TAROT - MAJOR ARCANA - AN INTRODUCTION

The Major Arcana is a foundational component of the Tarot deck, consisting of 22 cards that carry significant symbolic meaning. These cards are distinct from the Minor Arcana, which represent more mundane aspects of life. Each Major Arcana card portrays a unique archetype or universal theme, ranging from concepts like initiation, transformation, and enlightenment to experiences such as love, conflict, and spiritual awakening. The imagery and symbolism within the Major Arcana cards hold profound insights into the human experience, offering guidance, reflection, and contemplation to those who engage with them. Across various traditions and interpretations, the Major Arcana serves as a tool for personal growth, introspection, and divination, inviting individuals to explore the deeper mysteries of existence and the interconnections of the universe.

1. The Magus, also known as the Magician or Juggler, embodies the art of deception and illusion, reflecting the realm of superficial trickery. This interpretation, often associated with common storytelling, aligns with the shallow understanding of Tarot used for fortune-telling, contrasting with its deeper symbolic significance rooted in esoteric symbolism. It's worth noting that various scholars have proposed diverse interpretations of the Major Arcana, but these interpretations are often suggestive rather than definitive. For instance, Eliphas Levi suggests that the Magus symbolizes the unity that underlies numbers, while others see it as representing the Divine Unity or the concept of will.

2. The High Priestess, also known as Pope Joan or the Female Pontiff, has been interpreted differently by early scholars. Some have attempted to label this card as the Mother or Pope's Wife, which contradicts its symbolic meaning. It is sometimes associated with representing Divine Law and Gnosis, aligning with the concept of the Shekinah and embodying the Secret Tradition and higher understanding of mystical teachings.

3. The Empress, often depicted with a full face, contrasts with her counterpart, the Emperor, who is usually shown in profile. While some have tried to attribute symbolic significance to this distinction, it ultimately holds no deeper meaning. The Empress is often associated with universal fertility and, in a broader sense, with activity.

4. The Emperor, often considered the spouse of the Empress, is occasionally depicted wearing additional insignia such as stars or ribbons from a chivalric order. This illustrates how Tarot cards blend old and new symbols. While some may seek evidence of antiquity in specific designs, the presence of sporadic novelties may simply reflect the influence of editors or later artists without necessarily indicating ancient origins.

5. The High Priest, also known as the Hierophant or Spiritual Father, is commonly associated with the Pope. It has also been referred to as the Abbot, with its counterpart, the High Priestess, called the Abbess or Mother of the Convent. However, these names are somewhat arbitrary. When depicted with papal insignia, the High Priest symbolizes the Church, with whom the Pope and priests are spiritually united through ordination. It's worth considering that in its original form, this card may not have represented the Roman Pontiff.

6. The Lovers or Marriage card has seen numerous interpretations, as expected given its theme. In its eighteenth-century form, which introduced it to archaeological research, it primarily represents married life, depicting a father and mother with their child placed between them. However, the pagan Cupid depicted above, preparing to shoot his arrow, is a misapplied symbol, symbolizing love's beginning rather than its fullness, protecting the potential of love to blossom. The card has been labeled as "Simulacrum fidei," symbolizing conjugal faith, for which the rainbow, a sign of covenant, would have been a more appropriate accompaniment. While the figures are also said to represent Truth, Honor, and Love, I suspect this to be a commentator's moralizing gloss; while these aspects are present, the card holds other, higher meanings as well.

7. The Chariot card is depicted in some ancient texts as being drawn by two sphinxes, aligning with its symbolic significance. However, it should not be assumed that this was its original form; this variation was likely created to support a specific historical theory. In the eighteenth century, white horses were typically harnessed to the chariot. Despite its common name, the card symbolizes more than just a chariot; it represents the triumph of the King, signifying the victory that leads to kingship as a natural consequence, rather than the established royalty depicted in the fourth card. Although M. Court de Gebelin described it as Osiris Triumphing, with the conquering sun overcoming the obstacles of winter, we now understand that Osiris rising from the dead is not represented by such obvious symbolism. Other animals, such as lions and leopards, have also been used to draw the triumphant chariot.

8. Fortitude, one of the cardinal virtues, is often depicted with a female figure closing the mouth of a lion. However, in an earlier version described by Court de Gebelin, she is clearly depicted opening it. Symbolically, either representation signifies strength and mastery. It is believed that the figure represents various forms of force, including organic, moral, and the fundamental principle of all force.

