The Tarot card deck is believed to have originated in France. Historians say it was most likely a card game devised by the illiterate population. As it grew in popularity, tarot history says that tarot divination developed as society looked for new methods of entertainment. People began to explore tarot card spreads further, and to develop their own tarot cards meanings and beliefs about the images. They developed the tarot major arcana and minor arcana, and designed more elaborate and artistic cards.
Tarot Cards Meanings
As more people began learning tarot, the Christian church became worried that people were looking outside of their strict religious morals and rules. They spread rumours that the tarot card deck was a tool for black magic, and that the tarot cards meanings were sent by the Devil and witches with evil intent. So tarot went underground, and became associated with gypsies and old wise women of the villages, who continued to learn tarot and pass down its mysteries to their siblings. But it was still a popular pastime, even if society at large was unaware of the fact.
Tarot is built on imagery, and the reader must divine tarot cards meanings using their own intuition or psychic abilities. Tarot divination relies on the human brain’s capability to decipher meanings from images and signs, rather than offering a straightforward generic answer to a tarot set. Many tarot books have been written on the subject over the years, and probably the most widely known is the Rider tarot. Rider Waite tarot cards are generally regarded by practitioners, as the best tarot card deck for people who are just to starting to explore the subject.
Online Tarot Readings
A wide selection of tarot books are available to assist individuals who embark on a journey of enlightenment. Online tarot readings are widely available, and in recent years tarot net, live tarot and email tarot have grown in popularity.
Astrology tarot is embraced by people with a specific interest in this area, incorporating more than one subject of the occult. Using their imagination and intuition, people can buy tarot cards, and use decks such as rider tarot, for their own enlightenment and entertainment.
Origins of Tarot Card Deck
It is believed by many that the traditional tarot card deck may have originated as early as 1470, and was possibly designed by Andrea Mantegna. These tarot cards are Venetian, and the tarot cards meanings were later adopted by the French and other European countries. Early tarot cards were designed as playing cards, popular in France, Italy and Spain. During the reign of King Edward IV, tarot cards were forbidden in England. Games of chance were frowned upon, and any notion that the tarot was designed for fortune telling or tarot predictions was quickly hushed by society peers.
The French archaeologist M. Court de Gebelin came across the tarot when it was relatively unknown in Paris. He decided to research the origins of the tarot card deck, believing them to be Egyptian. Indeed, a popular deck on the retail market today is Egyptian Tarot, possibly because of its ancient connections. In its broadest interpretation, the word "tarot" is pure Egyptian: "Tar" translates into "way or road", and "Ro" translates into "king" or "royal"; therefore, the term means "the Royal Road of Life." Other translations in history relate it to the Book of Thoth or the Table of the Doctrine of Mercury.
Rider Waite Tarot Deck
In modern society, online tarot readings have grown in popularity alongside the growth of the internet. It is very easy to buy tarot cards, and there are many different decks available on the retail market. People can purchase the traditional Rider tarot deck, while others may opt for more obscure designs such as Lectura tarot, Dragon tarot, Mythic tarot, or Vampire tarot.
People who are interested in the subject may wish to purchase a tarot guide from a local bookstore; this can serve as a great starting point for individuals who wish to explore the subject further. The tarot card deck has come a long way over the centuries, and it seems that now it is most definitely here to stay, and out in the open.
Sources:
Why my Mother didn’t want Me to be Psychic, Heidi Sawyer, Hay House Publishing, 2009.
Arthur Edward Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, US Games Systems Inc, 1971.
