Tarot cards

Tarot cards are pictorial representations of events and energies that we are likely to encounter in life, such as determination, patience, new beginnings, leaving things behind, joy, togetherness, heartache, reflection and decision-making. The tarot can help us to know ourselves better and to understand why things happen to us. Acting as an open book of philosophy and psychology the tarot cards help us to see the deeper purpose in our lives and to understand human nature.Tarot decks contain 78 cards. 22 of these cards are called the Major Arcana and depict the major changes on our path through life. The remaining 56 cards are known as the Minor Arcana and they expand on these themes. Like a pack of playing cards, the Minor Arcana are made up of four suits - wands, representing the spirit/fire, cups the emotions/water, swords the mind/air and pentacles the physical world/earth. The cards are numbered 1 to 10, Page, Knight, Queen, King. Some decks use different names for these suits and others substitute Prince and Princess for Page and Knight but most of the qualities represented by the cards are similar. The tarot can be used as a divining tool by reading cards that are selected unseen from a deck and interpreting the interaction of the cards and their positions in a spread (specific layout) with reference to issues of importance in your life.

A brief history of tarot
No one knows the 'true' origin of the Tarot. The most common myth is that it was brought to Europe by the Gypsies. This myth has come from the fact that very early occultists who used the tarot proclaimed that the tarot came from Egypt. They were as wrong about that as they were about the homeland of the Gypsies. In fact, the tarot came to Europe about the same time as any other form of playing card, in the early/mid 1300's. It is most closely related to the 'Mamluk' deck of the Islamic world, which had suits cups, coins, swords, and polo-sticks. Playing cards were in use in China in the eleventh century and there is also evidence that links the tarot’s origins to India and to Buddhism. One of the most likely theories is that tarot reading originated in Egypt where it is thought the priesthood used the cards. The tarot survived through the ages and sometimes had to be hidden within church walls. The appearance of tarot cards changed very little until the 19th Century when some new decks were introduced. As they were produced on a small scale they were probably only circulated to those with an interest in the occult.

The Tarot was originally used for a game called 'tarocchi' in Italy. Tarocchi is still played in some parts of the world but not with the same decks the 'fortune tellers' use. The game was quite popular for a time among the royalty in Italy. A duke would sometimes commission an artist to create a deck. Some of the earliest surviving tarot decks come from this source. Plainer decks existed but were not well made enough to survive the next 600 years.

The Joker of 'standard' card decks is "not" related to the Fool card of the tarot. The Joker was invented as a wild card for Euchre in the 1800's, in a part of the world where the tarot was virtually or totally unknown.

The Tarot was first associated with the occult by Antoine Court de Gebelin, a relatively obscure Parisian mason who wrote about the deck in 1781. He invented a lot of the standard myths about the tarot which were later popularised by others (it comes from ancient Egypt, the Major Arcana is related to the Kabalah, etc).

The first commercial deck, the Rider Waite deck, on which many modern decks are based, was produced in 1910 by A. E. Waite. The tarot has continued to grow in popularity and modern printing methods ensure that it is becoming available to anyone who wishes to explore its uses. This is not to say that everyone understands the tarot. Through study and personal growth one can gain an understanding of the tarot. The Rider-Waite tarot deck may be the most popular Tarot deck in use today.

Over the years it has also been known as the Rider-Waite-Smith, Waite-Smith, Waite-Colman Smith or simply the Rider deck. The images were drawn by artist Pamela Colman Smith on the instructions of academic and mystic A. E. Waite. The tarot cards were published by the Rider Company. While the images are very simple and almost child-like, the details and backgrounds hold a wealth of symbolism. The subjects remain close to the earliest decks but have added details. Waite had the Christian imagery of older tarot decks' cards toned down.

The "Pope" card became the "Hierophant," the "Popess" became the "High Priestess." The minor arcana are fully illustrated with designs created by Pamela Colman Smith. The cards were originally published in December 1909 and the symbols used were influenced by the 19th century magician and occultist Eliphas Levi. In 1910, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot by A.E. Waite was published providing an insight of the traditions and history behind the cards, criticism of some interpretations and descriptions of their symbols along with 78 black and white plates of each card in the deck.

