The Major Arcana

Beginnings, innocence, spontaneity

A young traveler stands at the edge of a cliff, knapsack on a stick over one shoulder, a white rose in one hand, a small white dog at their heels. The sun shines brightly behind them.

Willpower, manifestation, resourcefulness

A figure stands before a table bearing all four suit symbols — wand, cup, sword, and pentacle. One hand points to the sky, the other to the earth. An infinity symbol (lemniscate) hovers above their head. Roses and lilies surround them.

Intuition, mystery, inner knowledge

A veiled woman sits between two pillars — one black (labeled B for Boaz) and one white (labeled J for Jachin), referencing the pillars at the entrance of Solomon's Temple. A crescent moon rests at her feet, and she holds a scroll labeled TORA. A veil decorated with pomegranates hangs behind her, concealing deeper mysteries.

Abundance, nurturing, fertility

A regal woman reclines on cushions in a lush garden, surrounded by wheat and trees. She wears a crown of twelve stars and a flowing robe decorated with pomegranates. A heart-shaped shield bearing the symbol of Venus rests beside her. A river flows through the landscape behind her.

Authority, structure, stability

An armored figure sits on a stone throne decorated with four rams' heads (representing Aries). He holds an ankh-shaped scepter in his right hand and an orb in his left. Barren mountains rise behind him, suggesting a mastery over the harsh material world.

Tradition, spiritual guidance, conformity

A religious figure in elaborate robes sits between two gray pillars, wearing a triple crown. He raises his right hand in a gesture of blessing (two fingers point up, two down). Two acolytes kneel before him. Two crossed keys lie at his feet, symbolizing the keys to sacred and profane knowledge.

Union, choice, alignment

A naked man and woman stand beneath a great angel with outstretched arms and violet wings. Behind the woman is the Tree of Knowledge bearing fruit with a serpent coiled around it; behind the man is the Tree of Life with twelve flames. A volcanic mountain rises in the distance. Waite redesigned this card from earlier Italian decks depicting a clothed couple with a cleric, making the scene explicitly reference Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to reinforce its correspondence with Gemini.

Determination, triumph, willpower

A warrior in armor stands in a stone chariot beneath a canopy of stars, wearing a crown topped with a star. A winged sun disk adorns the front of the chariot. Two sphinxes — one black, one white — pull the chariot forward. The city walls are visible behind them. There are no visible reins, suggesting the charioteer controls the sphinxes through sheer willpower.

Courage, patience, inner strength

A woman gently closes the jaws of a lion, an infinity symbol (lemniscate) hovering above her head. She wears a white robe and a garland of flowers. The scene is set in a sunlit meadow. Waite moved this card from its traditional position at XI to VIII to align it with the zodiac sign Leo.

Solitude, wisdom, introspection

An old man in a gray cloak stands alone on a snow-capped mountain peak, holding a lantern containing a six-pointed star in one hand and a staff in the other. He gazes downward thoughtfully. The dark sky stretches behind him.

Cycles, destiny, turning points

A great wheel floats in the sky, inscribed with the letters T-A-R-O (and the Hebrew letters Yod, Heh, Vav, Heh). Three figures cling to the wheel: a serpent descending on the left, Anubis rising on the right, and a sphinx with a sword sitting atop the wheel. The four fixed signs of the zodiac — the angel (Aquarius), the eagle (Scorpio), the lion (Leo), and the bull (Taurus) — appear in the four corners, each reading a book.

Fairness, truth, accountability

A crowned figure sits on a throne between two gray pillars, holding a raised double-edged sword in the right hand and balanced scales in the left. A red robe and a green cloak represent passion tempered by growth. Waite moved Justice from VIII to XI to correspond with the zodiac sign Libra.

Surrender, new perspective, pause

A man hangs upside down from a T-shaped cross made of living wood, one leg bent to form a triangle behind the other. His face is calm and serene, surrounded by a golden halo. His hands are behind his back. Despite the apparent discomfort, his expression suggests willing sacrifice rather than suffering.

Transformation, endings, transition

A skeleton in black armor rides a white horse, carrying a black flag bearing a white five-petaled rose (the Mystic Rose, symbol of life). Before the rider, a king lies fallen, a bishop prays, and a young woman and child kneel. In the background, the sun rises between two towers. Death is not depicted as the end, but as transformation — the sun is rising, not setting.

Balance, moderation, patience

A great angel with radiant wings stands with one foot on land and one in water, patiently pouring liquid between two cups. A winding path leads from the water into distant mountains, where a golden crown of light glows above the peaks. The angel wears a triangle within a square on their robe.

Bondage, materialism, shadow self

A great winged creature — inspired by Éliphas Lévi's famous depiction of Baphomet — crouches on a pedestal, one hand raised. A naked man and woman stand before the pedestal, loose chains around their necks. The chains are large enough to slip off, suggesting their bondage is voluntary. An inverted pentagram appears above the Devil's head.

Upheaval, revelation, sudden change

A tall stone tower on a rocky peak is struck by a bolt of lightning, knocking a golden crown from its top. Flames burst from the windows as two figures fall headfirst toward the jagged rocks below. Twenty-two sparks of flame (representing the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet and the 22 Major Arcana) rain down from the dark sky.

Hope, inspiration, renewal

A nude woman kneels at the edge of a pool, pouring water from two jugs — one onto the land, one into the pool. Above her shines one large eight-pointed star surrounded by seven smaller stars. A bird (sometimes identified as an ibis, sacred to Thoth) perches in a tree behind her. The landscape is serene and open.

Illusion, fear, the subconscious

A full moon shines in the night sky, with a smaller crescent contained within it. Below, a winding path stretches between two towers into distant mountains. A crayfish emerges from a pool of water in the foreground. A dog and a wolf howl at the moon from either side of the path, representing the tamed and wild aspects of the mind.

Joy, success, vitality

A radiant sun with a face shines in a clear sky. Below, a joyful naked child rides a white horse with outstretched arms, wearing a crown of flowers and holding a red banner. Four sunflowers grow behind a stone wall in the background. The scene radiates warmth, innocence, and celebration.

Rebirth, absolution, inner calling

The archangel Gabriel blows a great trumpet from a bank of clouds, a flag bearing a red cross on white hanging from the instrument. Below, naked figures — men, women, and children — rise from coffins with arms outstretched, their gray skin suggesting resurrection. Snowy mountains stretch across the background.

Completion, integration, accomplishment

A dancing figure holds a wand in each hand, wrapped in a flowing violet scarf, inside a large laurel wreath. The wreath is bound at top and bottom by red ribbons forming infinity symbols (lemniscates). In the four corners appear the same four figures from the Wheel of Fortune — the angel, the eagle, the lion, and the bull — representing the four fixed signs of the zodiac and the four elements in harmony.