Facsimile edition of the Rider-Waite Tarot deck originally printed from plates that were destroyed during the bombing of London during World War II. The deck and book set comes with the Rider-Waite Tarot deck by Pamela Colman Smith with original Tudor Rose back design, Celtic Cross divinatory chart, and The Key to the Tarot by Arthur Edward

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ANIMAL TAROT CARD DECK, PRINTED BY WAISENHAUSDRUCKEREI MANNHEIM, C. 1778. REISS-ENGELHORN-MUZSEEN, M... Image via Wikipedia

In a world increasingly jaded by technology and progress, it’s easy to scoff at people who blindly entrust their lives to a deck of cards. We tell ourselves, we are rational, clear-headed people, so how can randomly shuffled cards spread on the table possibly answer all our life’s questions.

Tarot cards have had a crucial and inseparable influence in mysticism and the occult. They first arrived sometime in fifteenth century Italy, but it was not until late 17th or 18th century that tarot cards began to be used in divination.

The tarot cards that we know today have gone through a long and evolution, from the pictures, symbolisms, procedures, purposes, and meanings. It is interesting to note that tarot cards were originally used in a game, with 21 trump cards, four queens, and a fool added to a normal deck, which totals to 78 cards in all.

But it is unclear exactly how tarot branched out from a simple mind-diverting game into the fragile business of looking back into past lives, foretelling the future, and answering questions.

Tarot Archetypes

The highly-respected psychologist Carl Jung has always considered tarot as an alternative psychotherapy. For him, the rich imagery inherent in every tarot card represents archetypes of human personality and situations. Archetypes are basic models or prototypes of people that embody a defined set of characteristics. The Emperor card, for instance, can be thought of as representing the patriarch or the father figure.

Over the years, we piece together various archetypes according to our needs. These archetypes are embedded in our unconscious and thus they can affect our actions and thoughts without our knowing. Consequently, our choices of tarot cards when we pick them out from that “innocent” deck reveal our feelings, attitudes, and even fears towards such figures in our lives. For instance, we may not know it, but we have always shied from responsibilities and commitment in lives whenever there is a father figure looming in the background, etc.

Tarot cards offer an alternative language system through which we can access our Unconscious. Therefore, we do not just randomly pick tarot cards, or blindly entrust our lives to them. Every moment of our lives, we lay ourselves bare with the choices we make, even for something as papery as tarot cards.

The Missing Tarot in The Skeptic’s World

Tarot readings then should not be dismissed as just some pretend psychic business exploiting a person’s gullibility. The art of tarot cards is subtle, delicate, yet powerful. It is energised by centuries of symbolism and meaning created, expounded, and developed by people who dared to see beyond. For them, the Arcane that lies on the fringes of human experience holds the secrets we need to survive.

Before we question the legitimacy of tarot cards, we should first look into the person who wants to inquire about himself/herself. Will they see to believe, or believe to see?

____

This article was written by Neoli Marcos for PsychicGuild.
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One of the more common means of telling fortunes and offering insights into the olden days and fortune is the tarot. Tarot cards first off originated in Italy in the introductory half of the fifteenth century as a card game, used purely for recreation. This early game was something like the latter-day game of Bridge.

The use of tarot cards for divination is key recorded in the early 1700s and by the end of the 18th century; changes were made to tarot cards to make them more instrumental for divination and esoteric meanings.

Originally, tarot cards had no connection to the occult, and this link is a more up-to-date one than the cards themselves. The specifics of the state-of-the-art cards, made up for esoteric purposes, show their basis in the 19th century.

A deck of tarot cards, as they are used today, contains 78 cards, every one of of which contain divergent, meaningful symbols which may be interpreted in a number of ways. The deck contains a total of four suits, and the names of the suits may alter depending upon the tarot deck one is using. Repeatedly times, the suits are referred to as wands, cups, swords, and coins, which make up what is known as the Minor Arcana.

Meanwhile, the Major Arcana is made up of of twenty two cards, all of which are used to signify major events or people in a studying. Meaning is assigned to each card in a tarot deck; nonetheless, the specifics of interpretation are impacted by the layout of the cards, whether they are upright or reversed, and the interpreter’s own reading.

Myriads of the cards in the major arcana, the trump cards, are fairly logical. The Lovers act in place of adore, in some amplitude, while Strength is symbolic of courage and drive. Each of the cards in the minor arcana also carries meaning when used for divination, based on both the numeric value of the card and which suit it is.

