What is Tarot?

To people unfamiliar with divination, it may seem that someone who reads Tarot cards is “predicting the future.” However, most Tarot card readers will tell you that the cards are used mainly as a tool and the reader is simply interpreting the probable outcome based upon how the cards are situated in the spread.

About The Cards:

A Tarot deck consists of 78 cards. The first 22 cards are the Major Arcana. These cards have symbolic meanings focused on the material world, the intuitive mind, the spiritual persona and the realm of change. The remaining 56 cards are the Minor Arcana, and are divided into four groups or suits: Swords, Pentacles (or Coins), Wands and Cups.
Each of the four suits focuses on a theme. Sword cards generally indicate conflict or moral issues, while Cups reflect matters of emotion and relationships. Coins focus on the material aspects of life, such as security and finance, while Wands represent things like spirituality, ambition, and activity.
I would like to point out that the different events and emotions and experiences we have are reflected in the cards as laid down by a reader. Ultimately the Fool is at the center of it all, an innocent about to embark on a journey which will include many trials and tribulations and ending with The World, symbolizing completion. It is the card of freedom and liberation on many different levels, and indicates triumph in all undertakings.

How Do Tarot Cards Work?

Any experienced Tarot reader will tell you that reading cards is an intuitive process. Like any other form of divination, the cards become a focal point for your own psychic abilities. There is any number of different spreads, or layouts, which can be used in a Tarot reading. Some readers use elaborate layouts, while others may just pull out three to five cards and see what they need to see.
One of the most popular layouts is the Celtic Cross method (My personal favorite). Other well-known spreads include the Tree of Life layout, the Romany spread, and the Zodiac method.

The Minor Arcana

While the major arcana expresses universal themes, the minor arcana brings those themes down into the practical arena to show how they operate in daily events. The minor arcana cards represent the concerns, activities and emotions that make up the dramas of our everyday lives.

There are 56 cards in the minor arcana divided into four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles. Each of these suits stands for a particular approach to life.

• Wands
  The Wands are the suit of creativity, action and movement. They are associated with such qualities as enthusiasm, adventure, risk-taking and confidence. This suit corresponds to the yang, or masculine principle, in Chinese philosophy and is associated with the element Fire. A flickering flame is the perfect symbol of the Wands force. This energy flows outward and generates passionate involvement.
• Cups
  The Cups are the suit of emotions and spiritual experience. They describe inner states, feelings and relationship patterns. The energy of this suit flows inward. Cups correspond to the yin, or feminine principle, in Chinese philosophy and are associated with the element Water. The ability of water to flow and fill up spaces, to sustain and to reflect changing moods makes it the ideal symbol of the Cups suit.
• Swords
  The Swords are the suit of intellect, thought and reason. They are concerned with justice, truth and ethical principles. Swords are associated with the element Air. A cloudless sky, open and light-filled, is a symbol of the mental clarity that is the Swords ideal. This suit is also associated with states that lead to disharmony and unhappiness. Our intellect is a valuable asset, but as an agent of ego, it can lead us astray if it is not infused with the wisdom of our Inner Guide.
• Pentacles
  The Pentacles are the suit of practicality, security and material concerns. They are associated with the element Earth and the concrete requirements of working with matter. In Pentacles, we celebrate the beauty of nature, our interactions with plants and animals and our physical experiences in the body. Pentacles also represent prosperity and wealth of all kinds. Sometimes this suit is called the Coins, an obvious symbol of the exchange of goods and services in the physical world.