20 The World
The World Tarot card represents completion, achievement, and wholeness. It signifies the successful conclusion of a journey or cycle, bringing fulfillment, balance, and harmony. You’ve reached a milestone or accomplished a significant goal, integrating lessons learned along the way. The card symbolizes unity, enlightenment, and the sense of being connected to the larger world. It can also indicate travel, particularly long-distance or global experiences, and marks the beginning of a new phase in life. In relationships, it reflects harmony and deep connection. In career and finances, it indicates success and the realization of long-term ambitions. Celebrate your accomplishments!
Upright Meaning Guide
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Upright Keyword Meanings:
Judgement, self-evaluation, awakening, renewal, composure, decisiveness,
forgiveness, homesickness, clarity, snap judgments, apportioning blame
General Interpretation (Upright)
The World Tarot card signifies having the world at your feet! This can be in a literal sense as The World is one of the Travel cards of the Major Arcana. It can represent new worlds opening up for you so you can expect to be welcomed by the people in the countries you travel to. The World can also mean you will have the world at your feet in another sense, i.e. that you will be successful and the opportunities available to you at the moment are endless. You have gone through the trials and tribulations of the rest of the Major Arcana, you have endured the hardships and learned your lessons and now you will reap the rewards. You should be proud of what you have achieved, it has not been easy to get here but you’ve done it. The universe is smiling upon you and luck is on your side when this Major Arcana card appears in your reading so grab the opportunities available to you. The World can represent the completion of a challenge such as a university course or a project or can represent finally achieving a dream or aspiration such as starting your own business, getting married or having children. You have reached the point where you can be happy with what you have accomplished. Success can bring a whole new set of challenges or worries so make sure you’re not carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. You’ve worked hard to get to this point so stop and savour the moment! Celebrate your accomplishments.
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​The World represents the culmination of a journey, symbolizing accomplishment, fulfillment, and harmony. It indicates that you’ve overcome challenges and are now reaping the rewards of your hard work and perseverance. This card often signifies the completion of a major project, personal goal, or life phase, bringing a sense of satisfaction and balance. It may also suggest travel or exploration of new opportunities. The World encourages you to savor your achievements and embrace the endless possibilities ahead. It’s a time of integration and feeling at one with the universe.
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Love & Relationships (Upright)
In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, The World can signify reaching a goal you have aspired to. That may be getting married or having children or just being in a very happy, secure, loving and committed place in your relationship. There are whole worlds opening up to you and your partner, enjoy this time, you have both had to work to get your relationship to this point. If you are single, The World signifies that there are so many options open to you. It suggests that you have worked hard to overcome your personal challenges to reach stage where you are at peace with yourself and your place in the world. This can only mean good things for you romantically, as like attracts like. When you are comfortable with yourself, happy and open to the possibilities this life has to offer you will draw someone amazing into your life. It can also be an indication that you may meet someone new while traveling or someone who travels a lot perhaps as part of their job. It also suggests that you will be popular and in-demand.
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If in a relationship: The World represents reaching important milestones, such as marriage, starting a family, or achieving harmony in your connection.
If single: It signifies personal growth and readiness for a meaningful relationship. It may also suggest meeting someone special through travel or broadening your social horizons.
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Money & Career (Upright)
In a career context, The World can represent reaching your career goals. If you have gone into business for yourself, it represents reaching a point, after all the stress and uncertainty of the start-up phase when you weren’t sure it would work, where your business is a success and you can finally breathe a sigh of relief! Enjoy the fruits of your hard work, you deserve it and remember to share your success with the people who helped you along the way. If you work for someone else, it can represent finally getting the position you always dreamed of or completing a successful project that will get you the recognition you deserve. The World in a career Tarot reading can also represent traveling in relation to work. In a financial context, The World indicates that money should be coming your way. However, this is not encouragement to gamble or make risky investments, rather it tells you that all the hard work you’ve been doing is going to pay off. Maybe you’ll receive an unexpected but well-deserved bonus or you will land a big contract which will give you financial security or maybe you’ll just reach the point where you feel financially secure after a long period of scrimping and saving. Whatever it is, your finances will be looking good with The World in your Tarot reading.
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In career readings, The World indicates reaching significant goals, whether it’s achieving professional success, completing a major project, or establishing financial stability. Business ventures flourish, and opportunities for travel or expansion may arise. Financially, this card suggests rewards for your hard work and careful planning.
Health (Upright)
If you have been battling an illness or injury, The World is an excellent card to get as it represents successfully coming through adversity. It is a great omen for recovery. Your health generally should be on the up if The World appears in a health Tarot spread.
The World is a positive sign for recovery and vitality. If you’ve been unwell, it indicates overcoming illness or injury and a return to balance and wellness.
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Spirituality (Upright)
In a spiritual context, The World signifies that you have come through the karmic lessons you were given and have learned from them. You now understand yourself, your path and where and how you fit into this world. This is bringing you the sense of spiritual fulfilment you have longed for. You will find you are very in tune with spirit and new planes are opening up to you. You may feel compelled to go out into the world and share your knowledge and experience.
