Introducing The World XXI
We see a figure in the center surrounded by a green oval wreath. The figure is naked, except for a piece of cloth. She holds a baton in each hand. In the four corners of the card are clouds and four symbols: a human, a bull, a lion, and an eagle.
Symbols & Systems
figure
Traditionally this card featured a hermaphrodite (both male and female reproductive organs) displayed. The Rider Waite deck seems to present a woman. However, it’s uncertain, as the genital region is covered. Regardless, s/he is happy and blissful.
Her stance is similar to that of The Hanged Man, except flipped. While the Hanged Man is often interpreted as signifying stagnation, another meaning is ‘waiting for enlightenment’.
Upright, the legs are dancing: The world is literally being danced into existence just as Shiva, Lord of the Cosmic Dance created the world with his consort Parvati.
garb
The cloth covers the figure’s genital region is purple, signifying royalty and spirituality. The figure has reached a stage of enlightenment and internal freedom.
baton / wand
The two white batons/wands that the figure holds represent power and will. They receive and transmit the energies of the universe and the energies of the person.
wreath
The oval wreath surrounding the figure represents our earth upon which we reside. The earth sits within the universe (World card). The red sash on the top and bottom of the wreath represents the root chakra, life-force, and passion. How it is tied suggests the lemniscate, or infinity symbol, which we also see in The Magician and Strength cards. The lemniscate teaches us that ‘As above, so below’, i.e., we are actually reflections of the world.
characters in the corners
These four characters traditionally represent the four gospels. The Rider Waite deck is heavy with Cabalah – a version of Kabbalah that brings in Christian mysticism. The four characters are also guardians of the universe.
Top right-hand corner: Eagle
The Eagle represents the element of water and the astrological sign of Scorpio, recalling the Cups suit.
Top left-hand corner: Man
The Man represents the element of air and the astrological sign of Aquarius, recalling the Swords suit.
Bottom left-hand corner: Bull
The Bull represents the element of earth and the astrological sign of Taurus, recalling the Pentacles suit.
Bottom right-hand corner: Lion
The Lion represents the element of fire and the astrological sign of Leo, recalling the Wands suit.
blue background
This represents the sky and the lofty ideals that we’ve reached. It also represents healing and communication, both internally with ourselves, and externally with the world.
gods / goddesses
The World card is ruled by all Gods and Goddesses, or ultimate deities.
Female: Gaia, Isis, Earth Mother
Male: Zeus, Yahweh, Green Man
number
Saturn rules The World card. Saturn is the last personal planet, and represents the space before the trans-personal planets appear. Saturn helps us in our individuation process. We experience Saturn Returns every 29 1/2 years, when Saturn returns to the same place in our chart as it was at the time of our birth. It’s believed that whatever we have not addressed or processed will flare up around our Saturn Return.
Astrology
Saturn rules The World card. Saturn is the last planet known to the ancients, and represents the space before the trans-personal planets appear. Saturn helps us in our individuation process. We experience Saturn Returns every 29 1/2 years, when Saturn returns to the same place in our chart as it was at the time of our birth. It’s believed that whatever we have not addressed or processed will flare up around our Saturn Return.
Saturn rules skin, hair, teeth, bones, the body’s defenses, and the spleen.
Kabbalah
The creators of the Rider Waite Tarot deck were members of the Golden Dawn, a group that followed teachings based on the Kabbalah. Kabbalists are mystics who believe that God is neither male nor female, and has many aspects. Kabbalah is all about learning why we’re here, the mystery of the universe, and what the big plan is.
Being the 22nd card, The World corresponds to the 22nd Hebrew letter Taf – ת.
The World on The Tree of Life sits on the path leading from Yesod to Malkuth.
The name of this card is Administrative Intelligence, meaning that we take part in creating the world in which we live; we have administrative power, i.e., we’re not simply passive victims; we’re co-creators.
The message from The World XXI
The World wants to let you know that everything is OK, as it’s meant to be. You’ve reached completion. Allow yourself to focus on what you have achieved. Be grateful for all that you have and give thanks. Pause and enjoy the energy. Enjoy where you are.
Ask yourself these questions
• Have I completed a cycle? Is an aspect of my spiritual journey complete?
• Is it time to celebrate something in my life that’s been completed?
• Do I feel balanced? Connected to myself?
• Are my male and female sides in harmony?
• Do I feel connected to the planet?
• Am I doing my daily spiritual exercise? Exercising my compassion/Chesed muscle?
• Am I grateful every day for what I have?
• If I’m not feeling complete, what can heal me right now?
The World XXI reversed
When I see a reversed card, I simply see energy blocked or inhibited in some way. How would The World be inhibited? I see the World inhibited every day: When we don’t respect our planet, it has a habit of reminding us: floods, hurricanes, other heretofore unseen weather phenomena. If you get The World reversed for yourself or someone else, some questions to ask might be:
• Am I feeling restricted?
• Do I sense that a phase in my life needs to end?
• Am I not able to let something complete and end itself?
• Do I fear transition to the next stage?
• When do I disrespect to myself? Our planet?
• Do I feel like my world is turned upside down?
• Does it feel impossible right now to achieve anything?
• What’s one action I can take today to remove what’s blocked?
If you get The World reversed, it’s asking you to understand that all is not well. What’s out of balance? Your health? Relationships? Work/life balance? Spiritual path? Now is not the time to sit back and wait for this phase to end; Take action now to re-right the balance.
To sum it all up
The World card can have many meanings depending on the question asked and the surrounding cards. It can indicate cycles ending. It can indicate a sense of completion inside ourselves. It can teach us about compassion by reminding us that we’re all one.
The World invites you to understand that you’re not separate; you’re connected to all aspects of yourself, those around you, and the planet you inhabit: Separateness is an illusion.
In the movie Avatar, the native peoples called the Na’vi live on a densely forested moon called Pandora. They’re at one with their environment, a symbiotic relationship that fascinates the researcher Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver). Whatever happens to their planet happens to them also. When the human invaders from planet Earth begin destroying their land, it also affects the Na’vi. The World card can explain the relationship the Na’vi have with their habitat: They’re not separate from the world; they’re a beautiful symbol of connectedness.
So are we affected by the world we live in, and it is affected by us. It’s a symbiotic relationship, but we’re often too much in our heads to see that. True happiness comes with connection to ourselves, to others, and to the planet.
