Major Arcana: meaning, spread, combinations, order

Table of Contents

• Major Arcana
• Meaning of the Major Arcana
• Cards of the Major Arcana
• Spread of the Major Arcana
• Combinations of the Major Arcana
• Order of the Major Arcana
• Major Arcana in order
• Major Arcana by birth date
• Major Arcana in relationships
• Correspondence between the Major Arcana and zodiac signs

Everyone is interested in knowing what fate has prepared for them. Looking into the future is helped by Tarot. Cards with images of the Magician, Emperor, Hierophant, and many other figures are not just bright pictures. They are good advisors who have been helping people better understand themselves and build relationships with others for many centuries.

The most valuable for divination are the Major Arcana. In a deck, they possess especially powerful energy. Their main message is to give a person a lesson and indicate their spiritual embodiment in the earthly world. Thanks to the arcana, the questioner can understand their purpose. The cards describe each person’s life path. If the message of the arcana is correctly interpreted, one can find inner harmony. They are especially significant in spreads. The Major Arcana cards describe important events and tell a person which steps on their path will be of primary importance.

The Major Arcana are also psychological archetypes. With their help, it is possible to interpret the personality type. They complement psychological portraits, allowing one to look inside themselves and realize the true causes of current problems.

There are a total of 22 Major Arcana in the deck. They speak through images, figures, and situations. Each card is a special story with deep spiritual meaning. To correctly interpret the message of the arcana, it is necessary to pay attention to its image, symbolism, position, and surroundings. The appearance of other cards in the spread can significantly distort or enhance the meaning of the drawn arcana. The question that interests the querent also matters. To receive advice, it is necessary to focus on a specific situation or person. The interpretation of the spread is based on the emotional state of the querent and their sensitivity to hints.

Meaning of the Major Arcana

In traditional Tarot, each card has its own meaning. The Major Arcana possess rich symbolism. It is not enough to just look at the card and study its image. Every detail is filled with symbols that need to be correctly interpreted. The figures contain archetypes – personality traits of people that allow you to look inside yourself and find your place in the world.

There is a traditional meaning of the Major Arcana, and there is additional information serving as clarification. An abundance of information can lead to confusion, especially for inexperienced interpreters. The first thing to understand is the basic meanings of each card. Over time, these can be supplemented with deeper meanings and interpretations. The main interpretations of the arcana are presented in the table.

Cards of the Major Arcana

The Major Arcana are considered the oldest in the deck. In a spread, they describe key moments in a person’s destiny. They are associated with fundamental principles: morality, spirituality, relationships with the surrounding world. Thanks to the cards of the Major Arcana, you can look into the future, not just make a short-term forecast.

Each card has its own story. The information hidden within them is accessed through intuition, analogies, and associations. That is why the images of the arcana are often interpreted ambiguously. The spiritual experience of the tarot reader influences the interpretation.

The heroes of the Major Arcana cards were chosen intentionally. They reflect the main personality types. Together, they form a complete picture of humanity. These are archetypes – images that are actively used not only in esotericism but also in psychology.

Spread of the Major Arcana

During divination, you can use either the Major and Minor Arcana separately or the entire deck. The 22 Major Arcana are considered more significant. If they appear in the spread, it means that this question has special importance for the querent. Thanks to them, you can look into the future and find out which moments from the past have influenced the current situation. If only the Minor Arcana appear, it indicates that the situation being considered will not leave a deep mark on the person’s life.

The spread of the Major Arcana is a good opportunity to receive wise advice. Questions like “What should I do in this situation?” are often addressed to these 22 cards.

With the Major Arcana, you can learn what your loved one will look like. They provide detailed descriptions of each personality. Thanks to the Major Arcana, you can calculate the Matrix of Fate, discover your path, identify karmic sins, and find out how to achieve balance in life.

Combinations of the Major Arcana

Each card in the Tarot deck has its own deep meaning. Proper use of this magical tool depends on accurate interpretation of the meanings. When interpreting a spread, it is important to consider the situation, the precision of the question, the position of the card, and its surroundings. Determining the meaning of the arcana based on their influence on each other is a complex task. Some cards amplify the individual meaning of their “neighbors,” while others diminish it. It is necessary to know all the nuances of interpretation to correctly understand the sign of fate.

Although each Major Arcana has its own meaning, some of them are grouped according to related significance or similar energy. Certain cards enhance specific shades of meaning in the surrounding cards. For example, The Tower or The Devil in combinations of the Major Arcana give the spread a more negative tone. The World, The High Priestess, The Magician, and The Emperor significantly alter the interpretation of neighboring cards. The remaining Major Arcana should be considered individually when combined with each other. Common combinations can also change meaning depending on the spread. All these nuances are important to know when interpreting.

The Major Arcana can appear in a spread with the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana are more powerful and tend to suppress the meanings of the minor cards. The Minor Arcana are usually included in spreads to clarify details.

Order of the Major Arcana

Each Major Arcana card possesses deep symbolism. However, for accurate interpretation, not only the individual meanings of the archetypes are important but also their sequence. The order of the Major Arcana is a crucial aspect. This topic has been subject to ongoing debate and reinterpretation.

