Hero's Journey and Major Arcana: Map of the Soul

Introduction: The Adventure Called Life

Mythologist Joseph Campbell discovered a common pattern after studying myths around the world. The Monomyth, or 'Hero's Journey'. Departure → Initiation → Return. Surprisingly, the order of Tarot's Major Arcana from 0 to 21 matches perfectly with this Hero's Journey. This proves Tarot is not merely fortune telling but a Soul's Growth Map.

Act 1: The Departure - Out into the World

0. The Fool

Birth of the Hero. Pure state of knowing nothing and thus fearing nothing. Standing on the edge of a cliff but looking at the sky.

1. Magician & 2. High Priestess

Checking resources. Magician provides conscious ability (Tool), High Priestess provides unconscious ability (Intuition). Archetypes of Father (Yang) and Mother (Yin).

4. Emperor & 5. Hierophant

Socialization process. Learning worldly rules (Emperor) and spiritual traditions (Hierophant). Hero feels safe here but simultaneously stifled.

7. Chariot

First victory. Establishing Ego and rushing out into the world. Full of spirit saying "I can do it." But still immature.

Act 2: The Initiation - Series of Trials

9. Hermit

Diving inward. Hero enters the cave not to find the world but to find 'Self'.

10. Wheel of Fortune

Experiencing force majeure of destiny. Facing a colossal force not under my will.

12. Hanged Man

Voluntary sacrifice and shift of perspective. Hero hangs upside down seeing the world differently. Shift from Doing to Being.

13. Death

The greatest trial. The old self must die completely. Pain of breaking the shell.

15. Devil & 16. Tower

Encounter with Shadow. Facing hidden desires (Devil), and accumulated arrogance (Tower) is struck by lightning and collapses. Thorough destruction.

Act 3: The Return - Integration and Wholeness

17. Star

Hope after destruction. Pouring water while naked. Pure healing.

18. Moon & 19. Sun

Final gateway. Passing through unconscious terror (Moon) and recovering clear light of consciousness (Sun).

20. Judgement

Resurrection. The dead rise at the sound of the trumpet. Realizing Calling and being reborn.

21. World

Wholeness. Hero returns to where he started, but he has changed. The journey of Fool 0 has ended, and a higher dimension journey of new 0 begins.

Practical Application: Where Am I Now?

You must know that the pain you are suffering is not 'meaningless hardship'.

• If Tower appears: Don't ask "Why me?", ask "What must collapse for me to be free?" You are at stage 16. Star (17) will rise soon.
• If Hermit phase: Don't be lonely. Now is the time to turn your back on the world and light the inner lamp.

Conclusion: You Are That Hero

Tarot reading is not a game where a fortune teller guesses your fate. It is a Navigation confirming which stage of the Hero's Journey you are in and giving courage to move to the next. Draw a card. And write your own myth.

References:

• Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces
• Hajo Banzhaf, Tarot and the Journey of the Hero
• Rachel Pollack, Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom