Tarot Symbolism-Major Arcana

Tarot Symbolism-Major Arcana


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Tarot Symbolism-The Chariot

The Chariot shows a youthful, vibrant hero standing courageously upright in an elaborately decorated chariot, drawn by two animals one black and white. Yet this dominant figure barely has the control of the rains. The Chariot is a real physical vehicle that brings news or friends from far away places.

The tarot symbolism if the creatures in front of the chariot are night and day,past and present,conscious and unconscious. By understanding and working with three forces one may come to comprehend the meaning of duality,polarity and gaining control and as a consequence may succeed.


Tarot Symbolism-The Magician

The Magician shows a man presiding over a table with one hand stretch up. The man wears the figure eight above his head which symbolizes eternity. On the table there are a cup, a coin,sword and baton. These are the four tarot card suits of the Minor Arcana. Each represents an area of life,knowledge and personality.

The Magician has control over these elements and can rearrange them or use them as it suits him. Like Midas the Magician can turn things into gold. The Magician card in tarot is a perfectly balance male and female-an androgynous card. A card of self-love.


Tarot Symbolism- The Sun

The Sun card in tarot usually depicts a child or two children. It;s tarot symbolism is the children have come from the womb represented by the Moon into the full blossom of consciousness. It's in the merging between the hidden subconscious aspects of the personality and the full development of intellectual expression.

Sparkling forces of energy,joy,vitality and glory is also another tarot symbolism of the Sun. The children or twins represents innocence,joy and new creations,symbolizing two halves of a whole,positive and negative,intellect and intuition,yin and yang.


Tarot Symbolism- The Moon

The Moon depicts two dogs flip back their heads and howl. A crab crawls out of a pool. The tower rise from a distance and a full moon hangs in the sky over a surreal dream like landscape. The tarot symbolism of the crab is our earliest stages of development.

As we crawl out of the pool of the unconscious we become aware. Then we realize that there is more to the world than we had at first guessed. The two tower represent the gateway through which we must pass if we want to attain enlightenment.

The presence of the Moon and the two dogs also suggest links with numerous ancient myths. The Moon was also worshipped as the source of life and fertility.


Tarot Symbolism-The World

This card sometimes known as the Major Fortuna shows a naked woman dancing inside an oval wreath. The oval wreath is shaped like an egg. It's tarot symbolism is of wisdom,completeness and knowledge. Within this shape the merry dancing figure suggests that the dance of life continues in a never-ending cycle of birth and earth.

The cycle brought in by the Fool is complete, the next turn awaits. The experiences and the perspectives and insights represented by the Major Arcana have all been, absorbed and synthesized and completion is inevitable.


Tarot Symbolism- The Strength

The Strength card in tarot shows a woman in the process of opening a lion;s mouth. What the woman is doing requires courage and certainty, the kind that has nothing to do with force or violence or animosity but the kind of strength that comes from generous,loving heart. The figure eight is drawn over the woman's head in the form of a hat. It's tarot symbolism id of eternity.

The tarot symbolism of the human figure is the conscious mind coming to terms with our instinctive animal nature and basal urges. The woman is taming or controlling these forces which lurk deep within us all.


Tarot Symbolism-Temperance

The Temperance card in tarot shows an angel or female figure pouring water from one cup into another. She seems to be blending the contents of her two vessels. In Latin, the word temperance is derived from the word temperare which means to blend.mix and moderate or bring into harmony.

The tarot symbolism of the liquid which flows from one cup to the other, is the current of life, the bridge between the conscious and unconscious, the blending of male and female, representing the logic and gut feel. each requires its opposite to complement in order to form one big whole.


Tarot Symbolism-The Lovers

The lovers card in tarot shows a couple with an angelic being hovering over them. The Tarot symbolism of these three figure are the conscious mind(male), unconscious(female) and the higher self(cupid or angel).

It's tarot symbolism is of blending these obviously exact opposites, active and passive,positive and negative in what is effectively a mental or emotional marriage. This union can only be brought about through the powers of love including physical love when the Lovers appear in a tarot card reading.


Tarot Symbolism-The Tower

The Tower card in tarot shows a tower and lightning. The tarot symbolism of lightning is associated with destruction and anger. Both Tower and lightning are masculine symbols and in mythology, Zeus the father of the gods throw thunderbolts to execute his power.

