The Major Arcana is the heart of the tarot deck. It is made up of 22 cards that each have it’s own theme to it. These cards represent different events in your life, some spiritual lessons, and a ton of insights.
When we are reading the Major Arcana, we want to look at the symbols, meanings, as well as notice the numerology and some astrology information that will give us different layers of information to help us understand the cards.
What I am trying to say is that there is a lot more to the Major Arcana than just the keywords. I want to share that information with you here. Each card either has or will have it’s own blog post for a much deeper explanation of the card.
The Fool
Even though The Fool is labeled 0 on the card, it is the first card of the deck. As the Fool makes it through the cards, it is sometimes referred to as the Foo’s Journey.
The keywords for The Fool are: new beginnings, adventure, innocence and mindfulness.
Along with those keywords, the number that corresponds with this card is 0, which also stands for new beginnings and potential. The corresponding crystal is clear quartz and the planet that goes with this card is Uranus.
If you would like learn more in depth information about the Fool, I have a blog post right here dedicated to him.
The Magician
This card is such a symbol for confidence. When The Magician shows up in your reading, it is saying to to you that you have everything you need within you to reach any goal you have. You need to trust yourself.
The Magician’s keywords are manifestation, resourcefulness, confidence and self belief.
Adding to these keywords are the numerology, crystal, and planet that are wrapped up with the Magician. The number for The Magician is 1, which symbolizes manifestation and will power. The crystal that goes with this card is citrine, and the planet is Mercury.
My blog post for this card is right here.
The High Priestess
One of my favorite cards is this card, The High Priestess. She represents intuition, mystery, and hidden knowledge. She wants you to listen to yourself and trust your instincts. The High Priestess is also associated with secrets, and to me the secrets are about your shadow self; what is inside you hiding in your subconscious.
The keywords for this card are of no surprise to me. They are intuition, hidden knowledge, introspection, and reflection. When you see this card, you know it’s time to take out that journal!
Other things that go with this card is the number 2, which represents intuition and the two sides of ourself. The crystal that goes with this card is moonstone, and the astrology connection is to the moon.
It’s amazing to me how perfectly the numerology and astrology represent the cards so well. If you want to learn more about astrology, my friend Carolina is an expert in astrology.
If you want to know more about The High Priestess, you can find my blog post right here.
The Empress
This is a card I identify with deeply. The Empress is a very nurturing card, she is all about fertility, abundance, and nurturing. When I see this card, I know that I am in a season of creativity and growth. I love to come up with new ideas and figure out how it will work.
Enjoy the best that life has to offer. She wants you to take care of yourself and others with love and kindness.
Here are the keywords for this card: fertility, abundance, prosperity, and fulfillment.
Along with the keywords, The Empress is represented by the number 3 which symbolizes fertility and creativity. The crystal is rose quartz, and the corresponding planet is Venus, who embodies being a woman.
For more information about The Empress, you can go here.
The Emperor
The Emperor Major Arcana card is a father figure. While The Empress was soft and nurturing, this card is all business! He represents authority, structure and stability. If this card shows up in a reading, he’s telling you to take charge of your life, don’t let someone else tell you how to lead it.
It might be time to put up some boundaries and realize the inner strength you have.
The keywords that go with this card make sense, they are authority, structure, discipline, and control.
This card is doesn’t have a planet to go with it, instead it has the sign of Aries. Aries loves new things, is an initiator and loves to take action. The crystal that goes with The Emperor is red jasper, and the number is the number of the card, 4. The numerology of the number 4 is about authority and structure.
To learn more about The Emperor, check this blog post out!
The Hierophant
While The High Priestess was all about inner wisdom, The Hierophant is about wisdom you can learn from others. This is a very traditional card, more about the established institutions and people you can learn from. Think place of worship, religious beliefs, the norms of society and higher education. When this card shows up in a reading it is a suggestion to look for help from people you trust, a teacher, or a mentor.
Here are the keywords that go with this card: tradition, spiritual guidance, community, and shared beliefs.
The number 5 corresponds with this card. The 5 represents tradition and wisdom. The crystal that goes with this card is amethyst. Taurus is the astrology connection to go with this card. Just thinking about how that fits into my life since my husband is a Taurus, he is stubborn, and he is also very traditional.
The Lovers
Ah, The Lovers. You might be thinking this is all about love and romance, and that is true. You can get some great insights about your romantic life, but it is also about making choices. When The Lovers card comes up in your reading, it is more than just about romance. The Lovers wants you to make sure you are making choices that align with you and what you value.