Traditionally, the deck begins with the first arcana – The Magician. It symbolizes experimentation and intuitive exploration of the world. The entire Tarot deck can be viewed as a path of spiritual development — from its first steps to old age and wisdom. Along this path, a person faces choices (The Lovers), changes (The Wheel of Fortune), temptations (The Devil), destruction (The Tower), hope (The Star), acceptance of one’s sins (Judgment). The deck concludes with The World card, symbolizing the end of a cycle and preparation for a new life.

There is some controversy regarding the order of the Major Arcana, especially concerning The Fool, Strength, and Justice. The Fool “travels” from zero to the 22nd position, reflecting its ambiguous nature — it can signify both the beginning and the end of a spiritual journey. Traditionally, Strength was placed at the 11th position, and Justice at the 8th. S. M. McGregor Mathers rearranged the order of the Major Arcana, swapping their positions. In the Rider-Waite deck, Strength is also numbered 8, and Justice is numbered 11.

The sequence of the Major Arcana is closely linked to the astrological order. Thanks to this, Strength and Justice have swapped places: Strength was placed eighth due to its association with Leo, and Justice, linked to Libra, was supposed to come later. However, this discrepancy has little impact on the interpretation of the Tarot deck. Both cards, regardless of their positions, belong to the second set of seven arcana, representing the maturity of the soul and its learning of balance, patience, and spirituality.

Major Arcana in order

Major Arcana are not just cards. They describe the life path of a person. Each card contains a deep meaning. Every Major Arcana depicts a person at a specific period of life. The sequence of the Major Arcana reflects the development of the soul. The order of the cards can vary depending on the expert’s perspective. However, in the traditional understanding, the deck begins with the zero card – The Fool.

The card shows a young man standing on the edge of a cliff. He is absorbed in his dreams and does not see the danger ahead. The card symbolizes the beginning of a life stage – a blank sheet on which anything can be written. The Fool is simultaneously the zero and the 22nd arcana. This is because the end can also be a beginning. In P. Scott Hollander’s work, it is noted that each person decides for themselves what number The Fool holds. If it is 0, the card symbolizes a fool who has not embarked on the path of self-development; if it is 22, it represents a person capable of jumping into the abyss to reach the final step on the ladder of self-knowledge.

Together with The Chariot, movement begins. Strength provides confidence, The Hermit advises looking deeper within oneself, The Wheel of Fortune promises radical changes, and Justice reveals the truth.

Along with The Hanged Man, a stage of reflection begins. Death symbolizes the end of one chapter and the start of another. To gain strength for new achievements, it is necessary to leave the past behind. Temperance indicates that the person has found balance in life. As a life lesson on the path, The Devil appears – the tempter. With it, the next stage of personal development begins – a transition to the material side.

After The Tower (loss), The Star (hope), and The Moon (illusions), the individual reaches The Sun. The nineteenth arcana symbolizes success in all endeavors. Next comes preparation for a new reality – Judgment. This card urges accepting all your flaws and leaving them in the past. The cycle concludes with The World, symbolizing the readiness of the human soul for the next stage.

Major Arcana by birth date

According to tarot experts, each person is protected by one of the 22 Major Arcana. It accompanies them from birth. The cards endow the individual with special character traits. The Major Arcana reveal all secrets: karma, calling, spiritual growth path. This helps to improve relationships with others, find one’s place in the world, achieve professional success, and discover one’s destiny.

Major Arcana are calculated based on the birth date. There are several methods of calculation. The most popular is adding all the digits in the birth date, including year, month, and day. If the result exceeds the number of Major Arcana in the deck (22), you subtract 22. Then, you just need to see which card corresponds to the resulting number and study its key features. The main characteristics of each arcana are presented in the table below.

Major Arcana in relationships

“How does he feel about me?”, “Will I meet my love?”, “Are we destined to be together?” – the Major Arcana can also provide answers to these questions. In a love spread, the interpretation of the 22 cards differs from the basic meanings. Some arcana have a positive connotation in relationships, others are negative, and some are neutral.

A series of Major Arcana in relationships carries a negative connotation. The Devil symbolizes not so much love as dependence. These are toxic relationships. There may also be love spells involved. The cards of The Hermit and The Hanged Man represent loneliness, unrequited love, and apathy.

Other cards have ambiguous interpretations. They can indicate an inevitable breakup that leads to catharsis. The World card has such a meaning. It symbolizes a transition to a different level of relationships. The Fool predicts a dizzying romance that will bring pleasure to both partners. However, it is difficult to say whether this will lead to long-term relationships. The Tower in a spread for people in a relationship signals an upcoming breakup. For singles, it symbolizes hope: a new romance filled with passion and tenderness.

Correspondence between the Major Arcana and zodiac signs

Astrology and Tarot are closely related fields. They are tools for self-knowledge. By combining zodiac signs and Major Arcana, you can understand yourself better, accept your flaws, find inner balance, and realize your place in life. Each Major Arcana corresponds to one zodiac sign. However, there are 12 zodiac signs and 22 Major Arcana cards. Therefore, some signs are associated with more than one arcana.

When reading a spread, it is important to pay attention to the position of the card. In the reversed position, the arcana is endowed with negative characteristics of the corresponding zodiac sign.