A Deep Dive Into The 22 Major Arcana Cards + What They Mean In A Tarot Reading

Every card in a traditional tarot deck has a specific meaning. The cards are split into two categories: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. Whether you're newly dipping your toes into tarot or you're a seasoned reader, here's a look at what each of the 22 Major Arcana cards in your tarot deck means and how to interpret them, according to tarot experts.

Without further ado, here's what each of the 22 Major Arcana cards means:

"It's about having an intuitive ping to do something—to take a leap—and trusting that you'll be able to catch yourself." By extension, this card also has an element of naiveté and speaks to the excitement of the unknown.

"When the Magician shows up in a reading, he indicates you have special powers, but you may not realize them yet or you may not be using your powers," she says noting that he reminds you that you're "constantly creating your reality and that your thoughts are the forerunners of manifestation."

"She's sometimes positioned between two pillars—one black, one white—which represent the dual nature of existence: good and evil, light and dark, truth and deception, positive and negative," she adds.

"The big question for the Empress," Krans says, "is how will the power be used? Will the Empress rule from above, looking down at those less fortunate? Or will the Empress slow down, trust, and settle into the earth, finding new ways to govern by spreading kindness and generosity throughout the realm?"

As Alexander explains, he's a figure of supreme authority, and one to be reckoned with at that. "He's the savvy executive, the brave warrior, the responsible civic leader who has reached the summit of authority and achieved worldly power," she notes.

Sometimes, he can also indicate you may seek to break away from traditional limitations to follow your own spiritual path, she says, adding that this card can signify an actual person, and namely "someone who is a leader of a spiritual group—and that leader may be you, whether or not you realize it yet."

You may feel like external circumstances and relationships give you value when this card appears. "If you took that particular person away, you are still a loved and loving individual. If you took the job away, you are still capable and good at what you do," Vanderveldt notes, adding, "It's a process of choosing yourself first before engaging in a healthy relationship with anything outside yourself [...] We're being asked to fully accept ourselves as worthy."

When you pull this card, it represents "mastery of opposing forces and control over inner conflicts," and on a literal level, it can also indicate travel and transportation, Alexander says.

"Although some interpretations view this card as emblematic of the struggle with your 'animal' nature, others see it as symbolic of self-confidence and inner strength, and of being in harmony with your instinctive nature," she adds.

"A seeker of truth, he lights the way ahead for those who follow," she explains, adding that when the Hermit appears in a reading, it can mean a guide figure is at hand, offering help. "But usually it refers to inner guidance or getting in touch with a spirit guide, [...] withdrawing from the busyness and distractions of the outer world, [and doing] some soul-searching," she notes.

This card calls on the subject to be adaptable as they navigate these changes, Vanderveldt says, and stay centered. "When this card comes up, it's a good time to ask yourself: How do you want to respond (to the good, bad, and everything in between)?" she says.

"It can often come up when you're being asked to have radical honesty with yourself to make a choice," she notes, adding, "Balance comes from making the choice that's right, even if it's difficult. There's a call for harmony and balance, but to find the correct equilibrium for the situation, you must first get totally honest about the situation or decision."

"When this card appears in a reading," she notes, "it can mean surrendering to a situation, or letting go of old patterns or attitudes," adding, "You're ready to make sacrifices in order to be true to yourself."

The Death card represents the shedding required to continue progressing along one's path, and the cards on either side (the Hanged Man and Temperance) are also part of the "death journey," in which we prepare for an ending by surrendering and releasing fears of judgment (the Hanged Man) and then go through a rebirth by transmuting our past pain (Temperance).

It can also indicate that we've been too indulgent and need to take a step back, she says. The word temperance, after all, literally means "moderation in action, thought, or feeling," as well as abstinence from drinking alcohol. "The Temperance card's main theme is about restoring balance, and another big part of it is mind over matter," Goodchild notes, adding, "Anything you want to do, you can do. It just takes a little bit of work and finessing what's happening."

"The good news is when the Devil comes around, you're given the opportunity to dance with this energy and liberate yourself from any cycles or dependencies that are keeping you down and afraid," she says. This card can also be an invitation to dive into some shadow work.

And as tarot reader Mark Horn adds, "There's an element of surprise to the Tower—it's a change you weren't expecting, usually because your idea about what is going on is either a fantasy or you don't have all the information you need." When you pull this card, just remember it represents a necessary ending, Reed notes.

"It's a beautiful card with a deep and powerful message, especially for those going through a rebirth of some kind," Esselmont previously told mbg, adding that it invites the reader "to shed her skin—all the layers that have built up over the years—and be 'naked' under the beauty of the starry night sky"—aka being vulnerable, authentic, and raw.

She adds that when you pull this card, it's an invitation to "release the control you've held over your internal, emotional realm in order to access your innermost truths." Relating to this card requires connecting deeply to—and accepting—all that you are, she explains, noting that, "There's an urging to turn to your intuition and dreams during this time to assist you," when the Moon appears.

She notes that it's one of the most joyful cards in the tarot, heralding success, good fortune, confidence, and all the other positive associations we hold with the sun as a life-giving force.

"In a broader sense, however, Judgement represents a time of awakening and self-realization," she explains, "when you must make adjustments to reflect who you truly are."

"It's an encapsulation of the dance of life—sometimes mysterious but ever moving and cycling," she says, adding this card also relates to hard-won lessons, growth, and the satisfaction that comes with it. "It may not have been easy or pretty getting through it, but on the other side, you're at a new stage of life—wiser and ready for a new phase."

Each of the Major Arcana cards has a nuanced meaning that relates to common themes in our lives, as well as the different stages of the Fool's Journey. Whether you pull the Fool, the World, or any of the cards in between, it's not so much the card itself that's important but rather what you choose to do with its lesson on your own spiritual journey.