| What is the Tarot? | | | | Others believe that the cards themselves hold |
| The tarot is a deck of 78 cards, featuring | | | | some kind of inherent divinatory power, which |
| illustrations that can be interpreted in various | | | | may be read by a skilled person. For this reason, |
| ways. The deck is divided into two sections, called | | | | handling another person's cards is generally |
| the major and minor arcana. The major arcana | | | | frowned upon in occult circles, as their energy |
| features the 21 trump cards, and the minor | | | | could become contaminated. |
| arcana is divided into four suits (wands, pentacles, | | | | Doing a Reading |
| cups and swords) each with cards featuring the | | | | There is no set method for performing a |
| numbers 1-10, an ace and four court cards (the | | | | divinatory tarot reading. However there are |
| Page, Knight, Queen and King). | | | | several popular layouts or 'spreads', with perhaps |
| Origin of the Tarot | | | | the most well known being the Celtic cross. This is |
| The oldest known tarot cards originated in 15th | | | | usually the first method taught to beginners, |
| century Italy. The tarot appears to have started | | | | although it is by no means the most simple. |
| life as a card game, and was at first restricted to | | | | Experienced tarot readers will often invent their |
| the wealthy upper classes, although after the | | | | own spreads, with their own means of |
| invention of the printing press, the cards became | | | | interpretation. |
| more widely available. Some writers have claimed | | | | Once the cards are selected by the person |
| (despite the apparent lack of evidence) that the | | | | receiving the reading, the reader lays them out in |
| imagery of the tarot cards suggests a more | | | | a spread and analyses them, taking into account |
| ancient origin, and have connected the tarot with | | | | the positions relative to each other, the |
| such cultures and traditions as the ancient | | | | symbolism of the individual cards, and their |
| Egyptians and the mystical Hebrew Kabbalah. | | | | position (upright or reversed). |
| Later Developments | | | | Meaning of the Cards |
| It was not until the 18th century that the cards | | | | There is no generally agreed upon interpretation |
| became associated with the occult and mystical | | | | of the tarot cards. They all have imagery of |
| activities with which they are often linked today. | | | | varying degrees of complexity,and the wide range |
| This began in 1781, when the freemason Antoine | | | | of decks available makes the situation even more |
| Court de Gebelin made the claim in his work 'Le | | | | difficult. Nevertheless there is a huge amount of |
| Monde Primatif' that tarot cards contained hidden | | | | writings available on the symbology of the tarot, |
| meanings (which he associated with the ancient | | | | and on the most basic level, the 22 major arcana |
| Egyptians) that could be used fordivinatory | | | | cards are thought to represent the journey of |
| purposes. | | | | the Fool from ignorance to enlightenment. |
| Since then other mystic and magical traditions, | | | | In addition, the minor arcana cards have their own |
| such as the order of the Golden Dawn, have | | | | symbolism. The numbers are most obviously |
| claimed that the tarot has ancient roots, and that | | | | associated with numerology, and the suits are |
| is has hidden wisdom to impart to those seeking | | | | linked to the four elements (Swords=Air; |
| enlightenment. | | | | Cups=Water; Wands=Fire; Pentacles=Earth). The |
| The tarot's mass appeal increased with the | | | | tarot has also been linked with other mystical and |
| publication of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot in 1910. | | | | occult systems such as the I Ching, astrology, and |
| Arthur Edwards Waite was a | | | | the Kabbalah. |
| Golden Dawn member, and in this new deck, | | | | Choosing a Tarot Deck |
| drawn by the artist Pamela Colman Smith, images | | | | There is a huge range of tarot decks to choose |
| with occult symbolism were included on the | | | | from. Two classic decks are the symbolism-rich |
| numeric cards, as well as the trump cards. This | | | | Rider-Waite deck, and Crowley's Thoth deck, both |
| deck was very successful (and remains popular | | | | of which remain very popular. The early Marseille |
| today), and since then, hundreds if not thousands | | | | deck (used by Gebelin to illustrate 'Le Monde |
| of diverse new decks have been published, with | | | | Primitif') is another important deck, also. There are |
| many enthusiasts creating their own. | | | | also many less conventional decks to choose |
| Uses of the Tarot | | | | from, and people with just about any special |
| The tarot has several distinct uses, including: | | | | interest can find a deck to match. |
| 1. Games | | | | Feminists, for example, might like the |
| This was its original use, and it is still used for | | | | Motherpeace Tarot with its round cards and |
| gaming purposes in some European countries. | | | | exclusively female imagery, whereas some of |
| 2. Psychology | | | | those interested in Paganism might enjoy the |
| Carl jung was the first mainstream psychologist | | | | Witches deck or the DruidCraft tarot. Tarot |
| to attach meaning to the tarot cards, when he | | | | decks can be found representing animals too, as |
| associated them with the fundamental archetypes | | | | well natural imagery, various sports, and other |
| that he believed to reside in the collective human | | | | common activities. In fact, whatever your taste, |
| unconscious. Several therapeutic techniques | | | | there's probably a tarot pack available to match, |
| involving the tarot have developed from this | | | | and most can be found online as well as from |
| insight. | | | | bookstores, new age shops etc. |
| 3. Inspiration | | | | Where to Start? |
| Many artists and writers have produced works | | | | If you're interested in learning mote about the |
| inspired by the tarot. | | | | tarot, I recommend checking out some of the |
| 4. Divination | | | | numerous excellent tarot-related sites on the net |
| Fortune telling is perhaps the most common use | | | | (see the link in my resource box for some good |
| associated with the tarot. The images on the | | | | starting points), as well as online and local book |
| cards may help the person seeking the reading to | | | | stores and new age stores. One thing's for sure - |
| tap into their own subconscious knowledge. | | | | there's no shortage of information available! |