the star tarot card

The Basics of Tarot

The art of tarot has been a popular yet mysterious practice that’s been used and respected for centuries. Whether you’re new to this form of divination or not, understanding the nuances is important. In addition, knowing the subtleties of the art is essential to getting the answers you seek.

While some religious people believe that using tarot to determine the past, present, or future is immoral, millions of soothsayers, religious followers and adventurous individuals around the world still practice it.

Regardless of your personal beliefs, well done tarot readings can be very telling and helpful for those who understand how to use it.

Depending on which side of the table you’re sitting, a good psychic reading using tarot cards is an eye-opening experience that often leaves people shaken up yet feeling enthusiastic about the future.

What Is The Tarot?

Tarot is a complicated form of divination that requires years of practice to master. Put simply, however, it is merely a deck of cards featuring various symbols or archetypes which represent different parts of the human experience.

Known to some psychics as “a map of the spirit,” tarot decks create a bird’s-eye visual that, when explained properly, can be easily understood, and used to guide decisions.

This otherwise complex divination system uses a set of specially designed cards to help readers and knowledge seekers gain insights on various parts of their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual lives. Typically focused on help a person achieve better control over personal issues like life changes, opportunities, and personal relationships, a properly executed tarot reading is very telling.

A Brief History of the Art of Tarot

Tarot reading have been used for thousands of years to help curious individuals gain a better understanding of their mysterious and sometimes unpredictable world. However, the use of tarot decks is only about 600 years old. Despite it’s relative youth, tarot decks are specifically designed to be a repository of ancient wisdom. Regardless, the details of the history of tarot is still shrouded in secret.

The modern tarot deck is merely a subset of the much larger and more complicated deck used in antiquity. While some believe that the original deck came from China, Spain, or Italy, others swear that the first decks originated in Egypt, India, or France. However, the origins of the first tarot deck are inconsequential to the main objective – using tarot to open the mind and soul for the purposes of better understanding and accepting things that remain hidden.

How Is a Tarot Deck Organized?

Lovers Tarot CardWhen tarot decks were first introduced to the psychic community, there were only a handful of decks available. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of tarot decks used in modern times with all different and wonderful types of artwork and themes.

Although the type of deck used depends heavily on the preference of the psychic performing the reading, the main properties of a well-made tarot usually deck features the same basic cards.

Based on tradition, the typical tarot deck contains 72 to 78 fortune-telling cards, usually with the following four suits:

  • Swords
  • Cups
  • Pentacles (coins)
  • Wands (batons or staves)

Understanding the occult symbolism of the various suits requires some creativity and imagination. However, those who possess an adequate understanding of symbolic knowledge are more easily able to comprehend the meanings as they arise from the deck. The often-hidden forces driving nature and man are intuitively blended together in the symbols, and then they are used primarily for teaching the fundamental principles of esoteric aesthetics.

The general division of the typical deck of tarot cards is divided further as follows, with each card having a special name and meaning:

  • The Hanged Man
  • The Magician
  • Death
  • The Emperor
  • The Empress
  • The High Priestess
  • The Devil
  • The Chariot
  • The Lovers
  • The Tower
  • The Hierophant
  • The Star
  • The Moon
  • The Sun
  • The Hermit
  • The Fool
  • The Wheel of Fortune
  • The World
  • Strength
  • Justice
  • Judgement
  • Temperance

Usually, a complete pack of tarot cards contains those special cards which are then divided into the four suits mentioned above. There are usually additional picture cards – King, Queen, and Knave/Knight – one of each for each of the suits. As mentioned, however, not all tarot decks are the same, nor are they all set up in the same manner.

How Are Tarot Cards Read?

Some images courtesy of the Gaian Tarot

Some images courtesy of the Gaian Tarot

Although the basic origins of the modern-day tarot deck are generally unknown, one thing is certain – there are no real rules to how a tarot reading must take place. In fact, tarot readers must adhere to only one steadfast rule: use Hermetic symbolism to initiate and identify various intuitive processes. That’s it.

However, many novice tarot card readers and seasoned psychics use tested layouts to suffice their own metaphysical interpretation of the cards drawn. In general, the cards chosen can fall into two main categories: major arcana and minor arcana. Depending on the placement of the cards and their general symbolism, the tarot reading is conducted using the reader’s own understanding.

The most commonly division of tarot cards features three parts: 1) with 21 numbered cards, 2) with only 1 card, and 3) with 56 cards. In general, the second part of the layout coincides with the first and third parts in numerous esoteric ways depending on various factors. Moreover, the layout of the cards on the table further determines the outcome of the reading – combining and comparing the relationship between God, Man, and the Universe for a highly customized outcome based on intuition, ideas, consciousness, and the properties of the physical world.

Important points about using and getting readings with the Tarot

Fool Tarot CardAlthough some people think that tarot cannot tell the future, the deck’s ability to render unknown information is determined by both the reader and receiver’s willingness to be open-minded.

In short, you’re likely to find out what you came looking for if you’re open to the legitimacy of the deck. However, it’s important to note that any interpretations made by the psychic are contingent upon choices you make from that moment on. Follow your intuition and maybe even consider learning the tarot yourself!

If you want to get a tarot reading by a trained psychic then take a look at my guide to getting great psychic readings

 

 

 

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