The meaning of female figures in the tarot

As you already know, the Tarot deck is a method of cognition that enacts human and other existence, and for this it needs characters, figures, actors and actresses. In this article, we at G-Club want to introduce you individually to the female characters in the deck of the Major Arcana, or in this case, the Great Arcana. What are the different female energies that animate this arcana? What are their peculiarities? And more generally, what are the true facets of the feminine universe represented by each of these arcana?

 The Popes, Arcana II

As a symbol of absolute purity, the popes is the first woman we meet in the Major Arcana. She represents the feminine principle from which consciousness is born. She is a majestic, calm-looking woman and holds an open book in her hand, the symbol of her knowledge. Her face is extremely pale; often this card alludes to the presence of a female figure in the life of the counsellor who has imparted an ideal of purity or dogmatic austerity: she is a cold woman, incapable of gentleness, but at the same time of immense spiritual greatness. If the Pope could speak in her seclusion, she would tell us to detach ourselves from events and observe her as a passer-by would observe her. She would invite us to wait, to isolate, to be alone and to choose. To cultivate ourselves and who we are apart from everyone. To study. To train our intuition and then act, yes, but always more inwardly than outwardly.

The Empress, Arcane III

Immediately after the Popes, the Empress is another woman, but representing a different aspect of feminine energy: she is certainly another figure of power sitting on a throne, an element reminiscent of the meanings of stability and balance conveyed by the card. The Empress wears a red dress in the middle and a blue one at the ends; this means that she is burning inside, and if we can break through her cold barrier, we will be welcomed by this blazing, creative fire. If the Empress could speak, she would advise us to be creative and always do more, never less! She would ask us to create something, anything, both for ourselves and for others. To seek beauty in our lives, also in a very practical way: make yourself beautiful, make your surroundings beautiful. Create, expand, enhance: new ideas, new possibilities, complete something you have started. Feed your dreams.

Justice, Arcanum VIII

Justice symbolises perfection, fulfilment and balance. Says Jodorowsky in "The Way of the Tarot", our favourite handbook par excellence: "It reveals such a strong need for perfection that it conditions the counsellor when he tries to realise any work". But beware: we know very well that perfection and the desire for perfection are not human and that anything that is perfect is also somehow immovable, unchanging and therefore somewhat lifeless. Instead, this woman we are watching is very human: this is revealed to us by the tone of her hair, which is perfectly flesh-pink, and her dress, which sinks to the floor as if tying her to an earthly dimension. If justice could speak, it would tell us to give ourselves what we deserve and immediately distance ourselves from what we do not want. It would teach us when to say yes and when to say no. That we should think about the consequences of our actions, but pay attention! Long before we act. To evaluate situations rationally. To judge and criticise constructively without hurting others. To be fair.

The Star, Arcanum XVII

The Star represents a naked woman under a starry sky: among the stars, a star. It is the first Arcanum to present itself in its nakedness, as if to tell us that it has nothing to hide, but only to find its place on earth. The woman's posture, kneeling and with her head bowed, suggests piety and submission, as if she is somehow devoted to the place where she settles; the same knee on the ground could suggest the fact that she is anchored somewhere, but also, I remember reading this interpretation, that she is completely in tune with the world. It is an arcana indicating that one has found one's place in this world to act, to beautify and to nourish it; it is a sign of happiness, prosperity and the fulfilment that is due to those who find their place. The water in the figure suggests the idea of purification and renewal. If the star could speak, it would tell us to relax: Everything is going well. Devote yourself to the care of body and soul. Cleanse yourself.

The World, Arcana XXI

We have come to the end of our journey, with Arcane XXI, The World. Its number is the highest in the Tarot and in a way points to the highest knowledge. In the centre of the card is a woman dancing amidst a bush of blue leaves. As indicated by the woman dancing in complete peace and harmony with her surroundings, this card represents a realisation, a positive conclusion, the result of a project that has gone particularly well. If the world could speak, it would surely tell us to rejoice, dance and celebrate our successes. It would advise us to live intensely and, why not, perhaps urge us to go on a journey, to enjoy the world and explore it in the truest sense of the word.