Introduction to Tarot

What is the tarot?

What exactly is the tarot, you ask? Simply put, a tarot deck contains 78 cards, each rich in symbolism, which can be worked with to gain clarity and insight into your daily life and spiritual journey. Think of it as your personal mystical map that guides you through the chapters of your life and spiritual growth.

Where does the tarot come from?

One of my favorite things about the tarot is that no one knows exactly where it comes from – which makes it all the more mystical. Some metaphysical scholars believe that it originated in Italy in the fifteenth century, others in ancient Egypt, where the knowledge of Thoth was present, and still others in ancient India or China. They all agree that its original purpose was a game and a form of entertainment. It was not until the 1780s that predictive meanings were attributed to the popular playing cards under the leadership of the French occultist Jean-Baptiste Alliette. From there, the tarot developed into one of the world’s most popular forms of fortune telling, with literally thousands of different designs. The Rider-Waite, created by AE Waite and Pamela Coleman Smith, is the most popular and best known and was published in December 1909. Regardless of where it comes from, a true tarot deck has 78 cards and is divided into two parts: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana.

What is the Major Arcana?

The Major Arcana are the 22 cards that represent universal principles or important life lessons and experiences. They are usually the more ornate and detailed cards of the deck. Every person will experience and live these principles in multiple areas of their life during their lifetime. The cards themselves are a map of consciousness, one building on the other, and so on. The first half of the Major Arcana (The Fool – Wheel of Fortune) deals with the principles of our external life, growing up, being in a relationship, a career and a family. The second half of the major arcana (Justice – The World) has to do with our internal development, soul growth and karmic lessons. The Major Arcana include deep spiritual wisdom, such as:

• Important life lessons
• Shared archetypes
• The collective unconscious
• Experiences of all humanity
• Your spiritual journey

What is the Minor Arcana?

The 56 cards of the Minor Arcana are also called the pip cards. There are four colors that represent the four elements and how we experience them in our daily lives: wands/fire/action, cups/water/emotion, swords/air/change and disks/earth/work. Each suit has 14 cards, ace through ten, and contains a set of four court cards: Page/start, knight/movement, queen/advice, and king/power. The Minor Arcana contains everyday wisdom that fits into everyday life, including:

• Your conscious behavior and actions
• Day to day experiences
• How to learn or block your life lessons (Major Arcana) in physical reality
• How to translate your visions into physical form
• How you participate in your spiritual journey

How to choose and maintain your deck

Should you get a card game as a gift, or can you buy one yourself? As special as it is to receive a deck of cards as a gift, selecting your own deck of cards can be just as meaningful and just as powerful. Choose a deck that speaks to you, whether it’s the art, the captions, the color or the feeling it gives you. There’s no wrong way to choose – have fun! Once you have selected your deck, it is always a good idea to remove any previous energies from it and connect it with your own energies.

• Clear your deck by burning sage or other sacred herbs and allowing them to flow through the clouds of smoke
• Place a piece of black kyanite on it (black kyanite is a powerful purifying, protective, grounding and stimulating gemstone)
• Place it in the moonlight to brighten and energize it, especially during a full moon
• Shaking, percussion, and tapping your deck are also quick ways to release energy

Find a special way to safely store your deck. A beautiful pouch, silk cloth or special box is a great way to store your new deck. Throw in a few of your favorite gemstones to keep it protected and energized, like clear quartz, lapis lazuli, or amethyst. I like to place my deck on my altar, surrounded by my favorite spiritual tools.

How to do a reading with your new deck

Prepare yourself, your deck, and your space to receive spiritual wisdom. I like to burn sage or work with some of my favorite essential oils or gemstones to help me feel more grounded, centered, and ready to welcome higher wisdom. Then shake them and spread them out. My best advice is to keep it simple! With just a few cards you can do an in-depth reading. My favorite is a spread with three cards: Past, Present and Future. Let your intuition be your guide. As you choose each card, you may feel some energy, it may catch your attention, or it may even jump out of the deck. Trust that the cards intended to be part of the reading will make themselves known to you.

How to interpret the cards

You don’t have to be an expert or clairvoyant to interpret the cards. With a little study you can do a great reading for yourself or others. If you want to learn more, there are thousands of books that can help you with different distributions and interpretations. Some of my favorite tarot authors are Rachel Pollack, Mary K. Greer, and Angeles Arrien. However, rest assured that you can do a meaningful reading without a book or the pamphlet that came with the deck. Take a deep breath, become a hollow bone and let the age-old wisdom flow freely through you. When reading your cards, remember the following:

• What’s happening on the map?
• What do the colors tell you?
• What does numerology tell you?
• What do the symbols mean to you?
• Is there a pattern?
• Which story appeals to you?

To conclude

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, the tarot is an ever-popular tool for tapping into your intuition and the archetypes that live in the collective unconscious to gain clarity, insight and wisdom about your life and spiritual journey.

Enjoy the journey!

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