The Major Arcana in Tarot for Love and Career - Part Two

TL;DR

What is the Hanged Man Tarot meaning? What is the Devil card meaning? What is the meaning of the Tower Tarot reversed? There are many questions surrounding the Major Arcana, but looking at each card’s general symbolism can guide us towards any broader questions we may have.

In this article, you will not only learn about the definitions of each of the Major Arcana Tarot cards, but you will also learn about the significance of each card in relation to various questions or themes that commonly arise in Tarot. Whether you want answers regarding your love life, friendships or career, the Major Arcana gives profound insight into all of these areas and more. 

Check the first part here The Major Arcana in Tarot for Love and Career - Part One

The Second Half of the Major Arcana

As the Major Arcana series evolves, we see different messages and lessons being presented by the cards. While the first half of the Arcana deals with more material, superficial and outwardly concerns in life, the second half has far greater spiritual connotation. This section points to the development of the questioner’s spiritual awareness and the releasing of archetypal energy. It deals with deeper questions concerning the soul and the subconscious, looking at how these factors impact the broader themes occurring in our lives. Therefore, it could be argued that the latter half of the Major Arcana is the more significant half, but of course, each of the 22 cards still have immense value as part of the broader Major Arcana journey. 

XI - Justice

This is the card of Justice, fairness and balance. There is happiness and stability destined for the future when the Justice card crops up. Legal matters are likely to be resolved soon and justice will prevail. Marriage and business partnerships are well starred here also.

When this card is reversed, it suggests a miscarriage of justice and general unfairness. Court cases may become messy and legal issues likely won’t be resolved without hiccups on the way. Life is unlikely to feel balanced for the time being.

Justice Tarot Love 

While the Justice Tarot card is often tied to legal matters and business concerns, it can often represent the meaning of justice in a wider sense. Current relationships will feel balanced and fair and any effort applied by the person in question is likely to be fully reciprocated. If a divorce is ongoing, it will be a clean one.

Justice Tarot Career 

If an ongoing issue at work is playing on the mind of the questioner, they can feel assured that this will come to a fair and just resolution soon. Otherwise, work will feel balanced and stable for the time being, with no underhand politics or a toxic office environment.

XII - The Hanged Man

The upright version of this card represents life hanging in the balance. This card can mean a person is hanging in limbo, unable to move forwards or backwards. Things may be stagnating and life may feel as if it will never change, but there is a major turning point coming soon. Good things come after adversity so the message is to hang on in there.

In reverse, the Hanged Man card suggests that these feelings of stagnation are going to last a little while longer still. A difficult situation must be endured and patience is needed whilst accepting that not everything can be controlled. Objective thinking is needed here.

The Hanged Man Tarot Love

In the context of a love reading, this card suggests a lack of progress between two lovers. Perhaps there has been a recent falling out and a resolution hasn’t occurred yet. Or else, maybe these two both feel a stagnation in their feelings for each other. With this in mind, the card calls for the questioner not to put up with a dead end relationship, simply because it is easier to do so. 

The Hanged Man Tarot Career

When it comes to careers, the Hanged Man yet again symbolizes feeling stuck and unable to progress forwards. A promotion may feel just out of reach or a business project has failed to take off just yet. Whatever it is, have patience and faith.

XIII - Death

The Death Tarot card is actually a very positive card. It signifies change and a positive alteration of one’s journey. With this card, ‘death’ symbolizes the death of the old self leading to a rebirth of the new. Old paths are cleared and worn out relationships, friendships, jobs and other areas of life are coming to an end to make way for better times ahead. 

In reverse, the message of major life changes is softened slightly. Positive changes are still on the horizon, it just may take a little longer to get there and the feeling will be less extreme. However, this card can also suggest a person going through a patch of low mood who needs just one thing to go right in order to break out of this funk. 

Death Tarot Love

Change can be really difficult and can appear scary, just like the symbolism on the death card shows, but it's always better in the long run and prevents us from staying stuck in a negative situation. So, in a love reading, this card can suggest a break up or the end of relations with a person, but the questioner will see the rewards of this very soon.