Meanings of each card can be found online, in books, or simply by interpreting the images on the card.

Face-to-face tarot card readings are the most notorious, types of readings because they allow the individual to select the cards themselves. The reader then interprets what cards are chosen. This has more market appeal due to its interactive nature.

In disparate parts of the world, there are many street readers who do readings for passers-by. There are also citizens who go to homes in order to read tarot card meanings for additional members of public. England rates for home readings are at £12.50 per character or around that area.

Tarot card purists believe that these face-to-face readings are the original genre of readings. This leads them to believe that face-to-face readings are a lot truer than alternative types of tarot card readings like e-mail or telephone readings. Then again, these arguments are astrological in nature and cannot be found to be true or accurate.

Card readings over the telephone are conducted much the same fashion that card readings face to face are conducted. A querent (caller) will call into a reader, and the reader will ask the caller to concentrate on a question that he or she wants answered or clarified.

The card reader then shuffles the cards and lays them out in a particular pattern. Common patterns include a single card deciphering, a three card translating, and a Celtic Cross understanding, which is a studying of 10 various cards.

The card reader will examine the symbolism in each card, in addition to the card position to conclude what the cards convey. Tarot card divination may not be a real science; it may not be as accurate as some members of public would like to believe, but the market for tarot is ever growing through the availability of readings online and in additional similar mediums. While this is so, there is still a big demand for face-to-face tarot deciphering because of the mystique and interactivity.

A fair judgment of the industry is that it is growing in its variant aspects – whether it is face to face, on the phone, or by some more medium. While society drives itself into a more scientific destination, the appeal of astrology, especially in tarot cards, is still growing fast. Angelys Groshong is a divine addiction online psychic who promotes anwsers to tarot cards as a online fortune telling medium.
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Ever hear of tarocchi or tarock cards? These were some of the names of card games believed to have evolved into today’s Tarot cards. What is out of the ordinary is that no one seems to know the true history of Tarot cards which becomes a mystery in itself. For one thing, its origin has never been proven but only assumed.

Several versions of possible Tarot appear in different locations and centuries. To a certain extent, all may be valid to the progressing history of Tarot or just coincidental theories. Tarot cards are said to have originated in China more than 3000 years ago. It is fact that playing card games in tile and card forms were known and always popular among the Chinese. This theory can be strengthened that the original origin of Tarot may very well have been developed in China based upon playing cards showing up for the first time and being used in Italy in the 15th century. How could they come from China to Italy? This was the same time frame when Marco Polo returned from China.

It is speculated by some to forget the China link. The earliest set of Tarot known was solely created in Northern Italy during the 15th century. The Tarot began as a card game called tarocchi and soon spread to France and across the rest of Europe. It was not associated with fortune telling except through gypsies accused of witchcraft. In 1859, witchcraft trials took place in Venice documenting that a form of cards (possibly Tarot) were used for fortunetelling.

Other historians are doubtful of this theory to the history of the Tarot deck. They argue the claim of it being created in China or Italy. They consider that the original Tarot was formulated as an expansion of 22 cards added to the original deck of playing cards by the ancient Egyptians. It is surmised that many symbols on the Tarot and Egyptian hieroglyphics are similar and can connect it to this culture. The Egyptians were a very advance and mysterious society who indulged in the occult but may have obtained the knowledge from elsewhere.

Many feel that the history of Tarot goes back even further than the ancient Egyptians. Many think Tarot dates back to Atlantis. They speculate that those who lived in Atlantis knew they were headed for destruction. They began to look for some way to preserve their advanced knowledge and gave out the 22 cards. Outsiders thought the cards were a game until the few gifted seers gained insight into the current and possible future situations of a subject and released the knowledge of its power.

The history of the Tarot cards it is also hypothesized as being just another card game that evolved into a fortune-telling device. However, this too cannot be proven since in conjuncture; rules for a game using 78 cards were never found or 78 cards rules were never created in the first place.

During the 18th century, the Tarot deck was used exclusively for fortune telling in France. The first known documented paid fortuneteller using the Tarot was named Alliette. As a fortuneteller, for an allusion of mystique, he turned his name backward into Etteilla. He assigned meanings to each Tarot card, which are still used today in modern readings for divination, guidance, and meditation. There are no concrete facts pertaining to the history of Tarot cards; it is as mysterious as the understanding the reading.

