Tarot Deciphered: Understanding and Using the Tarot

By Aislin

Copyright 2011 Aislin

Card images from 1911 The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, by Arthur Edward Waite black and white versions, no longer under copyright in the United States. Scanned by Aislin.

All other images copyright 2010 by Aislin

Published by Tear Drop Books

Smashwords Edition

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Table of Contents

An Introduction to the Tarot

Using the Tarot

Knowing the Tarot

The Psychology of the Tarot

The Major Arcana

The Fool

The Magician

The High Priestess

The Empress

The Emperor

The Hierophant

The Lovers

The Chariot

Strength

The Hermit

Wheel of Fortune

Justice

The Hanged Man

Death

Temperance

The Devil

The Tower

The Star

The Moon

The Sun

Judgment

The World

The Minor Arcana

The Suit of Cups

The Suit of Wands

The Suit of Swords

The Suit of Pentacles

Tarot Reversals

The Spreads of the Tarot

The Celtic Cross Spread

The Magic Cross Spread

The Astrological Spread

The Star Spread

The One-Card Spread

The Three-Card Spread

The Horseshoe Spread

The Mirror Spread

The Tetractys Spread

The Healing Spread

Intuitive Reading

Conclusion

Sources

About the Author

An Introduction to the Tarot

The true origins of the Tarot cards — their design, their place of origin, and their original purpose — have all been lost to time. Despite the attempts of many to illuminate their true origins in books, articles, and other mediums, they remain shrouded in mystery.

Throughout the 20th century, scholars have attributed the Tarot to many different sources. Some claim that the esoteric symbols of the Major Arcana of the Tarot can be traced to the ancient Egyptians. Others are convinced that they came from the cults of Mithras in the very first centuries after the appearance of Christ. There are even some who are convinced they originated in China.

Still others are absolutely sure that they must come from the Middle Ages, the time when the tales of King Arthur and the Holy Grail abounded. The more somber scholars attribute them to the Renaissance. There is no clear agreement on the subject.

If one were to accept only factual evidence, then it might be assumed that Tarot cards originated in Italy during the second half of the 15th century. This assumption would be based upon the oldest surviving deck of Tarot cards. However, this doesn’t really reveal the true origins of the Tarot. It reveals when the last surviving deck was produced. It’s unknown how many decks were produced prior to this.

It is unlikely that the origins of the Tarot will ever be accurately discovered. They have certainly existed for several hundred years, and they have been influenced by many different sources in that time. But it is almost impossible to determine exactly when they were created and how they were used. However, a general timeline can be agreed upon by most experts, though the debate regarding the specifics will probably rage for some time.

Tarot Timeline

Playing cards appear to have originated in China and made their way to Europe around 1375 CE (Common Era or AD), probably by way of the Mamluk Empire. They spread throughout western quite quickly after that, bringing with them trick-taking games. While little is known about the games that might have been played with these cards, the Mamluk decks appear to have changed very little and were eventually adopted by the Italians. It is also possible that Europe was introduced to Moorish cards around the same time.

The Mamluk decks had four suits which align very closely with modern Tarot suits. The suits were Swords, Polo Sticks, Coins, and Cups. Each suit had three court cards, consisting of a King, Knight, and Page. This resulted in a 52-card deck. While this became the standard throughout most of Europe, variations started to develop. The Spanish turned Polo Sticks or Staves into Clubs and altered the design of the cards. German cardmakers came up with a number of new suit systems.

Little is known about the cards produced in the 14th century and earlier. From recorded descriptions, it appears that a variety of decks developed and many of them were in use at the same time. Sometimes, the number of court cards and even the number of suits were increased beyond what was considered normal. Some decks featured female figures, gods, or animals, all of which were considered scandalous for the era.

Although there is no record of the Tarot before the 1440s, the suits that eventually became a part of the Tarot were already in common use by Italian playing cards. In addition, some Italian decks added Queens to the court cards, bringing the card count up to a total of 56. This deck is generally considered to be the basis for the modern Tarot deck.

The trump cards, also known as the Major Arcana, seem to have appeared in Germany around the 1420s. The earliest references to Tarot indicate that a full deck of both the Major and Minor Arcana may have developed in the following decade, probably in northern Italy. With the addition of the 22 trump cards, the standard 78-card deck finally emerged. When used as a card game, the 22 newer cards trumped the suit cards, hence the name. These cards began appearing at festivals throughout Europe.

According to most sources, it would appear that the designs of the trump cards were standardized from the beginning. Most Tarot decks from the 15th through to the 17th centuries share the same design. Though there are occasional variations, the basics remained consistent. In fact, these variations seem themselves to have been based upon established archetypal symbolism. Most of the symbolism found in the earliest Tarot decks was probably a form of didactic Christian art as was popular and common at the time.

Tarot quickly gained in popularity throughout Europe, most notably in Bologna, Ferrara, and Milan. Beautiful and expensive decks were commissioned by the wealthy, painted with gold or silver leaf backgrounds, while commoners had to be content with printed decks. As Tarot spread, the trump cards were altered bit by bit, both in imagery and sequence. In addition, sometimes the deck would be completely redesigned, resulting in new decks such as the Boiardo deck or the classical Sola Busca deck.

By the early 1500s, the new Tarot had spread from Italy to France, then to Switzerland, Germany, and the rest of Europe. A book was published in Venice around 1540 by a man named Francesco Marcolini detailing the use of cards to tell fortunes. Though the cards used in this book were not specifically Tarot cards, the seeds were sown.

