Tarot
About Tarot
Tarot is a mystical world! There’s much more than what meets the eye via a hugely attractive and intriguing Tarot cards’ deck. Many may view Tarot as a casual, spur of the moment fortune telling technique. However, contrary to the popular belief, Tarot is a much deeper and complex subject than what it is thought to be. In fact, it is a unique combination of art and science. Art, because a Tarot Card Reader, besides a keen psychic ability, requires a great deal of intuitive prowess and analytical ability in order to interpret the cards correctly. At the same time, Tarot is also a science, as it constantly strives to produce reliable, consistent and comprehensible results and predictions. A colourful and alluring deck of Tarot cards can simply be magical! And, its magic can be aptly employed to soothe, counsel, predict and guide. It can help clear one’s confusions with valuable insights and advice. And, can help one connect with his higher, inner self. This very aspect of Tarot makes it unique and more useful. Tarot focuses on analysing the past to address the current problems with a definite view on future to help one take just the right decisions.
Major Arcana Tarot Cards
The usage Arcana stems from the word Arcane. ‘Major Arcana’ means ‘the big secret’. The Major Arcana deck of Tarot comprises of the first 22 cards in the deck. These cards signify the major events in the journey of life of a person from birth to death, and rebirth. Each of these 22 cards has a particular meaning to convey, a definite significance. For instance, The Fool, the first of the Major Arcana cards, signifies the innocent baby embarking on the journey of life; The Lovers is the card of the heart and relationships; The Chariot signifies an ongoing journey; The Death is the card of eternal change, or rebirth; The Moon means the gaining of inner knowledge; and The World signifies the end of the cycle of birth and reincarnation.
Minor Arcana Tarot Cards
The biggest chunk of the Tarot deck, 56 of the 78 cards, comprise the Minor Arcana. 40 cards out of these fall exclusively under the Minor Arcana, while the other 16 also form a part of the Royal Arcana or Court Cards. If the Major Arcana can be said to convey the big picture, the Minor Arcana signifies the specifics in the life of a person. It is divided into four parts: The Suit of Swords signifies the realm of the mind and intellect, our decisions and insights. The Suit of Cups has to do with the things of the heart, things we love and care about. The Suit of Wands represents our power and life energy as applied to the situations and events we face in life. And lastly, the Suit of Pentacles represent our labours and the rewards we gain from them.
Court Cards/Royal Arcana Tarot Cards
Each of the four suits of the Minor Arcana is divided further. Four Court Cards are extracted from each Minor Arcana suit, and they are classified under each category – The King, Queen, Knight and Page, signifying their specific traits. This makes the total Court Cards as 16. The King is creative, inspiring and bold, and wants to create a lasting impact on the world. The Queen is attractive, energetic, cheerful and self-assured; she does not impose, but subtly influences circumstances. The Knights may be termed as extremists, they express their qualities to the utmost limit. For instance, if they are cautious, they will be cautious to a fault, weighing all the pros and cons meticulously before taking a decision. The Page motivates us to enjoy the thrill of mental and even financial challenges.