Craig Malone is a writer for SpiritNow.com. Looking for a free tarot or free psychic reading? Visit SpiritNow.com today, the online home of America’s Top Psychic, Sylvia Browne, for a free tarot or free psychic phone reading and the best spirituality content on the Internet.
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One of the more common means of telling fortunes and offering insights into the past and future is the tarot. Tarot cards original originated in Italy in the initial half of the fifteenth century as a card game, used purely for recreation. This early game was something like the modernized game of Bridge.

The use of tarot cards for divination is anterior recorded in the early 1700s and by the end of the 18th century; changes were made to tarot cards to make them more helpful for divination and esoteric meanings. Originally, tarot cards had no connection to the occult, and this link is a more prevalent one than the cards themselves. The specifics of the present cards, devised for esoteric purposes, display their basis in the 19th century.

A typical tarot deck contains 78 cards consisting of the four suits seen in regular card games, which are hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs. The Latin version of the tarot deck has a diverse set of suits. They are swords, batons, cups, and coins. Like a regular deck, tarot cards are numbered from one to ten plus the four court cards; jack, queen, king, and ace.

The difference between a tarot deck and the regular deck is the twenty-one divinity cards named Major Arcana. A joker equivalent in the tarot deck is christened the Fool, or the excuse. The Fool may take all four suits and acts as the toughest trump card.

Reading a tarot card is easy, as each trump card has a distinct meaning. Yet, careful interpretation is needed if one wants to read the meaning from the store of cards. These cards demonstrate astrological connections with readings placed under the context of the Octavian Calendar.

Tarot cards are accepted to readily describe the personal and emotional characteristics of the subject.

The rich and age-old tradition of tarot reading is constantly evolving through time. The methods of interpreting tarot cards continue to change to catch up with the lifestyle it is living in. The change in meaning can also contribute to the evolution of the card itself. The fundamentals of a tarot card today are far divergent from what it was ahead.

When card readings are conducted face-to-face, the card reader will occasionally ask the querent to shuffle the cards as they concentrate on the question. The querent will sometimes be asked to split the deck into three piles, and then to put the deck back together again.

The card reader then lays out the cards in a specific pattern, and each card has a dissimilar meaning, depending upon the layout used. For example, the card reader might layout three cards, one to signify the old lang syne, one for the present and one for the future: all three cards together give a impregnated interpretation of a given situation.

Card readings over the telephone are conducted much the same way that card readings face to face are conducted. A querent (caller) will call into a reader, and the reader will ask the caller to concentrate on a question that he or she wants answered or clarified. The card reader then shuffles the cards and lays them out in a particular pattern. Leading patterns include a single card reading, a three card reading, and a Celtic Cross reading, which is a reading of 10 various cards. The card reader will examine the symbolism in each card, in addition to the card position to conclude what the cards convey.

Although tarot is named something that is as accurate as astrology, there is still a growing tarot service market that is ever increasing through new mediums. For all that, purists still think that a face to face tarot reading is important. It is also important to note that tarot cards are not purely divinatory devices. They are also used in many countries as cards used for playing. This alone should encourage tarot card users to keep a level head.

Angelys Groshong is awe-inspiring stupendous telephone psychic who facilitates tarot card reading clarifications as a fortune telling numerologist.
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By: Donald Carroll

My own psychic abilities were best demonstrated in my practice of the Tarot. Also as regards Tarot, and Yoga, I was mostly influenced by a Tarot and Yoga expert named Aleister Crowley.

I sought to purchase every book that I could find by Aleister Crowley on both Tarot and Yoga, and I also joined an Order that taught both Tarot and Yoga in accordance with the Western Tradition of Magick called the Hermetic Society of the Golden Dawn. (Aleister Crowley was once a member of the original version of this Order.)

I also became a member of another Order that taught both Tarot and Yoga – Aleister Crowley’s own Magickal Order, the Astrum Argentum, A.A., or Order of the Silver Star. Aleister Crowley’s Order is still in existence today, and still maintains a great amount of secrecy in order to better preserve the heart of the Order’s teachings, especially as regards both Tarot and Yoga.

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I was also once scheduled to attend a feast and an initiation into the Order of Ordo Templi Orientis, or O.T.O. (Aleister Crowley later became a prominent figure head within this Order. I am not certain if this Order teaches Tarot and/or Yoga.)

