About Tarot

The Tarot is a collection of 78 images representing ancient and universal archetypes, as well as situations that might arise in the course of the lifetime of an individual. This collection is arranged in the form of a pack of cards and is used to gain insights into psychology and metaphysics, as well as foretelling the future. The true origins of the Tarot are controversial, having long been lost in antiquity. There are a number of theories, but most scholars agree that its present form originated in the Middle Ages.

How does the Tarot work?
Have you ever wondered how the Tarot can give such incredibly accurate advice? The answer can partly be explained by “synchronicity.” Carl Jung coined the term to describe dramatic and deeply meaningful apparent coincidences. For instance, when you choose five cards in a Love Tarot reading, the results are anything but random. Your intuition knows which cards will give you the insight you need. So, if you’ve got a burning life question, try giving your rational mind a break. This time, let your intuition speak the truth to you with a Tarot reading. The results may blow your mind.

How to have a great reading?
Before you select the cards in your Tarot reading, try to take a deep breath. Center yourself. Is your love reading concerning a specific person? Visualize that person. If it’s about career, picture your job or work environment. Formulate, as clearly as possible, the question in your mind. Then, choose the cards for your reading, and trust that what is being revealed is exactly what you need to know in this moment.

Tarot-card History: Are They Really That Ancient?

According to Tarot historian Tom Tadfor Little, traditional playing cards were first seen in Europe in 1375, having been brought over from the Islamic societies where they had been used for centuries before that. These cards were not, however, Tarot cards. At this point, he says, there is no evidence to show that Tarot cards had yet been created, which goes against many claims that ordinary playing cards evolved from the original Tarot deck.

It wasn’t until 1440 that the cards that were most likely the origin of Tarot cards were first mentioned. In a letter from the Duke of Milan, there was a request for several decks of “triumph” cards to be used at a special event. The letter differentiated triumph cards from regular “playing” cards.

It does appear, however, that the first Tarot decks were created as a game. There were four suits with cards numbered one through ten and also court cards that included a queen, king, knight and page. The deck also included 22 symbolic picture cards that did not belong to any suit. The decks were used to play a game called triumph that was similar to bridge. In triumph, 21 of the 22 special picture cards were permanent trump cards. The game spread quickly to all parts of Europe. People began referring to it as tarocchi, which is an Italian version of the French word tarot, around 1530.

In 1781, in France and England, followers of the occult discovered Tarot cards. They saw the symbolic pictures of the cards as having more meaning than the simple trump cards they were used for at the time. They used the cards as a divination tool, and occult writers wrote about “the Tarot.” After this, the Tarot became a part of occult philosophy.
There are also those who believe that Tarot cards originated in Egypt. In some circles, they are thought to be the sole surviving “book” from the great fire that burned the libraries of ancient Egypt. In this theory, the cards are considered to be the hieroglyphical keys to life.