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HOW I FIRST GOT INTO TAROT
I received my first tarot deck when I was sixteen from my mother. At the time I wasn’t too sure on what tarot was and what its purpose was. Growing up in a predominantly Catholic environment, I was constantly told that practices such as tarot and talking with spirits were simply an extension of the devil and that my life would be put in jeopardy if I so dared to try it out. I would always silently curse the constraints of the religion of my childhood when passing the tarot booth at my town’s annual festival. The deep burgundy tapestry that was draped above the spread of cards was tempting. But as I began to drift away from the belief systems of Catholicism, I found myself gravitating toward the mystery that enshrouded the practice of reading tarot cards. I vaguely remember showing my mom the blue gold embossed deck entitled the “Illuminated Deck” that caught my eyes and asking her if I could have it for Christmas.
WHAT IS TAROT?
Tarot is a type of divination in which one can receive guidance, insight or perspective on events occurring in one’s life or questions lingering in the subconscious. The overall system in which tarot is set up is through a set of 78 cards. The deck is split into two: the major arcana and the minor arcana.
Video by Karissa Goosic
Narration by Hailey Stessman
The major arcana represents large life events and shifts in the past, present or future (also shows the progression of a journey through various archetypes)
(symbolic meanings on different document)
0 - the fool
I - the magician
II - the high priestess
III - the empress
IV - the emperor
V - the hierophant
VI - the lovers
VII - the chariot
VIII- strength
X - the wheel of fortune
XI - justice
XII - the hanged man
XIII - death
XIV - temperance
XV - the devil
XVI - the tower
XVII - the star
XVIII - the moon
XIX - the sun
XX - judgement
XXI - the world
The minor arcana represents details that may arise from the major arcana or can show day-to-day meanings. The minor arcana is further split into four different suits: cups, pentacles, swords and wands.
cups: emotions, love, relationships, spirituality (water signs)
pentacles: property, money, achievement, sensuality (earth signs)
swords: intellect, decisions, reason, logic (air signs)
wands: instinct, travel, communication, creativity, passion, will, desire (fire signs)
A breakdown of the minor arcana:
Ace
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Page
Knight
Queen
King
Shuffling your deck:
A reading for yourself— you shuffle the cards
If you are doing a reading for another person— let them shuffle
Fan method or Cutting the Deck
Spreads you can use:
1 Past 2 Present 3 Future
The celtic cross
1 - you/the situation in question
2 - what crosses or complements you
3 - the best that can be achieved in the circumstances
4 - the foundation: the reason for the reading
5 - the past
6 - the near future
7 - you
8 - your environment - external influences affecting you
9 - hopes or fears
10 - the outcome
love - readiness for love
career - brick by brick
growth - self assessment and advice
spiritual - mind, body, spirit
general - situation, action, outcome / three options
DISCLAIMER
I began practicing tarot two years ago when my spiritual and mental health was faltering, and I was in desperate need of insight. Thankfully, tarot was there to support me. The personal meanings I could gather from the cards gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation for the growth that I had experienced in my life. If you feel drawn to the art of tarot, I encourage you to seek guidance from an individual who has been practicing for quite some time. I still consider myself a new student of tarot and am continuously asking for advice on how to fully embrace the practice in a respectful manner. Please approach tarot with an open mind that is eager to learn with the utmost of gratitude.
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