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