The keywords for this card are love, harmony, choices, and decisions.
The astrology sign that goes with this card is Gemini. Gemini are famous for making choices and changing their mind. If you are into crystals, rhodonite is what you want to use to challenge The Lovers energy. The number that goes with this card is the number 6 whose keywords are love and harmony.
More information about The Lovers can be found right here.
The Chariot
The seventh card in the Major Arcana is The Chariot. The Chariot wants you to look at how you overcome challenges and reach your goals. I bet you have gotten there through will power and determination. It is reminding you that you have the power to take your life in any way you want. .
These are the keywords for The Chariot: determination, balance, control, will power, and victory.
If you are looking for a little more information on this card, the number associated with this card is 7 (determination and control), the crystal is carnelian, and the sign that goes with this card is Cancer.
If you are looking to go deep into this card, check out my blog post about The Chariot.
Strength
I love this card! Strength isn’t about physical strength so much as about mental strength as well. Your power comes from within you. You have the ability to look at challenges with self control and courage.
The keywords for this card are inner courage, compassion, self-confidence, and self-control.
The crystal that goes with strength is tiger’s eye if are looking to tap into the energy of Strength. The number That goes with this card is 8, which symbolizes courage and resilience. And no surprise here, the sign that goes with this card is Leo.
Check this out for more information about Strength.
The Hermit
When The Hermit shows up in your reading, the first thing you need to do is make sure you set some time alone for yourself. The Hermit is a reminder that you need time to go within yourself for look for answers to whatever questions you are trying to answer. The answers are in yourself if you look.
The keywords for this card are solitude, contemplation, and spiritual enlightenment.
This card is the 9th card in the deck, and 9s symbolize wisdom and going within. The astrological sign is Virgo, and the crystal that goes with this card is fluorite.
Here is my blog post on The Hermit if you are looking for more information.
Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune is all about change, cycles, and destiny. This card reminds us that life is never the same for long. You need to go with the flow, so stay flexible and know that after the changes, life will get back to normal for a while.
This card also is about karma, and how what has happened in the past is affecting your now. Just stay flexible and openminded about the changes that are going on.
The keywords to remember for this card are changes, cycles, karma, and consequences.
The Wheel of Fortune is represented by the number 10 (change, cycles). If you are into crystals, the crystal that goes with this card is aventurine. And this card has a planet representing it: Jupiter.
If you are looking for more information about The Wheel of Fortune, check out this post.
Justice
Even if the name of the Justice card wasn’t on there, I think we could take an educated guess about what this card is about. The scales give it away, at least to me. It’s a reminder to be fair and honest in everything you do. The Justice card is asking you to be accountable and treat everyone the same way.
Since the scales are balanced, you need to make decisions that are balanced. Look at all the perspectives of a situation and be fair.
Here are the keywords for the Justice card: fairness, truth, and balance.
If you are looking for a crystal that goes with this card, check out some blue kyanite. Libra is the sign that goes with this card. Libras are all about justice and fairness.
The Hanged Man
At first glance, you might look at this card and say “That guy is screwed;” Once you take a closer look, you can see that he has the power to release himself, all he needs to do is to let go. All he needs to do is look at his situation from a different perspective and he will be able to release hinself.
This card is also a bit about sacrifice. What does the Hanged Man need to do in order to get himself out of the pickle he is in? He needs to sacrifice the idea that he is stuck, stop being complacent, and look at things differently.
Here are the keywords ofr The Hanged Man: surrender, perspective, sacrifice, transformation.
The planet that goes with this card is Neptune, and the crystal is selenite, a great cleansing crystal.
Death
This actually isn’t the scariest card in the deck. The Death card symbolizes endings and new beginnings. It doesn’t suggest literal death. It’s telling you that something is about to end, but there is something new taking root as well.
This could sound a lot like the Wheel of Fortune to you, but this card wants you to move on, not stay stuck in the same place you are. Embrace those new opportunities!
Death’s keywords are new beginnings, endings, and transformation. It is associated with the sign of Scorpio and the crystal that goes with it is obsidian.
Temperance
Balance and moderation is what Temperance is all about. If you get this card in a reading, it’s telling you to think about where your life is out of balance, and try to bring some moderation back in that area.
When I see this card come up in a reading for me, I always think that it is telling me to watch what I am eating. That’s a pretty literal interpretation of the card, but sometimes it is about working with different ideas and figuring them out so that they can work together for the same purpose.
