We have now arrived at the final card in the Major Arcana. The journey that has been initiated with the Magician, and embodied through and through with the Fool, is evolving. We are ready to open the new door and step across the threshold. We are now deeply connected to the forces of the world that have helped us get here.
As the last card of the entirety of the Major Arcana, the World helps us recognize the importance of surrender, and gives us the hindsight that whatever we face going forward, if we hold to the teachings of all the cards that we have experienced before, we will not be led astray.
From a numerological perspective, 21 speaks to themes of success and creativity. There is an awareness of the past and how to use that journey towards deeper alignment and success on the level of the soul. With this number, we have the expansion of 3 (2+1), and an invitation to lead with authenticity and autonomy. These are all themes that we will see when working with this card.
Following the Journey To Fulfillment with the World
If we look at the flow from Judgment to the World, we see our evolution reaching the end of this chapter. Judgment speaks to the higher awakening in our evolution. We are now integrating a higher connection, shepherding this connection between our internal selves and our external world. Judgment helps us use the messages of the Divine, messages that we have been curating since the beginning, and now applying them to our evolution. We embrace the rising of energies towards something new.
Now, we don’t fear, because we have been through so much. We don’t worry, because we recognize how we don’t engage with our lives in a vacuum. We are not separate from others or these Divine forces. We are a part of them, living our unique lives. The World is the open door to new possibilities. It is the desire to run in our legs after the evolution has strengthened us in our bones.
The first way that I read the World is that it speaks to: Completion and embodiment of yourself into your higher purpose- in synchronicity with Earth/Universal energies to fulfill your desires and needs. The World card embodies unity and completion. We have seen this part of our lives through. This narrative has been written. Now, we are encouraged to find the inspiration to write a new chapter.
The World represents what we are meant to learn, integrate, or understand from this part of our lives that have been received. Now, along with the trust that we have been building from the start of the evolution line, we are invited to take that integration and apply it to the next phase of our lives. When the World card comes forward, there is an invitation to go forward with confidence and in harmony between the past, present, and now, our future.
Main invitations with the World:
1. Completion and embodiment of yourself into your higher purpose- in synchronicity with Earth/Universal energies to fulfill your desires and needs
2. Integration and wholeness- you have taken what you can from this space, cycle, situation.
3. New journeys, experiences, ways of being are the way forward- no longer the same person you were before.
The next way that I read the World card is: Integration and wholeness- you have taken what you can from this space, cycle, situation. The World indicates that we are ready to rise into a new situation. We are ready to fly, experiment, play, and create the next phase of our journey. When we join the higher energies of the Divine with Judgment, the evolution has taken place. This means that we have changed.
The change has been occurring since the Magician, but the third line is where the Evolution takes hold. With the World card, we now recognize this chapter is closed. We can bring the beautiful memories, wisdom gained from the lessons learned, and the fondness of experiences, but we cannot go back.
When the World card comes forward, there is a need to recognize where our changes have occurred, and to go forward. There is nothing left to experience or do. Now, we must take all that we have learned or experienced and apply it to the new potentials that are coming in. The completion of the cycle is what creates space for the journey to begin again.
The last way that I read the World card is: New journeys, experiences, ways of being are the way forward- no longer the same person you were before. This goes back to everything that we have talked about. The World card indicates the transition towards new phases, chapters, or experiences. We couldn’t get to that part of our journey without going through all that we did. The World says that our choices and actions define the journey, but things have a way of happening when they are supposed to happen, and not before.
The World, similar to Judgment, requires a level of trust. This card invites us into the new and the unknown. Fear is understandable, but it can become a shadow aspect of the World tarot card when it stagnates us from moving forward. Fear of the unknown in life is a common emotion to have, but we still need to move forward and remind ourselves of how far we have come. Another shadow aspect can be superiority rather than integration.
The World card shows us that we can move forward stronger and more aligned than before. That doesn’t mean that we know every answer, or are now experts on these topics. We don’t know the details or intricacies of someone else’s journey. The World card in shadow can show up as thinking we have all the answers, or wanting/expecting others to walk their journey the way that we have travelled on ours.
A final way that we can see the World card in shadow is through detachment, unrealistic expectations, or the removal of aspects of ourselves, like play, curiosity, or inspiration. In a way, we need to return to a beginner’s mindset and childlike energies with the World. We need to be willing to begin again, and see ourselves like the Fool, a blank canvas for the next phase and for the World to make its mark. That mindset can be a hard one to settle into once we have the gift, or sometimes burden, of hindsight.
