Introduction to The World Tarot Card
The World is the final card of the Major Arcana. It has been renamed by various deck creators as ‘The Universe’ or ‘Coming Home’. It is the culmination of the Fool’s (mankind) journey; the point at which the whole cycle begins again – hopefully, because of the lessons learned, on a whole new level.
What does The World tell us when it appears in a reading? Is it a ‘good’ card? What do those symbols mean? Why is the woman dancing? Is there a deeper meaning to The World?
This card is often described as a bridge between human existence and spirituality, but what does that actually mean in real life? This article attempts to answer your questions about this intriguing card.
Description
The World of the Rider-Waite deck shows a dancing woman framed by a laurel wreath. She holds a wand in each hand and her legs are crossed. At the top and bottom of the wreath there are red ribbons, both tied like a figure 8 on its side. In the corners of the card are the heads of a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle. Right at the top of the card is the number 21 in Roman numerals.
The World looks a lot like the Wheel of Fortune in its coloring and symbolism.
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The Fool’s Journey – The Culmination
The Fool has now encountered all the archetypes and situations contained in the 21 Major Arcana cards. He has struggled to understand the lessons he needed to learn. He is complete, yes? Well, no, not really. He can enjoy this temporary feeling of fulfilment but he must know that the end of this journey is the beginning of the next. This current cycle has raised his understanding and he has reached a higher level of spirituality. Now he begins again, facing the same challenges dressed up as new situations. He must readjust, reassess and, in one sense, throw away all he has learned because he is about to ride the next wave towards an even higher level.
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Symbolism of ‘The World’ Tarot Card
The World looks a lot like the Wheel of Fortune, although there is a lot less going on here, image-wise. The same symbols of the Zodiac appear in the corners but the card centre is oval, rather than round. This oval shape is very important – it represents the shape that is formed when two circles are placed side-by-side, intersecting each other, as happens at two stages during a solar eclipse. This shape, in its simplest form, is called a ‘vesica piscis’. If you want to investigate the mathematical significance of this shape, then you’ll find it fascinating.
The mystical significance is also very interesting… the ancient Egyptians developed their sacred geometry around it and the Freemasons also used it a lot. It is thought that one circle represents heaven or God and the other represents the Earth and man. The ellipse in the centre is where the two meet, hence the idea of The World symbolizing a bridge between heaven and earth.
The woman (sometimes she is a hermaphrodite) is dancing. In a way she looks like an upright version of The Hanged Man – if you have a deck at hand, have a look. Notice that her legs are crossed in the opposite way to his. See how she is active, whereas he is very still. Also, The Hanged Man is numbered 12 – a reversed 21. I love how the cards are so interconnected – it really is the most brilliant and elegant ‘system’.
See the table below for the meaning of the other symbols in the card.
SYMBOL | MEANING |
21 | 2+1=3 meeting point between the individual and spirituality. 3X7=21 harmony of creation. |
Dancing woman | The Hanged Man’s counterpart, his opposite in every way. |
Crossed legs | Turning point. |
Oval | Vesica Piscis, the bridge between heaven and earth |
Wreath | Victory, favor of the Gods. |
Lemniscate | Infinity. |
Wands | Power, action. |
Lion, bull, cherub, eagle | Fixed signs of Zodiac: Leo, Taurus, Aquarius and Scorpio. |
Understanding ‘The World’ Card
I must point out that this is my personal view of The World card; you may develop your own, as you should with all the cards, and you may come across more ideas from other readers and authors to incorporate into your personal knowledge base.
If you are in the habit of drawing a daily card and meditating or journaling about it, then this one is important. I look upon The World card as being the destination reached through all the cards, but in particular, The Wheel of Fortune. The Wheel symbolizes many things but one aspect that fascinates is the idea that the centre of the Wheel is very still. The outer rim of the wheel, seems to represent time rushing round, events taking place and fate inserting her influence. However, the still centre is where you gain control, where you connect with your inner being. In this sacred space is the concept illustrated by The World. In The Wheel, you get a tiny glimpse, a momentary feeling of connection – in The World, you know exactly how to reach that place.
This is the bridge. This is existence. Being without thinking. This is the present moment where life happens. There is no past and no future – neither of them exist. In this moment, if you are aware, you can feel that you are part of the Universe and part of the Oneness. For me, this is the true meaning of The World. Eckharte Tolle explains it well and teaches it perfectly in his “Power of Now Teaching Series.”
Of course, if you are reading for someone else, you have to judge whether imparting this information is the right thing to do or whether your client will look at you with suspicion and start edging away. For a more down to earth (no pun intended) interpretation of The World, read on.
Interpreting ‘The World’
When The World shows up in a reading, it is always positive. If it appears in a future position in a spread, then you can enthuse about all the great stuff that is going to happen. The querent is going to experience success, achievement, fulfilment, the end of a difficult time, celebration, rebirth, an actual birth, being in the right place at the right time, deep satisfaction, a sense of homecoming, the attainment of a goal or dream – all those things and more.
Perhaps the querent looks a little baffled when you tell them the meaning of the card – get them to look back and see if the card means that they have reached a succession of smaller goals or have overcome a number of smaller problems. They might suddenly realize how far they have come during the last year (or five).
If the card is in the past position, point out to them that at one time they had it all and that they can have it again with bells on. Hopefully the rest of the reading will help them along the path to that sought-after destination. Talk about the Fool’s journey a little, and its spiral-like progression to higher levels of knowledge and understanding.
Should the card be reversed (upside down) then the general meaning is still there but to a lesser degree. The achievement may be minor, the life-cycle not so momentous but still, it means the querent is headed in the right direction.
One thing I have noticed a lot with this card is that it often represents a transition phase – the period of notice given when changing jobs, for example. It is often the case that when someone reaches an important goal, that, for a while afterwards, they feel a bit flat. This is perfectly normal and is merely the stepping-off point for the next stage of the journey.
Conclusion
Whether seen as a symbol of personal fulfilment, a harbinger of new challenges, or a bridge between the mundane and the divine, The World card reminds us that every ending is also a new beginning. And meanwhile, you might have to wait for that new beginning to materialise.
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