I just love Tarot. And I believe in spreading that love. I will be writing about each of the 22 Major Arcana cards AKA The Wisdom Cards. The entire Tarot deck is composed of 78 cards. The 22 Major Arcana cards have a deeper meaning and greater importance than the other 56 cards of the Minor Arcana. Though the Minor Arcana are very important as they deal more with day-to-day life. The deck that I will be discussing is the Rider-Waite-Smith. This deck is full of symbolism and is one of the most preferred decks used by tarot readers worldwide.
Who are the designers of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck you ask?
Arthur Edward Waite (2 October 1857 – 19 May 1942) was a British poet and mystic who wrote extensively on occult and esoteric matters and was the co-creator of the Rider-Waite Tarot deck (also called the Rider–Waite–Smith or Waite–Smith deck).
Pamela Colman Smith (16 February 1878 – 18 September 1951), was a British artist, illustrator, writer, publisher, and occultist. She is best known for illustrating the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck for Arthur Edward Waite.
The design of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck was heavily influenced by the 19th century magician and occultist Eliphas Levi as well as the writings of the Golden Dawn. Smith and Waite were both members of the Golden Dawn. Everything in the Tarot cards has meaning – whether it is the color or symbols in each card. The depth of the symbolism is what makes them so fascinating to me.
I have studied these cards for decades and my breadth of knowledge is like my favorite Socrates quote: “To know is to know you know nothing.” I am so grateful for the knowledge I obtained through the Tarot workshop that I attended for eight years. The workshop was taught by Dr. Fran Pellici once a month, and she is turn was taught by Manly Hall, Canadian mystic, Astrologer, prolific author and speaker and founder of The Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles. I remember my first workshop – I was so excited to have a greater understanding of the Tarot. I was particularly excited to be taught by someone who in turn had been taught by a real mystic and author.
The first Major Arcana that we learned was The Fool. Some authors have placed the Fool as the 22nd card of the Major Arcana. However, I prefer the first position. The Fool represents Superconsciousness (God). The number that is given to the Fool is 0. At its simplest, 0 represents freedom from all limits.
The Fool appears to be a young man who is not paying attention to where he is going. One step further, and he will fall off a cliff into a deep abyss. The first lesson of Tarot is: DON’T PROJECT YOUR SELF SO FAR INTO THE FUTURE THAT YOU LOSE SIGHT OF WHERE YOU ARE. Dreams and visions and ideals are fine; but if you keep your head in the clouds you won’t be able to deal with the practical affairs of life.
At a deeper level, the Fool represents God. Others call it your real or Higher Self. The Fool is the most perfect and most complete You.
The Fool is standing close to the edge of a cliff but there is room for him to take another step forward. This symbolism cites an eternal truth. On a personal level, you never come to the limits of your possibilities.
The yellow tint in the background of the Rider-Waite card represents air. Occultism stresses the importance of learning to breathe correctly.
All Tarot cards have astrological planets assigned to them. Uranus is the astrological planet assigned to Key 0. The planetary name Uranus is an English adaptation of a Greek word meaning “sky.” Uranus represents major over turnings.
Our present day “sky powers” appear, at present, to threaten the extermination of humanity. Yet these same powers might if rightly applied, could transform our globe into a veritable Paradise. Ageless Wisdom holds to the belief that humanity will find new and constructive uses for the “sky-power.” It might not look like it now, but there is an ancient promise of a new heaven and new earth fulfilled with a regenerated humanity.
The white sun energy (symbolized also by the light hair of the Fool) is temporarily limited by living organisms. The vegetable kingdom is represented by the green wreath. The animal kingdom is represented by the red feather in the Fool’s hat. The Hebrew letters Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh shown dimly among the lines in the folds of the collar of his undergarment. “That which was, is and shall be” is the meaning of Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh.
The Fool’s inner robe stands for the white light of perfect wisdom. It is concealed by the black coat of ignorance, lined with the red of passion and physical force. This outer garment is embroidered with floral decoration, but the unit of design is a solar orb containing eight red spokes symbolizing the whirling motions which brought the universe into manifestation. The coat is encircled by a girdle consisting of twelve units of which seven are showing. The girdle symbolizes time, and just as the girdle must be removed before the coat can be taken off, it is it impossible to overcome ignorance and passion until man frees his consciousness from the limitations imposed on him by his belief in the reality of time.
