As more people learn about spirituality, interest in tarot card readings has risen.
There are many misconceptions about tarot and divination overall. It’s often overlooked as fictitious and far-fetched. Despite this, tarot card readings aren’t about fortune-telling, and readers aren’t psychic.
Tarot deck images can be confusing. Follow this guide to the different tarot cards meanings to get started on your own tarot journey.
The Origins of Tarot
At their conception, tarot cards were made to play the parlor game “Tarocchi” in the 15th century. Each deck has 78 cards, each of which falls into categories and has distinct imagery.
It wasn’t until the 18th century that people began to use them for divination purposes. A French occultist, Jean-Baptiste Alliette, linked the images to astrology and Egyptian mythology.
This revolutionized the study and usage of tarot cards in divination and spirituality.
The Basics of Tarot Cards Meanings
This branch of divination works with energy and one’s connection to the world around them. The cards you pull only affirm truths that already exist about the person you are reading. This person is the “querent.”
The 78 cards in a tarot deck fall into two major groups: major arcana and minor arcana.
The major arcana cards contain the 22 trump cards. These make reference to one’s major influences, milestones, and often revelations.
The other 56 cards are the minor arcana and they call on everyday occurrences and influences. Unlike the major arcana cards, these are further sorted into 4 suits which add depth to your readings.
You can also pull cards in two different ways: upright or reversed. The way you pull affects the interpretation of the cards for your querent even further.
Check out this post if you want to learn more about divination reading types and online readings.
More About the Major Arcana
Major arcana cards are important for those who use tarot cards for spiritual reasons. The cards have a certain order which follows the story of human spirituality.
These cards start with the Fool card and ending with the World. The story goes from ignorance to enlightenment or individual self-awareness.
Cards can represent a range of time periods in your querent’s life. Because of this, your reading can be guided by prompts to clarify your understanding.
More About the Minor Arcana
Minor arcana cards follow 4 suits like your average deck of cards. These are wands, swords, pentacles, and cups.
Different brands and cardmakers have different names for these subcategories. Instead, you will often see sticks, knives, coins, and baskets.
The wands/sticks card relates to passion and creativity. It’s also associated with the Fire element in astrology. Below are the rest of the classifications.
- Swords/Knives: intellect, Air element
- Pentacles/Coins: money, work, Earth element
- Cups/Baskets: emotions, Water element
The next step is learning what each card represents and how to interpret them.
Do Your Research
Now that you’re well acquainted with the basic tarot cards meanings, you’re on your way to being a reader. Choose your deck, get to know it, and always read with intention.
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