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The tarot has been used for centuries as a divination tool, although its history is shrouded in mystery and conjecture. The earliest mention of playing cards comes from the late 14thcentury when it was noted that the Town Council of Regensburg (Germany) banned their use in 1378. The French banned playing cards in 1397, and the British, never to be out done by the French, banned them in 1463. This ban, unlike the French, was not to stop people playing cards, but to outlaw them importing cards from foreign countries - they had become such a commercial success!
In 1415, there is mention of a pack of hand painted cards having been made for Fillipo Marie Visconte, the then Duke of Milan. These survived the outbursts of one St Bernadin of Sienna, who publicly condemned such cards in 1423. Many cards were designed for rich northern Italian dynasties, one dynasty being the Bologna who commissioned cards from Francesco Fibbia. It is said my some that this pack was the basis for the modern Tarot deck, and it was probably this deck that St Bernadin was referring to. Historical references do not indicate the origins of the cards, and it was not until the 1700's that people started to take the Tarot seriously. Antoine Court de Gébelin wrote about "the game of Tarot" in the 1770s, and he speculated that their origin was Egyptian. It should be noted that at about this time, Europe was becoming obsessed with Egyptology.
The Tarot revival began in 1854 with the publication ofDogma and Ritual of Transcendental Magicby Eliphas Levi. This revival was further fuelled by the most famous deck of recent times; the Rider-Waite deck. Arthur Edward Waite (1857-1942) was a scholar of the occult and a member of the Hermetic order of the Golden Dawn. He, like Levi, linked the Tarot to the Qabalistic tree of life (see Qabala). Waite's Tarot deck was popular, but he was criticized for altering many of the major cards to suit his own interpretations - this criticism however has not stopped numerous modern re-interpretations. Pamela Colman Smith, a young artist born in 1878 in Middlesex, drew the original Rider-Waite deck. She worked in collaboration with Waite, drawing cards to his instructions, as such; the deck is sometimes referred to as the Waite-Smith deck. The most striking changes in this deck over any previous was the inclusion of pictures on the minor cards instead of simple geometric patterns. Rider first published this deck in 1910.
As far as many people are concerned any deck design can be used, it is the interpretations that are important.
The deck of 78 cards is split into two arcana (meaning secrets or mysteries - from the Latinarcanus), these being the major arcana and the minor arcana. The major arcana consists of 22 cards, the minor arcana consists of 4 suits of 14 cards. The minor suits are Wands, Swords, Cups and Pentacles (sometimes referred to as coins).
Wands represent action, drive
or determination, adventure, hope, faith and trust. Wands can be attributed to
the element of Fire.
Swords are about intellect
(using words rather than deeds), conflict, anger and negative emotions. Swords
can be attributed to the element of Air.
Cups represent passivity, quiet
reflection upon events, love friendship and positive emotions. Cups can be
attributed to the element of Water.
Pentacles are about money
matters, work, routine activities and nature. Pentacles can be attributed to the
element of Earth.
Ace/One - The beginning or base of the attribute.
Two - The duality or union.
Three - The full expression or creativity of the attribute.
Four - The structure or logic of the attribute.
Five - The conflict within or the wholeness of the attribute - culmination of 2
& 3 above.
Six - Progression, development and communication - a turn for the better.
Seven - Stability, victory and influence of the attribute.
Eight - Continuity, achievement of movement within the attribute.
Nine - Making compromises, either struggle or rest relating to the
attribute.
Ten - The completion of events thus far, the need to extend beyond.
Page (11) - Inquisitiveness, exploration and study.
Knight (12) - Taking action or responsibility. Being accountable to others.
Queen (13) - Creativity, fertility, longevity and appreciation of the attribute.
King (14) - Power, a reactionary force, success, being headstrong, social
responsibility.
One of the most popular spreads is the Celtic Cross...
Correlations do vary slightly, but this is a common interpretation.
1 - Present influences - Basic worry or upset affecting the subject.
2 - Present events - Factor for change, source of resistance.
3 - Past events - The source of the problem affecting the subject.
4 - Past influences - Resolved problems, fading influences.
5 - Future events - Expectations for the future, what the subject thinks will happen.
6 - Future influences - Something that is growing in importance, developing concern.
7 - Self - How the subject is contributing to the situation, subject's self image.
8 - Environment - Operating context, expectations of others, emotional climate.
9 - Hopes and fears - Lessons to be learnt, words of warning, the subject's personal demon.
10 - Final outcome - The most likely result, where it will lead.
A reversed card shows that a card's energy is present, but with reduced influence.
See Links page for Tarot course, and Books page for further reading.
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