The Major Arcana are 22 symbolic cards with illustrations that describe the constant and changing physical and spiritual forces that govern a person. They are numbered from 0 to XXI.
There are many ways of interpreting their internal hierarchy. According to some versions, the Arcana are interpreted as follows:
Arcana I through VII — determine a person’s intellect, their Mind;
Arcana VIII through XIV — govern the sphere of morality, or the Soul;
Arcana XV through XXI — govern the events of a person’s material life, or their Being.
According to others, the Major Arcana are associated with the suits of the Minor Arcana, or astrological/occult symbols, or numbers, or letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
However, regardless of the versions, the 22 cards are interpreted in readings according to their archetypal and psychological components, which can be distinguished as: Forces that transform; Forces that drive the situation for which the reading is being performed; spiritual and psychogenic processes that have occurred/are occurring/will occur; significant people who influence the situation or, conversely, are influenced by it.
General meanings of all Major Arcana
0 The Fool — beginning, uncertainty, risk, a step into the unknown, a new stage of life, spontaneity, openness to the new.
1 The Magician — limitless possibilities, use of one’s own skills and resources, realization of ideas, knowledge, willpower.
2 The High Priestess — subconscious, hidden motives, intuition, revelation of a secret, detachment.
3 The Empress — feminine energy, fertility, birth, harmony, creativity, care, enjoyment of life.
4 The Emperor — power, leadership, authority, self-control, setting boundaries, discipline.
5 The Hierophant — spiritual mentor, religious and cultural traditions, morality, ethics, transmission of knowledge, long-term commitments.
6 The Lovers — love, partnership, the need to make a choice (especially with the heart), internal or external contradictions.
7 The Chariot — determination, movement toward a goal, overcoming obstacles, ambition, persistent work, journey.
8 Strength — strength of Spirit, taming instincts, inner control, confidence, courage.
9 The Hermit — solitude, self-discovery, self-sufficiency, search for answers and meanings.
10 Wheel of Fortune — cyclicity, fateful decisions, unexpected events, consequences of past choices.
11 Justice — making decisions based on facts, responsibility, balance, honesty, receiving the result one deserves.
12 The Hanged Man — stagnation, pause, sacrifice, rethinking, a feeling of being “in limbo.”
13 Death — completion of a stage, a categorical “no,” transformation, the need to let go of the past, liberation.
14 Temperance — restraint, compromise, the ability to find the golden mean, patience.
15 The Devil — dependencies, unhealthy passions, illusions, temptations, enslavement of the mind.
16 The Tower — destruction of the old, inevitable changes, sudden realization, collapse of plans.
17 The Star — hope, healing, dreams, inspiration, faith in oneself, recovery after difficult times.
18 The Moon — self-deception, hidden fears, anxiety, emotional instability, illusions.
19 The Sun — joy, success, openness, sincerity, optimism, zest for life.
20 Judgement — awakening, redemption, important news, calling.
21 The World — completion of a cycle, reward, satisfaction with the results, journeys, wholeness, awareness of one’s place in the world.
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