The Tarot & The Fool's Journey Through Life

This is a summary of the order of the major arcana cards of the tarot. The Fools Journey represents the journey everyone faces in life and the virtues and characters and experiences as one grows. The Major Arcarna has 22 cards which are Archetypes of the tarot deck. The following explains the Fools Journey through the Major Arcarna to spiritual enlightenment.

Taken from The little Book of Tarot - by Xanna Eve Chown.

0 - THE FOOL - The fool is about to step off the cliff's edge. Is it the end? He closes his eyes and his life flashes before him...

1 - THE MAGICIAN - like many incredible heroes, the Fool

has two sets of parents. This is his spiritual father.

2 - THE HIGH PRIESTESS - and his spiritual mother.

3 - The EMPRESS - this is his earthly mother.

4 - THE EMPEROR - this is his earthly father.

5 - THE HEIROPHANT - the Fool has much to learn. He goes to school where he is taught the rules of society.

6 - THE LOVERS - he meets a woman and learns about love.

7 - THE CHARIOT - the Fool is growing up and must deal with the challenges of the earthly world. He leaves home and sets out on his own, making choices for himself.

8 - STRENGTH - worldly experiences strengthen his inner wisdom.

9 - THE HERMIT - he finds a guide to help him discover the deeper meaning of life.

10 - THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE - the Fool learns about karma and the cycles of life.

11 - JUSTICE - he learns about duality and the need for balance.

12 - THE HANGED MAN - the Fool has a Spiritual Awakening and gains a different perspective on life. He is ready to take on the challenges of the spiritual world.

13 - DEATH - the Fool is Reborn.

14 - TEMPERANCE - he meets an angel who teaches him tobalance his opposing forces within him.

15 - THE DEVIL - tempted by a Devil who challenges him to truly see himself.

16 - THE TOWER - he reaches a tower and remembers building in his youth and watches as it is destroyed by lightning. He feels lost and unable to go on.

17 - THE STAR - he rests and is comforted by a magical being called Hope.

18 - THE MOON - the Moon rises and the Fool sees a path ahead. It is familiar, one that he glimpsed as a child.

19 - The SUN - the path leads him to a garden full of sunflowers, where he is greeted by a small boy. He recognises his own inner child and feels happy for the first time.

20 - JUDGEMENT - a fiery angel summons up the Sceptre of the Fool's past selves. He meets them with compassion, forgives them, and they vanish.

21 - THE WORLD - the Fool opens his eyes and sees that he is still at the edge of the cliff. He steps over the edge but doesn't fall. Instead, he finds himself dancing in the sky, at one with the universe.

The Minor Arcana is concerned with the day-to-day factors and more detailed issues.