Major Arcana & Kabbalah
The Path of the Tarot
The Major Arcana & Kabbalah: The Spiritual Path of Tarot
The Tree of Life & The Fool’s Journey
When studying Tarot and Kabbalah, we uncover a deep connection between The Fool’s Journey and the Major Arcana’s true meaning—a spiritual quest for enlightenment. Observing the Tableaux, it becomes clear how The Foolprogresses from basic concepts of right and wrong to achieving a transcendent state of awareness.
However, this journey is not linear; it follows the Kabbalistic principle of descent before ascent. Spiritual growth requires a descent into the physical world, as far removed from Utopia as possible, to fully develop wisdom and consciousness.
The Paths of the Major Arcana
True spiritual evolution occurs within the limitations of the human body and intellect. After all, can we truly appreciate light without darkness? Can we value warmth without first knowing cold? This embodies the principle of “As Above, So Below”, but in reverse—having experienced the material world, we must now begin the path back to the divine.
Unlike The Fool, who descends into the realm of Malkut, the human spiritual journey begins in Malkut and follows the Major Arcana’s paths up through the Tree of Life’s structure.
Each Trump card of the Major Arcana represents a pathway between the Sephirot (see Figure 5). These paths are not fixed states of being—that role belongs to the Sephirot—instead, they serve as bridges connecting one state to another.
🔹 The Paths are numbered 11 through 32 (since numbers 1 through 10 belong to the Sephirot).
🔹 Each Path aligns with a Hebrew letter, making 22 paths in total, just like the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
For example, The Devil is linked to the Hebrew letter Ayin, which means “eye.” To traverse this path, one must move beyond physical perception—our physical eyes see only illusion, but the third eye reveals universal truth. This wisdom allows us to ascend from Netzach (Victory) to Tipheret (Beauty).
The Triangular Structure of the Tree of Life
As discussed in Part I of this series, the Tree of Life is built upon a foundation of balancing energies. These energies form a triangular system, consisting of:
🔺 Supernal Triangle – Keter, Chokmah, Binah (The Spiritual Self & Divine Consciousness)
🔺 Ethical Triangle – Chesed, Gevurah, Tipheret (The Higher Self & Moral Balance)
🔺 Astral Triangle – Netzach, Hod, Yesod (The Personality & Psychological Influence)
The Major Arcana paths weave through these triangles, guiding the soul through specific trials and lessons.
For example, while The Tower may appear menacing in a Tarot reading, its Kabbalistic meaning reveals it as part of the Astral Triangle, affecting personality and identity transformation. Rather than destruction for its own sake, The Tower’s role is to shatter illusions—a painful but necessary awakening to higher consciousness.
Astrology & The Paths of the Major Arcana
Each path of the Major Arcana is also associated with either a planet or a zodiac sign. In TAROT DEEP DIVE, we explore these astrological connections in depth. However, Kabbalah provides the underlying framework that explains why these connections exist.
The earliest known Kabbalistic text, Sepher Yetzirah (The Book of Formation), states:
“From the Spirit, He produced Air and formed within it twenty-two sounds—the letters. Three are mothers, seven are double, and twelve are simple….”
This system creates the foundation for the 22 Major Arcana cards and their astrological influences.
Astrology & The Paths of the Major Arcana
Each path of the Major Arcana is also associated with either a planet or a zodiac sign. In TAROT DEEP DIVE, we explore these astrological connections in depth. However, Kabbalah provides the underlying framework that explains why these connections exist.
The earliest known Kabbalistic text, Sepher Yetzirah (The Book of Formation), states:
“From the Spirit, He produced Air and formed within it twenty-two sounds—the letters. Three are mothers, seven are double, and twelve are simple….”
This system creates the foundation for the 22 Major Arcana cards and their astrological influences.
The Three Maternal Paths: The Elements of the Major Arcana
The Maternal Paths correspond to the three primary elements of existence:
🌬 The Fool – Aleph – Air
• All Tarot cards originate from Primal Air, making The Fool the starting point of creation.
🌊 The Hanged Man – Mem – Water
• Water represents the foundation of all life and matter, and The Hanged Man embodies this fluidity and surrender.
• Interestingly, humans are composed of about 60% water, reinforcing this Kabbalistic connection.
🔥 Judgement – Shin – Fire
• Judgement corresponds to Primal Fire, which serves as the final transition before entering the physical realm (Malkut).
The Seven Planetary Paths of the Major Arcana
The seven “Double Letters” in Kabbalah correspond to the seven classical planets, each representing a dual force:
🌑 The Magician – Mercury (Life ↔ Death)
🌍 The Empress – Venus (Peace ↔ War)
🌙 The High Priestess – Moon (Wisdom ↔ Ignorance)
♃ The Wheel of Fortune – Jupiter (Wealth ↔ Poverty)
♂ The Tower – Mars (Destruction ↔ Rebuilding)
☀ The Sun – Sun (Fertility ↔ Barrenness)
♄ The World – Saturn (Power ↔ Limitations)
Each planetary influence acts as a guiding force, shaping the lesson behind its respective Major Arcana card.
The Twelve Zodiacal Paths of the Major Arcana
The remaining twelve paths align with the zodiac signs, further reinforcing the Tarot’s esoteric depth:
♈ The Emperor – Aries
♉ The Hierophant – Taurus
♊ The Lovers – Gemini
♋ The Chariot – Cancer
♌ Strength – Leo
♍ The Hermit – Virgo
♎ Justice – Libra
♏ Death – Scorpio
♐ Temperance – Sagittarius
♑ The Devil – Capricorn
♒ The Star – Aquarius
♓ The Moon – Pisces
The Major Arcana: A Reflection of the Human Condition
The 22 Major Arcana cards represent the spiritual and psychological evolution of humanity.
🔹 The Maternal cards reflect the three primal forces of existence.
🔹 The Double Letters symbolize opposing forces influencing the soul.
🔹 The Single Letters correspond to the twelve activities that shape human life.
By understanding these Kabbalistic connections, Tarot readers gain a deeper insight into how the Major Arcana guides the soul’s evolution—offering a map for self-discovery, spiritual awakening, and enlightenment.
