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