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Writer's pictureSunny Sink

Exploring Major Arcana Symbolism: Cards 11-21

Exploring Major Arcana Symbolism: Cards 11-21

Tarot cards laying on a cloth, Eploring Major Arcana Sumbolism Cards 11-21

The Major Arcana is a key part of tarot, as it captures important themes and experiences that many of us go through. Each card highlights a different message about growth, change, and the lessons life brings. 


Let’s continue exploring the Major Arcana, taking a closer look at the insights each card offers and how they can guide us through life’s challenges and discoveries.




11 justice

Justice embodies fairness, integrity, and balance. This card highlights the importance of accountability and making decisions that honor truth and integrity. Justice reminds us that our choices have consequences and encourages us to pursue honesty in all areas of our lives.


Card Symbolism

  • Scales: balance, impartiality, fairness 

  • Sword: logic, power of intellect, protection 

  • Columns: stability, integrity, support of the law 

  • Throne: establishment of order, righteousness


Color Symbolism:

  • Grey: wisdom, impartiality, neutrality

  • Yellow: insight, analysis, confidence

  • Red: action, power, life force

  • Brown: grounding, practicality, stability







12 The Hanged Man

The Hanged Man represents surrender, letting go, and seeing things from a new perspective. It suggests a time of pause and reflection, inviting us to release control and trust in the flow of life. This card often appears when we need to consider a different viewpoint or embrace patience.


Card Symbolism:

  • Upside down figure: surrender, sacrifice, letting go 

  • Head facing down: introspection, inner wisdom 

  • Crossed Legs: stability, balance, adaptability 

  • Branches: growth, connection to nature, cycle of life

Color Symbolism:

  • Grey: ambiguity, balance, suspension

  • Blue: tranquility, acceptance, detachment

  • Yellow: illumination, surrender, transformation

  • Red: sacrifice, rebirth, spiritual awakening





13 Death

Death represents transformation, endings, and rebirth. Though often misunderstood, this card symbolizes the closure of one chapter to make room for new growth. It reminds us that change is a natural part of life and encourages us to let go of what no longer serves us.

Card Symbolism:

  • Grim reaper: the inevitability of death 

  • White rose: purity, transformation, new beginnings 

  • Body of water: passage to the afterlife, subconscious 

  • Armor: dissolution of ego, shedding of external identity

Color Symbolism:

  • Grey: transition, transformation, new beginnings

  • Black: the subconscious, darkness that precedes the dawn

  • Yellow: rebirth, spiritual evolution, insights

  • White: shedding old beliefs, fresh start, awakening





14 temprance

Temperance is a card of balance, patience, and moderation. It encourages us to find harmony between opposing forces and approach life with a sense of calm and composure. Temperance teaches us the value of inner balance and adaptability.


Card Symbolism:

  • Sun: clarity, journey towards higher understanding 

  • Water and land: balance between emotions (water) and practicality (land)

  • Triangle: the harmony of the body, spirit, and mind 

  • Wings: spiritual elevation, transcendence

Color Symbolism:

  • White: clarity, balance, enlightenment

  • Green: inner balance, spiritual fulfillment, embracing change

  • Yellow: optimism, integration of mind, body and spirit

  • Red: courage, determination, action





15 The Devil

The Devil represents temptation, bondage, and toxicity. This card urges us to examine areas of our lives where we may feel trapped, addicted, or restricted. It’s a call to free ourselves from destructive patterns and regain control.


Card Symbolism:

  • Chains: enslavement to material possessions, addiction, harmful habits 

  • Inverted pentagram: the dominance of materialism over spirituality 

  • Torch: the deceptive allure of material wealth or power 

  • Flames: destruction, intensity, transformation 


Color Symbolism:

  • Black: darkness, fear, restriction

  • Grey: ambiguity, confusion, deception

  • Red: urgency, primal instincts, bondage

  • Yellow: deceit, manipulation, illusion






16 The Tower

The Tower signifies sudden change, upheaval, and revelations. It often appears during times of disruption or unexpected events, challenging us to let go of false structures and rebuild on a more authentic foundation. Though it may seem intense, The Tower ultimately brings clarity and liberation.


