How to Do the Major Arcana Grand Tableau
This spread uses all the Major Arcana to give you an overview of your whole year ahead. It is best performed on your birthday or on New Year’s Eve.
STEP 1: Lay out the Major Arcana in order.
Line 1: The Fool to The Lovers
Line 2: The Chariot to The Hanged Man
Line 3: Death to The Star
Line 4: The Moon to The World
STEP 2: Shuffle the Minor Arcana.
As you do this, ask your higher power to show you a glimpse of your destiny for the upcoming year.
STEP 3: Draw a Minor for each Major.
One by one, take 21 cards from the top of the deck and place them over the Major Arcana, starting with The Fool. Then take the card at the bottom of the deck, and place it over The World.
STEP 4: Read the Minor against the Major.
The Major Arcana represent the important aspects of your life. The Minor Arcana reveal what will take place within these aspects.
The Fool – What will begin in your life?
The Magician – What dream will manifest?
The High Priestess – What secret will be uncovered?
The Empress – What will you harvest?
The Emperor – What will you have control over?
The Hierophant – What will remain unchanged?
The Lovers – How will your love life be?
The Chariot – What will make you victorious?
Strength – Where will you find strength?
The Hermit – What will you need to reflect on?
Wheel of Fortune – Where will you find luck?
Justice – Who will avenge you?
The Hanged Man – What will you have to sacrifice?
Death – What will be reborn?
Temperance – What will bring balance into your life?
The Devil – What will you be most passionate about?
The Tower – What will trigger a profound change?
The Star – Where will you find hope?
The Moon – What will stay clouded?
The Sun – What will bring you joy?
Judgement – Which of your oppressors will be punished?
The World – What will give you a sense of accomplishment?
The Four of Pentacles on The Lovers – “Your romantic partner will be very protective of you, maybe even to the point of being possessive.”
The Ace of Wands on The Hanged Man – “You will need to sacrifice a part of your career or pause a project you are passionate about.”
The Ten of Cups on The Devil – “You will be focusing all your attention and energy on starting or expanding your family.”
If we tie it all together, we arrive at: “You will get pregnant this year, prompting you to leave your stressful though fulfilling job, so you could focus instead on ensuring you have optimal health to carry the baby to term. During your pregnancy, your spouse will be taking care of you even more than before.”
STEP 5: Identify the court cards.
The Kings, Queens and Knights are the people who will play a vital role in your life, positively or otherwise.
King of Wands – Leo (Fixed Fire)
Queen of Wands – Aries (Cardinal Fire)
Knight of Wands – Sagittarius (Mutable Fire)
King of Cups – Scorpio (Fixed Water)
Queen of Cups – Cancer (Cardinal Water)
Knight of Cups – Pisces (Mutable Water)
King of Swords – Aquarius (Fixed Air)
Queen of Swords – Libra (Cardinal Air)
Knight of Swords – Gemini (Mutable Air)
King of Pentacles – Taurus (Fixed Earth)
Queen of Pentacles – Capricorn (Cardinal Earth)
Knight of Pentacles – Virgo (Mutable Earth)
There are two couples here — the King and Queen of Wands and the King and Queen of Pentacles: “You and your other half will be highly supportive of each other. You could be a Taurus and they could be an Aries, or vice versa. Either way, you will strongly feel the love and passion in your relationship.”
STEP 6: Notice the dominant suit.
Wands – Passion will overflow.
Cups – Emotions run the show.
Swords – The battle is in your mind.
Pentacles – Finances will be bright.
There are nine Wands and nine Pentacles each: “Your year will definitely not be lacking in passion and stability — materially and emotionally.”
STEP 7: Note the numbers that appear at least thrice.
Aces – A year of beginnings
Twos – A year of dilemmas
Threes – A year of affairs
Fours – A year of stability
Fives – A year of changes
Sixes – A year of harmony
Sevens – A year of challenges
Nines – A year of completion
No number appeared more than twice. There is no discernible theme, numerology-wise.
STEP 8: Observe the ruling colors.
Black – Loneliness, regret, obstacles, purging
Red, Yellow, Orange – Passion, love, happiness, power
Blue, White, Green – Spirituality, logic, innocence, intuition
Red, yellow and orange are the ruling colors: “Your year will be filled with a passionate love that will bring you joy and a strong sense of control over your life.”
STEP 9: Record your grand tableau.
Take a photograph of your spread, and write down your interpretations of it.
STEP 10: Review your grand tableau.
At the end of each quarter, note which predictions have come true. By the end of the year, compare your interpretations to how the spread manifested. Doing so allows you to reflect on your past year, and improves your divination skills.