Death Tarot Career

The same message applies here. An old, worn out job is on its way out soon. Otherwise, negative people, situations or habits that are preventing career growth will also come to an end shortly. Positive work-related changes are coming.

XIV - Temperance

What does Temperance mean in Tarot? Well, peaceful and harmonious times lie just ahead. If life has been rocky recently, calmer waters are shown with the Temperance card. This card also urges moderation in all things - eating healthily, drinking less alcohol, giving up smoking and so forth. If one has been feeling in a hurry to get things moving, have patience, it will come when it is supposed to.

The Temperance Tarot card in reverse suggests a person with a lot of impatience or someone trying to speed up events but in a thoughtless manner. Consideration of negative consequences is lacking and mistakes are likely to be made on the way. 

Temperance Tarot Love 

Romantically speaking, the questioner may be in a rush to fill the void of a break up, but is failing to take the time to question what they truly want in a partner, or if having a partner is actually what they need at the current moment. These questions need dealing with before a happy, fulfilling relationship can take center stage.

Temperance Tarot Career 

It can be easy to get carried away and fail to see all of the great things lying in front of us. When the Temperance card is pulled in a career reading, this sentiment couldn’t be more true as this card calls us to slow down and think carefully about what we actually want from our jobs. Doubling our workloads to please superiors may sound great on the surface, but think about how this will affect your overall job performance down the line.

XV - The Devil

The Devil ties us to a job, a house or a person who is no longer beneficial for us. This card is all about enslavement and bondage, being tied up or locked in making it hard to break free. This card also reminds us how easy it is to be manipulated by others, so find the strength to free yourself of these energy-sapping situations.

In reverse, the card is very similar to its upright meaning but the negative influence is passing quickly. The questioner may be able to break free of the situation enslaving them quicker or easier than initially thought. This card gives us a warning not to get involved in anything illegal or evil.

The Devil Tarot Love

Sexual obsession and unhealthy relationships are hallmarks of the Devil card in a relationship reading. The card calls the questioner to sever these bonds now and break free of evil people. Be careful to not be charmed by people’s illusions - learning to see through insincerity is an important skill to have.

The Devil Tarot Career

In a career reading, the Devil card warns us of toxic individuals in the workplace. These people may be spreading lies or hurtful comments about the questioner in order to get ahead themselves. Otherwise, this card can relate to a work situation as a whole, encouraging us to break free of careers that are damaging and unhealthy for us. 

XVI - The Tower

The dreaded Tower Tarot card. This card indicates loss, destruction and disaster soon to come. There may be an unpleasant surprise about to occur and it may feel like the rug has been pulled from under one’s feet. Illusions are likely to shatter and an unhappy truth may emerge. However, it’s important to remember that this does NOT indicate the loss of life, rather it points to disaster in the sense of emotions and life plan.

The Tower card in reverse is still a negative card, but the extreme negative blows are softened slightly. There may not be a sudden catastrophe, but instead a lingering sadness that will be hard to shake for a while. Life feels disrupted and getting back on track looks daunting.

Tower Tarot Love

In a love reading, the Tower card suggests that illusions are likely to shatter and an unhappy truth will emerge. There may be cheating, betrayal and other terrible situations occurring between partners. 

Tower Tarot Career

Similarly, in a career reading, the Tower card symbolizes an upheaval of normality in the workplace. If not a job loss, there may be a new colleague who will make life hell in the office. In short, expect a nasty surprise at work, but remember that bad times will always pass.

XVII - The Star

The Star represents hope, optimism and good luck in abundance. After a difficult stage of life, things look as if they are going to go really well. Recovery from illness is also indicated alongside general good luck in all areas of life. This card is also often connected to travel and picking up education again. Life enhancing experiences on the way.

In reverse, this card suggests that while there is still hope and optimism for the near future, there is something knocking the shine off it at the moment. Perhaps the questioner is failing to see the positive side of things. 

The Star Tarot Love

If the questioner has been longing for romance for a while, the Star in a Tarot love reading indicates its soon to arrive. While a long-term, committed relationship is not necessarily depicted here, it suggests that happiness and excitement lies close by. The Star is the card of whirlwind romances.

