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