The Deck
Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot
Published in 1909 by illustrator Pamela Colman Smith and occultist A. E. Waite, the Rider–Waite–Smith deck is the foundation of modern tarot. Its 78 cards form two sets: 22 Major Arcana (archetypal life themes) and 56 Minor Arcanaacross four suits (Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles). Tarot is a mirror for reflection, not a fortune-telling machine — each card is a symbol whose meaning shifts with question, position, and the cards around it.
The 22 Major Arcana trace the Fool's Journey — archetypal milestones of the soul, from innocence (0) to wholeness (XXI). When they appear, they speak of life themes and turning points, not passing weather.
The Fool
The Magician
The High Priestess
The Empress
The Emperor
The Hierophant
The Lovers
The Chariot
Strength
The Hermit
Wheel of Fortune
Justice
The Hanged Man
Death
Temperance
The Devil
The Tower
The Star
The Moon
The Sun
Judgement
The World