Years ago, a reader told me I was The Hermit from the major arcana, but she also mentioned that our card changes as we evolve through life. I’ve been trying to figure out which card I am now, but all I can find online are birth card calculators based on numerology.
Does anyone know a method or have a guide for finding your current personal card?
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I’ve seen this idea of an “anchor card” but I don’t know if there’s one approach that works for everyone.
One approach I picked up from an old teacher is to shuffle your deck while thinking about who you are right now. Pull cards until one makes you go “oh shit, that’s me.” Not the card you want to be, but the one that feels uncomfortably accurate. Sometimes it’s a court card, sometimes major arcana.
Another thing that works is looking at which card keeps showing up in your readings for others. Like when I was going through my divorce, I kept pulling the Tower for completely unrelated questions. Took me weeks to realize the deck was basically holding up a mirror.
You could also try meditation with the major arcana laid out. See which one your eyes keep landing on or which makes you feel exposed. The card that reads YOU rather than you reading it.
I don’t really like the idea of using gimmicks or quizzes for this kind of thing. 
I would say just do daily draws for yourself and let Spirit just show you. Repetition tells you something. If you keep seeing this same card over and over again in your spreads… you already have your answer.
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You basically add up all the numbers in your birth date until you get something between 1-21 (or 22 if you count The Fool that way). So, like if you were born March 15, 1990: 3+1+5+1+9+9+0 = 28, then 2+8 = 10. That would be The Wheel of Fortune.
I tried it and got The Tower. Yeah, that tracks lol. There’s calculators online if you don’t want to do the math yourself
Yeah, I don’t think anyone has just one card… we probably go through phases with this kind of thing. Your current situation doesn’t describe you for the rest of your life.
There’s this thing where you can look at your life challenges and match them to card meanings. Having boundary issues? Maybe you’re in a Nine of Wands phase. Starting over after everything fell apart? Could be The Fool or Death.
The cards describe archetypal experiences we cycle through.
Study them a lot.
There’s no easy app or test that is going to take a few questions and spit out the right card. Anyone using one is just fooling themselves.
The study this takes is exactly why most people don’t know which card in a spread is actually representing them.
The meanings change depending on what’s going on in your life. You can’t really sum up a whole person with one card anyway. People are too complicated for that. Even my cat seems to get that the cards are just pieces of something bigger.
Figuring out your current card comes down to the vibe you’re in right now. If you’re in a hopeful, get-moving phase, The Fool or The Chariot could fit. If you’re more inward or a bit cynical, The Hermit or The Moon might make more sense.
Before digging in, ground yourself. Take three slow breaths with the deck in your hands and notice what actually clicks. I’ll sometimes pull asking, Which major arcana am I channeling today? and track what shows up over a week.
The repeat card usually stands out.
If you want a current significator, keep a simple log for a month of any Major Arcana that shows up in the outcome or advice spots during your regular pulls.
Whichever Major keeps repeating and actually influences what you do is your card right now. If you’re getting mostly Minors, use the associations: a bunch of 7 of Wands (Mars in Leo) can point to Strength (Leo) or the Tower (Mars), depending on which story matches your situation.
I feel like a lot of people are going to read this looking for one of those daft quizzes. This is why most people don’t understand how good the Tarot can be if you just let it. Sigh.
Have you tried tracking which major arcana shows up most when you read for yourself? I started keeping a journal of my daily pulls and noticed some interesting patterns. Certain cards kept appearing during specific times in my life. Like they were trying to tell me something.
What if you pulled a card each morning asking ‘which major arcana am I embodying today?’
Do it for a month and see what happens. The card that shows up most might show you’ve moved on from The Hermit energy into something else.
Some readers say each Major Arcana has its own number vibe that shifts with your age. Add the digits of your age until you get one number (35, > 3+5=8). Then look for the card number that feels like it matches yours.
If you want a starting point, try building a spread around your life path number.
Add up the digits of your birth date until you get one number (16.08.1990 1+6+0+8+1+9+9+0 = 34 3+4 = 7, The Chariot).
Use that as your anchor card, then pull cards to see which major arcana you’re in right now. Handy if you were told you’re The Hermit but your current vibe feels different.
Rotate your tarot altar. Pick one Major Arcana card for the week and set your reading space around it. Notice what energy still feels present when the weeks over.
Try flipping through the Majors quickly, whichever one makes you wince or want to skip it is probably connected to what you’re avoiding right now. Your current card is often the one dealing with that energy.
I use a three-position spread: Mask (your public face), Shadow (what you’re resisting), and Bridge (integration).
The Bridge position usually reveals your present archetype. After that, try writing two letters, one from your Shadow card to you, then your reply. If the Hermit was your previous ally, ask what he might be showing you about your Shadow.
He might still be walking alongside you while another Major archetype steps forward.
Birth cards (from numerology) point to themes that run through your whole life. For a read on the present, I use a significator. Sit with your deck and notice which card you’re drawn to. Sometimes I pull with the prompt: ‘Which Major Arcana reflects where I’m at right now?’ That’s usually enough for me.
Just choose a card that resonates with you and the Tarot will use that to represent you. Sometimes we overcomplicate things.
I used to stress about traditional meanings and choosing the right significator based on zodiac or court-card rules. Now I just take the one that grabs my attention. Sometimes it’s the Hermit while I’m in a social phase, sometimes it’s the Fool when I’m playing it safe. That fits better for me than anything in the charts.
Your soul’s major arcana card is based on your life path number. Just add up all the numbers in your birth date to get it.
So here’s what I do: shuffle the deck and literally just ask which card should be my signifier. Short and sweet.
Pull a card and then check what it means in your tarot book or look it up online. It’s like getting to know that particular card better. The right card tends to make itself known. I’ve had good luck with this method.
What if you’re not even dealing with a Major card right now? I’ve been thinking about court cards lately and how they change. Pages are still figuring things out, Knights are on some kind of mission, Queens handle the emotional stuff, and Kings… well, they’ve got it together at least.
So Waite (the tarot guy from way back) thought our birthdates gave us a permanent spiritual signature.
You calculate it by adding all the numbers in your birthdate. Like if you’re born May 25, 1994: 5+2+5+1+9+9+4 = 35, then 3+5 = 8. That’s the Strength card. This birth card never changes, but you can check how it relates to whatever major arcana energy you’re in right now.