How Many Major Arcana Are There? The 22 Master Archetypes Explained

The Master List: All 22 Major Arcana Cards in Order

Before we dive into the spiritual depth of these cards, let’s get the foundational inventory out of the way. In a standard 78-card deck, there are exactly 22 Major Arcana cards. These are known as the 'Trump' cards, numbered from 0 to 21. Here is the definitive list in their traditional order:

• 0: The Fool – New beginnings, innocence, spontaneous action.
• 1: The Magician – Manifestation, resourcefulness, power.
• 2: The High Priestess – Intuition, sacred knowledge, the subconscious.
• 3: The Empress – Femininity, beauty, nature, abundance.
• 4: The Emperor – Authority, establishment, structure.
• 5: The Hierophant – Spiritual wisdom, religious beliefs, tradition.
• 6: The Lovers – Love, harmony, relationships, choices.
• 7: The Chariot – Control, willpower, victory, determination.
• 8: Strength – Courage, persuasion, influence, compassion.
• 9: The Hermit – Soul-searching, introspection, being alone.
• 10: Wheel of Fortune – Luck, karma, life cycles, destiny.
• 11: Justice – Fairness, truth, cause and effect, law.
• 12: The Hanged Man – Pause, surrender, letting go, new perspectives.
• 13: Death – Endings, change, transformation, transition.
• 14: Temperance – Balance, moderation, patience, purpose.
• 15: The Devil – Shadow self, attachment, addiction, restriction.
• 16: The Tower – Sudden change, upheaval, chaos, revelation.
• 17: The Star – Hope, faith, purpose, renewal.
• 18: The Moon – Illusion, fear, anxiety, subconscious.
• 19: The Sun – Positivity, fun, warmth, success, vitality.
• 20: Judgement – Judgement, rebirth, inner calling, absolution.
• 21: The World – Completion, integration, accomplishment, travel.

You might be standing in your kitchen, the soft hum of the refrigerator the only sound in the house, holding a deck that feels both heavy and full of possibility. You’re not just counting cards to make sure the box was full; you’re looking for a mirror. When you ask how many Major Arcana there are, what you’re really asking is: 'How many chapters are there in the story of me?' The 22 cards represent the universal milestones we all hit—the moments of total collapse, the sun-drenched mornings of success, and the quiet, lonely nights of the Hermit.

Major vs. Minor Arcana: Why the Distinction Matters

To understand the structural significance of the 22 cards, we must distinguish them from the rest of the deck. While the Minor Arcana (the other 56 cards) deal with the 'daily weather' of your life—the arguments, the paychecks, the emails—the Major Arcana represent the 'climate' or the tectonic shifts of your soul. This distinction is vital for cognitive framing. When a Major Arcana card appears in a session, it indicates a high-stakes psychological threshold that requires more than just a quick fix; it requires a shift in identity.

From a psychological perspective, having 22 specific archetypes creates a closed system of human experience. It suggests that while our individual lives are unique, our suffering and our triumphs follow predictable, ancient patterns. This realization often brings a profound sense of relief to my clients. You aren't 'broken' for feeling lost in The Moon's shadows; you are simply in a specific, documented stage of the human journey. Understanding the anatomy of a tarot deck allows you to categorize your struggles with more clarity.

The 3 Acts of the Fool's Journey

The 22 cards aren't just a random collection; they tell a story called 'The Fool’s Journey.' Imagine The Fool (Card 0) as the protagonist of a movie. As he moves through the deck, he meets mentors (The Hierophant), faces temptations (The Devil), and eventually finds wholeness (The World). This '3-Act' structure helps us understand where we are in our own personal development.

• Act I: The Material World (Cards 1-7) – Focusing on the ego, society, and building our foundation.
• Act II: The Intuitive World (Cards 8-14) – Turning inward to face our subconscious and question our beliefs.
• Act III: The Celestial World (Cards 15-21) – Dealing with cosmic forces, spiritual rebirth, and final integration.

