A journey through the tarot - the Major Arcana cards

Rich in imagery, symbolism archetypes and ancient knowledge, the Tarot represents all experiences and all stages in life. In each tarot deck there are four suits as well as the Major Arcana. Each card has a special and separate meaning that contributes to the whole message of a tarot reading.

The twenty two cards within the Major Arcana represent a full circle, man’s journey through life. This journey starts with the Fool and it may surprise you that it does not end in Death. The last card of the Major Arcana is The World.

So let us now join the Fool and take a trip into the Tarot as the Fool takes us on a journey through the Major Arcana.

Our journey begins with the first card, the Fool. The Fool can represent new beginnings, a child full of playful innocence, full of the joys of life and of hope of what’s to come. Next he meets the Magician, a card that represents the creative impulse within us all. The Magician allows us to draw on our individual talents to make an impression on the material world. After the Magician, the High Priestess comes into the Fool’s life. Through the lessons and experiences she brings, the Fool is introduced to his unconscious, spiritual side.

Next card is the Empress, the Fool’s mother, the first person in his life. The Empress nurtures and cares for the young child. This card represents creation and creativity. The Emperor beside the Empress is symbolic of the Fool’s father, an authorative masculine figure in the Fool’s life. With the security and backing of the Empress and The Emperor, the Fool sets off on life’s journey. The Fool discovers that sometimes life can be good and sometimes there are challenges that might upset and distress him.

To come to terms with this, he needs to spend some time alone and here he meets the next card the Hierophant. The Hierophant helps the Fool to learn how to deal with life’s lesson from within. How sometimes he can’t turn to mum and dad for answers. He must find these for himself.

The Lovers is next on the Fool’s wonderful journey. The Lovers can represent that stage in life when a young person is experimenting with romance and relationships. He may even be torn between two lovers. Or it might represent a time when a crossroads is reached and a choice must be made as to which way to go next. The Chariot, next to the Lovers represents the Fool’s new found assertiveness. He is growing older, is more confident, wants more independence and has so much energy to move forward and on through life’s journey.

This takes him to Strength, a sign that no matter what, the Fool can now draw on his past experiences and find the strength to get through difficult times. He has more faith in himself and his abilities. Through life’s challenges, he will find the strength to carry on.

The Hermit brings the Fool to a time in life when he has been through much. He has experienced much of what life has to offer, the ups and the downs and yet there is something missing. That something lies within and the Fool now takes a little time to go back into himself to assimilate it all and to get in touch with his inner self. The Wheel of Fortune takes him to the next step of his journey. Will change be good and positive or are there more challenges to come? Certainly change is ahead but the Fool can never know what it’s going to be until he goes through it.

Through these changes the Fool meets Justice bringing balance into life: a balance between work and play, materialism and spirituality. The Fool is starting to realize the laws of karma: as he sows, so shall he reap. The Hanged Man brings a time of suspension when the Fool will reflect on life and all that has brought him so far. He may need to make sacrifices and to end some commitments that are no longer of value in order for new experiences to begin.

This takes the Fool to Death, the card of endings and out of endings, new chapters will emerge. Life he will discover is full of beginnings and endings, friends will come into his life and leave it. He might experience a number of different careers and all sorts of uplifting opportunities through his journey and his travels in the world. Inevitably there will be down times too.

Temperance is next, a spiritual card of balance and harmony. Life may seem to stand still a while and this is a good time for the Fool to recoup his energy. The Devil the next card might put some temptation in the Fool’s way. The Fool thinks he knows himself by now as he has been through so much but having to deal with these temptations will introduce him to a different aspect of his personality.

The Tower might reveal aspects of his life that have been unstable and it might seem as if all comes crumbling down around him. He will be depressed for a while, asking “why me?” but he doesn’t realize it yet that out of the ruins something new and more substantial will be built.

Which takes the Fool to the Star a bright and glowing card representing hope and spiritual insight. The Star introduces the Fool to the Moon, the place of dreams and the mysterious of the subconscious. Next is the Sun, the happy side of life where there is pleasure and contentment. From the Sun, the Fool meets Judgement, another stage in life where the Fool’s past actions and decisions come up for review. Finally the Fool meets the World: a card of celebration, success and completion.

Throughout life we all go through these cycles. The Major Arcana represents significant stages while the minor arcana will help give more details.