In studying the works of Aleister Crowley, I learned a lot about Tarot and Yoga. From Aleister Crowley, I learned the initiated meanings of Tarot Card symbols, astrological symbols, and religious symbols. In Yoga, I learned how to heighten my awareness, focus, and concentration.

I learned the art of Tarot par excellence, and how to read Tarot Cards. (I believe that I may have been born with a psychic gift, or I have a bizarre talent with the Tarot. My own personal experiences with the Tarot have remained to this day unexplainable, even to me; I am heavily influenced by Aleister Crowley’s writings on the Tarot.)

With the Tarot, I prefer to use the Tarot deck designed by Aleister Crowley. I always lay out an accurate Tarot reading, no matter what the object or subject of the Tarot divination is. I can only demonstrate this psychic ability with Tarot Cards – any deck of Tarot Cards, not just the Aleister Crowley deck.

My mother has had a couple of prophetic dreams that she shared with me once. She never practiced neither Yoga nor Tarot. I may have inherited her gift for prophecy. Her gift manifests in the form of a dream, and for me it is always demonstrated in the practice of reading Tarot Cards!

In accordance with Aleister Crowley’s guidelines for study and experimentation I also experimented with pendulum dowsing and obtained remarkably inaccurate results – so astonishingly incorrect as to suggest psychic ability, but at the same time so undependable that I left my studies with pendulum dowsing to pursue my practice with the Tarot.

VISIT OUR FREE BOOKS, E-BOOKS, AND SOFTWARE SECTIONS. BROWSE THROUGH CLASSIC AND NEWER SELECTIONS FOR YOGA, TAROT, AND ALL OF THE OCCULT CLASSICS INCLUDING ALL OF ALEISTER CROWLEY’S WORKS, WORKS ON YOGA AND TAROT, ASTROLOGY SOFTWARE, TAROT CARD SOFTWARE, AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!!!

Reading Tarot Cards takes years to learn how to do correctly because of the complexity of Tarot card symbolism; the individual meanings of each of the seventy-eight Tarot Cards, and the meanings of each of the positions, depending upon which layout method you are utilizing.

With Tarot, Yoga, (and even Aleister Crowley), repetition, practice, and experience count for everything! The symbolism of the Tarot is deep and at times quite obscure – mastery also depends, theoretically, on a psychic gift. I can demonstrate extraordinary abilities with the Tarot, and I have done so for more than fifteen years.

I want to write a small, practical book on how to learn and practice the Art of Tarot (and even Yoga) correctly, and how to gauge your own progress in a scientific manner! I will then make this book available through Green Planet Fantasy Malls!

Reading Tarot Cards, Yoga, and even Aleister Crowley are things that I know a lot about, and I am very well versed in other religious and mystical studies. Like Aleister Crowley, I do not personally believe in a Devil as some people believe, nor do I understand God to be as personal of a person as people sometimes portray Him, or think about Him. It is the same in Yoga.

For the most part, occult practices (including Tarot and Yoga) have more to do with cultivating self-discipline, focus, concentration, self-healing, physical and emotional healing, and later even learning to heal and/or help others. Aleister Crowley outlines numerous exercises in Yoga, breathing, meditation, and Tarot.

Also included in the works of Aleister Crowley there are practices of invoking and evoking forces, ritual, prayer, Yoga, working miracles, and Tarot divination. In some of these areas there is perhaps a lot of rubbish as far as writings and teachings go, but there also writings and practices that are gems; teachings and understandings in both Tarot and Yoga that anyone can benefit from.

True practice of the occult sciences (including the practices of the Tarot and Yoga) is to initiate you to a path of self-understanding, self acceptance, and self-discipline! As Aleister Crowley pointed out, it is to place yourself onto the Path that eventually leads you to YOU – to Love, Peace, Strength, Honor, and Devotion; the One, True Path (as in Yoga) that brings us closer to ourselves, and to God, and teaches us to be more Christ like!

This Path (which includes teachings from both Yoga and the Tarot) is as unique as each individual is, but the method of approach is very much the same for all of us!

At least some people have heard of the infamous Aleister Crowley, and perhaps even the infamous Aleister Crowley Castle. Aleister Crowley was a famous writer (on both Tarot and Yoga) who flourished around the turn of the century. Aleister Crowley was also a world record holder in the sport of mountain climbing, a world class chess player, and a big game hunter.

