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The origin of the tarot is a mystery. We do know for sure that the cards were used in
Italy in the fifteenth century as a popular card game. Wealthy patrons commissioned
beautiful decks, some of which have survived. Later in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the cards were discovered by a number of influential scholars of the occult. These gentleman were fascinated by the tarot and recognized that the images on the cards were more powerful than a simple game would suggest. They revealed (or created!) the "true" history of the tarot by connecting the cards to Egyptian mysteries, Hermetic philosophy, the Kabbalah, alchemy, and other mystical systems. These pursuits continued into the early part of the twentieth century when the tarot was incorporated into the practices of several secret societies, including the Order of the Golden Dawn. |
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Although the roots of the tarot are in the occult tradition, interest in the cards has
expanded in the last few decades to include many different perspectives. New decks have
been created that reflect these interests. The tarot is most commonly viewed as a tool for divination. A traditional tarot reading involves a seeker - someone who is looking for answers to personal questions - and a reader - someone who knows how to interpret the cards. After the seeker has shuffled and cut the deck, the reader lays out the chosen cards in a pattern called a spread. Each position in the spread has a meaning, and each card has a meaning as well. The reader combines these two meanings to shed light on the seeker's question. An aura of darkness clings to the tarot cards, even now. Some religions shun the cards, and the scientific establishment condemns them as symbols of unreason, a holdover from an unenlightened past. Let us set aside these shadowy images for now and consider the tarot simply for what it is - a deck of picture cards. |
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Projection is one reason why the tarot cards are valuable. Their intriguing pictures and
patterns are effective in tapping the unconscious. This is the personal aspect of the
tarot, but the cards also have a collective component. As humans, we all have certain
common needs and experiences. The images on the tarot cards capture these universal
moments and draw them out consistently. People tend to react to the cards in similar ways
because they represent archetypes. Over many centuries, the tarot has evolved into a
collection of the most basic patterns of human thought and emotion. |
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The power of the tarot comes from the combination of the personal and the universal. You
can see each card in your own way, but, at the same time, you are supported by
understandings that others have found meaning. The tarot is a mirror that reflects back
to you the hidden aspects of your own unique awareness. Let the tarot cards guide you. Play with the cards, and work out you own meanings for them, and see if you don't experience a few surprises. For more information about the Tarot and learning to read the Tarot Cards, we highly recommend you visit Joan Bunning's excellent website Learning the Tarot. We also recommend that if you are serious about studying this subject further, you investigate Ms. Bunning's books on the subject: Learning the Tarot: A Tarot Book for Beginners and Learning Tarot Reversals, links to which can be found here. |
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