When you’re just starting out with tarot, you will most probably have a lot of questions regarding this awesome spiritual tool.
When I just started out with tarot I personally had no clue how many cards a tarot deck consisted of, which is why I decided to write this article and give you some basic information on how many cards are in a deck and what all of these cards are!
How many cards are in a tarot deck? In total there are 78 cards in a traditional tarot deck. These 78 cards are divided in what is called the ‘Major Arcana’ and the ‘Minor Arcana’, the Major Arcana has 22 cards and the Minor Arcana has 56.
The Major Arcana cards can indicate and reveal the larger and more meaningful type of life events. The Minor Arcana can be seen as more subtle hints towards changes that are bound to happen in your life, and can be of great supportive function and connection with regards to the Major Arcana cards.
What Are The 78 Cards In A Tarot Deck
Now that you know a deck of tarot cards consists out of a total of 78 cards, we’re gonna dive a bit deeper and look at what cards are exactly in a traditional tarot deck. In the infographic below, I’ll provide you with a compact overview of all of the 78 cards divided between the Major and Minor Arcana!
Major Arcana – Cards & Keywords
There are a total of 22 Major Arcana cards in a tarot deck, which are numbered from number 0 to 21 where the number 0 stands for the ‘Fool Card’. The Major Arcana cards represent the potentially most significant changes and lessons we can expect with regard to important life events.
The cards of the Major Arcana can help you gain insight on what these events might be and how you can actively participate on handling these events and possible changes with great strength and discover any possibilities for development.
Below I will mention all individual Major Arcana cards and the main keywords each card represents!
#0 – The Fool
Keywords: Beginnings
#1 – The Magician
Keywords: Power, Manifestation, Action
#2 – The High Priestess
Keywords: Intuition, Mystery, Awareness
#3 – The Empress
Keywords: Abundance, Beauty
#4 – The Emperor
Keywords: Structure, Authority
#5 – The Hierophant
Keywords: Traditional, Education
#6 – The Lovers
Keywords: Love, Unity, Relationships
#7 – The Chariot
Keywords: Control, Willpower, Perseverance, Victory
#8 – Strength
Keywords: Strength, Courage, Patience
#9 – The Hermit
Keywords: Introspection
#10 – Wheel of Fortune
Keywords: Abundance, Destiny
#11 – Justice
Keywords: Truth, Justice, Decisions
#12 – The Hanged Man
Keywords: Sacrifice
#13 – Death
Keywords: Endings, Transitions,
#14 – Temperance
Keywords: Balance, Purpose
#15 – The Devil
Keywords: Addiction, Materialism
#16 – The Tower
Keywords: Disaster, Awakenings
#17 – The Star
Keywords: Hope, Innovation, Creativity
#18 – The Moon
Keywords: Illusion
#19 – The Sun
Keywords: Vitality, Life
#20 – Judgement
Keywords: Rebirth, Forgiveness
#21 – The World
Keywords: Travel, Accomplishment
When you’re just starting out with tarot, it can be quite difficult to memorize all of the different meanings and interpretations of the cards. Thats why I also wrote this other article on my favourite Tarot Decks which display the specific keywords and meanings on the cards themselves. I have found these to be extremely helpful for me personally to become more in touch with the cards and feel more confident in my tarot reading skills!
Minor Arcana – Cards & Keywords
The Minor Arcana consists out of a total of 56 cards which are divided into four ‘suits’; Wands, Swords, Cups and Pentacles. Each suit stands for a different life aspect.
The Minor Arcana are generally known to be of lesser significance than the cards of the Major Arcana, however, they can certainly play a very important role when it comes to offering deeper insights and information on a certain subject or question.
In the Minor Arcana, each suit has cards with similar numbers where the message they want to get across might seem quite similar to the numbers within the others suits. However, the subtlety lies within the type of suit they belong as these each come from a different angle (such as the angle of Emotions, Creativity or Behaviour).
