Okay, so I’ve been messing around with Tarot cards lately, and I got curious about the numbering system. I mean, they all have numbers, right? So I thought, “Let’s see if I can figure this out by myself, without just looking it up.”
My Little Experiment
First, I grabbed my deck and spread all the cards out on the table. It was a bit of a mess, to be honest, but I needed to see them all at once.
I started by separating the Major Arcana from the Minor Arcana. You know, the big fancy ones like “The Fool” and “The Lovers” versus the ones with cups, swords, and stuff.
Then, I focused on the Major Arcana first. I noticed right away that they were numbered from 0 (The Fool) to XXI (The World). I figured, “Okay, that’s easy enough, they’re just in order.”
Next, I tackled the Minor Arcana. This was a bit trickier. I saw that each suit (Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles) had cards numbered from Ace (which I counted as 1) to 10, and then the court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King).
I spent a good chunk of time arranging and rearranging them, trying to see if there were any patterns. It felt like putting together a puzzle, except the puzzle pieces kept changing. I even tried to make them by using pencil and paper, but, it is not successful.
The “Aha!” Moment
- Major Arcana: 0-XXI
- Minor Arcana: Ace to 10, then Page, Knight, Queen, King
That, in the most simple way, is the breakdown. It doesn’t really show all the cards, just gives the number system and its basics.
It’s not rocket science, really, but it was fun to figure it out on my own. Now, I’m thinking about other things I can use this information for the cards, but that’s another story for another day!
