Life often seems so random and crazy, wouldn’t it be helpful to have a map to help guide us?
The 22 cards within the tarot deck known as the major arcana represent the fundamental forces of life. They are the greater secrets, the keys of profound knowledge, the very essence of tarot. They are pictures of what Carl Jung described as archetypes: universal symbols experienced within the inner world of consciousness and the outer world of the life experience, by everyone. These figures likely feel somehow mysterious and familiar at the same time. That’s because they exist deep inside you, hardwired into your psyche’s circuitry.
The major arcana are the tarot’s “trump” cards – a word that comes from “triumph” – because understanding these life forces empowers us to live life triumphantly! Their names activate the imagination and inspire us to discover more about them. Examples include The Magician, The High Priestess, The Lovers, The Wheel of Fortune, Death, The Tower, and The World. Who are these characters, and what are these forces? And what do they have to teach us?
By learning the major arcana, we activate the soul-level, mythic world that exists within ourselves. Integrating these powerful forces empowers us to live life guided by the timeless, divine wisdom that we possess from birth. When appreciated as a whole, these 22 cards reveal a map of the life journey for fulfilling our personal destiny.
(Note: All images Rider Waite Smith tarot deck, available in many versions from US Games)