 The Major Arcana is the story of a great personal transformation. It is very familiar to Joseph Campbell's, the hero with a thousand faces, telling a timeless and cyclical story from the start of a journey and moving through a variety of experiences, coming to a higher revelation and ending in the same place that it all began, but with a much greater understanding of life, reality, and the sense of self. Since the terror was invented, the formula of the Major Arcana has been called the Path of the Fool. For hundreds of years, the Fool generally had no number, except for one-off decks like the 15th century Sola Busca, where it was given the number zero, or decks from the 18th century Belgium that gave it the number 22. Today, however, it's often just given the number zero. Now for us today, being explorers of these cards as well, a profound vision called us to make several changes to this character. The name of the Fool has evolved, and so across patch to row and this video series, the Fool has become the Child. Now historically, the Fool and the Child are related and linked to the Hebrew letter Aleph, whose value is one. As such, the Child has also been gifted the number one in addition to zero, and when we put them together, it makes the symbol for Phi. Together, the zero and the one teach us that the innocent heart of the Child is the beginning and the end of any journey, and expresses the state of all possibilities described by the nature of this character. It is the return to innocence for us Heraclitus writes, the kingdom belongs to the Child, mirroring the teachings of Jesus who said, anyone who doesn't receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never get into it. Now I understand that these changes ultimately put patch to row into a new category of to row. This is a new system altogether, and that these changes may come as a shock to many traditional tarot practitioners watching, but I'd like to encourage you to remain open-minded with these changes. There are more things that line up than break by this shift, but in order to experience the alignments, we must be open to all the ways that it can appear. And you know what? If you don't like it, that's okay. Just pretend that the numbers and the names are the original meanings that you're familiar with. They are essentially all the same in principle regardless. That said, if you're on the other side and you find this fascinating and feel the call to go deeper, please use the link at the top of the description to really explore the nature of these cards. We have a special workshop available, and the opportunity to get all of our tarot material in a special exclusive bundle. And now, let us shift our perspective and dive into a world unlike anywhere we've ever gone before. Let us sink into a world replete with symbology and experience the way in which tarot speaks to our souls. In truth, the tarot is a description and a diagram of yourself. It speaks to your soul and attempts to guide you back to who and what you really are, one with everything and in a state of wholeness. The major arcana begins with the child who appears to be setting out on or returning from a journey. This character has nothing but a small pack with him and walks towards a cliff and into the unknown. He is called the child because it would appear that he is not paying attention to what's happening around him. He's so excited about what he might find on his way that he doesn't even notice that he's about to walk off of a cliff. And with these steps, the child embarks on a story of a lifetime. But will the child learn to pay attention before it's too late? Getting into the more esoteric meanings, the child is connected to the element of air, signifying the breath of life and the power of the mind, the mental element. In her medic teachings, it is said that everything in this reality emerges from nothing out of the mind of God. And in this way, we too can create our realities through the power of our thoughts and intentions. This card also relates with Aleph, the creative force of potentials without any action or motion to them. Upon setting out on his journey, the child first encounters the wizard, also traditionally known as the magician. The wizard shares all of his spiritual tools with the child. The child is so excited to receive these gifts which become invaluable to his quest. A disc, a cup, a sword, and a wand, along with a parchment and a pen. These represent the four elements, the physical, the emotional, the mental, and the spiritual aspects of himself. The wizard represents the first aspect of creation, the awareness of the various aspects of the self, and the creative motion put forward into living out a dream. He is connected to the planet Mercury, linked with wisdom and communication, and is also connected to the pathway called bet, the force from the mind of God which sets the wheels of creation into motion. With gratitude, the child now experiences a sense of expansion into the nature of what this particular journey really represents. Continuing on his adventure, the child meets the priestess, a powerful young woman