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What Makes Up A Deck of Tarot Cards?

For centuries, many divination tools have been used to predict the future, gain wisdom, provide counsel, foretell doom, and even determine the perfect love match.  Tarot cards are among the most popular divination tools used by man, While  no one has ever fully explained how tarot exactly works, astrology experts contend that  all things are simply connected and nothing happens by chance, therefore the tarot works by revealing how things are synchronized or interconnected.   Here's a guide for first-time users on how to determine the meaning of tarot cards.

All standard tarot card decks have 78 cards.  22 of these are called Major Arcana cards, and 56 are called Minor Arcana cards.  The Major Arcana cards are used to predict or foretell major life events, while the Minor Arcana cards are used to determine or foretell mundane occurrences, and every ups and downs.  All tarot decks are also illustrated with classical art works depicting experiences that are common to most people.  This mean that you may have been one of the people or characters inscribed in the card, or you could be that character.  Each card may also determine if you've had an experience like the one shown on it, or you might have one.  The Minor Arcana cards are also divided into 4 suits or groups. These are Wands, Swords, Cups and Pentacles (Coins).  The Wands refer to events in their  “idea” stage.  The Cups refer to the planning phase, the Swords refer to the action stages, while the Pentacles point to the fruition stage.

Where Did The Tarot Originate?

According to experts on occultism and mysticism, no one exactly knows where the tarot card originated. One theory is that the tarot was firmly tied to the teachings of the Jewish Kabbalah, because the 22 Major Arcana cards surprisingly correspond to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  Some historians also suspect that the cards have been used by the Masons in ancient Egypt, while some say the tarot was influenced by Tibetan monks.  Some historians also insist that the cards were created by priests of the early Christian church, until the cards were used by the gypsies. The Tarot cards however, were not seen and used in Europe until the 15th century, when they began showing up in Italy.    

Tarot cards though are not “evil” or even “psychic”, and these are not the main tools of occultists and secret societies too.  It's important to keep in mind that the cards actually have no power in themselves.  However, each card or deck is enhanced or empowered by the strong belief system of its user.  The meaning of  each tarot card will also slightly change or vary, depending on the culture and tradition of the user.  The individual user could also be drawn to a myth or archetype that identifies or closely relates to them, whether it be Celtic, Egyptian, Asian or native American.  Regardless of which type of deck you choose, the important thing to remember is that the card can be used to foretell, predict or reveal situations and events.

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