The astrological ruler is Saturn, which governs discipline, authority, long-term success, tradition, and karma. The Hebrew letter is Tav, which indicates we are marked (changed) by Spirit, and we hold to this covenant as we go forward.
Symbolism and Imagery of the World card
Now, let’s look at the depictions of the World from across my decks.
- Starting at the very top with the Guardian of the Night Tarot (and my favorite depiction), we have the beautiful honeybee. The bee represents collaboration, hard work, and community. The grasshopper symbolizes abundance and prosperity. This card reminds us that we are not separate from nature or another’s evolution. We are all moving through our journeys together
- The Hocus Pocus Tarot shows a lovely depiction of Thackery Binx completing his journey, and now his spirit is connected to Emily, his dear sister.
- The Dragonfly from the Tarot of the Woodland Wardens has flown through her journey with grace, poise, and balance. The tools of the minors have been her allies, and now she has mastered this phase. Before crossing the threshold, pause to integrate successes and feel the gift of victory.
- The Universe from the Tarot of Dragons highlights the sacred feeling of awe to the cosmos. We are all a fingerprint of this infinite beauty, and move through our lives in connection to the ever-growing Divine force.
- From the Mystical Dream Tarot, we have the self-actualized being. Between the flow of life and solid ground, we move forward with ease. Between the wings of knowledge and the fire of venom, we alchemize in between our high and lower selves. All things come together with this card.
- The Wild Unknown tarot shows that the layers of difference create the wholeness of self. We are complete, unique, and beautiful, radiating that beauty outwards.
- The Nightmare Before Christmas Tarot shows us the choices at the new threshold. We have mastered one portal. Can we do it again?
- The Grimalkin’s Curious Cat Tarot shows the thriving scene for every cat. We have been through our journey, and now we have a deeper perspective on how the different forces played their part in helping us get here.
- In the Shadowscapes Tarot, an elf or creature holds a crystal ball up in reflection. The moon illuminates the surface, a message of inner and outer wisdom.
- Our sweet girl from the Hush Tarot Judgment card has now outgrown the old, outdated building. She holds a sparrow, a symbol of resilience and abilities to handle what comes your way.
- The Herbcrafter’s Tarot shows an outdoor garden with connections to the elements, directions, and forces. Pachamama is a sacred deity in Incan cultures. She represents the wholeness of life, the cycles of the journey, and the protection of all living things.
- The Crow Tarot shows the successful completion of this journey. The symbols of the four fixed astrological signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius symbolize the balance and harmony of these forces or seasons. The crown shows our victory, while the infinity symbol shows the unending nature of cycles.
- The Whale from the Spirit Animal Tarot indicates our ability to dive deep into reflection, and rise high above the surface for joy. The balance of inner and outer forces helps us migrate the long distances with the strength to endure. Their healing songs vibrate our consciousness into peace, understanding, and compassion.
- From the Bird King Tarot, we see the shift of something even bigger than an eclipse. The threshold of intense possibilities and emotional reflections has come. What will we do with these intuitive gifts?
- The Rider-Waite Tarot shows the self-actualized being. We have the two wands showing the balance of opposing forces, the four fixed astrological signs, the infinity symbol, and the wreath of victory.
The World
I spin to a heathen dance, until my feet chafe and bleed.
Now they are ready to carry me
up the mountains, where the bear reveals herself
from the black belly of her sacred corner.
This space has been untouched, allowing her small
treasures to receive the gift of milk, until,
like all of us, their appetites must be fed
with something that was warmed by the Sun.
At some point, we must become our own mothers
and fathers, needing to find our own small corners
where we may be safe for the winter,
or from the hunter. As I tread my hands along
the curve of this blue, seeking the spot
that will welcome me home, I look up to the stars,
see the Ursa Major. She may be a few gems
in this chandelier hung from the heavens,
yet she nurses me with light.
Even though we both have had to walk far
to find our rivers, trailing red behind us,
I promise her that I will never stop dancing.
Thanks for reading. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Ashlie McDiarmid
Hello there! I hope you liked this blog post. As a tarot and oracle reader, my goal with my blogs is to offer you content, resources, and access to the tools that have transformed my life.
I believe that your own intuition is the deepest form of knowing, but here in my little corner of the internet, I share insights based in intuition and instinct. I share my love for nature, witchcraft, and the wild spirit.
- If your spirit is at home in wild places
- If you feel the need to claim your autonomy as ritual
- If you want to more deeply trust your own intuition
- If you want resources or connections to tarot, oracle, witchcraft, and wild sovereignty, then welcome!
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