The Fool's Journey: A Complete Guide to the 22 Major Arcana
The Major Arcana are the 22 core cards among the tarot's 78 (numbered 0–21), representing life's great stages and the soul's lessons. Tarot readers have found that these 22 cards can be woven into a single, complete story — "The Fool's Journey": from the moment the Fool sets out innocently with a pack on his back, through the trials of the world and the dark nights of the spirit, until at last he reaches the wholeness of The World — only to begin again, renewed, setting off once more.
What Are the Major Arcana?
"Arcana" means "profound secrets." The Major Arcana are the rooms where these secrets are kept — the starting point of our exploration into the mysteries of fate. Unlike the Minor Arcana, which attend to the small matters of daily life, a Major card, when it appears, often signals that an event has touched one of life's great themes — choice, transformation, sacrifice, awakening.
Each Major card also corresponds to a particular zodiac sign or planet: The Magician to Mercury, The Emperor to Aries, The Wheel of Fortune to Jupiter, The Moon to Pisces… This set of astrological correspondences is part of the modern system that occult organizations of the late 19th century built around the tarot.
The Fool's Journey: A Story of Growth
Waite once wrote: "The Fool is a soul in search of experience."
The journey begins with the Fool, numbered 0. Dressed in clothes of many colors, he strides forward, heedless of the cliff ahead — his bundle is full of experience, so he is no fool; he is simply not ruled by it. The wand tied to the bundle in his right hand is the very same wand the Magician uses to bridge heaven and earth — yet here, it is only his plaything.
Along the way, the Fool meets the teachers of worldly wisdom (The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant), endures the trials of love and will (The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength), learns introspection and patience (The Hermit, The Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The Hanged Man), crosses the shadowed valley of death and temptation (Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower), and at last awakens in starlight and sunshine (The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgement).
The World is the end of this journey — and also a new beginning. For once you pass through the gate of wisdom, you become the Fool again, setting out in search of new wisdom or a new purpose in life.
This is why the 22 Major cards are called "The Fool's Journey": the story is not about someone else — it is about each of us, growing as we go.
The Complete Meaning Chart of the 22 Major Arcana
The keywords and upright meanings below are drawn from the classic Rider-Waite system of card meanings:
| No. | Card | Core Keywords | Upright Meaning in Brief |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | The Fool | Beginnings, freedom, innocence, wandering | A love of adventure, freedom from convention, a free spirit, starting everything from the ground up |
| 1 | The Magician | Communication, beginnings, creation | Intense curiosity, originality, launching new plans and seeing them succeed |
| 2 | The High Priestess | The unconscious, wisdom, reason, stillness | Intellect, keen insight, a researchful spirit, intuitive premonitions |
| 3 | The Empress | Nobility, passion, abundance | An elegant life, artistic talent, prosperity, plenty |
| 4 | The Emperor | Power, authority, command | Great drive, outstanding leadership, a strong sense of responsibility |
| 5 | The Hierophant | Religion, tradition, aid, ritual | Trustworthiness, receiving help, a wise counselor, a generous heart |
| 6 | The Lovers | Choice, love, union | A fortunate meeting, working in harmony, hearts in accord, a bright future |
| 7 | The Chariot | Will, self-discipline, victory, journey | Efficiency, seizing the advantage, facing things with a positive spirit, winning through |
| 8 | Strength | Strength, courage, confidence, patience | Boundless energy, perseverance, an unshakable will, remarkable nerve |
| 9 | The Hermit | Caution, reserve, introspection, guidance | Self-assured and rational, down to earth, quiet reflection, gathering strength |
| 10 | Wheel of Fortune | Opportunity, change, luck | Seizing the moment, opportunity arriving, an unexpected windfall, fortune smiling |
| 11 | Justice | Fairness, balance, responsibility | Honesty and fairness, mediating disputes for others, keeping things in balance |
| 12 | The Hanged Man | Sacrifice, waiting, a change of perspective | Sacrifice and devotion, blessing in disguise, seeing things from a new angle |
| 13 | Death | Endings, transformation, rebirth | An unavoidable ending, reaching a dead end, the curtain falling on the old |
| 14 | Temperance | Harmony, moderation, purification, healing | Things progressing well, sorting out emotions, purifying the spirit, mutual support |
| 15 | The Devil | Desire, bondage, indulgence, materialism | Being bound, a dissolute life, falling into the trap of temptation |
| 16 | The Tower | Sudden change, disaster, upheaval, the unexpected | Meeting adversity, the collapse of old beliefs, a sudden event |
| 17 | The Star | Hope, blessing, serenity | Wishes coming true, inspiration springing forth, a bright horizon |
| 18 | The Moon | Unease, changeability, melancholy, illusion | Fantasy, anxiety, confusion, ambiguity |
| 19 | The Sun | Success, freedom, joy | A clear outlook, abundant vitality, help from a benefactor, sunshine everywhere |
| 20 | Judgement | Calling, resurrection, awakening | The joy of rebirth, a turn for the better, good news, self-confidence |
| 21 | The World | Success, fulfillment, wholeness | A wish fulfilled, reaching the summit, arriving at your destination, success |
A small note: every card has both an upright and a reversed state. Reversed is not "worse" — it is energy that is blocked or turned inward. Death reversed, for instance, can instead mean "rising again, being reborn, climbing out of the valley."
Further Reading
- Tarot Basics: What Is Tarot? How Does It Work? — Learn the structure of all 78 cards from scratch
- A Guide to Choosing Tarot Spreads — Master spread selection and read the Major cards with greater depth
- Want a deeper reading? Book a one-on-one consultation with Veil
Curious which stretch of the Fool's journey you are walking right now? Open the Veil mini program, draw a Major card for today, and let the ancient wisdom of the 22 cards light up this very moment — see yourself clearly, through the veil.