Aleister Crowley traveled the world, wrote books on Yoga and Tarot, studied heavily in the occult sciences, and was often referred to as a genius (especially in Yoga and Tarot) and was once even kicked out of Italy by none other than Mussolini himself. Many know of Aleister Crowley only because he was once hailed to be the wickedest man in the world in the tabloids of the 1940′s!

The Aleister Crowley Castle is not really a castle at all...see my pic at the bottom of this page! Most people who have heard of the infamous Aleister Crowley Castle have heard about it because it is now owned by the famous rock guitar player for Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page!

Though I myself once possessed a rare collection of Aleister Crowley’s works, including his best works on Yoga and the Tarot, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin has collected an enormous amount of Aleister Crowley memorabilia. And, yes, he even bought Aleister Crowley’s flat on Loch Ness – the Aleister Crowley Castle!

(Aleister Crowley only lived in the Aleister Crowley Castle himself for roughly six months! The Magickal Work, Yoga, and Tarot he practiced there supposedly made the place haunted, and so even Aleister Crowley himself eventually left the flat!!!)

So, what did Aleister Crowley do during his six month stay on Loch Ness? Well, Aleister Crowley obtained a book called “The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage.”  Aside from practicing in Yoga and Tarot, he was, at that time, aspiring to the Magickal Grade of Adeptus Minor. (Yoga and Tarot are both important aspects of this Grade.)

Anyway, Aleister Crowley sought out and bought a place to retire for six months (sometimes referred to as a magickal retirement) while he carried out the instructions in the above mentioned book; a six month Ritual of Yoga and Magick in which the goal was to obtain to The Knowledge and Conversation of The Holy Guardian Angel.

I understand a thing or two about this particular Grade Work myself, and, if accomplished correctly, attainment in this Grade means simply that you now understand what God’s True Will is for you. (As I stated already, both Yoga and Tarot are important to this Grade.) In the next Magickal Grade of Work you set out to rearrange your life in accordance with your Divine understanding.

Attainment in this Magickal Grade means that you finally understand your strengths and weaknesses in such a way as to know what God’s will is for you; it is like finally understanding who you are, and what your purpose is, especially from the Divine perspective. This is all a rather complicated subject, as Aleister Crowley would agree!

Whether or not Aleister Crowley succeeded in this Work or not was heavily debated within his own circles. But, the flat pictured below is where Aleister Crowley settled down to undertake this Magickal Work. The Aleister Crowley Castle is purportedly haunted as a direct result of Aleister Crowley’s Work there! I suppose we could all ask Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin if the Aleister Crowley castle is really haunted, assuming he himself has ever been there!

About the Author

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Condottiere Francesco Sforza, painted by Bonifacio Bemo, c. 1460. Image via Wikipedia

Author: Janet Francis

Tarot cards—a clever marketing strategy or an ancient mystical guide?

There is much mystery surrounding the history of the tarot and countless myths about its origins. Cynics say that this mystery has been manipulated as a marketing tool for tarot card salesmen!

However, by just looking at the evidence and opinions supplied by other tarot enthusiasts we see that the earliest surviving full deck was painted in 1422 by Italian artist Bonifacio Bembo. This is known as the Visconti deck, named after the Duke of Milan, who commissioned them.

Although accounts of Ancient Egyptian, Celtic, Indian and earlier Italian links have been suggested, there is no evidence of any earlier decks.

The cards were originally used for a game called Tarocchi or ‘Game of Triumphs’ which was similar to Bridge. The game was played mainly by the Upper Classes and has continued in some circles.

The tarot’s use by the Upper Classes probably saved the game from being banned by the Church even though it was considered to be heresy and was outlawed by the Church. Indeed in the latter half of the fifteenth century some church sermons labelled tarot as the work of the Devil, but the Church had better foes to fight where cards were concerned- mainly games promoting gambling.

It is believed that the cards were used for inspiration for poetry, describing aspects of the human mind and character traits. The cards have obviously evolved according to the culture of the times and attitudes from whence they were used.

Probably the most important manifestations and manipulations of the Tarot deck were by Alistair Crowley and Waite of the Rider-Waite deck. The imagery on this deck is the one with which we are most familiar today. The Rider- Waite deck was introduced into America in the twentieth century and the one most available to the American public.