The Star Tarot Career

A sudden opportunity may arise at work if the Star card is pulled in a career reading. This opportunity is likely to be very positive and lead to a different course of action than the questioner was expecting. 

XVIII - The Moon

The Moon is linked to deception, trickery, deceit or something deliberately being hidden from the questioner. It can show lies are being told and delays in important information. The card calls you to listen to your doubts as all is not what it appears to be. Learn to trust your gut instinct.

In reverse, the Moon card wants to divulge very little information about a situation. It’s almost telling the reader to come back later, as now is not the time to be looking for answers. Occasionally, this card can be linked to substance abuse or mental illness. 

The Moon Tarot Love

In a love reading, the Moon card suggests there may be a lover who is hiding something important from the questioner. They don’t have their cards laid out on the table and getting through to them may feel especially difficult at the moment. Whether or not you pry, it is unlikely you will find the answers you are looking for at the moment.

The Moon Tarot Career

When it comes to careers, the Moon card encourages the questioner to have their guard up currently. People may not be as trustworthy as they seem and situations have many layers that aren’t always obvious. The message here is to keep your head low for the time being.

XIX - The Sun

 

The Sun is the card of major, positive life achievements. Any important milestones in life are coming up quickly and they will be a joyful experience for all involved. Opportunity, success and contentment with one’s lot is starred here also. 

There is potential for great happiness but something has dimmed its shine a little at the moment. Problems concerning children and marriage difficulties can be indicated here, but most things can be overcome with the right attitude.

The Sun Tarot Love

In a love reading, the Sun represents success and accomplishment in a relationship. This may be an engagement, a wedding or any other major romantic milestone. Happy, fulfilling times between lovers are soon to be felt. Remember these precious moments. 

The Sun Tarot Career

When it comes to careers, the Sun card is a very optimistic card, implying a positive resolution to a situation at work that has weighed on the questioner for some time now. Efforts will be rewarded and the questioner will finally feel as if their hard work is being appreciated. 

XX - Judgment 

This card symbolizes bursting free from old times and into better opportunities ahead. The questioner ought to look back at the past and assess all that they have achieved. They should also make peace with the past, but keep looking forwards as the path they are currently on is the right one.

The Judgment Tarot card in reverse refers to endings and unhappy outcomes. The questioner may feel guilty about their behavior or know deep down that they could have done better. Some selfishness is also alluded to here. 

Judgment Tarot Love

In a relationship reading, this card suggests partners reconciling after difficult times. Whatever has happened between these two has been left in the past and the road ahead feels fresh and exciting. This card represents positive new beginnings, but in an established romantic partnership.

Judgment Tarot Career

The Judgment card often points to a promotion or business advancement of some sort. Work might have been hard for some time now, but finally the questioner is seeing themselves in a situation that pleases them. Relationships between colleagues are also shown in a positive light here.

XXI - The World

The World Tarot card indicates success, achievement and praise more generally. There is also likely going to be a general expansion of oneself. As this is the final card of the Major Arcana, it symbolizes positive completion in all areas of life. Travel and emigration are also a possibility here.

Whilst the World is typically a card of joy and abundance, when reversed, the opposite is seemingly true. The questioner may feel stuck in a rut or unable to make the positive life changes that they desperately need to. There is an inability to accept change, even when it is really necessary. Jealousy and contempt for others may also be shown here.

The World Tarot Love

The World card represents life partners and soul mates in a love reading. The card may hint that a soul mate is soon to enter the picture, or else confirms that a current lover is indeed ‘the one’. In short, this card is exceedingly positive and shows us that true love does exist.

The World Tarot Career

The World card shows us rewards for our hard efforts and that future projects will be a roaring success. The questioner's current career is the career they are meant to be in, otherwise they will soon land the job of their dreams. This is a wonderful card that tells us we’ve done good. 

There are many resources at Mysticsense that can guide you with your learning and provide insight for any other questions you may have about the Major Arcana in Tarot. Get started learning more about the Major Arcana at Mysticsense today!