Tarot in 2025: Archetypes You Actually Recognize
Tarot was never meant to stay stuck in the 1400s or 1600s or even the 1900s for that matter. These archetypes evolve with us. They're not just cloaked mystics and stoic monarchs anymore—they're startup founders, momagers, and gym rats. They live in your group chat. They're dropping hot takes on your FYP. They're you, which means they need to evolve just like you do.
So, what happens when we bring the Major Arcana into 2025?
We translate their core essence into modern identities you recognize instantly. This isn't about reducing the archetypes. It's about making them more current, more useful, and a little more fun. (Because who said sacred had to mean serious?)
Here are the updated archetypes of the 22 Major Arcana, each reimagined with a modern twist:
0. The Fool — The Digital Nomad
Lives out of a carry-on and decides life choices via gut instinct or coin flip.
Light: Adventurous, open-hearted, playful
Shadow: Impulsive, unmoored, commitment-phobic
I. The Magician — The Creative Director
Has a strategy for everything from lighting to launching. Knows how to turn a vision into a brand with expert precision.
Light: Resourceful, magnetic, confident
Shadow: Manipulative, illusion-based, addicted to attention
II. The High Priestess — The Intuitive Coach
Offers Akashic Record readings on Zoom and has strong boundaries around texting and email hours.
Light: Mysterious, wise, deeply attuned
Shadow: Elitist, vague, overidentifies with secrecy
III. The Empress — The Momager
Curates the family brand, runs a household like a PR agency, uses Canva for chore charts.
Light: Nurturing, creative, life-giving
Shadow: Smothering, performative, boundary-blind
IV. The Emperor — The Gym Rat
Knows the macros of a grape, has a calendar for rest days and makes spreadsheets for workouts.
Light: Structured, disciplined, protective
Shadow: Rigid, domineering, emotionally constipated
V. The Hierophant — The Thought Leader
Writes long captions about tradition and legacy. Hosts spiritual summits on Zoom. Loves a framework.
Light: Grounded in wisdom, principled, community-oriented
Shadow: Preachy, stuck in dogma, prestige-driven
VI. The Lovers — The Ethical Non-Monogamist
Has a Google Calendar for intimacy. Uses "entanglement" and "conscious relating" unironically.
Light: Intimate, values-led, open-hearted
Shadow: Conflicted, avoidant, performative
VII. The Chariot — The Startup Founder
Built their empire in a van while fueled by oat milk lattes and vendetta-fueled ambition.
Light: Determined, strategic, bold
Shadow: Controlling, imbalanced, burnout-bound
VIII. Strength — The Soft Life Enthusiast
Somatic healing expert manifesting through nervous system regulation. Has left hustle culture for good.
Light: Compassionate, resilient, sovereign
Shadow: Passive, bypassing, conflict-avoidant
IX. The Hermit — The Off-Grid Mystic
Moved to the woods "just for a month" four years ago. Now building their own luxury cabin by themselves and uses a portable generator to check emails.
Light: Reflective, wise, self-directed
Shadow: Isolated, hard to reach, spiritually smug
X. The Wheel of Fortune — The Serial Entrepreneur
Believes in timing, intuition, and reinvention. Builds and reinvents with ease. Doesn’t fear a flop, they’ll just start again.
Light: Optimistic, adaptive, open to change
Shadow: Reckless, opportunistic, addicted to cycles
XI. Justice — The Civil Rights Attorney
Knows the law and the loopholes. Fights for balance on and off the record.
Light: Principled, fair, intellectually sharp
Shadow: Rigid, self-righteous, obsessed with order
XII. The Hanged One — The Burnout Survivor
Quit everything to reset her nervous system and reframes productivity as a trauma response.
Light: Wise, surrendered, perspective-shifting
Shadow: Stagnant, martyr complex, spiritually frozen
XIII. Death — The Transition Doula
Holds space for endings of all kinds. Helps you cross thresholds with dignity and depth.
Light: Transformational, fearless, authentic
Shadow: Destructive, chaotic, obsessed with collapse
XIV. Temperance — The Integrative Healer
Blends herbalism with trauma-informed yoga, nervous system work, and ancestral practice.
Light: Harmonious, integrative, patient
Shadow: Over-curated, avoidant, allergic to intensity
XV. The Devil — The Compulsive Overachiever
Tied to the grind, addicted to productivity, and never quite sure who she is without a to-do list.
Light: Ambitious, self-aware, deeply driven
Shadow: Obsessed with control, burnout-prone, numbing with achievement
XVI. The Tower — The Whistleblower
Will burn it all down. Tells the truth even if no one claps. Loses everything and rebuilds better.
Light: Liberated, catalytic, courageous
Shadow: Explosive, destructive, constantly destabilizing
XVII. The Star — The Alternative Wellness Guide
Swaps pharmaceuticals for flower essences and believes healing starts in the subtle bodies.
Light: Hopeful, radiant, spiritually generous
Shadow: Dissociated, fragile, surface-level
XVIII. The Moon — The Dream Analyst
Dreams are data. Loves a liminal moment. Will make you cry during a breathwork session.
Light: Intuitive, emotionally rich, poetic
Shadow: Confusing, paranoid, lost in illusion
XIX. The Sun — The Embodiment Coach
Teaches joy as a practice. Helps others reclaim radiance, pleasure, confidence, and presence in the body.
Light: Joyful, magnetic, inspiring
Shadow: Egoic, performative, allergic to shadows
XX. Judgment — The Life Coach
Had a dark night then found a new niche. Now she helps others find purpose through crisis.
Light: Awakened, accountable, reborn
Shadow: Preachy, rebranded too often, skips grief work
XXI. The World — The Global Ritualist
Moves through life in sacred cycles. Designs cross-cultural experiences for closure, celebration, and return.
Light: Whole, integrated, cyclical
Shadow: Detached, inaccessible, too "done"
Which one are you right now?
Drop your card in the comments or tag it in your next pull. And if you loved this, stay tuned for the Court Cards edition—coming soon.
