Beyond the World - Extra Majors

The Major Arcana - the dark heart of the Tarot, rich in symbolism and meaning, containing all the secrets of the universe, if only one could learn how to read them...
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Most decks have 22 Major Arcana, indeed, the consensus seems to be that 22 cards is the correct number, the traditional number, and so forth. Taken as a whole, the Major Arcana represent the Fool's Journey, a timeless theme repeated throughout humanity and expressing universal ideals; spiritual growth, from birth and relationships to attachment and transcendence, is depicted in its entirety, and in the proper order. At least, this is how I feel, and I believe others experience this vision also, to greater and lesser degrees. However, from this viewpoint, there is a phenomenon that can be accounted curious - decks with extra Majors.

There are several decks with extra Majors - some have an extra card, representing 'Void', 'Universe', 'Self', and so forth, perhaps unnumbered to contrast with the other Majors (whilst the Fool is given the numeral zero, so that it is numbered to some extent). Some have more, seemingly reflecting the whims of the deck's creator. The question then is what do these extra Majors represent? Are they truly necessary, or can they be subsumed into the 'classical' Majors; do they dilute the meanings of said 'classical' Majors, by dividing up the universe amongst more cards; are they merely another way of looking at the same thing?

Consider one deck in particular: the Steel Wizard Tarot, by Pamela Steele. It has six extra Majors, occurring after the World: the Weaver, the Universe, Truth, Soul Twins, Evolution and I AM. I am both drawn to these archetypes, and baffled by them - up until now I have considered the World to be the final card, which then brings up the issue of what these new card, and their placement, can signify. The Universe could be deemed superfluous, because the World actually represents the universe, as a metaphor; on the other hand, the World may instead refer to that part of the universe actively engaged in by humanity, and the Universe as the totality of nature. Soul Twins seems similar to the Lovers, but again, perhaps it represents something greater, perhaps love of God, although again this may dilute the possible interpretations of the Loves.

Anyway, sorry for rambling on, I just wanted to get all that off my chest. Comments on extra Majors, how they fit with the other Majors, the Steele Wizard Tarot or anything else you want to add are greatly appreciated.
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I do not own a deck with extra majors, so my comments are going to be light here. I would just add that the extras could only increase your knowledge, add another level to it. I do not think it would take anything away. Though, this advice is coming at you from someone (me) who just trashed the extra magician cards that came with my new Thoth deck! But your question differs in that the additional cards have their own meanings. Read up on the enclosed booklet and see what the designer had in mind. If you can get more out of a reading with them, then use them. enjoy!

Thank You!

Thanks for responding, balenciaga. I really appreciate it.
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balenciaga said:

I do not own a deck with extra majors, so my comments are going to be light here. I would just add that the extras could only increase your knowledge, add another level to it. I do not think it would take anything away. Though, this advice is coming at you from someone (me) who just trashed the extra magician cards that came with my new Thoth deck! But your question differs in that the additional cards have their own meanings. Read up on the enclosed booklet and see what the designer had in mind. If you can get more out of a reading with them, then use them. enjoy!

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I'd've at least kept the extras as spares, in case the 'main' one got lost...
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I guess what I'm saying is I'm just used to the set of 22 Majors, and so is everyone else - practically all books dealing with Tarot will deal only with those 22 Majors, for example. It's hard for me to shake the feeling that they are the 'correct' Majors, and any deviation is somehow a defection.

I think it's wonderful that some decks offer extra majors. I don't own any of them but I think it is a great idea.

If you think about it, life has changed so much since tarot was born. I'd like to think that the extra trumps can lead to more areas that the 22 majors don't touch upon.

Besides, oracle decks have all kinds of different meanings and they still work.

Hi, Sinduction. Thanks for responding.
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Sinduction said:

If you think about it, life has changed so much since tarot was born. I'd like to think that the extra trumps can lead to more areas that the 22 majors don't touch upon.

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Then we return to the issue of the archetypes of Tarot being timeless, and universal (or at least, deal with life-issues that are timeless and universal) - shouldn't they be just as effective today as ever?

Sinduction said:

Besides, oracle decks have all kinds of different meanings and they still work.

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So they say.
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Beyond the World is the un-numbered Fool

One of the characteristics of Tarot, as opposed to other card decks that may indeed have 5 or 55 cards (or less or more), is that it has twenty-two Atouts ('Majors'). Some decks, such as the related to (but not itself) Tarot, is the 97 card-deck Minchiate, have many more cards indeed.