When you pull a card from Act III, like The Star, it’s a sign that you’ve moved past the 'survival' mode of the earlier cards. You are now in the 'healing' phase. This sequence is a beautiful way to map out your year or even a decade of your life. It reminds us that no phase is permanent. Even The Tower—that terrifying moment when everything falls apart—is just a necessary precursor to the peace of The Star. The journey from the material to the spiritual is a path we all walk, often multiple times.

The Psychology of Archetypes: Why 22 Cards Are Enough

Why specifically 22? In the realm of Jungian psychology, these cards function as archetypes—universal, archaic patterns and images that derive from the collective unconscious. These aren't just 'magic cards'; they are psychological containers. When you look at The Empress, your brain isn't just seeing a woman on a throne; it is accessing the 'Mother' archetype, triggering associations with nurturing, creativity, and fertility.

• Archetypal Mirroring: The cards bypass the logical mind and speak directly to the limbic system.
• Narrative Coherence: By placing our messy lives into a 22-step framework, we create a story that makes sense of our pain.
• Projection: We project our current internal state onto the card, allowing us to 'see' what we were previously repressing.

This mechanism is why tarot can be such a powerful tool for self-reflection. It provides a structured vocabulary for things that are often wordless. If you find yourself repeatedly drawn to the 'Justice' card, your psyche may be crying out for a resolution to a moral conflict. This isn't supernatural; it's your mind using an ancient visual system to communicate with your conscious self about core archetypal patterns.

When to Listen: Decision Rules for Major Arcana Pulls

Sometimes, the hardest part of learning tarot is knowing when to take a 'Major' pull seriously. Because there are only 22 of them, they carry a certain gravity. If you’re doing a daily pull and you get the Three of Pentacles (Minor), it might just mean a productive meeting. But if you pull The Emperor (Major), the universe is asking you to look at your relationship with power and structure.

• The Rule of Resonance: If a Major Arcana card 'jumps' out of the deck while shuffling, pay double attention.
• The Consistency Rule: If you pull the same Major Arcana card three times in a month, that is your current 'Soul Phase.'
• The Context Rule: In a multi-card spread, the Major Arcana cards are the 'anchors.' Read them first to understand the 'Why,' then use the Minors to understand the 'How.'

It can feel overwhelming to see a card like 'Death' or 'The Devil' pop up. But remember, babe, these cards are rarely literal. 'Death' is just the clearing of the garden so new flowers can grow. 'The Devil' is just a reminder that you’re holding the keys to your own handcuffs. We often fear what we don't understand, but once you know the 22 master keys, the 'scary' cards just become helpful warnings from a friend who wants you to succeed.

Modern Meaning: Using the 22 Cards for Mental Health

In our modern, hyper-digital world, we are often disconnected from the slow, seasonal cycles of life. The 22 Major Arcana offer a return to a more rhythmic existence. They remind us that there is a time for action (The Chariot) and a time for stillness (The Hanged Man). In my practice, I find that the 'burnout' so many young professionals feel is often a result of trying to be 'The Magician' (constant manifestation) without ever allowing themselves to be 'The Hermit' (introspection).

Integrating these archetypes into your life isn't about fortune-telling; it's about self-regulation. By recognizing that you are currently in a 'Tower' year, you can lower your expectations for external productivity and focus on internal resilience. This framing shifts the narrative from 'Everything is going wrong' to 'I am in a period of necessary deconstruction.' This is the ultimate gift of the 22 cards: the ability to name your season and, in doing so, master it. Understanding how many major arcana are there is simply the first step in learning the language of your own evolution.

FAQ

1. How many major arcana are there in a standard tarot deck?

There are exactly 22 Major Arcana cards in a standard tarot deck of 78 cards. These cards, numbered 0 to 21, represent significant life lessons and karmic influences. They are often referred to as 'Trump cards' because they hold more symbolic weight than the 56 Minor Arcana cards.

