Major Arcana: The 22 Trump Cards and Their Meaning
The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards numbered from 0 (The Fool) to XXI (The World). They don’t describe everyday events but big life themes and archetypes: setting out, love, loss, renewal, maturity. When a Major Arcana card appears in a reading, it points to a theme that reaches beyond the moment.
Many readers see the 22 cards as the “Fool’s journey”: in the first row (I–VII) the Fool gets to know the world and himself, in the second (VIII–XIV) he meets inner forces, limits and change, and in the third (XV–XXI) he faces shadow, crisis and finally wholeness. Read this way, each card is a stage of growth rather than a fixed fate.
At 4mytarot we use the cards as prompts for self-reflection. Every card below links to its full lexicon entry and its meaning for love, career, spirituality and decisions.
All cards at a glance
| Card | Keywords | Yes/No | Love |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Fool | New Beginning, Spontaneity, Innocence | Yes | The Fool in love |
| The Magician | Manifestation, Willpower, Skill | Yes | The Magician in love |
| The High Priestess | Intuition, Secrets, Inner Wisdom | Maybe | The High Priestess in love |
| The Empress | Abundance, Fertility, Nature | Yes | The Empress in love |
| The Emperor | Authority, Structure, Stability | Yes | The Emperor in love |
| The Hierophant | Tradition, Teaching, Spirituality | Maybe | The Hierophant in love |
| The Lovers | Love, Partnership, Choice | Yes | The Lovers in love |
| The Chariot | Willpower, Victory, Determination | Yes | The Chariot in love |
| Strength | Courage, Gentleness, Patience | Yes | Strength in love |
| The Hermit | Introspection, Wisdom, Solitude | Maybe | The Hermit in love |
| Wheel of Fortune | Change, Cycles, Fate | Yes | Wheel of Fortune in love |
| Justice | Fairness, Truth, Law | Maybe | Justice in love |
| The Hanged Man | Surrender, Perspective Shift, Patience | Maybe | The Hanged Man in love |
| Death | Transformation, Ending, New Beginning | No | Death in love |
| Temperance | Balance, Patience, Healing | Yes | Temperance in love |
| The Devil | Bondage, Addiction, Shadow | No | The Devil in love |
| The Tower | Upheaval, Chaos, Liberation | No | The Tower in love |
| The Star | Hope, Inspiration, Healing | Yes | The Star in love |
| The Moon | Illusion, Intuition, Fear | No | The Moon in love |
| The Sun | Joy, Success, Vitality | Yes | The Sun in love |
| Judgement | Awakening, Calling, Absolution | Yes | Judgement in love |
| The World | Completion, Integration, Fulfillment | Yes | The World in love |
The Fool
New Beginning • Spontaneity • Innocence • Freedom · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: An exciting new beginning lies ahead. Trust your instincts and take the leap into the unknown. The Fool reminds you that every journey begins with a single step.
Reversed: You may be hesitating too much or taking reckless risks. Find the balance between caution and spontaneity.
Love: A new relationship or fresh energy in an existing partnership. Be open to the unexpected.
Full meaning: The Fool
The Magician
Manifestation • Willpower • Skill • Focus · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: You have all the tools you need to achieve your goals. The Magician symbolizes the ability to turn ideas into reality. Use your talents with awareness.
Reversed: Untapped potential or manipulation. Check whether you're using your abilities constructively.
Love: Actively approach your partner. Communication and initiative are important now.
Full meaning: The Magician
The High Priestess
Intuition • Secrets • Inner Wisdom • Unconscious · Yes/No: Maybe
Upright: Listen to your intuition—the answers already lie within you. The High Priestess invites you to go into stillness and trust your inner voice.
Reversed: Suppressed intuition or excessive brooding. Allow yourself to trust your feelings.
Love: Trust your gut feeling in relationship matters. Secrets may play a role.
Full meaning: The High Priestess
The Empress
Abundance • Fertility • Nature • Creativity · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: A time of abundance, creativity, and growth. The Empress represents nurturing energy and the power to create something new.
Reversed: Neglect of self-care or creative blocks. Nurture yourself.
Love: Deep emotional connection and warmth. A fertile time for relationships.
Full meaning: The Empress
The Emperor
Authority • Structure • Stability • Control · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: Structure and stability are important now. The Emperor calls you to take responsibility and set clear boundaries.
Reversed: Excessive control or lack of structure. Find the balance between leadership and flexibility.
Love: Stability and reliability in the relationship. Clear communication is important.
Full meaning: The Emperor
The Hierophant
Tradition • Teaching • Spirituality • Conformity · Yes/No: Maybe
Upright: Traditional values and inherited wisdom can provide guidance now. The Hierophant points to teachers, mentors, or spiritual guidance.
Reversed: Questioning traditions or searching for your own path. Not all rules fit for you.
Love: Traditional values in the relationship. Possibly marriage or official commitment.
Full meaning: The Hierophant
The Lovers
Love • Partnership • Choice • Harmony · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: An important decision in the area of relationships or personal values is at hand. The Lovers symbolize harmony and conscious decisions.
Reversed: Disharmony or difficult decisions. Check whether you are authentic to your values.
Love: Deep connection and possible soulmates. Important relationship decisions.
Full meaning: The Lovers
The Chariot
Willpower • Victory • Determination • Control · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: You have the strength to overcome obstacles. The Chariot shows triumph through willpower and focused energy.
Reversed: Lack of direction or inner conflicts. Different forces are pulling in different directions.
Love: Actively pursuing romantic goals. Movement and change in the relationship.
Full meaning: The Chariot
Strength
Courage • Gentleness • Patience • Inner Strength · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: True strength comes from within. This card shows that gentleness and patience are more powerful than brute force.
