The Major Arcana in Tarot

beginning: entering a new phase
striking out on a new path
expanding horizons
starting something new
beginning an adventure
going on a journey
heading into the unknown
being spontaneous: living in the moment
letting go of expectations
doing the unexpected
acting on impulse
feeling uninhibited
surprising someone
feeling carefree
having faith: trusting the flow
staying open
letting go of worry and fear
feeling protected and loved
living in joy
recapturing innocence
believing
embracing folly: accepting your choices
taking the "foolish" path
pursuing a pipe dream
being true to yourself
taking a "crazy" chance
trusting your heart's desire
taking action: doing what needs to be done
realizing your potential
making what's possible real
practicing what you preach
carrying out plans
producing magical results
using your talents
acting consciously: knowing what you are doing and why
acknowledging your motivations
understanding your intentions
examining the known situation
concentrating: having singleness of purpose
being totally committed
applying the force of your will
feeling centered
setting aside distractions
focusing on a goal
experiencing power: making a strong impact
having vitality
creating miracles
becoming energized
feeling vigorous
being creative
staying nonactive: withdrawing from involvement
allowing events to proceed without intervention
being receptive to influence
becoming calm
being passive
waiting patiently
accessing the unconscious: using your intuition
seeking guidance from within
trusting your inner voice
opening to dreams and the imagination
being aware of a larger reality
seeing the potential: understanding the possibilities
opening to what could be
seeing your hidden talents
allowing development
letting what is there flower
sensing the mystery: looking beyond the obvious
approaching a closed off area
opening to the unknown
remembering something important
sensing the secret and hidden
seeking what is concealed
acknowledging the Shadow
mothering: giving birth
nourishing life
nurturing and caring for others
cherishing the world
expressing tenderness
working with children
welcoming abundance: enjoying extravagance
receiving lavish reward
luxuriating in plenty
having more than enough
feeling rich
experiencing the senses: giving and receiving pleasure
focusing on the body
appreciating beauty
feeling vibrantly healthy
being earthy
doing physical activity
responding to Nature: relating to plants and animals
embracing the natural
feeling connected to the Earth
going outdoors
harmonizing with natural rhythms
fathering: establishing a family line
setting direction and tone
protecting and defending
guiding growth
bringing security and comfort
offering explanations
emphasizing structure: creating order out of chaos
categorizing
being systematic
providing shape and form
being organized
applying reason
coordinating
sticking to a plan
exercising authority: taking a leadership role
commanding
exerting control
representing the establishment
being in a position of strength
coming in contact with officials
setting direction
regulating: establishing law and order
operating from sound principles
applying rules or guidelines
working within the legal system
setting standards of behavior
following a regimen
getting an education: pursuing knowledge
becoming informed
increasing understanding
studying and learning
seeking a deeper meaning
finding out more
having a belief system: sharing a cultural heritage
learning a religious tradition
honoring ritual and ceremony
identifying a world view
following a discipline
knowing where to put your faith
conforming: following the rules
taking an orthodox approach
staying within conventional bounds
adapting to the system
fitting in
going along with the program
doing what's expected
being part of the Establishment
identifying with a group: being committed to a cause
devoting energy to a group
joining an organization
working as part of a team
feeling loyal to others
being in an institutionalized setting
relating to others: establishing bonds
feeling love
forming a union or marriage
acknowledging kinship
sympathizing with another
getting closer
making a connection
being intimate
being sexual: seeking union
experiencing desire
making love
opening to another
responding with passion
feeling a physical attraction
tapping inner energy
establishing personal beliefs: questioning received opinions
figuring out where you stand
staying true to yourself
setting your own philosophy
going by your own standards
making up your own mind
determining values: struggling with temptation
choosing between right and wrong
facing an ethical or moral choice
refusing to let ends justify means
finding out what you care about
achieving victory: reaching your goal
winning
being successful
dominating
coming out on top
beating the competition
using your will: being determined to succeed