The overall images of the tower is linked with the biblical story of the tower of Babel. The intention of the builders was to reach heaven, this never taken place for God caused them to speak different languages. They were unable to communicate with each other therefore didn't finish building the tower.


Tarot Symbolism-The Hanged Man

The famous yoga pose called sirsasana which is standing on your head,much very like the image of the Hanged Man dangling his one foot from a tree. Yogis swore by this practice to activate the brain nerve centers and improve mental acuity. It's overall tarot symbolism is rebirth,regeneration,patience and enjoying your waiting time.


Tarot Symbolism- The Hermit

The Hermit card in tarot shows an old man or a religious recluse carrying a lamp. This is a familiar figure in many religions. A Hermit sits on top of a distant mountain or retreats in a dingy cave. By isolating himself he listens to his inner voice and gains wisdom. The lamp is the tarot symbolism of knowledge and the light illuminated from the lamp revealed esoteric mysteries of the unconscious.


Tarot Symbolism- The Justice

The Justice card in tarot shows a familiar figure. A female usually blindfolded holding the scales and sword. In many cultures the female figure in the Justice card is seen as Fate Incarnate or Karma in the flesh. She gives punishment for the bad and honors to those who does dignified deed.


Tarot Symbolism- The Fool

The Fool also known as the renaissance joker or sometimes the sacred child is in the process of stepping off a cliff totally forgetful of the danger. A miracle will happen, The Fool will survive and he or she is able to complete his journey. The Tarot Symbolism of the Fool is continuous cycle of life,birth and death, forever newly born and about to start his search of spiritual enlightenment.


Tarot Symbolism- The Emperor

The Emperor card in tarot is a masculine card,belonging to the left brain while the right brain is female,creative and intuitive by nature. The tarot symbolism of the Emperor is the rise and evolvement of intellect, reason and authority,such concepts are conventionally masculine in nature.


Tarot Symbolism- The Wheel of Fortune

The Wheel of Fortune card in tarot shows the wheel governed by a sphinx like figure. In each corner of the card there are four figures; a bull, lion, an eagle and angel. Each one belongs to a fixed sign of the zodiac; the angel to Aquarius which is the tarot symbolism for intellect and mental faculties.

The bull to taurus which is the tarot symbolism for feeling and our physical senses,. The lion to Leo which is the tarot symbolism for intuition and the Scorpion eagle which is associated with element of water.

The tarot symbolism of the Wheel of Fortune is journey. There is the journey through the seasons; planting seeds,bearing fruit,harvest and withdrawal. Much like the woman through all her phases as maiden,bride,mother and crone. Each cycle or circular trip eventually return to its starting point,very much like the wheel.


Tarot Symbolism- The Star

The Star card in tarot,shows a naked woman pouring water into a pool and onto the land beside her. Seven stars shine in the sky above while one larger star gleams in their midst. As the saying goes "wish upon a star" for the star is the ultimate tarot symbolism of fusion,transistion and optimism. It is the eternal symbol of hope.


Tarot Symbolism- The High Priestess

The High Priestess card in tarot, shows a veiled face of the goddess. She represents the original aspect of the ancient triple-faced goddess which is the tarot symbolism for mystery,secrets,feelings,instincts,changeable moods and fertility.

The High Priestess is believed to be the one who guards the gateways to the deepest recesses of the mind. This triple faced goddess is linked with the cyclical phases of the moon; New moon- She is the virgin woman, full moon-she is the fertile mother and the dark waning moon she is the infinitely wise old crone.


Tarot Symbolism-Judgment

The Judgment card in tarot, is a familiar image in Christianity as well as in medieval times. It shows the idea of the last days of the world. The archangel Michael blows his horn,sounds the last trump and the souls of the dead rise up at his call. Some kind of rebirth,new creation or resurrection follows the dreadful destruction and is announced by the signs before hand.


Tarot Symbolism-The Hierophant

The Hierophant is an ancient Greek word which means priest. He presides over rituals and interprets the sacred mysteries. The Hierophant card in tarot, shows a beautiful place,fancy robes,symbolic pictures and all the trimmings which cry opulence.

Some believed that the magnificent material display helps to create atmosphere and people can easily tune in their thoughts towards spiritual matters but some religious and spiritual movements favor more the utmost simplicity.

So there you have it, the Major Arcana of the Tarot, its images and tarot symbolism.


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