who reveals to the child that just having these four elements present does not make the story great. She explains to the child that there is a natural ebb and flow to life, and that by living in our hearts and trusting our intuition, we can go with the flow and live the life of our dreams. She reveals to the child that this knowing comes from inside of us, and in this way, we tap into the limitless potential that brings abundance and goodness into our lives, and the lives of those around us. Astrologically, she relates with the moon, the subtle reflection of the self, and a sense of deep inner knowing. On the Tree of Life, she is connected to the pathway of Gimel, the gateway to the inner, all-knowing self, and the inner mysteries behind all forms of spirituality. Feeling enlightened, the child expresses gratitude and continues on his way. Now, in traditional tarot, the child would next encounter the empress. However, in patched tarot, he actually meets the emperor next, who has changed positions with the empress. This is because of the letter Hei in Kabbalah and the Tree of Life. Hei is the letter which represents both aspects of the feminine in the tetragrammaton, Yod Hei, Vav Hei, the sacred and holy name of God. By shifting the position of the empress to sit here, it allows her to align with and embody this divine feminine more fully. It also shows that the higher-fat, who embodies the birth of a new consciousness, is born through the feminine. There are several other reasons for this change as well, creating a natural flow through masculine and feminine, yin and yang, back and forth like a wave, in these initial cards leading up to the lovers, where they all unite together as one. For those interested, you can read more information about it at patchtarot.com. And again, if you're a tarot traditionalist, just pretend that these next two sections are in reverse order. When the child first meets the emperor, he learns that this character is all about structure, law and order. His head is turned toward the sun, but he is still able to keep an eye on the world before him, finding a balance between looking to the light and shining it bright on the kingdom he leads. He explains to the child the value of internal and external structures. By following the laws of nature, we find a deeper sense of who we really are inside, and how to get along with all of creation that we are a part of. Astrologically, he relates with Aries, the fiery and energetic leader, and on the Tree of Life, he relates with Dalet, the passage between heaven and earth. Soon after, the emperor introduces the child to his wife, the empress, a mature and sacred holy woman who holds the entire earth in her lap. She sits with a gentle bearing in a serene environment, nurturing and supporting all of life. The child inquires into her nature and she explains that her nature is nurture to care for those around her, including herself. Astrologically, she is linked with Venus, the divine feminine, and on the Tree of Life she connects with Hay, the effortlessness of creation, divinity and gentleness. The child then recognizes this nurturing aspect of himself and becomes aware that he is not the only one on a life journey. He realizes that everyone is, in their own way, and he can be a supportive and uplifting person in the lives of everyone that he meets if he so chooses. The empress urges him forward on his journey to go and see what the divine feminine has brought into the world. With this newfound information, the child resumes his journey and finds himself meeting what appears to be a great spiritual master who appears in several forms. He is the Hierophant and is the archetype of pure spirituality and spiritual leadership, genuine wisdom passed down by sages and ancestors and practiced through many different cultures in a beautiful variety of ways. These practices are observed by the younger generation where they are developed, changed and evolved through the heart of childlike wonder. It is in this way that our collective family evolves and changes. Astrologically, this card relates with porous, the down-to-earth practical aspects of spiritual action and on the Tree of Life, the Hierophant relates to Vaaf, that which binds us to our faith and the teaching and learning of cosmic principles. Moving on, the child finds himself in a courtyard and is astonished to see everyone that he's previously met, the magician, the priestess, the emperor, empress and the Hierophant have gathered together for a sacred wedding. The child recognizes the pattern. All these opposing archetypes find perfect harmony and union with each other entirely through the power of love. He is delighted to recognize that this balance of opposites exists within his own self as well. Astrologically, the lovers relate with Gemini, the twins who embody the union of duality. The Tree of Life pathway here is Zion, the fine line between oneness and individuality. With this newfound inspiration, the child feels prepared to go anywhere and do anything. The child presses onward and sees a great chariot with a suit of armor upon it, moving at a