Major Arcana: Your Spiritual Milestones
Welcome to your destiny, the path of least resistance—the eye of the storm that you are becoming. The Major Arcana carries different meanings depending on your beliefs. Universally, they represent situations or people essential to your soul’s development. They are mile markers in your life, moments to reflect upon.
Depending on your worldview, Major Arcana cards can be seen as Acts of God or hands of fate. These cards are the most influential in a spread and should always capture your attention. A single Trump card can change the meaning of the entire reading.
- The Sun illuminates the spread, bringing out the most positive interpretations.
- The Devil casts a darker influence, showing challenges or hidden struggles.
Psychological vs Spiritual Interpretations
Some cartomancers approach the Major Arcana psychologically, connecting the cards to stages of human development. Others view them spiritually, tracing the journey from the innocent Fool to the completion represented by The World.
My Interpretation: The Soul’s Journey
I see the Major Arcana as the literal journey of the spirit:
- The Fool (0): Observing life from a state of innocence and potential.
- Manifestation/Birth: The soul is born through innocence and potential.
- Guidance from parents and mentors: We rely on mothers, fathers, and divine authority.
- Exploration and Love: Life unfolds; we experience growth and relationships.
- Challenges: Loss, endurance, and sacrifice shape our character.
- Reflection and Judgment: Our soul’s value is weighed through the consequences of our choices.
- Limbo (Temperance): Post-death, material attachments keep us tied to the earthly realm.
- Healing and Renewal: Shedding pain and guilt allows hope to return.
- Ultimate Judgment: Our cumulative experiences and lessons are assessed.
- The World: The union of all lives, lessons, and wisdom; the soul rejoins the collective and may reincarnate.
Fate, Free Will, and the Tarot
Major Arcana also raise questions about destiny and free will. Tarot often reflects the path of life. Do we have the power to choose, or is life pre-determined?
Consider this:
“You are standing at a fork in the road. Your instinct tells you to go left, but you want to go right. If you go right, are you defying destiny or following the plan?”
Tarot invites exploration: read, reflect, learn, and trust yourself. Some answers are clear, others unfold over time.
Major Arcana Sequence
The Sequence in question is the order in which the cards are presented. There is a difference between the one curated by Rider-Waite-Smith and the one curated by the Golden Dawn.
If you’re a long time reader, have you ever noticed that Strength and Justice can sometimes be reversed? This is because The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was the very society that A.E. Waite got his start in esoteric practices. He then disbanded and rectified the order “R. R. Et A.E.” After the disbandment of that order he later formed “The Fellowship of the Rosy Cross.” It was within this order he would re-create the Major Arcana Sequence, and rectify the Waite-Smith deck that is so frequently referenced.
Below is the Major Arcana sequence, added to include astrological dates, timing and other features that maybe useful to you as you become a more advanced reader.
