About the Major Arcana

The Major Arcana describes an individual’s journey from the invisible—into color, light, and sound and into physical form and the realm of duality through initiations and tests, to fulfillment—then back to the sacred mystery. The quest involves rediscovering personal magic, co-creating with the elements, and discovering the wholeness of our beautiful and unique design. We playfully refer to the Grail questions as the quest-i-on, or “the quest I’m on.” All the Celtic Elemental Tarot cards have upright and reversed positions. However, the cards naturally circle inwards toward a Wisdom synthesis, the nugget of truth between meaning and symbol that we discover for ourselves.

The Major Arcana—Guides, Powers, and Forces

The Allies – Cards 0–VI

Tarot teaches the reality of the archetypes as powers that have animated the stories of existence since the beginning of time. These powers can appear in the form of guides or allies. Following the Major Arcana, we observe 0 Fool who steps out into the mysteries, trusting the unfolding process. The next five cards act as embodiments of the five magical helpers: I Magician, II Priestess, III Green Woman (Empress), IV Green Man (Emperor), and V Hierophant, who may act as a spiritual guide. The Green Woman and Green Man are wilder expressions of the traditional Emperor and Empress. VI Lovers can take on two roles, appearing as an archetypal romantic ally, or present its force as a dualistic challenge.

The Challenges – Cards VI–X

With cards VI–X, the soul faces the challenges of the dualistic world in the form of the VI Lovers (Choices), VII Chariot (Duality), VIII Strength (Fortitude), IX Hermit (Introspection), and X Wheel of Life (Karma).

The Virtues – Cards XI–XIV

We then encounter the ethical teachings and virtues, the moralistic teachings inherent in the tarot. Plato first described the virtues as the characteristics of a good human. The four cardinal Christian Virtues are Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude, and Justice. XI Justice, the quality of being morally just, reminds us of the good of others. XII Hanged Man is related to the virtue of patience, learning to wait until the right time for action. XIII Death creates an ethical challenge, usually in the form of fear of facing a major change or transition. XIV Temperance is the angel, reminding us that moderation in our habits leads to wellbeing. The main theological virtue is Love, which adds a dimension to VI Lovers. Two more virtues are Charity (V Hierophant) and Hope (XVII Star).

The Cosmic Forces – Cards XV–XXI

The Force behind the XV Devil limits and binds. XVI Tower teaches us that illusion will be destroyed and ultimately it only is the truth that can set us free. Truth in the end is all that remains. There are also Universal Forces that impact us behind the XVII Star, XVIII Moon, and XIX Sun. XX Judgement is the primary Force that keeps us from Self-Realization, and it is here that we can set ourselves and others free, generally through forgiveness. The XXI Universe card implies that Self-Realization is possible, although it may require a re-imagining of the self.

A Mythopoetic Landscape

As we find ourselves in this mythopoetic landscape, we begin to understand the Guides, Powers, and Forces that move in the external and internal worlds. Although we might begin the Quest for the Grail or True Self feeling fragmented, we realize along the journey that we are much more than we could have ever dreamed. The achievement of the Grail is obtained through the finding and metabolization of correct knowledge in which the soul is healed and repaired.

0 – The Fool

Step boldly into life and trust the unfolding mystery.

Keywords: Innocence, faith, optimism, trust, spontaneity, new beginnings, love.

Reversed: Foolishness, despair, folly, impulsiveness, craziness, doubt.

Synthesis: Basic trust.

MEANING Laughter can open new possibilities. The jests and silliness inherent in the Fool help us break away from the mundane world and open to the mysteries. The Fool is the card of the youth who is endlessly curious. A foolish person lacks social awareness, but a Wise Fool follows the wisdom of the heart and shares truths with humor and wit. Mystics equate the Fool with the Hero’s Journey, in which the hero or heroine must leave the safety and familiarity of the ordinary world and enter the mysterious Otherworld, where many challenges must be faced. There is no guarantee of safety until a force greater than the Self is discovered. On this Quest the old Self dies, and a new Self emerges and ultimately returns to the ordinary world to share wisdom. The Fool reminds us that we come from the mystery, and it is to that mystery that we will return. When we inquire, the colorful mystery of the Universe begins to reveal itself to us.

DIVINATION When the Fool appears, transformation is in the air. The Fool marks the beginning and ending of the journey of tarot. If you have chosen the Fool in a reading, you are starting a new chapter of your life. There is risk involved as you stand on the threshold of a journey, but there is no going back. You have reached a point in your life when you must make a leap of faith and simply trust the unfolding process of life. Remember, the Universe is always conspiring to help you on your path.

REVERSED Like a child, the Fool can be irrational and impulsive, rushing headlong into change, even danger. The number 0 reminds us that the Fool takes zero accountability and just assumes everything will work out. Lacking basic trust in the process of life makes a person anxious, even fearful.

SYNTHESIS The Fool’s spiritual practice is to trust that life will carry you exactly where you need to go. The Fool who fulfills the Quest arrives at the Universe as a sage, or Wise Fool.

FOOL AS ALLY The Fool’s impulse is to leap into the unknown. The Fool represents our playful inner child who is inspired by life’s adventures. The Fool may appear as a comedian or a curious person who asks endless questions. As a youthful Lady of the Lake, Nimuë reminds us to trust the journey. At this point in the journey, Nimuë is not aware of the trials and tests that await her. Her footsteps are foolish and lighthearted as she steps off the clifftops into the mystery. She has basic trust in the Universe, yet this step is bittersweet. We must remember that the beginning of a journey is also the end of an old way of being.

BEFORE THE ARCANUM The Fool is a magical entity that activates ancient archetypes. The Fool does not bear a number in the tarot, and it is no mistake that we meet her before the Quest begins. The true Fool is propelled by the love of the mysteries of life. It is well known that an intelligent person is easy to instruct but that same person can also be bound by the dictates of their ideology. The Fool’s journey is to relinquish the intellect for the sake of the spiritual journey. To materialists, this would seem foolish. The Fool’s meditation would be on Nothing, or the Emptiness. Gazing into the luminous darkness, clarity arises. The Fool, emptied out of ideas and the intellect, is then magically moved by the impulse of amore or love. When a person sacrifices the intellect to spirituality, there is a chance of meeting their own genius. At the end of the journey, the youth who has explored and integrated the alchemical mysteries becomes the Sage.

SYMBOLISM /IMAGE AS GUIDE Once we go on a Quest (a spiritual journey) we never return, at least not as the same person. The Fool appears here as Nimuë, a young Lady of the Lake. Nimuë has not yet found her magic, but an inner impulse calls her toward her destiny. Holding a glowing staff, she walks courageously toward a precipice. Turning to look at the reader, Nimuë invites those who seek enlightenment to accompany her. The crystal ball on the end of her staff reflects the light of the Sun, symbolic of the loving light and goodness that reside within her. She has a purse, indicating that the wealth she needs is already with her. The white dog following her is the hound of Gwyn ap Nudd, Lord of the Celtic Underworld depicted in Death. Brachet, the hound, acts as her familiar, or Otherwordly protector. We imagine that the hound will leap with her.

CELTIC MYTHOLOGY The archetype of the Fool is ancient, appearing as a court jester who uses stories and songs to transgress social norms and conventional morality. We can be fooled when we believe something that isn’t true. The Fool speaks what others are afraid to say, sometimes because the truth is so obvious. We tend to think of ourselves as important, but as William Shakespeare wrote: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”