How Many Major Arcana Cards are in a Tarot Deck? (Complete List)

The 22 Foundations: A Complete List of the Major Arcana

In a standard tarot deck, there are exactly 22 Major Arcana cards, numbered from 0 to 21. Below is the complete list of these spiritual pillars:

• 0: The Fool (Infinite Potential)
• I: The Magician (Manifestation)
• II: The High Priestess (Intuition)
• III: The Empress (Creativity)
• IV: The Emperor (Structure)
• V: The Hierophant (Tradition)
• VI: The Lovers (Alignment)
• VII: The Chariot (Willpower)
• VIII: Strength (Inner Fortitude)
• IX: The Hermit (Solitude)
• X: Wheel of Fortune (Cycles)
• XI: Justice (Truth)
• XII: The Hanged Man (Perspective)
• XIII: Death (Transformation)
• XIV: Temperance (Balance)
• XV: The Devil (Shadow)
• XVI: The Tower (Upheaval)
• XVII: The Star (Hope)
• XVIII: The Moon (Subconscious)
• XIX: The Sun (Vitality)
• XX: Judgement (Absolution)
• XXI: The World (Completion)

You are sitting in the soft glow of a late-afternoon sun, the scent of old paper and perhaps a hint of lavender tea in the air. As you pull your deck from its silk wrap, you might feel a flicker of anxiety—a quiet fear that you won’t understand the 'big' messages or that you'll miss a piece of the puzzle. This feeling is so common; it’s the shadow of wanting to be seen as spiritually competent. But when you hold these 22 cards, you aren't just holding ink and cardstock; you are holding the 22 mirrors of the human experience.

Understanding how many major arcana cards are there is the first step in claiming your seat at the table of your own intuition. These cards act as the 'trumps' or the foundational pillars of the Major Arcana, representing the macro-events of our lives. While the rest of the deck handles the daily grind, these 22 cards deal with the soul's evolution. When you realize the structure is fixed, the chaos of learning starts to feel like a warm, guided path.

Major vs Minor Arcana: Understanding the Deck Anatomy

To truly grasp the deck's anatomy, we have to look at how these 22 cards sit within the full 78-card system. Think of the deck as a kingdom: the Major Arcana are the monarchs and the laws of physics, while the Minor Arcana are the villagers and the daily weather.

• The Majors (22 Cards): Archetypal, karmic, and life-changing lessons. They carry the 'Trump' energy.
• The Minors (56 Cards): Practical, temporary, and detail-oriented. They represent the four suits: Cups, Pentacles, Swords, and Wands.
• The Ratio: In any given reading, a high density of Majors suggests a situation that is largely out of your control or destined for major growth.

Psychologically, we distinguish between these two because our brains need a way to prioritize 'Big T' Truths versus 'Little t' tasks. When you ask, 'how many major arcana cards are there?' you are subconsciously asking for the boundaries of the soul's map. By separating the 22 Trumps from the 56 Minors, you allow yourself to breathe. You don't have to master 78 meanings at once; you only need to invite these 22 primary archetypes into your heart first. This 'Major vs. Minor' distinction is what allows a reader to move from memorization to genuine feeling.

The Fool’s Journey: Why the Number 22 Matters

The sequence from 0 to 21 isn't random; it is a psychological developmental model known as 'The Fool’s Journey.' It begins with the innocent step of The Fool (0) and concludes with the cosmic integration of The World (21).

Imagine The Fool as a young soul walking a path. Each card they meet is a teacher. The Empress teaches them about mothering and nature; The Emperor teaches them about boundaries and fatherhood. As they move into the middle cards, like The Hanged Man, they learn the value of pausing and sacrifice. This isn't just a 'game' of cards; it’s a reflection of how we grow from children into integrated adults. When you look at your 22 cards this way, they become a timeline of your own resilience. You can actually trace your current life struggles to a specific 'station' on this journey, which provides an incredible sense of relief and perspective.

Majors-Only Readings: A Protocol for Clarity

A common question in the tarot community is whether you can perform a reading using only the 22 Major cards. The answer is a resounding yes. In fact, many professional readers prefer this for high-stakes spiritual questions.

• Step 1: Separate your 22 Major Arcana cards from the deck.
• Step 2: Focus on a 'Why' question rather than a 'When' question.
• Step 3: Draw three cards: The Root, The Lesson, and The Outcome.
• Step 4: Look for the 'Visual Weight'—are the cards facing each other or looking away?
• Step 5: Journal on the archetype's presence in your current week.

Using only the Majors is like using a spotlight instead of a flashlight. It cuts through the noise of daily chores and points directly at the spiritual blockage or blessing. For those feeling overwhelmed by the 78-card system, starting with the 22 cards is a form of self-compassion. It allows you to build a relationship with the most powerful energies first. This practice, often seen in the Tarot de Marseille tradition, is about depth rather than breadth. It’s about quality over quantity.

