Major Arcana of the Tarot
Tarot Major Arcana condense archetypes and life processes. This guide explains what they are, how to interpret them and how they relate to the rest of the deck.
What Major Arcana are
Major Arcana are twenty-two cards — from The Fool (0) to The World (XXI) — representing stages, lessons and archetypal forces. In readings they often signal deep processes, important decisions or cycle changes.
Knowing Major Arcana is the first major step in serious tarot training.
How many there are and their place in the deck
Twenty-two cards within a seventy-eight card deck. The other fifty-six are Minor Arcana in four suits, describing daily situations and nuances.
In mixed spreads, majors often set the main thread and minors add detail. Learning that hierarchy is key.
How to interpret Major Arcana
Interpretation is not a fixed definition. Observe image, number, question and surrounding cards. Ask what life process is described and what attitude is invited.
Avoid simplistic good/bad labels. Mature reading integrates symbolism, common sense and honesty.
Differences from Minor Arcana
Majors speak of meaning and transformation; minors of action, emotion, thought and materiality at daily scale.
See the Minor Arcana guide for suits, numbers and court cards.
The 22 Major Arcana: reference list
This table summarises all twenty-two with a brief interpretive key. Depth comes with practice and training.
| No. | Arcana | Key theme |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | The Fool | Start, freedom, leap into unknown |
| I | The Magician | Will, resources, manifestation |
| II | The High Priestess | Intuition, mystery, inner knowing |
| III | The Empress | Creativity, abundance, care |
| IV | The Emperor | Structure, authority, stability |
| V | The Hierophant | Tradition, teaching, values |
| VI | The Lovers | Choice, bond, alignment |
| VII | The Chariot | Determination, progress, control |
| VIII | Strength | Courage, patience, inner mastery |
| IX | The Hermit | Introspection, search, pause |
| X | Wheel of Fortune | Cycles, change, opportunity |
| XI | Justice | Balance, truth, responsibility |
| XII | The Hanged Man | Perspective, surrender, suspension |
| XIII | Death | Transformation, ending, rebirth |
| XIV | Temperance | Integration, measure, healing |
| XV | The Devil | Attachment, shadow, dependency |
| XVI | The Tower | Breakdown, revelation, liberation |
| XVII | The Star | Hope, guidance, calm |
| XVIII | The Moon | Uncertainty, imagination, hidden |
| XIX | The Sun | Clarity, vitality, achievement |
| XX | Judgement | Awakening, calling, review |
| XXI | The World | Completion, fulfilment, cycle closure |
Major Arcana training
Escuela Tarot Mada basic course works in depth on all twenty-two Major Arcana with video, practice and live classes.
Complement with blog articles and the beginners guide if starting from zero.