Saturday, April 05, 2014

Understanding The Tarot

The traditional tarot deck comprises of 78 picture cards, of which 22 are major arcana that have no suit designation and 56 are minor arcana with 4 dominant energy designation suits, namely Wands, Cups, Swords, and Coins respectively, of 14 cards each. Four ranks of achievement or maturity along each path are represented by Page, Knight, Queen, and King, commonly known as the court cards. Tarot cards were basically used for gaming and gambling but sometimes used for fortune telling.

The pictures on the cards are a symbol of people’s problems and woes, happiness and triumphs. Coins clearly indicate money, wealth and prosperity and also signify the human body, the home and all things physical. During a time in history, people actually came across pages, knights on horseback and were ruled by kings and queens. Today, these same cards are viewed as parables denoting the stage, ranks, and levels of maturity in our lives. Thus the tarot’s symbol is a living thing that continually evolves.


What Is The Tarot?
Traditionally, the tarot was used for divination, but presently, it is known as a powerful tool for personal development and healing. One of the first decks to show a fully illustrated minor arcana is the most popular deck of modern times which is probably the Rider-Waite deck, illuminated by the artwork of Pamela Coleman Smith and originally published by Rider in 1910. The repeated pictures of the suit symbol such as one coin, two coins, three coins, and so on simply showed Card numbers 1 to 10.

Finding Solutions
The tarot is absolutely useful in a state of anxiety or in working out problems with no clear or easy solution. Beginners usually turn to tarot during this situation, but an advanced tarot reader will plan ahead by using the deck more proactively.

Positive Energy
It's sensible to tune into the surrounding before you begin a reading due to the perpetual influence of energy on us. I’ve been asked repeatedly why the same cards appear over and over. It’s SYNCHRONICITY; a meaningful coincidence that occurs by different causes. Everything is brought together through the process of forming a question and perceiving an answer. The universe is alive and listening. Expressing your desire as a wish or thought release energy outward. Some form of energy return to you as a result of that wish or thought. Will you send out thoughts of how you will never find the right partner (a nice job, enough money)? Guess what? You won’t! Send out thoughts that you WILL find the perfect life mate (a fulfilling occupation, money in abundance), ask the tarot how, and you surely will.

Major And Minor Arcana
Life is a progression marked by accomplishments, from a baby's first step through to graduation day and beyond. Internal growth and progress can also be marked in stages. These paths correspond to the dominant energy in the four suits, respectively Wands, Cups, Swords and Coins. The court cards, most commonly named Page, Knight, Queen and King, represent four ranks of achievement or maturity along each path.

Reversals
A reversal is the name given to an upside-down card. Some tarot readers prefer not to use or interpret reversed cards, on the basis that there is already enough negativity in the world. Personally, I find that the use of reversals increases the communicative power of the tarot, making it that much more useful as a tool for life planning.

A reversed card indicates something other than the same card seen upright, but not necessarily simply the opposite.


Possible Reversed Meanings:
Problem: Many people become interested in the tarot because they have problems. If the Ace of Pentacles appears in a reading, it may be that the questioner is approaching a new avenue of prosperity.
Reversed, the Ace of Pentacles could mean there is a problem with this new prosperity.

Opposite: If the Ace of Pentacles means a new avenue of prosperity, then the reversed Ace of Pentacles can mean the opposite: no new avenue of prosperity.

Blocked: Indicates that the energy or meaning of the card is present but is blocked, not fully present. Some effort is needed to bring it fully into play.

Weaker: A reversed card may have the same meaning as the upright, only in a softer form.

Decay: The upright meaning is dwindling away. It cannot be counted on to remain.

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