For more information on tarot cards visit http://www.thetextperts.co.uk/tarot.html

About the Author:
Janet Francis is currently opening her own business while continuing to freelance as a commercial writer. Check out her new services at http://www.entourageangels.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Tarot Cards- a Clever Marketing Strategy or an Ancient Mystical Guide?

The cover of the Thoth tarot deck.Image via Wikipedia

Author: Craig Malone

The Thoth Tarot Deck was a tarot deck developed by the English occultist Aleister Crowley and illustrated on his instructions by Lady Frieda Harris. Aleister Crowley called the Thoth tarot deck, the book of Thoth and claimed that the deck reflected the wisdom of the ancient Egyptian book of Thoth.

The tarot card descriptions found on the Thoth Tarot deck are different in symbolism and imagery compared to other standard tarot card decks.

Thoth is considered one of the most important deities of the ancient Egyptian pantheon. He is known as the God with the head of an ibis. He is the heart and tongue of the all-powerful Egyptian Sun God Ra. He translated the will of Ra into speech and is the divine communicator of Egyptian mythology.

He was the scribe of the Gods and was called the God of Writing. The book of Thoth is used for divination through tarot cards. The tarot card descriptions on the Thoth deck are reflections of the great knowledge of the ancient Egyptians.

A cult of Thoth grew during the last years of the Egyptian civilization who claimed to predict the future through occult divination. Aleister Crowley claims that the Thoth tarot deck developed by him was based on the tarot card descriptions followed by the cult of Thoth. He developed the deck between 1938 and 1943.

He commissioned Lady Frieda Harris to illustrate the deck based on his visions and based on the ancient Egyptian book of Thoth papyrus by Jasnow and Zauzich. It took five years to develop the deck because Crowley wanted the images to reflect different disciplines including science and philosophy.

The tarot card descriptions in the Crowley Thoth tarot deck are different from the Rider Waite and other standard tarot card decks. The Major Arcana or trump cards are 21 in number and consist of the fool, the Magician or Magus, the high Priestess, the Emperor, the Empress, the Hierophant, the lovers, the chariot, Adjustment, the hermit, the wheel of fortune, lust, the hanged man, death, art, devil, tower, star, moon, sun, aeon and the universe.

Court cards in the Thoth minor Arcana deck are the prince, the princess, queen and the knight. While the suite of cups, disks, swords and wands remain the same, they are illustrated with an Egyptian hieroglyphic style.

The pips of the minor Arcana in the Thoth deck relate to the signs of the zodiac with the aces depicting the root of the element they represent. Each pip card in each suite has an attribute.

The wand suite relates to the fire signs of the zodiac. The ace represents the root of the fire element 2 dominions, 3 virtues, 4 completion, 5 strife, 6 victory, 7valor, 8 swiftness, 9 strength and 10 oppression.

The cup suite represents the water signs of the zodiac. The ace represents the root of the water element, 2 love,3 abundance, 4 luxury, 5 disappointment, 6 pleasure, 7 debauchery, 8 indolence, 9 happiness and 10 safety.

The sword suite represents the air signs of the zodiac. The ace represents the root of the air element 2 peace, 3 sorrow, 4 truces, 5 defeats, 6 science, 7 futility, 8 interference, 9 cruelty and 10 ruin.

The disks suite represents the earth signs of the zodiac. The ace is the root of the earth element, 2 change, 3 work, 4 power, 5 worry, 6 success, 7 failure, 8 prudence, 9 gain and 10 wealth.

The Thoth tarot deck reflects the tarot card descriptions that formed the visions of Aleister Crowley on a visit to Egypt. Many diviners have found great merit in predicting the future using the Thoth Tarot deck.

About the Author:

CM is a writer for SpiritNow.com. Visit SpiritNow.com today, the online home of America’s Top Psychic, Sylvia Browne. Read Sylvia’s 2009 psychic predictions and the best spirituality content on the Internet on SpiritNow.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Thoth Tarot Deck

The Fool card from the Rider-Waite tarot deck.

Author: Craig Malone

Whenever you say tarot cards, you would in most cases find it means the Rider Waite tarot deck. This is because this is one of the most commonly used types of card decks.

The history of using tarot cards may take you to ancient times, however the tarot cards as they are known today can be traced to the year 1910 when Arthur Edward Waite designed these with the help of a very talented illustrator named Pamela Colman Smith.

