Tarot - Major Arcana

Like most aspects of Tarot, the cards of the Major Arcana portray a 'duality' of positive and negative, and some cards may reveal unwelcome truths as well as messages which sound too good to be true. Here is the first caution: do not assume that the unwelcome truths are terribly bad, and look on them as providing opportunities for turning the negative into the positive. Typically, the cards of the Major Arcana represent things that are beyond our control. First, though, we have to understand the basic meaning of the cards in isolation!

The following descriptions are quite superficial, but will be enough to get anyone started on their first reading, without being too misleading in their simplicity. The astrological equivalent of the cards are shown in parentheses.

Card	Interpretation
0 - The Fool (Uranus)	The Fool is innocently setting out on a journey, with no thought or care for what might be encountered on the way, but is going anyway! The other cards of the Major Arcana will warn, guide, and help him on his path.
1 - The Magician (Mercury)	The Magician controls and manipulates, and can even trick. There is powerful teaching, guidance, and communications, as well as a link to the Divine.
2 - The High Priestess (Moon)	The High Priestess represents our unconscious: spiritual knowledge, often partly hidden. She can represent deception as well as truth.
3 - The Empress (Venus)	The Empress is the 'Earth Mother' figure, the 'Anima', representing fruitfulness and natural growth. She is the home-maker, offering security, but who can also represent self-indulgence and female domination.
4 - The Emperor (Aries)	The Emperor, the Animus, complements the Empress, and represents authority and control. He accepts responsibility and can be firm but fair, or he can be totally inflexible, representing male domination.
5 - The High Priest, or Hierophant (Taurus)	The High Priest is the mediator between Heaven and Earth, representing the security of firmly held spiritual beliefs. He can indicate a reluctance to explore new spiritual paths.
6 - The Lovers (Gemini)	The Lovers have something to do with 'love' and something to do with 'choice'. This card indicates the simplicity of a relationship, with the risks of the loss of innocence. A choice has to be made between two things.
7 - The Chariot (Cancer)	The Chariot symbolises wilful horses trying to break free and choose their own direction, and the need for strong control in order to stay on the desired path.
8 - Strength, or Fortitude (Leo)	This card symbolises strength of will and intention, with determination to keep going until you succeed. The power to overcome problems through calm persistence and firmness of intent comes from within.
9 - The Hermit (Virgo)	The Hermit symbolises spiritual and physical renewal by withdrawal and contemplation, before returning to apply new-found wisdom to overcome old problems. The answer which is needed will come from within.
10 - The Wheel of Fortune (Jupiter)	The Wheel symbolises the cyclic nature of all things, and offers the wisdom that all things will pass. No problem will remain forever, and equally, neither will any delight.
11 - Justice (Libra)	This card symbolises the impartial administration of justice following careful consideration of the case. It can indicate an imbalance or excess that needs to be addressed. Justice can also imply that you are the one in the 'wrong'.
12 - The Hanged Man (Neptune)	This card symbolises the need for self-sacrifice necessary to achieve transformation or freedom. It can also mean you should approach things from a different angle.
13 - Death (Scorpio)	The Death card is much-misunderstood, and symbolises transformation and new beginnings in the 'cycle'. Do not fear this card at all! There is a need to 'let go' of something in order to achieve something new.
14 - Temperance (Sagittarius)	The Temperance card indicates moderation, balance, and patience is required, without reacting too quickly or emotionally to events.
15 - The Devil (Capricorn)	The Devil symbolises being chained to selfishness, arrogance and pride, or perhaps an addiction. If these self-imposed bonds are broken, good progress can be made.
16 - The Tower (Mars)	The Tower represents the unexpected upheavals which force change in our lives. It is not necessarily catastrophic, but provides opportunity for a fresh start.
17 - The Star (Aquarius)	The Star is the card of harmony, faith, hope, and inspiration. It indicates renewal and replenishment, or the end of a period of change.
18 - The Moon (Pisces)	The Moon is the card of intuition and deception, containing both light and darkness. Nothing can be depended on because of this 'duality' of perception.
19 - The Sun (Sun)	The Sun symbolises optimism, warmth, light, and new opportunities. It indicates joy and fulfilment, and also hope for the future. This is a very positive card.
20 - Judgement, or The Angel (Pluto)	The Judgement card indicates the necessity of decision, and the honest acceptance of our faults and mis-deeds, the giving and accepting of forgiveness, and making us ready for renewal or re-birth.
21 - The World (Saturn)	The World indicates that the Fool has succeeded in his journey, symbolising completion, maturity, self-knowledge, or success, either spiritually or materially.

The cards of the Major Arcana are shown in the order of the Rider-Waite pack, although cards 8 and 11 may be swapped in your pack. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn made these changes in the order of cards to align more closely with the Kabbalah.