A Brief History of Tarot Cards

By: Rev. Dr. Gabriel Silent

    Tarot cards are often associated with fortune telling, but their origins are much more complex than that. In order to best understand the purpose of tarot cards today, it’s helpful to know their history and how they came to be used as they are today. Here’s a brief history of tarot cards to help get you started on your journey to learn more about these mysterious cards! 

The Origin of Tarot

    The word tarot comes from two root words: tar, which is Medieval French for path, and trot, which is Italian for wheel. While tarot cards first began appearing in Italy during a period called The Renaissance (1400–1600), most historians believe that these cards are based on an earlier Egyptian set known as The Book of Thoth. Ancient Egyptians believed that The Book of Thoth contained all of life's secrets. Tarot cards, therefore, were designed to answer life's questions. Originally created by artists known as fortune tellers (or cartomancers), tarots would be used to divine answers from one's future. Later, Europeans began using tarots to learn about past events. Nowadays, they can be used for both purposes. While there have been many different decks throughout history, every deck consists of 78 cards divided into three categories: 22 Major Arcana cards; 56 Minor Arcana cards; and 4 Court/Person cards. Many people use tarot decks to gain insight into their lives or seek advice regarding problems they may be facing. Others simply like learning more about symbolism and artwork found within each card. Whichever way you choose to use your deck(s), it's important to know your facts before consulting them - otherwise your readings will not be accurate! An inaccurate reading may give you false information that leads you down a bad path or discourages you from continuing with your business endeavors if things appear bleak when in reality things will improve as time goes on!

What Are They Used For?

    By far, tarot cards are most commonly used for divination and meditation. The first thing to understand about tarot is that it doesn’t tell you anything; instead, it gives you questions to ask yourself. You interpret what you see in the images, look up meanings in books, or discuss your concerns with a teacher. Some people use them for fortune-telling; others say they can be used as an alternative method for healing. And yes, some people use them for entertainment purposes (probably as a fun parlor game). It really depends on what works best for you and how you want to approach tarot. Most importantly, remember that if you're using tarot as a spiritual practice, don't view every card as negative. Take time to explore each image and attempt to learn from both positive and negative outcomes.

It’s not unusual for people who aren’t involved in spiritual practices to confuse readings with fortunetelling—which has little basis in reality. Keep in mind there's no such thing as perfect information when it comes to any type of forecasting. Tarot cards aren't crystal balls: Each reading will give you new perspectives based on your current circumstances but nothing more than that so keep an open mind going into each experience and remember not everything will align perfectly all at once!

Why Are Tarot Card Readings So Important?

    It’s easy to dismiss tarot cards as silly superstition, but when it comes to psychic readings, you can learn a lot about your future by consulting with one. A reader can tell you how your career and love life are going to go, but also help you get in touch with yourself so that you can make real changes. When used properly, a deck of tarot cards can provide insight into your past, present and future and open up possibilities that had been closed off before. You might be surprised at what you see! And for those who question whether or not psychic abilities are real, just remember: The only way that something is fake is if it doesn't exist. And clearly, there's some kind of magic in these cards! So if you've got any questions—especially ones regarding big choices like moving cities or ending relationships—tapping into a deck of tarot cards can offer priceless answers. So forget all those psychics who have their own reality shows: You don't need to consult a famous TV personality (although having one would probably make things even better). Just grab some paper and pull out your trusty old deck of divination tools; that way, you'll be able to harness powerful intuitions without getting on national television. What Should I Keep In Mind?: Before you start asking about your love life, keep in mind that everyone has different strengths and different areas of expertise. While one person might do better discussing finances or career issues, another might do well discussing emotional problems or spiritual concerns. As long as they're honest with you (and don't sugarcoat things), whoever you choose should be able to provide really good insights into your situation and point out potential opportunities where they arise. Speaking of opportunity: Before trying a fortune-teller out for yourself, think about some specific goals that you have right now. What are they? Where do they come from? What steps will lead to success?

Where To Start When Reading The Cards

    To begin your tarot journey, you will want to think about how you want to learn tarot. Will you be self-taught or do you want a teacher? Do you want to read for yourself or do you want to read for others? These are questions that should factor into your decisions from here on out. Decide what your tarot practice will look like and determine what you need in order to achieve that. From there, build your tools, decide on an approach and jump right in! No pressure! Reading tarots cards is one of life’s great joys – do it well and enjoy it! (Information obtained from Aeclectic Tarot website)

Let’s Learn How to Read: Before getting started with a reading deck, you must develop some basic skills so that they come natural to you while doing your readings. You will have difficulty achieving these skills at first but with time and dedication they come easier. When learning something new always start off small until you feel comfortable enough moving forward before moving back again if necessary. At first use one card during readings as opposed to a full deck of cards (this was done by either shuffling all of them together or putting them in separate piles depending on which method works best for you). Once comfortable with using one card try using two then three after another until finally using more than three cards during each reading if wanted too.