Tarot Decks
Tarot cards
are one of the tools we can use to get in touch with our intuition and the universal wisdom that guides our lives. In addition to tarot cards, there are also oracle cards. It is said that tarot cards were used as playing cards until the 15th century and only later as an esoteric tool. The first Tarot playing cards originated in Italy, France and Germany. The oldest extant tarot cards are from the 15th century - the Visconti-Sforza tarot. The origins of the fortune-telling tarot are recorded in the 18th century in the area of France. Many people disagree with the label of fortune-telling cards, as they use tarot cards as a mirror reflecting the current state of life. With tarot cards we can discover hidden thoughts, feelings or the actual inner state and use this information to make important decisions in our lives as it helps us to understand the situation we are in.
The most commonly used esoteric cards are the Marseilles tarot, the Rider-Waite tarot and the Thoth tarot.
Major and Minor Arcana
The Tarot cards consist of a deck of 78 cards, divided into a Major Arcana and a Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards and is usually numbered with Roman numerals, except for the Fool card which represents the number 0 or 22. The Major Arcana usually represents important life events.
The minor arcana consists of 56 cards or four groups of suits: swords, clubs, novices and chalices. Each group consists of 14 cards. The first ten contain the numbers one or ace, deuces up to ten, arms, knights, queens and kings. The Minor Arcana deals with everyday life. Each card has its own meaning.
How to learn Tarot card reading: Essential steps to begin your journey
- Choose good beginner tarot cards: the Rider-Waite tarot cards are most often recommended.
- Get a good manual or take a course.
- Practice makes perfect.
- Practice every day.