phenomenal speed. The charioteer reaches out and grabs the child, pulling him onto the chariot as they speed along with full control over where they are going. The child soon learns that the chariot represents his own inward and outward motion as well as the idea of planning for where to go. The child is amazed at this revelation, seeing how far and how fast he has come already and that his own journey is propelled by such motion. Astrologically, the chariot connects with the zodiac sign of cancer, the crab with the hard shell and soft interior, and that inner softness is the source of motivation. On the Tree of Life, the pathway related is Chet, the container by which the spiritual will is received and channeled. The child soon leaps from the chariot and is filled with gratitude for the lessons. Propelled by his inner motion, the child soon comes to a grove where a young woman is playing with a great lion. She strokes his mane and, noticing the child, beckons him over. How are you so close to the lion without being eaten? The child asks. She smiles, wrapping her arms around the Great Beast. We share the same passion for life. Our hearts are in sync, she responds. The child then realizes that within him, these two represent his own higher and lower selves, each with their own unique desires and wills. When they are united in the heart, even the great ferocious lion may find itself calm and peaceful in the presence of beauty. This card, Passion, is astrologically related with Leo. The sign of vibrant personality and conscious will. On the Tree of Life, the related pathway is Chet, a path of many meanings, but ultimately leading to the discovery of one's true spiritual nature. Walking into the woods, the child realizes that he is growing tired. He comes across a clearing and sees a hermit sitting on a stump deep in meditation. Well, that looks great, he thinks to himself, and so he walks over to the hermit and takes a seat. Deep into meditation he goes, and in this trance-like state, he hears the voice of the hermit in his mind. This is the vastness of thine inner world, and all that thou can explore to know thine self. The child is amazed to find the totality of what is within him could be explored forever. He also notes how peaceful it is here, away from the hustle and bustle of the towns, which before was all that he knew. Astrologically, the hermit relates with Virgo, intelligence and personal development, practicality as well. The Tree of Life association is Yod, the hand of God which moves through us, guiding us in life by the power of listening and acting upon this divine will. Finished with his meditation, the child continues his journey and eventually hears some gentle music. It is sweet and sublime and resonates deeply in the child's heart. He walks towards it and this time finds a musician. The child asks the musician who he is. I am Elijah, he responds. The child compliments Elijah on his music, but the player insists that the music is not his own, but only flows through him from the great beyond. He explains that there is an ebb and flow to life, up and down, yin and yang. And if we can listen to and watch the natural currents, we can ride these waves of life and experience profound lessons no matter where we are or what we are doing. The child is blown away by this, realizing the greater wheel of flow all around him. The wheel of flow is related to the planet Jupiter, the planet of luck and fortune. On the Tree of Life, the pathway is cuff, the palm of the hand, the giving and receiving of creator and creation. Leaving the forest, the child encounters a strange sight, a powerful woman within a large crystal who holds a great scale. She is strangely luminous and he thinks she must be an angel. Approaching her, he discovers the nature of her being. She is the archetype of balance. She reveals to the child that no matter what he does, no matter where he goes, there must always be a striving for equilibrium and balance within him. And if he does not actively strive for balance, balance will find him. The child remembers the music of Elijah, recalling the Yin and Yang, ebb and flow which turn heaven and earth, and recognizes that he will not inflict karma upon himself if he is willing to strive for inner balance above all things. The astrological relationship here is with Libra, the sign of balance, equilibrium, cause and effect, Yin and Yang and so on. And the Tree of Life pathway is Lamed, which is a path that puts pressure on the soul to stay on the narrow path of righteousness and virtue. If we deviate from our inner calling, we will pay a karmic price till we return to our inner balance. His next meeting again surprises him. He sees a man hanging upside down, his hands pegged to an upside down cross. The sight frightens the child at first. Who is this hanged man? The hanged man receiving the child explains why he hangs upside down. He is surrendering in order to embody a higher consciousness and that the pegs in his hands are Vaaf, the Tree of Life pathway symbolizing devotion to his calling. The child receiving the wisdom in this desires to understand and so