The "Negative" Tarot Cards of the Major Arcana Explained

by Victor Epand

The Hanged Man is one of those images in a tarot card deck that are recognizable even to those who have never had a reading. His illustration is based on the Norse god Odin, who hung from a tree for days to learn the secrets of the Runes. This card brings with it many paradoxes that may be hard for you to wade through and sort out. Admitting fear will give you enough courage to conquer it. If you resist being controlling, everything will become more controlled. The Hanged Man instructs that these lessons can only be learned and understood if you stay still long enough to discover them. You can't move forward in life while you are struggling in place. Some things may have to be sacrificed for an overall gain.

Death is also an instantly recognizable card and one that no one wants to see. But it doesn't refer to the physical act of dying the way that many people think. It represents transformation, and the "death" of one phase that is necessary for the next phase to be born. Life will continue on through all of these cycles of death and rebirth. Problems can arise if you try to fight this natural cycle. Face the upcoming "death" with courage, drop anything you won't need in the new "life" and continue on your path.

Temperance is the natural follow up to the cleansing that comes with Death. Now that you have been "reborn", you can cultivate new beliefs and methods to apply to this new life. This is a period of harmonious reconstruction. It is a time of balance and formation of your general well being. If this card refers to another person in your tarot reading, the relationship between the two of you will be such that you are able to function as one. This duality can also extend to the self, where seemingly opposite forces within you can come together and work as a whole. This card represents a time when you can make yourself healthier and stronger for the struggles that will inevitably lie ahead.

The Devil, like Death, is not a tarot card that people like to see laid down in front of them. But the Devil does not represent some outside force of evil that is going to control things and make them go badly. It is the symbol of the negative aspects that exist within us all- aspects we often try to hide and deny. Pretending they are not there only gives them the room to fester and become more of a problem. You must accept that they are there without relinquishing control to them. Face these demons with strength and clarity and push them towards the lighter side, where they can be transformed into positive attributes.

The Tower card holds within it both creative and destructive energies. The Tower itself is built by giving too much weight to material things, which serve as a poor foundation for growth. This failure to tend to the matters of the mind and spirit will leave you unprepared for when the Tower eventually crashes down- and it will, either due to your actions or by crumbling under its own weight. But there is a benefit of the collapse, since it clears the foundation again for a new building project to begin. You still have the positive aspects on hand as building materials but the negatives are cleared with the rubble.


Victor Epand is an expert consultant for magic, art, and Tantra. You can find the best marketplace for magic, art, and Tantra at these 3 sites for negative tarot cards, art, and Tantra.

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