The Trumps of the Major Arcana

The twentytwo Trump cards of the Tarot deck, usually called the 'Major Arcana', can be seen in a multitude of ways. Please note that there are actually only 21 Trumps when the Fool, although mostly depicted with a zero, has no real number.

One would be the procession of the Fool from his beginning through 21 levels up to the highest plane represented by the Universe.

Another would be the Qabalistic way starting the sequence from the Universe as the material perspective connecting the Earth (Malkuth) with the Foundation of Yesod, consequently rising up to the pure spirit (The Fool)

Yet another would be the Triumphal Procession rooted in Renaissance art as described by Gertrude Moakley, starting with the Magician as the poor bagatino, going through the popular allegories of those times.

In a symbiosis of all this, the Trumps represent archetypes, universal imagery and symbolism that responds very well to our collective, culturally influenced unconsciousness.


The Trumps are as follows:

The Fool
I - The Magician
II - The High Priestess
III - The Empress
IV - The Emperor
V - The Hierophant
VI - The Lovers
VII - The Chariot
VIII - Adjustment
IX - The Hermit
X - Wheel of Fortune

XI - Lust (The Passion)
XII - The Hanged Man
XIII - The Death
XIV - The Art
XV - The Devil
XVI - The Tower
XVII - The Star
XVIII - The Moon
XIX - The Sun
XX - Aeon (Judgement)
XXI - The Universe (World)


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