The 78 cards: Major and Minor Arcana
The 22 Major Arcana tell life's big lessons, the 56 Minor Arcana tell everyday stories in four suits, one for each element.
4 min read
By the end you'll
- Tell Major and Minor Arcana apart at a glance
- Know what each of the 4 suits is about
- Read the numbers on minor cards and the court cards
The 78 tarot cards are like a book. The 22 Major Arcana are the big chapters of life, such as beginnings, loss and success. The 56 Minor Arcana are the everyday story: work, money, feelings and thoughts.
How to tell a Major card from a Minor card
- Major Arcana: a Roman numeral from 0 to XXI and a name of its own, such as The Sun, Death or The World.
- Minor Arcana: the name gives a number and a suit, such as Three of Cups or King of Swords.
- Several Major cards in one spread mean the situation is a real turning point, more than a passing phase.
The 4 suits are easy to remember by element
- Wands, fire = "I want to": work, ambition, inspiration
- Cups, water = "I feel": love, emotions, relationships
- Swords, air = "I think and speak": decisions, communication, conflict
- Pentacles, earth = "I can touch it": money, work, health, home
The number on a minor card shows what stage things are at
- Ace (1): the start, a seed
- 2–4: things take shape, choices appear, some stability
- 5: a problem or challenge
- 6–9: things ease, get tested, near completion
- 10: the cycle ends; the matter has gone as far as it can
The 4 court cards read as "people"
- Page: a student, a beginner, or news
- Knight: someone who takes action and moves fast
- Queen: someone who cares for the matter and understands it from the inside
- King: a leader, someone in control of the matter
Count the suits before you read
Question: Why have I felt like not going to work at all lately?
Cards: Four of Cups, position Past; Eight of Cups, position Present; Page of Wands, position Future
Sample answer: Two Cups came up, so the root cause is emotional rather than a heavy workload. The Four of Cups says you are so bored that you overlook the good things still there. The Eight of Cups says part of you wants to walk away from what doesn't fulfil you. The Page of Wands says a new interest is starting to form. Try finding a new project that excites you before you decide to quit.
Count how many cards of each suit there are first (2 Cups, 1 Wands) and you will see straight away which way the matter leans.
Weaker answer: The Four of Cups means boredom, apathy and self-reflection.
Stronger answer: The Four of Cups says you are so bored that you are overlooking the opportunity being held out to you. Ask yourself what at work you haven't tried yet.
A good answer links the card's meaning to the querent's life instead of reciting keywords.
Summary
- Major Arcana = big life events, Minor Arcana = everyday matters
- Fire wants · water feels · air thinks · earth is tangible
- The number shows the stage, and court cards are often people