Knowing how many major arcana are there is essential for beginners to ensure their deck is complete and to understand the core structure of the tarot system. Each of these 22 cards depicts a specific archetype that reflects a major stage of human development.

2. Is the Fool part of the major arcana?

Yes, The Fool is absolutely part of the Major Arcana. In fact, it is often considered the most important card because it is numbered '0,' representing infinite potential and the start of the journey.

The Fool is the protagonist of the 'Fool's Journey,' a metaphorical path through the other 21 cards. Without The Fool, the Major Arcana wouldn't have its narrative arc of spiritual growth and enlightenment.

3. What is the difference between major and minor arcana?

While the Major Arcana consists of 22 cards representing big life themes, the Minor Arcana consists of 56 cards divided into four suits (Cups, Pentacles, Swords, and Wands). These suit cards represent the mundane, daily aspects of life.

Think of the Major Arcana as the 'big picture' or the soul's purpose, while the Minor Arcana provides the 'small details' and practical advice for navigating your current circumstances.

4. What are the three acts of the major arcana?

The 22 Major Arcana cards are typically divided into three 'Acts' of seven cards each (with The Fool as the starting point). Act I (Cards 1-7) deals with worldly authority and the ego. Act II (Cards 8-14) focuses on the subconscious and internal moral lessons.

Act III (Cards 15-21) represents the celestial or spiritual realm, leading to the final stage of completion. This structure helps readers understand the depth and progress of a person's spiritual evolution.

5. How many cards are in a standard tarot deck?

A standard, complete tarot deck contains a total of 78 cards. This includes the 22 Major Arcana and the 56 Minor Arcana. Many people confuse tarot with oracle decks, which can have any number of cards, but a true tarot deck always adheres to this 78-card structure.

When checking your deck's completeness, you should always verify the count of both sections to ensure you have the full range of archetypal and daily symbols available for a reading.

6. Which major arcana card is the most powerful?

No single card is objectively 'the most powerful,' but many consider 'The World' (21) the most positive as it signifies completion and success. Conversely, cards like 'The Tower' (16) or 'Death' (13) are powerful in terms of the intensity of change they bring.

The 'power' of a card usually depends on its placement in a spread and the specific question being asked. However, all 22 Major Arcana are considered more influential than any single Minor Arcana card.

7. What does major arcana mean in tarot?

The word 'Arcana' is the plural of 'arcanum,' which means 'secret' or 'mystery.' Therefore, Major Arcana translates to 'Big Secrets' or 'Great Mysteries.'

These cards are called 'Major' because they reveal the deep, hidden truths of our psyche and our destiny, rather than the surface-level facts of our daily schedule.

8. Can you do a reading with only major arcana?

Yes, you can certainly perform a reading using only the 22 Major Arcana cards. This is often called a 'Major Arcana Only' spread and is used when someone wants to focus purely on high-level spiritual guidance or major life transitions.

While you lose the specific 'how-to' details provided by the Minor Arcana, a Major-only reading can be incredibly potent for identifying the core karmic energy currently affecting your life.

9. What is the last card of the major arcana?

The last card of the Major Arcana is 'The World,' numbered 21. It represents the end of the Fool's Journey, symbolizing wholeness, achievement, and the successful integration of all the lessons learned in the previous 21 cards.

Once you reach The World, the cycle often begins again with The Fool, representing the continuous nature of human growth and the ever-evolving soul.

10. How to memorize the major arcana?

The best way to memorize the 22 cards is to learn them as a story—The Fool's Journey. Instead of memorizing isolated definitions, try to understand why The Magician comes before The High Priestess, or why The Tower must precede The Star.

Visualizing the cards as characters in a movie or stages in a person's life (childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and wisdom) makes the sequence much easier to recall during a reading.

References

tarot.com — Major Arcana Tarot Card Meanings

gaia.com — The 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot and Their Meanings

cratejoy.com — Anatomy of a Tarot Deck: How Many Cards Are There?