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The 22 Major Arcana

The Tarot Table

Draw from the Major Arcana and read each card's traditional meaning, upright or reversed. Think of the cards as a mirror for reflection โ€” they offer perspective, not predictions.

Card of the Day

One card chosen for today's date. It stays the same until midnight, so come back tomorrow for the next.

Lay Out Three Cards

A simple spread: what shaped the situation, where you stand now, and what is worth carrying forward. Shuffle again any time you want a fresh angle.

The Full Major Arcana

All twenty-two trump cards from The Fool to The World, with an upright and a reversed meaning for each.

The Fool

Arcanum 0

Upright โ€” A leap into the unknown with an open heart. Fresh starts, innocence and trust in the road ahead.

Reversed โ€” Hesitating at the edge, or jumping without looking at all.

The Magician

Arcanum 1

Upright โ€” Every tool you need is already on the table. Skill, willpower and focused intention.

Reversed โ€” Talents left idle, or charm used to manipulate.

The High Priestess

Arcanum 2

Upright โ€” Quiet knowing and hidden wisdom. Trust what you sense before you can explain it.

Reversed โ€” Ignoring your intuition or keeping secrets that weigh on you.

The Empress

Arcanum 3

Upright โ€” Abundance, creativity and nurturing. Growth that comes from generous care.

Reversed โ€” Over-giving until you are depleted, or a creative block.

The Emperor

Arcanum 4

Upright โ€” Order, leadership and firm foundations. Structure that protects and supports.

Reversed โ€” Rigidity, control or authority used without wisdom.

The Hierophant

Arcanum 5

Upright โ€” Tradition, teachers and shared beliefs. Learning from those who walked before you.

Reversed โ€” Following rules that no longer serve, or rebelling for its own sake.

The Lovers

Arcanum 6

Upright โ€” A meaningful choice rooted in your values, and the union that grows from it.

Reversed โ€” Mismatched values, or a decision you keep postponing.

The Chariot

Arcanum 7

Upright โ€” Determination and direction. Holding competing forces together on one path.

Reversed โ€” Scattered energy, or losing control of the reins.

Strength

Arcanum 8

Upright โ€” Courage with a gentle hand. Patience and compassion as true power.

Reversed โ€” Self-doubt, or force where kindness would work better.

The Hermit

Arcanum 9

Upright โ€” Withdrawing to find your own light. Reflection, study and inner guidance.

Reversed โ€” Isolation that has gone on too long.

Wheel of Fortune

Arcanum 10

Upright โ€” Cycles turning and fortunes shifting. Change you did not plan but can ride.

Reversed โ€” Fighting a change that is already underway.

Justice

Arcanum 11

Upright โ€” Fairness, truth and cause and effect. Decisions weighed with care.

Reversed โ€” Dodging accountability, or an unfair judgement.

The Hanged Man

Arcanum 12

Upright โ€” A deliberate pause and a new perspective. Surrender as a path to insight.

Reversed โ€” Stalling out of habit rather than wisdom.

Death

Arcanum 13

Upright โ€” Transformation and endings that clear space โ€” almost never meant literally.

Reversed โ€” Clinging to something that has already ended.

Temperance

Arcanum 14

Upright โ€” Balance, moderation and blending opposites into harmony.

Reversed โ€” Excess, imbalance or forcing things that will not mix.

The Devil

Arcanum 15

Upright โ€” Habits and attachments we chose. The chains are looser than they appear.

Reversed โ€” Seeing the pattern clearly and beginning to break free.

The Tower

Arcanum 16

Upright โ€” Sudden upheaval that reveals the truth. Shaky structures fall so better ones can rise.

Reversed โ€” Avoiding a necessary collapse, or still recovering from one.

The Star

Arcanum 17

Upright โ€” Hope, healing and renewal after the storm. Quiet faith returns.

Reversed โ€” Discouragement, or losing faith a little too soon.

The Moon

Arcanum 18

Upright โ€” Uncertainty, dreams and illusion. Moving forward by feel when the path is unclear.

Reversed โ€” Fog lifting, or a fear revealed to be smaller than it seemed.

The Sun

Arcanum 19

Upright โ€” Joy, success and warmth. Everything clear and bright.

Reversed โ€” Optimism that has stopped checking the facts.

Judgement

Arcanum 20

Upright โ€” Awakening and reckoning. Hearing the call and answering it honestly.

Reversed โ€” Harsh self-criticism, or refusing to listen.

The World

Arcanum 21

Upright โ€” Completion and wholeness โ€” a cycle fulfilled and a doorway to the next.

Reversed โ€” So close to the finish, with one last piece left undone.

These readings are for reflection and entertainment. They cannot foretell events and should never replace advice from a qualified professional on health, legal, financial or personal matters.

Seventy-Eight Cards, Twenty-Two Trumps

A standard tarot deck contains seventy-eight cards: fifty-six Minor Arcana arranged in four suits, and twenty-two Major Arcana representing larger life themes.

The Tarot Table focuses on the Major Arcana, the cards most people recognise โ€” The Fool, The Lovers, Death, The Tower, The Star and the others.

Each card is shown with an upright and a reversed meaning drawn from widely used modern interpretations.

From Card Game to Reflection Tool

Tarot cards first appeared in fifteenth-century Italy as a game. Their association with divination developed centuries later, particularly in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century France and England.

Today, many people use tarot as a tool for reflection. The images invite fresh perspectives on a situation rather than revealing a fixed future.

That is how the cards are presented here: as prompts for thinking, not predictions.

The Daily Card

The card of the day is selected from the date, so it stays the same until midnight and changes tomorrow. Some people draw it each morning and note how its theme relates to their day.

Others use it as a single question to carry through the day: where might this card's energy appear, and how might I respond?

Either way, the practice can build a habit of daily reflection.

The Three-Card Spread

The three-card spread used here reads the cards as what shaped the situation, where you stand now and what is worth carrying forward.

Draw the cards with a question in mind, read each meaning, and then look at how the three relate. Do they tell a story? Does one card stand out?

You can shuffle again at any time for a different angle; there is no limit and no single correct draw.

Using Tarot Responsibly

Tarot cannot foretell events, diagnose problems or replace professional advice. It works best as a mirror for your own thoughts and feelings.

If a reading leaves you anxious, set it aside. The value of tarot lies in the reflection it encourages, not in any card's authority over your life.

For the story that links all twenty-two cards, read our guide to the Fool's Journey.