It would be two centuries before the idea that the Tarot might be useful as a divinatory tool took root throughout Europe. Around 1750, the Tarot was modernized. The French suits of Spades, Clubs, Hearts, and Diamonds became more popular than the traditional Italian alternatives and the Medieval allegorical archetypes that had been so prevalent in Tarot was replaced with more arbitrary images. Numerals were added to the trump cards to avoid having to memorize the order and decks were created with many different themes. You could find decks portraying animals, people, battle scenes, and many other things. During this period, the popularity of the Tarot in France and Italy was in decline, but in other areas the Tarot was exploding.

The 18th century also saw the Tarot return to a more symbolic role, though it was still used as a game as well. In 1770, Etteilla published the first real book on cartomancy. He and two other French writers began to piece together occult lore and fortune telling methods, developing a system that would lead to the total reinvention of the Tarot in the late 1800s.

These men had a great influence on the future of the Tarot. They interpreted the images of the Tarot as it made the most sense to them. They saw the 22 cards of the Major Arcana as relating to the 22 letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This was the beginning of a connection between the Tarot and mysticism. Kabalistic thought became entwined with the Tarot as well, and the occult nature of the Tarot was born, or reborn, depending on your point of view.

Though the Tarot was used for fortune telling from the late 1700s onward, its more elaborate abilities had yet to be rediscovered. However, in the mid-19th century, additional layers of correspondences were added that appealed to occultists all over Europe, particularly in England and France. Still, Tarot remained of interest only to those who were truly engrossed in the exploration of the occult. In the early 20th century, however, that changed completely.

The 20th century saw mystic Arthur Edward Waite take the stage. He completely reinvented the Tarot, creating eclectic but tightly integrated representations of the universal consciousness. Waite’s focus was on the Major Arcana. The first half of the trump card illustrated the descent of the Fool (the first card of the Major Arcana), while the second half revealed with ascent. This journey encompassed the entire spiritual cycle of man. Waite was also the first to use detailed images on the suit cards, also called the Minor Arcana. These images were designed to facilitate the interpretation of the cards when they’re used together in a spread.

The creation of the Rider-Waite deck spurred a renewed interest in the Tarot. Suddenly, New Agers, Pagans, occultists, and everyday people were attracted to the Tarot and its symbolism. This deck also served as the inspiration for hundreds of other decks, though there are still few with detailed images within the Minor Arcana. The beauty of Rider-Waite and its derivative decks is that it is more intuitive than other decks. This reduces the need to memorize large amounts of information.

The evolution of the Tarot meant that it could now be used for many more applications. It has been frequently utilized as a tool for meditation, soul-searching, psychological healing, personal growth, and brainstorming. There are even psychologists and psychoanalysts who use the Tarot for therapeutic techniques. Tarot has become commonplace in the modern world.

The known timeline of the Tarot is full of holes and misinformation. What’s truly important is that the archetypal symbolism of the Tarot has become universal. As the cards have grown and evolved, more people have been able to relate to the imagery and message they present.

Changing Attitudes

Throughout history, the Tarot has been viewed as many things. It was a card game to some. To others, Tarot cards served as method of divining the future. Some even believed the cards were evil.

Tarot cards first began moving into southern Europe during the 14th century. The cards came with travelers who might have come through Egypt, possibly with the gypsies. From there, they spread throughout the rest of Europe, meeting with a variety of attitudes as they traveled.

The general public, even in the Middle Ages, regarded the Tarot as they regarded anything else — some accepted them, some ignored them, and some feared them. There were those who used them as playing cards and those who used them for a more esoteric purpose. The Church, however, was very clear in its stance on Tarot cards.

In the Middle Ages, much like today, Tarot cards were filled with Pagan symbols and images. The Church considered these images to be the work of the Devil. They worked very hard to suppress anything that was linked to the mystical, including Tarot cards.

By the time of the Renaissance, the Tarot had mostly been regulated to the mystery world of the hidden occultists. They were no longer considered relevant or acceptable in polite society, and so were held in secret by those who still chose to use them. As a result, the cards were progressively doctored and changed to reflect the spiritual beliefs and practices of the various groups who had them. Since these groups had little or no contact with each other, the Tarot decks they were using became very different.

As a result, the Tarot cards we see today are an interesting mix of Kabbalistic thought, Arthurian legends, and both Pagan and Rosicrucian symbols. Though they may be hybrids, today’s Tarot cards combine beautiful artwork with powerful symbolism. They are respected for both their archetypal power and aesthetic appeal.

Tarot cards are a popular tool for many people from many spiritual backgrounds and walks of life. Though their origins are difficult to ascertain, their place in today’s world is easy to determine.

Using the Tarot

There are many different ways to use the Tarot. Some of these resemble counseling sessions; others are more like the traditional divination you see in movies. Tarot can be used for meditation, ritual, or even for games. Using the Tarot can allow you to gain appropriate insights into situations or your own self, and even encourages taking responsibility for yourself and your actions. Groups can also use the Tarot for similar purposes.

The idea of Tarot counseling is becoming more popular. Tarot counseling can be understood, at least on a basic level, to refer to the act of giving counsel or advice utilizing the Tarot as a tool. This is usually done by a professional Tarot reader, hopefully one who has some experience in counseling. The reader has to be cautious, however, of administrating advice derived from a deck of cards, no matter how insightful that advice might be. The Tarot should not be used independently, but as a part of a greater counseling program. As a general rule, Tarot counseling should be only as a used by a professional.

Divination is considered by many to be the primary purpose of the Tarot. Today, Tarot is used around the world to receive guidance and spiritual insight. Most experienced readers will tell you that the information received from the Tarot is not ‘otherworldly’ or ‘supernatural’ in any way. The information comes from within the reader and the querent (the person for whom the cards are being read). That information is from the ‘universal subconscious’ that everyone is connected to. The information was already available. The Tarot simply opens a