If we are all completely honest with ourselves, knowing who we truly are is something that niggles away at us with uncertainty throughout various points in our lives. No matter how confident, bold or dashing we may come across, we’ve all experienced that moment where we think, “Who am I really?”
We’ve all asked ourselves if we are doing the right thing; we’ve all wondered if we’re on the right path. When we’ve found ourselves in compromising situations and reacted in ways we would not have imagined, we begin to doubt and question ourselves.
Firstly, this is completely normal and the most unjust thing we can do is beat ourselves up about it. Life is one long journey, as well as one long lesson. The point of going through life is to find out who we are, as well as continuously grow along the way.
A little helping hand that can give us added guidance into who we are never goes amiss. This is where the Major Arcana of the Tarot comes in handy.
What is the Major Arcana?
Tarot enthusiasts will know that the Tarot cards are made up of 78 cards. 22 of these are known as the Major Arcana – trump cards which tend to have a heavier impact in readings than their counterparts, the Minor Arcana, which are the remaining 56 cards.
Major Arcana cards are significant because they represent the Fool’s journey from start to finish, which is symbolic of our own lives; from the time we are tiny babies right up until the end, the Major Arcana tells a story quite similar to our own with the first card, The Fool (represented by the number 0) representing the innocence and enthusiasm for life just as we do as tiny children; it ends with The World card (number 21), which signifies endings and completion, very similar to us as we come to the end of our lives, having learned the many lessons along the way.
The great thing about using the Major Arcana to find more out about our true selves is that not only does it help give us greater insight into who we are, but it can also give us a better idea of what stage in our own live we are at.
How to Use the Major Arcana to Find Your True Self
First, you’ll want to remove the 22 Major Arcana cards from your Tarot deck. No need for the Minor Arcana cards. Shuffle the 22 cards while focusing on your question:
- Which Major Arcana card represents my true self?
Or if you prefer shorter, snappier questions,
- Which card am I truly?
You only want to pull one card for this reading.
How to Read the Card
A wealth of information can be gathered, depending on which card you pull.
Let’s say I pulled The Empress after asking this question. The Empress would represent my true self: creative, nurturing and harboring a distinct desire to grow and flourish. This isn’t necessarily how I may come across to others or even how I may see myself. I may see myself as a lacklustre person who struggles to get motivated. I may see myself as a workaholic, involved in a job I don’t like and unable to find any time for myself; I may see myself as someone who is a complete failure who will never achieve anything.
But if I did see myself in this light, the Empress would be a good indication as to why I feel that way. So not only is this reading good for helping you find your true self, but it can also help you discover why certain negative aspects may be in your life at this time.
If I am lacklustre and unmotivated, then I may not be achieving my true ‘Empress’ potential. I may not be doing what I truly love, yet all my energy is dispensed into something that doesn’t make me happy and fulfilled. What then should I do?
I can then try to become The Empress – my true self. How?
By deep self-evaluation and asking myself what truly makes me happy. What brings me joy? What makes me want to get up every morning? How can I make this a reality?
The Empress is all about creation and nurturing. It is about embodying feminine power and allowing this power to manifest in the external world; but first, it needs to be recognized in the internal one. Discovering my true self through the Tarot can help me manifest the reality I want and tackle blockages that may be standing in my way.
The Empress represents the number 3 in the Tarot. So, my journey is still relatively near the beginning. This has nothing to do with age; you could be 15 or 50 and the stage you are at could be anywhere in the Major Arcana. This indicates that I may still be at the stage where I am yet to reach my full potential, but that in order to grow and move forward, I must embody the qualities of The Empress, focusing on my nurturing side, my creative side and becoming the very best of myself. The Empress also represents the physical body and pulling her in a reading often points to taking care of one’s diet and exercise regime.
Conclusion…
Using the Major Arcana to discover your true self and find out which stage of your life you are at can be a wonderful way of utilising the Tarot to provide further help and guidance for us in our lives.
If you are feeling particularly stuck and at a loss, try this reading with the Major Arcana cards and see what comes out. It may just provide that ‘Aha!’ moment that can help lead you to a greater path of happiness and wellness.
Related Article: Which Tarot Card Are You, Based on Your Zodiac Sign?