Imperial Tarot, Major Arcana
The Major Arcana (plural) of the Imperial Tarot consists of twenty two cards. Each Major Arcanum (singular) depicts a scene, mostly featuring a person or several people, with many symbolic elements. The psychoactive nature of the cards allows them to respond to psychic currents; meaning that the cards do not always depict exactly the same scene every time a card is drawn. Usually there are only slight variations, but sometimes great changes to the basic scene is uncovered, usually indicating that the card in question has a significantly different meaning from what it usually does. The most drastic such variation is the reversal; wherein the Major has the opposite meaning. The reversal is either seen as the original scene inverted (typically) or replaced altogether by an alternate image (only in certain decks).
In most decks, each major arcana card has a number (usually in High Gothic numerals) and a name, though not all decks have both, and some have only a picture. The earliest decks bore unnamed and unnumbered pictures on the Majors, and the order of cards was not standardized.
Nevertheless, in the 41st Millennium the most common set of names and numbers is as follows:
|
No. |
M41 card |
Interpretation |
|
0 |
The Pilgrim |
Upright: New beginnings, new adventures, new opportunities, unlimited possibilities, pleasure, passion, thoughtlessness, rashness Reverse:A bad decision, indecision, apathy, hesitation, a faulty choice |
|
1 |
The Sorcerer |
Upright: Originality, creativity, skill, will-power, self confidence Reverse: Weakness in will, insecurity, delay, no imagination |
|
2 |
The Prophet |
Upright: Wisdom, knowledge, learning, intuition, purity, virtue, a teacher Reverse: Ignorance, lack of understanding, selfishness, shallowness |
|
3 |
Holy Terra |
Upright: Fertility, abundance, development, accomplishment, mother/sister/wife, action, power Reverse: Vacillation, inaction, lack on concentration, indecision, anxiety, infidelity |
|
4 |
The God-Emperor |
Upright: Accomplishment, confidence, stability, leadership, father/brother/husband, achievement, a capable person Reverse: Immaturity, indecision, feebleness, petty emotions, lack of strength |
|
5 |
The Ecclesiarch |
Upright: A need to conform, social approval, bonded to the conventions of society Reverse:Unconventionality, unorthodoxy, an inventor |
|
6 |
Unity |
Upright: Union, love, harmony, trust, honour, the beginning of a romance, optimism, a meaningful relationship/affair Reverse: Unreliability, separation, frustration in love, fickleness, untrustworthy |
|
7 |
The Crusader |
Upright: War, conquest, conviction, willpower, command, bravery, pride, adversity, turmoil, vengeance Reverse: Unsuccessful, defeat, failure, last minute loss, vanquishment |
|
8 |
The Saint |
Upright: Harmony, balance, equality, righteousness, virtue, honour, advice, a considerate person Reverse: Bias, false accusations, intolerance, unfairness, abuse |
|
9 |
The Seer |
Upright: Counsel, inner strength, prudence, caution, vigilance, patience, withdrawal, annulment, a loner Reverse: Imprudence, hastiness, rashness, foolish acts, immaturity |
|
10 |
Man |
Upright: Destiny, fortune, a special gain, an unusual loss, end of a problem, unexpected events, advancement, progress Reverse: Failure, bad luck, interruption, outside influences, bad fate, unexpected events |
|
11 |
The Titan |
Upright: Strength, courage, conviction, self-control, patience, determination, discipline, inner strength Reverse: Weakness, pettiness, sickness, tyranny, lack of faith, abuse of power |
|
12 |
The Martyr |
Upright: Contemplation, inner harmony, surrendering, letting go, acceptance, sacrifice, readjustment, improvement, rebirth Reverse: Unwillingness to make an effort, useless sacrifice |
|
13 |
The Reaper |
Upright: Transformation, making way for the new, unexpected change, loss, failure, illness or death, bad luck Reverse: Stagnation, immobility, slow changes, a narrow escape, cheating death |
|
14 |
The Imperium |
Upright: Moderation, temperance, patience, harmony, good influence, confidence Reverse: Discord, conflict, disunion, hostility, frustration, impatience |
|
15 |
The Daemon |
Upright: Ravage, weird or strange experience, downfall, unexpected failure, controversy, violence, disaster, an ill-tempered person Reverse: Divorce, release, handicaps are overcome, enlightenment |
|
16 |
The Hulk |
Upright: A sudden change, abandonment of past, ending a friendship, unexpected events, disruption, bankruptcy, downfall, loss of money or security Reverse: Following old ways, a rut, entrapment, caught in a bad situation, imprisonment |
|
17 |
The Astronomicon |
Upright: Hope, faith, inspiration, optimism, insight, spiritual love, pleasure, balance Reverse: Unfulfilled hopes, disappointment, dreams are crushed, bad luck, imbalance |
|
18 |
The Immaterium |
Upright: Deception, trickery, disillusionment, error, danger, disgrace, double-dealing Reverse: Deception is discovered before damage can be done, trifling mistakes, taking advantage of someone |
|
19 |
The Golden Throne |
Upright: Splendour, brilliance, assurance, accomplishment, success, love, joy, engagement or a happy marriage Reverse: Unhappiness, loneliness, cancelled plans, broken engagement or marriage, a clouded future, a lack of friends |
|
20 |
The Judge |
Upright: Awakening, renewal, salvation, good health Reverse: Fear of death, failure, possible loss, ill health |
|
21 |
The Galaxy |
Upright: Completion, perfection, recognition, success, fulfilment, triumph Reverse: Imperfection, lack of vision, disappointment, failure |
03/25/11 12:54:00 pm,