Tarot Spirit

by Sandra Johnson

The origins of the Tarot are surrounded with myth and lore. It is hard to know for sure what the facts are. The Tarot has been thought to come from places like India, Egypt, China and Morocco. Others say the Tarot was brought to us from the Sufis or the Jewish Cabbalists. Still others contend that the origin of the tarot was from Moses. In the library of Alexandria, in Egypt, there were scrolls that were based on the Book of Thoth, an ancient book that came from Egypt’s mystery schools. One theory is that the illustrations on the Tarot cards are secret teachings of the Book of Thoth hidden in the innocent pictures.

It seems that wherever there was a secret ‘word of mouth’ tradition handed down from teacher to pupil, it was hailed as the origin or beginning of Tarot. A large group believed it was the Gypsies who brought the tarot to Europe, the word gypsy being a corrupted version of Egyptian. That is highly unlikely, since evidence points to gypsies not using Tarot until the 20th century. Before that, palmistry was their preferred method of fortune telling.

The Historical Evidence Behind the Origins of the Tarot

It seems the only evidence there is to the origins of the Tarot can be found in the cards that were made in Italy, around 1420. The symbolism of the trumps can be found in the European art of the time, with some drawings being exactly the likeness of those found on Tarot cards.

History tells us that a scholar named Marziano da Torona, who was secretary to the Duke of Milan, may have invented the Tarot deck. Marziano was a scholar and an expert astrologer. The young duke, Filippo Maria Visconti instructed Marziano to create a game, using a deck that would replace the common suits of swords, coins, staves and cups. The duke wanted the new deck to have cards that represented virtues, riches, pleasures and purities. Marziano went on to create the card deck that Visconti wanted. He wrote a companion book to go with the deck of cards. It is on display in the Paris National library. In the book, there are no divine meanings to the cards, but no real rules for a card game, either. The book focuses on the symbolic meaning of the pictures and the different ranks of the depicted characters. Michelino da Besozzo is the Italian artist credited with painting the cards.

Is it plausible that the origins of the Tarot as the curious card game invented by Marziano da Torona? If so, why doesn’t the book that accompanied the deck refer to the divination of the cards?

The Mystery Continues About The Origins of the Tarot

Where did the word Tarot come from? It has been called a Hebrew, Latin or Egyptian word. Is the word Tarot really an anagram, which when solved explains the mystery of the cards? Once again, the historical evidence of the origins of the word points to where the cards first appeared - in Italy. The cards were called Carte da trionfi, which is Italian for “cards of the triumphs”. Later, a new card game was introduced, called Trumps or Triumphs. As it was played with different cards, the original Carte da trionfi became tarocco. In French they were called tarot.

Cosmic Tarot Deck & Book Set Set

What are these cards that are shrouded in mysterious beginnings used for? Are they good or evil? The Tarot is basically a set of symbols, which are printed on a pack of 78 cards. Regular playing cards have hearts, clubs, spades and diamonds as suits. Tarot cards have different suits, with meanings. The Wands (also known as staves or rods) point to creativity and energy. There are the Cups (or vessels), relating to emotions and friends; Swords cover the area of challenge and thought; the Pentacles (coins or disks) relate to money and security. The cards are placed in a particular pattern. A Tarot reader uses the cards as an oracle that can answer questions from the past, present or future.

The philosophy behind the Tarot is that the future is subject to change. If you are given enough notice, you can avoid the event you are being warned about. The Tarot makes you think, make you take steps that you might not have considered. When you ask a question of the Tarot that relates to the future, you’ll be shown what will happen if you don’t change anything. Many consider the Tarot cards as more of a counselling guide than a divining tool. Tarot readings can provide flashes of inspiration where otherwise the problems the person may be facing may seem insurmountable.

Do the cards that are used today, all over the world come from the deck Marziano da Torona created in the 1400’s? Is the reason the origins of the Tarot are so shrouded in mystery owing to Anima Mundi? The Anima Mundi or soul of the world is seen as the vital force that presides over the growth and continuity of all living things. Like a Universal library, it contains the entire human races’ memories and wisdom from the past, present and future. It can be summoned with deep thought. Imagine all the basic figures one could find in all religions, myths, legends and folklore. When combined, this wealth of knowledge is a powerhouse. To understand this more one can look at the Empress card of the Tarot. The very essence of femininity is represented in the Empress - she is the great mother Goddess of the world. She represents ‘the eternal feminine’, in myth and psychology. Does working with the images of the Tarot somehow allow our unconscious to connect with that human collectiveness? Does the Tarot become a porthole to the storehouse of answers to any question any of us has ever had? Perhaps it is because of the mystical Anima Mundi that we can’t pinpoint the origin of the Tarot with certainty.

