 – EMPEROR
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Structure, stability, power, authority, strategic, analytical Old & wise, strong & stubborn, order created from well established boundaries Taking firm & deliberate action, a developed personal sense of morals Masculine | Being too rigid to succeed, being defensive, being overly aggressive when confronted Inability to make decisions, perhaps an emotional immaturity holding you back Corruptions, abuse of power, unchecked authority, an over-desire for control |
5 – HIEROPHANT
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Ritual, tradition, conventional expectations, formal education Adhering to the rules, societies expectations A teacher, mentor, religious leader, coach or spiritual guide | Unorthodox, rebelling against societal norms Stagnant or outdated way sof thinking Ego-based leadership, immoral actions of those in power A need to connect with Spirit |
6 – LOVERS
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Choice, moral independence Love, unity, attraction, relationships, friendships, soul connections Choosing the strength of two over one, compromise Healthy boundaries, lasting bonds, desire, intimacy | Emotional immaturity, romantic immaturity, weakness of desires Block or imbalance in relationship communication Loss of the self, too much co-dependency, giving away too much of your power Having to many expectaions |
7 – CHARIOT
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Success, forward motion, victory Confidence, strong character, integrity, mental willpower directing passions Earned success through dedication & personal achievement A good time to take inspired action | Unsuccessful willpower, lack of control, lack of self-discipline Going in the wrong direction, lack of energetic focus A tendency to speed past things that need attention or the needs of others |
8 – STRENGTH
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Courage, calmness, quiet strength, being strong from within Compassion, bravery, graceful leadership The ability to face life with hope & eagerness | Courage fails, weakness Overwhelmed with pessimistic thoughts Blocked by fear, indecision, self-doubt A need to exercise self control |
9 – HERMIT
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Inner reflection, self-development, soul searching Solitude, introspection, meditation, contemplation Possibly a teacher or mentor, showing you the process to find your way Finding inner guide within | Withdrawing due to isolation, loneliness, fear, paranoia A refusal to listen to advice, causing withdrawal & avoidance, forever seeking without healing Feeling like a misfit |
10 – WHEEL
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Cycles, changes, a turning point, a shift in influencing energy Fate, karma, what goes around comes around Symbol of gambling, luck, good fortune A good time to take a chance, a positive sign for presenting opportunities | Bad karma, misfortune, coming hardships, unexpected setbacks, the inevitability of hard change Struggle against the natural cycle of events, trying to control the way things unfold Encourages faith & optimism that good times will come again |
11 – JUSTICE
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Honesty, balance, fairness, accountability, truth, integrity, objectivity Cause & effect, you reap what you sow Fining truth, being thorough, seeing the truth about the past Balance between understanding & action, seeing clearly | Retribution, dishonesty, injustice, inequality, imbalance, unfair actions, unjust perceptions Being unwilling to see your role in events, unwilling to accept consequences A need to take responsibility for actions made, being accountable for current situation |
12 – HANGED MAN
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Reflection, calm understanding, letting go, inner shifts Change in perspective, a change within, new wisdom found, re-aligning the heart & purpose Surrendering to the will of the universe, an intentional pause, | Inability to let go, stuck on societal expectations, living an unauthentic life Stagnation, stubbornness, holding on to something that isn’t meant for you, self sabotage Being a martyr |
13 – DEATH
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| A rebirth, a death of one aspect so that another can be reborn End of a cycle, creating new habits, transformation, transition An initiation process, newfound awareness, new beliefs | Battle to avoid change, fear of the end of the cycle, clinging to comfort of old energy Stuck in old habits, sticking to sentimental attachments End of hope, forces of destruction, mortality, mourning loss |
14 – TEMPERANCE
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Moderation, balance, taking the middle ground Alchemy, blending energies, mixing patience with purpose, harmony Grounded & practical nature to actions, masculine & feminine energies, duality | Going to extremes, lack of control, lack of moderation, wild aspect to actions, impatience Failure in letting go of old habits, clashing interests, disharmony, polarity |
15 – DEVIL
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Temptation, addiction, self-bondage, being a slave to vices & desires Greed, envy, obsession, manipulation, shame Being trapped by your stories, being unable to move past your history | A move towards liberation, freedom from addiction, breaking the chains of bondage, release Realizing how you have given your power away, realizing the terms of your slavery to your vices |
16 – TOWER
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Sudden change, upheaval, unavoidable eruption of past events in chaos Destruction of long held beliefs, a sudden shift in perspective, a jarring flash of enlightenment Natural change, the universe removes energy that no longer serves you | Refusal to change, fear of the unknown, denial of the facts – all culminates in imprisonment to the circumstances Unable to allow release, unable to accept change, unable to be liberated The painful experience continues until the lesson is learned |
17 – STAR
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Renewal, healing after trauma, inner calm, clarity, Wishes granted, expectations fulfilled, opportunities arise Time of personal growth, hope, appreciating blessings Passive stage, unconscious activated | Closed off, stuck in trauma response, anxiety, fear, weakness, masking insecurities Loss of faith, diminished hope, disappointed with missed opportunities A need to focus on the blessings you do have & trust you are on the right path |
18 – MOON
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Intuition, powerful subconscious, trusting your intuition Can show unseen truths, hidden problems, situations may not seem as they appear, illusions Mystery, dreams, perception, depths of the mind, facing deep fears | Disturbed emotions, fears, mental confusion, anxiety, misinterpretation, struggles with reality Difficulty separating illusions & dreams from reality, being unable to process intuition, block in spiritual connection A need to trust in the depths of your intuition |
19 – SUN
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Joy, freedom, optimism, lucid awareness, intense creativity, manifesting life Active & energized state, inspired energy, set free by the abundance found within, confident direction in life A sign pointing to yes, life is yours to manifest | Delays in joy, negative mindset, self-doubt, lacking confidence, unable to recognize happiness Relapse in lucidity, clouded perception A need to recognize the small joys in life, a need to find inspiration |
20 – JUDGEMENT
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| The call, self-realization & understanding, spiritual enlightenment, redemption A new consciousness, a new reality, an internal truth beyond our current knowledge Knowing your heart & actions to be true to your highest self | Self doubt, inner criticism, denying the higher self, allowing excuses to dominate the situation Person doesn’t know how to answer the call, does not have the means to answer the call A need to let go of shadow aspects of self, stop hiding & emerge into who you truly are |
21 – WORLD
| UPRIGHT | REVERSED |
|---|---|
| Wholeness, completion, success, achievement, satisfaction, accomplishment, joy, deep content Encourages wrapping up your journey, bringing it to closure, & reflecting on the journey just finished Unification of the inner self & outer actions, new levels of consciousness reached, ascension, enlightenment | Stagnation, moving backwards, progress halted, no progress happening Taking shortcuts, not following through, not dedicating focus until the end A need to realize the potential is always there when you are ready to fulfill your dreams, it is within you |
The Story of the Fool’s Journey
Learning the journey of the Fool deeply helped our understanding of the Major Arcana and the associated foundational archetypes. Hearing the base of each card applied in a story like timeline helped the meanings, and more importantly, that deeper understanding of the Major Arcana click into place. For this reason, we have included a two page spread for you to be able to write in your preferred version of the Fool’s journey, in your own words. After all, each of our Tarot journeys are different, and therefore the way we personally relate to the Fool’s journey through the archetypes is different. If you need a little inspiration, we have included a version via the button link below. Feel free to alter it how you see fit for your copy of the Tarot Guidebook Journal.
Tarot Guidebook Journal 