The Major Arcana represent the destiny cards, each depicting the rapturous joys and doleful sorrows that every man and woman comes to know throughout life’s long course of fortunes. For me, the Major Arcana have taught basic life lessons.
I learned the Tarot using the Rider-Waite Tarot, and I continue with this deck to this very day, as I feel my strongest bond to the “Rider-Waite Tarot Deck.” The Major Arcana symbolize immensely powerful archetypes that evoke the profoundest thoughts and life experiences that, one way, or another, will weave themselves into the story of your life.
The Fool travels through the Major Arcana, learning and experiencing its mysteries from card number zero (The Fool) through card twenty-one (The World). In the same way, your course through the Major Arcana will inculcate you with the lore and realizations vital to anyone hoping to live a life of progress and understanding rather than one of delusion and stagnation. Your instructive journey tests your strengths and values so that you’ll achieve the next level of growth.
When you finally reach card twenty-one, “The World,” you’ll find that the multitude of mental and emotional adventures you have confronted yields the successful realization of your goals.
Then the great cycle of discovery and progress begins again from its origins, but there will be greater wisdom on your part. Treading the well-worn paths once and again, you do not wander into the woods of error as you did the first time. However similar the experiences may seem, you’ll handle them in a new manner, and that will make all the difference.
Always remember that the Major Arcana represents significant life lessons that you are going to learn on your journey through trial and error, and the wisdom and knowledge that happens from these experiences that makes you a stronger person.
The Paths Of The Twenty-Two Major Arcana
The word Arcana comes from the Latin word Arcanum, which represents a sacred secret or mystery that one must discover. Here are the secret paths of the Major Arcana and the major lessons you’ll learn on each path. The secret paths of the Major Arcana represent the journey of the Fool, in which the Fool learns new lessons with every step of the way and overcomes obstacles and gains wisdom from all the lessons learned.
#0 The Fool — the path of the Fool represents leaping into the unknown, into unexplored territories. The Fool’s spirit craves a new adventure that he must embark on regardless of the outcome, or of an unexpected experience that will be forced upon him. The Fool represents new beginnings and unexpected changes.
Timing: Shockingly unexpected, immediate, or 1 – 30 days.
The Planet Rulers: The Fool is ruled by the planet Uranus (the wild card planet related to unpredictable events and unexpected sudden changes), and the planet Saturn (new lessons to learn through trial and error).
Astrologically, the Fool is related to the Aquarius zodiac sign (social, different, sometimes unemotional and rebellious).
#1 The Magician — the path of the Magician represents discipline, strong focus and putting plans into action. The Magician is related to a creative new beginning, the skilled messenger and snappy thinker that thinks on his feet.
The Magician is related to communication and travel. He is the charming negotiator with magical communication skills, a persuasive speaker, salesperson or negotiator, but also a deceptive trickster or bluffer when he has a hidden agenda.
Timing: Shockingly unexpected, immediate, or 1 – 30 days.
The Planet Ruler: The Magician is ruled by the planet Mercury (the quick-silver planet of speed). Mercury determines the speed at which you gather information, think, talk, analyze, write and travel.
Astrologically, the Magician is multifaceted because he is related to the Gemini and Virgo zodiac signs (quick to think, speak, travel, and analyze until perfection is found).
#2 The High Priestess — the path of the High Priestess represents intuition and meeting your higher-self (the whisperer). The High Priestess asks you to quiet the raging thoughts of your mind and wait. Do not act on anything until your burning question is answered through your dreams, initial gut feeling, visions, spiritual realizations, and the memo from your higher self (the whisperer)!
Timing is related to 1 – 30 days, or the Phases of the Moon.
New Moon or Solar Eclipse (making a wish and starting a new plan). First Quarter Moon (growing in size, action oriented, pushing ahead to a testing point). Full Moon or Lunar Eclipse (wishes come true, or the release of what is not working). Third Quarter Moon (shrinking in size, strong beliefs of what you want – acting on these beliefs or releasing what binds you).
The Planet Ruler: The High Priestess is ruled by the Moon (hidden secrets). The Moon is the keeper of secrets, but also represents your emotions, moods and how you feel and think during the Phases of the Moon.
Astrologically, the High Priestess is related to the Cancer zodiac sign (intuitive, psychic, keeper of secret wisdom, and past memories).
#3 The Empress — the path of the Empress represents giving birth to life. The Empress is related to merging, fertility, sexuality, committed relationships, business partnerships, growth, pleasure, love, values, beauty, and what you want and desires to have. The Empress gives birth to life and signifies a good omen related to growth.
