Tarot for Beginners: Understanding the Major Arcana
The 22 Major Arcana cards tell the story of a soul's journey. Learn what they mean and how a tarot reading works.
By Tarot Meera
5 min read
How a tarot deck is organised
A standard deck has 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana that represent big life themes, and 56 Minor Arcana across four suits that describe everyday situations.
Key cards to know
No card is purely good or bad; context and position matter.
- The Fool — new beginnings and trust.
- The Lovers — choices and relationships.
- The Tower — sudden change that clears the way.
- The Star — hope and healing.
Asking better questions
Open questions like "What do I need to know about my career right now?" give more useful readings than yes/no questions.
Updated 29 August 2026
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About the author
Tarot Meera
Tarot Meera has 17+ years of experience in Tarot and consults on our platform.