Welcome to the first introductory lesson in the Tarot. This series aims to shed light into the Tarot Card Deck as a whole and then dive deeper into the meaning of each card in the deck. In order to really get the most out of a reading, understanding the meaning of each card is an invaluable treasure.
Our interpretations of each Tarot Card will be based on the The Rider-Waite tarot deck that was originally published 1909. The Rider-Waite deck is commonly considered as the most popular deck for Tarot Card reading. We feel these interpretations will be most useful for most of you as you’ll likely own or purchase a Rider-Waite based deck.
Today’s session is just a general look over the Tarot Card deck and breaking down the main sections of the Tarot.
Most of us are aware that a normal pack of playing cards contains 52 individual cards. Raise your hand if you think the Tarot Card Deck has the same amount?
Those of you that raised your hand should be applauded for your honesty and openness for knowledge.
There are actually 78 cards in the Tarot deck. 78! Each and every card has a unique imagery, symbolism, plot, and meaning that helps to flesh out the other 77. The Tarot is truly an interconnected and reinforced web that bolsters and emcompasses itself holistically.
Within the deck are 3 specific sections that symbolize different things. These are the Major Arcana Cards, The Minor Arcana Cards and the Count Cards.
The 22 major Arcana cards symbolize moral and interpersonal lessons of life. They highlight the different stages we travel as we strive for more profound awareness and purpose. This way, the Major Arcana cards contain spiritual truths on a cosmic scale that dwarfs all others.
When the Major Arcana Tarot cards reflect your life lessons, questions, these ask the most fundamental questions about what you've learned and are learning about yourself, or the deep aspects of your character, they force you to confront major questions about yourself and your progress on the spiritual path. In certain cases, they can be profound and intricate! These cards demonstrate the anatomy of human consciousness and carry timeless keys.
The Major Arcana (also known as the Trump Cards) has 22 numbered cards and one unfaired card (the Fool). It is the Fool who occupies the first role of the Major Arcana, moving down the path to fulfillment facing new challenges and discovering new life lessons before the conclusion where he becomes the World card. Card VI can be described as the Fool's Journey, and serves as a map for understanding the card meanings in the Major Arcana.
A major arcana card can signify many things, but the answer may depend on the context.
The Major Arcana cards (also known as trump cards) serve as a mnemonic guide for readers to look at your latest life lessons and themes. For example, a major Arcana would always refers to the rest of the cards with a relevant association to it.
A Tarot reading, where most of the cards show the major arcana cards may be a tell-all conversation about the person's inner or unconscious issues.
When a Major Arcana reading is in which cards predominate, you're going through major life changes. One of the great lessons of life is to know that moral and personal advancement doesn't always go hand and hand with seeking perfection.
For the purposes of these life lessons, if a large number of the major arcana cards are reversed, it could mean you are not making the required effort to take in information, however a lack of focus is stopping you from proceeding.
The 56 Minor Arcana cards symbolize the regular problems we face on a daily basis. Only because these cards are labeled ‘minor simpler versions of major arcana,' that doesn't mean these are unimportant. They come from everyday life, and can assist you in achieving your goals through small daily interactions and actions.
Small steps today can result in huge changes over time!
In contrast to the Major Arcana, the Minor Arcana cards are dynamic and affect your life only temporarily.
Among all the tarot cards, the Minor Arcana represents the potential for one's own defeat the most. So the importance of the Minor Arcana definitely is not Minor!
The minor arcana contains four separate suits which are pentacles, swords, cups and swords.
The Suit of Pentacles indicates your wealth, profession, and resources. According to my experiences, the Pentacles are also part of the tarot card readings about money and job success.
Your suit of cups symbolizes thoughts, emotions, imagination, and intuition are the aspects of your personality. In the tarot, the cups also speak of personal and interpersonal relationships.
The suit of Wands reflects your vitality, inspiration, your zeal, and your ability to take action. Often the W cards appear in reading about what you want to do in life, religion, faith, and development.
The suit of swords symbolizes your emotions, your sentences, your deeds, and your body language. Swords sometimes feature in Tarot readings when you're looking for guidance on what you can say, when making decisions, and when you're attempting to wield influence and establish your authority.
Ten numbered cards in each Suit (Page, Knight, Queen and King). Every one of the Tarot Cards has a distinct shape and expression, all of various personalities we are able to portray at any given moment.
Minors in a tarot reading mean any cards such as the Ace of Wands, The Fool, Two of Pentacles, and The Wheel of Fortune
In a Minor Arcana card reading, a Tarot will illustrate the ways in which your everyday life is shaping up and how you are affected by it. These real-life cards tell you about your memories, feelings, ideas, and emotions as you go about your day-to-to-day business.
Though the major lesson revealed on the Major Arcana card shows you what your life is actually experiencing, the minor one on the Minor card explains your problem. This predicament has the ability to transform if you decide to take different measures.
This is what we mean by the Tarot being so interconnected.
In a tarot reading, the major arcana cards are usually more accurate than the minor ones.
When you do your tarot reading using only the Major Arcana cards, you will be concerned with daily problems that will not have long-term consequences. you have the chance to benefit from these events In Tarot readings, look for Major Arcana cards to recognise and appreciate life lessons related to the arcana.
The ability of the Tarot Cards helping us in life is well established and the complexity in the cards is needed to cover the vast range of experiences we face in life.
Whilst some believe that the Tarot is just a collection of colorful cards, those that have undertaken a reading or given one know the true power that lies within the cards and the help they can provide us. The strength in a reading is dependant on the understanding the reader and the receiver have of the Tarot. Hopefully by following our series, your understanding will expand and give you the knowledge to get more out of each reading.
The tarot is more than just some cards, it's a book written about your life that provides a reflection of our psyche and in turn, a guide to discover our true calling.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
