| Introduction To Tarot |
| Written by Michelle Walter | |
| Monday, 14 June 2010 | |
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Tarot has been called the 'universal key to understanding life', perhaps because it brings secrets out into the open where they can be seen consciously, talked about and understood. A Tarot deck comprises 78 cards, which are divided into 22 Major Arcana, and 56 Minor Arcana cards. The word "Arcana" which comes from the word Arcane, simply means mysteries, secrets, that which is hidden.
Tarot has been called the 'universal key to understanding life', perhaps because it brings secrets out into the open where they can be seen consciously, talked about and understood. A Tarot deck comprises 78 cards, which are divided into 22 Major Arcana, and 56 Minor Arcana cards. The word "Arcana" which comes from the word Arcane, simply means mysteries, secrets, that which is hidden. The names given to the cards held in the deck are all linked to the wisdoms held by ancient civilizations. You will find ideas that can be rooted back in time to the Egyptians, the Jewish Kabbalah, the Chinese and the Indians. But nobody really knows the historical origins of the Tarot. What we do know is that Tarot has evolved out of people's search for meaning in their lives, and that it embodies many shared truths. The first historically recorded use of Tarot was by King Charles VI, in Paris in 1393. This deck was called the Marseille Deck. In comparison to recorded uses of Astrology, Rune Stones and the I Ching, which go back to ancient and even prehistoric times, the Tarot seems not to have a very long history. There is a widely held assumption though that Tarot cards were being used in secret prior to any recorded use, and for many years when they were actually banned from public use in a number of European countries. The most important thing to remember when starting to understand the wisdom of tarot is that these are not a set of cards with preconceived meanings to be learned by rote. No, it is a system of understanding which allows communication through which to channel intuition, insight. As you come to learn each of the cards, allow their meanings to seep into your mind, you will join a chain that will link you down the ages to a time of harmony. Through this you will learn to read the tarot instinctively; this is the most intelligent way to read the cards because you will be doing it through intuition, not through guesswork or some learned standards read in a book. Learning to use tarot correctly will allow you to harness the power we all have naturally in our subconscious mind. If you have a set of Tarot cards, try this simple intuition exercise, to begin the process of learning to read the Tarot cards .. Firstly, separate out the major arcana cards from the minor arcana. Hold the Tarot cards between your hands while you relax and breathe in and out at least three times. Each time you breathe out, feel yourself relaxing down into a more receptive state of consciousness. Now think about the question you are seeking guidance from the Tarot on. Slowly shuffle the Tarot cards. Place the Tarot deck face down on the table, cut the tarot cards once, place the bottom pile on the top, and then turn over one card. Take a few moments to meditate on the tarot card. What are your first impressions? Write these down in a journal. Try not to analyze or filter what you feel or see in this tarot card - it may be a colour, a face, or something in the background which stands out to you. Your first impression of this tarot card may be a saying that comes to you or an understanding about life. It doesn't have to be a definite conclusion about meaning because often our first impressions are quite vague. Try doing this every day for a week, and see what you discover for yourself! |
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