First of all: what exactly are tarot cards? Many people think of some mysterious woman draped in dramatic cloth, warning them of their impending doom, or a man they might meet in the near future. Tarot cards, or “Taromancy,” loosely translate as “seek premonitions.” Many believe that tarot cards are a way to predict your future, but in reality, they are a way to help you manifest and self-fulfill your destiny and the path you should be on. It can give insight into both the past and the future. Still, there’s a lot about tarot reading you didn’t know, including its amazing history.
While they sometimes get a bad rap for being black magic or the work of the devil, Tarot doesn’t actually originate as a form of fortune telling, but as a 15th century card game called Tarocchi. Only in the 18th century did it begin to be used in the context of divination. The tarot was the first deck of cards ever invented and all other playing cards were inspired by it.
A man named Jean Baptise Alliette from France published the first real guide to tarot card reading. He gave his meaning to the deck of cards, drawing influence and inspiration from the natural elements and facts about astronomy. He assigned a specific order to the cards that is still used today. Then, in 2909, the tarot received another update. This one, from tarot reader A.E. Waite and William Rider, explored the scenes that tell a story when cards are placed together.
Here are some other intriguing facts about the art of tarot that you may not be aware of.
1. In a deck of tarot cards there are 78 cards, which are divided into two Arcana. The 22-card Major Arcana help determine the journey to self-enlightenment, while the 56-card Minor Arcana have four suits, each representing different elemental signs.
2. There are four suits in the Minor Arcana, which are Wands (Fire), Pentacles (Earth), Cups (Water) and Swords (Air). While the Wands represent ambition and career, the Pentacles represent home and money, while the Cups are a reference to our emotional selves. Swords represents excessive thoughts and conflicts.
3. It is not necessary to be spiritual to read the tarot. Instead, to maximize your card reading abilities, delve into the realms of knowledge and intuition, which can help you interpret better.
4. Each person has a tarot birth card that is aligned with the Major Arcana. To see what your birthday card is, add up the numbers of your birthday. As an example: 11/22/1990 would break down to 1 + 1 + 2 + 2+ 1 +9 +0. The result is 25. Now add those digits (2 + 5) and you will have your card number, which in this case would be 7. You can look up your birth card tarot meaning to help guide your journey.
5. The Tarot can be used for meditation. Choose a card that naturally appeals to you, close your eyes, and imagine this card expanding in size before you. Now, step into the chart and further explore its energy and imagery.
6. No tarot card is “good” or “bad.” It’s all in the interpretation. And it’s important to remember that you have free will. Something may be representing the end of a stage, or a new beginning in your life. A devil card does not mean you are cursed; it could simply be an indicator of greed, an underlying issue, or power.
7. Rumor has it that someone else should buy you your first deck of tarot cards, but that’s bullshit! It’s a myth and you can definitely buy your cards yourself. You can go ahead and ignore this superstition.
8. They can be used for spells and rituals, and have been known to add a bit more “oomph” to spell casting, if you’re into that sort of thing.
9. The cards can be used to read the tarot. Just transfer the knowledge of the minor cards of a Tarot deck to the normal 52 cards, merging Knights and Pages into Jacks.
10. While they may not help you learn more about objective truths, tarot cards can help shed light on an inner truth that can help many of us come to terms with our personal struggles.
11. The meaning of fortune telling cards can change over time. They will depend on the unique culture of each era, along with the needs of each individual user.
