Let's Talk Tarot

Tarot is one of the most used forms of divination because it is a very accessible way to learn how to be psychic. Because of the growing New Age movement tarot cards are sold at most bookstores and there are so many different ones online. But what is tarot? By definition tarot is, “playing cards, traditionally a pack of 78 with five suits, used for fortune-telling and (especially in Europe) in certain games. The suits are typically swords, cups, coins (or pentacles), batons (or wands).” Also before I proceed further, something that I didn’t know when I first learned tarot was how to pronounce it. Just so you know it rhymes with sparrow, not carrot.

Tarot as we know it today can be traced back to fourteenth century Europe when artists created playing cards with the four suits that we use today: Wands, Pentacles, Cups, and Swords. Using the cards for divination didn’t become popular until the sixteenth century. It wasn’t until 1791 that french occultist Jean-Baptiste Alliette created the first deck specifically for divination.

I remember when I first started Tarot I almost quit because I had no idea where to start and I was completely overwhelmed. Now I am a certified reader and I know not 1 but 2 decks. What kept me going was some great advice from my aunt who got me the cards, she told me that I shouldn’t go about memorizing every single card but I should make up my own story with each card. So I started off by feeling the vibe that each card gave me. Then after that I would check the book and use that as well to contribute to how I interpret that card. Then I made my own cheat sheet with all the numbers and suits.

Tarot Basics

Rider-Waite deck: This is the deck most commonly used, it originated from France.

Major Arcana: There are 22 major arcana cards in a deck numbered 0-21. These cards do not have a suit so they are known as the trump suit or trump cards. They are also known as trump cards because their meaning is often greater than that of the minor arcana. These cards are known for having vivid illustrations.

Minor Arcana: There are 56 minor arcana cards in a deck. These are the cards that have numbers and suits similar to playing cards. The suits are wands, pentacles, swords, and cups. These cards' meaning is often less grand than the major arcana.

Wands: The suit of wands in Tarot is associated with fire. Wands point to unpredictability,bravery, and bold decisions. They can also hold spiritual meanings.

Pentacles: The suit of pentacles is associated with earth. Pentacles often points to financial and material meanings. They can also refer to intellect, work and practicality.

Swords: The suit of swords in tarot is associated with air. Swords point double meanings (think double edged sword). They can also refer to intelligence, overthinking, or a decision.

Cups: The suit of cups is associated with water. Cups point to emotion but they can also reference love or spirituality.

This is just a small starter guide to tarot based on my interpretations. If you feel drawn to tarot I suggest starting with this or something like this and building your own tarot journal with cheat sheets and spreads.

I am also doing tarot readings so don’t hesitate to contact me for that.

~Aivrey, aka the coffee witch

Source

https://www.learnreligions.com/a-brief-history-of-tarot-2562770#:~:text=%20A%20Brief%20History%20of%20Tarot%20%201,Protestant%20minister%29%20named%20Antoine%20Court%20de...%20More%20