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