Reversed: Self-doubt or suppressed emotions. Acknowledge your inner power.
Love: Patience and understanding in the relationship. Gentle strength works wonders.
Full meaning: Strength
The Hermit
Introspection • Wisdom • Solitude • Guidance · Yes/No: Maybe
Upright: A time of introspection and reflection. The Hermit invites you to withdraw and seek wisdom in silence.
Reversed: Too much isolation or avoidance of solitude. Find the right balance.
Love: Time for self-reflection in relationships. Possibly a need for space.
Full meaning: The Hermit
Wheel of Fortune
Change • Cycles • Fate • Turning Point · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: Change is the only constant. The wheel turns, and a new cycle begins. Accept life's twists—both highs and lows are part of the journey.
Reversed: Resistance to change or unfortunate turns. Remember: The wheel keeps turning.
Love: Fateful encounters or changes in the relationship.
Full meaning: Wheel of Fortune
Justice
Fairness • Truth • Law • Consequence · Yes/No: Maybe
Upright: Justice and balance are called for. This card calls for honesty and taking responsibility. Decisions should be made fairly.
Reversed: Injustice or dishonesty. Check whether you or others are acting fairly.
Love: Fairness and balance in the relationship. Honest communication is essential.
Full meaning: Justice
The Hanged Man
Surrender • Perspective Shift • Patience • Letting Go · Yes/No: Maybe
Upright: A new perspective can bring clarity. The Hanged Man invites you to pause and look at things from a different angle.
Reversed: Unnecessary holding on or stagnation. Check what you need to let go of.
Love: New perspective on the relationship. Sacrifice or compromise may be necessary.
Full meaning: The Hanged Man
Death
Transformation • Ending • New Beginning • Letting Go · Yes/No: No
Upright: One chapter ends, another begins. Death symbolizes profound transformation—not physical ending, but necessary change.
Reversed: Resistance to necessary change. Holding on to what no longer serves.
Love: End of a phase or deep transformation in the relationship.
Full meaning: Death
Temperance
Balance • Patience • Healing • Integration · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: Balance and patience lead to the goal. Temperance calls for the golden mean—integrate opposites and proceed carefully.
Reversed: Imbalance or excess. Find your way back to center.
Love: Harmony and balance in the relationship. Finding compromises.
Full meaning: Temperance
The Devil
Bondage • Addiction • Shadow • Materialism · Yes/No: No
Upright: Recognize what binds you. The Devil shows dependencies, addictions, or limiting patterns. Liberation is possible.
Reversed: Liberation from dependencies or denial of inner shadows.
Love: Toxic patterns or intense passion. Check what binds you.
Full meaning: The Devil
The Tower
Upheaval • Chaos • Liberation • Revelation · Yes/No: No
Upright: Unexpected change shakes old structures. The Tower brings chaos but also liberation. Something more stable can emerge from the ruins.
Reversed: Resistance to necessary change or delayed collapse.
Love: Sudden change or revelation in the relationship.
Full meaning: The Tower
The Star
Hope • Inspiration • Healing • Peace · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: Hope and inspiration shine on the horizon. After the storm comes the Star—a sign of healing, calm, and renewed faith.
Reversed: Loss of hope or doubt. Remember the light within you.
Love: Hope and healing in relationships. Trust is renewed.
Full meaning: The Star
The Moon
Illusion • Intuition • Fear • Unconscious · Yes/No: No
Upright: Not everything is as it seems. The Moon shows illusions, fears, and hidden truths. Trust your intuition to navigate through darkness.
Reversed: Overcoming fears or increased confusion.
Love: Hidden feelings or insecurities. Seek clarity.
Full meaning: The Moon
The Sun
Joy • Success • Vitality • Clarity · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: Joy, success, and vitality radiate. The Sun brings warmth, clarity, and positive momentum. Enjoy the light!
Reversed: Dampened joy or excessive optimism. The light is still there.
Love: Happy, fulfilled relationship. Joy and vitality in love.
Full meaning: The Sun
Judgement
Awakening • Calling • Absolution • Rebirth · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: A call to transformation and awakening. Judgement asks you to reflect on your life, heal the past, and recognize your true calling.
Reversed: Self-doubt or inability to let go of past mistakes.
Love: Re-evaluation of the relationship. Forgiveness and new beginning.
Full meaning: Judgement
The World
Completion • Integration • Fulfillment • Wholeness · Yes/No: Yes
Upright: Completion and fulfillment. The World shows the successful completion of a cycle. Celebrate your accomplishments.
Reversed: Incompleteness or delayed fulfillment. The conclusion is near.
Love: Fulfilled, complete relationship. Harmony and satisfaction.
Full meaning: The WorldReading reversed cards
A reversed card does not turn into its opposite; its energy is slowed, turned inward or not yet mature. Ask yourself: what is keeping this theme from unfolding right now?
Frequently asked questions
How many cards are in the Major Arcana?
The Major Arcana has 22 cards, from 0 (The Fool) to XXI (The World). Together with the 56 Minor Arcana cards they form a full 78-card deck.
What is the difference between the Major and Minor Arcana?
The Major Arcana shows big life themes and archetypes; the Minor Arcana describes everyday situations, feelings and actions in the four suits of Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles.
What does it mean when many Major Arcana cards appear?
Many trump cards point to an important, formative theme. The situation is shaped less by chance than by an inner development that is due now.
Is the Death card bad?
No. In tarot, Death almost never means physical death but an ending that makes room for something new, such as closing a chapter of life.
Which Major Arcana cards mean yes?
These count as a clear yes: The Fool, The Magician, The Empress, The Emperor, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, Wheel of Fortune, Temperance, The Star, The Sun, Judgement, The World.