The meanings of all 22 Major Arcana
The twenty-two Major Arcana offer a symbolic map of human experience. From a first step into the unknown to a sense of wholeness, each card explores an important inner transition.
A Tarot deck has two parts. The fifty-six Minor Arcana explore everyday life: money, relationships, work, small joys and concerns. The twenty-two Major Arcana address broader themes of character, change and meaning. When one appears in a spread, it invites you to consider the larger questions beneath the situation.
The Major Arcana follow a sequence from 0 to 21, often called the Fool's Journey. It tells a symbolic story of an inexperienced traveller who grows through encounters, challenges and upheavals. Reading the cards as stages of a journey can enrich your understanding of each one.
Below, each card has an upright meaning and a shadow side. The shadow is a possible imbalance or excess to reflect on, rather than an inherently evil quality. It is useful to know both aspects, especially when interpreting reversed cards.
The twenty-two Arcana in order
1. The Magicianwillpower, words and the energy of the first step
2. The High Priestessintuition, knowledge and depth
3. The Empressabundance, creativity and care
4. The Emperororder, authority and dependability
5. The Hierophantwisdom, guidance and tradition
6. The Loverslove, choices and partnerships
7. The Chariotmovement, breakthroughs and achievement
8. Strengthinner strength, passion and charisma
9. The Hermitdepth, reflection and wisdom
10. Wheel of Fortuneluck, cycles and change
11. Justicebalance, honesty and the law
12. The Hanged Mana different perspective, a pause and service
13. Deathtransformation and renewal
14. Temperanceharmony, healing and moderation
15. The Devilmaterial life, magnetism and desire
16. The Towerambition and renewal through the collapse of old structures
17. The Starhope, recognition and inspiration
18. The Moonintuition, mystery and the depths of the inner world
19. The Sunjoy, success and light
20. Judgementfamily roots, calling and the legacy of generations
21. The Worldwholeness, a wider perspective and recognition
22. The Foolfreedom, lightness and new experiencesThe Fool
A beginning and untapped potential. The Fool invites a brave step into the unknown, a willingness to trust and a lighter relationship with the past. It symbolises freedom and the confidence to discover a path by walking it.
Shadow: carelessness, acting without considering the consequences, avoiding responsibility.
The Magician
Willpower and skill. The Magician suggests bringing your available tools together with clear intention and action. It is a symbol of turning an idea into something tangible and following words with deeds.
Shadow: manipulation, deception, wasting your energy on empty pursuits.
The High Priestess
Inner knowledge, intuition and mystery. Create enough quiet to notice what you think and feel. This card invites observation and reflection before forceful action.
Shadow: disconnection from feelings, excessive secrecy, ignoring your inner voice.
The Empress
Abundance, care, creativity and nature. Something is taking shape: a project, a feeling or a new beginning. The Empress symbolises fertility and a gentle, creative strength that nurtures growth.
Shadow: overprotection, idleness, becoming stuck in excessive comfort.
The Emperor
Structure, order and support. Strength comes through discipline, clear boundaries and agreed rules. Take responsibility and build a dependable foundation.
Shadow: rigidity, controlling others, stubbornness and emotional coldness.
The Hierophant
Tradition, mentorship and shared meaning. This card invites reflection on established knowledge, teachers, schools and faith. It symbolises initiation and belonging to something larger than yourself.
Shadow: dogmatism, following rules without thought, fear of stepping beyond familiar limits.
The Lovers
Choice and partnership. The Lovers concerns any decision that asks you to listen to your heart while remaining true to your values. It symbolises deep connection and inner agreement as well as romantic love.
Shadow: doubt, conflict between desire and duty, choosing out of fear.
The Chariot
Determination and forward movement. The Chariot gathers its resources and pursues a goal despite resistance. It symbolises achievement through self-discipline and a clear direction.
Shadow: racing without a purpose, trying to force every obstacle aside.
Strength
Quiet inner power. Strength is the gentleness that calms a lion. Meet strong feelings with patience and compassion; genuine resilience can be quiet.
Shadow: suppressed emotions, insecurity, harshness in place of firmness.
The Hermit
Solitude and an inward search for truth. Step away from the noise to find your own guiding light. The Hermit invites wisdom and an honest, unhurried look at yourself.
Shadow: isolation, withdrawing through resentment, avoiding other people.
