If you've ever looked at a tarot deck and wondered what on earth The Tower or The Hanged Man actually mean, you're not alone. Tarot can feel intimidating at first — but once you understand the story the Major Arcana tells, the cards begin to make intuitive sense.
The Major Arcana are the 22 trump cards in a tarot deck, numbered 0 to 21. They represent the big themes of human experience — the major forces, turning points, and archetypes that shape our lives. Here's a plain-English guide to all 22.
Browse our tarot card collection →
The 22 Major Arcana Cards
0. The Fool
New beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, a leap of faith. The Fool stands at the edge of a cliff, about to step off into the unknown. He represents the start of a journey — full of potential, unburdened by experience.
I. The Magician
Willpower, skill, resourcefulness, manifestation. The Magician has all the tools he needs — the question is whether he'll use them. This card is about taking action and turning intention into reality.
II. The High Priestess
Intuition, mystery, the subconscious, inner knowing. The High Priestess sits between two pillars, guarding hidden knowledge. She asks you to trust your gut over logic.
III. The Empress
Abundance, fertility, creativity, nurturing. The Empress is lush and generous — she represents nature, growth, and the creative force. She often signals a time of flourishing.
IV. The Emperor
Authority, structure, stability, fatherhood. Where the Empress flows, the Emperor builds. He represents order, discipline, and the power of established systems.
V. The Hierophant
Tradition, institutions, spiritual guidance, conformity. The Hierophant is the keeper of established wisdom — religion, education, convention. He can represent a mentor, or a call to examine the rules you live by.
VI. The Lovers
Love, relationships, choices, alignment. Despite the name, The Lovers is as much about choices as romance. It asks: are you aligned with your values? Are you choosing what truly resonates?
VII. The Chariot
Determination, control, victory, willpower. The Chariot is about harnessing opposing forces and driving forward with focus. Success through discipline and sheer will.
VIII. Strength
Courage, patience, inner strength, compassion. Strength shows a figure gently taming a lion — not through force, but through calm confidence. True strength is quiet and steady.
IX. The Hermit
Solitude, introspection, inner guidance, withdrawal. The Hermit retreats from the world to seek wisdom within. This card often appears when you need time alone to reflect and reconnect with yourself.
X. Wheel of Fortune
Cycles, fate, turning points, luck. Life moves in cycles — what goes up must come down, and vice versa. The Wheel of Fortune reminds us that change is the only constant.
XI. Justice
Fairness, truth, cause and effect, accountability. Justice is clear-eyed and impartial. This card often appears around legal matters, decisions, or moments when you're being called to account for your actions.
XII. The Hanged Man
Pause, surrender, new perspective, sacrifice. The Hanged Man hangs willingly — he's chosen to stop and see things differently. This card asks you to let go of control and trust the process.
XIII. Death
Endings, transformation, transition, release. Death rarely means literal death in a reading. It signals the end of one chapter and the beginning of another — often a necessary and ultimately positive transformation.
XIV. Temperance
Balance, moderation, patience, purpose. Temperance pours water between two cups — a symbol of flow, harmony, and finding the middle path. A card of healing and integration.
XV. The Devil
Bondage, materialism, shadow self, addiction. The Devil shows two figures chained — but the chains are loose. This card asks: what are you choosing to stay bound to? What patterns or habits have you outgrown?
XVI. The Tower
Sudden change, upheaval, revelation, chaos. The Tower is often feared, but it represents the necessary destruction of what was built on false foundations. What falls needed to fall.
XVII. The Star
Hope, renewal, inspiration, serenity. After the chaos of The Tower comes The Star — a moment of peace, healing, and renewed faith in the future. A deeply reassuring card.
XVIII. The Moon
Illusion, fear, the unconscious, confusion. The Moon illuminates the night but distorts what it reveals. This card often signals that things are not as they appear — trust your intuition over surface appearances.
XIX. The Sun
Joy, vitality, success, clarity. The Sun is one of the most positive cards in the deck — warmth, confidence, and the simple pleasure of being alive. Things are going well, or are about to.
XX. Judgement
Reflection, reckoning, awakening, absolution. Judgement calls you to review your past honestly and rise to a higher version of yourself. A card of profound personal transformation.
XXI. The World
Completion, integration, wholeness, achievement. The World is the final card of the Major Arcana — a moment of fulfilment and the successful completion of a cycle. Everything has come together.
How to Use This in Your Readings
When a Major Arcana card appears in a reading, pay attention — it signals a significant theme or turning point. A spread full of Major Arcana cards suggests you're in a particularly meaningful or fated period of your life.
Ready to explore further? Read our guide to How to Read Tarot Cards for Beginners, or discover the best decks for your practice below.
Shop Tarot Cards at Moon & Moss →