The Psychology of Archetypes: Why the 22 Cards Resonate

The 22 cards remain relevant across centuries because they are not just 'cards'—they are Carl Jung’s archetypes. They represent the collective unconscious. When you see The Tower, your heart might race because it represents the universal experience of sudden change. When you see The Star, you feel a coolness in your chest because it represents hope.

• The mirror effect: The cards don't tell the future; they reflect your present internal state.
• cognitive reframing: Using the 22 cards helps you reframe a 'crisis' into a 'transformation' (The Death card).
• Empowerment: Knowing the 22 cards helps you realize that every phase—even the hard ones—is a necessary part of a complete cycle.

By understanding the mechanism of archetypal energy, you stop being a victim of 'bad luck' and start being a student of life. The 22 cards provide a shared language for the things we often can't put into words. This is why many people find comfort in knowing exactly how many major arcana cards are there; it provides a 'finite' container for 'infinite' emotions. You aren't lost in the dark; you are just at a specific point in a well-traveled map.

Common Pitfalls & Troubleshooting Your 22 Cards

Even the most seasoned seekers can stumble when first learning the 22 trumps. The most frequent confusion involves The Fool’s placement. Some decks place it at the beginning, others at the end, but technically it is '0'—the card that can go anywhere.

• Mistake 1: Thinking 22 is a lucky number only. It’s a structural number.
• Mistake 2: Ignoring the sequence. The order of the cards tells a story; don't read them in isolation.
• Mistake 3: Fearing 'scary' cards like Death or The Devil. In the 22-card system, these are just transition points.
• Mistake 4: Confusing the Court Cards (Kings, Queens) with Major Arcana. Kings/Queens are Minors.
• Mistake 5: Thinking a deck is 'broken' if it only has 22 cards. Some decks are designed as 'Majors Only.'

If you find yourself holding a deck and wondering if you have the right amount of cards, remember that your intention is the most powerful tool you have. Whether you have the full 78 or just the 22, the cards are ready to speak. Now that you know how many major arcana cards are there, you can approach your next reading with a sense of grounded authority. If you're feeling curious about which archetype is speaking to you right now, you might find comfort in exploring a gentle tool like the Tarot Reader AI to bridge that gap between curiosity and insight.

FAQ

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

There are exactly 22 Major Arcana cards in a standard tarot deck. These cards are numbered from 0 (The Fool) to 21 (The World) and represent the 'Trumps' or the core spiritual lessons of the human experience.

2. Are the 22 cards numbered 1 to 22?

The Major Arcana cards are numbered 0 through 21. While there are 22 total cards, the numbering ends at 21 because The Fool is traditionally designated as number 0, representing the 'zero-point' of infinite potential.

3. Can I use only the major arcana for a tarot reading?

Yes, you can absolutely do a reading with just the 22 Major Arcana cards. This is a common practice for those who want to focus on significant, life-path questions rather than small daily details.

4. What is the difference between major and minor arcana cards?

The Major Arcana (22 cards) represents large-scale life themes and spiritual archetypes, while the Minor Arcana (56 cards) represents daily events, emotions, and practical matters across four suits.

5. How many cards are in a full tarot deck including major arcana?

A full tarot deck contains 78 cards in total. This includes the 22 Major Arcana cards and the 56 Minor Arcana cards (which include the suits and court cards).

6. Is The Fool card number 0 or 22?

The Fool card is almost always numbered 0. However, in some older traditions or specific decks, it was unnumbered or treated as the 22nd card, but '0' is the modern standard in the Rider-Waite-Smith system.

7. Why are there exactly 22 major arcana cards?

The number 22 is often linked to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in Western occultism, and it is seen as a 'Master Number' that represents building a foundation for spiritual work and manifesting dreams into reality.

8. Which major arcana card is the strongest?

While no card is 'strongest,' cards like The Sun or The World are often seen as the most positive, whereas The Tower or Death represent the most intense transformative energies. Every card has equal importance in the cycle.

9. Are major arcana cards the same as trump cards?

Yes, in the context of historical card games and tarot history, the Major Arcana cards were known as 'atouts' or trumps, meaning they 'trump' or outrank the suit cards in value.

10. Do all tarot decks have 22 major arcana cards?

Almost all modern tarot decks, including the Rider-Waite and Tarot de Marseille, follow the 22-card Major Arcana structure. Some oracle decks may vary, but they are not technically 'tarot' if they change this fundamental count.

References

en.wikipedia.org — Major Arcana - Wikipedia

tarot.com — Major Arcana Tarot Card Meanings

reddit.com — Reading with the Major Arcana Only