It is commonly believed that tarot cards first appeared between 1430 and 1450 in Milan, Ferrera, and Bologna. In 1440, the Duke of Milan wrote a letter in which he requested the recipient to bring special “trump” cards that are believed to be different from normal cards.
Although it has been around since the 15th century, it was only after the late 18th century that Tarot reading expanded into divination and guided meditation.
The history of the Tarot is still unknown and each deck has its own meaning attached to it, however usually most of them follow a human life story that represents the ups and downs and the choices we make. The origin of the tarot has the influence of several cultures. associated primarily with the Egyptian (The Book of Thoth, which was the only book to survive the burning of libraries), has 78 leaves that conform to ancient Egyptian doctrines reiterated in Paul Christian’s book, ‘The History and Practice of magic’. The other cultures that also influenced him the most were the Greeks, the Romans, the Turks, and the East Indians.
A pack of tarot cards has 78 cards, the cards are classified as major arcana or minor arcana. There are 22 Major Arcana cards that have images such as the Fool, the High Priestess, and the Devil. The 56 minor arcana cards have images of wands, swords, cups, and pentacles instead of spades, clubs, hearts, and diamonds found on regular playing cards.
The major arcana generally represent the major life events and circumstances and the minor arcana represent the minor day-to-day events that are depicted within the 4 suits.
The answers that one gets in the readings work on the basis of the law of attraction. Whether you have a question in your mind or say it out loud, or if you ask something but really want to know something else, the cards that will be opened will always be in line with what is going on in your head at that moment.
Your detailed reading also depends on how the reader is connected to the superior and the flow of information you receive from them, a reader who is connected will be able to guide you much better about the readings and what your next course of action should be.
The symbols of the cards hide a certain meaning that expresses the reality of the divine world, the intellectual world and the physical world. Each Arcanum is a law of human activity and their combination helps us to understand the phenomena of life.
Let’s see the meaning of some tarot cards to understand them better.
The Fool (Major Arcana) – this card has a man with a small satchel on his shoulder and a dog at his feet. He is looking up to the sky and is about to plunge into an abyss. This man symbolizes faith and optimism. He is taking a leap of faith by believing in his creator and walking away with only a little baggage while his dog, partner or the things that keep us chained on earth try to keep him from jumping.
The High Priestess (Major Arcana) – she is a figure like a queen sitting on a throne surrounded by opposites like dark and light, positive energy and negative energy, etc. In her hand is a scroll called the Torah, which is a religious text that indicates her connection to the divine. She tells us that we should follow our instincts and listen to ourselves more than we usually do.
The Devil (Major Arcana) – seems to be connected to the world above us while maintaining his power over our own world. Beneath the devil are a man and a woman who are completely naked and chained, yet appear calm. This is because they have been deceived by the devil to obtain material pleasures. It indicates the pettiness of our nature and any problems we are facing but have turned away from instead of facing it courageously.
Ace of Wand (Minor Arcana): Has the image of a staff with leaves. This symbolizes good things and fertility. The cane is so powerful and fertile that the leaves stand out strongly. This card means that there will be a wave of positivity in your life.
Two of Pentacles (Minor Arcana) – this card shows a man juggling two pentacles with ease in front of a sea. This symbolizes the choices you make in your life every day and how they could mean new beginnings. The sea behind suggests the ups and downs of life. In all, this card tells you to believe in change and not to resist it.
There are several ways to cut the deck and do a reading, some of the most common are the 1 or 3 card deck, the Celtic cross or any other reading that the reader and client feel comfortable with.
It’s helpful if you’re clear-headed about the question, then you tend to get the answers right.
You must be wondering how a pack of cards can solve your problem. But practitioners say that at the end of almost every session, their clients go home satisfied with their questions answered.