We may never really know the true history or the origins of the Tarot. Nevertheless, we continue to be attracted to the Tarot’s wisdom, symbols and story.

Name: Sandra Johnson Website: http://www.tarotlines.com Biography: Sandra writes for Tarot Lines - providers of live tarot readings.
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by Sandra Johnson

The tarot deck of cards, usually 78 in number, is divided into two separate categories, the major and the minor arcana (arcana from the Latin meaning of closed or secret). There are 21 individual cards, referred to as trumps, and the fool card in the major arcana. The minor arcana have 56 cards consisting of 10 cards numbered from Ace to ten in four different suits. In a traditional tarot deck of cards, the suits include batons, wands, rods, or staves; cups, swords, and coins, disks, or pentacles. In addition, there are four court cards, or face cards, in a tarot deck, including the page or knave, queen, knight and king in each of the same four suits.

One of the most interesting cards in a tarot deck is the Fool. He represents both the number 22 and zero. Twenty-two completes the cycle or journey of the major arcana, whereas zero represents the god of force, a symbol of our unlimited potential. A circle, therefore, has no end but continues on and on, a symbol of God and infinity. The bright sun above the Fool is a sign of energy that melts the snow on the mountains, bringing life and nourishment to those below. In addition, there is more significance to the Fool card in the tarot deck, such as the bag representing memories, the eagle for aspirations, the white rose for purity, and the dog symbolizing the eventual course of evolution.

The number two card, the Magician, signifies the conscious mind or the ability to control from above what occurs below by the wand, the cup, the sword, and the coins. Thoughts of passion and desire are held in check by the wisdom and purity of the Magician. The High Priestess, the subconscious mind, reflects a balance or impartiality between the light and dark pillars, the two opposites of male and female. Her knowledge and experience provide the proper and wisest course of action in the link between the conscious and the subconscious.

An older version of the Magician is the Emperor, the ruler who controls the system needed for effective management of thoughts and desires. The Empress in a tarot deck is simply an indication of time. It represents the 12 signs of the zodiac, an indicator that eventually all thoughts and aspirations will become realties. Another interesting card in the tarot deck is the Hierophant, the teacher or our inner self. The Hierophant makes decisions based on reason and intuition, which he has gathered in the cycle of life through experience and wisdom.

The Lovers card symbolizes relationships and partners, the compatibility of male and female. In this card, the woman is the subconscious, the male is the conscious mind, and the angel above them represents the superconscious. In time the female gains the wisdom and inspiration to give to the relationship, raising it to a spiritual level.above the physical or materialistic world. Our will is controlled through strength and driven by the Chariot. The Hermit might well be considered the creator; he stands alone above the rest simply by virtue of his wisdom and success. The lantern he holds offers enlightenment for those who would follow. Furthermore, the Wheel of Fortune reveals to us who we really are and Justice corrects the mistakes of our past and makes them right. Interestingly enough, the Hanged Man is upside down, the way that others see us in contrast to the way we really are. In the cycle of life, the tarot deck includes the Death card, for death must come to everyone. However, the meaning of Death in the tarot cards is a transformation and rebirth of consciousness to a higher level.

Aleister Crowley Thoth Tarot Deck

In addition, the Temperance card depicts an angel, with one foot in the water and one on the earth. Similar to the High Priestess, she too balances wisdom and introspection with desire and doubt, further solidifying the link between the conscious and the subconscious. The Devil card symbolizes the lies and misconceptions we may encounter on our journey. Eventually, however we will reach the Tower with its bolt of lightning, an indication that we have achieved true knowledge and understanding.

The major arcana also includes the Star, often presented as a woman who takes from the pool of knowledge and relays what she has learned to the five senses of man. The Moon card represents our spiritual evolution from creation to creator. The tarot cards also emphasize the importance of the Sun for light and energy and the Judgment needed for an understanding of the link between the universal conscious of man and humanity. A final card in the major arcana is the World, which represents our place in the unending cycle of life, in relationship to an unchanging Universe.

