Major Arcana Cards

About a year ago, I got involved in laying tarot cards. I’ve been long intrigued and started out with a deck of oracle cards. I heard that oracle cards may not be as complex as tarot cards, and therefore easier to read. I got hooked immediately and a few different decks have spoken to me since. I didn’t know what to expect, but kept open minded, positive and convinced that the cards didn’t bare any negative messages but only guidance and reassurance. No card has ever lead me wrong so far and I carry a deep respect for the wisdom they hold.

Coming to Germany, I brought my Tarot deck, thinking I would have all the time in the world to learn about them in detail. Well, let’s just say that my own, personal time has been limited, but I learn a little here and there. Tonight I noticed something reoccurring after consulting the cards, and I will talk about it after a short intro of how the cards are devided.

The first division of the deck is between the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana Cards. Arcana is a lovely old word for “secrets” and the cards are my helpers to unveil the secrets that have long been determined. One part of the deck, reveals the big, or major secrets, while the other part holds the small, or minor secrets. There are twenty two Major Arcana Cards. They are numbered from 0-21 and have names like Fool, the Chariot, Temperance, and the Moon. The images on these cards often date back to the beginning of tarot in the fifteenth century. As the major cards in the deck, they represent significant influences in our lives. These are the milestones and life lessons of the human experience. When interpreted, they often carry with them deeply spiritual messages. Because they are such powerful forces in a reading, it is often said that they represent events and developments over which we have little control. They are like weather fronts that we cannot alter but can prepare for. They reveal situations such as moving somewhere new, getting married or divorced, starting a degree program, finding or losing faith, or organizing a business.

What I noticed tonight was that the core cards I have drawn, or otherwise have come up by formulating my birthday or such, are mostly Major Arcana Cards. My life has been filled with major life lessons, (especially lately) and the human experience couldn’t be any greater. Each lesson carried deep and powerful messages with events I had little control over. I had to learn to roll with the punches, change approaches, believe in faith even more so, fill my heart with nothing but love and listen within. As a blessing, the divine has embraced me with spiritual gifts and a understanding of dimensions and signs not previously seen.

The cards have been like a map of my journey, telling me exactly what it is that I need to know for that given time. I think it’s incredible and here is a brief outline of what happened with my Major Arcana Cards. The cards are listed in the order they have appeared and make perfect sense to me.

1. The High Priestess ~ “She is completely batty, I tell you. Didn’t say a word that whole time. Just sat there smiling at me. Core meaning: Something that can only be understood through experience.
2. Justice ~ “You play the hand that you were dealt. The way you play it will determine your next hand. Core meaning: The consequences of your actions are at hand.
3. The Devil ~ “It’s bloody hard work keeping this thing going.” Core meaning: A choice, situation, or action that is contrary to your best interest.
4. The hanged man ~ “A little shift in perception, that’s all that was needed.” Core meaning: Willing surrender to an experience or situation.

I have written posts about the first three cards if you care to read further detail. The hanged man, I drew tonight which I will further detail in another post.