These are the keywords for Temperance: balance, moderation, harmony, and healing.
The crystal that has the energy of Temperance is amethyst. It is also the crystal for the Hierophant. It’s a multipurpose crystal that you can use for whenever you want to use the energy of either card. The astrology sign that goes with this card is Sagittarius.
Joining my Facebook group is another resource to learn more about tarot and manifesting.
15. The Devil
The Devil card is about feeling trapped and facing temptations. When this card shows up, it’s asking you to look at what might be holding you back. It could be bad habits, unhealthy relationships, or negative thoughts. The Devil reminds you are a strong person who can overcome these challenges.
This card is also about the dangers of giving in to every want you have and losing control. It’s a wake-up call to take a closer look at your life and see where you might be overindulging or getting stuck. The Devil card encourages you to face your fears and make positive changes to regain your freedom and control.
The difference between this card and Temperance is that Temperance is a guide, showing you the way, but The Devil is a warning about giving into temptations that will hurt you.
The keywords to remember for this card are temptation, breaking free, and bondage.
The Devil is represented by the sign of Capricorn. The crystal for this card is black tourmaline.
The Tower
This is the scariest card for me, because this card is about sudden changes and big disruptions. Be on the lookout, because something in your life could shake up your life in a big way. It’s reminding you that somethings have to come apart in order to build something stronger.
Another interpretation for this card is that there could be something that is going to be revealed to you, and it is going to challenge your beliefs. While this might be scary, but The Tower wants you to embrace the changes. Something new is coming, and you need to let go of the old to let the new come in.
The main themes and keywords for this card are: sudden change, upheaval, renewal, and revelations. Smoky quartz is the crystal for this card, and the planet associated with this card is Mars.
The Star
The Star is a card that is about hope and inspiration. This card is great when it shows up because it means that you are heading into a period of peace and calmness. It wants you to trust that everything is going to be ok, so stay positive and keep dreaming.
The important ideas for this card are hope, inspiration, healing, and serenity, so you will want to write these keywords down.
The sign for this card is Aquarius, which is about innovation and looking ahead. The crystal that matches the energy of this card is aquamarine.
The Moon
When this card shows up in a reading, it’s telling you to pay attention to your feelings, dreams, and intuition. Trust your gut, and everything might not be the way you think they are. When you are reading your cards, The Moon wants you to look at things from a different perspective.
This card is also about our shadow side, so you might find something out about yourself that you didn’t know before.
Key ideas for this card are illusions, intuition, hidden truths, and emotions.
The sign that goes with this card is Pisces. Pisces is an intuitive sign, so it matches The Moon well. The crystal that goes with this card is labradorite.
19. The Sun
Great things are happening! If this card comes up in a reading it means that there is success, happiness, and positive vibes. It’s telling you that you are on the right path, and brings with it a sense of accomplishment.
Enjoy this time and let everyone know about all the good things that are going on.
The keywords for this card are for this card are joy, success, positivity, and confidence.
Guess what the astrology sign for this card is…It’s the sun! The crystal that goes with this card is sandstone.
Judgment
We are almost to the end of the Major Arcana cards. Bless you if you have stuck it out this long!
When the Judgment card shows up in a reading, it is telling you it is time for a new start. This isn’t surprising when you think that the next card is The World. I would start looking for fresh start and look at it with different perspectives. You should spend some time reflecting on what has happened in the past, and how it can guide you in the future.
The keywords for this card are rebirth, renewal, evaluate, reflection, and big decisions.
If you want a crystal to help energize you, then angelite is the crystal for you. The planet that goes with this card is Pluto. Pluto symbolizes new beginnings and changes. The perfect planet to go with Judgment.
The World
And here we are at the end. The World card means completion, reaching goals and feeling good about that. It’s a sign that you have come to some sort of milestone in your life, and it is exciting.
Remember to enjoy and celebrate what you have achieved.
Key ideas for this card are completion, achievement, fulfillment, and wholeness.
The crystal for this card is lapis lazuli. And the planet to go with this sign is Saturn. Saturn represents structure and reaching goals, so it fits perfectly with The World.
Next Steps
We made it! I think you have seen that each card has it’s own distinct meaning. Tarot cards are great for guidance understanding your feelings, and self growth.
I want to remind you that you have Free Will in everything you do. While each card has it’s own interpretation, you are the one making the choices in your life. The Major Arcana can guide you in the big things in life, but you are making the decisions.
May the cards forever be in your favor!
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