Now, Tarot is a topic for which dozens of books have been written and there is a lot of tradition, so much so that I know that I am not going to include all of it here, you will need to do your own
research.
Please note, that there is no need to copy what I say verbatim. This is an abstract of what I know. Take what you need and leave the rest.
Important Traditions In Tarot:
- Your first deck should be a gift: My father bought me my first deck, after buying my mother one he saw how I kept handling them in the store, I was thirteen and he bought me The Unicorn Tarot.. Now as an adult I am out of my Unicorn phase and those cards are still my best deck. With the recent surge on the internet that scoffs this tradition as a silly superstition, which I find upsetting as a lot of my religion is built on 'Silly Superstitions'. Let me give you some background. Tarot emerged in France during the mid-15th century, where it was used as a game at court... However, at that time you were either making your own, or had them gifted to you. Magickally this creates a sort of karmic debt, showing you that not everything is done for gain, but for most people, etiquette dictates that you treat a gift with care and respect which helps you develop a relationship with the cards.
- The cards can and should only be touched by the tarot reader. Now as a caveat the one having them read does have to shuffle them. This tradition is stating that you shouldn't 'lend' your cards for someone else to do a
reading. Cards collect your energy, creating a bond over time and making them easier for you to connect with. Which is why two identical decks may be read in completely different ways, or why the reader may not to use a deck with the same art if it is replacing another deck. (Vague I know; example my friend had the Dragon Tarot, a card got torn, she replaced the deck... couldn't read the knew deck.).
Major Arcana
Considered the most important group of cards in the tarot. To some, they represent universal archetypes. To others, they represent the spiritual quest of enlightenment.
They are magickal and special and yet they also represent our everyday lives and experiences. There are many aspects to the Major Arcana and it would be wrong to classify them from just one perspective.
The Suits
The purpose of the Tarot card suits is to categorize four major areas of life. The underlying thought here is that we are each quite different, yet all of us are ultimately the same, and undergo similar life experiences on our journey. Each suit has an elemental affinity, as well as a Royal Family.
Pentacles/Coins (Diamonds) - Elemental Earth. Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn. Domestic and Financial Issues. Planet Venus.
Wands/Rods/Staves (Clubs) - Elemental Fire (I argue Air). Aries, Leo, Sagittarius (Aquarius, Gemini, Libra). Creativity, Action, Passion (Thought, Challenge, Observation). Planet Mars (Mercury).
Cups/Chalices/Goblets (Hearts) - Elemental Water. Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio. Love, Emotion, Empathy. Planet Neptune.
Swords/Blades/Athames (Spades) - Elemental Air (I argue Fire). Aquarius, Gemini, Libra (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius). Thought, Challenge, Observation. Planet Mercury (Mars).
The way you spread the cards is quite important - each spread yields differing information. The Celtic Cross is quite a good broad based spread, which will give a good deal of info on a specific situation. There are other layouts that do things like give you a year view, or an astrological perspective or whatever. Some spreads answer specific questions better than others.
The Celtic Cross is a very popular spread, 10 cards used in an intermediate reading, most card readers keep with a simple 3 cards.
Past, Present and Future. Spreads will take the position of the card and the card itself into account when reading.
Example:
If the King of Pentacles is in your past, It refers to an older man who had control over you at home or work. Your boss, maybe your father. All spreads start in the past and are read towards the outcome.
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