he too decides to hang himself upside down as a representation of self-sacrifice in order to receive a higher consciousness. We must empty ourselves in order to be filled. This card relates to the element of water describing the infinite expansion inwards as a result of the suspension of outward motion. The Tree of Life pathway is Mem, which also means water, the infinite depths inside that we have to explore and discover. Hanging upside down, the child closes his eyes and is greeted by another figure this time in his inner vision. It is death. The child fears that his journey is over, that he has died signaling the end for him. But death shows the child a pathway and takes him on an inner journey through a great green gateway into an all-encompassing light. The child is filled with this light knowing and understanding a deeper purpose as his entire sense of identity and ego dissolves. This card is associated to the sign Scorpio, the constellation of death, sex and rebirth. The Tree of Life pathway here is Nun, the fish who moves effortlessly from state to state, releasing attachment to personality in order to discover deeper truths. The child then sees the Earth through a portal and in his astral form eagerly returns to his body. Returning to his physical existence, the child undergoes a metamorphosis. He experiences resurrection. Having now dismantled all aspects of his ego, he finds himself to be a clear soul with many new aspects of himself to work with. He recreates molds and shapes a new sense of self and rises into the air with radiant light, embodying all of the light from his vision with death but now brought into his physical form. Astrologically, this card relates with Sagittarius, the path of the philosopher, imagination and focused will. On the Tree of Life, the pathway is Samaic, the support which helps us honor and maintain the transformations we have experienced. Filled with passion and a newfound spiritual connection to life, he moves on, but he immediately encounters a frightening figure, the Devil. The Devil holds out a handful of gold to the child who sees that behind the Devil are two souls who have already bound themselves to him, chained up, but whose chains, he notices, are so loose that they could leave at any moment if they really wanted to. In this, the child realizes the nature of the Devil, not a force of evil, but a symbol of desire, temptation even. The child recognizes that he has chained himself to his desires in the past, but he will no longer let his earthly desires control him. Instead, his soul's desire will take the lead on this journey. This card is related astrologically with Capricorn, the mountain goat who climbs to higher and higher heights, always striving upwards. The Tree of Life letter is Ayan, which describes that this card is more about our focus. Will we surrender ourselves to our desires, or set our focus and dreams upon the top of the mountain, and like the mountain goat, maintain that desire as we strive higher and higher? With gratitude, the child thanks the Devil for the timeless lesson and forges ahead. As the child continues, he approaches a great and mighty tower, brilliant yet dark and angry-looking eye blazing on the top. He enters the tower and realizes as he walks through that this tower represents and embodies his old state of being. He used to be materially focused, limited in his consciousness, not seeing the greater picture or nature of the inner light. The moment he realizes this greater truth, though, that his old way must collapse, he explodes into a brilliant white light, and the tower comes crashing down to Earth, revealing a luminous, shining star in the sky above him. This card is related to Mars, the planet of divine masculinity, and the raw power which causes the old awareness to fall away. The Tree of Life pathway here is Pay, the power of communication shared by people around the world, which, by speaking the truth, casts wickedness away and brings about an enlightened mind. The child now stands at the foot of the rubble and looks upwards to the star in the sky. Looking closer at the star, he sees with his third eye a mysterious angelic form hovering above the Earth. This beautiful angel appears to be drawing energy from the star and delivering it to the Earth below. A sense of warmth, compassion, and deep trust fills the child's heart, and he suddenly knows the vastness of the cosmos and sees how small he is compared to the infinite space. But still, he is filled with faith, because he knows now that there are powerful and magical forces guiding all of reality, including his own journey. This card is related with the sign of Aquarius, the water bearer, which describes the individuality and uniqueness of the self, but has a very humanitarian focus and connected to all in its perspective. On The Tree of Life, we have here the letter Zari, which describes the angling of the personality in order to raise it to a higher frequency. As the child continues peering into the sky, he recognizes that the moon is looking down upon him, and he experiences himself as if he were a little boy again. Looking