The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards numbered 0 through 21. These represent major themes in human lives. The following list gives the traditional names and order of the Major Arcana.
|
0 The Fool |
11 Justice |
|
1 The Magician |
12 The Hanged Man |
|
2 The High Priestess |
13 Death |
|
3 The Empress |
14 Temperance |
|
4 The Emperor |
15 The Devil |
|
5 The Hierophant |
16 The Tower |
|
6 The Lovers |
17 The Star |
|
7 The Chariot |
18 The Moon |
|
8 Strength |
19 The Sun |
|
9 The Hermit |
20 Judgement |
|
10 Wheel of Fortune |
21 The World |
Many decks, particularly feminist decks, rename some or all of the Major Arcana. The Motherpeace Deck, for example, renames The Hermit as The Crone and The Hanged Man as The Hanged One.
The Minor Arcana are four suits of cards, with each suit numbered one (or ace) through 10 and including four court or people cards. The four court cards are traditionally called King, Queen, Knight (or Prince), and Page (or Princess). These are usually renamed in feminist tarot decks. The Motherpeace Deck, for example, uses the names Shaman, Priestess, Son, and Daughter. The suits are as follows:
|
Traditional Suit Name |
Element |
Meaning |
Other Names |
Playing Card Suit |
|
Wands |
Fire representing Spirit |
Self, intuition, passion |
Rods, Sticks, Batons, Flames |
Clubs |
|
Cups |
Water representing Heart |
Emotions |
Coupes |
Hearts |
|
Pentacles |
Earth representing Body |
Material needs, groundedness |
Discs, Coins, Denier |
Diamonds |
|
Swords |
Air representing Mind |
Intellect, ideas |
Blades, Epees |
Spades |
What distinguishes feminist tarot is the purpose for which the cards are used and the type of images used on the cards themselves.
Fortune-telling is rare among the feminist circle of tarot. The cards and readings are usually used for psychological guidance or for spiritual development and guidance from one's higher self.
Many, if not most, tarot decks use images based on those found in the Waite-Smith Tarot. These traditional images were created in 1909 by Pamela Colman Smith under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite. The people depicted in the images are all white, thin, able-bodied (with minor exceptions), and of European culture. The images used on feminist tarot decks differ considerable from the traditional images. They use a variety of images of all races, cultures, sizes, shapes. There is usually an emphasis on images of women and women's experiences.
©
John Kellermeier 2007