Tarot cards have been around for hundreds of years and now serve as a source of enlightenment, revelation, and spirituality. The cards reflect numerous events that shaped the world and carry their own symbolic meanings, which help to understand different aspects of life. Here in this article, we will be investigating the world of tarot cards, their origins, their meanings, and the way to read them. Whether you are a newbie at tarot or an expert practitioner, this article will give you a detailed overview of the rudiments of Tarot cards as a tool for self-actualization.
The History of tarot cards
Early Origins
The ORIGINS of tarot cards may be hidden in the historicity. Certain sources claim they were first noticed during the 15th century in Europe. Specifically, in Italy and France. Initially, tarot cards were exploited for playing games like cards rather than divination. However, when the cards went out, they were no longer just cards, but they were also related to mysticism and spiritual practice.
The Evolution of Tarot
While from the XVIII and XIX centuries tarot began to be used in divination practice. Amidst the proliferation of esoteric groups and individuals, the tarot cards found their way into their magical practices, with the cards reflecting their current meanings and interpretations. The Tarot, originally created during the Middle Ages, is used today by people around the world to attain insight into their past, present, and future.
The Anatomy of Tarot Decks
A standard tarot deck consists of 78 cards, divided into two main sections: Major Arcana and Minor Arcana sequences.
Major Arcana: These are 22 cards all of which are representing various stages of life, for example The Fool, The Magician, and The High Priestess. These cards turn to be the core ones and they are believed to be so important in the readings.
Minor Arcana: This part is made of 56 cards designated into four suit systems: Cups, Swords, Wands, and Pentacles. By each suit we can figure out an aspect of life: from Ace to Ten along with court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, and King).
Despite the fact that many people nowadays are skeptical about the meanings of the cards, they are still popular as ever.
Each tarot card comes with an assigned meaning and that meaning may vary depending on the spread and the way it is dealt (upright or reversed).For instance:
The Major Arcana: These cards often come up in major life events or as spiritual guidance. Thus, The Lovers may represent love as well as relationships, while The Tower could signify only changes.
The Minor Arcana: They are the cards of such everyday things as problems and situations. The suit of Cups rules over feelings and relationships while the Swords speak for intellect and communication, Wands for creativity and passion and Pentacles for material success and practicality.
How Tarot Readings Work
Preparing for a Reading
First, you need to make sure that the reading happens in the right atmosphere. Many of the therapists choose to burn down candles, incense, and soft music in order to create a calm atmosphere. Cleansing the cards is as equally important before reading as it is to shake the cards, envision something, or other methods.
Types of Tarot Spreads
Tarot spread stands for a configuration of cards, which its elements are displayed in a particular order, each position representing a different component of the question being asked. There are various types of spreads, such as:
Three-Card Spread: These cards are the simplest tool, which is a set of three cards, the first one representing the past, the second the present and the third the future.
Celtic cross Spread: An even more complex layout with ten cards, which depicts a subtle detail of the situation.
Relationship Spread: Spread is on love and relationships and involve several cards referring to the relationship between two persons.
Interpreting the Cards
The reader should make interpretations taking into account the symbols of the card, the card’s position in the spread, and the direction of the card. Besides, the reader has to do trust her gut sense and the clues from the cards. It is vital to be willing to listen to all the readings and not take any reading as the entire truth, as tarot is a way for guidance rather than prediction.
The Benefits of Tarot Card Reading
Self-Reflection and Insight
One of the primary benefits of tarot card reading is the opportunity for self-reflection and insight. The cards can help individuals explore their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, leading to a better understanding of themselves and their circumstances.
Decision-Making Support
Tarot cards can also be used to give you guidance with your decisions. Through the provision of a new angle to the problem, the cards may help the person find the reason of different thoughts and make informed decisions. At the end, it can end up with more excellent and thoughtful decisions.
Connection with Intuition
The frequent practice can certainly be beneficial for that of those who regularly tarot as their intuition can be strengthened by the process. People can create a more reliable inner voice and trust their own feelings by listening to the messages presented in the cards and their own inner voice.
Tips for Beginners
Choose the Right Deck
The first and foremost thing when you are a new to tarot cards, is to pick a deck that appeals to you. This makes the choice of the deck very subjective and in the same time there are much different tarot decks available, each with its own artwork and a unique interpretation of the cards. Allot yourself adequate time to play around with the various decks so that you find one which sits perfectly with you.
Learn the Basics
Your tarot readings should not start until you have got a firm grasp of the meaning attributed to each card. This will give a springboard from which interpreting the cards and doing the readings will be a piece of cake. There are many sources to which you can turn to for advice, such as books, online courses, and tutorials.
Practice Regularly
And, just like any other skill, practice is undoubtedly the most important aspect in tarot reading. Repeated practice with different spreads and situations will give you the confidence to improvise and develop a natural instinct, which is essential for reading accurately.
Conclusion
The Tarot decks allow us to use the cards to access our inner wisdom and receive guidance as we seek more knowledge about different parts of the world. Whether you need them to do some inner work, make a choice, or merely as a way to develop yourself, the tarot can provide a guide to your journey. Through the familiarization with the tarot history, its structure and the process itself, the tarot may become a powerful tool in your hands for the tarot has a lot to offer.