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
The Planet Ruler: The Empress is ruled by the planet Venus (love and desires). Venus is the morning and evening star that guides you into the higher ideals of love. However, Venus is also related to beauty and the beast. The beauty of a relationship that grows, or the beast of a relationship contract that could not achieve resolution and balance.
Astrologically, the Empress is multifaceted because she is related to the Taurus and Libra zodiac signs (love, security, comfort, luxury, entertaining, creativity, judgmental, social, extroverted, and needs to balance relationship contracts).
#4 The Emperor — the path of the Emperor represents power, obedience and control. The Emperor is the builder of structures and assumes command of his life, environment, body, temperament, instincts and affairs of love, and asks you to be the commander and chief of your life!
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
The Planet Ruler: The Emperor is ruled by the planet Mars (action). Mars is the sleeping volcano that awakens, filling you up with passion and desire, and guides you towards your destiny.
Astrologically, the Emperor is related to the Aries zodiac sign, a leader, mover and shaker whom is fearless and forging ahead. He is direct, has no hidden agenda, and might be demanding or charismatic.
#5 The Hierophant — the path of the Hierophant represents the sacred rules and vows of society, religion, and hearing the inner call from above to work in a career to help others. The Hierophant is a trusted guide, mentor, shaman, priest, doctor, counselor or lawyer that comes in your life, because you might need to heal from a painful or challenging situation. You might hear the inner call from above guiding you to work in a career to help others, or work in a career of spirituality.
Timing: A hidden timing and prophecy. The Hierophant card does not have a timing in my deck.
The Planet Ruler: The Hierophant is ruled by the planet Venus (wants, needs and desires). Venus represents the principle of balance in all relationships, weighing the good or the bad according to established rules, vows and morals.
Astrologically, the Hierophant is related to the Taurus zodiac sign (traditional, dependable, stable, solid, stubborn and hates change, and follows the rules and vows of society, believing in them, utterly).
#6 The Lovers — the path of Lovers represents making a choice related to a union between two people or two situations, and bonding together when the right choice is made. The Lovers is also related to soul-mates that come into your life, bringing happiness or the obstacles you will face, the uncanny attraction or misperception of your attraction (the lover’s triangle or interference, your choice may be blocked by another party or blocked by your situation).
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
The Planet Ruler: The Lovers is ruled by the planet Mercury (the speed at which you gather information, communicate, travel, write and analyze everything you have experienced).
Astrologically, the Lovers is related to the Gemini zodiac sign, the twins, each has a different personality and you never know which twin will show up (you meet flexibility, duality, adaptability, cleverness, curiosity, and geniality, or you meet someone that is changeable, restless, ungrateful, scheming, scatterbrained, and lacking in concentration and follow-through).
#7 The Chariot — the path of the Chariot represents the courage to master emotional control. The Charioteer needs to balance conflicting emotions to triumph over emotional obstacles. The experience of an ending or of a new beginning because he wears the Crescent Moons on his shoulders (endings and new beginnings).
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
The Planet Ruler: The Chariot is ruled by the Moon (mysteries of the epidermal kaleidoscope of emotions, feelings, wants and needs that fluctuate during the phases of the Moon).
Astrologically, the Chariot is related to the Cancer zodiac sign (emotional, sensitive, and cautious and his temperament is as variable as the ocean’s tides).
#8 The Strength — the path of Strength represents developing inner strength. Strength signifies that fear cannot touch Lady Strength because her inner strength exceeds her physical strength. She controls both the situation and the beast that roars at her because she will not let the lion devour her and control her with fear!
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Planet Ruler: Strength is ruled by the Sun (the ego is the fire of your furnace to go after what you want).
Astrologically, Strength is related to the Leo zodiac sign (spontaneous, extroverted, proud, and has a big heart, but dominates surroundings to be in control).
#9 The Hermit — the path of the Hermit represents isolation and solitude. The Hermit needs to develop something new or needs to complete what he started, and needs isolation to achieve success. Or the Hermit needs to analyze a personal crisis, his time in solitude helps him find resolution. His time alone from others pulls him out of the darkness and into the light with the answers he needs.
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Planet Ruler: The Hermit is ruled by the planet Mercury (how you think, but also the speed at which you gather information, talk, communicate, travel, write and analyze a situation until perfection is found).
Astrologically, the Hermit is related to the Virgo zodiac sign (methodical and extremely precise, slow to make moves, and analyzes every problem carefully from all angles, gathering information, analyzing, and making connections).