Some of the questions that do need to be considered is whether this '22' is simply a whimsical concensual and 'traditional' characteristic, or whether it is something that can be considered more or less as intrinsic to tarot itself. I personally consider the latter: decks that have either more or less than twenty-two may be based or influenced by tarot, but tarot it ain't (or rather, it may be tarot with additions, if you prefer).

Nothing wrong with that if that is what someone desires to have, of course, any more than it is fine to have any deck (whether Lenormand, Runic, or Cartouche) - but let's not presume that they are tarot.

Also, and though certainly a popular claim over the past twenty odd years, "taken as a whole", the Atouts sequence does not represent the "Fool's journey". The "Fool's journey", as depicted by his walk within the card itself, is something that transcends and is beyond the deck (others, by the way, make an equivalent view for the sequence being the Bateleur's or Magician's (two common names for the same card) journey. Fortunately, that version, no matter how delightful and insight-full it may be, represents not the sequence, but rather a story that can be weaved from the sequence considered as such (for those interested, recall the wonderful children's story Diana once wrote as The Bateleur's Tale: A Tarot Story for Children).

By the way, some of the concerns and reflections brought by this thread are similar (but coming from opposite directions, I suspect) to what lead me to quite some time ago open the thread titled: 'Fundamental'.

With regards to 'archetypes', there are a number of ways this word is used. For myself, I do not think it correct to view the Atouts (or Majors) as 'archetypal' (in the jungian sense). Rather, they reflect in quite an astounding manner an internal tension in their dynamic sequence. If considered as jungian archetypes, then of course there are both superfluous and missing representations - but tarot is not a reflection of jungian thought, even if it can be in part looked at through jungian-coloured glassed.

Specifically, looking at the Steele Wizard deck, what I see is a deck predominantly influenced by the Waite-Smith deck, with some considerations arising from non-tarot considerations of the past twenty years... but nothing that really speaks with the simple power of tarot as tarot (at least to my eyes). Of course, this will not take away from those who specifically like the artwork, any more than some of the decks I like and have that deviate from tarot take away from my enjoyment of them.

Hi, jmd. Thanks for the detailed response and links.
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jmd said:

Also, and though certainly a popular claim over the past twenty odd years, "taken as a whole", the Atouts sequence does not represent the "Fool's journey". The "Fool's journey", as depicted by his walk within the card itself, is something that transcends and is beyond the deck (others, by the way, make an equivalent view for the sequence being the Bateleur's or Magician's (two common names for the same card) journey. Fortunately, that version, no matter how delightful and insight-full it may be, represents not the sequence, but rather a story that can be weaved from the sequence considered as such (for those interested, recall the wonderful children's story Diana once wrote as The Bateleur's Tale: A Tarot Story for Children).

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What is the sequence, then?

jmd said:

With regards to 'archetypes', there are a number of ways this word is used.

Click to expand...

I meant in a most general sense - 'significant recurring themes', I suppose.

Not familiar with the Steele deck, but from reading your post the extra cards there seem silly and repetitive to me (not to mention pretentious). I think the tarot manages to encompass everything if one studies it enough. Extra cards would only be beneficial if they added something that was actually lacking.

In that respect, I don't think it matters whether one likes or believes in the Fool's Journey concept or not.

Consider one deck in particular: the Steel Wizard Tarot, by Pamela Steele. It has six extra Majors, occurring after the World: the Weaver, the Universe, Truth, Soul Twins, Evolution and I AM. I am both drawn to these archetypes, and baffled by them - up until now I have considered the World to be the final card, which then brings up the issue of what these new card, and their placement, can signify. The Universe could be deemed superfluous, because the World actually represents the universe, as a metaphor; on the other hand, the World may instead refer to that part of the universe actively engaged in by humanity, and the Universe as the totality of nature. Soul Twins seems similar to the Lovers, but again, perhaps it represents something greater, perhaps love of God, although again this may dilute the possible interpretations of the Loves.

Very insightful!
I spent 20+ reading and studying tarot before I ever began drawing the first card. And yes, my first deck was the Rider. My first impression, after carefully going through it was, Where are the rest? My cousin assured me they were all there. But I never felt like I was getting the whole story. There was more to Being Human, with an emphasis on Being. So when I began putting the drawings together for the Steele Wizard, I added the cards that had been floating around in my head for all those years. The Universe is meant to represent our connection to the Divine, as humans. Soul Twins gives us an opportunity to observe the I am, I am not by encountering other beings and better understand our relationship to Self. What does or does not serve who we are now.
Your intuitive perceptions serve you well. Good job.

Beyond The Universe

There are supposed to be extra trumps. Here is a link that explains: http://bifrosttarot.com/extra2.html