What Is the Major Arcana in Tarot?
The Tarot deck consist of two parts: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards starring from 0 (The Fool) to 21 (The World). These cards represent the phases of life in the journey of a soul. Unlike the Minor Arcana, which reflects daily events and emotional states, the Major Arcana dives into soul-level experiences, pointing key phases in our life’s journey.
How the Major Arcana Matters in a Tarot Reading
When a Major Arcana card appears in a your reading, it is a sign of you entering a going through an important phase in your life. It serves as message that might reflect a situation of crossroads, a guidance from the universe, or a lesson you’re about to learn. A reading dominated by these cards suggests that you’re going through or about to enter a significant spiritual chapter.
Whether you’re question is about love, career, or purpose, Major Arcana cards suggests that the forces of universe are already acting in that direction.
The Fool’s Journey: A Story Told Through the Major Arcana
The 22 Major Arcana tarot cards together weave the story of personal growth. This journey is known as The Fool’s Journey - a metaphor for the soul’s evolution.
The Beginning: The Innocence of the Fool (Card 0)
The Fool symbolizes a leap of faith. It’s the soul at the start of its journey, curious, unafraid, and open to life’s adventures.
The Growth: Lessons Through Archetypes (Cards I–XX)
From the Magician’s willpower to the Tower’s chaos and the Star’s healing, Major Arcana shows us the full spectrum of human experience, each card adding lessons and meaning to the Fool’s growth.
The Completion: Awakening with The World (Card XXI)
By the time the Fool reaches The World, they’ve come full circle - wiser, whole, and spiritually evolved.
These cards can reflect your current situation. Connect with their wisdom through our interactive Free Tarot Reading.
Major Arcana Tarot Card Meanings: Upright and Reversed
Below is a simplified table of Major Arcana cards with both upright and reversed meanings. These interpretations can serve as quick references or gateways into understanding the Major Arcana more deeply.
Learning the meanings is just the first step - experience them in action with our personalized Tarot card readings
How to Interpret the Major Arcana Cards in a Reading
When interpreting Major Arcana cards:
- Focus on the question asked and the position of the card revealed from the spread.
- Observe the themes: Is there a cluster of cards pointing to endings? New beginnings?
- Understand by deeper meaning by interpreting their combination with the Minor Arcana cards to see how the lesson plays out in day-to-day life
Major Arcana in Love, Career & Spiritual Readings
Love & Relationships
When The Lovers shows up, it’s rarely just about romance - it can speak to choices, commitment, and the values you’re willing to stand by. The Devil, on the other hand, might nudge you to notice unhealthy attachments, while The Empress wraps the whole experience in a sense of warmth and emotional abundance.
Career & Ambitions
Spot The Chariot in a career spread and you’ll know it’s time to push forward, even if the road’s a bit bumpy. The Emperor brings a “step up and lead” energy, while The Magician often hints that you’ve got more tools and talent at your disposal than you’re currently using.
Spiritual Growth
The Hermit can be that quiet reminder to pause and listen inward. Death tends to mark a period of profound transformation - endings that open new paths. And when The Star or Judgement appears, it’s often a sign that you’re reconnecting with a bigger sense of purpose, maybe even finding a little light after a heavy chapter.
Common Major Arcana Tarot Card Combinations
Understanding combinations adds nuance:
- The Lovers + The Devil - Passion vs toxicity
- The Tower + The Star - Breakdown followed by healing
- Justice + Judgement - Karmic consequences, big life reviews
Final Thoughts on the Major Arcana Tarot Cards
The 22 Major Arcana cards are not just pretty pictures. They carry the big stuff - life’s bigger lessons, those moments you still think about years later. Each one is its own character, a kind of guide you meet along the way. Sometimes they show up by themselves. Sometimes they tag along with the Minor Arcana. Either way, they tend to turn up when something important is happening in life.
Learn what each card means, the stories and symbols it hides, and suddenly your readings feel clearer. Ready to see which archetypes are shaping your journey? Explore our Tarot card readings to get personalized insights today.
Want to explore how the Major Arcana cards connect with the Minor Arcana? Check out our complete Minor Arcana Tarot Meanings Guide!
