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Category: Major Arcana
The World – the twenty-first (XXI) card in the Major Arcana – embodies the culmination of a significant journey and the attainment of profound fulfillment. Symbolizing unity, completion, and a cycle’s triumphant end, The World urges individuals to reflect on their past, celebrate achievements, and prepare for the commencement of a new phase in their lives.
The World Tarot card: Description
The World Tarot card in the Rider-Waite deck beautifully signifies completion and fulfillment, exuding a sense of accomplishment and harmony, especially following the Judgement tarot card.
At its core, The World card features a dancing figure – a naked woman draped in a gentle, light purple cloth – enclosed within an expansive wreath. This wreath, circular in form, symbolizes an unending cycle of successful completion.
The figure holds a wand in each hand, akin to The Magician, signifying mastery over both the spiritual and material realms. It serves as a visual testament that what The Magician – which is the Major Arcana number 1 – manifested has now reached a fulfilling conclusion with The World. Notably, the woman gazes into the past even as her body propels forward, embracing the future.
In each corner of the card, the elemental symbols take the form of four living creatures from Jewish mythology – lion, eagle, bull, and human – representing the four fixed signs of the zodiac. Leo, the Lion, signifies fire; Taurus, the Bull, embodies earth; Aquarius, the Human, represents air; and Scorpio, the Eagle, signifies water. As we’ve just seen, these symbols not only adhere to astrological tradition but also embody the classical four elements.
Furthermore, these corner depictions echo biblical symbols found in the corners of the card, resembling the man, lion, ox, and eagle, akin to the Wheel of Fortune. This connection emphasizes the cyclical nature of life, where The World card signifies the completion of a significant life cycle or journey.
The World: Keywords
UPRIGHT: Completion – Fulfillment – Accomplishment – Integration – Harmony – Voyage
REVERSED: Lack of completion – Unfinished – Unfulfilled – Imbalance – Disharmony
The World: Meaning
What does The World tarot card signify? Here, we will unravel its meanings in both the upright and reversed positions.
Upright Meaning
When upright, The World card shows the end of a significant journey or life cycle. It brings a strong feeling of harmony and fulfillment. It represents a significant achievement, like reaching a moment of peace similar to nirvana.
This card marks the end of a big phase, showing that a significant journey or life cycle is complete. It’s not just about finishing the path but really understanding it deeply. Now, at the start of the next part, there’s a push to welcome it with a strong sense of achievement. The card reminds us to take a moment and recognize the accomplishments before facing the challenges of what’s coming next. Success and achievements deserve a celebration, and The World emphasizes how crucial it is to enjoy these moments.
Essentially, The World denotes the end of one cycle and the start of another, capturing the pause between cycles – a moment of harmony and fulfillment preceding the excitement of The Fool, synonymous with new beginnings.
In practical terms, The World may represent the completion of a prolonged project, like graduation or an intense study period. It could also signify the closure of a career cycle or a significant relationship step, such as marriage.
In some interpretations, in specific contexts, The World might symbolize a global journey – an extended and distant adventure away from home. It encapsulates the notion of a significant, world-expanding experience beyond the routine and familiar.
Reversed Meaning
When The World is upside down, it may signify a delay in achieving goals or the inability to complete a project. The reversed card might indicate unfinished tasks or a sense of unfulfillment.
It serves as a reminder to address any loose ends or unresolved issues before moving forward. Beware of potential obstacles or challenges that may hinder the completion of current endeavors. The card invites reflection on whether the chosen steps are the right ones. Take time to reassess the chosen approach and make necessary adjustments to realign with the path towards fulfillment.
This card may also indicate that the path is finished and success has arrived, but there’s a sense of unfulfillment or disharmony. This can happen when the path chosen wasn’t selected by the individual. Consider asking: was the path chosen by society or someone else?