U.S. Games currently claims copyright on the cards although the actual copyright may only be valid on certain colourized versions of the card. While some argue that it is in the public domain in the US, their claim may be valid because the derived version of the cards was not in the public domain when US Games created their copyright.

The Rider-Waite tarot deck has been extremely influential in the development of modern tarot decks to the extent that many are called 'Rider-Waite clones' to indicate that they are easily read by those familiar with Rider-Waite. Examples of Rider-Waite clones include the popular decks: Universal Waite tarot deck, Golden Tarot, Aquarian tarot deck, Nigel Jackson Tarot, Gilded Tarot, Golden Rider, to name but a few. The Rider-Waite tarot deck may be the most popular tarot deck in use today. Over the years it has been known by other names such as the Rider-Waite-Smith, Waite-Smith, Waite-Colman Smith or simply the Rider deck.

Can the tarot tell me my future?
The tarot can be used to map out trends in your future. It cannot give you definitive answers but it can tell you what is likely to happen if you follow your current course of action. For example, it may show that if you keep shutting yourself off from your family then you are likely to continue being unhappy. Some tarot readers do have clairvoyant abilities and use their abilities while giving a tarot reading. A tarot reading provides a script based on current trends. If you don’t like the script you can change it. You must decide if you really wish to know your future. It would be foolish to base life on a tarot reading as the reader may have got things wrong. Tarot cards are much more effective for looking at current issues in life such as attitudes to work, family and social life. The tarot will also provide an insight of what is going on in your subconscious. They can help you to understand yourself better illuminating issues that were previously far from obvious. At times you may find yourself thinking, 'Ah, now I understand why I was feeling like that!' and wondering why you didn't see it before.

How do I find the answers to my questions?
Tarot reading is all about your personal interpretation of the cards and their meanings. Not all the meanings will make sense at first. The tarot cards can be used to answer a specific question. Sit quietly for a moment and relax to connect to a higher purpose. Then ask your question, either aloud or in your head. An example of a question could be ‘should I take the promotion I have been offered at work? Or what is coming up for me in my love life? The tarot will then give clarify the subject allowing you to make a decision based on information given. Avoid asking ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer questions as there are no ‘yes’ and ‘no’ cards in the tarot deck. The tarot is about making informed choices and not about definite answers. It's about using the insight you gain from the cards to make up your own mind. You can also ask a general question such as ‘what important things are coming up for me in my life?’The intention you hold when reading your cards is important. It can be tempting to quickly scan a spread look up a couple of brief definitions and then move on because it doesn't look like the response you expected. If you always approach the tarot in this way the answers to your questions will be shallow ones. If you spend some time trying to understand what each card is telling you and put them away and reflect on them throughout the day, the answers you receive may be a little more revealing. Over time your attitude to your tarot cards shapes your relationship with them. If you give them respect for what they can teach you, the answers to your questions will prove much more meaningful.

How do I choose a deck?
Tarot decks come in a bewildering variety these days. You can find oversized, undersized or round decks. Some have more than 78 cards, some less. Some are based on a particular mythic cycle. Some are based on a particular psychological theory. Some are based on channelled information. An 'historical' deck has simply one, two or however many wands, cups, or whatever for the number cards. The Rider Waite deck is widely used as many people feel that the energy of each card is portrayed very clearly. The Tarot of the Old Path is popular amongst those who are drawn to white witchcraft and nature based religions. The Cosmic Tarot is useful for those who prefer a deck with fewer symbols. Over time we can all develop sensitivity to the energies symbolised by the tarot but it helps to choose a good deck. The cards energies should be illustrated accurately. What may seem the clearest deck to others may not appeal to you so use your intuition when choosing a deck and choose one with which you feel an affinity. You will find that you are drawn to a particular deck and this is the deck for you.

