Tarot 101: The Major Arcana

Without a doubt, the cards most easily identified (and stigmatized) in a Tarot deck come from the Major Arcana. They can be seen in movies and TV shows, featured in books, and used on greeting cards, posters, t-shirts, and other bits of high-fashion flare. But what exactly is the Major Arcana and why is it so special?

Tarot is broken up into two primary segments: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana is a grouping of 22 cards that represent life themes or patterns, archetypes, or spiritual motifs that we all find in our lives, regardless of age, culture, gender, or location. These tend to be large themes with strong significance, whereas the Minor Arcana often represents our daily life events and personalities. This can be seen in the example of a relationship: Marriage would be considered a Major Arcana event, whereas starting a new relationship (dating) would be considered a Minor Arcana event.

A Brief History of the Major Arcana

The history of the Major Arcana can be traced back to the early Italian Renaissance. The first known tarot decks were created in Northern Italy for wealthy families in the early 15th century, and they consisted of a standard deck of playing cards with an additional set of “trumps” or “triumphs.” These trump cards were eventually expanded into what is currently referred to as the Major Arcana.

The Tarocco Bolognese deck was used in the card game Tarocchi and is shown above with representations of the Minor Arcana and its different suits (Swords, Batons, Coins, and Cups), as well as a selection of trumps, or what we now refer to as the Major Arcana.

The earliest surviving complete tarot deck is the Visconti-Sforza Tarot, which was created in Milan in the mid-15th century. This deck features 16 trump cards, which include traditional figures such as The Emperor, The Pope (Hierophant), and The World. Many of the representations are still easily identifiable in the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck as well as modern decks which use similar symbolic references.

The Visconti-Sforza Tarot showing the oldest representations of The Fool, The Magician, and The High Priestess.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, occultists such as Antoine Court de Gébelin and Eliphas Levi ( a nom de plume for Alphonse Louis Constant, a French occultist and author) began to interpret the Major Arcana as a series of symbolic stages in the journey of the soul. This is when we see Tarot begin to shift from its use as a card game to a tool for divination and spiritual exploration.

Today, the Major Arcana remains an essential part of Tarot practice. The images and meanings of the cards may continue to evolve and adapt to reflect modern contexts and cultural references, but their purpose remains foundational in the art of Tarot.

The Concept of The Fool’s Journey

The Major Arcana is often described as a quasi-procedural journey of The Fool, the beginning card of the Major Arcana, identified with the number 0. This progression is a symbolic journey believed to represent the journey of an individual’s life or spiritual growth. The Fool’s Journey typically begins with the card of The Fool, which represents a new beginning or the start of a journey.

The Fool’s Journey can be divided into three stages, with seven cards in each stage. The first stage is the “Personal Development” stage, which includes The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers, and The Chariot. These cards represent the initial stages of personal growth and physical and emotional development, including the acquisition of knowledge and the development of individual power and authority.

The second leg of the journey is the “Challenges and Obstacles” stage, which includes Strength, The Hermit, The Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The Hanged Man, Death, and Temperance. These cards represent the challenges and obstacles that we must overcome in order to continue on our spiritual journey. These challenges may include internal struggles, external difficulties, as well as unexpected changes and events.

The third and final leg in The Fool’s Journey is the “Spiritual Enlightenment” phase, which includes The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgment, and The World. These cards represent the attainment of spiritual enlightenment and the realization of one’s true self. This stage may involve a period of introspection, reflection, and personal growth, leading to a sense of completion and fulfillment.

The Fool’s Journey is a powerful tool for self-reflection and personal growth, and it can be used to gain insight into one’s own journey through life. Each card in the journey represents a different aspect of the human experience, and by reflecting on these cards, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the world.

The Major Arcana as Archetypes

The concept of archetypes was developed in the 1950s and 60s by the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, who believed that these universal symbols represent innate, inherited aspects of human experience that are common to all people, often referred to as the “collective unconscious.”

The Supra Oracle deck by Uusi was loosely created around concepts of Jungian psychology.

Jung believed that archetypes are deeply embedded in the human psyche and influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. He identified several archetypes, including the Shadow, the Anima/Animus, the Self, and the Persona, among others, although these archetypes are more about individual traits than specifically linked to a card in the Major Arcana.

In the context of the Major Arcana, each card represents a different archetype or symbolic representation of a universal experience or theme. For example, The Magician represents the archetype of the Trickster, who uses their wit and creativity to achieve their goals. The High Priestess represents the archetype of the Wise Woman or the Intuitive, who is in touch with their inner wisdom and intuition.

Carl Jung defined these 22 archetypes as such:

1. The Fool — The Innocent or The Wanderer
2. The Magician — The Magus or The Trickster
3. The High Priestess — The Wise Woman or The Intuitive
4. The Empress — The Mother or The Nurturer
5. The Emperor — The Father or The Authority Figure
6. The Hierophant — The Teacher or The Spiritual Guide
7. The Lovers — The Lover or The Union
8. The Chariot — The Warrior or The Hero
9. Strength — The Hero or The Warrior
10. The Hermit — The Sage or The Seeker
11. Wheel of Fortune — Fate or Destiny
12. Justice — The Judge or The Balancer
13. The Hanged Man — The Martyr or The Sacrifice
14. Death — The End or The Transformation
15. Temperance — The Alchemist or The Balancer
16. The Devil — The Shadow or The Trickster
17. The Tower — The Catastrophe or The Awakening
18. The Star — The Inspiration or The Hope
19. The Moon — The Illusion or The Deception
20. The Sun — The Enlightenment or The Illumination
21. Judgment — The Resurrection or The Rebirth
22. The World — The Completion or The Perfection

The Major Arcana as Daily Reflection and Use in Tarot Readings

Because the cards in the Major Arcana represent life themes, they can be very helpful in daily meditations and reflections to focus on a particular perspective of life. These can be pulled as daily card draws and used as journaling prompts. They can also be used in conjunction with other cards from the Tarot deck to help fine-tune specific areas of focus. Thinking about the theme of the card as opposed to its literal interpretation can help step out yourself and identify applications throughout your life and help provide additional unbiased insight and recognition. These can be particularly helpful when considering reversals (blocked/corrupted representations or internalized perspectives of the theme).

In a Tarot reading, Major Arcana cards bear considerable significance and should be considered not only by the position in the spread, but as a part of the overarching “story” of the reading. Readings that are heavy in Major Arcana cards bear extra weight as representing something of importance or lessons that need to be learned. Of course, each Tarot reading is unique and intuition will most certainly play a role in understanding the meaning of the card in that particular instance.

As you continue on your own Tarot journey, remember the importance of the Major Arcana and its representation of themes in life. When used for self-reflection, the Major Arcana can be instrumental in finding understanding and working through difficult moments in life.

Originally posted at Pixel-Tarot.com on May 10, 2023.