Are the day and month split into digits in the sum?

No. The day and month go in as whole numbers, like 28 or 11. Only the year is broken into its four digits before adding.

What if the total comes out to exactly 22?

Nothing: 22 is right at the limit and is not reduced. The matching card is The Fool, and the soul arcana becomes 4, The Emperor.

Can I use the example dates as if they were mine?

No, they are made up. Always use your real birth date, or the site's calculator, to see your own result.

Personal arcana and numerology

How do you calculate your personal arcana in practice, with a full example?

Published on October 9, 2026

To calculate your personal arcana, add the month number, the day number and the four digits of the year. If the total is above 22, add the digits of that total. The result, from 1 to 22, is your arcana. The examples below use invented dates only to illustrate the math.

First example: a made-up date of 11/07/1988

Note: this date is invented and only shows the math. The month is 11 and the day is 7, and both go in as whole numbers, without splitting their digits. The year 1988, on the other hand, is broken into digits: 1 + 9 + 8 + 8 = 26.

Now add the three parts: 11 + 7 + 26 = 44. Since 44 is greater than 22, the method says to add the digits of the result itself: 4 + 4 = 8. The 8 is within the limit, so the calculation ends here and the personal arcana is Strength.

Because 8 has only one digit, there is no second step. In this case the soul arcana is the same: Strength appears as both the personal card and the soul card.

Second example: a made-up date of 09/28/1975

Also invented. The month is 9, the day is 28, and the year 1975 gives 1 + 9 + 7 + 5 = 22. The sum is 9 + 28 + 22 = 59.

Since 59 is above 22, we add 5 + 9 = 14. The 14 is already between 1 and 22, so it is the personal arcana: Temperance. Here the result has two digits, so there is a second card: 1 + 4 = 5, which is The Hierophant, the soul arcana. The full chain is 14 and then 5.

Step 1: separate the day, month and year.
Step 2: add month + day + the sum of the year's digits.
Step 3: if the total is greater than 22, add the digits of the total.
Step 4: if the personal arcana has two digits (10 to 22), add them to find the soul card.

Why is one reduction enough in this method?

The site's code repeats the reduction as long as the number is greater than 22, but in practice a single round does the job. For dates between 1900 and 2100, the largest possible total is 71 and the smallest is 12, and the digit sum of any value from 23 to 71 always lands between 1 and 15.

This observation comes from testing every date in that range, not from a traditional rule. It only helps you check your math by hand: if you had to reduce twice, you probably made a mistake in one of the sums.

How to check your result

Do the math slowly, then compare it with the site's calculator. The most common mistakes are adding the day or month digit by digit, forgetting one digit of the year, or swapping 22 for 0.

Remember that the personal arcana is a symbolic tradition with no scientific proof. Use the card as a starting point for reflection, and turn to professionals for decisions about health, money or legal matters.

Frequently asked questions

Are the day and month split into digits in the sum?: No. The day and month go in as whole numbers, like 28 or 11. Only the year is broken into its four digits before adding.
What if the total comes out to exactly 22?: Nothing: 22 is right at the limit and is not reduced. The matching card is The Fool, and the soul arcana becomes 4, The Emperor.
Can I use the example dates as if they were mine?: No, they are made up. Always use your real birth date, or the site's calculator, to see your own result.

Educational content, for reflection. Tarot does not replace medical, legal or financial advice.