The mountains in the background represent conceptions that are behind reality. These conceptions seem cold and uninteresting. But the melting ice and snow on the peaks feed the streams which make fertile the valleys below. Spirit feeds your consciousness and makes fertile your thoughts, transforming your entire life.
The little dog represents intellect, the reasoning mind which functions at the personal level. The dog is friendly to intimate that even the lower intellect of man has become the companion of anyone who seeks higher knowledge.
The green wreath encircling the Fools’ hair symbolizes plants. Plants capture sunlight. Plants are one of the most important forms in which the Life-Power helps us.
The feather rising from the wreath is a wing-feather of an eagle. It represents animal life. It is red, the color of desire and action. What do you desire to be and do.
The wand over the Fool’s shoulder indicates what the Life-Power has already accomplished. A wand is associated with magic. The magic begins with the analysis of present conditions now before us as results of past activity. The future comes from analysis – and if you do analyze properly, magically we can attain our desires. The wand is black because it represents occult powers.
The wallet suspended from the wand represents the powers of subconsciousness. The basic power of subconsciousness is memory. The wallet is emblazoned with the device of a flying eagle, which refers to aspiration.
On the flap of the wallet is an open eye. It is the All-seeing Eye of Freemasonry that is on the Great Seal of the United States. It means: Sight is what unlocks both conscious and subconscious powers. Thus, the way we look at ourselves and at life is what determines whether we are puppets of subconsciousness, or masters of its hidden powers.
The rose represents desire. Its thorns symbolize pain. Its bloom typifies beauty and joy. It is white, like the sun, to intimate that through use of the desire nature we may bring it into union with Spirit. If we “cultivate” our desires, we can enjoy the beauty of the rose without suffering. The rose, therefore, is pictured as being a cultivated flower, and the youth carries it without pricking his fingers on its thorns.
The Fool holds within himself, all Tarot keys. He is the beginning and the end. He is the superconscious intelligence that plans creation. The Fool carries his memory on his shoulder, but not as we too often carry it. The Fool knows no sadness. He carries his bag happily because his memories are happy. The Fool knows that every sorrow can make you more beautiful. Every heartbreak develops greater compassion in you for others. Every disappointment develops greater intelligence. It is your attitude toward your life that matters.
The people tied to the world’s materialistic point of view equate physical possessions with happiness. These are the true poverty-stricken souls. They are at the mercy of their possessions. That which brings us the greatest disappointment and disillusionment has been our greatest treasure. Experience enriches and grows us, so that we can reach the higher levels of consciousness. We must begin by making up our minds that we are children of God and deserve to be happy.
The powers of the symbolic nature of Tarot, have been acknowledged by many schools of psychology, including that of Carl Jung. Judge and mystic Thomas Troward stated that he considered Tarot the most potent method of uncovering the inner powers and learning how to use them. It is a very powerful tool. It must be used wisely. One of the main metaphysical laws when read for someone is to do no harm.
There are two well-known American Tarot experts who have been lecturing, teaching, and writing about Tarot. And they represent two schools of thought regarding Tarot. They are Mary K. Greer who has a more intellectual view and Rachel Pollack whose writing is more intuitive and has many references to myths and folktales. I have many Mary K. Greer books, but I feel drawn more to Rachel Pollack’s school of Tarot thought. For each Major Tarot card, I am including a spread from Rachel Pollack’s book “Tarot Wisdom.” They have all been tried out by me many times. The more you practice the more insight you gain. It’s well worth the effort.
About The Author
I am originally from the Chicago area. I believe I still retain much of my midwestern sensibilities. Midwesterners are direct and honest.
My Intuitive abilities have always been there for me. I remember being in my bed when I was about three. The room was dark and still. Laying there, I just knew that I could make toys appear. I tried and tried but alas that didn’t happen. And I couldn’t understand why. I understood a certain principle that didn’t seem to work in this physical world. I always knew I was different, even then – out of place, out of time.