Major Arcana
The Tarot Deck consists of 78 cards, of which 22 are the Major Arcana. These are the most picturesque, often with artistic detail, and are generally considered to be the powerful cards of the tarot pack, and contain much symbolism. The other tarot cards are the suits of cups, pentacles, coins, and staves, which are similar to the four suits of the everyday playing card deck.
In some tarot spreads just the major arcana are used. It is usually a card from the major arcana that is selected to represent the significator, or questioner, being the person asking the question of the reading and the reader. If the questioner is asking about a situation in which the people and their personalities are particularly relevant to the reading, then the reader is likely to select a spread only with major arcana.
The major arcana has several roles in the reading. Cards of the major arcana can represent people and their personalities, and can also represent the seasons and frame the times, and events, and stages in life. These cards are used also for self exploration.
If a reading has many major arcana cards showing up in the spread, then the issues are considered to be important and may be very deep seated, and possibly long lasting.
Each of the major arcana cards has a name, a number and a particular image. Briefly, the cards of the major arcana are:
The Fool – which can be representing the soul
The Magician – which represents reason and the conscious mind
The High Priestess – representing creativity, intuition, and the subconscious.
The Empress – symbolizing abundance, and also the melding of subconscious and conscious mind.
Emporer – which can be a strong male person, and also represents leadership or power.
The Heirophant – is the card for spirituality in life
The Lovers – representing a union, and also representing choices and free will.
Chariot – for travel, and also the learnings through life.
Strength – in particular the strength over base desires, and spiritual forms of strength
The Hermit – which can be isolation, but also spiritual guidance and truth.
The Wheel of Fortune – is the wheel of life and the completion of cycles
Justice – represents that there are things do be released, and balance to be restored.
The Hanged Man – sacrifices of smaller desires, and the surrender to spirit
Death – this card worries some people, but it is a card of rebirth and fresh start.
Temperance – power, and moderation.
The Devil – temptations
The Tower – can be a symbol of chaos and disruption
The Star – is a symbol of hope
The Moon – can be symbolizing peril or temptation, also cycles
The Sun – is a positive card, and can also highlight lessons that have been achieved.
Judgement – can indicate that a reckoning is due, and can also be indicative of spiritual life
The World – this is a card of celebration and the wonders of life.
These are many variances to the meanings on these cards, and the meanings change also with the positions in the tarot spread, and the relationship in the spread to the other cards that are drawn.
The wonderful illustrations of the Major Arcana Cards provide a great tool for meditations. The regular use of tarot cards for readings and to meditate, can develop intuition and psychic skills.
A wonderful way to start connecting with tarot and with the tarot deck, especially with a new pack, is to select a different card each day, starting with the major arcana. Study the selected card, looking deep into the artwork and the symbolism, and meditate upon the card.
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