Major Arcana
The Major Arcana is a 22 card set within the tarot that is considered to be the core and the foundation for the deck. All of the deck is filled with archetypal significance, but this is most pronounced within the Major Arcana. These cards follow a storyline that tells of the spiritual travels taken from the innocent wonder of The Fool to the oneness and fulfillment of The World. In other words, these cards tell the story of humanity's spiritual evolution into enlightenment and individuation.

And so, as we follow the journey of the Fool, we can start seeing common parallels between our own stages in life and those in the cards, each card teaching a specific lesson and a concept to meditate over. Because they form the basis of the tarot, some readings can sometimes be conducted with only the Major Arcana as well.

The World Meaning
Upright: fulfillment, harmony, completion, Reversed: incompletion, no closure

Judgement Meaning
Upright: reflection, reckoning, awakening, Reversed: lack of self awareness, doubt, self loathing

The Sun Meaning
Upright: joy, success, celebration, positivity, Reversed: negativity, depression, sadness

The Moon Meaning
Upright: unconscious, illusions, intuition, Reversed: confusion, fear, misinterpretation

The Star Meaning
Upright: hope, faith, rejuvenation, Reversed: faithlessness, discouragement, insecurity

The Tower Meaning
Upright: sudden upheaval, broken pride, disaster, Reversed: disaster avoided, delayed disaster, fear of suffering

The Devil Meaning
Upright: addiction, materialism, playfulness, Reversed: freedom, release, restoring control

Temperance Meaning
Upright: middle path, patience, finding meaning, Reversed: extremes, excess, lack of balance

Death Meaning
Upright: end of cycle, beginnings, change, metamorphosis, Reversed: fear of change, holding on, stagnation, decay

The Hanged Man Meaning
Upright: sacrifice, release, martyrdom, Reversed: stalling, needless sacrifice, fear of sacrifice

Justice Meaning
Upright: cause and effect, clarity, truth, Reversed: dishonesty, unaccountability, unfairness

The Wheel of Fortune Meaning
Upright: change, cycles, inevitable fate, Reversed: no control, clinging to control, bad luck

The Hermit Meaning
Upright: contemplation, search for truth, inner guidance, Reversed: loneliness, isolation, lost your way

Strength Meaning
Upright: inner strength, bravery, compassion, focus, Reversed: self doubt, weakness, insecurity

The Chariot Meaning
Upright: direction, control, willpower, Reversed: lack of control, lack of direction, aggression

The Lovers Meaning
Upright: partnerships, duality, union, Reversed: loss of balance, one-sidedness, disharmony

The Hierophant Meaning
Upright: tradition, conformity, morality, ethics, Reversed: rebellion, subversiveness, new approaches

The Emperor Meaning
Upright: authority, structure, control, fatherhood, Reversed: tyranny, rigidity, coldness

The Empress Meaning
Upright: motherhood, fertility, nature, Reversed: dependence, smothering, emptiness, nosiness

The High Priestess Meaning
Upright: intuitive, unconscious, inner voice, Reversed: lack of center, lost inner voice, repressed feelings

The Magician Meaning
Upright: willpower, desire, creation, manifestation, Reversed: trickery, illusions, out of touch

The Fool Meaning
Upright: innocence, new beginnings, free spirit, Reversed: recklessness, taken advantage of, inconsideration

Suit of Wands
Associated with the element of fire, the suit of wands represents passion, inspiration and willpower. The wands imbue their users with primal energy, for it is through them that the cycle of creation can begin. Because of their ability to bring energy into any situation, they are also associated with action, ambition and making plans. At their worst, they can refer to situations that are filled with recklessness and lack of direction. As you follow the journey within the wands, you'll come across these themes again and again.

Seven of Wands Meaning
Upright: perseverance, defensive, maintaining control, Reversed: give up, destroyed confidence, overwhelmed

Four of Wands Meaning
Upright: community, home, celebration, Reversed: lack of support, transience, home conflicts

Ace of Wands Meaning
Upright: creation, willpower, inspiration, desire, Reversed: lack of energy, lack of passion, boredom

Ten of Wands Meaning
Upright: accomplishment, responsibility, burden, Reversed: inability to delegate, overstressed, burnt out

Nine of Wands Meaning
Upright: resilience, grit, last stand, Reversed: exhaustion, fatigue, questioning motivations

Eight of Wands Meaning
Upright: rapid action, movement, quick decisions, Reversed: panic, waiting, slowdown

Six of Wands Meaning
Upright: victory, success, public reward, Reversed: excess pride, lack of recognition, punishment

Five of Wands Meaning
Upright: competition, rivalry, conflict, Reversed: avoiding conflict, respecting differences

Three of Wands Meaning
Upright: looking ahead, expansion, rapid growth, Reversed: obstacles, delays, frustration

Two of Wands Meaning
Upright: planning, making decisions, leaving home, Reversed: fear of change, playing safe, bad planning

Page of Wands Meaning
Upright: exploration, excitement, freedom, Reversed: lack of direction, procrastination, creating conflict

Queen of Wands Meaning
Upright: courage, determination, joy, Reversed: selfishness, jealousy, insecurities

King of Wands Meaning
Upright: big picture, leader, overcoming challenges, Reversed: impulsive, overbearing, unachievable expectations

Knight of Wands Meaning
Upright: action, adventure, fearlessness, Reversed: anger, impulsiveness, recklessness

Suit of Cups
The suit of cups rules over all that is associated with emotions, the unconscious, creativity, and intuition. They frequently talk about relationships, whether romantic or otherwise, and one's imagination and inner world. They are associated with the element of water, which becomes a frequent visual theme within this suit. At their worst, the cups suit is fret with uncontrolled feelings, fantasy, and a disconnect with one's inner voice.