9. The Hermit, known colloquially by this name, is also referred to as the Capuchin, and in more philosophical terms, the Sage. He is believed to be seeking Truth, which lies further along the path, and Justice, which has already preceded him. However, this card represents attainment rather than a mere quest, as we will explore later. It is suggested that his lantern holds the Light of Occult Science and his staff serves as a Magic Wand. These interpretations align in every aspect with the meanings used in divination and fortune-telling, which we will address in due course. The flaw in both interpretations lies in their narrow focus, missing the broader spiritual dimensions that the Greater Arcana should encompass. It's akin to a person who, knowing deep down that all paths lead to enlightenment and that God (Nature) resides at the highest peak, chooses the path of destruction or folly for their personal journey. Eliphas Levi assigned this card to Prudence, filling a gap in the symbolism. While the four cardinal virtues are essential to the ideological sequence of the Major Arcana, they must not be confined to their conventional interpretations, which often serve only to console the average person. In their true understanding, they represent the higher ideals, expressed in reinterpreted form:
(9a) Transcendental Justice, balancing the scales when they tip heavily towards God (Nature). The corresponding advice is to tilt the odds in your favor when dealing with significant matters. The axiom is "Either God or nothing."
(9b) Divine Ecstasy, contrasting with what is called Temperance, symbolized by the extinguishing of lights in taverns. The corresponding advice is to partake only of the new wine in the realm of the Divine, as God (Nature) is all-encompassing. The axiom is that as rational beings, humans must find intoxication in God (Nature), as exemplified by Spinoza.
(9c) The state of Royal Fortitude, represented by a Tower of Ivory and a House of Gold, signifies that God (Nature) has become strength against the enemy. The corresponding advice is that one must not hold back even in the face of death, ensuring that their sacrifice is the best possible option. The axiom is that strength attained to the extent of daring to lose oneself reveals the discovery of God (Nature). Dare and learn from such refuge.
(9d) Prudence is the economy that follows the path of least resistance, allowing the soul to return to its origin. It embodies divine frugality and conservation of energy amidst life's struggles and uncertainties. True prudence focuses on the essential, and the axiom is "Waste not, want not." The conclusion is a practical proposition based on the law of exchange: In the pursuit of divine things, you inevitably acquire what you seek—it's the law of supply and demand. I bring up these points now for two simple reasons: first, because it's sometimes challenging to determine whether vice or vulgarity more tragically devastates our world, and second, because in order to improve upon old concepts, it's often necessary to strip terms and phrases of their conventional meanings to imbue them with new and more fitting significance.

10. The Wheel of Fortune is featured in a popular Manual of Cartomancy that has gained significant popularity in England. Amidst its plethora of miscellaneous content, it briefly touches on a few substantial topics. In its latest edition, it dedicates a section to the Tarot, which, if I understand correctly, it views entirely as the Wheel of Fortune—a perspective that aligns with my own interpretation. I have no objections to such a comprehensive yet conventional description; it resonates across all realms, and I'm surprised it wasn't adopted earlier as the most fitting name in common fortune-telling. It also happens to be the title of one of the Major Arcana—specifically, the one currently under discussion, as indicated by my subtitle. In recent times, this card has undergone numerous imaginative depictions and even a hypothetical reconstruction, which offers intriguing symbolism. The wheel traditionally has seven spokes; in the eighteenth century, the ascending and descending creatures were rather nondescript, one even sporting a human head. At the summit sat another creature, with a blend of beastly features, wings, and a crown, clutching two wands. This imagery has been replaced in the reconstruction by Hermanubis ascending with the wheel, a crouching Sphinx at the peak, and Typhon on the descending side. While this seems like an invented interpretation to support a hypothesis, setting aside the latter reveals a grouping that's symbolically accurate and therefore acceptable.

11. Justice serves as evidence that the Tarot, though of considerable antiquity, isn't ancient beyond measure, as this card could have been presented in a more archaic manner. However, those with discernment in such matters understand that age isn't necessarily essential; for instance, the Rite of Closing the Lodge in the Third Craft Grade of Masonry, despite dating to the late eighteenth century, remains significant. The female figure depicted on the eleventh card is said to represent Astraea, who embodied the same virtue and was symbolized by the same icons. Despite this attribution and the presence of Cupid, the Tarot isn't rooted in Roman or Greek mythology. Justice is believed to be one of the four cardinal virtues in the Greater Arcana sequence, but due to the absence of a fourth emblem, commentators felt compelled to identify it at any cost. Despite their efforts, the missing Persephone in the guise of Prudence remains elusive. Court de Gebelin attempted to resolve this issue with a clever maneuver, believing he had derived what he needed from the symbol of the Hanged Man—though he was mistaken. Consequently, the Tarot includes Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude, but due to an oversight, it lacks a representation of Prudence. However, in some respects, the Hermit's solitary path illuminated by his own lamp provides, for those who grasp it, a form of wise counsel regarding the path of prudence.

