Tarot
Major Arcana
Definition
The 22 trump cards of a tarot deck, running from The Fool (0) to The World (21), representing the major archetypal forces and turning points of a life — as distinct from the 56 Minor Arcana.
The Major Arcana are the 22 trump cards of a tarot deck, running from The Fool (0) through The World (21). They represent the big archetypal themes and turning points of a life — the soul’s journey — as distinct from the 56 Minor Arcana, which handle everyday matters.
Each card is an archetype in image form. The Death card, for instance, classically signals an ending and transformation rather than a literal death — a good example of why tarot is read symbolically, not literally. On a reflective approach, a Major Arcana card is a mirror for the moment you’re in, not a fixed prediction of what’s coming.