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Introduction
to
Tarot
The history of Tarot is known to date back to the late 14th century.
It is one of the most popular divination methods across the world.
As much as being a method of 'fortune telling' it has great powers of connection to your higher self, giving clarity and guidance, and a deep insight into your soul. There is so much guidance around on how to use tarot, I will just give a really brief insight here!
The method of divination which comes most naturally to me is tarot, and having grown up with a tarot reading mother it is the method I feel a link with, my favoured deck being the Rider-Waite-Smith. This is the one I connect most strongly with and feels more 'like home'.
I have many different decks and I find oracle cards are a lovely and far gentler choice to read as they generally have lots of positive interpretations and far less harbingers of doom, I’m talking to you, Three of swords.
I’m not going to begin here to start telling you how to interpret cards or give you different spreads to learn, there are so many books out there.
But what I do suggest is that you don’t read your cards by having three internet pages up and two books open. Read from one book, learn the general interpretations and then use your intuition.
More importantly learn the numerology and symbolism of the cards, the colours, take in the whole scene as each individual card tells you it's story, right down to its numerical placement in the deck.
The Rider/Smith/Waite deck is made up of a Major and Minor arcana, the Major cards tend to represent big moments in your life (or the person you are reading for). They each have their own meanings and are rich in symbology. These make excellent cards to start to study as not only are they rich is symbolism and meaning, they also have intricate astrological and planetary links.
Minor cards are made up of four suits that represent the elements - Wands/Fire, Pentacles/Earth, Cups/Water, Swords/Air. They are no less important than the major arcana, but they are likely to indicate less significant matters. More earthly issues rather than big old soul path events.
In as basic-as-you-get terms, wands/fire indicates ambition, goals, creativity, drive, passion, change. It's often fast flowing and fiery.
Cups/water is associated with emotions, love/relationships, connections, purpose - it often comes in slower than fast paced wands.
Pentacles/earth represents down to earth, material like issued such as business, finance, health and career. They're slow movers and tend to be rooted.
Swords/air. I'm not really a fan of the swords, I'll be honest. They tend to represent the mind, our thought patterns, things we can tend to hold on to. Challenges, conflict, decisions, grief.
Everyone interprets cards differently, but I do roll my eyes when I get a sword.
Numerology plays a huge part in interpretation, a rough guide goes like this:
Aces (one) - New beginnings, opportunity, potential.
Twos - Balance, partnerships, unity, duality.
Threes - Creativity, growth.
Fours - Structure, manifestation, stability.
Fives - Change, conflict.
Sixes - Communcation, co-operation, harmony.
Sevens - Knowledge, lessens, reflection.
Eights - Mastery, action, approaching accomplishment.
Nines - Success, nearing an end, fruition.
Tens - Completion of a cycle, enlightenment, renewal.
Working with your deck.
Choosing your deck is the fun part, you definitely do not have to wait to be gifted one, although it is lovely if you are.
I personally love to be drawn to a deck. It normally jumps out at me, and I feel I have to have it (at least that is what I tell my husband).
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When you get your deck home try not to be impatient and rush to rip it open and start reading from it, this rarely works. It has taken on board so much energy from sitting in a shop, being sent through the post, even down to the factory who produce it. It's filled with everyone's energy except your own, so it’s time to cleanse it.
Take the box through the same incense smoke as you would your crystals or any other magical tool. You can also cleanse with your singing bowl or altar bell, you can even sing to it or play your favourite music if this is your preferred method, I’ve yet to meet a deck of cards or a crystal that doesn’t like being cleansed with a loud Fleetwood Mac song.
I like to take out each individual card and really process the images, how the card makes me feel. To me some feel light, some heavier. Take in the imagery and symbolism, the colours, the little creatures in the scene, the expressions on the faces, how you feel when really sinking into the card. Take a minute to go through each one individually without rushing, you should really be able to set aside an hour or so for meeting a new deck.
By doing this you are beginning to introduce the cards to your energy. When I’m done examining each card, I like to take five or ten minutes in meditation, holding the cards in my aura either around my belly button (solar plexus chakra) or around my heart chakra. I visualise taking them into my aura or energy and invite them to link to me. You can sleep with them under your pillow or on your nightstand to help blend energies further, if I feel a strong connection straight away, I don’t do this, but I do keep them near to my altar for a while.
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Once you feel a connection, it’s time to interview your cards. Shuffle them well, holding into your solar plexus again is good, then when you feel ready ask the questions you’d like the answer to, such as:
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What is your personality? - I have a deck I feel is really stern, and I will tend to use that when I know I need some tough love.
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What are your strengths? - here you could get answers like The High Priestess – deeply in tune with you and highly intuitive, The Chariot – motivational and guiding, Queen of Cups – caring and nurturing.
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What are your limits? If I were to pull the Two of Swords here, I would probably feel this was a lighter deck as opposed to a deck to help me decide answers to deeper problems.
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How will you inspire me? I personally have a deck I use when I need creative motivation, it tends to give me insightful messages that give me a kick.
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What is your favourite topic? Say you were to pull the 2 of Cups here, it would be love, friendship, relationships. The Lovers – to help with choices. Death – to help with transformation. This is one of my favourite questions to ask.
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What is my ‘stop reading’ card? We all have a safe word, right? A card that says ‘Woah, stop already!’. Mine is the Death card repeatedly. If I pull it once in context, that’s all well and good. When it keeps slipping out, I know I’m going on a bit. Trying for a better answer!
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Obviously, this is more of a guide for the traditional tarot, but it can apply to all tarot and oracle decks etc, just as long as you know the meanings of your cards.
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Always close with gratitude. Perhaps choose a crystal to keep with your deck, I always choose one I’m particularly close to. If you feel you’ve made your connection, your work is done. If not then definitely try sleeping with them near you, try this whole process again, and wait the moon cycle just to be sure. You don’t always connect with a deck, and that’s fine too. You can always gift them on or keep trying to bond with them.
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And you can always buy more!
Interviewing your deck
