The 22 tarot cards: the major arcana

The major arcana are the 22 central cards of the tarot, numbered from 0 to XXI in the Marseille Tarot: from The Fool, who begins the journey with no baggage, to The World, who crowns it in fullness. Unlike the minor arcana, which describe everyday situations, the majors speak of life's great themes: beginnings, love, crises, the closing of cycles and awakenings. That is why, whenever one of them shows up in a reading, it tends to set the tone for the whole spread.

In this section you will find a complete profile of each card. They all follow the same structure so you can consult them quickly: the essence and symbolism of the arcanum in the Marseille Tarot, its general meaning with the essential keywords, the reading of the card reversed —without catastrophism, because a reversed card nuances, it does not condemn—, its message in love for couples and singles alike, its interpretation at work and with money, and a final, actionable piece of advice. Each profile also includes four frequently asked questions that answer the most searched-for doubts about that card.

How do you get the most out of these profiles? The most natural way is to combine them with a spread. Do your reading, notice which arcana came out and in what position, and then dig deeper here into each one: the position tells you where the card acts (past, obstacle, advice...) and the profile tells you what it brings. If you haven't drawn the cards yet, you can start with the destiny spread, which offers a broad view of your moment, or with the advice of the day, a single card that's perfect for getting to know the arcana one by one.

Remember the golden rule: the tarot guides, it does not sentence. No card, neither the brightest nor the most feared, decides for you; they all describe energies and tendencies that you interpret and turn into decisions. Use these 22 profiles as a symbolic map: the better you know each arcanum, the richer and more personal your reading will be. And when you want to put them into play, you have all the tarot spreads available to choose the one that best fits your question.