up at the moon, he finds himself compelled to face his fears and look deep into his subconscious, a realm in which he had never quite ventured into, at least to this depth. Deep into his hidden self, he goes, treading towards the light of the moon within, very aware that, in this deep, dark abyss, if he were to go off course, he might become lost in and consumed by his subconscious. Astrologically, this card relates with Pisces, the emotional, poetic, and subconscious depths. It is the final sign in the zodiacal wheel and at the crux of renewal for a new beginning. On The Tree of Life, this letter is related to Kuf. Kuf describes the back of the head, speaking to the reptile brain or the cerebellum, and teaches us to change our lower animalistic self into a higher self-awareness through the process of integration. Reaching the moon at the end of his path, he looks into the moon closely and sees himself reflected there. He recognizes that he was the one causing the moon to reflect light and that he actually embodies the sun within him. Exploding with golden light, the child experiences the majesty of the sun within his own heart, illuminating his vessel and shining bright. In this experience lies true enlightenment and the radiant generosity that comes with experiencing such a profound and joyous love. Astrologically, the sun relates, of course, with the sun, which describes the willpower and inner vitality and the luminous radiance of the shining heart. On The Tree of Life, the sun is connected to the pathway called reish, which speaks to face, personality, and the vibrant power of the creator, shining bright through all manifested things. With this radiance within him, he now rises into the air. A new aeon is upon him as he rises above the earth and sees a great transcendent portal above him. He opens his arms and rises up, sharing in the spirit of the phoenix about to be reborn anew. He realizes that the entire world is coming along with him for his own journey has profoundly affected the world around him, just as the world has affected him. What could possibly lie on the other side of this portal? It is a mystery and the aeon is the gateway of transformation which also relates with the passage of time. The astral signature for this card is the element of fire, which speaks to our spiritual will as well as a symbol of technology and the aspirations of mankind, marking a shift of ages. On The Tree of Life, this letter is shin, which also relates with fire and describes the sharp connection between the human mind and the inert substance of matter. All dreams and visions are possible and if we can forgo our need to have everything right now and surrender to the natural cycles of time, there is nothing that we cannot do. The final card in the major arcana cycle or the path of the child is traditionally called the world or the universe. In Pachetero, it is the crown. In this card, the child emerges from the portal on the other side of the aeon and rises into a mystical cosmic space. Around him, his Merkaba is active and radiantly spinning and the child looks forward seeing a great celestial dragon with someone riding it, beckoning him to come on another cosmic journey. But the child also has one more profound experience. Physically, he finds himself standing on a cliff, the same cliff where he started his journey so long ago. In this new state of being though, his perspective is entirely different. He looks at the world with new eyes, connected and whole realizing that the purpose of his journey was not to disconnect from his physical body and become a spiritual creature but to find a fusion and harmony between the mind, body and soul as one. This card relates with Saturn as well as the element of Earth and secretly, Ophiuchus, the 13th Zodiac. This is a place where the cosmic laws of the great universe beyond and the workings of the world at last make sense and a deeper understanding is known inside allowing for an actual living of the spiritual nature to be experienced. On the Tree of Life, this pathway is tough, the path where all cosmic energies and experiences of life form together to bring you to the present moment that you are currently living and breathing within. This breath right now even as you watch this video is the accumulation of all of the life experiences that you've had up until this moment. Once the crown is attained we find ourselves right back at the very beginning with the child standing upon a cliff having completed his journey. With this new enlightened perspective, the child once again sets out on a journey and takes his first step. The Tarot is a fascinating and powerful journey of self-discovery through cosmic archetypes. It is an oracle of wisdom that can help you in finding personal alignment and transcendence in every aspect of your life. Please use the link in the description to come and experience Patch Terrell. We've prepared a special experience for you called Tarot Life Mastery supporting you in going deeper than ever before. Thank you so much for watching and I look forward to supporting you in making the most of your tarot experience.