I’ve been using tarot for decades, yet I still have so much to learn and understand. I love learning new tarot insights. Here are 13 things you may not know about our favorite divination method.

Bear in mind, kiddos, history is not the cemented, factual thing we were led to believe in school. Like science, our perceptions change and are challenged constantly as more information comes to light. The developments in tarot I cover here may well change as time passes.

1. Tarot Did Not Inspire Playing Cards

Playing cards were first developed in China, donkey’s years before tarot came on the scene. They were so adaptable they were culturally appropriated throughout Asia, the Middle east and Europe. Playing cards formed the basis for other decks and games.

2. The Romani Didn’t Invent Tarot

Neither did the ancient Egyptians, Celts or other ancient society. The idea that gypsies brought tarot cards to the world is simply a romantic myth. The obvious argument against any other ancient civilization inventing our favorite cards, is that the ancients used clay tablets and other hard surfaces to decorate and inscribe with text. Just imagine shuffling them and laying out a large spread. Imagine the weight of a 78 tablet deck on your shelf. And what if you, like me, had a tarot collecting addiction? Earliest evidence of tarot cards appears in Italy and France, during the the 15th century. Playing cards had arrived in Italy approximately 100 years earlier.

There is speculation that the French/Italian tarot was a development of Mamluk cards from Persia, which were a kind of playing card deck that were heavily decorated and used the suits: coins, clubs, jugs, and swords.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Tarot Originated As A Game

Fortune telling with tarot didn’t become popular for another couple of centuries. Meanwhile the Italians were having a raucous time playing games of Triumphi or Triumphs with the 5th suit, the Major Arcana as trump cards. The Majors carry all kinds of mystical, spiritual and Christian allegories because the upper classes didn’t miss a trick when it came to assimilating some deep truth or other. Card games were perceived as ideal opportunities for education. And rightly so. Later, when the Italians got bored with Triumphs, someone came up with a new variation called ‘tarocchi’. In other countries, the game morphed into the modern version of Bridge.

The name, ‘tarot’ likely came from the Italians and tarocchi. The river, Taro, was a center of industry and paper production, so it might well have been named for the place where the cards were printed. It didn’t come from Egypt, neither is it an inaccurate anagram of ‘rota’ (wheel), as some teachers will try to tell you.

All this is explored in the excellent book, The Tarot: History, Symbolism and Divination by Robert. M. Place. Before launching into the book’s main discourse of symbolism in the cards, the author gives a very useful potted history of the origin of the cards. It should be on every tarot reader’s bookshelf, or, as in my case, on Kindle.

4. Fortune Telling With Tarot Is a (Sort of) Modern Development

Fortune telling or cartomancy (to give it the correct name, i.e. reading with cards) didn’t become popular until the 18th century, though it’s perfectly possible that divination with tarot occurred a lot earlier because playing cards were often used for fortune-telling in the Renaissance. Robert M. Place is pretty sure that some form of cartomancy was happening in the Middle Ages, and possibly earlier, because of a link with throwing die (dice).

Nevertheless, formalized tarot divination wasn’t documented until much later. The year 1781 was the turning point; the year when Court de Gébelin published the first occult interpretation of the tarot. Therefore, we can pronounce that as the time when tarot became officially, a tool of divination. Yay.

But, it became fashionable to attribute all kinds of nonsense theories, such as Egyptian roots of the tarot. At this time, several other occult systems were shoehorned into tarot. Partnerships that exist to this day, such as astrology, Hermeticism, and the Kabbalah. It works for some, but you have to remember that those things were never built into tarot because the iconography of the cards is mainly Christian.

“Many of the occult theories are historically unfounded and at times the occult interpretations of the Tarot actually contradict the iconography present in the illustrations on the cards.” Robert Michael Place, Tarot Symbolism. Penguin Publishing Group.

5. There Are Four Archangels In The Major Arcana, Appearing In Six Cards

The first angel appears in the Lovers card. There is some disagreement whether this is Raphael or Michael. In the first Italian decks, there was no angel and the card was simply named ‘Love’. The angel’s place was occupied by Cupid. Later, as more decks were published, the card was renamed and sexy Cupid was ousted by the more acceptable image of a mighty angel bestowing his approval on the union taking place below. I’m going with Raphael as he is the angel of healing and lovers.

Temperance is often represented by an unnamed angel, indicating we should be listening to our higher, spiritual nature. In the Bible, Revelation 10:1-2, there is a description of a ‘great angel’, usually deemed to be Michael, standing with one foot on land; the other in the ocean. Some tarotists are convinced Temperance is Gabriel.

