Mystic Cards
One of the most popular methods of divination is also one of the most misunderstood. When most people think of Tarot, they think of Gypsies or Witches with crystal balls charging lots of money for fake prophecies. Well, just like most things ancient and esoteric, Tarot has a bad rap.
Just what is the purpose of Tarot though? It's not "fortune-telling" per se. It's divination, the art of connecting with the Divine Force to see what cannot be seen through mortal human eyes. Other historical methods of divination include "reading" tea leaves, chicken entrails, small bones or white stones, rune stones, patterns on human hands, etc. All of these objects were considered sacred and therefore held Divine Power within them. By looking at them, one sensitive enough could "read" a message from the Divine Force hidden in the patterns and symbols. Tarot is one of the most ancient of all these tools for communication with the Divine, dating back at least to Egypt and probably earlier.
Many ancient religions had their own versions of Tarot cards with symbolism reflecting their religion and environment. The most well-known Tarot deck, the Rider-Waite deck, is filled with symbols from the Kabalah, ancient Jewish mysticism, some of which are also present in Christian mythology. If one understands the symbolism of the cards and lays them out in a particular pattern, each placement having its own special meaning, a picture can emerge for the reader to read. Psychics in particular are well-known for Tarot divination because their psychic abilities allow them to read deeper into the meanings of the cards and give specific answers, advice, or predictions.
The amazing thing about Tarot is just how involved it is. Tarot includes all kinds of religious symbols, astrological symbols, numerology, you name it, all coming together to form a picture. On this page, I'm going to explain some of the history and symbolism of the cards that hopefully will help you understand why they are so useful. As the Rider-Waite deck is the most widely recognized, I'll be using it for picture examples and descriptions on this page.
The basic format of most Tarot decks has two sets. The first is the Major Arcana, second is the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana is made up of 22 cards numbered 0-21. The Minor Arcana is made up of four suits of 14 cards each: Wands, Swords, Cups, and Coins. These suits are also known by different names which will be explained in their respective sections. These four suits evolved over time to become the everyday playing cards we know today: Clubs, Spades, Hearts, and Diamonds. By understanding the meaning each card has, hopefully you will begin to understand the true meaning and usefulness of the Tarot.
Tarot Sections
Major Arcana | Minor Arcana | Wands | Swords | Cups | Coins | Sources
Astrology Pages
Astrology Main | Elements | Signs | Planets | Houses | Aspects
Numerology
The Major Arcana a.k.a. The Journey of the Fool
The Major Arcana is the most symbolic part of the Tarot. The 22 cards, tied together by astrology, numerology, mythology, and religion, tell a very old story. The Journey of the Fool is the journey of Man's soul as he travels through life, beginning when he is ignorant of the universe and of the forces around him.
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The Fool
This is the first card of the Major Arcana, numbered 0. The 0 represents eternity. This is the card of the Unmanifest Diety. The Fool is a like a newborn who knows nothing of the world. He stands at the edge of a cliff, ready to leap into the first manifestation of life. He carries a white rose symbolizing purity and innocence. The wand represents his will to begin and the pack contains the things he will need. In religious terms, he represents the nothingness before the world was brought into being. The dog represents nature following him into the first manifestation.
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The Magician
This is the first manifestion, the first thing the Fool becomes. The Magician is the power bringing life into being. He has the four elements of life, represented by the four suits of the Minor Arcana, on the table in front of him. He has one hand reaching up to Divine Superconscious and one hand pointed toward earth uniting higher Spirit and lower Matter within himself. Over his head is the Cosmic Lemniscate, symbol of infinity and dominion. Around his waist is a serpent with its own tail in its mouth, another symbol of infinity. Around him are red roses, representing the desires of the physical world, united with white lilies, representing pure, abstract thought. The red and white of his robes say the same as the flowers. He represents the One God, the Self, conscious self-awareness and will. In religious terms, the moment God made the light. |
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High Priestess Coming Soon...
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