Major Arcana: What It Is and What It Means
The Major Arcana are the 22 tarot cards that represent big life lessons and stages, from The Fool to The World.
What they are
In the 78-card tarot deck, the Major Arcana are 22 cards numbered 0 to 21: The Fool, The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgement and The World.
How they're read
They represent big themes and turning points more than everyday situations. A spread with many Major Arcana cards is usually read as a period of important decisions or deep learning.
Many readers see the series as a journey: The Fool starts out not knowing anything, goes through trials and learns, and The World closes the cycle. It's a symbolic interpretation popularized mostly by the Rider-Waite tradition.
Keep in mind
No card is "good" or "bad" in itself. Death, for example, rarely points to literal death; it's read as the end of a chapter and a rebirth. Tarot is for reflection, not for predicting the future with certainty.
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