The Path of Tarot

More and more tarot packs are appearing in bookstores now, and the person new to the area can easily get very, very confused.

Tarot proper is a set of 78 cards divided into two sections; a major arcana of 22 cards, and a minor arcana of 56 cards. The minor arcana is further subdivided into four groups of cards: wands, pentacles, swords and cups. The minor arcana have ten number cards and four "people" cards: page, knight, queen and king (although different tarot decks may use slightly different names, but essentially the same four individuals).

Each of the major arcana cards represents an individual theme, and the twenty-two cards taken as a unit comprise what is believed to me a metaphysical system of knowledge leading a person from the starting point of the "fool" to the end point of universal wisdom.

To give you a general notion of what tarot is about I will include some very abbreviated meanings of the cards. The exact meanings used in any reading will depend upon the deck used and the particular reader doing the reading and how they choose to interpret the cards according to their "feelings" at that moment.

One other note. Cards are usually designed in a way that they have a definite "up" and a definite "down" so they can be read in the regular position, or in a reversed position. Some readers choose not to use reverse meanings, however. Again, this is up to the particular reader involved.

THE MAJOR ARCANA

0. THE FOOL: Usually the first card in the Major Arcana. This represents a person just starting on their metaphysical road, a person filled with innocence and wide-eyed wonder.

1. THE MAGICIAN: This shows an individual with one hand extended towards the heaven and the other towards a table filled with objects representing the minor arcana. The idea is that the person is not just starting to bring down the cosmic into the more mundane world, learning how to use that cosmic power.

2. THE HIGH PRIESTESS: The imagery on the High Priestess card can be extremely complicated; condensed she represents hidden knowledge and great mysteries. Basically this card is saying we need to continue on our pathway towards "enlightenment".

3. THE EMPRESS: This is the "Earth Mother" card, often featuring a pregnant woman. She represents feminine energy and fertility. She also represents the Goddess of Love, so the general meaning of the card revolves around material satisfaction in our lives, or (for males) an increased ability or a statement that they need to work more with the feminine part of their personality.

4. THE EMPEROR: A male figure, representing the male force in the world. In a reading can stand for leadership, male powers coming to the fore, even an indication that the old ways we have been following may no longer be suited to us.

5. THE HIEROPHANT: Again usually a male symbol, generally representing the outer, more "showy" aspects of religion. At times it could indicate that we need to follow a slightly more orthodox approach to things; at other times it might indicate exactly the opposite, depending on the cards around it.

Here again is where Tarot shows itself as not a cut-and-dried method of divination or self-analysis. A card can have a variety of meanings, depending on the symbols on the card, their meaning to the reader and the person asking for a reading, whether or not the card is upright or upside down, and where the card occurs in the reading. To some degree a reader will use books and other sources to determine how he or she will interpret the card; but to a great degree just how the reader interprets the card will also depend upon the inner intuition of the reader, the reader's own tie in to the "cosmic power", however you wish to define the term, and what they intuitively pick up from that. This is why at best one can in a book like this list only a very short meaning of the card; circumstances, readers and the person being read for can all have a great influence on just how that card will be "read".

6. THE LOVERS: This card can represent a person that has to make a choice between different alternatives. It can also indicate that you will find a lover, or perhaps even lose one. The card sometimes has two women and one man, usually a man and a woman. Perhaps the reason that modern decks have not adopted a two-woman or two-man approach to this card lies in the yin/yang principle that is represented by having a male and a female on the card rather than two people of the same sex.

The yin/yang principle is that everything is a duality; even people. We have two sides to our nature- the yang or masculine, controlling, powerful side and the yin, the female, more submissive but intuitive side. The idea is that we are opposites who, in the case of the Lovers, can achieve their full potential by uniting (as in IDIC, referred to earlier in this book). Having two men or two women would make such a yin/yang polarity distinction more difficult. (Of course, perhaps just plain prejudice against homosexuals and lesbians also explains why there are few if any representations of the lovers as of the same sex.)

7. THE CHARIOT: This usually shows a man in an chariot holding the reins for two sphinxes or two of some other animal. The card represents the person's growing control over the forces around their own life.

8. STRENGTH: This card usually shows a woman holding open the mouth of a lion. The idea is that we can draw upon our inner strengths in order to meet any outer challenges.

9. THE HERMIT: Another male figure, this one is usually pictured against a dark background holding a staff and a lit lantern. It can mean that we need to take some time to meditate for ourselves and find guidance that way; it can also mean that a teacher will be coming into our lives.

10. THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE: This card, of course, shows a wheel around which are a variety of symbols. The card helps point out to us that all things change, given time, and that what is happening to us right now, whether it be extremely good or extremely bad, will eventually pass and we will move on to another set of experiences.