While Waite was British, Smith was American at that time. Waite, who was a renowned publisher, also printed an excellent guide to help with the interpretation of this tarot deck titled, The Key to the Tarot. This book has often been re-run and used by a slightly modified title, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot.

This is a wonderful book for any tarot enthusiast because it assists you in every step while using tarot cards for a reading. Waite made a few changes when he designed this new set of cards.

The Justice and Strength cards were interchanged so Justice read as card 11 while Strength reads as card 8.

All the Minor Arcana cards, which previously only had their numbers and suit symbols inscribed on them, had pictures added by Waite and Smith creating a more interesting and in many ways, easier-to-read tarot deck.

You will find that this particular deck is not only the most popular found today, but also one that is most eloquent in readings. Owing to the beautiful scenes and symbols that Rider Waite and Pamela Smith introduced, each card becomes a miniature book for the diviner, who is able to read the symbols as they become apparent during a reading.

The tarot deck, with the help of the key, can encourage any amateur to want to learn more about this occult art. Each card has scenery, background and many symbols, which at first glance look child-like simple. On closer perusal, the details would literally unfold before your eyes the story of your subject.

Using tarot cards for divination by novices became apparently easier after this deck was issued. This is why this is one of the most popular versions of tarot cards used today throughout the world.

A good number of the symbols that you would find on these cards are the result of the inspiration the authors drew from Eliphas Levi, who was during those time an extremely famous and successful occultist and magician.

Fascinated by the signs this occult personality used and convinced that using tarot cards need more visual stimulation for a proper interpretation, Waite tried to make his tarot deck speak out eloquently with the help of color, scenes and symbols.

Owing to the popularity of the Waite tarot cards, many clones have found their way in this type of divination. Some of the better-known versions include the Gilded tarot, the Aquarian tarot, the Universal Waite tarot, the Nigel Jackson tarot and the Golden tarot among others. Do not be fooled by the imitations. Use the original Rider Waite tarot deck.

About the Author:

CM is a writer for SpiritNow.com. Visit SpiritNow.com today, the online home of America’s Top Psychic, Sylvia Browne. Read Sylvia’s 2009 psychic predictions and the best spirituality content on the Internet on SpiritNow.com. Looking for a love psychic or psychic reading for free, visit SpiritNow.com today.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Rider Waite Tarot Deck

Le Bateleur (The Magician) from the Marseilles deck.

Author: Malc Moore

The first description of tarot decks appeared as early as the beginning of the 15th century when Martiano da Tortona mentioned some card games that resembled a lot to tarot. The symbols on these early illustrations were Greek deities while the suits matched four types of birds, a pattern totally different from the basic Italian decks.

These forefathers of the tarot deck counted only sixteen cards, but they surely enjoyed great popularity. Later, other decks are described by Italian documents throughout the 15th century. Given the heraldic, social, poetical and philosophical interpretations of the cards, modern researchers are surely impressed by the vividness of the symbolism and the ideology behind it.

The oldest tarot deck preserved to our times were designed according to the specifications of the Visconti family. The sixty-six cards are presently on public display at the Yale University Library in New Haven.

Le Bateleur (The Magician) from the Oswald Wirth deck

Another well-known deck was painted by Bonifacio Bembo according to the instructions of Maria Visconti. They are preserved with the exception of two who were either lost or never existed. These latter tarot decks are known as Visconti-Sforza and their design is very popular nowadays too.

Lots of modern reproductions combine batons, swords, coins and cups with trump cards as the clear image of traditional iconography of the old times.

An analysis of the first-made tarot decks indicates a reduced number given the painstaking effort required for their design. Tarot decks have survived from Marseilles, Egypt or Switzerland and in time they came to be associated with magic and mysticism. Occultism and magic fans were the first to embrace and widely use the cards for all sorts of symbolic interpretations that have survived to our modern world too.

The Magician from the Rider-Waite deck

The tarot deck cannot be given a clear origin, yet, some scientists revealed that the etymology of the word tarot is Egyptian, meaning the royal road. According to tradition, Gypsies are said to have spread the tradition of card reading in the first place, but we don’t know for sure when tarot decks started to gain mass attention.

What we know for sure is that Eliphas Levi introduced the tarot in the English speaking world, initially for aristocrats and then among the middle classes.

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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Different Tarot Decks Designs