focusing your intent
rising above temptation
letting nothing distract you
sustaining an effort
concentrating your energies
fixing on a goal
asserting yourself: being ego-focused
establishing an identify
knowing who you are
feeling self-confident
having faith in yourself
looking out for your interests
achieving hard control: mastering emotions
curbing impulses
maintaining discipline
holding in anger
getting your way
assuming the reins of power
showing authority
showing strength: knowing you can endure
having a gallant spirit
feeling an unshakable resolve
taking heart despite setbacks
having stamina
being a rock
being patient: dealing calmly with frustration
accepting others
taking time
maintaining composure
refusing to get angry
showing forbearance
being compassionate: giving others lots of space
tolerating
understanding what others are feeling
accepting
forgiving imperfection
being kind
achieving soft control: persuading
working with
guiding indirectly
being able to influence
tempering force with benevolence
demonstrating the strength of love
being introspective: thinking things over
focusing inward
concentrating less on the senses
quieting yourself
looking for answers within
needing to understand
searching: seeking greater understanding
looking for something
wanting the truth at all costs
going on a personal quest
needing more
desiring a new direction
receiving/giving guidance: going to/being a mentor
accepting/offering wise counsel
learning from/being a guru
turning to/being a trusted teacher
being helped/helping
seeking solitude: needing to be alone
desiring stillness
withdrawing from the world
experiencing seclusion
giving up distractions
retreating into a private world
feeling a sense of destiny: using what chance offers
seeing life's threads weave together
finding opportunity in an accident
opening to luck
sensing the action of fate
witnessing miracles
being at a turning point: reversing
moving in a different direction
turning things around
having a change in fortune
altering the present course
being surprised at a turn of events
feeling movement: experiencing change
having the tempo of life speed up
being swept up in new developments
rejoining the world of activity
getting involved
having a personal vision: seeing how everything connects
becoming more aware
uncovering patterns and cycles
expanding your outlook
gaining greater perspective
discovering your role and purpose
respecting justice: insisting on fairness
acting on ethical principles
being involved in legal concerns
committing to honesty
seeking equality
being impartial
trying to do what is right
assuming responsibility: settling old accounts and debts
being accountable
acknowledging the truth
admitting involvement
handling the situation
doing what has to be done
preparing for a decision: weighing all sides of an issue
setting a course for the future
balancing all factors
determining right action
choosing with full awareness
understanding cause and effect: accepting the results you created
seeing how you chose your situation
recognizing the action of karma
knowing that what is makes sense
making connections between events
letting go: having an emotional release
accepting what is
surrendering to experience
ending the struggle
being vulnerable and open
giving up control
accepting God's will
reversing: turning the world around
changing your mind
overturning old priorities
seeing from a new angle
upending the old order
doing an about-face
suspending action: pausing to reflect
feeling outside of time
taking time to just be
giving up urgency
living in the moment
waiting for the best opportunity
sacrificing: being a martyr
renouncing a claim
putting self-interest aside
going one step back to go two steps forward
giving up for a higher cause
putting others first
ending: closing one door to open another
bringing something to a close
completing a chapter
concluding unfinished business
putting the past behind you
having a parting of the ways
going through transition: changing status
moving from the known to the unknown
being cast adrift
waiting in an in-between state
being in the middle
eliminating excess: cutting out what isn't necessary
shedding old attitudes
getting down to bare bones
concentrating on essentials
getting back to basics
experiencing inexorable forces: being in the path of sweeping change
being caught in the inescapable
going through what cannot be avoided
being part of a powerful movement
riding your fate
accepting the inevitable
being temperate: finding the middle ground
showing moderation
avoiding excess
mitigating a harsh position
looking for the golden mean
reaching a compromise
offsetting an extreme
maintaining balance: experiencing harmony
achieving equilibrium
bringing together opposites
recognizing all sides
fostering cooperation
feeling centered and secure
experiencing health: renewing energy and vigor
healing
