The Major Arcana

The standard tarot deck consists of 78 cards divided into two sections, the major and minor arcanas. The word arcana is the plural of arcanum which means "profound secret."

The 22 cards of the major arcana are the heart of the deck. Each of these cards symbolizes some universal aspect of human experience.

Each card in the major arcana has a name and number. Some names convey a card's meaning directly, such as Strength, Justice and Temperance. Other cards are individuals who personify a particular approach to life, such as the Magician or the Hermit. There are also cards with astronomical names, such as the Star, Sun and Moon.

The major arcana cards are special because they draw out deep and complex reactions.

A major arcana card is always given extra weight in a reading. When one of these cards appears, you know the issues at stake are not mundane or temporary. They represent your most basic concerns - your major feelings and motivations.

The major arcana is often considered as a unit. Different schemes have been developed to show how the cards form patterns that cast light on the human condition. Numerology, astrology and other esoteric sciences often play a role in these schemes.

Many times we try to overcome our difficulties, but fail repeatedly. The lesson of the Hanged Man - to let go and surrender to experience - is one that is particularly hard and may need to be faced over and over before it is fully incorporated.

Often we experience lessons out of order. A person may absorb the qualities of Strength early in life due to a difficult childhood, but only later develop the Chariot's mastery and control. Someone may overcome the attraction of the Devil's materialism through a life of seclusion, but then need to learn about relationships and sexuality - a lesson of the Lovers - at a later time.

The major arcana contains many levels and models of experience. These cards hold all the patterns of growth, whether they occur within one segment of a life or a whole life span. We could even say that an entire lifetime is really just one growth episode within the larger saga of our soul's development.

No matter what our pattern of self-discovery, the major arcana shows us that wholeness and fulfillment are our destiny.

• TAROT LESSONS
• Tarot lessons, lesson 1 tarot: introduction to the tarot;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 2 tarot: the major arcana;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 3 tarot: the minor arcana;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 4 tarot: the spread;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 5 tarot: the daily reading;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 6 tarot: the environment inner and outer;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 7 tarot: writing a question;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 8 tarot: the question reading;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 9 tarot: the other reading;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 10 tarot: the open reading;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 11 tarot: interpreting a single card;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 12 tarot: major and minor arcana cards;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 13 tarot: aces;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 14 tarot: court cards;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 15 tarot: card pairs;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 16 tarot: position pairs in the celtic cross spread;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 17 tarot: reversed cards;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 18 tarot: creating the story;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 19 tarot: some final thoughts;