Card Symbolism:

  • Crown: collapse of authority and established structures 

  • Crumbling walls: breakdown of existing beliefs 

  • Clouds: sudden and unforeseen upheaval, disruption, turmoil 

  • Fire: destruction, purification, evolution

Color Symbolism:

  • Black: destruction, disruption, chaos

  • Blue: truth and insight amidst chaos

  • Grey: uncertainty, transitional phase between darkness and light

  • Red: urgency, upheaval, crisis





17 The Star

The Star symbolizes hope, inspiration, and spiritual guidance. After the upheaval of The Tower, The Star brings healing energy and renewal, encouraging us to trust in the universe and remain open to blessings. It’s a reminder to have faith in the journey and stay aligned with our inner truth.


Card Symbolism:

  • Goddess pouring water: nourishment, the flow of spiritual energy 

  • Water: emotions, intuition, purification 

  • Stars: hope, inspiration, divine intervention 

  • Bird: freedom, higher perspective, soul journey


Color Symbolism:

  • Blue: hope, inspiration, spirit

  • White: divinity, purity, illumination

  • Yellow: awakening, positivity, renewal

  • Green: healing, growth, new beginnings







18 The Moon

The Moon represents intuition, mystery, and the subconscious mind. It invites us to explore our dreams, fears, and hidden desires, urging us to trust our instincts. The Moon reminds us that not everything is as it seems, encouraging deeper self-awareness.

Card Symbolism:

  • Two towers: duality, illusion, hidden depths 

  • Crayfish: deep subconscious, instinctual aspects of the psyche 

  • Pool of water: illusions, dreams, depths of the unconscious mind 

  • Pathway: unknown, journey of self-discovery

Color Symbolism:

  • Blue: intuition, mystery, emotional tides

  • Green: the fertile ground of the subconscious, regeneration

  • Yellow: inner light of consciousness and awareness, inner wisdom

  • Grey: uncertainty, the blending of light and shadow





19 The Sun

The Sun represents joy, clarity, and success. This card radiates positivity, reminding us of the power of optimism and the abundance available to us. The Sun encourages us to embrace our authentic selves and celebrate life’s victories.


Card Symbolism:

  • Child: innocence, purity, new beginnings 

  • Horse: strength, freedom, confidence 

  • Sunflowers: vitality, growth, enlightenment 

  • Red banner: victory, success, celebration


Color Symbolism:

  • Yellow: joy, vitality, enlightenment

  • Red: passion, energy, courage

  • Blue: truth, tranquility, understanding

  • Olive green: creative expression, harmony, nature









20 Judgement

Judgment calls for self-reflection, forgiveness, and higher awareness. This card signifies a time of reckoning and rebirth, where we are encouraged to evaluate our actions and embrace a new direction aligned with our higher self.


Card Symbolism:

  • Angel: divine guidance, spirituality, enlightenment 

  • Trumpet: calling, announcement, awakening 

  • Flag: victory, celebration, triumph 

  • Figures rising: rebirth, liberation, authenticity


Color Symbolism:

  • Blue: intellect, insight, infinite possibilities

  • Yellow: awareness, decision-making, inner awakening

  • Red: courage, determination, urgency

  • Mahogany: endurance, reflection, resilience





21 The World

The World represents completion, fulfillment, and unity. As the final card of the Major Arcana, it marks the successful end of a journey, symbolizing wholeness and accomplishment. The World encourages us to celebrate our achievements and prepare for new beginnings.


Card Symbolism:

  • Dancing figure: completion, fulfillment, harmony 

  • Four corners/elements: balance, wholeness 

  • Wreath: victory, achievement, success 

  • Batons: balance, power, mastery over the material world


Color Symbolism:

  • Blue: wisdom, intuition, spirituality

  • Grey: neutrality, balance, completion

  • Green: growth, abundance, harmony

  • Auburn: warmth, vibrance, creativity



Each card in the Major Arcana brings a unique perspective on the ups and downs of life. These cards offer more than just guidance—they provide a mirror to our own experiences, challenges, and triumphs. By understanding their messages, we can tap into deeper insights about ourselves.


If you’re ready to connect with the rich symbolism of the entire tarot deck, check out the Tarot Symbolism Journal! This guide contains each card’s numerology, card & color symbolism, and provides thoughtful journaling prompts to help you reflect and uncover personal insights. You’ll also find a glossary of common spiritual symbols, making it easier to interpret and connect with each card’s energy in a grounded, meaningful way. 


Whether you prefer a digital download or a paperback version from Amazon, this guide offers practical, ethical tools to support your tarot journey.


Available in both digital download on Etsy and paperback through Amazon, this journal and guide provides practical, ethical tools to support your tarot practice with clarity.


Tarot Symbolism Journal Mockup


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