Major Arcana vs. Minor Arcana: What’s the Difference and Why Should You Care?
So, you just picked up a tarot deck. You’re shuffling the cards, hoping for some deep cosmic wisdom, and BAM—you realize there are 78 freaking cards.
And half of them look like movie posters from a medieval fantasy film. The other half? A mix of random cups, swords, sticks, and coins. What does it all mean?!
Relax. I got you. Let’s break it down.
🔮 The Major Arcana: Big Life Lessons & “Oh Sh*t” Moments
The Major Arcana is the VIP section of tarot. It’s 22 powerful cards that represent major life changes, spiritual awakenings, and the kind of lessons you don’t just shake off after a good nap.
Key Signs You’re Dealing with a Major Arcana Card:
✅ It feels like the universe just dropped a life-changing truth bomb on you.
✅ It’s about your destiny, purpose, or some major turning point.
✅ You can’t ignore it—this is big picture stuff.
💡 Examples:
The Fool (0): New beginnings, blind optimism, or your best friend booking a one-way ticket to Bali with no plan.
The Lovers (VI): Love, choices, and sometimes, indecisiveness (you know, like choosing between your twin flame or your toxic ex).
The Tower (XVI): Chaos, destruction, the universe saying, "You ignored the red flags, now hold my beer."
The World (XXI): Completion, fulfillment, and the feeling you get when you finally finish a Netflix series.
🃏 The Minor Arcana: Your Daily Drama, in Card Form
The Minor Arcana is where all the daily life stuff happens—work stress, relationship drama, your boss annoying you, or that one friend who still hasn’t paid you back.
It’s made up of 56 cards divided into four suits (think of them like the suits in a deck of playing cards, but way more mystical):
The Four Suits & Their Vibes:
🔹 Cups (Water Element) – Emotions, relationships, and crying over rom-coms.
🔹 Pentacles (Earth Element) – Money, career, stability, and adulting.
🔹 Swords (Air Element) – Thoughts, communication, and overthinking at 2 AM.
🔹 Wands (Fire Element) – Passion, creativity, and big, reckless energy.
💡 Examples:
Ace of Cups: New love, emotional openness, or crying at a puppy video for no reason.
Three of Pentacles: Teamwork, collaboration, and that one coworker who takes credit for your ideas.
Five of Swords: Conflict, sneaky behavior, or when someone “forgets” to Venmo you back.
Knight of Wands: Impulsiveness, adventure, or booking a spontaneous flight because “YOLO.”
💡 So, Why Should You Care?
Because when you read tarot, knowing the difference between Major and Minor Arcana is KEY to not freaking out.
✨ If you pull mostly Major Arcana → Big shifts are happening. Pay attention.
✨ If you pull mostly Minor Arcana → It’s everyday stuff you can handle. Don’t panic.
🎴 Final Takeaway: It’s All About the Bigger Picture
Think of the Major Arcana as the main plotline of your life, and the Minor Arcana as all the side quests. Both matter. Both shape your story. But one tells you if you’re in for a spiritual awakening, while the other just warns you that Mercury retrograde might mess with your Wi-Fi.
💬 Have you ever had a reading where all the cards were Major Arcana? How did that go?
