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What
is the Tarot?
Tarot is the name given to certain decks
of cards, usually used to answer personal questions or to
look into the future. The cards first appeared in medieval
Europe, but frequently-encountered legends suggest that
they were brought from India by the Gypsies or are a remnant
of the ancient Egyptian Book of Thoth. The development of
the cards is covered in more detail in A History of the
Tarot.
Whatever their actual origin, true Tarot
decks contain 78 cards spilt into two sections. One of these
is similar to our modern playing cards but with different
suits (cups instead of hearts, for example) and with an
extra court card, a Knight, in each suit. The remaining
22 cards are the Major cards that most people associate
with the Tarot, cards like the Lovers, the Star and Death.
An in-depth exploration of the various components of a Tarot
deck, along with depictions of every card in the medieval
Marseilles deck, is given in The Structure of the Tarot.
The illustration above right shows a selection
of cards from the Marseilles Tarot, and to the left is an
example of one of its Major cards, the World.
How is the Tarot used?
For divination, cards are selected from
a deck at random and arranged according to a layout or spread.
Each card has a basic meaning, and this meaning is modified
by its position in the spread. A good reader not only brings
their experience and knowledge of the cards and the spread
to the reading, but can relate the interpretation to any
given question or issue. To the right is an illustration
of the popular Celtic Cross spread. The process of performing
a Tarot reading, from preparation to the subtleties of interpretation,
is covered in Performing a Tarot Reading, and numerous spreads
are explained in Tarot Spreads.
For psychological or mystical applications,
the images and meanings of the cards can be used as the
basis for meditation or mental exploration, and their links
to other symbolic systems like the Kabbalah and astrology
can be employed for expansion of knowledge and synthesis
of ideas. The sequence of the Major cards in a Tarot deck
can be viewed in many ways, one of which is as an allegory
of the evolution of the soul.
Does the Tarot work?
The answer to this question depends on
what you expect the Tarot to be or do. Certainly, a good
Tarot reading, thoughtfully considered, can be helpful in
working through problems and weighing up decisions, regardless
of whether there is anything going on beyond the random
selection of symbols. The psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung
recognized the value of the cards, and they can help with
self-exploration and assist in the task of becoming an integrated,
balanced whole. Some of the ideas of Jung as they relate
to the Tarot are introduced in Jung and the Tarot.
Many people, though, use the Tarot to try
to glimpse the future. The idea that, through some unknown
mechanism, the fall of the cards foreshadows events to come
is held by many. Those who have worked with the Tarot over
a period of time often vouch for the fact that the cards
do seem, subjectively at least, to be uncannily accurate
about future events. Equally there are those who argue that
such ideas are mistaken, that correct predictions happen
only by chance and those that do not come to pass are conveniently
forgotten. For all the claims of self-proclaimed "psychics,"
there is no objective evidence that the cards can reveal
anything meaningful about the future, but whatever the truth
of the matter, there is no doubt that the Tarot can be an
invaluable tool for self-discovery in intelligent hands.
A more detailed discussion of some of the issues surrounding
the predictive powers of the Tarot is given in Divination
and the Tarot.
Where can I get a deck or a reading?
The best way to learn about the Tarot is
to buy your own deck and explore the cards for yourself.
Our list of recommended Tarot Decks and Books should help
you get started. And you can have a Tarot reading performed
for you right away on the Byzant website: we have a wide
variety of free on-line readings available to help you get
a feel for the cards.
Is there more to the Tarot?
Certainly! The Tarot is much more than
a method of divination. As well as being interesting from
historical, sociological and artistic perspectives, the
Tarot is a powerful tool for spiritual and psychological
investigation. The Tarot is closely linked to the Kabbalah
through the Tree of Life (shown right), for example, and
an understanding of the Kabbalah will deepen your appreciation
of the Tarot, and vice versa. The Tarot-Kabbalah link is
covered and illustrated in The Tarot and the Kabbalah.
The 22 Major
Arcana have been linked by various authors
with astrological signs and planets. The most popular associations
are those of the Golden Dawn movement and they go as follows:
0 The Fool, URANUS
1 The Magician, MERCURY
2 The High Priestess,
MOON
3 The Empress, VENUS
4 The Emperor, Aries
5 The Hierophant, Taurus
6 The Chariot, Cancer
7 The Lovers, Gemini
8 Strength, Leo
9 The Hermit, Virgo
10 The Wheel of Fortune,
JUPITER
11 Justice, Libra
12 The Hanged Man, NEPTUNE
13 Death, Scorpio
14 Temperance, Sagittarius
15 The Devil, Capricorn
16 The Tower, MARS
17 The Star, Aquarius
18 The Moon, Pisces
19 The Sun, SUN
20 Judgment, PLUTO
21 The World, SATURN
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