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About The Tarot:
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Tarot cards are a tool of divination. The symbolism of the
archetypal images speaks the universal language of the unconscious.
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Tarot cards are a path to guidance, personal growth
and self knowledge.
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Tarot has been linked with almost every magical system or
religion throughout the world.
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Tarot decks consist of 78 cards(some modern decks have modified
the number of cards as well as artwork and card names). The
22 "trump" cards known as the Major Arcana depict archetypal
images, elemental forces, vices, and virtues and represent
higher divine wisdom. The remaining 56 cards or Minor Arcana
are comparable to regular playing cards however instead of
one jack, tarot cards have a knight and a page. The Minor
Arcana cards correspond to our everyday mundane lives.
History of Tarot:
Etymology: Middle French, from Italian tarocchi (This is also
the name of the card game).
Although their origins are obscure, tarot cards can be traced
back to mid 15th century Italy where the 22 major arcana cards
(or "trumps") appear to have been created as a card game for
the upper class ("triumph cards"). There was a definite distinction
between playing cards and triumph cards.
The idea of tarot cards for the esoteric purpose of divination
appears to have been sparked in the late 1700's when they
became associated with traditions of mysticism. This notion
was carried into the 19th century. At this point, the 22 trumps
were combined with the 56 minor arcana cards.
At the turn of the 20th century, publisher A. E. Waite and
artist Pamela Coleman Smith created the Rider-Waite deck.
This had a profound influence on the development of modern
tarot. The innovative artist Pamela Smith developed the minor
arcana into allegorical-like imagery. This deck became the
most popular deck in the English-speaking world. Most subsequent
decks are based on this one.
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Tarot Tips:
When buying a deck of tarot cards, buy the deck whose imagery
most resonates with you.
Be aware that cards that are upside down in layouts have
a reversed meaning. This is not a bad thing! It will provide
you with a whole other dimension of insight.
Once you have an understanding of the symbolism of the images
and the spread layouts, try using your intuition to create
your own means of devising ways to shuffle, pick and lay out
the cards.
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magnificent deck is highly magickal.