12. The Hanged Man is commonly interpreted as representing Prudence, with Eliphas Levi suggesting, rather simplistically, that it depicts the adept bound by his commitments. The image features a man suspended upside down from a gallows, his ankle tied with a rope. His arms are bound behind him, and one leg is crossed over the other. Though some interpret him as a symbol of sacrifice, all current meanings associated with this card arise from cartomancers' intuitions rather than genuine symbolic value. In eighteenth-century Tarot decks circulated by fortune-tellers, the figure was often depicted as a semi-feminine youth in a jerkin, balanced on one foot and loosely tied to a short stake in the ground.


13. The Tower struck by Lightning has various alternative names: Castle of Plutus, God's (Nature's) House, and the Tower of Babel. In the latter case, it is believed that the figures falling from it represent Nimrod and his minister. Undoubtedly, it signifies confusion, and its imagery aligns, in a broad sense, with any of its alternative titles except Maison Dieu, unless we interpret it as the House of God (Nature) being forsaken and the temple veil torn. It's somewhat surprising that this imagery hasn't been associated with the destruction of Solomon's Temple, where the lightning could symbolize the fire and sword wielded by the King of the Chaldeans.

The Star, also known as the Dog-Star or Sirius, sometimes fancifully referred to as the Star of the Magi. Surrounding it are seven minor celestial bodies, while below it, a nude female figure kneels with her left knee on the ground and her right foot on the water, pouring liquids from two vessels. Nearby, a bird perches on a tree, although some later versions substitute this with a butterfly on a rose. The Star is also symbolically linked with hope. Court de Gebelin has categorized this card as entirely Egyptian, according to his own interpretation.

14. The Moon. In some eighteenth-century depictions, the moon shows its waning side. In a less respected edition by Etteilla, it's depicted as the full moon at night, surrounded by stars. More recently, the moon is often shown in its waxing phase, shining brightly and seemingly shedding dew. Typically, there are two towers below, with a path winding between them toward the horizon. Two dogs, or sometimes a wolf and a dog, are depicted howling at the moon, while in the foreground, there is water with a crayfish moving toward the land.

15. The Sun. Older cards often depict the sun with alternating waved and prominent rays, alongside secondary salient rays. Like the moon, it appears to influence the earth not only with light and heat but also with dew-like moisture. Court de Gebelin referred to this moisture as tears of gold and pearl, likening it to the tears of Isis. Below the sun, there is often a wall suggesting an enclosed space, like a walled garden, wherein two children, either naked or lightly clothed, play near water. Eliphas Levi mentions variations where these children are replaced by a figure unwinding destinies or a naked child riding a white horse and holding a scarlet standard.

16. The Last Judgment. This symbol remains essentially consistent across different depictions, including the Etteilla set. An angel is typically shown sounding a trumpet over graves, and the dead arise. While some variations exist, such as Etteilla omitting the angel or Dr. Papus using a different figure, the core motif remains. Before dismissing the straightforward interpretation of the symbolism conveyed by the card's name and image, it's important to be confident in our understanding. Primarily, it represents the resurrection of the family unit encountered earlier in the eighth card.

17. This card, often considered a cipher or numbered zero in many arrangements, is known as The Fool, Mate, or Wise Man. Court de Gebelin positions it at the forefront of the card series, representing zero or the absence presupposed by numeration—a simpler and more logical arrangement. However, later attributions of the cards to Hebrew letters posed challenges in allocating the zero symbol within a sequence of letters representing numbers. Even in its current association with the letter Shin, which corresponds to 200, the difficulty remains unresolved. The true arrangement of the cards has remained elusive. The Fool is depicted with a wallet, appearing unaware of the precipice ahead as he looks over his shoulder. Meanwhile, a dog or other animal—some interpretations suggest a tiger—attacks him from behind, driving him towards destruction unknowingly. Etteilla offers a variation depicting the Fool as a court jester, adorned with cap, bells, and motley garb. Other interpretations suggest that the wallet contains the bearer's follies and vices, though this notion seems arbitrary and commonplace.

18. Known as The World, the Universe, or Time, this card depicts the four living creatures from the Apocalypse and Ezekiel's vision, traditionally attributed to the evangelists in Christian symbolism. They are arranged around an elliptic garland, resembling a chain of flowers symbolizing all tangible things. Within this garland dances a woman, draped only with a light scarf around her loins, holding a wand in each hand. The image speaks volumes about the swirling nature of sensory existence, the joy found in the physical body, and the soul's ecstasy in earthly paradise, all under the watchful gaze of divine guardians symbolized by the Holy Name, Tetragrammaton. Filiphas Levi describes the garland as a crown, representing Truth, while Dr. Papus links it to the Absolute and the realization of the Great Work. Others see it as a symbol of humanity and the eternal reward for a life well-lived. Notably, there are four distinctively marked flowers in each quarter of the garland, as noted by P. Christian, suggesting that the garland could be made of roses, symbolizing strength even greater than that of an iron chain, according to Levi. This symbolism highlights the enduring power of spiritual sovereignty over temporal authority.

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