The Major Arcana

The 22 Major Arcana are the backbone of the tarot deck: archetypal images that, in the Jungian reading we follow, describe the great stations of inner life — from the leap of the Fool to the completion of the World. When a Major appears in a spread, it marks the theme of fate rather than everyday circumstance: something in the situation is bigger than daily routine.

Read in order, the trumps tell one story — the Fool's Journey. The Fool sets out with empty hands; the Magician and the High Priestess give him will and intuition; the middle cards test him through love, choice and loss; the Tower breaks what is false, the Star restores hope, and the World closes the circle so a new one can begin.

In love readings the Majors describe the deep current of a relationship rather than its events; in career questions they point to vocation and turning points. Several Majors in one spread mean the situation is pivotal — pay attention.

All 22 Major Arcana

See how the trumps interact in pairs in the combinations library.