Tarot Cards Meanings - Major Arcana - The World - meaning in detail

The World (Le Monde) - tarot card meaning in detail

The World The Great One of the Night of Time

Card Number: 21
Key Number: 32
Rulership: Saturn
Hebrew Letter: Tau
Translation: Cross
Numerical Value: 9
Astrological Associations: Sun


Full Meaning

The World is a card of accomplishment and the end of an event or series of events. It is a period where something that has been striven for finally comes to fruition. For example a writer getting their novel published or an Olympian winning his/her first gold medal or even someone completing their final thesis that leads to their doctorate (PhD). The World also symbolizes travel, not necessarily short journeys but deep rewarding journeys. You may also find that if you have embarked upon a large project or period of study that was successful, then your talents will become highly sought after. This is a card of lasting success and no matter what you do or where you go you will certainly feel comfortable in your own skin.

Traditional Symbolism

As this final message of the Major Trumps is unchanged--and indeed unchangeable--in respect of its design, it has been partly described already regarding its deeper sense. It represents also the perfection and end of the Cosmos, the secret which is within it, the rapture of the universe when it understands itself in God. It is further the state of the soul in the consciousness of Divine Vision, reflected from the self-knowing spirit. But these meanings are without prejudice to that which I have said concerning it on the material side. It has more than one message on the macrocosmic side and is, for example, the state of the restored world when the law of manifestation shall have been carried to the highest degree of natural perfection. But it is perhaps more especially a story of the past, referring to that day when all was declared to be good, when the morning stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy. One of the worst explanations concerning it is that the figure symbolizes the Magus when he has reached the highest degree of initiation; another account says that it represents the absolute, which is ridiculous. The figure has been said to stand for Truth, which is, however, more properly allocated to the seventeenth card. Lastly, it has been called the Crown of the Magi.

The World summary.

The World Card illustration.


The Major Arcana suit.