How the 78 Divide the Work
Majors, pips and courts — what each is for
The 78 cards are not one flat pile but three squads with clear jobs: 22 majors handle life's great themes, 40 pips handle daily experience, 16 courts handle people and stances. Know the three squads, and the first glance at any spread is "who showed up".
Majors: the soul's curriculum (22)
From the Fool 0 to the World XXI runs one complete growth narrative (the Fool's Journey). Majors speak at the level of themes: awakening, letting go, rebuilding, completing. Many majors in one spread = a large matter, strong outside forces — set the tone graver.
Pips: daily experience (40)
Four elements × the 1–10 life-line, governing the concrete and felt: a collaboration, a quarrel, a savings account. Nearly all the most actionable advice comes from the pips — they live closest to life.
Courts: people and stances (16)
Page (apprentice and messenger) → Knight (the mover — strongest energy, most easily overdone) → Queen (inward mastery) → King (outward command). Courts usually mean actual people, and can also read as a stance. Many courts = the matter turns on people. Chapter three walks all sixteen.
Gauging at a glance
Lay a spread and count the three squads first: the major ratio sets the theme's gear, the pip ratio the workability, the court ratio the people-density. This glance connects straight into chapter five's "Spread-Level Signals" — the foundation here, the practice there.
Key points of this lesson
Scheduled into the Review Center after the quiz
The 78 in structure
22 majors + 40 pips + 16 courts — three squads with clear jobs.
What majors do
Soul curriculum and life themes (the Fool's Journey); many majors = a large matter and strong outside forces.
What pips do
Four elements × 1–10 of daily experience; the source of the most actionable advice.
What courts do
People and stances; many courts = the matter turns on people.
The four court ranks
Page (apprentice, messages) → Knight (strongest mover, most easily overdone) → Queen (inward mastery) → King (outward command).
Three gauges
Major ratio = theme gear; pip ratio = workability; court ratio = people-density.