The four suits of the minor arcana portray the various material aspects of life and the numbers, as interpreted through numerology, indicate the strength of the vibrations in each card. In the suit of wands, we see the realm of spirit, ideas, ambition, and growth in the fire, club, and creative cards. Our desires and feelings, not outwardly apparent, are reflected in the suit of cups by heart, emotions, and water. In the suits of swords, spades, air and intellect, the cards symbolize the struggles to bring ideas into reality. The final desired result is found in the suit of pentacles, where diamonds and earth represent the completion of the link between the conscious and the subconscious.

There are many types of tarot decks of cards, in a variety of styles, shapes, and number; however, their interpretation is basically the same in every deck. The reading of the tarot cards may prove fascinating to study. The tarot provides great pursuit for an occultist, or if you believe in the supernatural, or if you are simply curious about life and its ups and downs, and such aspects as love, career, and success. If you’re seeking insight into the past, the present, or the future, perhaps you’ll find it in the tarot deck of cards.

Name: Sandra Johnson Website: http://www.tarotlines.com Biography: Sandra writes for Tarot Lines - providers of live tarot readings.
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by Lee Davis

Card number six of the Major Arcana, The Lovers stands as a unique example of deeper meanings. One of the few cards in the deck often disputed over, The Lovers is symbology at its best, the more dense roots of divination becoming clear only to those who open their minds to see.

When we talk about the meaning of the tarot or the symbols they “should” allow the card reader to see, in the beginning when you first start out, it’s best to begin with instinct. Let your psyche connect to the deck you choose before ever attempting to learn the book meanings. This way, you know your connection to the cards has not been swayed by the author’s signified interpretation of them. Although there is usually a consistent across-the-board meaning for the deck, many authors delve into their own experiences with them, enriching our complete picture even more fully.

Considering that the Tarot began in our known history of it (incomplete though it may be) as a card game, somewhere along the line, people began using it as a tool for divination. Although many use a regular deck of playing cards these days, perhaps someday, humans will look on the hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds as revered in the area of psychic work. I know more than a few readers who love using a basic deck of cards. With the regular decks being four suits like the Minor Arcana of the Tarot, many feel there is no question of the decks being related somewhere in history, the Tarot likely coming first, considering its four suits.

Many of the more common meanings for this card include - “The struggle between sacred love and profane harmony. Refers to love, relationships and marriage. Sexual urge and desire.” and “lovers, marriage, union…” and the male representing conscious mind, while the female holds symbology over the subconscious mind.

Many interpretations leave out the connection between the Head and the Heart in this card’s meanings. Usually favoring the more direct approach of a union of minds, hearts and paths, many readers neglect to mention the really apparent connections and disconnections between our Logical Brain and our Emotional Brain. While each has its valued contributions to our lives, The Lovers is directly telling us that we need to stop, take a look at what’s going on in our life and take a moment to listen to our inner voice, to see with our inner sight.

Rider-Waite Learning To Read The Tarot Intuitively

As a reader, let your client know that drawing The Lovers is a sign of good roads ahead, good choices to be made and love received, if one uses their heart and head with equal force. To have an imbalance between the two steers us into unbalanced relationships and partnerships (this can also mean financial partnership) and thus leave us feeling unfulfilled.

Let The Lovers card talk to you as though it had voice. Let it show you the elements it shadows so well. With the standardized Rider-Waite deck you’ll see the symbols of woman looking at the messenger of God, man looking at woman and you’ll hear different interpretations. This however, perfectly illustrates why the Tarot should be taken at meaning rather than picture. The Morgan Greer deck shows the Lovers entwined in each other’s arms. When I read, I read the different cards in the same way, but if you were to be of the belief that the angel presents a significant symbol in the one, yet is missing in the other, then you will read different decks differently. Not a bad thing, but it can present a confusion for readers of little experience.