The World: Love meaning
In the upright position, The World card signifies the fulfillment of a romantic journey or relationship cycle. It suggests a harmonious connection, indicating that both partners have reached a state of completeness and understanding. This phase may bring about a deeper commitment, celebration of shared achievements, or even the beginning of a new chapter in the relationship.
Conversely, when The World appears in a reversed position, it could imply challenges or delays in the romantic sphere. It may point to unresolved issues or a sense of incompleteness within the relationship. The reversed World card encourages individuals to address any concerns, consider adjustments, and ensure both partners are on the same page before progressing further in the love journey.
For singles, the upright World suggests self-discovery and potential romance. When reversed, it encourages focusing on personal fulfillment before seeking new connections.
The World: Key symbols
Here, we will delve into the key symbols of The World Tarot card in the Rider-Waite deck. The Dancing Figure within the wreath and the four symbols in the corners conceal a wealth of symbolism.
The Dancing Figure within the Wreath
The central motif of The World Tarot card captivates with its dancing figure embraced within an expansive wreath. The dance performed by this figure is a joyous celebration of achieved harmony and balance as a substantial phase concludes. It exudes grace and fluidity, embodying a profound sense of gratitude. The dance also reflects the individual’s seamless navigation through challenges and experiences, leading to a state of completeness.
The wreath enveloping the figure serves as a powerful symbol of an all-encompassing embrace, signifying success, victory and fulfillment. The dancing figure within the wreath visually underscores the cyclical nature of existence, emphasizing that every ending heralds the commencement of a new phase in the perpetual dance of life.
It’s intriguing to note that in widely acclaimed works such as “The Way of Tarot” by A. Jodorowsky and “The New Mythic Tarot” by Juliet Sharman-Burke and Liz Greene, emphasis is placed on the woman in The World card embodying both feminine and masculine energies.
Jodorowsky, in his bestseller, describes the figure as undoubtedly a woman but suggests the union of two principles, forming an androgynous realization. While, in “The New Mythic Tarot,” the woman – representing Hermaphroditus in Greek Mythology – symbolizes wholeness unrelated to sexual identification. Instead, it embodies a fusion of male and female energies on an inner level. This integration reconciles opposing qualities, creating harmony within the personality. The card envisions the ideal goal of becoming whole, something to be achieved rather than possessed.
Four symbols in the corners
The elemental symbols in each corner of The World Tarot card intricately weave a tapestry of symbolism, portraying four living creatures from Jewish mythology and Christian traditions – lion, eagle, bull, and human.
As already specified in the card’s description, these creatures symbolize the four fixed signs of the zodiac and the classical four elements. But not only that, they also represent the seasons:
- Leo, the Lion, signifies fire and summer.
- Taurus, the Bull, embodies earth and spring.
- Aquarius, the Human, represents air and winter.
- Scorpio, the Eagle, symbolizes water and autumn.
This rich amalgamation of astrological and elemental symbolism accentuates the interconnectedness of cosmic forces, emphasizing the card’s portrayal of unity and completeness.
Additionally, there are more symbolisms associated with these figures in the corners. These four figures also serve as a reminder of the Four Evangelists. The man, lion, ox, and eagle represent the biblical symbols of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, respectively.
But that’s not all – these symbols, also known as the Tetramorph in the Jewish tradition, emphasize life cycles and the perpetuity of existence. This is why The World Tarot card extends its narrative beyond personal fulfillment, illustrating a broader cosmic harmony and the eternal dance of cycles within the universe.
The World: Does it mean Yes or No in a tarot reading?
Some interpretations suggest that The World card is a very positive symbol, indicating a strong sense of oneness with the universe. That’s why these interpretations propose this card as an unequivocal “yes” in response to a question. However, the reality is more complex. Tarot doesn’t provide straightforward answers; its true power lies in the awareness of our ability to make choices and intervene in our lives. We explored this complexity in a previous article, explaining why yes or no Tarot readings are neither accurate nor reliable.
