✦ TAROT · A VISUAL STUDY GUIDE

The 22 Major Arcanaone tarot card at a time.

A beginning. A choice. A turning point. Learn to recognise tarot’s larger themes through its images — and find a better question in every card.

Oraculum Editorial13 min read
Explore all 22 cards ↓How to interpret ↗
The High Priestess · Rider–Waite–SmithThe Fool · Rider–Waite–SmithThe Sun · Rider–Waite–Smith
THE HIGH PRIESTESS · THE SUN · THE FOOLArt by Pamela Colman Smith · Rider–Waite–Smith

01 / The basics

What are the Major Arcana in tarot?

The Major Arcana are the 22 tarot cards associated, in symbolic readings, with broad human themes: identity, choices, change, boundaries and growth. In the Rider–Waite–Smith deck, they run from The Fool (0) to The World (XXI). They form part of the 78-card tarot deck alongside the 56 Minor Arcana.

“Arcana” refers to secrets or mysteries. For study, think of each card as an image that opens a perspective on a situation. Its interpretation depends on the question, its position in a spread and the surrounding cards. A keyword helps you remember; it does not determine what will happen.

Major vs. Minor Arcana: what is the difference?

GroupStructureReading focus
Major Arcana22 cards, from 0 to XXIBroad themes, transitions and learning.
Minor Arcana56 cards across four suitsEveryday experiences, actions, feelings and resources.

This guide follows Rider–Waite–Smith order: VIII is Strength and XI is Justice. The Tarot de Marseille reverses those two positions. The Fool may also be unnumbered. Check your deck’s tradition before comparing card numbers.

03 / The journey

The Fool’s Journey: a way to learn the Major Arcana

Imagine The Fool meeting each card as a learning experience. This three-part division is a teaching tool, not a required sequence of life events or a proven historical origin of tarot.

0–VII

Discover the world

From The Fool to The Chariot: initiative, listening, care, structure, learning, choice and direction. Explore the encounter between your identity and the world around you.

VIII–XIV

Grow from within

From Strength to Temperance: patience, solitude, cycles, responsibility, pause and transformation. Progress does not always look like movement.

XV–XXI

Integrate experience

From The Devil to The World: recognise attachments, question structures, renew hope, navigate uncertainty, find clarity and complete a stage.

04 / How to read

How to read the Major Arcana without memorising everything

Begin with one card and an open question. Studying means connecting image and context instead of expecting an automatic answer.

  1. Look before consulting a guide

    Observe for a minute. Note three visible elements: a gesture, an object and a relationship between figures. Separate what the scene shows from what you imagine about it.

  2. Read the meaning and compare

    Return to the image after reading. Pick one symbol that helps you remember the theme. Strength’s gentle contact with the lion, for example, can suggest firmness without aggression.

  3. Return to the question and position

    The same card serves a different purpose in each position: “situation” offers a perspective, “challenge” names a tension, and “next step” invites a possible response.

  4. Record and revisit

    Write one interpretation, one uncertainty and one small action. When you revisit your journal, include what did not fit. That helps you avoid treating every outcome as confirmation.

A reversed card does not automatically mean something bad

Reading reversals is a choice of method. You can explore a blockage, an excess, a difficulty or a more inward expression of the theme. You can also study upright cards only. Decide before the reading and consider the context. These study notes present challenges as possibilities for reflection, not punishments or universal definitions.

Frequently asked questions about the Major Arcana

What are the 22 Major Arcana in order?

The Fool, The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgement and The World. This is Rider–Waite–Smith order.

Can I read tarot with only the 22 Major Arcana?

Yes. A single card or a three-card spread can help you study broad themes. Set the question and positions before revealing the cards. The Minor Arcana expand the vocabulary of a reading but are not required for this exercise.

Does the Death card mean physical death?

It is not a prediction of physical death. In this guide, Death symbolises endings, letting go and transformation. No card can diagnose illness or determine how long someone will live.

Does The Lovers mean I will find love?

You can explore this card in a romantic context, but its themes also include choice and values. It does not confirm mutual attraction, another person’s thoughts or a guaranteed new relationship.

Why is Strength VIII in one deck and XI in another?

Different traditions use different orders. In Rider–Waite–Smith, Strength is VIII and Justice is XI. In the Tarot de Marseille, Justice is VIII and Strength is XI. Use the name and image to identify the card.

What does it mean to draw several Major Arcana cards?

Some methods treat this as an invitation to consider broader themes. The deck’s composition and the number of cards drawn also affect how many appear. Several Major Arcana do not prove that an extraordinary event will occur.

Do I need to memorise every meaning?

No. Start with one card each day or week. Observe, read, connect it to a question and write one sentence. Return to this gallery whenever you want to compare cards.

References and editorial notes

An educational adaptation of Oraculum’s “Os 22 Arcanos Maiores do Tarot” study guide. Practical interpretations and questions are contemporary reflection prompts, not literal quotations from Waite or meanings universally accepted by every school.

For historical context: tarot’s documented beginnings are in European card games of the 15th century; occult associations developed later. Keeping this distinction helps separate history, tradition and personal interpretation.

Classic illustrations by Pamela Colman Smith under the direction of A. E. Waite, for the deck published in 1909. Images are derived from the Rider–Waite–Smith files already used in the Oraculum project.

Educational content for reflection and entertainment. Readings do not guarantee outcomes or replace professional advice.

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Rider–Waite–Smith
Pamela Colman Smith · 1909