Major Arcana Tarot Cards Meanings and List

Major Arcana Tarot Cards Meanings – The Major Arcana cards symbolize life lessons, karmic influences, and the great archetypal themes that are impacting your life as well as your soul’s path to enlightenment. These tarot cards play a crucial role in interpreting the overall long-term aspects of your life.

Major Arcana Card Meanings in Tarot Reading

The meanings of the Major Arcana cards are profound and complex – in a wonderful way! Distinctively representing the foundation of human awareness, these Tarot cards contain the answers to life experiences that have been handed down from one generation to another.

The Major Arcana cards which are sometimes referred to as the Trump Cards, are a set of 22 cards in the tarot deck. These include 21 numbered cards as well as one unnumbered trump card (the Fool) which is represented by Zero.

Major Arcana Tarot Meanings List

The Fool is the central figure of the Major Arcana, and he travels through all the other cards on his quest to find himself. On his travels, he encounters new teachers and gains new insights into the meaning of life. Eventually, the Fool gets to the end of his quest with the World card.

In Tarot terminology, this is referred to as the Fool’s Journey, and it is a useful tool for comprehending the plotline of the Major Arcana Tarot card interpretations.

The Fool Meaning

  • Upright – Fresh Beginnings, Naive, Innocence, Free Spirit
  • Reversed – Easy to Manipulate, Reckless, Inconsiderate, Hasty

The Magician Meaning

  • Upright – Desire, Creativity, Willpower, Manifestation, Imagination
  • Reversed – Illusions, Farce, Trickery, Manipulative, Loftiness

The High Priestess Meaning

  • Upright – Inner voice, Intuitive, Instincts, Unconscious
  • Reversed – Repressed Emotions, Lack of Purpose, Out of Touch with Self

The Empress Meaning

  • Upright – Fertility, Environment, Motherhood, Nature, Pregnancy
  • Reversed – Over Dependence, Helpless, Emptiness, Suffocation

The Emperor Meaning

  • Upright – Fatherhood, Authority, Organized, Control, Structured
  • Reversed – Rigidity, Rigor, Tyranny, Authoritarianism, Aloofness

The Hierophant Meaning

  • Upright – Ethics, Morality, Tradition, Adherence
  • Reversed – Subversion, New Approaches, Unrest, Rebellion

The Lovers Meaning

  • Upright – Duality, Symmetry, Partnerships, Unity
  • Reversed – Imbalance, Discord, Disharmony, Possessive

The Chariot Meaning

  • Upright – Control, Orientation, Willpower, Direction,
  • Reversed – Hostility, Lack of Direction, No Control, Indiscipline

Strength Tarot Meaning

  • Upright – Bravery, Courage, Focus, Kindness, Fortitude
  • Reversed – Insecurity, Weakness, Doubt, Disbelief

The Hermit Meaning

  • Upright – Truth Seeking, Introspection, Contemplation, Guidance
  • Reversed – Isolation, Seclusion, Feeling Lost, Loneliness

Wheel of Fortune Meaning

  • Upright – Cyclic Nature of Life, Fate, Luck, Change, Fortune
  • Reversed – Misfortune, Unlucky, Loss of Control, Perils

Justice Tarot Meaning

  • Upright – Upright Attitude, Clarity, Truth, Transparency, Cause & Effect
  • Reversed – Prejudice, Injustice, Lack of Accountability, Dishonesty

The Hanged Man Meaning

  • Upright – Liberation, Sacrifice, Absolution, Independence
  • Reversed – Procrastination, Pointless Sacrifice, Laziness, Delay

Death Tarot Meaning

  • Upright – New Start, Transformation, New Life, Metamorphosis, End of Cycle
  • Reversed – Stagnation, Immobility, Stalemate, Fear of Change

Temperance Tarot  Meaning

  • Upright – Patience, Search for Meaning, Moderation, Endurance
  • Reversed – Excess, Loss of Balance, Extremity, Indulgence

The Devil Meaning

  • Upright – Materialism, Playfulness, Extravagance, Addiction
  • Reversed – Release, Freedom, Emancipation, Regaining Control

The Tower Meaning

  • Upright – Sudden Change, Calamity, Damaged Pride, Turmoil, Revelation
  • Reversed – Delayed Catastrophe, Tragedy Averted, Fear of Pain, Transformation

The Star Meaning

  • Upright – Trust, Belief, Hope, Rebirth, Faith, Spirituality
  • Reversed – Despair, Depression, Insecurity, Disloyal

The Moon Meaning

  • Upright – Illusion, Intuition, Truesight, Subconscious
  • Reversed – Fear, Misconception, Confusion, Misperception, Suppressed Emotions

The Sun Meaning

  • Upright – Happiness, Triumph, Festivity, Optimism, Success, Vitality
  • Reversed – Gloom, Sorrow, Pessimism, Self-Doubt, Inner Child

Judgement Meaning

  • Upright – Introspection, Reckoning, Awareness, Awakening, Reflection, , Absolution
  • Reversed – Guilt, Self-Hate, Doubt, Lack of Trust, Inner Critic

The World Meaning

  • Upright – Harmony, Peace, Completion, Fulfillment, Wholeness, Travel
  • Reversed – Incomplete, Inadequacy, Deficiency, Lack of Closure, Shortcomings

Major Arcana Cards Tarot Guide

The Major Arcana Tarot Card storyline is a beautiful representation of the triumphs, failures, and insights we all experience throughout our lifetimes as we strive to become whole, complete individuals.

What does the Major Arcana represent?

Universal human experiences are represented by the Major Arcana cards. These could mean anything like defying authority, finding love, and even receiving a piece of bad news that you weren’t expecting.

What is the 16 Major Arcana?

Tarot decks with Italian suits often include the Tower (XVI) as the 16th trump or Major Arcana card. In terms of Tarot cards and divination, the Tower card has been utilized since the 15th century.

How many major Arcanas are there?

22 Major Arcana – A Tarot deck consists of 22 Major Arcanas (also known as Trump cards) and 56 Minor Arcana cards.

What does arcana mean in tarot?

The word Arcana finds its roots in the Latin word “arcanus” which means “Secret.”

Where did the word arcana come from?

The English word “arcanum” (plural “arcana”) originates from the Latin “arcanus,” which means “secret.” It was first used in English during the Renaissance. It was frequently used to discuss the enigmas of the spiritual and the physical worlds, which at the time were the topic of intense study and reexamination.

What is the Meaning of a Major Arcana Card in a Tarot Reading

Major Arcana cards in a Tarot reading ask you to critically examine the lessons and themes you’re now encountering in your life. A Major Arcana card may frequently serve as the starting point for the overall Tarot reading, with the remaining cards connecting back to the central meaning of the Major Arcana.

What does it mean when your Tarot Reading consists mostly of Major Arcana cards

When the Major Arcana cards make up the majority of a Tarot reading, you are witnessing life-changing situations which will have long-term consequences. If you want to grow farther in your spiritual and emotional search, you must pay close attention to several very crucial lessons.

A large number of the Major Arcana Tarot cards being reversed may indicate that you are not paying proper attention to these essential life lessons, which may indicate that you need to properly master the lesson before moving forward.