King of Cups Meaning
Upright: compassion, control, balance, Reversed: coldness, moodiness, bad advice

Queen of Cups Meaning
Upright: compassion, calm, comfort, Reversed: martyrdom, insecurity, dependence

Knight of Cups Meaning
Upright: following the heart, idealist, romantic, Reversed: moodiness, disappointment

Page of Cups Meaning
Upright: happy surprise, dreamer, sensitivity, Reversed: emotional immaturity, insecurity, disappointment

Ten of Cups Meaning
Upright: inner happiness, fulfillment, dreams coming true, Reversed: shattered dreams, broken family, domestic disharmony

Nine of Cups Meaning
Upright: satisfaction, emotional stability, luxury, Reversed: lack of inner joy, smugness, dissatisfaction

Eight of Cups Meaning
Upright: walking away, disillusionment, leaving behind, Reversed: avoidance, fear of change, fear of loss

Seven of Cups Meaning
Upright: searching for purpose, choices, daydreaming, Reversed: lack of purpose, diversion, confusion

Six of Cups Meaning
Upright: familiarity, happy memories, healing, Reversed: moving forward, leaving home, independence

Five of Cups Meaning
Upright: loss, grief, self-pity, Reversed: acceptance, moving on, finding peace

Four of Cups Meaning
Upright: apathy, contemplation, disconnectedness, Reversed: sudden awareness, choosing happiness, acceptance

Three of Cups Meaning
Upright: friendship, community, happiness, Reversed: overindulgence, gossip, isolation

Two of Cups Meaning
Upright: unity, partnership, connection, Reversed: imbalance, broken communication, tension

Ace of Cups Meaning
Upright: new feelings, spirituality, intuition, Reversed: emotional loss, blocked creativity, emptiness

Suit of Swords
The swords is the suit of intelligence, logic, truth, ambition, conflict and communication. It is associated with the element of air. In readings, these cards focus on the faculty and power of intellect, which like the swords themselves, are double-edged. This can be used for both good or evil, to help and to harm, and our greatest conflicts usually come from this delicate balance. At their worst, the swords can be abusive, harsh, and lack empathy.

King of Swords Meaning
Upright: head over heart, discipline, truth, Reversed: manipulative, cruel, weakness

Knight of Swords Meaning
Upright: action, impulsiveness, defending beliefs, Reversed: no direction, disregard for consequences, unpredictability

Queen of Swords Meaning
Upright: complexity, perceptiveness, clear mindedness, Reversed: cold hearted, cruel, bitterness

Page of Swords Meaning
Upright: curiosity, restlessness, mental energy, Reversed: deception, manipulation, all talk

Ten of Swords Meaning
Upright: failure, collapse, defeat, Reversed: can't get worse, only upwards, inevitable end

Nine of Swords Meaning
Upright: anxiety, hopelessness, trauma, Reversed: hope, reaching out, despair

Eight of Swords Meaning
Upright: imprisonment, entrapment, self-victimization, Reversed: self acceptance, new perspective, freedom

Seven of Swords Meaning
Upright: deception, trickery, tactics and strategy, Reversed: coming clean, rethinking approach, deception

Six of Swords Meaning
Upright: transition, leaving behind, moving on, Reversed: emotional baggage, unresolved issues, resisting transition

Five of Swords Meaning
Upright: unbridled ambition, win at all costs, sneakiness, Reversed: lingering resentment, desire to reconcile, forgiveness

Three of Swords Meaning
Upright: heartbreak, suffering, grief, Reversed: recovery, forgiveness, moving on

Four of Swords Meaning
Upright: rest, restoration, contemplation, Reversed: restlessness, burnout, stress

Two of Swords Meaning
Upright: difficult choices, indecision, stalemate, Reversed: lesser of two evils, no right choice, confusion

Ace of Swords Meaning
Upright: breakthrough, clarity, sharp mind, Reversed: confusion, brutality, chaos

Suit of Pentacles
The pentacles is the suit of all things worldly and material. Though we will immediately think of the pentacles as relating to financial matters, we also can understand them as being associated with security, stability, nature, health, and prosperity. The pentacles are of earth element. When we see pentacles show up in a reading, they are usually concerned with your long term future, career, generosity, your household, business investments and your feelings of sensuality. The negative side of the pentacles show up as greed, jealousy, miserliness, and unbridled ambition at the cost of all else.

King of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: abundance, prosperity, security, Reversed: greed, indulgence, sensuality

Queen of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: practicality, creature comforts, financial security, Reversed: self-centeredness, jealousy, smothering

Knight of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: efficiency, hard work, responsibility, Reversed: laziness, obsessiveness, work without reward

Page of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: ambition, desire, diligence, Reversed: lack of commitment, greediness, laziness

Ten of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: legacy, culmination, inheritance, Reversed: fleeting success, lack of stability, lack of resources

Nine of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: fruits of labor, rewards, luxury, Reversed: reckless spending, living beyond means, false success

Eight of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: apprenticeship, passion, high standards, Reversed: lack of passion, uninspired, no motivation

Seven of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: hard work, perseverance, diligence, Reversed: work without results, distractions, lack of rewards

Six of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: charity, generosity, sharing, Reversed: strings attached, stinginess, power and domination

Five of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: need, poverty, insecurity, Reversed: recovery, charity, improvement

Four of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: conservation, frugality, security, Reversed: greediness, stinginess, possessiveness

Three of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: teamwork, collaboration, building, Reversed: lack of teamwork, disorganized, group conflict

Two of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: balancing decisions, priorities, adapting to change, Reversed: loss of balance, disorganized, overwhelmed

Ace of Pentacles Meaning
Upright: opportunity, prosperity, new venture, Reversed: lost opportunity, missed chance, bad investment