With Orange ruling this card and Gemini associated, we can’t help but think of passion and love (orange being the color of the sex chakra), yet when you read, keep in mind the more subtle energies of The Lovers card and let those subtleties flow from you to enhance your readings.
About the Author
L. Davis has been writing for over 35 years and is published in many formats including in- print books, print articles, online publications and poetry and erotica collections. Her new age writing covers a wide variety of topics from witchcraft and paganism, to the Tarot and Metaphysics. Environmental issues are part of the protection of Gaia and are included under Gaia Publishing. http://www.gaiapublishing.com

by Fred Street
This quick guide is an excellent introduction to the Tarot. Theory, history and a breakdown of card meanings.

INTRODUCING THE TAROT - Tarot is a means of divination - that is, the art of ‘reading’ the future or uncovering the unknown. The tarot consists of a set of playing cards which are dealt into a particular layout according to what your question is. When dealing the cards you should focus on a particular problem you may be experiencing or think about an aspect of your life about which you’d like more clarity. Traditionally the tarot has been interpreted by a ‘tarot reader’ - either professional or amateur. More recently, however, computers have been used more often to give readings online or on CD Roms etc.

HISTORY - There is much mystery surrounding the history of the tarot and myths about its origins abound. Some cynics say that this mystery has been perpetuated as a marketing tool for tarot card salesmen! However, by just looking at the evidence available we can estimate that the earliest surviving full deck was painted in 1422 by Italian artist Bonifacio Bembo. This is known as the Visconti deck, named after the Duke of Milan, who commissioned them. Although accounts of Ancient Egyptian, Celtic, Indian and earlier Italian links have been suggested, there is no evidence to support claims of earlier decks than the Visconti. It is possible that these more exotic links were drawn as a result of the Moorish and other cultural influences on Italian society at the time.

The cards were originally used for a game called Tarocchi or ‘Game of Triumphs’ which was similar to Bridge. The game was played mainly by the Upper Classes and has continued in some circles (mainly in Italy and France) to be played to this day.

The tarot’s use by the Upper Classes probably saved the game from being banned by the Church (though some accounts state that tarot was considered heretical and outlawed by the Church). Indeed in the latter half of the fifteenth century some church sermons labelled tarot as the work of the Devil. But in fact the Church concerned itself more with the use of ordinary playing cards, which were considered gambling. Some cards from the tarot deck - such as the Devil, the Tower and the Death card - were on occasions omitted from the pack, as they were feared by many people, but little harm was actually done to the use of the cards until centuries later.

EVOLUTION - The tarot has undergone many permutations in its use, design and interpretation over the centuries. There is early evidence, for instance, to suggest that one of the first permutations was in using the cards as inspiration for poetry - possibly the first use in describing aspects of the human psyche and personality traits. The cards have since evolved according to the prevailing culture of the times and attitudes within them.

The first evidence of tarot being used as a divinatory tool came in the early eighteenth century in Bologna. In 1781 a clergyman, Antoine Court de Gebelin, revitalised and raised awareness of the tarot in his book, which drew links between the imagery in the Major Arcana and the mysteries of Ancient Egypt. This was later picked up by occult practitioners (occult means “hidden”) such as Alistair Crowley and Waite of the Rider-Waite deck. The imagery on this deck is the one with which we are most familiar today as this was the deck introduced into America in the twentieth century and the only one readily available to generations of Americans. We therefore tend to associate the tarot with more esoteric connections, rather than the lighter use which defined its origins in fifteenth century Italy, over 500 years before.

Universal Waite Tarot Deck

THE TAROT CARDS - There are 78 cards in a tarot deck. These cards are made up of a Major Arcana (Trumps) and Minor Arcana. Arcana means mystery, which reflects the secret wisdom contained in each card.

The Major Arcana Major Arcana or ‘Great Mysteries’ consists of 22 cards and represents our journey through life.

The Minor Arcana (Lesser Mysteries) consists of 56 cards and represents day-to-day living. The Minor Arcana can be divided into four suits. These are Wands, Cups, Swords and Coins.

The Suits The Wands represent doing Key words: Action, change, beginning, resolution, fire element.

The Cups represent being Key words: Feeling, emotions, spiritual, love, water element.

The Swords represent thinking Key words: Ideas, understanding, reason, conflict, air element.

The Coins represent having Key words: Money, property, abundance, earth element.

Each suit consists of numbered cards from Ace to Ten plus four Court Cards - the Page, Knight, Queen and King.