Wheel of Fortune
Change and life's cycles. The turning wheel symbolises a new phase. It invites you to recognise changing circumstances and respond when an opportunity appears.
Shadow: feeling that nothing is within your control, becoming passive in the face of change.
Justice
Cause and effect, honesty and balance. Justice invites a fair assessment of actions and their consequences. Make considered decisions and take responsibility for your part in the situation.
Shadow: harsh self-judgement, fear of responsibility, dishonesty with yourself.
The Hanged Man
A pause and a change of perspective. Stopping to look differently may reveal a way forward. The Hanged Man symbolises a deliberate pause and a willingness to accept what you cannot immediately change.
Shadow: becoming stuck, identifying only as a victim, waiting indefinitely for things to change.
Death
Endings and transformation. Death is generally interpreted as the end of a phase and the beginning of another, not a prediction of physical death. Letting go of what has run its course can create room for new life.
Shadow: fear of change, holding on to what you need to release.
Temperance
Harmony, moderation and restoration. Temperance brings contrasting elements into a calmer flow. Seek a workable middle ground and move steadily, without extremes or sudden overcorrections.
Shadow: imbalance, impatience, swinging between extremes.
The Devil
Attachments and illusions. What feels restrictive: fear, a compulsive habit, other people's expectations or an unhealthy relationship? The Devil invites you to recognise these patterns and consider ways to loosen their hold, with support where needed.
Shadow: self-destructive patterns, dependency, justifying what keeps you trapped.
The Tower
Sudden disruption and release. The Tower symbolises the collapse of an unstable foundation. Change can be painful, yet it may also expose what was unsustainable and make space for clarity.
Shadow: fear of loss, resisting changes that are already unfolding.
The Star
Hope, inspiration and renewal. After upheaval, the Star offers a quiet image of restored confidence and connection with something larger. Following the Tower in the sequence, it symbolises the possibility of recovery.
Shadow: discouragement, losing confidence in yourself, abandoning a meaningful dream.
The Moon
Illusions, fears and the subconscious. The landscape is uncertain, and appearances may be misleading. Pay attention to your intuition while checking assumptions and moving carefully through what you do not yet understand.
Shadow: anxiety, self-deception, fears amplified by imagination.
The Sun
Joy, clarity and success. The Sun is a traditionally positive card associated with warmth, vitality and sincerity. It invites celebration, self-expression and a clearer view of your situation.
Shadow: overestimating your abilities, unrealistic optimism, vanity.
Judgement
Awakening, reassessment and a new calling. Judgement invites you to review the past and consider a fresh opportunity. It symbolises forgiveness, release and an honest new beginning.
Shadow: relentless self-criticism, becoming stuck in guilt, fear of responding to a new opportunity.
The World
Completion, wholeness and fulfilment. A long journey comes together in a coherent whole. The World symbolises harmony and the quiet satisfaction of finishing one cycle before another begins.
Shadow: unfinished business, fear of letting go and taking the next step.
Putting these meanings into practice
Card meanings form a symbolic language. The same card can suggest different themes in a relationship reading and a work reading, depending on the question and surrounding cards. Reading the whole spread, like a sentence rather than an isolated word, gives the interpretation context.
You do not need to memorise all 22 meanings to explore how a spread relates to your question. In Cosmogramma, you draw the cards and receive an interpretation tailored to your situation and name, with the day's sky information included in the reading.
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Draw the cardsFrequently asked questions
How many Major Arcana cards are there?
There are 22 Major Arcana, numbered from 0 (the Fool) to 21 (the World). They form the Fool's Journey, a symbolic story of growth from the first step towards wholeness.
How do the Major and Minor Arcana differ?
The Major Arcana explore broad themes, turning points and inner experience. The Minor Arcana, 56 cards in four suits, describe everyday situations and practical details.
What does a reversed card mean?
A reversal is often read as emphasising a card's shadow side, suggesting that its theme is blocked, distorted or taken to an extreme. Knowing both its upright meaning and its shadow gives you a fuller range of interpretations.
Which Tarot card is the best?
No Tarot card is entirely good or bad: each has constructive and challenging aspects. The Sun is traditionally among the most positive, while the World suggests fulfilment and harmony. Even the striking images of Death and the Tower can symbolise release and change.