The Devil is also an angel. I always thought it was Lucifer, but apparently not. It is Uriel, who appears to teach humans that we create our own bondage by our habit of chaining ourselves to earthly possessions and attachments. He looks terrifying, but is, in fact, trying to point out that he knows what’s best and to release ourselves from our addictions and attachments. But that would mean I would have to let go of my tarot deck habit, wouldn’t it?

In Judgement, Gabriel is seen blowing his trumpet, symbolizing immortality and calling forth spirits from their graves, showing that death is not the end of existence. Gabriel is the angel of resurrection and revelation so it makes sense that he is on this card and not on Temperance.

All four archangels appear in the Wheel of Fortune and the World.

6. You Don’t Have To Be a Witch or a Psychic To Read Tarot

It’s true. Anyone can learn to read tarot. It’s a skill and an art, and takes loads of practice but it can be learned. There are psychic readers who use tarot as a kind of jumping off point. They tend to be less interested in the traditional interpretations and are able to clairvoyantly ‘see’ what the rest of us cannot. I am very jealous of their skills.

7. The Advice That Someone Should Buy Your First Deck for You Is a Myth

I have no idea where this ridiculous old wives’ tale came from, but you won’t be any less of a reader if you purchase your own deck. Take no notice of superstitious nonsense.

And while we are on silly stuff, advice that you shouldn’t read tarot for yourself is also false.

8. Tarot Cards Are Just Cards

It’s true. Tarot cards themselves are not precious, mystical things. They consist of images printed on card, usually in China. They don’t have spirits living inside them. However, it is possible that they are imbued with their owner’s energy and so, if using a second-hand deck, it might be wise to give them a bit of a shake-out to remove those unwanted vibrations. But having said that, there’s no need to take care of them like your newborn baby. You don’t have to sleep with them. They don’t need padded boxes or velvet bags. They will be perfectly happy stored in their original box. Several of my boxes are even repaired with tape.

The magic of tarot happens when those images and symbols connect with something in your own imagination, memory, and emotions.

9. Tarot Cards Can Be Used For Other Things Besides Readings

A deck of tarot cards and an explanatory reference book are brilliant tools for a fiction writer. Use tarot cards to plan out your novel. Let them help you to develop characters. Turn a card when you get to a ‘what’s next’ moment.

Tarot is perfect as a focus for meditation. Sit with your chosen card and visualize yourself entering the card and conversing with any people you meet. Or meditate on the properties of a particular Major Arcana card.

Journaling is easy with tarot. Draw a card in the morning and, in the evening, journal about how its energy manifested in your life throughout the day.

Tarot is great for adding a bit of extra power to spellcasting. Simply choose the card or cards that reflect what you are trying to achieve with your spell and lay them in sight, while you perform the ritual.

10. If You Keep Using Tarot, You Will Never Stop Learning About It

Tarot is an elegant system which reflects the whole of the human experience. You can never learn all there is to know about it. It constantly throws up new insights.

11. You Don’t Need To Use Reversals When Reading Tarot

What? Gasp! No reversals? What are you talking about? It’s true because all the meanings and possible interpretations are contained in the upright image. Think of each card as a container holding all its particular wisdom, from negative to positive. Or perhaps it is easier to think of it as a sliding scale. From the worst event, energy, or outcome right through to the most positive.

The skill of a good reader is understanding how to pluck the accurate interpretation. And to do that you will use context, the situation, the question, any information the client shares, the surrounding cards, and how your intuition perceives it. You see? No reversals necessary. You’ll find using all your cards upright and taking into consideration the sliding scale, your readings will become much more nuanced and accurate.

12. You Can Use Playing Cards To Read Tarot

You can read tarot sans images and sans Majors. All you do is transfer your knowledge of the minors to the 52 cards in a regular playing card deck. You’ll have to merge the Pages and the Knights into the Jacks, but it can work pretty easily. More information here: How to Use Playing Cards to Read Tarot.

13. Tarot Is Not Dangerous

I receive numerous messages and comments about how the cards are a tool of the Devil. Odd really, when you consider the origins of the tarot in Roman Catholic Italy. And when you look at the iconography, which is overwhelmingly Christian. So, no, used for good, tarot is not dangerous.

Having said that, harm can happen when an inexperienced or malicious reader tells a client or friend that they, or someone close to them is going to die, or suffer some other horrible event. It’s really important to cultivate a gentle way of reading. To take into consideration how a person might feel. Don’t go blurting out some message that will cause sleepless nights or mental distress. Make sure your client leaves feeling upbeat.

If you have questions on any aspect of tarot, then ask below. I’ll be happy to answer as soon as I am able. However, please don’t request a free reading or for me to interpret your cards.

Maybe you have a tarot fact you would like to share? Don’t keep it to yourself – let’s hear it.

Originally published at Exemplore

Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2021