The Major Arcana: All 22 tarot cards and their meanings
Explore the Major Arcana ↓What is the Major Arcana?
The Major Arcana is a group of 22 cards in a traditional tarot deck. Each card represents a bigger theme in life, from new beginnings and personal growth to relationships and challenges.
Unlike the Minor Arcana, which focuses on everyday situations, the Major Arcana encourages you to look at the bigger picture. Where are you in life? What have you learned? And where do you want to go next?
The cards are numbered from 0 to 21, starting with The Fool and ending with The World. Together, they tell a story about the different experiences we go through as humans.
The Fool's Journey: A story about life
There's actually a story behind the 22 Major Arcana cards, often called The Fool’s Journey.
It starts with The Fool (the first card in the deck), a character who's about to embark on a new adventure (essentially the meaning of the card). Along the way, they encounter different people, situations, and challenges. Some teach them about love and relationships, and others about responsibility, difficult decisions, and the art of letting go.
By the time we reach The World, the final card, the journey comes full circle. The Fool has experienced a lot, learned a few lessons, and hopefully gained a better understanding of themselves.
Of course, life doesn't always happen in this exact order. We might experience The Fool's excitement about a new beginning one day and The Hermit's need for solitude and being by oneself. We might even go through seasons more than once. Everyone's life is different.
That's what makes these cards interesting. They represent experiences we can all relate to, even if we're at very different stages of life. And that's why tarot reading is applicable even today, in our modern world.
What does it mean when you draw a Major Arcana card?
Drawing a Major Arcana card is often interpreted as a sign that something important deserves your attention.
But don't worry, it doesn't necessarily mean something dramatic is about to happen. Remember, tarot isn't about predicting the future.
For example, The Death card doesn't mean someone is going to die. It could simply encourage you to think about something in your life that's coming to an end, like a relationship, a job, or an old habit.
The Lovers is about divine partnership. But it's not just about love. It could be someone you get along well with at work, a business partner, or a close friend. It's really more about building your relationships and what brings the most value to you.
And The Hermit? Maybe you've been spending too much time around other people and need a little time by yourself, for yourself.
Explore all 22 Major Arcana cards
Every card has its own symbolism and meaning. Pick a card below to learn more about what it represents and how it can be interpreted in a love or work reading.
How can you use the Major Arcana in a tarot reading?
You don't need to know the meaning of any of these cards. We'll take care of that for you.
When you start a reading on Turbo Tarot, you'll reveal three cards that help you think about where you are now, what you should focus on, and what you should avoid.
If a Major Arcana card appears, take a moment to consider the bigger theme it represents and how it relates to your current situation. Sometimes, a card will make perfect sense immediately. Other times, you might need to sit with it for a while. That's part of the fun. Take your time!
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