The World Tarot Card Meanings

The World Upright Meaning

The World card points to the presiding wisdom which upholds life on this and all worlds. In most Tarot decks, it is a female figure that has become our standard World image. She originates in Hebrew, Gnostic, and Alchemical lore, and stands between heaven and Earth as the cosmic mother of souls, the wife of God, and our protector from the karmic forces we have set loose upon the Earth in our immaturity and ignorance.

The goddess of The World card invites us into cosmic citizenship -- once we come to realize our soul's potential for it. It announces the awakening of the soul's immortal being, accomplished without the necessity of dying.

This card, like the Sun, is reputed to have no negative meaning no matter where or how it appears. If the Hermetic axiom is "Know Thyself", this image represents what becomes known when the true nature of self is followed to creative freedom and its ultimate realization.

The World Reversed Meaning

The World card is one of only two cards that have no reverse meaning. Nevertheless, it could indicate a slight slowdown in the flow of events or the need for more introspection as events unfold.

Practice trusting and relaxing into the nurturing support of the Great Mother Goddess, while things sort themselves out.

The World Advice Position

The World card may be giving you permission to do whatever you want. Presently, your motivation is close to the will of the divine. Even if you commit an error, it will be turned to the greater good. Stay active and just keep moving forward. It is unnecessary to keep checking or interrupting your spontaneity with calculation. Rather than look for consensus or affirmation from others, simply dance the dance. In other words, express yourself, react naturally, and let the chips fall where they may.

What matters is divine intention. Whether or not human beings approve is less important. If you allow your ego to inflate, however, you cease to be useful to the greater plan.

The World Love Position

The World in this position symbolizes the energy of the Great Goddess Sofia -- the universal womb from which all manifestation comes forth. This state of consciousness is characterized by a balance between the Inner Life and the Outer Life. In this state you are no longer alienated from other life forms, great and small. You worked hard through many cycles to achieve such a mystical experience.

Your ego can no longer block the light of awareness that moves through you. According to the Tarot, the spiritual mission of human beings is to mediate the three worlds of universal consciousness, self-consciousness and the collective unconscious. When such epiphanies happen, we experience ourselves in a timeless state of grace where there is no doubt, shame, or grief. Such a moment is priceless and worth all the work and waiting. It's the culmination of all your efforts and a harbinger of remarkable potentials, romantically and otherwise.

The World Career Position

When the World is in this position, you may be approaching the circumstances you planned, organized and labored for. The hard times are over for you and the people who work with you. Finally, the end is in sight. Your shared ambition has kept you on target, despite the internal and external forces obscuring the way. All signs point to a bull's eye. The group achievement far surpasses what any of you could have done alone.

Pause for a while and enjoy this moment. Recognize that as a team, you have completed what you set out to achieve. Whatever else happens, this achievement will make a difference in this world.

The World in a Yes or No Card Reading

The World is a card of unity and wholeness. If you're looking for simple Yes or No guidance and receive The World, the answer is YES. View your present experience as a full circle moment, a fitting conclusion to a certain chapter.