tarot · 9 min read

Marseille Tarot: the 22 major arcana and their meaning

The Fool, the Magician, the High Priestess, the Empress, the Emperor… The 22 major arcana of the Marseille Tarot decoded. Learn to read a 3-card spread: past, present, future.

The Tarot, a living mirror of your moment

The Marseille Tarot as we know it appeared in France in the 15th century. It draws on much older sources — kabbalah, hermeticism, mythology. The 22 major arcana form an initiatory journey: from The Fool (the nameless traveller) to The World (accomplishment).

When you draw 3 cards for Romy, you don't question a god. You bring to light what's already at work in you.

The 22 arcana — essence of each

0. The Fool

Pure freedom. Journey without destination. Trust in life. When it appears: you stand on the edge of a new chapter, without a plan. Step anyway.

I. The Magician

Beginning, latent talent. When it appears: you have the tools — go.

II. The High Priestess

Hidden wisdom, intuition. When she appears: listen to your inner silence — the answer is there.

III. The Empress

Creation, fertility, nurturing feminine. When she appears: a project or pregnancy is fertile, let it grow.

IV. The Emperor

Structure, authority, solid masculine. When he appears: lay down a frame, take your place.

V. The Hierophant

Transmission, tradition, mentor. When he appears: seek a guide, or become one.

VI. The Lovers

Heart choice, alliance. When it appears: a choice is at hand — listen to your heart, not your fear.

VII. The Chariot

Victory, motion, conquest. When it appears: you're carried — go.

VIII. Justice

Balance, truth, karma. When it appears: what is right will arrive. Be honest.

IX. The Hermit

Withdrawal, meditation, wisdom. When he appears: take time alone, light comes from within.

X. The Wheel of Fortune

Cycle, chance, destiny. When it appears: change is coming, accept it.

XI. Strength

Gentle mastery, perseverance. When it appears: you have the strength — not by forcing.

XII. The Hanged Man

Voluntary sacrifice, perspective shift. When it appears: accept being suspended — another view opens.

XIII. The Nameless Arcanum

Transformation, symbolic death. When it appears: what must end ends, to make room. Don't panic.

XIV. Temperance

Alliance of opposites, moderation. When she appears: find your balance, blend what doesn't blend.

XV. The Devil

Attachment, desire, shadow. When he appears: face your chains. They are sometimes chosen.

XVI. The Tower

Liberating collapse. When it appears: what falls had to fall. The new is coming.

XVII. The Star

Hope, nakedness, healing waters. When she appears: you are protected, show up true.

XVIII. The Moon

Unconscious, dream, mystery. When she appears: fertile doubt, listen to your nights.

XIX. The Sun

Clarity, joy, success. When he appears: life is with you, enjoy.

XX. Judgement

Rebirth, calling, vocation. When it appears: hear the inner call, rise.

XXI. The World

Accomplishment, totality. When it appears: a cycle ends in fullness.

Reading a 3-card spread

This is the spread you do on Romy's site: Past / Present / Future.

Step 1 — Past

The 1st card shows what shaped the current situation. Not necessarily a precise event — more a dynamic that brought you here.

Step 2 — Present

The 2nd card shows where you are today. It often reveals a tension or a key you hadn't seen.

Step 3 — Future

The 3rd card shows the trend, not destiny. What's taking shape if you continue on the current path. You can always bend the trajectory.

The golden rule

A card doesn't say everything. The Nameless Arcanum (XIII) does not announce a physical death — it says a form must transform. The Tower doesn't announce catastrophe — it says a rigid structure will crack to make room for the new.

Romy reads all 3 cards together, crossing with your Western chart, numerology and palm.

Receive your personal draw + full interpretation — included in your reading.

« Tarot doesn't predict. It puts words on what you already carry without knowing. » — Romy