The World Keywords
Major cycles, completion, ultimate fulfilment, success, achievement, incompletion, overwhelm, closure, accomplishment
The World Numerology
21
The World Astrology Zodiac
Leo, Taurus, Aquarius, Scorpio
The World Tarot Suit
Major Arcana
Journal Prompts for The World Tarot Card
– What new opportunities and/or experiences am I ready to engage in?
– What have I learned and what am I taking with me as I complete this chapter?
The World Tarot Card Meaning
A nude woman, draped in a purple/blue sash, hovers in the sky above The World. She holds a wand in each of her hands and is at the center of a large green wreath; red ribbons wrapped at the top and bottom. In each corner, images appear from the clouds, representing the fixed zodiac signs. A man in the upper left for Aquarius and the element of air; an eagle in the upper right for Scorpio and the element of water; a lion in the lower right for Leo and the element of fire; and a bull for Taurus and the element of earth. The clear blue sky in the background signifies clarity and a fresh perspective.
*Based on the Rider Waite Tarot Deck
The World Upright
The World signifies that a time of (major) completion, success, wholeness, etc is underway. It appears in your tarot reading during times when all things – mind, body, soul, etc – come together and into alignment harmoniously. Additionally, your perspective more than anything becomes clearer and therefore your confidence strengthens.
The World indicates that your journey and whatever you have been working toward has come full circle. Often though, this is also when the greater part of the work, the next phases, begins. When this major arcana card appears on your path, you may likely find yourself in a position to breathe a sigh of relief, as a potentially long cycle closes. The upright world tarot card appears especially during moments when all of your hard work and efforts finally start to pay off. The fruits of your labors are developing in a more lucrative way, and you are able to enjoy your earnings/successes.
Overall, goals have been accomplished and you are ready to advance to the next level, whatever that might be. The World card is an indication that significant and major changes have occurred and/or are occurring. With such shifts, growth and/or expansion is likely to be inevitable. The meaning of The World often ushers in new beginnings and with it new experiences and possibilities.
The World card invites and encourages you to step into your confidence and to take aligned action toward your goals. Now is the time to (continue to) commit to yourself and your dreams more than anything. The World brings powerful energies of development and potential, all thresholds that you have worked toward and that have led you up to this point.
Whether your inquiry involves finances, work, family, relationships, love life, etc, trust that you have reached a point of readiness following a (long) period of preparation and/or work. All that is required now is your willingness to accept your success and step into the next chapter.
Celebration may also be in order with The World appearing in your reading. With all of your accomplishments and efforts under your belt, you are being encouraged to take a load off. This is your sign to take a moment to enjoy your successes and to truly appreciate all that you have managed to achieve by celebrating your wins–you have more than earned it.
The World Reversed
If you are seeing the reversed World tarot card, it is possible that something has been left incomplete, if not, it may very well feel that way. Even though you may think that you have seen things through and felt confident with your efforts, it is possible that something was overlooked or left unfinished. Perhaps things are not quite complete and this is your chance to take a second look before walking away and/or considering the situation as done.
The reversal of this key can also indicate that while a significant cycle may be coming to a close, rather than feeling relief, you may be feeling uneasy and/or unready for things to come to an end. At times, endings can bring up difficult emotions and bittersweet feelings. Give yourself time to process your deeper feelings and remember, it is normal to grieve even during the most celebratory and desired endings.
When The World and its reversed meaning can often indicate that your inner and outer worlds could be misaligned in some way. Something is not adding up as expected or turning out as you had hoped. If this sounds familiar, try not to be discouraged. The appearance of this reversed archetype could be an indication for you to revisit your situation.
The World reversed can show up in your tarot spread during a time when you might be feeling unfulfilled and/or as though something is missing, even though everything else appears to be fine. Feelings of detachment and/or disconnect may be preventing you from being fully present to and excited about your successes.
Whether your circumstances deal with matters of the heart, career or otherwise, you may be experiencing discontent with the results of your work. The World in reverse can signal a time when you have fulfilled your goals but are not able to enjoy or appreciate what you have managed to accomplish. For whatever reason, something may be out of sync and therefore, you may benefit by taking a step back to gain a better perspective.
With this major arcana tarot card showing up in reverse, it is possible that what you have worked toward has turned out to be less than what you anticipated. You may have taken great strides to come this far, only to find out that the end result was not worth it. It can be very disappointing and disheartening to put so much of your time and energy into something, only for it to not pay off as you may have hoped.
If that is the case, try your best not to see anything as a failure. Take a moment to look at things from a different perspective. See if there might yet be an opportunity to shift the energy so that you can make any adjustments, etc.