Court cards The Court Cards traditionally represent a person in your life or an aspect of yourself. For instance, turning up the Knight of Wands suggests you or someone in your life may be acting irresponsibly and therefore behaving like this Knight. This site has been written so that all the interpretations can be found in the text. You do not need to do any extra work in adding the Court Card interpretations into your readings.

Card numbering These definitions are not intended to give comprehensive definitions (nor do they fit each card precisely). Rather, they provide general patterns and a rough path through the suits:

Ace: Represents the essence of its suit Two: First steps into the area of the suit Three: Further steps Four: Inner blocks to be overcome along the way Five: Hardship, strife, struggle, conflict Six: Journeys and learning new lessons Seven: Learning further, more challenging lessons in order to break into the new Eight: Having to persist through difficulties Nine: Final lessons Ten: The end result of learning all the lessons of the suit Page: The apprentice who learns and plays with the essence of the suit Knight: The rebellious or ‘darker’ side to the suit Queen: The feminine manifestation of the suit - its ‘inner aspect’ King: The masculine manifestation of the suit - its ‘outer,’ worldly aspect.

To learn more about Tarot and get a free reading visit http://www.tarot-cards-reading.com
About the Author
Fred Street is the creator of www.tarot-cards-reading.com a free Tarot reading site which offers a wide range of readings online and by email. Ideal for anyone learning Tarot

by John GibbThe first question one might ask when the word “Tarot” is mentioned, most likely has to do with what is Tarot and how does it work. According to its practitioners, Tarot is a form of divination using a deck of cards, each carrying a symbolic meaning. Tarot is a window through which one can learn to see the future. It is best if one considers Tarot as a mirror that deeply and, for its funs, accurately reflects the feeling, dreams, thoughts and aspirations of a person. For the thousands who have been reading or listening to Tarot cards readings, Tarot resembles a guide that can help someone face the unknown landscape of his or her life. Contrary to many of its opponents, Tarot is not spooky or something supernatural. But where did it come from and why people seem to be drawn by its “magic?”

There are a number of different theories, stories, guesses, and assumptions, regarding Tarot’s origin, the exact sources of Tarot are not completely known. People that have researched on Tarot’s history, find that the earliest available reliable information categorizes Tarot as a card game played in Italy during the fifteen century -the oldest of found Tarot cards belonged to the Visconti family, rulers of Milan. But it is unknown when exactly Tarot earned its reputation as a device used for fortune-telling. Different civilizations over time, like that of Ancient Egypt, used images drawn on cards which were used to predict events through symbolic representation. There are some who claim that Tarot cards traveled to Europe from the Middle East through trading caravans or during the Crusades. But although the exact origin of Tarot cards remains unknown, the fact still is that Tarot makes some people, who do not believe that the future can or should be predicted, feel uncomfortable. Interestingly enough, Tarot has managed to survive over the centuries, although fortune-telling is actually forbidden by some religions and is considered incompatible with some spiritual approaches to life.

Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom

For a long time Tarot cards remained privileged to the upper class of society, but after the invention of the printing press the once hand-painting deck of cards became available to the masses. The typical 78-card Tarot deck is structured into two distinct parts: the major arcana and minor arcana. The word “arcana” means the secret or mysterious knowledge. Neither part is more important than the other, just different. The first set, major arcana, also referred to as the Trump cards, consists of 21 cards without suits numbered from 1 through 21, plus a 22nd card “The Fool,” which is sometimes given the value of zero. The second group, minor arcana, consists of 56 cards divided into 4 suits of 14 cards each. Further classified, the 14 cards in each suit consist of an Ace, nine cards numbered 2 through 10 and four court cards; just like the regular deck of 52-cards.

Today Tarot is used by many practitioners in assisting people to examine carefully their past experiences, explain their present actions and figure out how to better pursue their future endeavors. Although Tarot is assigned an illusive and mystical character, many of its proponents argue that everything comes from a person’s willingness to see things clearly and allocate the available resources to the areas needing his or her attention the most. If you are now convinced that you would like to learn more about the Tarot deck and its meanings, a plethora of articles, books, and online sources, exist to assist you in retrieving additional information, which can at least entertain you during a dull evening.
About the Author
John Gibb is the owner of tarot-reading resources For more information on Tarot Reading check out http://www.tarot-reading-guidance.info