THE MAJOR ARCANA

There are 22 cards in the Major Arcana. These ‘trump’ cards, made of major characters and life themes, are numbered 0 to 21, usually in roman numerals. The numbers themselves contain meanings that you may find reflect important numbers in your own life. They stretch across all meaningful experiences and speak to individual character and personality.

Some of the Major Arcana cards will remind you of yourself, while others will cause you to recall life events. Some may remind you of characters you’ve encountered in reality or in films and books. As you peruse the Major Arcana, it is good to jot down notes. A few words written down to define each card from your perspective are the start of a real connection with that card.

The Major Arcana contains all of life, so while there are human characters within it, such as The Empress, The Hermit and The Magician, there are bigger subjects such as The World, The Star and Death. These cards are like onions, with layers of meaning. You won’t be able to pierce that vast depth also speak of the fears and furrows that halt our creative endeavours. They are about the passion we need to embrace, control and own as we navigate our way through life.

CUPS represent feelings and relationships. Some say they are the suit of love, but they are also the suit of passion, hope, tears and fears.

SWORDS are representative of choice, decisions and the realm of thought. They are about boundaries as they represent limitations. Swords speak to creating mental clarity and fighting through difficulties towards truth.

PENTACLES (coins) represent abundance (or the lack of), money, work and the material world. They show us our attitude towards work, and our ambitions and dreams for our careers. They offer guidance on attracting and manifesting what we desire, and the work that this entails.