Swords – Behaviour And Activity
Ace of Swords
Keywords: Power, Victory, Truth, Justice
Two of Swords
Keywords: Choice, Avoidance
Three of Swords
Keywords: Heartbreak, Grief, Loneliness
Four of Swords
Keywords: Rest, Preparation
Five of Swords
Keywords: Conflict, Defeat
Six of Swords
Keywords: Transition, Recovery
Seven of Swords
Keywords: Betrayal, Running
Eight of Swords
Keywords: Isolation, Confusion
Nine of Swords
Keywords: Despair, Worry, Guilt
Ten of Swords
Keywords: Defeat, Victim
Page of Swords
Keywords: Energy, Curiosity
Knight of Swords
Keywords: Outspoken
Queen of Swords
Keywords: Influential, Inspiring
King of Swords
Keywords: Intelligent, Clear-Minded
Wands – Creativity and Imagination
Ace of Wands
Keywords: Inspiration, Creation, Motivation, Confidence
Two of Wands
Keywords: Progress, Discovery, Original, Bold
Three of Wands
Keywords: Preparation, Leader, Exploring
Four of Wands
Keywords: Harmony, Freedom, Excitement
Five of Wands
Keywords: Disagreement, Competition
Six of Wands
Keywords: Self-development, Self-confidence, Growth, Pride
Seven of Wands
Keywords: Perseverance, Aggression
Eight of Wands
Keywords: Change, Travel, Action
Nine of Wands
Keywords: Persistance
Ten of Wands
Keywords: Responsible, Struggle
Page of Wands
Keywords: Enthusiasm, Energy
Knight of Wands
Keywords: Passion, Adventure
Queen of Wands
Keywords: Vibrant, Life
King of Wands
Keywords: Independent, Business
Cups – Emotions and Feelings
Ace of Cups
Keywords: Intimacy, Love
Two of Cups
Keywords: Attraction, Connection
Three of Cups
Keywords: Friendship, Community
Four of Cups
Keywords: Contemplation
Five of Cups
Keywords: Regrets, Loss
Six of Cups
Keywords: Innocence, Helping
Seven of Cups
Keywords: Fantasy, Imagination
Eight of Cups
Keywords: Disappointment, Moving On
Nine of Cups
Keywords: Satisfaction, Gratitude
Ten of Cups
Keywords: Happiness, Joy, Peace
Page of Cups
Keywords: Creativity, Manifestation
Knight of Cups
Keywords: Romance, Love
Queen of Cups
Keywords: Intuition, Motivation
King of Cups
Keywords: Balanced, Calm
Pentacles – Material Possessions
Ace of Pentacles
Keywords: Manifestation, Money, Trust
Two of Pentacles
Keywords: Balance, Fun, Flexible
Three of Pentacles
Keywords: Cooperating, Planning
Four of Pentacles
Keywords: Safety, Control
Five of Pentacles
Keywords: Insecure, Rejection
Six of Pentacles
Keywords: Generous, Abundance, Knowledge
Seven of Pentacles
Keywords: Visions, Rewards
Eight of Pentacles
Keywords: Learning, Knowledge
Nine of Pentacles
Keywords: Gratitude, Discipline
Ten of Pentacles
Keywords: Wealth, Permanence
Page of Pentacles
Keywords: Manifestation, New Beginnings
Knight of Pentacles
Keywords: Efficiency
Queen of Pentacles
Keywords: Grounded
King of Pentacles
Keywords: Discipline, Perseverance, Planning
To Conclude
To conclude, all of the 78 cards in a tarot deck each have their own specific meaning and interpretation. A card within the Major Arcana, which consists out of 22 cards, will have more significant influence on life in general. However, the Minor Arcana cards (56 in total) can offer tremendously helpful insights on specific smaller events as well.
Make sure to study each of the cards you pull during a tarot reading with great concentration as you will surely find helpful hints and messages to help you move towards your higher purpose! Tarot is a great self-development tool that can help you understand yourself better and create a clear view from different angles you might personally haven’t thought of that way before.
If you’d like to read a bit more about the best way to learn the basics of tarot quickly, I have created this other article for you which explains this in great detail and might be of great help! Happy reading!