#10 The Wheel of Fortune — the path of the Wheel of Fortune represents fate and destiny — the cycle of life that is forever changing. The Wheel of Fortune represents a turn for the better, unexpected change and good fortune.
Planet Ruler: The Wheel of Fortune is related to your guardian angel that helps you achieve happiness, expansion, luck, fortune, success, big accomplishments and survival in a mysterious way.
Limits and rules are totally unacceptable because your guardian angel does not want you to be held back from getting want you want. Your guardian angel wants you to live life to the fullest and reach your highest potential, and says poof with unnecessary boundaries!
Timing: There is no timing with this card because your guardian angel works in a mysterious way!
Planet Ruler: The Wheel of Fortune is ruled by the planet Jupiter (the guardian angel planet that leads you to happiness, expansion, luck, fortune, success, big accomplishments and survival in a mysterious way).
Astrologically, the Wheel of Fortune is related to the Sagittarius zodiac sign (this zodiac sign believes that something good always approaches despite whatever bad has transpired, not dwelling on the past because emotions hold a person back.
#11 The Justice — the path of Justice represents personal accountability and responsibility, and balancing the scales, forcing one to take responsibility for obligations. Justice cuts right through the situation and represents the basic law of cause and effect… When you or another causes something to happen, there will be an equal effect related to what was caused.
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Planet Ruler: Justice is ruled by the planet Venus (Venus attracts and repels according to the principle of balance, weighing the good or bad according to established morals).
Astrologically, Justice is related to the Libra zodiac sign (this zodiac sign needs to balance both sides of the situation, professional and romantic relationships, and balance relationship contracts).
#12 The Hanged Man — the path of the Hanged Man represents self-sacrifice, a relinquishment that is necessary to achieve what is truly desired. He is not ready to let go, so he stays in self-sacrifice and enters a period of stagnation where nothing is gained or lost until he is ready to let go, the time when all the pieces fall into place.
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Planet Ruler: The Hanged Man is ruled by the planet Neptune (vivid dreams, or a feeling of distraction, the inability to concentrate, a blind spot between reality and illusion, which may cause a difficult time figuring out which is real and which is not. The planet Neptune is the wild card planet and makes you feel vulnerable and will sweep you away with illusions of love and betrayal.
Astrologically, the Hanged Man is related to the Pisces zodiac sign (two fish swimming in opposite directions, an ending and yet a new beginning). The dreamer needs to swim in two different directions to realize personal dreams.
#13 The Death — the path of Death represents transformation and restructure. Death is related to the end of an old, outdated way of thinking, or of a lifestyle that has been outgrown. Death brings unexpected change to show you what is not working, a monumental shift that will transform and restructure your path.
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Planet Ruler: Death is ruled by the planet Pluto (the planet of death and rebirth, known as “The Great Re-newer”). As such, it will destroy something in order to renew it, bringing what was hidden to the surface.
Astrologically, Death is related to the Scorpio zodiac sign (mystery, transformation, regeneration, rising from the ashes of defeat and starting over). Scorpio is related to what is hidden that will come out and send you into transformation, an ending or new beginning.
#14 The Temperance — the path of Temperance represents moderation and balance. Temperance also signifies the path of healing and health, and asks you to release negative patterns to find moderation and restore your equilibrium.
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Planet Ruler: Temperance is ruled by the planet Jupiter (the guardian angel planet that leads you to expansion, luck, fortune, success, and big accomplishments). Jupiter makes you feel ageless and immortal.
Astrologically, Temperance is related to the Sagittarius zodiac sign (excessive drive, the electric explorer that is freedom loving, restless, sometimes impatient and compulsive).
#15 The Devil — the path of the Devil represents self-indulgence, temptation, addiction, living by your own code of conduct and taking risks. The time to cut yourself loose to live for the moment or the time to take a walk on the wild side and have some fun!
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Planet Ruler: The Devil is ruled by the planet Saturn (the lord of karma, and your education through the “School of Hard Knocks” with new lessons to learn through trial and error).
Astrologically, the Devil is related to the Capricorn zodiac sign (ambition, control, the risk taker, but also the user of people, and lover of things).
#16 The Tower — the path of the Tower represents defeat, deception and catastrophe (the severing of a relationship, discovering a partner is having an affair, the death of a loved one, divorce, bankruptcy, an unexpected accident, illness or job loss). The Tower represents the time when you might hit rock bottom, feel defeated, insecure or deceived, or you might destroy a relationship, so you are free to build a new foundation that is right for you.
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Planet Rulers: The Tower is ruled by the planet Mars (the volcano that erupts), Pluto (destroys something to rebuild), and Uranus (unexpected changes that are unpredictable). When Mars and Uranus meet up with each other, they start fires, and Pluto releases what was hidden and destroys the path to make you rebuild!