Choosing a spread
There are many tarot spreads that can be used. Most tarot books include a few examples. There is no need to use a wide range of spreads. Pick a few that you feel comfortable with and develop your understanding of which situations they are best used for. When doing a reading, use your intuition to decide which spread is the best for you. You don't need to know why. The Celtic Cross spread is a popular and well known ten card spread. It’s ideal for those starting out with reading tarot cards. Once you have learned the meanings of the cards you can move on to more complex spreads and the relationship each card has with the other cards around it. There is no reason why you should not design your own spread. It is probably wise to familiarise yourself with reading the tarot before you think about designing your own spread. Knowledge is understanding and once you have this there is nothing to stop you

How do I start reading the tarot?
There is no quick way of becoming a good tarot reader. The easiest way to learn is to buy a deck of cards and study the pictures, read the occasional book and do some practice readings on a close friend. Bear the cards in mind as you go about your daily business. Everyday situations may call to mind certain cards and making these associations will help you to get a feel for the tarot. There are many books available on the meanings of each tarot card. It is fine to learn general meanings from books but your intuition and the way you interpret the picture on each card play a very important part of becoming a good reader.

You may have an understanding of some card and it may take you years to gain a deeper knowledge of others. Reading the tarot can be compared to learning a new language. You begin by studying individual cards as you would learn individual words. You then become aware of how the cards in a spread interact which can be compared with learning to put words together to form sentences.

As you practise speaking a new language you become familiar with its nuances and notice how different inflections can change the mood of a sentence. There are many ways that you can ask or tell people things. Tarot cards can have very different meanings dependent on where they appear in a sentence or spread. When you have been learning a new language for a while you start to think in that language. When you are learning how to read the tarot there comes a point where you no longer have to believe in it because it becomes natural. You know that it works because you have experienced it numerous times. When you read for someone else you become a storyteller, looking for the best place to start the story and the best way to relate it to the other person. If you cannot see what is going on in a certain part of the spread the cards may be describing a relatively inaccessible part of their personality. You may want to ask questions about that area to help them express what has been hidden or unclear. Many study the tarot purely for personal use laying out a spread only when they wish to understand a situation in their lives. The tarot can help to clarify what is happening making their options clearer and giving them the confidence to move on. Some reader’s are very good at reading for other people yet cannot read a spread for themselves.

Is tarot safe?
Some people are concerned that the tarot may be evil or that it is a means for doing harm or for channelling bad spirits. A reader only uses the tarot as a tool. You can drive a car dangerously or use it to bring families together or to visit places to which you'd otherwise have no access. The same is true of the tarot. There are no ‘evil’ cards in the tarot deck although some cards are feared based on their name i.e. the Devil or Death. All of the cards have positive meanings as well as meanings that carry a warning and imply that you need to look further into a situation or think about aspects of your life differently. That does not mean that the tarot is ‘evil’ or unsafe. Care needs to be taken if you are looking for a tarot reader. Before having your cards read ask yourself if you'd feel comfortable lending them money or telling them a secret. If you don't feel you would trust them neither should you trust them to read your cards. When you allow someone to read your tarot you are laying a piece of your life on the table to be examined. The reader has the power to tell you what they see.

The danger lies in what they might say and how this can affect you. If a reader is bitter and angry the tarot may be a vehicle for these qualities and you could end up feeling the same way. Careless readers may tell you things in an inappropriate manner. For example, they may say that they see no future for your current relationship. You may have been married for 10 years and this thoughtless comment could leave you feeling lost, confused and with little hope for the future. Responsible readers will explore what they see in the cards in a more feeling way, commenting that there seems to be a lack of communication between you and your partner. A reader cannot decide that there is no future for your relationship with someone because that is up to you. Stating that it has no future almost denies you the right to see the situation clearly and make your own decision. You may think that the cards have told you that your marriage is over so you must get divorced. One irresponsible comment can cause chaos in someone's life and in that way the tarot can be dangerous. Learning to read tarot cards should be an enjoyable experience. Some find that it sets them off on a spiritual path or is the key that unlocks other aspects of their spirituality. Developing intuitive skills often has this effect