What Order Do Tarot Cards Go In? (A Beginner’s Guide)

Are you curious about the order in which tarot cards are arranged? Is that new tarot deck giving you pause as you wonder how to arrange them?

Don’t worry – it’s a lot easier than you might think!

The tarot is one of the oldest forms of divination and offers a unique way to gain insight into our lives. It’s also intriguing, and that’s why people are drawn to it.

The imagery of tarot cards is one of its main attractions: it gives the feelings of mystery, hidden secrets, and even a bit of magic.

But when beginning your tarot journey, you may find yourself wondering about the order of tarot cards. It sometimes feels like an overwhelming task.

However, with some understanding of the structure of tarot decks and the basics of how they work, you’ll be well on your way to reading intuitively!

This begs the question, what order do tarot cards go in?

A tarot deck contains 78 cards divided into two main parts. There are 22 tarot cards in Major Arcana, numbered from 0 to 21. Minor Arcana consists of four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Each suit contains 14 tarot cards. Major Arcana cards are placed above the Minor ones in a deck.

This article explains why there is a need to organize tarot cards in the first place. You’ll also learn the correct order of cards in a tarot deck. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!

Why Do You Need To Arrange Tarot Cards?

Organizing tarot cards in a particular order is important for many reasons.

• When you start reading cards, it helps to have a consistent way of laying out the cards, so they all make sense together.
• Ordering the tarot cards makes them easier to reference and find when you need them.                                                                                                               
• People also like to put the cards back in the correct sequence after a shuffling and reading session. This is important for spiritual practice and energy healing.
• Finally, having the cards arranged correctly allows you to quickly find the ones you are looking for during readings.

You see how important it is for you to have a sense of order for a tarot deck. The best part? It’s really simple. And that’s exactly what you’ll discover next.

Order of Tarot Cards in Major Arcana

Major Arcana cards are counted first because they present an all-inclusive picture of your life. These cards set the scene for the entire tarot reading process and represent the key to life lessons.

The order of Major Arcana cards is fixed. Each card is numbered from 1 to 21. However, one of the cards is unnumbered, called “The Fool,” often displayed by “0.”

The position of the first card, “The Fool,” is controversial. It is usually considered the first card in order, while in some cases, it is regarded as the last of the entire Major Arcana.

The order in which tarot cards appear comes from tradition. So the cards of the major set are kept as follows:

• The Fool (0)
• The Magician (1)
• The High Priestess (2)
• The Empress (3)
• The Emperor (4)
• The Hierophant (5)
• The Lovers (6)           
• The Chariot (7)
• Strength (8)
• The Hermit (9)
• The Wheel of Fortune (10)
• Justice (11)
• The Hanged Man (12)
• Death (13)
• Temperance (14)
• The Devil (15)
• The Tower (16)
• The Star (17)
• The Moon (18)
• The Sun (19)
• Judgment (20)
• The World (21)

Order of Tarot Cards in Minor Arcana

Minor Arcana comprises the major number of cards among the 78 cards deck. The Minor Arcana cards address your day-to-day events, experiences, and struggles. The order of cards is consistent within each suit of Minor Arcana.

The sequence of these cards is also tradition based. They are divided into four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Each suit has 14 cards, including four court cards; Page, Knight, Queen, and King.

Within each suit, the cards are numbered from Ace to 10, followed by the court cards. The Ace represents the beginning of the suit, while the number 2 to 10 displays the continuation of that specific suit’s energy.

The array of cards in the Cups, Wands, Swords, and Pentacles is listed below.

Suit of Wands

1. Ace of Wands
2. Two of Wands
3. Three of Wands
4. Four of Wands
5. Five of Wands
6. Six of Wands
7. Seven of Wands
8. Eight of Wands          
9. Nine of Wands
10. Ten of Wands
11. Page of Wands
12. Knight of Wands
13. Queen of Wands
14. King of Wands

Suit of Cups

1. Ace of Cups
2. Two of Cups
3. Three of Cups
4. Four of Cups
5. Five of Cups
6. Six of Cups
7. Seven of Cups
8. Eight of Cups
9. Nine of Cups
10. Ten of Cups
11. Page of Cups
12. Knight of Cups
13. Queen of Cups
14. King of Cups

Suit of Swords

1. Ace of Swords
2. Two of Swords
3. Three of Swords
4. Four of Swords
5. Five of Swords
6. Six of Swords     
7. Seven of Swords
8. Eight of Swords
9. Nine of Swords
10. Ten of Swords
11. Page of Swords
12. Knight of Swords
13. Queen of Swords
14. King of Swords

Suit of Pentacles

1. Ace of Pentacles
2. Two of Pentacles
3. Three of Pentacles
4. Four of Pentacles
5. Five of Pentacles
6. Six of Pentacles         
7. Seven of Pentacles
8. Eight of Pentacles
9. Nine of Pentacles
10. Ten of Pentacles
11. Page of Pentacles
12. Knight of Pentacles
13. Queen of Pentacles
14. King of Pentacles

Summary

Now that you know the correct order of tarot cards, it’s a piece of cake to arrange and store your tarot deck. No matter what type of spread you are using, it is essential to have all 78 cards in an orderly fashion before you start shuffling and reading.

This way, you can quickly find the card you need for an accurate interpretation. It is also essential to understand the symbolic meaning of each card before drawing conclusions from them. Ensure to study each one carefully so you can extract the most out of tarot readings.

Happy shuffling!

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