Astrologically, the Tower is related to the zodiac signs of Aries (courageous and hot tempered), Scorpio (loyal and obsessive), and Aquarius (clever and rebellious).
#17 The Star — the path of the Star represents releasing the baleful ghosts of the past. Your crisis, however difficult, will be overcome and give rise to a new opportunity for growth as you shed what restrained you. Healing will sneak up on you with faith in the future. You’ll feel inspired to emerge from the darkness, with a sense of hope, faith and protection, enabling you to start living in the future again.
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Planet Ruler: The Star is ruled by the planet Uranus (the planet of the future and not the past). When the timing is right, Uranus will release what had blocked or restricted your future!
Astrologically, the Star is related to the zodiac sign of Aquarius (the sign of the future and not the past).
#18 The Moon — the path of the Moon represents illusion, mystery, fear, dreams, lies, deceit, confusion, falsehoods and hidden enemies. The Moon is related to how your mind will trick you or how someone else will trick you, or the time when you will do something you would not normally do. With the Moon, all is not what it seems to be!
Timing is related to 1 – 30 days, or the Phases of the Moon.
New Moon or Solar Eclipse (making a wish and starting a new plan). First Quarter Moon (growing in size, action oriented, pushing ahead to a testing point). Full Moon or Lunar Eclipse (wishes come true, or the release of what is not working). Third Quarter Moon (shrinking in size, strong beliefs of what you want – acting on these beliefs or releasing what binds you).
Planet Ruler: The Moon is ruled by the planet Neptune (the wild card planet related to the spiritual awakener, but also related to the time when nothing is what it seems to be).
Neptune represents what is invisible that you cannot see, confusion, escapism, avoiding responsibility, or unable to see something clearly, or the time when you cannot accept the truth.
Neptune dissolves, melts or vaporizes what it touches. I have experienced the meltdown (Transiting Neptune trine Natal Neptune — “Poof” — onto a new path in spirituality, just like that)! You might step outside of your boundaries and dissolve your path in error because you did not see something clearly, or maybe you wanted to dissolve your path for a reason.
Astrologically, the Moon is related to the zodiac sign of Pisces (the dreamer who swims in two different directions to realize personal dreams).
#19 The Sun — the path of the Sun represents perfect balance between the conscious and subconscious = health. The Sun’s energies are packed with bright possibilities, happiness, joy, vitality, and a newly positive feeling about life. The fire of your spirit shines like the Sun and represents the concept of feeling reborn again, as a child with no worries, and nothing is bogging you down.
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Planet Ruler: The Sun is ruled by the Sun (youth and the fire of your furnace that is beaming with your ambition to succeed).
Astrologically, the Sun is related to the zodiac sign of Leo (strong-willed, on the prowl, ready to live in the moment and needs to be in the spotlight).
#20 The Judgement — the path of Judgement represents forgiveness. The time to forgive others, but more importantly, the time to forgive yourself for your mistakes so you are not carrying around the baleful ghosts of the past with every step that you take. Judgement is related to karma and the universal law of cause and effect (cause = effect), which produces consequences, resulting in a judgment. Judgement is a wake-up call, letting you know that any decisions you make will bring consequences. One cycle is ending, another beginning, indicating forgiveness, rebirth, reconciliation, redemption, release, renewal and transformation.
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Planet Ruler: Judgement is ruled by the planet Pluto (the destroyer that renews and brings something to the surface). Pluto is “The Secret Transformation Police!”
Astrologically, Judgement is related to the zodiac sign of Scorpio (rises from the ashes and the rebirth that follows).
#21 The World — the path of the World represents recreation, completion, triumph, success, realization of accomplishments and fulfillment of a personal cycle.
The World is related to the victories achieved when you keep your thoughts in the present (conscious mind) by escaping control of the past (unconscious mind). When you finally live in the conscious, you enter the greatest lifestyle change in your entire journey. Now disciplined, unconscious urges no longer control you because you have tied up loose ends and everything falls into place.
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Planet Ruler: The World is ruled by the planet Saturn (wisdom through mistakes made, structures, responsibility, restrictions and learning the meaning of time when you enter the “School of Hard Knocks” to be the master of your own destiny and not rely on others).
Astrologically, the World is related to the zodiac sign of Capricorn (ambitious, competitive, disciplined, cold, rigid, and the grudge keeper).
Blessings,
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[contact-form-7 id=”3792″ title=”Contact form Safina”]This article first appeared on Zenory.com
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