11. JUSTICE: Usually a female figure seated with a sword in one hand and a balance in the other. Basically the card deals with the need to bring balance into our lives, and points out that without balance we may end up suffering some fairly negative consequences.

12. THE HANGED MAN: This card is usually a male figure hanging by one foot upside down from a tree branch, with one leg crossed behind the other forming a figure four. The figure usually is pictured as quite happy with his state and is not in any pain or inconvenience.

Since most people don't hang upside-down from a treelimb every day, this card represents our willingness (or need) to go against what is so strongly expected of us; being willing to take a new approach to our spiritual growth.

13. DEATH: The one card that really sends people into fits of fear. Such people always fear that getting the card means they are going to die. The Death card really represents change; sweeping change that may be coming into your life. The change will probably be followed by the birth of something new, creative and constructive, although this meaning may be modified by the surrounding cards.

14. TEMPERANCE: The card represents the concept of "moderation in all things". We don't need to meditate twenty hours a day. We don't need to attend every single psychic fair with a thousand-mile radius of our homes. On the other hand we do need to make some effort in pursuing our spiritual path. Knowledge and, eventually wisdom, do not come to us without hard work.

15. THE DEVIL: Another card that stirs lots of fears, the devil card usually features a man and a woman with chains around their necks physically linked to the devil.

The card can, of course, mean some very bad things are going to happen, but it can also be a warning to us that we have the power to break out of the bad things. When you examine the chains holding the man and the woman you find that they are loose; the two could escape anytime they wanted if they were willing to make the effort. We can overcome our fears should we choose to do so.

16. THE TOWER: This usually shows a tall building getting blasted by lighting, oftentimes with people falling to their apparent deaths below. Another not-really-comfortable card at first glance.

This card also indicates change, often of a major nature, but probably positive in the long run.

17. THE STAR: Usually seen as a naked woman pouring water from two vessels, onto into a small pond and another onto the earth. This is another card that emphasizes balance and harmony, especially after the changes brought about by the last card.

18. THE MOON: Usually two dogs and a lobster baying and/or looking at the moon, with a couple towers in the background. This is a card that warns of the unknown, but may also tell us that we are being tested somehow. Intuition can also be involved since the moon is seen as a feminine symbol.

19. THE SUN: Usually seen as a child riding the back of a horse with a huge sun in the background. Generally means the person has now achieved control in his/her life and is, in effect, returning to the innocence of childhood, but an innocence framed by a long and, perhaps difficult, spiritual growth process.

20. JUDGMENT: Indicates that we have successfully passed through our experiences so far and now it is time to begin a new round of experiences (that can, by the way, take us once again through the entire path of the major arcana).

21. THE WORLD: Indicates the end of our journey. We have achieved balance and harmony of events and of ourselves.

THE MINOR ARCANA

WANDS: Represents activity, events, growth.

CUPS: Deals with matters referring to love and happiness.

SWORDS: Generally deals with things involving aggression and difficulties.

PENTACLES: Generally representing financial affairs.

Each of the minor arcana is divided into cards numbered one through ten, and into the four royal cards noted earlier. Some decks have just basic symbols on them such as three swords. Some decks have very elaborate drawings on them, allowing the reader to add additional levels of understanding and analysis.

ACES: Generally mean the beginning of something. The ace of cups, for example, could mean a new love appearing in ones life.

TWOS: Generally the coming together of opposites.

THREES: Means something coming together in some fashion such as the three of cups indicating good things have come together in your life and it's time to celebrate.

FOURS: Refer to practical, stable matters.

FIVES: Usually indicates an unstable situation; change coming.

SIXES: Represents the need or desire to find harmony in the midst of the changes brought about by the fives or major arcana cards.

SEVENS: Another card of choices and changes.

EIGHTS: Represents and need/desire to get control over affairs. (A doubled extension of the four card, really).

NINES: The card of completion.

TENS: On the other hand, things may start all over again. Another round of growth in the works.

The Court Cards are often the most difficult to interpret for people new to tarot; even for those quite experienced interpretation can prove a challenge.

PAGE: Might mean a message is coming; can also represent youth.

KNIGHT: Represents energy, someone actively involved doing some great task.

QUEEN: Understanding.

KING: Strength of will.

On the other hand, the court cards might stand for people of specific ages, pages being the youngest, knights a little older, queens and kings the oldest of all. Examining the symbols on the cards and going for an intuitive understanding is probably more important for these cards then for any others in the deck. Yet a third approach is that the person's own character is reflected in any court cards that appear in the reading.

When you receive a tarot reading the reader will have you shuffle the cards (sometimes they will do it but usually you will), having you formulate a question in your mind about what you wish to find out, whether that something be as general as just "what is going on right now in my life" to something more specific.

And, of course, there are many, many different spreads available. Entire books on spreads exist. You will need to look through some of these and work with them until you find the spreads that feel "right" for you to use in your own readings.