LEARN TO DO YOUR OWN TAROT READINGSThe reading of Tarot cards is a form of Cartomancy, fortune telling with the use of cards.
Usually a Cartomancer who uses Tarot cards follows the system devised by Etteilla who became famous for her fortune telling skills in Paris during the French Revolution.
The tarot deck of 78 cards is divided into the Major Arcana consisting of 22 cards and the Minor Arcana which is comprised of the remaining 56 cards. Each of the cards of the Major Arcana has a number and a name. In a reading these cards are given more importance than those of the Minor Arcana because they represent a person's fundamental and most important feelings and potential. The cards of the Minor Arcana depict the more mundane aspects of life and bring the themes of the Major Arcana to a more work-a-day level.
The Cards of the Major Arcana are:
The Fool
The Magician
The High Priestess
The Empress
The Emperor
The Hierophant
The Lovers
The Chariot
Strength
The Hermit
The Wheel of Fortune
Justice
The Hanged Man
Death
Temperance
The Devil
The Tower
The Star
The Moon
The Sun
Judgement
The World
The cards of the Minor Arcana are:
4 Suits: Wands Cups Swords Pentacles
Ace to 10 plus 4 picture cards Page, Knight, Queen and King
Suit of Cups: The cup is one of the symbols of the cardinal virtue Temperance. In the Tarot cups are associated with all things feminine such as fertility and being in touch with inner emotions. Levi regarded the cup of the Tarot as a representation of Joseph's silver cup which he is said to have used for divination.
The symbolism of a cup of chalice is strongly feminine as a receptacle and as a provider of sustenance. When cup card turns up in a reading it will always ask the querent to examine emotional and feminine energy or influences.
Ace of Cups
Two of Cups
Three of Cups
Four of Cups
Five of Cups
Six of Cups
Seven of Cups
Eight of Cups
Nine of Cups
Ten of Cups
Page of Cups
Knight of Cups
Queeen of Cups
King of Cups
Suit of Pentacles: The suit of Pentacles is sometimes called the suit of coins, the coin being one of the symbols associated with the cardinal virtue Prudence. The use of the word pentacle seems to have come from a misunderstanding of Levi's word "pantacle" which he invented to describe the coin symbol in the tarot. The word pantacle was used to mean a sort of magical talisman, an embodiment of the magical system being used by a magician at any given time. All the cards in the suit of pentacles are to to with wealth (not necessarily monetary wealth) or the lack of both monetary and spiritual wealth. With all kinds of wealth come happiness, greed, responsibility and generosity. All kinds of poverty can bring misery, damaging pride and injustice. The cards in the suit of pentacles help the querent to explore all the levels of need and possession which may be of concern in his/her life. This suit is considered to be feminine.
Ace of Pentacles
Two of Pentacles
Three of Pentacles
Four of Pentacles
Five of Pentacles
Six of Pentacles
Seven of Pentacles
Eight of Pentacles
Nine of Pentacles
Ten of Pentacles
Page of Pentacles
Knight of Pentacles
Queeen of Pentacles
King of Pentacles
Suit of Swords: The sword is one of the symbols of the cardinal virtue of Justice. Levi asserted that the sword in the tarot represents the sword of King David or that belonging to Archangel of Justice, Michael. The sword is an obviously masculine symbol and in readings it suggests the establishment of order, conflict, progress and movement. It also points to matters concerning legality, mental challenges, strife and conflict.
Ace of Swords
Two of Swords
Three of Swords
Four of Swords
Five of Swords
Six of Swords
Seven of Swords
Eight of Swords
Nine of Swords
Ten of Swords
Page of Swords
Knight of Swords
Queeen of Swords
King of Swords
Suit of Wands: The wand is one of the symbols of the cardinal virtue of Fortitude. According to Levi he wand in the tarot represents Aaron's rod. There is also a connection between this symbol and the rods of the Persian magicians, a class of Persian wise man. This is possibly where the concept of the magic wand of fairy tales and conjurers comes from. As with the suit of swords, wands is assumed to be a masculine suit. All matters of creativity and enterprise are associated with the suit of wands.
Ace of Wands
Two of Wands
Three of Wands
Four of Wands
Five of Wands
Six of Wands
Seven of Wands
Eight of Wands
Nine of Wands
Ten of Wands
Page of Wands
Knight of Wands
Queeen of Wands
King of Wands