enjoying well-being
recovering
flourishing
combining forces: gathering together what is needed
joining with others
consolidating
finding the right mix
creating synthesis
getting it all together
experiencing bondage: accepting an unwanted situation
being obsessed
feeling tied down against your will
losing independence
allowing yourself to be controlled
being addicted and enslaved
submitting to another
focusing on the material: being caught up in appearances
believing only in the physical
forgetting the spiritual
getting and spending
overindulging the senses
staying in ignorance: being unaware
operating within a narrow range
experiencing limitation
choosing to stay in the dark
fearing the unknown
being taken in by appearances
feeling hopeless
: believing the worst
despairing
lacking faith
seeing a cold world
thinking negatively
foreseeing a bleak future
doubting
going through sudden change: experiencing upheaval
having plans disrupted
being surprised
undergoing a crisis
having routines shaken up
being in chaos
releasing: exploding
having an emotional outburst
erupting in anger
crashing through ego defenses
breaking through pretense
letting everything go
falling down: being humbled
experiencing a crash
toppling from the heights
having a downturn in fortune
suffering a blow to the ego
having a revelation: suddenly realizing the truth
exposing what was hidden
having a burst of insight
seeing through illusions
getting the answer
seeing everything in a flash
regaining hope: having faith in the future
thinking positively
believing
counting your blessings
seeing the light at the end of the tunnel
feeling great expectation
looking forward to success
being inspired: regaining motivation
realizing an inner strength
seeing the way clear
being stimulated to a higher level
creating
receiving the answer
being generous: wanting to give or share
spreading the wealth
opening your heart
giving back what you have received
letting love flow freely
offering with no reservations
holding nothing back
feeling serene: experiencing peace of mind
relaxing
finding your still center
remaining untroubled
savoring perfect calm
being tranquil amid trouble
enjoying harmony
feeling fear: releasing inner demons
feeling a nameless apprehension
suffering from phobias
giving in to the shadow self
lacking courage
being overcome by anxieties
believing illusions: accepting a false picture
deceiving yourself
having unrealistic ideas
misapprehending the truth
experiencing distortions
chasing after a fantasy
stimulating the imagination: having vivid dreams or visions
opening to fantasy
plumbing the unconscious
entertaining unusual thoughts
being outlandish and bizarre
feeling bewildered: losing direction and purpose
having trouble thinking clearly
becoming confused
being easily distracted
feeling disoriented
wandering aimlessly
becoming enlightened: understanding
finding the sense behind the chaos
attaining a new level of insight
having an intellectual breakthrough
getting to the heart of the matter
realizing the truth
experiencing greatness: achieving prominence
being singled out for notice
having a personal moment of glory
setting an outstanding example
shining forth brilliantly
demonstrating distinction
becoming the center of attention
feeling vitality: becoming radiantly energized
bursting with enthusiasm
experiencing joy
feeling invigorated
getting charged up
enjoying great health
having assurance: feeling free and expansive
honoring your true self
knowing you can succeed
being confident
believing in your worth
trusting your abilities
forgiving yourself
making a judgment: having a day of reckoning
separating the wheat from the chaff
making an honest appraisal
getting off the fence
using critical faculties
taking a stand
making hard choices
feeling reborn: awakening to possibilities
transforming
enjoying renewed hope
making a fresh start
seeing everything in a new light
discovering joy
hearing a call: recognizing your true vocation
feeling inner conviction
feeling an impulse to act
deciding to make a difference
feeling drawn in a new direction
knowing what you must do
answering a need
finding absolution: feeling cleansed and refreshed
releasing guilts and sorrows
forgiving yourself and others
atoning for past mistakes
unburdening yourself
feeling sins washed away
integrating: experiencing wholeness
bringing parts together
achieving dynamic balance
combining
creating synthesis
joining together
working in unison
accomplishing: realizing your goals
prospering
achieving your heart's desire
seeing dreams come true
flourishing
finding a beautiful solution
becoming involved: contributing
healing
rendering a service
using a gift or talent
sharing what you have
giving of yourself
feeling engaged
being active
feeling fulfilled: savoring the present
taking pleasure in life
enjoying peace of mind
getting satisfaction
finding contentment
counting your blessings