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Spiritually, The World symbolizes enlightenment and harmony. You’ve learned key karmic lessons and feel connected to your higher self and the universe. This is a time to share your insights and experiences with others.
Reversed Meaning Guide
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Reversed Keyword Meanings:
Lack of success, stagnation, lack of achievement, disappointment, burden, lack of completion,
unfulfilled goals, feeling stuck, burdened, incomplete
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General Interpretation (Reversed)​
The World Tarot card reversed can indicate that you have not accomplished what you set out to do and things have become stagnant. You may have tried to take shortcuts instead of putting in the hard work necessary to achieve your dreams. You may be throwing all your energy into trying to make something work that is not working for you. The World reversed can signify feeling stuck in a situation. This will be one particular part of your life that is taking up your energy rather than problems in all areas. You may be aware of what is it already as it will be a focus for you and you may feel burdened by it. Remember that there is no point in flogging a dead horse. So if you’ve thrown everything you’ve got a something and it’s still not working for you, The World reversed may be telling you that it’s time to accept the disappointment and cut your losses.
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Reversed, The World suggests a lack of closure, stagnation, or failure to complete what you set out to achieve. It may indicate shortcuts or half-hearted efforts that have prevented success. You might feel stuck in a particular area of life, burdened by unmet goals, or unable to move forward. This card advises reevaluating your approach, letting go of what isn’t working, and being honest about what you truly desire. Success requires effort, patience, and determination.
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Love & Relationships (Reversed)
In a love Tarot spread, if you are in a relationship, The World reversed can indicate that your relationship has become stagnant. It may be that you and your partner have let things slide and you need to put more effort in to the relationship and having open and honest communication to get it back on track. If, however, you have been putting serious work into your relationship but it doesn’t seem to be getting any better, you may need to consider if this is the right relationship for you. If you are single, you may feel that your love life has fallen flat but ask yourself if you’ve been making enough effort to get out and meet the right people. Prince/Princess charming is not just going to knock on your door and sweep you off your feet. You have to get out and meet people. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. The World reversed can also indicate that you are struggling to move on from a relationship that ended without warning. Perhaps a previous partner suddenly cut you off without warning or didn’t give you the time you needed to come to terms with the end of relationship. This can be incredibly difficult to deal with as you have not had an opportunity to get closure. Don’t wish your life away waiting for them to come back. You may never get closure from your previous partner so you must focus on finding another way to make your peace with what has happened. Ask the universe to help you in this and keep yourself open to opportunities for healing. You will get through it in time but it will take a big conscious effort on your part, so put your focus into that.
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If in a relationship: The World reversed suggests stagnation or unresolved issues. Open communication and effort are needed to rekindle the connection. If you’ve been trying without progress, it may be time to reassess the relationship.
If single: It can indicate difficulty moving on from past relationships or failing to put yourself out there. Focus on healing and opening yourself to new possibilities.​​​
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Money & Career (Reversed)
In a career context, this card suggests a pivotal moment where indecision or self-doubt could hinder your progress. Seize opportunities before they pass you by. Financially, it warns against over-cautiousness—balance responsibility with allowing yourself occasional indulgences or investments that align with your goals.
In a career context, The World reversed signals unmet goals or untapped potential. Reflect on what’s holding you back—lack of effort, fear of failure, or external factors—and take steps to overcome these obstacles. Financially, it warns against risky investments or shortcuts. Focus on steady, disciplined progress.
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Health (Reversed)
In a health context, if you have been suffering from an illness, The World reversed can indicate that you need to rethink your treatments. If you have been trying the same things over and over and they have not been working, The World reversed is telling to try something different. This does not mean ignore your doctor’s advice but maybe try a holistic approach in conjunction with your current treatments that will compliment them and boost your health. However, if you have been failing to complete treatments like a course of medication or complete a fitness plan, The World reversed tells you to stop trying to take shortcuts and finish what you’ve started, if you want to resolve your health issues.
The World reversed may indicate ineffective treatments or lack of follow-through on health plans. It encourages exploring new, complementary approaches and committing fully to your recovery efforts.
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Spirituality (Reversed)
In a spiritual context, The World reversed indicates that you may feel your spirit connection has become stagnant and that you are unable or have lost the will to progress. When this happens sometimes we need to try a different approach. Why not try something you’ve never tried before? Try something new and interesting to reignite your passion. Alternatively, if you have not been putting the work into your spiritual pursuits, it tells you to be honest with yourself. There are no shortcuts to your spiritual path. You have to want to follow the path and put the effort in.
n a spiritual context, The World reversed highlights stagnation or lack of effort in spiritual growth. It suggests trying new practices or reigniting your passion for spiritual exploration. Dedication and honesty are essential to progress.
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The World, whether upright or reversed, encourages perseverance, reflection, and appreciation of the journey. With dedication, fulfillment and growth are within reach.
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